Coscarelli Cohesion: Phantasm IV - Oblivion (1998)

My dear readers, while I do my very best to keep up correspondence with those who share my surname, I sometimes find myself reflecting on the far greater efforts put forth by my cousin Brigham Hauntedhouse, who had a habit of consulting mediums in the hopes of connecting with departed family members. I do believe he generated some success, and spent a considerable amount of time conversing with Elena, a distant relative of ours who met her demise at a young age. Apparently, she impressed upon Brigham that her death had been the work of a nefarious gang who profited handsomely off of the deed, and that their spoiled offspring lived in luxury to this very day. Brigham was most incensed by this tale and his rigorous sense of justice led him to seek out the descendants of Elena’s murderers. After half a dozen rather showy acts of homicide, he returned to the medium’s chamber to declare the matter settled. As it turns out, Elena’s tragic tale was something of a “practical” jest, as she had actually perished after toppling off a horse during an afternoon trot. Brigham has not quite seen the humor in it himself but I hope that with a little time, he will be struck by the lighter side of the issue. 

The Tall Man needs a fair bit of elbow room when getting about town

Reggie (Reggie Bannister) is fairly familiar with unforeseen outcomes himself. Since the events of the previous Phantasm film he has remained pinned to the wall by the Tall Man’s assortment of obedient flying orbs. And although the Tall Man (Angus Scrimm) has hardly established a reputation for clemency, he decides to simply release Reggie so that he may be free to pursue “the final game.” This penultimate match closely resembles every other game the two have played up to this point and, without great delay, Reggie resumes his cardinal objectives -- decimating the Tall Man’s legions of undead servants and pursuing reluctant romantic partners.

Meanwhile, Mike (A. Michael Baldwin) has opted for a more self-reflective approach to combatting the Tall Man. He’s caught himself a little case of the doldrums after the uncomfortable revelation that his head may contain a giant orb and decides to take his antagonist’s hearse out for an extensive drive in the desert. It proves to be a productive journey of self-discovery. Mike faces mortality by composing his last will and testament, and even manages to pick up a bit of telekinesis along the way. But this solitude is interrupted by the appearance of his brother Jody (Bill Thornbury), whose alleged demise several films prior makes Michal a trifle suspicious. Together, they go about uncovering the Tall Man’s origins in the hopes of uncovering some unforeseen weakness.

Mike's diaries are essential reading for a variety of entities

I must profess, my understanding readers, I have made every effort to produce a review of this fine feature without any direct reference to the climax or “spoilers,” if one prefers such colorful vernacular. And while I really did put the old bean to the matter, I ultimately felt it would be an injustice to forgo any mention of the film’s haunting conclusion. For director Don Coscarelli’s final entry in a series he began 21 years prior, he makes use of unused footage from the very first film, creating a most eerie effect in which actors Reggie Bannister and A. Michael Baldwin appear to converse with their younger selves. In addition to being a proper ending, it confirms what fans of Mr. Coscarelli have suspected all along -- that the Phantasm tetralogy was a master plan in motion the entire time. Through studio interference, fluctuating budgets, years of delays and head-spinning tonal shifts, Mr. Coscarelli was moving pieces about like a seasoned chess player, every breached cranium and ooze-spouting monstrosity a crucial piece of the whole. 

While I am sure some short-sighted filmgoers doubted the holistic nature of a franchise that involves diminutive undead minions, demon nurses, “dimension forks” and a fascinating hierarchy of murderous airborne orbs, it is scant surprise that each of these were essential components in a sublimely cohesive vision.

Phantasm IV: Oblivion runs 90 minutes and is rated R for horror violence, gore and some strong language.