Don Coscarelli
Birthday:
17 February 1954, Tripoli, Libya
Birth Name:
Don Coscarelli Jr.
Height:
193 cm
In much the same way that director George A. Romero creative output has been primarily centered around the highly successful "Dead" series of zombie films, then fellow fantasy director Don Coscarelli has for over two decades seen his universe swirling around the lesser successful, but equally cult, and much loved "Phantasm" seri...
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In much the same way that director George A. Romero creative output has been primarily centered around the highly successful "Dead" series of zombie films, then fellow fantasy director Don Coscarelli has for over two decades seen his universe swirling around the lesser successful, but equally cult, and much loved "Phantasm" series of horror movies.Coscarelli was born in Tripoli in North Africa, but raised around Southern California, and was interested in the cinema from a young age and together with his friends they made several low budget movies that aired on community TV stations to very positive feedback.After a low key start with his first feature film embracing the trials of a young teenager caught in a world of alcoholic abuse Jim, the World's Greatest (1976), Coscarelli followed this up with a lighter comedic tale about another youngster and his view of the world as an impressionable 12 year old in Kenny & Company (1976). However, the imaginative Coscarelli then really hit the (horror) big time with the 1979 release of the highly inventive fright thriller Phantasm (1979). Once again, a young boy is at the center of a spine-chilling story about a creepy funeral home, a sinister Tall Man (wonderful acting by Coscarelli's long time buddy Angus Scrimm), disappearing corpses, malignant dwarfs and a gateway into a hellish, other world dimension. Shot on a very modest budget, Phantasm (1979) was hotly received by horror fans worldwide, and the film has since spawned three sequels...each fairly decent in their own right! First up was the gorier Phantasm II (1988), followed by Phantasm III: Lord of the Dead (1994), and the third sequel to date, Phantasm IV: Oblivion (1998). A fifth and final sequel titled "Phantasm's End" has been apparently discussed, but nothing further has yet eventuated on this project. As the Angus Scrimm is approaching his 80th birthday, Phantasm fans hope that the "Tall Man" will be there for the proposed final chapter of this thrilling saga of the Undead!Apart from the "Phantasm" series, Coscarelli also wrote and directed the well received sword and sorcery film The Beastmaster (1982) starring athletic Marc Singer and the eye-catching Tanya Roberts being pursued by villainous high priest Rip Torn. And recently in 2002, Coscarelli cast horror & fantasy film screen hero Bruce Campbell in the highly off-beat Bubba Ho-Tep (2002) that depicts Elvis and John F. Kennedy hiding out in a Texas rest home where the residents are being attacked by a 3,000 year old cowboy boot wearing mummy trying to bring itself back to life! A strange script it may sound, but indie and horror film fans loved the unusual premise and quirky humor, and the film was a hot hit at several film festivals and has spawned a further cult following for Coscarelli and Campbell.Coscarelli, similar to gifted fantasy directors such as Wes Craven, Sam Raimi and George A. Romero has carved himself a true cult niche in modern horror film history, and his loyal fans eagerly await his next project. Show less «
Getting movies made is difficult for everybody, independent or mainstream.
Getting movies made is difficult for everybody, independent or mainstream.
I guess I'm luckier than most to even have a label attached to me. There is no question though that this particular label makes it very diff...Show more »
I guess I'm luckier than most to even have a label attached to me. There is no question though that this particular label makes it very difficult to gain respect from the people who finance movies. However, since my first exposure to the power of cinema was from genre films, I am proud to wear the label. Show less «
I had no plans, when I made the first Phantasm, to create a myth. I was only trying to make an effective low-budget movie, which might prope...Show more »
I had no plans, when I made the first Phantasm, to create a myth. I was only trying to make an effective low-budget movie, which might propel an audience member or two out of their seats on occasion. If anything, it was the fans who elevated our little tale into myth. Show less «
I guess if I had any regret regarding the Phantasm series, it would be that A. Michael Baldwin did not star in Phantasm II. I sometimes thin...Show more »
I guess if I had any regret regarding the Phantasm series, it would be that A. Michael Baldwin did not star in Phantasm II. I sometimes think I should have called Universal's bluff, and given them a take it-or leave it ultimatum. However, they very well might have chosen not to make the film, and there might not have been any Phantasm sequels. Show less «
(On Phantasm's "Phans"): What I love the most about them is their intelligent and interesting analysis of the films. Some of the speculation...Show more »
(On Phantasm's "Phans"): What I love the most about them is their intelligent and interesting analysis of the films. Some of the speculation can be very deep, and sometimes fans find amazing connections, which neither I nor the actors have made. Show less «
At the beginning there was no master plan. The original Phantasm was intended to be a stand-alone film. However, after seeing how Phantasm I...Show more »
At the beginning there was no master plan. The original Phantasm was intended to be a stand-alone film. However, after seeing how Phantasm II worked (starting the sequel the moment after the original ended), and the power of the fan response to the sequel and their speculations, the pattern of the storyline evolved easily. Show less «
(On Angus Scrimm as The Tall Man): Audiences have a fascination with his character, and seem to actually enjoy watching him doing his nasty ...Show more »
(On Angus Scrimm as The Tall Man): Audiences have a fascination with his character, and seem to actually enjoy watching him doing his nasty deeds. I think this stems in large part from the subtle talents Angus uses in portraying this wicked and complex character. Show less «
(On sequels to horror movies): Sequels have been with us from the beginning in horror, from Frankenstein, Dracula, The Mummy and The Wolfman...Show more »
(On sequels to horror movies): Sequels have been with us from the beginning in horror, from Frankenstein, Dracula, The Mummy and The Wolfman. Some of those sequels were better than the original films. I think that, at its best, the concept of horror sequels allows us the luxury of immersing ourselves in the nightmarish world of horror, and experiencing these strange characters and bizarre situations over a substantial time period. Show less «
Perhaps if I had focused my energies more on breaking into the system in a conventional way, and not spent as much time on the Phantasm seri...Show more »
Perhaps if I had focused my energies more on breaking into the system in a conventional way, and not spent as much time on the Phantasm series, I could have made more, varied, and certainly bigger budgeted films. But I have to admit -- making movies with balls, dwarves, hearses and four-barrel shotguns is a hoot! Show less «
[About a possible remake of "Phantasm"]: I get a phone call every week, it seems, from somebody who wants to do it. It's something I've been...Show more »
[About a possible remake of "Phantasm"]: I get a phone call every week, it seems, from somebody who wants to do it. It's something I've been resisting for a while. I do think that, given the proper context, it would really be exciting to see what a younger filmmaker could bring to that story. It's something I'm open to but I guess I'm seeking the right circumstances. Takashi Miike doing "Phantasm," how would that be? Anything that would ever be done would have to be done with sensitivity to the appreciation that the fans have for it. They just worship Angus as the Tall Man and Reggie as the loyal trusted friend. Show less «
[on making a fifth Phantasm movie]: It's something we've talked about through the years but the timing hasn't worked out or getting the fina...Show more »
[on making a fifth Phantasm movie]: It's something we've talked about through the years but the timing hasn't worked out or getting the finances exactly right. I've been cooking up a couple of incarnations of things that I can't talk about now, but hopefully in the near future we could get something in the "Phantasm" world happening. Show less «
Don Coscarelli's Photos
