#phantasm: remastered

[batmannotes]

Batman: Mask of the Phantasm 4K Ultra HD Review

Released 30 years ago this Christmas, Batman: Mask of the Phantasm comes to 4K Ultra HD for the first time. The story was originally slated for a 'direct to home video' release but was later switched to a theatrical one ... many consider this Bat-flick as the number one cinematic release for the Dark Knight. The filmmaking team is composed of the award-winning core group behind Batman: The Animated Series. Eric Radomski and Bruce Timm directed the film from a screenplay by Alan Burnett, Paul Dini, Martin Pasko and Michael Reaves, based on a story by Burnett.  

VIDEO QUALITY 📽️ :  A-

The renowned animated film has been newly-remastered, the 4K HDR/SD of Batman: Mask of the Phantasm was sourced from the 1993 Original Cut Camera Negative and was scanned at 4K resolution. Digital restoration was applied to the 4K scans to remove dirt, scratches and additional anomalies. While this version gives you the clearest possible picture, it doesn’t hurt the original piece. Exceptional care was given to not touch the film grain or the animation cel dirt that was part of the original artwork. Washing away the film grain had been a major complaint with such WB releases like Max Fleischer's Superman (Blu-ray). I will say that sometimes the images on the screen look blurrier than others, especially when shots zoom in and out of frame. Fans should also note this is the first time since its theatrical release that it is presented in its 1.85 aspect ratio.  

AUDIO QUALITY 🔈 : A

The original 2.0 mix and the 5.1 tracks were remastered to remove and improve defects such as pops, ticks, dropouts and distortion. Voices sound clear, sound effects have a nice punch to them making for an exceptional listening experience and Shirley Walker’s score sounds amazing. I felt totally immersed watching this one at my home theater as the new mix really brings this adventure to life. 

EXTRAS 📀 :  D+

Unfortunately, this release doesn’t have many extras, but does it include an all-new featurette Kevin Conroy: I Am The Knight, which takes a look at the legacy of Kevin Conroy, who voiced Batman for 30 years in film, television, video games and more. The only other minimal extras are a digital copy of the film and a one episode of Justice League: Unlimited (featuring a cameo from Phantasm) which can only be accessed digitally. Sadly, the theatrical trailer was not included either.  I really had wished they beefed up the extras here considering the original Blu-ray release was weak in this area also.  

FINAL GRADE: B+

Although the film itself, Batman: Mask of the Phantasm, is exceptional and the newly remastered 4K version looks fantastic, the extras are very weak which pulls this release down a letter grade. With that said, Batman fans shouldn't hesitate to pick up this updated version of this classic animated movie.

Order your copy now at Amazon.

[parasite-core]

I got the pocket edition of the player core rulebook for PF 2e Remastered.

I’m going through the names of spells and man some of the updated spell names go hard. One of my favorites is that Weird is now called Phantasmagoria, because I always made fun of Weird having a name that didn’t tell you anything about what the spell actually does.

There’s also a more powerful vampiric touch in a cone called Vampiric Exsanguination. And Storm of Vengeance is now Calamity. Unseen Servant is now Phantasmal Minion. The new names are so good.

[pick-and-shovel-laborer]

ooc ;; mun day catch up.

Mun comforts:

tagged by: @rolliesmuses

tagging: anyone

Jesse ( he/him )

Comfort food: Any kind of low carb/whole wheat pasta, especially lasagna; prosciutto sandwich on whole wheat with mustard; bison burger with fat free cheese and avocado on whole wheat bun

Comfort drink(s): Sugar free mocha

Comfort movie(s): All the first three Indiana Jones movies; all the Spider-Man "Home" movies, and the first two Raimi movies, and the two Spider-Verse movies; Dark Knight trilogy and the two Burton Batman movies, and Mask of Phantasm; Superman I and II with Christopher Reeve; Monty Python and the Holy Grail; Blazing Saddles; Spaceballs; Airplane!

Comfort show(s): Friends, Seinfeld, Curb Your Enthusiasm; Futurama; classic Looney Tunes cartoons

Comfort clothing: A t-shirt with Uncle Scrooge's head cut off so it looks like my head on Scrooge's body

Comfort song(s): Pretty much anything from James Taylor

Comfort book(s): Anything from Clive Cussler

Comfort game(s): DuckTales Remastered; classic Tetris

[honourablejester]

For reasons, I’m doodling a PF2e dwarven pirate druid from the Shackles on pathbuilder.

(These reasons are almost entirely related to the existence of the NPC Pirate Lord the Master of Gales, who won the Free Captain’s Regatta, the annual race-for-lordship among the pirates of the Shackles, for five years running owing to being a druid captain in a ship race, and only stopped winning because they made him the judge instead. I just love this. Being a druid in a ship race has to be basically cheating? Or, rather, natural advantage. But we’re pirates over here, so that fully tracks. I just love that this guy exists. Pirate druids. What an excellent concept. I’m stealing it immediately).

And, I don’t know how many of these are from the recent remaster and how many were original, but if you’re trying to play a piratical storm druid (could have gone wave, but given location and profession, I’m feeling storm more) from the pirate archipelago where they go racing annually in the outer reaches of the perpetual hurricane that is the Eye of Abendago, the primal spell list has some boss stuff on it. If you want a general stormy, nautical sort of theme.

Like, as I’m going through pathbuilder and levelling this dwarf up, picking my spells as I go, there are some fantastic things on there. I’ve no idea how good and/or practical they are in play, but the vibes are incredible.

Starting from cantrips, we’ve got things like Deep Breath (hold your breath for the duration, starting from 10mins at base), Rousing Splash (give someone temporary hit points by dumping a splash of cold water on their head to ‘invigorate’ them) and Slashing Gust (what it sounds like, you cut one to two people with blades of air).

And then as we climb spell levels, we get things like Horizon Thunder Sphere (throw ball lightning at someone), Brine Dragon’s Bile (a vicious little reaction spell where if someone takes slashing/piercing damage within range, you spit a gob of caustic salt water at them to scour their fresh wounds with salt, dealing persistent acid damage), Obscuring Mist (fog cloud, but on a nautical character fog cloud is always welcome), Voice on the Breeze (whisper a message and send it to a specific location you know within 10miles, where it’ll whisper in a 10ft burst regardless of who’s actually there), Scrying Ripples (watch people through bodies of flowing water within 500ft – does this work with the sea?), Coral Eruption (AOE that sends up razor sharp coral growths), Grasp of the Deep (grip someone with the ‘phantasmal pressure of the deep sea’, crushing them for bludgeoning damage), Misty Memory (summon memories in the mist of what a body of water witnessed within the last 24hrs), Mariner’s Curse (you afflict the target with the ‘curse of the roiling, unforgiving sea’, aka you make them seasick, is this a good use of a 5th level spell, IDK, but I’d do it, in a heartbeat), Hungry Depths (you open a miles-deep maelstrom of ‘dark corrupted water’, teeth and eyes that chews people up), and, for a 10th level capper, Summon Kaiju (very much what it says on the tin, I think I’d go either Agyra, the Forever Storm, or possibly Vorgozen, the Shapeless Feeder, for them, but most Agyra, because Eye of Abendego).

Like. If you want to be a vicious, vindictive pirate druid who shrouds themselves in mist to attack people, crushes their enemies with the phantom sensations of the deeps, whispers words in their allies’ (or enemies’) ears across miles of water, curses people with sea sickness when pissed off, wields all the myriad elemental wraths of the storm, and also on occasion likes to literally throw burning salt in their enemy’s wounds …

This is a thing you can do, basically. If you want a thematic spell list for a vicious salty sea dog, the primal list definitely has you covered.

I love Pathfinder spells. They’re so gnarly and descriptive and evocative. Also vicious. Literal salt in the wound. Good gods. Or neutral gods, I suppose, hi Besmara! And/or Gozreh. Heh.

[archoneddzs15]

Sega Mega CD - The Secret of Monkey Island

Title: The Secret of Monkey Island / モンキー・アイランド ユーレイ海賊大騒動！

Developer: LucasArts

Publisher: Victor Entertainment

Release date: 23 September 1993

Catalogue No.: T-60044

Genre: Point-and-Click Adventure

This could be the worst of all the Monkey Island ports. It's a port of the PC VGA CD Version, including the MT-32 Synth rendition of the music as Audio tracks, and the UI from Monkey Island 2 LeChuck's Revenge. I say worst because it feels rushed like a quick money grab. The audio is constantly interrupted to load conversation or sound effects data during a scene which ruins any sense of immersion. The choice of colors is also strange, dark almost like "Half-Brite" mode. I almost had to squint my eyes like Dr. Eggman does whenever he does his evil inventions, it's too dark for my eyes. Almost gave me needless eye strain. The game retains the original 320x200 resolution. I have to say, the Japanese text in this version (which seems to be borrowed from the FM Towns version to my knowledge) is pretty legible.

The Sword Master quest was a bit of a grind. The game slowed right down here and made it difficult to navigate "conversation reply" choices. And lastly, when on the ghostship, you literally are invisible. You can only be seen as a few stray pixels that move across the screen. I'm sure all other versions had a blue shimmering effect. Maybe the system just doesn't have enough memory to cache anything, but the game should be faster with two Motorola 68000 CPUs at work (Mega Drive + Mega CD). I do feel the game would have benefited from native FM synth (YM2612) or Mega CD PCM music rather than pre-recorded CD audio if only to avoid audio disruption. Kinda like how games like The Laughing Salesman, Aisle Lord, Dynamic Country Club etc. do it. Similar to other games on the Mega CD like Microcosm, Psychic Detective Aya and Shadowrun. Games on the Sega Saturn like Dark Seed II and Phantasm make use of a similar system using the SCSP technique. I could say the CD audio was included as the best version of the Monkey Island soundtrack (if it weren't for The Secret of Monkey Island Special Edition remaster), but I think it was just a quick/lazy way of having music in this version of the game.

Interestingly the game data is fully intact and will work in ScummVM in glorious full color. Something is going on in the Mega CD version's binary code that is making the screen less vivid, which to be honest, I don't have the technical know-how to work out what it is. "The Stump" joke isn't included in this version of the game (and that includes this and the FM Towns). That joke would make even less sense if kept in the CD ports as well as later releases and remasters, just as well as that "stump" joke only made sense in the floppy disk versions.

[mongowheelie]

The '70s Horror Movie JJ Abrams Loves So Much That He Saved It

The remastered version looks great!

[bradleyenfield]

Phantasm: Remastered

[artemis-moonlightmagic]

The Genesis ライナーノーツ

お久しぶりです。Artemisです。 秋季例大祭が終わったので曲の解説をば。 こういう企画、前からやってみたかったのでやってみます。

Boundary of Phantasm [Hi-Tech Full on] イントロを兼ねているのでできるだけ主張しすぎない、シンプルなアレンジにしました。シンセの陶酔感を重視したため、サイケらしさは少ないです。 元々は別の曲が入る予定でしたが、色々あってこの曲になりました(ちなみにその曲は、特典カードで配っていたFuturismです)。

Ordinary Days (Remastered) [Progressive House] 幻想StorageさんのEXTENSION PACKに収録させて頂いたアレンジのリマスター版です。個人的に凄くお気に入りのアレンジだったので今回入れました。 原曲で珍しさを出してるパターン

Dawner [Reggaeton] Amane OikawaさんのReggaetonアレンジに物凄く影響を受けて制作しました。Foundling Stoneというアレンジに影響されまくっているため、同じFillを使いまくってます。ただしDawnerはEDMよりPopsっぽい展開・構成にしています。(https://open.spotify.com/track/6uGvwIccEpDhSwiD8pXASW?si=c5641f6122644154) 曲名はDawn+Downerの造語で、原曲はぱらどっとさんのDawngazerに引っ張られて星降る天魔の山となりました。

Stella Magia [HardPsy] 最初はHI.KA.RI.のリマスターを入れる予定でしたが2mixが見つからず、代わりにこの曲になりました。しかも最初のタイトルがMagia Stellaでした。 HardPsyにハマっていた時期があり、その流れで制作しました。Psy系ですが3連符ゾーンは入ってません。 DubstepゾーンはREEYAさんのCrimson Eyesのオマージュです。

OldDesire [Electro Swing/Piano House] 去年から温めていたアレンジ！！東方Lostwordのネタを大胆にぶっ込みました。 途中のエレピソロでモロに出していますが、��かりましたか？ ちなみにギター音源やサンプルパックもこのために新調しました。

RAiNBOW Prayer (Refixed) [Eurobeat] Artemis vs. Yoiのコラボアレンジをアルバムに初収録。 初稿からVocalのMixを変えたかったため、Refixという形で収録しました。 ちなみにYoiさんはこのアルバムでイラストとデザイアドライブを担当しています。それは後程・・・

Destinized Love [Future Bass] わりとシンプルなKawaii Future Bass。Future Bassっぽい曲はオリジナルで作ったTonighr以来です。この曲は前半ピアノ、後半シンセ系です。 曲名のDestinizedは造語に近いです。意味は「運命づけられた」です。

Soleil [Bigroom Techno/Rave] クラブ映えしそうなアレンジです。BigroomというとHouseが出てきそうですが、この曲は最近流行りのTechnoにしました。 Bigroom TechnoはRevealed Recordingsが最近力入れてるジャンルで、制作に当たってRevealedのサンプルパック活用しました。 9月のニコ楽祭で先行お披露目した曲でもあります。

Lux Æterna [Cinematic Psy Trance] エピック感強めのPsy Tranceです。HAGISOPHさんのAfterglowの影響をモロに受けまくってます。 この曲はワッチャプリマジ！の同名曲(Lux Aeterna)から曲名を取っています。筐体版の演出が太陽ぽく神だったので、今回そのイメージから太陽信仰のアレンジになりました。没案だと竹取飛翔でした。

Reckless Scarlet [Future Rave] フランちゃんが人気投票で1位取ったのでそれ記念に。Future Raveというジャンルに挑戦しました。難しいです。 前のトラックが長すぎたので反動で短くなってます。没案だと紅楼のFunkotが入る予定でした。

HIGHER & HIGHER [Reverse Bass/Hard Dance] Reverse Bass系のHard Danceです。 Hard Danceのサンプルパックを買っていたので作りました。 後半のDropはモロにHardstyleです。

新しい月の誕生 [Synthwave] いどみずさんという方の瓔花ちゃんの画像が元ネタです。 SynthwaveはオリジナルのCosmo以来でしたが、今回はよりSynthwaveっぽくなってると思います。

Dawner (feat. 柾みょん) [Reggaeton/日本語ラップ] Reggaetonに日本語ラップを付けたアレンジが制作したく、Tr.3の音源にRapを添える形で制作しました。結構面白いリリックです。

イラスト 今回は以前から一部の動画イラストを担当していただいたYoiさんにお願いしました。神々しい感じのお空です。

次回 間に合えば即売会は5/7の例大祭になる予定です。アルバムの内容は未定ですが、BPM100オンリーのアレンジアルバムになるかも。 後余裕があれば次回のアルバムからジュエルケースになる予定です。 ちなみに今年はフリーアルバムをあと2枚出す予定です。

[brokehorrorfan]

Blu-ray Review: The Phantasm Collection

It was long thought impossible for a box set of the Phantasm films to be released in the US due to the rights being controlled by different entities, but Well Go USA has made it happen. Going above and beyond beautiful high-definition transfers of all five films, the six-disc set also contains an exhaustive amount of special features, both new and archival, plus a book and a poster.

Phantasm's most memorable elements - a sinister undertaker who sometimes takes the form of a beautiful woman, flying metallic spheres that suck the blood out of victims’ heads, cloaked dwarfs seemingly plucked out of Star Wars, yellow blood that resembles cheese sauce - sound more like scenes from a nightmare than a movie. In many ways, that’s exactly what the 1979 film is: a hypnagogic fever dream put on screen.

Not only was it a remarkable achievement for an independent film upon its initial release, but Phantasm has also aged surprisingly well after nearly 40 years. Written and directed by Don Coscarelli (The Beastmaster, Bubba Ho-Tep), the surreal plot centers around a boy, Mike Pearson (A. Michael Baldwin), his older brother-turned-guardian, Jody (Bill Thornbury), and their friendly neighborhood ice cream man, Reggie (Reggie Bannister), as they investigate a mysterious mortician known as The Tall Man (Angus Scrimm).

It’s rare to see a scary scene set in the bright sunlight, but that famous slow motion shot of The Tall Man walking through the ice cream truck's fog is positively chilling. Paul Pepperman’s practical effects are realistic enough to induce cringing, from the gory demise of the sphere’s first victim to the lifelike severed fingers. Fred Myrow and Malcolm Seagrave’s oft-repeated theme music never loses its power. The amateur acting is a tad hammy in spots, but the movie also features some truly great character moments, none better than Jody and Reggie jamming on their guitars together.

Phantasm has received a flawless 4K restoration and 5.1 surround sound mix from the original elements by Bad Robot, under the supervision of Coscarelli and noted fan J.J. Abrams (Star Wars: The Force Awakens). The movie has always had a unique, grainy texture that added to the dreamlike quality. Thankfully, the high-definition remaster retains the organic look while bringing new clarity and vividness to the picture.

Well Go updates last year's Phantasm Blu-ray with a new audio commentary by Coscarelli, co-producer Paul Pepperman, and visual consultant Roberto Quezada. Other special features include a commentary by Coscarelli, Baldwin, Thornbury, and Scrimm; a segment from the show Graveyard Carz in which Coscarelli and Baldwin inspect a tribute to the Phantasm ‘Cuda; a vintage TV interview with Coscarelli and Scrimm; deleted scenes; a plethora of behind-the-scenes home movies (some featuring commentary by Coscarelli and Bannister); interview outtakes; footage of Scrimm from a panel at a 1989 Fangoria convention; a Fangoria commercial starring Scrimm from 1988; a still gallery; TV and radio spots; and two trailers.

1988's Phantasm II begins the franchise's tradition of sequels picking up immediately where the previous installment left off. In this case, Coscarelli shows us what Reggie is up to downstairs while Mike is attacked by the Tall Man upstairs. It then cuts to six years later, when Mike (now played by James Le Gros, Point Break) is released from the mental institution where he's been held since the events of the first film.

Mike and Reggie hit the road together on the hunt for the Tall Man. They evade hits traps along the way, in addition to developing respective love interests. Mike dreams of Liz (Paula Irvine), a girl who also lives in fear of The Tall Man. Reggie, ever the lady's man, works his magic on a hitchhiker named Alchemy (Samantha Phillips). He also constructs a quad-barrel shotgun, which joins his 'Cuda as a signature of the character and the franchise.

Coscarelli intended to have Baldwin reprise his role as Mike alongside the other returning cast members, but Universal Pictures, who produced the film, insisted a working actor be cast in the lead role. Le Gros does a fine job in the inherited part, but the transition feels jarring when watching the franchise back-to-back. The surreal elements are slightly subdued, likely at the studio's behest as well, but they are still very present in the form of the nightmarish visions that plague Mike.

The trade-off was worthwhile, however, as Phantasm II has the largest budget of the series with $3 million. All the elements that made the first Phantasm so successful are present, but the bigger budget affords a larger scale with more gore and action. Gooey practical effects and rubber monsters - designed by Mark Shostrom (Evil Dead II, A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors) with the assistance of fellow special effects greats Greg Nicotero and Robert Kurtzman - give the picture a distinct '80s horror feel.

Unlike the other discs in the box set, Phantasm II is licensed from Scream Factory, so the company's Collector's Edition release from 2013 is repackaged. There aren't any new special features, but the disc was already stacked: a 46-minute making-of featurette with the cast and crew; a featurette on the special effects; an audio commentary with Coscarelli, Bannister, and Scrimm; deleted scenes; alternate and extended workprint scenes; behind-the-scenes footage from the set; an educational short film produced by Encyclopedia Britannica starring a young Scrimm as Abraham Lincoln; three still galleries; TV spots; and trailers.

1994's Phantasm III: Lord of the Dead was made for about half the budget of the previous installment, which allowed Coscarelli to have more creative freedom. As a result, the surreal elements are back in the forefront. More noteworthy, Baldwin returns to his rightful role as Mike. The transition between actors is pulled off seamlessly with a clever switcheroo in editing between a recap of the previous film and current events.

While Mike was the star of the show last time around, Reggie takes the lead on this one. Previously playing more of a sidekick, he gleefully assumes the role of the action hero in spite of his humble beginnings as a bald, middle-aged ice cream man. Mike is largely absent for the film's midsection as we follow Reggie's adventures to save him and defeat the Tall Man. The focus on Reggie results in more comedic relief, which borders between fun and out of place.

En route, Reggie befriends Tim (Kevin Connors), a child sidekick who mirrors Mike in the original film, and Rocky (Gloria Lynne Henry), a badass, nunchuk-wielding army chick. Jody also makes his return to the story, trapped in one of the Tall Man's spheres. Speaking of which, the sphere effects were perfected by visual effects creator Kerry Prior in this film; they look better here than any other Phantasm movie.

The budget may have been lower, but not debilitatingly so. Shostrom was brought back for more creative practical effects, which include zombie-like creatures on the hunt for Reggie and the gang. Phantasm III also boasts one of the wildest car stunts ever put on celluloid, as fearless stuntman Bob Ivy launches a pink hearse off a pipe ramp at a high speed, hurling the vehicle much farther than anticipated. It's quite a sight to behold, particularly in high definition.

New special features for Phantasm III: Lord of the Dead include: a 48-minute making-of featurette with the cast and crew; a featurette dedicated to Ivy's aforementioned death-defying stunt; a commentary by Coscarelli and editor Norman Buckley; and a new compilation of behind-the-scenes footage from the set. Archival extras include: a charming commentary by Baldwin and Scrimm; an earlier, shorter collection of on-set footage; a deleted scene; a still gallery; a radio spot; and the trailer.

1998's Phantasm IV: Oblivion returns the franchise to its ambitious independent roots. It was long thought to be the end of the series - and, although it pales in comparison to earlier entries, it offers a gratifying conclusion. Due to the decreased budget, Coscarelli relies on the performances to deliver an engaging story rather than the spectacle of action and special effects - although there are some of those as well, including KNB EFX helping out on a couple notable effects.

As you might expect, the film is a bit more esoteric than the prior installments. The spirit of Jody urges Reggie to find Mike and help him on his quest to stop the Tall Man once and for all. The old friends embark on an interdimensional journey, expanding the series' rich mythology even further. Insight is given on the Tall Man's human backstory, which had been previously unexplored.

What makes Oblivion particularly fascinating is that it repurposes unused footage from the original Phantasm, working it in as flashbacks and visions. It might come off as a cheap gimmick in most films, but it feels genuine here, given that all the actors are still involved, not to mention the franchise's tendency for thinking outside the box. It helps that the footage is quite interesting, like the scene in which Mike and Jody hang the Tall Man.

New special features for Phantasm IV: Oblivion include: a 47-minute making-of featurette with the cast and crew; a compilation of behind-the-scenes footage from the set; and a gallery of Justin Zaharczuk's concept art. Previously existing extras include: a commentary with Coscarelli, Bannister, and Scrimm; behind-the-scenes footage (which is essentially a truncated cut of the new version); a gallery of behind-the-scenes stills; and two trailers.

2016's Phantasm: Ravager is the only Phantasm film not to be directed by Coscarelli. He passes the torch to David Hartman, though he worked closely as a co-writer and producer. It marks the live-action feature debut of Hartman, who has a long history in animation. He also serves as cinematographer, editor and visual effects artist on the film, among other duties. Although he has crafted many memorable moments throughout the years, Coscarelli’s direction has always been fairly straightforward, so the changing of the guard isn’t particularly noticeable.

The plot shifts between three timelines centering around Reggie, and neither the viewer nor the character knows for sure which is real. In one, he’s the same Reggie that fans know and love; on the road searching for his old friend, Mike. In another, he’s in a nursing home suffering from early onset dementia. In the third, he’s been in a comatose state since the events of Oblivion, and now he’s awakened to find that The Tall Man rules the earth.

It’s very much Reggie’s movie, and Bannister’s enthusiasm to revisit his iconic role translates on screen. Baldwin also plays a big role as Mike, and Thornbury joins in later as Jody. The Tall Man pops up intermittently, per usual, but he has meatier dialogue than in past films, and Scrimm nails it. Kathy Lester briefly reprises her role the Lady in Lavender from the original, and Henry makes her triumphant return as Rocky in a post-credit scene. Stephen Jutras is immediately likable as Chunk, a little person with a big personality.

Ravager feels like a fan film at times, but Hartman’s appreciation for the franchise is apparent. It suffers from its prolonged production that began as a web series with no clear end game in sight. Its seams are particularly apparent in the early portion of the film, which plays out like a series of vignettes. Thankfully, the story largely coalesces before the credits roll. Along the way, the story ties up some loose ends left by past installments while introducing new ideas, characters, and questions.

There are a few solid practical effects, but the film relies too heavily on digital effects. Several are decent for a low budget movie, while others are distractingly bad. CGI is the only way to pull off several of the ambitious concepts - like the giant spheres - but the amateurish effects resemble something found in a Syfy movie. Although imperfect, Ravager ultimately brings the storied franchise to a satisfying close, complete with everything that made the original Phantasm so memorable.

Well Go obviously held back a few extras from last year's physical release of the film to include in the box set version: a fun 50-minute montage of footage, photos, visual effects tests, and artwork used in the making of the film; video interviews with Baldwin, Lester, and Jutras; and the end credit montage sans credits. The previous extras are also present: an informative commentary by Hartman and Coscarelli; a behind-the-scenes featurette; three deleted scenes (including one with a giant dwarf played by Friday the 13th's Derek Mears) with optional commentary; an amusing collection of bloopers and outtakes; and the teaser and trailer.

A bonus disc collects even more supplementary materials: Phantasmagoria, a 2005 feature-length documentary about the franchise directed by Jake West (Doghouse); Phantasm & You, Hartman's satirical recap of the franchise styled after 1950s public service announcements; full panel discussions from Flashback Weekend Chicago 2008, Flashback Weekend Chicago 2014, and Fantastic Fest 2016; a live performance of an original song about the Lady in Lavender by Lester, whose sultry voice suits her character; a tour of Phantam's shooting locations hosted by Bannister; Phantasm Genesis, a behind-the-scenes look at some of the effects in Oblivion; and Phandom, an 18-mnute piece dedicated to the franchise's rabid fanbase.

And that's not all! The set also comes with Phantasm Compendium, a 120-page book written by Ben Wan, which chronicles the history and impact of the franchise. It features exclusive interviews with cast and crew members, accompanied by behind-the-scenes photos. Lastly, the package contains a 21x27 reversible poster, with The Dude Designs' new box set artwork on one side and Aaron Lea's stunning Phantasm: Remastered poster on the other.

Arrow Videos is releasing its own Phantasm box set in the UK, which may have superior packaging (it comes in a sphere replica), but it's impossible to compete with Well Go's exhaustive amount of special features. It's evident upon diving into them how passionate Coscarelli and the actors remain about the material and the fans after all these years.

Phantasm is easily one of the most fascinating franchises to marathon through. Each film could have served as an ending to the series, yet the subsequent sequel always picks up right were the previous one left off. Not only is it a treat to watch the same characters and cast members grow and mature as the mythology expands, but Coscarelli's creative force continuously propels the story in unexpected directions.

The Phantasm Collection is available now via Well Go USA.

[laueana]

lmao this scene

[batmannotes]

‘Batman: Mask of the Phantasm' 4K Blu-Ray

Celebrate the 30th anniversary of the most universally acclaimed film in the Dark Knight’s legendary cinematic history when the newly-remastered animated movie Batman: Mask of the Phantasm, comes to 4K Ultra HD for the very first time. From Warner Bros. Discovery Home Entertainment, the film will be available to purchase on 4K Ultra HD on September 12, 2023.

The release will also include an all-new featurette Kevin Conroy: I Am The Knight, which takes a look at the legacy of Kevin Conroy, who voiced Batman for 30 years in film, television, video games and more.

Rooted in DC’s acclaimed Batman: The Animated Series and released theatrically on Christmas Day 1993, Batman: Mask of the Phantasm has not only been ranked by Time magazine as one of the 10 best Super Hero movies ever, but is also arguably the core fans’ all-time favorite Batman film. The movie has been rated at the top of the Dark Knight film franchise by such popular entertainment media as Empire, Screenrant and Paste. And in the ultimate mainstream salute for its time, Gene Siskel & Robert Ebert didn’t initially review the film during its theatrical release, but later dedicated a portion of their At The Movies weekly TV series to pay compliment to the film – and voice their regret for not giving it the attention it deserved during its original run – when Batman: Mask of the Phantasm was distributed for home entertainment.

The 4K HDR/SDR remaster of Batman: Mask of the Phantasm was sourced from the 1993 Original Cut Camera Negative and was scanned at 4K resolution. Digital restoration was applied to the 4K scans to remove dirt, scratches and additional anomalies, but special care was given to not touch the film grain or the animation cel dirt that was part of the original artwork. This is the first time since its theatrical release that it is presented in its 1.85 aspect ratio. The original 2.0 mix and the 5.1 tracks were remastered to remove or improve defects such as pops, ticks, dropouts and distortion.

The animated film features an all-star cast headed by the quintessential voice of Batman, Kevin Conroy, alongside Dana Delany (Desperate Housewives, China Beach) as Bruce Wayne’s love interest, Andrea Beaumont, Mark Hamill (Star Wars franchise) as the Joker, Stacy Keach (Nebraska, Prison Break, Mike Hammer) as Phantasm/Carl Beaumont, Abe Vigoda (Barney Miller, The Godfather) as Salvatore Valestra, Efrem Zimbalist Jr. (The F.B.I.) as Alfred, Hart Bochner (Die Hard) as Arthur Reeves, Bob Hastings (McHale’s Navy, The Poseidon Adventure) as Commissioner Gordon, Robert Costanzo (Forget Paris, City Slickers) as Detective Bullock, Dick Miller (Gremlins, The Terminator) as Chuckie Sol, and John P. Ryan (The Right Stuff) as Buzz Bronski. Additional voices included Pat Musick, Marilu Henner, Neil Ross, Ed Gilbert, Jeff Bennett, Jane Downs, Vernee Watson, Charles Howerton, Thom Pinto and Peter Renaday.

The Batman: Mask of the Phantasm filmmaking team is composed of the award-winning core group behind Batman: The Animated Series. Eric Radomski and Bruce Timm directed the film from a screenplay by Alan Burnett, Paul Dini, Martin Pasko and Michael Reaves, based on a story by Burnett.

Batman: Mask of the Phantasm will be available on September 12, 2023 to purchase Digitally from Amazon Prime Video, AppleTV, Google Play, Vudu and more. 4K Ultra HD Discs will be available to purchase online and in-store at major retailers. Pre-order your copy now.

SYNOPSIS:

Batman: Mask of the Phantasm opens with the city's most feared gangsters being systematically eliminated, and assumed blame falling on the Caped Crusader. But prowling the Gotham night is a shadowy new villain, the Phantasm, a sinister figure with some link to Batman's past. Can the Dark Knight elude the police, capture the Phantasm and clear his own name? Unmasking the Phantasm is just one of the twists in this dazzling animated feature, which provides new revelations about Batman's past, his archrival the Joker, and Batman's most grueling battle ever - the choice between his love for a beautiful woman and his vow to be the defender of right.

SPECIAL FEATURES INCLUDE*:

Kevin Conroy: I Am The Knight (New Featurette) – For 30 years, Kevin Conroy defined Batman for multiple generations using only his voice, best exemplified in the landmark film Batman: Mask of the Phantasm. Conroy passed away in November 2022, but his legacy lives on in 15 films, nearly 400 episodes of animated television series, a dozen video games, and as a live-action Bruce Wayne in the Arrowverse’s 2019-2020 “Crisis on Infinite Earths” crossover event. Several of Conroy’s contemporaries – including animation legend Bruce Timm, Batman producer Michael Uslan and revered voice actress Tara Strong – pay tribute to the star who remains the Dark Knight for millions of Batfans.

Bonus episode of Justice League: Unlimited featuring a cameo from Phantasm.

*Special features are not available in 4K Ultra HD.

The Batman legend continues in this story that tells of Batman's most difficult battle, as well as his confrontation with a mysterious killer, who holds the key to Batman's secret past.

MPAA rating ‏ : ‎ PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)

Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 3.52 Ounces

Director ‏ : ‎ Bruce Timm, Eric Radomski

Run time ‏ : ‎ 1 hour and 16 minutes

Release date ‏ : ‎ September 12, 2023

Actors ‏ : ‎ Kevin Conroy, Dana Delany

Subtitles: ‏ : ‎ English

Studio ‏ : ‎ Studio Distribution Services

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0CBQPHLG9

Country of Origin ‏ : ‎ USA

Number of discs ‏ : ‎ 1

Preorder now.

[dakotadanger]

Phantasm (1979) is a surreal horror film about a boy named Mike who starts seeing experiencing some weird things. There’s a Tall Man at the funeral home who can lift coffins by himself. Mike sees him in his dreams, and is attacked by him at the funeral home.

This movie is so surreal. It totally operates on a “dream logic” where magic accepted as reality, and instead of calling the police, you grab your gun and go get the guy who’s been messing with your brother. That’s what makes the film so scary. You don’t know what the Tall Man wants or what he’s capable of. He’s just a scary motherfucker.

Phantasm rules and the remastered version is gorgeous.

[astarion]

Liked the Nintendo Direct a lot! Plenty of fun games both previously announced and revealed here, and a lot of them are coming early on next year!

The announcements that got me the most excited were the new Fire Emblem and Octopath Traveler games, as well as Rain Code, though some other announcements were nice to see too (Tales of Symphonia remaster, Kirby WiiU return even if I’m probably gonna pass that one, and a new Theaterhythm). I have some thoughts on the big ones I mentioned.

First, Fire Emblem Engage. I love the series so I am really excited to that see a new one is being made, and will be out in just a few months! However, I have some mixed feelings about it. Specifically, on how it’s using bringing in protagonists from previous games in the series as a plot point and game mechanic.

Three times now there have been games in the series that have done this: the first FE Warriors, FE Heroes, and Tokyo Mirage Sessions. And each time they never really had much of an effect on the plot. Heroes and TMS downplayed the old series characters to tell their stories with the original characters. The most effect past protagonists had was with Warriors, but that also had the weakest story of the three and the least developed original character world.

So seeing this being brought in to Engage in a very significant way makes me a little worried on how it’s going to go. On the plus side, it looks like the older characters are being used not as full-on summoned to this world characters like the other examples, (so the new characters should still be the stars) but instead brought in as phantasmal beings in stat-buffing rings, and can even make fusion forms with the game’s new characters. This could be a fun spin on the gameplay and is honestly pretty cool. On the minus side, the balance between old and new could easily be tipped to put too much in a direction and lose what the game may be going for. If there’s too much emphasis on Marth and co., this could leave the new characters and world underdeveloped and unsatisfying. But if there isn’t enough emphasis on Marth and co., then that begs the question of why go through all the trouble with them to begin with? Would it just have been better to either not have this mechanic, or have it with original characters, past heroes of Engage’s own world, instead on relying on brand recognition from other games in the series? So I’m excited, but in a cautiously optimistic way right now.

Also, as a minor note, with Sigurd being featured, I haven’t played Genealogy yet, and I know his general story thanks to Heroes, but I would really like his story to be officially released or remade out of Japan to enjoy in full. The remake option worked great for Alm and Celica with Shadows of Valentia after all!

For Octopath Traveler 2, the game is looking to be a sequel that’s a lot like the first, only more. The trailer’s advertised interconnections with the heroes’ stories, but I don’t know if they mean that it will be like the first one, where there’s an underlying thread that comes out in the endgame after all stories are done, or if there is actually more interaction between the heroes this time around.

Either way, I am liking that technology is a little more present (there’s a train, and a factory that explodes!) and I’m eager to see how they’ve built on to this game after the first Octopath, since Triangle Strategy and Live a Live also used this engine.

As for Rain Code, seeing this coming from the team that worked on Dangan Ronpa has me very excited! I love mysteries, and also enjoyed Dangan Ronpa a lot, but if you’ve played V3, then it is pretty clear that V3 was very likely to be the final game of that type they would make (for a long time at least). So, seeing the mystery solving come back fresh as a full-on detective story rather than a high-school killing game, with that powerful, over-the-top flair that helped DR stand out, I am really excited to see where this goes.

[tfc2211]

Play Movie ▶ Phantasm (1979) [VHS] Director: Don Coscarelli  

Also Here ▶ tubitv.com Phantasm (Remastered)

[raeloganthesonic06fangirl]

Oh my God, oh my God, Toonami's gonna run "Batman: Mask of the Phantasm" next week, and that means they have access to a remastered upscale meaning there's probably gonna be a Blu-ray release eventually!

[faerieenthusiast]

Top 5 video games?

In no particular order!

1. Pokémon [Many gens across many handhelds] (Started with Gen 3 and while I loved Emerald, my birthstone, so much, I really have to give it to Gen 4 in Sinnoh. I spent so many hours with my OG Diamond. I skipped Platinum for HeartGold, but when I got it, I got the 8th badge and then just restarted the whole game because I enjoyed the story so much)

2. Ace Attorney [Trilogy on Switch/PS4/PC/3DS/maybe Xbox?, Apollo on DS/3DS, Dual Destinies and Spirit of Justice on 3DS, Great Ace on Switch] (I can't pinpoint a specific favorite, but I will say Apollo Justice is so underrated)

3. Final Fantasy X [HD Remaster on PS3/PS4/PC/Switch/PS Vita] (my first FF game and was a perfect entry for it being turn based. Say what you will about X-2 but the changing of job classes a la magical girl transformations and the traces of being an idol was and still is my shit)

4. Yakuza [PS4 including the remakes and HD remasters] (despite me having all the damn games and only halfway into 0 and partially in Kiwami 1, and not touching the rest yet lmao)

5. Persona 5 [PS3/PS4. Royal is PS4] (That's self-explanatory)

Some Honorable Mentions:

Mortal Kombat [PS3/PS4/XBOX 360/XBOX One/PC for the reboot games] (MK2 [SNES/Genesis] is a favorite even tho I still suck at the old school ones, because of the debut of my monster wife, Mileena. She's on the bad side, but as of the reboot, she really just wants to be loved and accepted because she was really made to be a spare)

Rival Schools [PS1] (A 90s fighting game done by Capcom that I *want* to come back. I still have the 2 discs of it)

Harvest Moon DS Cute [DS] (I hyperfocused the shit out of this the summer of '08. I made it to year 6 in a short amount of time but didn't know how to really finesse until I started over and got things done by maybe year 3)

Fire Emblem: Three Houses [Switch] (I spent over 600 hrs with this)

Hamtaro Ham-Ham Heartbreak [GBA] (I fucking love this little hamster and his big adventures)

Atelier Iris 3: Grand Phantasm [PS2] (I got this as a random gift from one of my dad's friends when I was maybe....12??? And I did end up beating the game some years later, but it was genuinely a jrpg that I enjoyed)