There have been over 144+ women in 40+ years in front of and behind the camera on the world renowned horror series, "Phantasm." This is their story.
Over the course of 40 + years, there have been 144 or more women who have worked in front of and behind the camera in the Phantasm films. This documentary will take a historic look at these magnificent, unsung, women who helped to make one of the most influential horror series in the industry. Every person, men and women, who comes to the table are influenced by others such as their mother, aunt, sister, grandmother, teachers, agents, fellow actors or colleagues and as we walk this path together, we leave behind footprints on the hearts and minds of others. These are those footprints.
From Shirley Coscarelli (Matriarch of Phantasm), to The Lady In Lavender (Kat Lester), and the actors and crew in between with those rarely seen, never told, stories on the set in a male dominated field of the horror genre' honoring the Women of Phantasm. Exclusive interviews with Gloria Lynne Henry (Rocky), Sarah Scott Davis (Taneesha), Samantha Phillips (Alchemy) and, of course, Kathy Lester (Lady IN Lavender), and many many of the female cast and crew and even family members (Sharon Thornbury, Ellen Bannister, etc.) who played key roles in the last 40 years making The Tall Man's Red Planet a reality plus interviews with Reggie Bannister, Bill Thornbury and others about working with these women on the films as well as the women who influenced their lives and and careers.
Produced and Directed by Gigi Bannister, SFX Coordinator (Phantasm IV: Oblivion & Phantasm V: Ravager) and Co-Producer of Phantasm V: Ravager. The show is about to begin.... Boooooys...and girls!
In 1979 a phenomenon had occurred. It was the "Summer of Horrors." Muscle cars were still popular. It was the year for rediscovering the horror film and the birth of Phantasm was met with open arms by audiences everywhere. When I saw it for the first time in a local cinema in Humble, Texas, I had my Givenchy jeans, my Candies shoes, and I thought......that the bald-headed guitar playing' ice cream man (Reggie Bannister) with a ponytail on screen was "Hot as Love!" Phantasm had all the right stuff. A black 1971 'Cuda... that also went very, very fast. A sexy, lady in lavender. A hunk, a hero, a smart ass kid with a dirt bike, and a cute big brother. Butts, boobs, blood, weird creatures, things that went "BOOM!" "Yellow Shit," a really tall, really evil mortician, some shiny deadly flying spheres, a funeral, a cemetery, hearses, and did I mention a VERY memorable Lady in Lavender? It was scary as all HELL and it was like NOTHING anyone had ever seen before! A psychological horror with a real story line to go with the gore! It was a movie with BALLS!
At the time, Women in America had passed Roe Vs Wade and were marching on Washington for Equal Pay. We had Dynasty, Charlie's Angels, and we knew who shot JR. Women were an up and coming force to be reckoned with and demanding R-E-S-P-E-C-T. Other series were simply cutting and slashing damsels in distress and women were still being cast in roles of the hookers and helpless twits in need of rescuing. Until, that is, the Summer of Horrors. When Carrie Fisher emerged as the Princess of Star Wars in 1977 we saw a turn. Jamie Lee Curtis burst on the screen in 1978 kicking ass in Halloween, and Sigourney Weaver was all over that Alien Queen in 1979. It was Phantasm that took chance after chance with edgy casting and crew decisions that would change the face of horror for 40 years to come and would influence other series such as the Star Wars sequels, Supernatural, and many, many more. Unbeknownst to the awaiting public the seed of inspiration had been planted for a new kind of horror. A SMART horror and it BLEW THEM AWAY!
From the first release in 1979, to the fifth release in 2016, there were 47+ Women of Phantasm in FRONT of the camera as characters and at least 98 behind the scenes as crew! While some of the Women of Phantasm are frequently interviewed for extra features or publications on Phantasm releases, seen on stage, or autographing at fan conventions and film festivals, it is rare that they are asked anything in-depth about their lives outside the series, about their positive or negative experiences in the industry, how they started out or their opinions on the genre. While that may be an industry norm, there are still stories to tell and ones that research has shown Phans are VERY interested in learning. The 40th anniversary of Phantasm in 2019 is the perfect opportunity to present this topic. It's the Documentary... with BALLS!
