Phantoms (1998)

[JivaFox]

http://www.amler.com/dvd/graphix/Phantoms.jpg

Well, I just read the book, and I loved it, and now I hear there's a movie based on it.

It stars Rose McGowan and Ben Affleck and was released in 1998.

I read Arrow's review and he seemed to like it so...

What are your thoughts? :)

[Jewbo]

SHIT!!!!!!

its starts off good like summin really cool is gonna happen then nothing good at all happens and its plain shit.

[Jason Voorhees]

I dig this flick. It's not great by any means, but I like it. If you do decide to watch it, just remember that the book is infinitely superior, and you'll probably enjoy yourself.

There is one change in the transition I like - Snowfield is located in Colorado, and not California. For some reason, to me, the story seems more logical that way.

There's a major change in the ending...I won't spoil it for you...but it sucks, in my opinion.

I'd probably give the flick an overall 3/5.

[countchocula]

An intriguing build-up, but a lousy payoff. Affleck, McGowan, and O'Toole are all solid, the pace is steady, and the premise is scrumptious, but this flick just doesn't go anywhere. Nevertheless, it’s definitely worth a rental.

[masknslasher86]

I got this movie for 9.99 and it it's worth it. It's very creepy and fun. I really enjoyed this movie. 8/10

[Jason13thh]

I have read the book from Koontz and I have seen the movie,too.
That is a good movie but only the 30 first minutes, after that it is your normal pop - corn movie.

I would give a solid 6/10

[JivaFox]

Well, I've jus got it off E-bay so it should be coming soon. I'll tell you what I think of it. ;)

[XCoRyX]

i hope you enjoy it...i certainly did,i was surprised,but happily surprised...its pretty damn good if you ask me,a sleeper hit.

[spacemonkey]

Ben Affleck was the bomb in Phantoms!

Phantoms like a mo fucker!

heh...heh..:D

[the night watchman]

While the movie follows the book fairly closely, it seemed to lack the book's strong characterization and tautness of plot (odd, since the screenplay was written by Koontz). There also seems to be an awful lot of quips and one-liners. The special effects are pretty good, but the narrative seems a bit muttled.

BTW, I remember the book's ending (which was probably pretty unfilmable), but I don't remember the movie's. Refresh my memory, if you would, Jason V.

[Elgyn]

Dammit spacemonkey, you had to beat me to it!


And for the record, The Time sucked.

[Dr. Giggles]

Originally posted by Elgyn
Dammit spacemonkey, you had to beat me to it!


And for the record, The Time sucked.

Beat me to it as well.
Snoochie Boochies none the less.

[Jason Voorhees]

Originally posted by the night watchman
BTW, I remember the book's ending (which was probably pretty unfilmable), but I don't remember the movie's. Refresh my memory, if you would, Jason V.

Highlight to read:

The climax is actually pretty excellent. The scene in which O'Toole is calling for the monster, and suddenly hundreds of people fill the street is pretty cool. And the pillar of human bodies the thing transforms into afterwards is a cool effect.

It's the very last scene that I take umbrage with. After the thing has been killed via the oil-consuming toxin, we see Stuart Wargle in a bar watching O'Toole's character on the news. After a short while, he turns into the beast and attacks the people in the bar...cheesy as hell.

Koontz's ending was far, far better, in my opinion.

[the night watchman]

AAAAAAAH!

Damn, Jason, that avatar is freaky as hell! :eek:

And thanks for refreshing my memory. Yeah, that was cheesy.

AAAAAAH!

Damn I looked at it again.

[Jason Voorhees]

Originally posted by the night watchman
AAAAAAAH!

Damn, Jason, that avatar is freaky as hell! :eek:

And thanks for refreshing my memory. Yeah, that was cheesy.

AAAAAAH!

Damn I looked at it again.

Thanks! It's an image of Pennywise I tooled with a bit. "It" is probably my favorite book, so I wanted an apropos avatar :).

You're welcome about the refresh.

[the night watchman]

Originally posted by Jason Voorhees
Thanks! It's an image of Pennywise I tooled with a bit.

Where did you get the image? It's not from the movie is it? It looks more like an illustration. That' actually a pretty badass rendition of Pennywise. I like Tim Curry in the role, but I alway think the look was a little off. Your avatar is damn near perfect.

[Jason Voorhees]

Yeah, it's an illustration. The original version isn't quite as "ugly" as the one I'm using. I used ACDsee to darken the colors and add some grit to the texture.

You can find the original image and some info about it on
this page (http://clownz.com/picturearc_6.html)

Thanks again.

On topic:

Jiva, let us know what you think after you get to watch the film. I'm curious as to what your opinions will be...

[XCoRyX]

im curious as well...jason,that link is pretty cool,i might have to pick up a pic for a new avatar as well....

[Jason Voorhees]

Glad you like it! I think it's a pretty cool place, too.

[Buck Turgidson]

Fun movie. I own the DVD. (It's part of the Rose McGowan Collection...) McGowan, Affleck, Going, Liev ("Hey! Wanna see somethin' cool?!?") Schreiber and the mighty Peter O'Toole. Atmospheric and interesting. I'll plead ignorance of the novel, which probably changes my perception of things.

[IKE CARR]

A decent flick in my opinion, a good flick to rent on a Saturday night in the summer. Was (Still am.) a big fan of the book which takes all those mass disappearances throughout history(The Jamestown Colony, The Mayans, a couple thousand Chinese soldiers in 1939) ,and comes up with what caused it. This book freaaked me out when I read it, and had me leaving my TV on when I went to sleep.

The movie, while not scaring me to that degree, I think manages to catch much of the books flavor. Honestly the changes made to the story by Koontz in the movie I'm guessing were made for time and budget, but worked in my opinion. Joe Chappelle , a director with whom I have issues with over Halloween 6, I think knows how to create some suspensful atmosphere, especially at the beginning. One of my favorite scenes was the one where after Wargle is killed we the mountains around Snowfield in the twilight, and then one ofthe ranges turn out to be Wargle's skeletal facial features after his death. Well done. Jason on the film's final scenes where Wargle attacks the bar patrons. Where did you see that part, I remembering seeing at the bar giggling like he does watching Flyte on the television, when he say to the bar patrons, "You want to see something wierd." Then they go to the flicks end credits with Patsy Kline's "I Fall To Pieces." playing.

[captainjesus]

ive recently read the book (after seeing the shite movie (my dad's a Deen Koonz fan)) and the book was bad ass, had a hard time putting it down. i strongly recomend it to my fellow schmoes.

________________
zombies are alcoholics

[skweemkween]

I can't believe I missed this thread for almost a frickin' year! Anyway, I do like this movie because of the book. That may not may sense but lemme explain. The book was superior, it was chilling, gave you that wonderful shiver down your spine feeling, very ominous and isolating. Watching the movie, though not a masterpiece, does evoke the same feeling I got when reading it. There are some nicely done scenes in there that do evoke a feeling of ominousness and hopelessness, and again, it recalls the same emotions as in the book - for me that works. It will not for everyone. I do recommend, get your hands on the book first.Then, rent the movie.

And yes someone far back on the thread said Colorado makes more sense as the movie location rather than Calif as in the book. Yea I agree, too.