Phantasm III: Lord of the Dead (1994)

   
Produced, Written & Directed by: Don Coscarelli

Starring:

Reggie Bannister .... Reggie
Gloria Lynne Henry .... Rocky
Kevin Connors .... Tim
A. Michael Baldwin .... Mike Pearson
Bill Thornbury .... Jody Pearson
Angus Scrimm .... The Tall Man
Cindy Ambuehl .... Edna
John Davis Chandler .... Henry
Brooks Gardner .... Rufus

Release Date: Direct-to-Video: May 6, 1994

*Photos courtesy at www.phantasm.com

 

 

 

Rating:

 

Mike (A. Michael Baldwin) and Reggie (Reggie Bannister) are still on the search in order to destroy the Tall Man (Angus Scrimm) but suddenly Mike discovers that his dead brother Jody (Bill Thornbury) is inside one of the Tall Man's steel killer balls as he helps them along the way to protect the two of them even if he is under tha Tall Man's power now.
Unfortunately, the Tall Man found Mike and has him under his spell too along with Jody and has his sights on indoctrinating Mike and finishing the fight begun so many years ago.
Reggie then travels with his vehicle to look for Mike and rescue him from the Tall Man's evil clutches. Along the way he is kidnapped by a group of thugs but then is rescued by a brilliant orphan named Tim (Kevin Connors) who has invented a number of deadly weapons to protect himself as his parents were murdered by the Tall Man himself.
They also rescue a black female warrior named Rocky (Gloria Lynne Henry) who's family and whole friends have disappeared.
All three tries to find missing clues on Mike as well as his dead brother Jody and what the Tall Man's purpose of being on Earth.

 

The film shows a good flashback sequence and then concluding with Reggie dragging Mike Pearson away as well as slaughtering the killer dwarfs too with his weapons.
There's another great moment in a hospital with the Tall Man appearing in a doorway with a giant light reflecting on him shouting "BOOOY!" like in the first film along with other creepy takes on him.
Also great adventureous situation on Mike lying on the hospital bed and a demon nurse trying to kill him and then Reggie trying to save the day by using weapons on her. Good effects on the demon nurse shaking and then a steel ball coming out of her head and then circling around Mike and Reggie with their startled expressions.
We have a good discussion once again between Reggie and Mike like in the first film talking about Jody Pearson being dead which was impressive to watch.
A perfect moment with Mike finally encountering his brother Jody and telling him not to touch him. Next we have a nice effects shot on a steel ball circling around Mike and Reggie with the two of them looking nervous along with a good shot on the steel ball turning to rust and falling with a good close up shot on the Tall Man staring coldly and speaking towards these two.
There's a good shot on Edna leaning down to her car to get something with Reggie approaching from behind her and then she toys around with a gun while he tries to take it away from her and then a perfect angle shot on Rufus approaching behind him and hitting him with a bat.
A good battling scene with young Tim throwing deadly weapons towards People like Edna and Rufus with all kinds of good angle shots.
We spot a great camera shot on a steel ball moving in for the kill and a good camera shot rolling in on a woman and attacking her head.
A good goofy discussion between Reggie and Rocky in a hotel room as well as some good lustful shots between the two of them together which looked truly comedic.
We have a perfect setting after the comedic lustful scene with Reggie towards Jody in a hallucination scene of a desert.
A great shot on the Tall Man looking over Mike with a bunch of steel balls floating on a wall above him.
There's also a great shot on the Tall Man staring coldly with a red laser light above his head.
A perfect battling scene that involves Reggie, Rocky and Tim against Edna, Henry and Rufus resurrected as zombie's which very much reminds me of the direction used in Night of the Demons 2.
Near the ending looked great at with
Mike during his last scene of the film when he is turning into one of the Tall Man's people as he looks incredibly eerie with his shaky words towards Reggie when he walks past him.
Bottom line: What an improvement! I loved this sequel so much better. Everything in this film is well action paced as well as funny too. There's lots of neat special effects used in this one, probably more than in the first two. Not only that, the story explains what those killer stell balls are controlled by. Lots of great scenery and action fighting too. Sit back, watch it and enjoy!!!!

The acting is well done for this second sequel to the series. Reggie Bannister (Reggie) is great as usual and humorous (Like in the first film) too which is a treat too (Good work Regman). He does well in a scene trying to convince his fellow actor that his brother is dead.
It's nice to see A. Michael Baldwin (Mike Pearson) returning as Mike like he played in the first film in which he should've played in the first sequel as it wasn't the same without him.
Bill Thornbury
(Jody Pearson) is back YESSSS as the older sibling Jody (Forget part 2). He looked great in his role and knew how to deliver his part even better.
Young child actor Kevin Connors (Tim) does well with his role as the brilliant child warrior Tim as he delivers his role really well for someone so young.
I loved Gloria Lynne Henry (Rocky) as the tough woman warrior in which you couldn't find anyone better to play the role.
Of course Angus Scrimm (Tall Man) still knew how to portray the creepy and menacing title character in the flick.

Reggie is dreaming about fornicating with Gloria Lynne Henry as Rocky and she is definetely topless exposing her full breasts.

A blonde's face is burned.
A steel ball crawls out of one of the Tall Man's people's head.
An axe is stabbed in the head of a female criminal and a thugs throat is cut open by a deadly frisbee with spikes.
The Tall Man cuts open the top of a corses head and takes out the brain.
A head is spun off a zombie of one of the thugs.
A steel ball cuts through a zombie version of Edna's face.

The music is terrifically composed by Fred Myrow and Christopher L. Stone have improved with their scoring in this film as they add alot of neat touches to it. There's great low violin and horn playing with some of the odd chanting sounds too for the suspenseful moments involving the Tall Man and the steel ball attacks. The music indeed sounds very mainstream.

Reg: Jody, what the hell are you doing here? You're dead.
Jody: So what else is new?

The Tall Man: It's time now, boy.

Rufus: Do you think we're playing games kid? This is for real.
Tim: So is this.

Reggie: Thanks kid, I owe you one.
Tim: Two. By my count you owe me two.

Reggie: Dominate me, baby!

Reggie: Ever try vanilla?

Tim: Shit! What the hell are those?

Reggie: Cryogenics. All the mortuaries are into it now. These guys figure they'll wake up in a couple of hundred years with new bodies.

Rocky: Some folks never know when to give it up.

Reggie: [laughs] Now, look who's talkin.

Reggie: Sure fucked up my hallway.

Tim: You're in trouble. You're in trouble.

Reggie: I sure hope that ball got a better sense of direction than mine do.

Rocky: It's been nice knowing you boys, but this kickin' zombie ass just ain't my gig.

Reggie: Get out of here. It's all over.
The Tall Man: It's never over.