Rumors have circulated the web for years that a fifth installment is in the works. Those rumblings have all led to dead ends, but we here at Shock are hopeful that we will eventually get to see a Phantasm V.
Here are our thoughts on what we want to see, if a fifth film is made.
Original cast members. We want to see The Reg man, Jody, Mike, and The Tall Man reunite on screen. The biggest miss in the entire franchise is the replacement of A. Michael Baldwin, in the second film.
Bigger budget. By studio standards, all of the Phantasm films were shot on a fairly low budget. It would be great to see what the Phantasm team could do with a big budget. It would be awesome to see what could be accomplished with a sizable effects budget and a lengthy shooting schedule.
Written and directed by Don Coscarelli. There would be nothing worse than a sequel that proceeds without Coscarelli. We would rather wait indefinitely than see the fifth film fall in to the hands of someone not fully invested in the franchise.
Upgrade the ball. We want to see some radical upgrades to the Tall Man’s spheres. We would like to see some new attachments or gadgetry to bring the franchise in to the 21st century.
Keep the effects practical. The past films have employed primarily, if not exclusively, the use of practical effects. That’s one of many things that makes the movies great. A fifth film should follow suit. Fans of the franchise want to see what the series can do with over a decade of advancements in filmmaking, but do it with prosthetics and makeup. Nothing would be more disappointing than seeing computer generated sphere effects employed.
Not a continuation of the fourth film. Move forward. Phantasm III and IV pick up in the same spot that their predecessors left off, but were both filmed several years after the fact. The cast had aged very visibly, but that was never addressed. When watching the series in succession, it’s impossible to ignore. Don’t give us a sequel that picks up immediately after the fourth film. Tell a story that addresses the time that has passed.
Tasteful gore. We want a film that will bring the gore effects, but without overdoing it. The Phantasm franchise has never been known for excessive violence. It would be a shame to see the fifth film go down the “torture porn” path just to try to be relevant to the “Saw generation.”
Keep it R-rated. The previous four films have not held back to attain a family friendly rating. It would be a major disappointment to see Phantasm V water down the film to get a PG-13 rating. We want to see the adult content we’ve come to know and appreciate from the Phantasm films.
Throw in some Easter Eggs. One of my favorite things about horror sequels is looking for instances of the writer/director paying homage to previous entries in the franchise. It would be cool to see some nods to the first four films in the fifth entry.
What are your thoughts? What would you like to see from a fifth Phantasm film? Tell us in the space below.
