Each month we highlight a fun moment of pop culture that featured PHANTASM.

This month is the 1980 film American Gigolo starring Richard Gere.

American Gigolo is a 1980 American neo-noir crime drama film written and directed by Paul Schrader and starring Richard Gere and Lauren Hutton. It tells the story about a high-priced escort in Los Angeles who becomes romantically involved with a prominent politician's wife while simultaneously becoming the prime suspect in a murder case.

The film is notable for establishing Gere as a leading man, and was one of the first mainstream Hollywood films to include frontal male nudity from its main star. It is also notable for its Golden Globe Award-nominated musical score, composed by Giorgio Moroder, and number-one single "Call Me" by Blondie. Schrader considers it one of four similar films, which he calls "double bookends": Taxi Driver, bookended by Light Sleeper, and American Gigolo bookended by The Walker. (Wikipedia)

At the time it was released eagle-eyed PHANTASM fans noticed that the marquee of the theater featured PHANTASM! You can also see a PHANTASM poster hanging as well. This was from the release of the film in 1979.

All these great photos were found on the website Marquee’s In Movies.

This film serves as a great memory of the original release of PHANTASM.