THE TALL MAN’S MAUSOLEUM

THE HARDWARE OF PHANTASM

He brings a Hearse, we bring a Hemicuda.

He brings a legion of the undead, we bring three fast friends.

He brings a brain-drilling sphere, we bring a Quad-Barrel shotgun.

When it comes time to throw down, whose hardware will prevail?

THE SPHERES

An Interview with D. Kerry Prior Sphere Effects - PHANTASM III, Excerpted from Cine Fantastique/Mad Movies Volume 83, (Translated from French)

Kerry Prior has the balls; that's exactly his responsibility on the set of PHANTASM III. Chromed up, dazzling and polished, they fly about, drill holes, and promise some delightful surprises for fans of Don Coscarelli's imaginative series.

Question: You're the supervisor for the spheres for PHANTASM III, a sort of Master of the Balls.

Prior: It's a hell of a responsibility when you consider that in PHANTASM III there are ninety special effects shots with the spheres. That's four times more than in PHANTASM and PHANTASM II combined. In all, I created sixty spheres, but in the screenplay, one sequence suggests an invasion of several hundred of these metal monsters. Our flying spheres are, above all, the result of mirrors and clever staging. We also use remote control, by radio, which makes it unnecessary to resort to cables, or to filming the spheres in slow motion and throwing them from off screen to explode against walls. That was the case on the set of the first PHANTASM.

Question: Don Coscarelli says that the concept of the spheres is different from the first two films. In PHANTASM III, they have personality!

Prior: Yes, Don decided to give them a certain spirituality. They have veritable supernatural powers, and they are intelligent. In a sense, the sphere is the perfect monster, with no face and a surface that reflects everything around it; there's neither any color nor real texture. The chrome, however, glows, while mirroring the environment. It reflects the general surroundings, but also the fear, the terror that's written on the face of its prey. This effect of capturing the victim's own death image is more terrifying, more horrible than any mask of a monster who grimaces, froths at the mouth and drools blood. The spheres of PHANTASM III are very metaphysical, very pure monsters. It's true that given the manner in which Don Coscarelli uses them, they're sometimes horrifying objects, but I am convinced that the spheres have touched the unconscious of the public as few monsters have.

Question: But the spheres don't speak in PHANTASM III, do they?

Prior: Well, one does! But as to the others, we do try to distinguish their actions. If a sphere crosses a room or passes through a window, we do it in such a way that one knows whether it's attacking or fleeing. One day I asked Don about the origins of these shiny demons. He barely answered; he's very discreet on this question...

Question: What functions do the spheres have in PHANTASM III? Do they just drill into people's skulls?

Prior: Oh no! They've evolved since the first film. One of them possesses a periscoping eye device that acts as a kind of scanner for the Tall Man. All the others contain weapons, the brain-drills, obviously, but also a wide range of unique blades, especially the larger golden sphere - the "Big Bad Mama" of the group. Don asked me to give her very specific tools of terror. Working from his designs, we created a extensive set of blades that come out from everywhere and can spin like tops. Let's just say that this sphere is particularly nasty! Even wilder than that, the screenplay describes a sphere containing a pulsing brain. Mark Shostrom was in charge of that special effect. Apart from my spheres, I also transformed the hands of the Tall Man into snapping, spider-like creatures.

Genesis of the Spheres

The sphere sequence in the original PHANTASM was created with very little money but a significant amount of ingenuity and craftsmanship. The sphere sequence in the original PHANTASM was created with very little money but a significant amount of ingenuity and craftsmanship.

The spheres themselves were constructed by the late Will Green, an experienced film effects craftsman who did a significant amount of effects work for television commercials. Green worked out of his own effects shop at 960 Vine Street, in Hollywood proper, named Turntable Rentals and Sales.

Don Coscarelli and Paul Pepperman, PHANTASM's Co-Producer, hired Green to create several working sphere models based on some crude, hand-drawn designs by Don. Green consented to build the devices as per the specifications given in his original invoice:

Design and construct Spherical Space Weapon special effects system as per instructions from Paul Pepperman & Don Coscarelli. Consisting of sphere, activating mechanisms, protective head guards, bleeding effect, guide harness. Loan of drill motor, speed control, pump. Total price $763.00.

Mr. Green ultimately built a "master sphere rig" or "guide harness" which had three interchangeable sphere faces which would allow filming from straight on, right profile and left profile, respectively. The hemisphere facings were made from molded plastic and then put through a vacuum-metalizing process which gave them the mirrored surface.

The "master sphere rig" contained the retractable blade system, the drilling system, and the blood pumping system. The chrome steel blades were extracted and retracted by a hand rod system. The chrome-plated drill bit was cable-connected to a power hand drill. The blood was pumped from a syringe, through a plastic tube to the interior of the sphere where it would flow onto the spinning drill bit and create the requisite splattering effect.

Green also built a hemisphere with the "blood expulsion port", a one inch diameter hole, which was attached to a plastic hose connected to a small pump motor. To film the blood spouting scenes, the plastic hose was run up through the actor, Ken Jones', costume. A bucket of stage blood was mixed up to the proper consistency and, on cue, the pump was engaged and propelled up through the hose and out the port.

When Coscarelli wrote the infamous sphere drilling scene, he never envisioned filming quite as much blood as ended up onscreen. During the shooting of the actual shot, the drilling rig was attached to Jones' head and the camera rolled. On the call of "Action", Pepperman started extracting the drill bit and it began spinning. As it touched the forehead of actor Jones, Coscarelli, watching through the camera eyepiece, cued Art Director David Brown to depress the blood-filled syringe. Brown pressed on the syringe, but a chunk of dried blood had jammed in the blood tube. As he witnessed the drill bit digging into the make-up of the actor, Coscarelli motioned frantically for Brown to engage the syringe. Brown desperately squeezed down with all his strength and suddenly the chunk gave way and a huge flow of blood spurted into the actor's forehead. Upon viewing the footage, Coscarelli was delighted and that "mistake" shot can be seen in the completed film to this day.

Unfortunately, Will Green passed away four months after the sphere sequence was shot, and never viewed the sequence so loved by fans the world over.

THE WEAPONS

THE VEHICLES OF PHANTASM

Excerpted from High Performance MOPAR Magazine by Sean Klane

In PHANTASM III: LORD OF THE DEAD, there's good news for Mopar fans! Don Coscarelli, the creator of the series, has recast the role of the star Cuda. For the first time, roaring across the screens of America is a triple black 1970 Hemicuda convertible!

To assist on the project Coscarelli enlisted the services of expert West Coast Mopar restorer, Greg Buhlinger. They quickly determined that using an authentic numbers-matching car, as called for in the screenplay, would swallow up an enormous chunk of the movie's budget. Consequently, a clone project car, in which an enthusiast had dropped a 426 hemi into, was located in the area and would be transformed into the Phantasm star car.

Phantasm III: Lord of the Dead continues the saga of characters Mike and Reggie as they do battle with the evil Tall Man played by horror actor Angus Scrimm. At the conclusion of Phantasm II the heroes' Black Cuda was destroyed in a wild car chase versus the Tall Man driving his black hearse. As Phantasm III starts, Reggie having just finished the restoration on his new Cuda convertible finds himself, once again, sucked into a deadly battle with their malevolent nemesis.

From the get-go, Coscarelli was determined to have the Phantasm III Cuda, the best, and most correct of the lot. To achieve such quality, the co-producer, Seth Blair, contacted Kevin King of  Year One, Inc. , and he gladly signed on to assist and provide the correct restoration parts needed for the project. At the same time Buhlinger was keenly aware that this Cuda would be put through some serious stunt driving and that the integrity of the vehicle would be severely tested. His first task was to go through the drivetrain, steering and braking systems to make sure the stunt drivers could bank their lives on this machine.

The Cuda was scheduled for several major action scenes including one major "chase" sequence. During the course of the scene, our heroes, driving the Cuda, are pursued by a Cadillac hearse driven by ghoulish characters who have recently returned from the grave. These "zombies", in addition to sideswiping the Cuda and causing the convertible top to tear clean off, manage to hurl one of their number into the Cuda and create a lot of havoc.

The night of the car stunt sequence arrived and Buhlinger brought out a team of assistants to make certain that the Cuda was ready for anything. On most productions at least one back-up car is needed in case something goes wrong with the star car. With the cost of having two or three identical Hemicuda convertibles standing by prohibitive, it was up to Buhlinger and his crew to keep the Cuda running, no matter what.

The grand finale of the chase sequence called for the Cuda to scream by camera and the hearse to lose control and carom off the road and into the air. Buhlinger took the Cuda's stunt driver, for a test drive, preparing him for the front heavy dynamic of the hemi engine. Meanwhile, Coscarelli went over the plan for the hearse's crash with its stunt driver, Bob Ivy. Bob's job was, starting half a mile back, to get the Hearse up to speed, about fifty miles an hour, and steer it toward a "pipe ramp", a narrow steel ramp three inches wide. With the help of a kicker on the top of the ramp, the hearse's momentum would propel it into the air, and if all went as planned, miss the speeding past Cuda.

Bob Ivy, a top stunt driver, had been a long time fan of the PHANTASM films, having seen the first one in his early teens. He had volunteered for the stunt and promised to make it the best pipe ramp jump of a large vehicle ever. Coscarelli at first encouraged the young stunt man's enthusiasm but as the hour of the stunt approached he worried that Bob might injure or even kill himself.

As Coscarelli cried "Action!", the Cuda and hearse accelerated. Buhlinger, watching with the fire and emergency crews, crossed his fingers, hoping the Cuda would survive intact. To his horror, Coscarelli, hearing the scream of the hearse's engine, realized that Bob's foot was to the floor and that the young stuntman was approaching the ramp in excess of seventy miles per hour!

On impact, the hearse's solid steel frame torqued in a shower of sparks as the 6,000 pound vehicle was hurled skyward. The Cuda roared passed as the hearse, thirty feet above it, sailed through the air. Realizing his dire predicament, the Cuda stunt driver put the pedal to the metal and the mighty elephant beast roared, accelerating ahead of the flying hearse. The hearse crashed to earth, missing the rear chrome bumper of the Cuda by inches. For a moment everyone stood riveted in shock. The standby stunt crew dashed from the crowd toward the wreck. With the help of the emergency team Bob was pulled unconscious from the wreckage of the hearse, which by later measurement, had flown 186 feet in the air! After a brief trip to the hospital, Bob was pronounce in fine shape and returned to a hero's welcome back at the set.

For Greg Buhlinger it was another story. The next setup required him to prepare one of the actors to drive the Cuda by the hearse wreckage and, at the instant they passed, a special effects technician would detonate four half-pound powder bombs which were set under forty gallons of gasoline. Come to think of it, Greg thought, this was the perfect situation in which to have the comfort of four hundred and twenty six inches of pure power under the hood!

Excerpted from Mopar Collectors Guide
By Randy Holden

A word of warning to parents! Keep an eye on what your youngsters take an interest in. Back in the 1960s, young Don Coscarelli was often left with the baby-sitter while his parents went out for the evening. Their instructions were few. Basically, young Don was not allowed to watch the late night horror films on television. Naturally, as soon as they left, the baby-sitter parked herself on the phone and Don went off to watch the late night horror flicks! This routine went on for years, putting a lot of ideas into Don's impressionable and creative young mind.

By the late 1970s, Don Coscarelli had grown up to become a very proficient director and producer of Hollywood movies - very good work if you can get it! His field of expertise? You guessed it - horror films. In 1979, he began filming on what was to become his first major success in the movie business. It was a relatively non-traditional horror movie which he had written himself whilst living in a secluded cabin in the mountains. The film was called "Phantasm ". For dyed-in-the-wool Mopar fans, it needs no introduction.

Many scenes in the movie were influenced by things from Don's youth (No, he didn't have silver flying spheres buzzing about in his room as a child, heaven knows where that came from.) One of the more important items of note, as far as Mopar fanatics are concerned, is the evil black 'Cuda which played a major role in the film.

The choice of vehicles for Phantasm had its roots back in Don's high school days in the early 1970S. A schoolmate drove a brilliant, Sassy Grass Green, Pistol Grip 4speed 'Cuda with a white interior. The 'Cuda made a lasting impression on Don Coscarelli, and when it came time to decide what car to use for his movie, he knew what it had to be.

Back in 1979, muscle cars were simply used cars. It was not hard to locate a likely candidate for the film, and in short order, a well worn 1971 340, 4-speed 'Cuda was bought. Though it wasn't the prettiest thing in the world, it was cheap and it had potential. The 'Cuda was sent to the bodyshop to be brought up to snuff for its Hollywood debut. Since it was to be featured in a very scary movie, filmed mostly at night around a graveyard, Don decided the 'Cuda should have a definite evil appearance itself. Thus the car was painted black. Accentuating the mirror finish black were subtle blue and gray pinstripes. Cragar chrome rims were added and fat tires installed all the way around. To help facilitate the rubber out back, the Phantasm, rear quarter panels were tastefully flared. One scene in the movie had the hero popping up through the roof of the 'Cuda with a shotgun to blast a hearse being driven by an alien dwarf returned from the dead. To make this task a bit easier on the actor's head, a black tinted sunroof was installed. After the body and paint work was finished, it was off to the movie set. There, the 'Cuda proved itself to be as much of a holy terror as the movie itself. Unlike today's films that use several identical cars painted up to look like one another, the original Phantasm movie used just one car. As such, it was given a busy work schedule. The 'Cuda's nine years of hard use conspired to give the movie crew fits. Don recalls that its electrical system was just about shot, and was a major source of headaches for the crew. It's 340 had been around the block more than a few times, and despite the sterling performances it delivered in the movie, in reality the damn thing ran terrible!

By the time filming was complete, the black 'Cuda was in pitiful mechanical condition and went to a member of the film crew. There it sat in his driveway until sold for $1,000 to an unknown buyer. At that point, the original Phantasm movie 'Cuda disappeared.

Years go by, and in the late 1980's, Don decided to film a sequel to the original Phantasm, which, by then, had become a major cult film. He assembled much of the original cast including the lovable Angus Scrimm, AKA, "The Tall Man", and Reggie Bannister, better known to us as Reggie the ice cream vendor. The sequel has our two heroes, Mike and Reggie, running around the countryside trying to stop the Tall Man's reign of terror.

Naturally, Phantasm II could not be made without the now familiar black 'Cuda for our heroes to ride around in. Don contacted Jim Capece, a member of the Barracuda Owner's club, to assist him in locating several cars for the film. By this time the muscle car craze was in full swing, and finding affordable '71 'Cudas was far more difficult than in 1979.

Jim suggested using cheaper 318 Barracudas and modifying them to appear s 'Cudas. That seemed logical, and soon there were four Barracudas sitting poised and ready for action. However, this motley assortment of Mopar iron could not be considered prime pickings by any means. Two were so decrepit they were selected for the crash scene at the end of the movie, and as such, received little cosmetic revamping. One was fixed up for most of the road work and driving scenes. The remaining car was treated to a nice cosmetic restoration for close up work. This is the car presented in MCG this month.

Since times had changed since 1979, it was decided to leave the 'Cuda clones fairly stock in appearance rather than flair the wheelwells and install sunroofs. As an added bit of drama for the car conscious in the audience, Hemicuda emblems were added to the hood. After all, if you're going to create the image of a bad-to-the-bone car, you might as well go all the way!

Throughout Phantasm II the 'Cuda is a high visible character. But alas, in the end, the Tall Man gets the best of the noble machine, and it exits the movie upside down in a ball of flames. Never fear Mopar fans! The car you saw burning fiercely near the end of the movie was merely one of the gutted out Barracudas, not the beautiful black car we grew to know and love throughout both movies. As you can see by this month's cover and our feature here, the Phantasm 'Cuda is alive and well - continuing its lonely vigil against Angus Scrimm and his evil flying silver spheres.

Today the 'Cuda resides in the garage of Don Coscarelli himself! Don couldn't bring himself to part with the car after the filming of Phantasm II, and decided to keep it for his own personal enjoyment. This most famous of '71 Cudas still uses its smooth-running little 318, allowing Don to drive it on sunny days with confidence in its dependability. For his go-fast moods, Don has a red on red AAR 'Cuda. Future plans for the black Phantasm 'Cuda look good indeed. Don plans to convert to 426 Hemi power in the near future. He's not merely talking about a simple engine swap either, Don plans to go the full conversion route; springs, rear end, everything! That would certainly bring this witching machine up to par with its deadly serious looks and reputation.!

Will there be a Phantasm III? Don says yes. Filming may begin before the year is out. Will the 'Cuda be making an appearance in the new sequel? Well, since it was blown to bits in Phantasm II, that may prove difficult. However, this is a horror movie... and anything is possible. Don't count on the evil black 'Cuda out just yet. We'll keep you posted on the progress of Phantasm III. In the meantime, if a mysterious tall guy moves into your town and sets up a funeral home business, just lock your doors and keep an ear tuned for the sound of a distant 'Cuda. It may be your only defense against the Tall Man.

The motorcycle on which young Mike Pearson rips through the Morningside Cemetery was a green 1976 Hodaka Road Toad.

In searching for an appropriate motorcycle for actor Michael Baldwin to ride in the film, unit production manager Bob Del Valle made a call to Hodaka Motors. The managers at the company generously offered to provide the production with a brand new Road Toad for use as a featured vehicle in Phantasm. In addition, the production prominently placed a Road Toad poster on the wall of Mike’s bedroom set.

Manufactured and distributed in the late 1970’s, the Hodaka Road Toad featured a 100cc engine and was designed for use as both a street legal and off road trail bike. Hodaka was a joint Japanese and American company that is credited with starting the trail and dirt bike craze in the United States. Hodaka models included the Ace 100, Wombat, Super Combat, Super Rat, Dirt Squirt, and Thunderdog in addition to the Road Toad.

The Phantasm Hodaka became a source of great amusement for both cast and crew, with rivalry among them as to who would get to ride it! Despite safety concerns, Michael Baldwin frequently spent his down time riding the bike around the set when not actually filming. Such practice gave him confidence for the sequences in which he was required to ride the motorcycle on screen.

“PHAN” Tribute Cars

Embalming 101

PRE-EMBALMING THE DECEASED: The pre-embalming procedure is important in setting the stage for a successful embalming. The recommended sequence calls for a thorough disinfection and bodily cleansing. Efficient disinfection is a safety precaution against the hazards which no mortician can afford to ignore. It is crucial that the disinfectant used should have sustained bactericidal potency and be fully capable of retarding skin slip, as well as fulfilling deodorizing requirements. Embalming can be a smelly business so proper ventilation of the facility is key. Clean all exposed body parts(including privates) with a germicidal soap. When the deceased has been in an accident involving facial lacerations, the wounds should be stitched together as near to original as possible prior to embalming.

EMBALMING THE CORPSE: Proper embalming begets proper cosmetology. Improper embalming makes skillful cosmetizing impossible, and may result in a mummified effect (horrors!!), which must be avoided at all costs. For novice embalmers we suggest the following:

Never rush your work, as this can lead to swelling in the face which is impossible to fix (and is frequently the cause of criticism from the deceased's relatives). Steady, low-pressure injection of embalming fluids, with frequent drainage is crucial. Post-mortem clots throughout the body may lead to insufficient distribution of embalming chemicals. It is important that adequate drainage is established and a slow fluid insertion begun.

Surface embalming can be achieved in areas not receiving fluid by arterial or hypodermic injection. Be sure to cover bed sores, incisions and any lacerations with towels soaked in an approved cavity fluid. Embalmers should always use a face mask and ensure that the embalming room is properly sanitized and ventilated.

Cavity embalming should be thorough and done as soon as possible after arterial injection of embalming fluid is complete. The thoracic cavity can be filled with an approved cavity filler if chest is sunken(No Kitty Litter please!). Lungs should now be reaspirated and windpipe corked. When the remains are available for viewing, frequent checking is a must of the abdominal and thoracic regions for any signs of distention or bloating caused by gaseous buildup. Pressure may be relieved in the slumber room by opening anal vent (of course, when no one is looking).

FACIAL COSMETIZING:
NOSE: Remove all visible hair from nostrils, nose , and ears, preferably by plucking with forceps. Pack nostrils deep with cotton, and to avoid any possibility of insects entering the nostrils, some of the cotton should be saturated with a liquid insecticide. Cotton shall be inserted deep enough so none is visible to the viewer.

MOUTH: The mouth of the deceased is very much the focal point when the remains are viewed in the casket. The mouth and its expression determines the way the relatives of the deceased relate to the body in casket. Therefore, the mouth of all human remains that are to be viewed should be sutured shut and thoroughly waxed. (Progressive embalmers swear by Superglue as a means of keeping orofices closed. You may think me "old-fashioned", however, I swear by a needle and catgut.) A coating of softened wax should also be applied to both the upper and lower lip to prevent cracking and flaking.

Stay tuned to the Phantasm Website as the Tall Man has promised
future updates to this page, including candid photos from his embalming room...