PHANTASM (1979) TURNS 45!!!

HORROR 101 with Dr. AC

PHANTASM (1979) d. Don Coscarelli (USA) PHANTASM II (1989) d. Don Coscarelli (USA) PHANTASM III: LORD OF THE DEAD (1994) d. Don Coscarelli (USA) PHANTASM IV: OBLIVION (1998) d. Don Coscarelli (USA) PHANTASM V: RAVAGER (2016) d. David Hartman (USA)

When Phantasm premiered in early 1979, it was unlike anything horror fans had seen before. It was a coming of age tale that also dealt with death, loss, and abandonment. It had science fiction elements, Villainous morticians, bizarre magic, and gory set-pieces, all centering around a mysterious estate and an evil, if convoluted, plot to steal and enslave the dead, with terrific special effects on a minimal budget. The film was a huge hit in theaters, and found an even wider fanbase on television and home video, ultimately leading to four sequels and a labyrinthine mythology surrounding the Tall Man and his army of brain-sucking chrome spheres. Tonight, join AC and his amazing panel of guests (Matthew Amador, John W. Bowen, S.A. Bradley, Eric Fritzius) as they celebrate 45 years of Phantasm and its creators, led by writer/director Don Coscarelli (The Beastmaster), a tight-knit group who, over the course of five films, have reflected our world back to us through a crazy funhouse mirror where four-barreled shotguns and 1971 HemiCudas are your best friends... right alongside your best friends. --------------------------------------------- MATTHEW AMADOR is an actor and owner of Matador Behavioral Health, where he utilizes narrative fiction as a means to process trauma and anxiety through psychotherapy. www.MatadorChicago.com JOHN W. BOWEN has been a columnist, reviewer and feature writer for Rue Morgue magazine since 1999, and has also written sporadically for more (...cough...) “civilized” publications, including the Kingston Whig-Standard, The Toronto Star and Kingston Life Magazine. Born in Dallas and raised in Kingston, Ontario, he is also a professional musician and recovering strip club DJ. S.A. BRADLEY hosts the “Hellbent for Horror” podcast, is the author of “Screaming for Pleasure: How Horror Makes You Happy and Healthy,” and lectured at Webster University and The College of Idaho. His show, “My Horror Manifesto,” played in NYC. https://hellbentforhorror.com/ ERIC FRITZIUS writes things, acts in others and records mouth noises sold in the form of audiobooks. You can find his stuff at www.MisterHerman.com --------------------------------------------- Keep Searching, Keep Exploring, and, most of all, Keep Sharing the Scare!