I want it, you want it, but Dustin McNeill needs it. And he’s doing something about it. Naturally, I’m referring to another Phantasm sequel, something that’s been much speculated about for some time with the resurgence in popularity of the series.
In order to, er, get the ball rolling, the senior at the University of North Carolina (who’s working towards a degree in broadcasting and cinema) created phantasm5.com, which has updates on movement towards a fifth installment, write-ups on everyone involved (including co-screenwriter Stephen Romano, who penned Don Coscarelli’s Masters of Horror episode, “Incident on and Off a Mountain Road”), a message board and, the coolest part, an offer that if you show proof that you wrote a letter to Anchor Bay asking for a fifth Phantasm, he’ll send you a card with three frames from the film (pictured below) – taken from a trailer purchased on eBay.
If you’re a Phan, the site is ideal for tracking all the tidbits of info that’s been leaking out about a P5, from script readings, to meetings with Anchor Bay, to that mysterious test footage that was seen in Coscarelli’s YouTube tribute to the Alamo Drafthouse earlier this year. All signs point to a P5 in the works, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t let Anchor Bay know just how much interest there is in seeing this film, as the more support it gets from phans, the more weight they’ll throw behind it. As such, I’ve posted my letter to Anchor Bay below.
But first, a seven-question interview with phan-boy Dustin McNeill:

Of all the horror stuff out there to obsess on, why Phantasm?
In all the horror I’ve seen, and I’m a huge genre nerd, I’ve not come across anything quite as engaging as Phantasm. You can’t just turn your brain off and glaze over while watching these films. It’s not like a slasher film, a ghost movie or a creature-feature. Don Coscarelli has created something so outlandish and imaginative that you must have an equally as strong counter-imagination to fully take it in and comprehend it.

What’s your favourite entry in the series?
My unquestionable favourite is Phantasm: Oblivion. That film is so very introspective in dealing with the four main characters. The true identity of the Tall Man is finally revealed but the forces behind him are still kept in the dark. The answers are hinted at rather than announced and the dialogue sparse without being empty. In my eyes, it’s every bit the epitome of Phantasm as the original was.

What was your geekiest Phantasm moment?
Geekiest? That would have to be the first time I spoke to anyone from the series. I first wrote Angus Scrimm a fan letter back in April. I included a return address and my cell number too, never actually thinking he’d use it. Later that week, Friday night, actually, he gave me a call to chat about my website and Phantasm in general. Once I got past the “Is this a joke?” stage, I had a lot of fun with the conversation. He’s called a couple times since but you never get accustomed to hearing that voice on the other end of the line. It’s a joy but still – it’s the voice of the Tall Man!

Your coolest piece of Phantasm memorabilia?
Depending on my mood, I might tell you it’s my Phantasm poster signed by Don Coscarelli, Reggie Bannister and Angus Scrimm. I might also tell you it’s any photo I’ve had taken with Angus or Reggie. I need to have prints made of those.

How many letters do you estimate have been sent to Anchor Bay thus far?
Goodness, I don’t know… It’s tough keeping a total of it. I’ve just started my fourth week of this project and the response gets significantly stronger each week. I have documented proof of at least five dozen letters. A surprising lot write in just to say “Hey, I’m writing Anchor Bay and this is a great idea but I don’t need a film cell display. Thanks anyway.” Plus there’s a great group of phans that write Anchor Bay multiple letters a week. I think we’ll be pushing a hundred letters in virtually no time – probably by the time this goes up.

Any response from the company, Coscarelli or the cast?
The cast and certain creative crew members have been very supportive and encouraging of the effort – especially Reggie and Gigi Bannister. They’ve plastered huge Phantasm5.com banners on all of their websites and MySpaces. I’d mention other supporters by name but, well, these Phantasm folk are a quiet, secretive bunch so I’d better not.

What would you like to see happen in Phantasm V?
I’d like to see Mike embrace his fate as a Tall Being but not loose sight of who he really is. As we’ve seen, he can manipulate objects with his mind and create his own spheres – so why shouldn’t he battle the Tall Man now that the playing field has been somewhat evened? Of course, whatever happens, I’m sure it’ll be splendid. Between brilliant minds Stephen Romano and Don Coscarelli, it simply has to be.

And now, my P5 letter:

Dear Anchor Bay,

I’m writing this to add my voice to the growing chorus of Phantasm fans (“phans”) hoping you will back Phantasm V. As perhaps the greatest, and certainly the most original, horror franchise this side of the Red Planet, Phantasm deserves your love, and, better yet, your financing.

With a legacy as enduring than the Tall Man’s menace, a storyline more flavourful than all the cargo in Reggie’s ice cream truck and phan support that goes deeper than that weird gold ball in Mike’s head, it’s a guaranteed success. Make Phantasm V and you’ll have more than enough of a return on it to restore thousands of black Baracudas and install a set of inter-dimensional transportation poles in your offices.

So, I urge you to gather up as many midget slaves as you need, and for the love of Scrimm, get this thing done!

In balls we trust,

Dave Alexander
Managing Editor,
Rue Morgue Magazine (psssst, in case you forgot, we did the big Phantasm cover story)

As William pointed out in the comments section, I forgot the mailing addy for Anchor Bay.

Now write your own (polite) letter and send it here:

Anchor Bay Entertainment
1699 Stutz Dr.
Troy, MI
48024