http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr/film/brief_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1000835831March 10, 2005
\'Phantasm\' in New Line\'s airspace
New Line Cinema is in final negotiations with filmmaker Don Coscarelli to bring the cult horror film "Phantasm" back to the big screen. The first "Phantasm," which Coscarelli wrote and directed, was released in 1979. It told the story of a young boy named Mike and his friends, who face off against a mysterious grave robber known as the Tall Man and his killer flying spheres. The film spawned three sequels, all of which were made by Coscarelli. Coscarelli would act as producer on the new version, in which the Tall Man travels from town to town turning the dead into his own army and using his deadly spheres against anyone who opposes him. Mike, who is developing psychic powers, and his brother try to stop him. The movie is being developed as a relaunch and as a possible trilogy about Mike\'s coming of age. (Borys Kit)
I don\'t know what a "relaunch" is, but I guess it\'s something like a remake. If this were a sequel, I think they would have used that word. Besides there have already been too many poor sequels.
In the full story, they quote Coscarelli as saying "three elements made the franchise stand out in the horror field: the Tall Man, played by Angus Scrimm, the spheres, and the setting." He\'s the creator, so I guess he can say what he wants, but I disagree. What made the original memorable for me were the characters and the style. I was about the age of the character Mike when that film was released in 1979, and I identified with him. I thought it was cool that he got to drive his older brother\'s Cuda, chop off the Tall Man\'s fingers with a butcher knife, shoot evil dwarves with a .45, and bust out of his room with a shotgun shell taped to a hammer.
Nothing\'s going to top the original, no matter how much money they throw at it. Coscarelli is still a pretty good writer & director, as witnessed by his recent success with "Bubba Ho-Tep," but I think this is a mistake for him.
Topic: Coscarelli will be making more "Phantasm" (Read 444 times)