Dec 9, 2025
Why is Phantasm IV so good tho? They really made that extra footage work in such a spectacular way.
I do like the storyline of V too.
But you need to have seen the others to enjoy it... anyway. I'll shut up now.
seen from Sweden
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seen from United States
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seen from China
seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from Netherlands
seen from Sweden
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seen from Russia
seen from Malaysia
seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from China
seen from China
seen from United Kingdom
Why is Phantasm IV so good tho? They really made that extra footage work in such a spectacular way.
I do like the storyline of V too.
But you need to have seen the others to enjoy it... anyway. I'll shut up now.
I thought I was done with Phantasm for a while, but I drew this when I heard about Reggie Bannister going into hospice care. It's based on one of my favorite pictures of him, a behind-the-scenes photo from Oblivion.
Note: The reference I used was SUPER low-res and crispy. If anybody comes across a decent copy of the reference photo I would love a link to it.
Alcohol markers, roller ball pens, and a couple touches of correction fluid on 8x10 sketchbook paper.
Originally posted on my Cara portfolio: https://cara.app/post/b6efb1a2-d2a5-4a6d-ba92-26ef639fbcd5
Ok, so Phantasm iv: Oblivion was really really good despite the tiny budget, even smaller than the third film and closer to the first (independent) feature had. Subsequently, the sets are pretty much a single shoot in the desert, one stretch of highway and a bunch of unused footage from the og Phantasm - despite this, this movie is sorta not a mess.
Narratively....well, it’s a Phantasm film, and one that hews closer to the original in tone. So it’s very surreal and dream-like, which works wonders in its favour.
Technically, it concerns Mike searching for a means to finally put an end to the Tall Man and Reggie (at first) drifting along, thinking Mike abandoned him and later joining on to assist him.
In actuality though, it’s just an excuse for surreal imagery and for us the audience to wonder how much is happening, Phantasm is a great very Lovecraftian madness inducing series and this is probably my favourite after II’s kickass action-horror masterpiece
Even if you think the lore/story is big part - this is a cut above, being basically carried by our three leads, it’s a very Mike + Reggie (with occasional bits of Jody) story vs. The Tall Man, which again makes it feel like a bit of a homecoming after the original installment
The smaller budget and scale makes this one feel oddly intimate and more horrific, and I loved it, also they gave an iconic villain a backstory and didn’t goof it up like Freddy’s ‘bastard child of a 1000 maniacs thing’ (I know, I know, some don’t mind it - but it is definitely a bit more camp than that first movie)
a. michael baldwin in phantasm iv: oblivion (1998) dir. don coscarelli
a. michael baldwin in phantasm iv: oblivion (1998) dir. don coscarelli
PHANTASM IV: OBLIVION WRITER: Don Coscarelli DIRECTOR: Don Coscarelli STARRING: A. Michael Baldwin as Mike Reggie Bannister as Reggie Bill Thornbury as Jody Heidi Marnhout as Jennifer Bob Ivy as Demon Trooper Angus Scrimm as The Tall Man QUICK CUT: Two men drive across the desert in sea
Trisk kicks off March with a return to the Phantasm series, and the fourth outing with the Tall Man!
How does this one fare? Click on in and find out!