Phantasm - Weird, twisted and very watchable

I do like films that are `so bad they're good.' And recently I watched The House By the Cemetery (by the same writer/director Don Coscarelli) and I hated it. So perhaps I lowered my expectations with this one. Either way, I was pleasantly surprised.

It started with a young boy. Now, this can be a problem, as kids in horror movies (especially ones from the seventies and eighties) are notoriously annoying. However, despite his old fashioned haircut, he was actually pretty watchable. The same could be said for his older brother, who he goes to for help when he starts watching a suspicious undertaker in a local funeral home.

What transpires is the brothers and their friends investigating some pretty dark and nasty goings on. Yes, it's a bit dated, but fun nonetheless. Could you really pass up the opportunity to watch cloaked dwarfs, angry mutant flies with super-strength and, of course, that scene with the miniature Death Star (watch it, you'll know what I'm referring to).

Rather than just being a straight slasher film, Phantasm actually tries to be a little different, not just with the plot, but also with the way it's put together. Some people have described it has having a similar feel to David Lynch's films. In some ways they're not wrong.

All in all, if you're a horror buff, then you really should watch this. It may look a little dated, but it's different enough to be regarded as an important part of the horror genre.

8/10 The Force is definitely strong with this one