There really is no need to review the film itself, if you haven't seen it and are reading this site than I simply must assume that you are yet another post SCREAM wanna be that has no true interest in the genre or what it stands for. PHANTASM is one of those films of legend that not only redefined the genre, it launched it into a realm that until its release was never even imagined. I remember sitting in the theater in 1979, it was my junior year of high school, and when that flying sphere hit that dude in the head and started spewing the blood everywhere, well it was pure cinema magic. You don't see that to much these days but PHANTASM was special and this new DVD release from Anchor Bay celebrates that.

I found the documentary PHANTASMAGORIA: The Making of Phantasm to be one of the best retrospects of a classic film I have watched in a while. Full of behind the scenes info and home movies from the set it proves to be an absolute must see for any PHAN. I know I have said this in other reviews but this segment alone is worth the price of the disc. Also included for the first time on a US release is the segment titled PHANTASM: Actors Having A Ball that is equally as good. I will have a complete outline of the disc specs below but rest assured, ANCHOR BAY has loaded, loaded, loaded this disc with everything any self respecting horror fan could want. Read on for the official press release and a complete breakdown of what you'll be buying come Tuesday:

In 1979, a young filmmaker amazed moviegoers with a new kind of horror film…and created one of the most enduring horror franchises ever. The filmmaker’s name is Don Coscarelli and the film was Phantasm. Now, 28 years later, the Tall Man and the Sphere come back to enthrall a whole new generation!

Anchor Bay Entertainment, the leader in classic horror DVD, proudly announces the April 10^th return of this cult classic with a new DVD released under the “Anchor Bay Collection” banner. Under the personal supervision of Coscarelli (The Beastmaster, Bubba Ho-Tep, “Masters of Horror: Incident On and Off a Mountain Road”), the classic chiller Phantasm has been cleaned and optimized for the ultimate home presentation, boasting remastered Dolby Digital and DTS 5.1 sound and a slab of bonus features, including two documentary featurettes never before seen in North America.

Upon its initial theatrical release, Phantasm broke new ground in horror films. Only 24 when he wrote and directed the film, Don Coscarelli was instantly hailed as one of the next generation’s “Master of Horror.” Entertainment Weekly has declared it “unforgettable.” The story concerns brothers Mike (Michael Baldwin) and Jody Pearson (Bill Thornbury), who discover that their local mortuary hides a legion of hooded killer dwarves and a flying silver sphere that drills into skulls. These malevolent denizens are all controlled by the demonic mortician known as The Tall Man (Angus Scrimm) who harbors a horrific supernatural and extraterrestrial secret.

Upon its initial theatrical release, Phantasm broke new ground in horror films. Only 24 when he wrote and directed the film, Don Coscarelli was instantly hailed as one of the next generation’s “Master of Horror.” Entertainment Weekly has declared it “unforgettable.” The story concerns brothers Mike (Michael Baldwin) and Jody Pearson (Bill Thornbury), who discover that their local mortuary hides a legion of hooded killer dwarves and a flying silver sphere that drills into skulls. These malevolent denizens are all controlled by the demonic mortician known as The Tall Man (Angus Scrimm) who harbors a horrific supernatural and extraterrestrial secret.

In 2007, the fan hunger for the Phantasm films has not abated, evidenced by the new dedicated website, www.Phantasm.com. With its imaginative premise, special makeup and visual effects that still shock today and the career-defining performances of Angus Scrimm and Reggie Bannister, the Phantasm films still click with fans and critics and nearly three decades later are still hailed as some of the scariest movies of all time.

PHANTASM receives the “Anchor Bay” treatment with this Anchor Bay Collection release. Working closely with the filmmakers and actors, Anchor Bay assembled the following definitive DVD extras documenting the history and legacy of this landmark film.

Phantasm DVD bonus features include:

• Widescreen presentation (1.85:1), enhanced for 16x9 televisions

• Remastered Dolby Digital and DTS 5.1 sound

• Audio commentary with writer/director Don Coscarelli and stars Michael Baldwin, Angus Scrimm and Bill Thornbury

• Phantasmagoria: The Making of Phantasm – First U.S. availability

• Phantasm: Behind-the-Scenes

• Phantasm: Actors Having a Ball – First U.S. availability

• 6 Deleted Scenes

• 1979 Phantasm Interview

• 1988 Fangoria TV commercial

• Angus Scrimm 1989 Convention Appearance

• Interview Outtakes – First U.S. availability

• Theatrical trailers for Phantasm and Phantasm III

• TV Spots

April 10^th, that's the date. Next Tuesday April 10^th you'll be able to get your mitts on this wonderful new addition to your DVD collection.