Rating summary
| Movie |  | 3.0 |
| Video |  | 4.5 |
| Audio | | 4.5 |
| Extras |  | 3.5 |
| Overall | | 3.5 |
Phantasm: Ravager Blu-ray Movie Review
Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman April 7, 2017
It really hasn’t been all that long since Well Go USA released both
Phantasm and Phantasm: Ravager on
Blu-
ray, and so the label’s decision just a few months later to revisit the Phantasm well with a new Phantasm Collection may seem at least
a little risky, perhaps especially
considering the fact that Shout! Factory offered up Phantasm II
in its own “Collector’s Edition” several years ago, a version which is included in this release down to the Shout! banner at disc boot up. That would
mean that some devoted Phantasm fans may already have three of the five films,
albeit perhaps not in the version presented on this release with regard to the first and fifth film, since Well Go USA has sweetened the pot and offered
up a handsomely
packaged deluxe set with this new release, one with quite a bit of new bonus material (even for some of the previously released Well Go versions) and
an in depth book as added allure.
For my thoughts on the film, please see our original
Phantasm: Ravager Blu-ray review.
Phantasm: Ravager Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality
As was the situation I mentioned in the Phantasm Blu-ray review,
Well Go USA has rather commendably offered this new release on a BD-50 rather than the first release's BD-25, with a significant jump in file size for the
film from around 17GB (give or take) on the first release to 25GB (again, give or take) on this new one. Again, as I mentioned in the new
Phantasm review, I didn't have too much to quibble with in terms of the video presentation on the first release, and while the differences here
are slight, occasional anomalies such as I mentioned in the first review have at least been minimized if not completely omitted. For my general thoughts
on the video presentation, please see our original Phantasm:
Ravager Blu-ray review.
Phantasm: Ravager Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality
The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 mix included on this disc sounds identical to the one I detailed in our original Phantasm: Ravager Blu-ray review. Once again, though, Well Go USA has stepped
up to the plate and upgraded the "supplementary" 2.0 track to lossless status, giving that track some subtle but noticeable new energy in the mid and
lower ranges.
Phantasm: Ravager Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras
This version of Phantasm: Ravager ports over some of the supplements from the first Well Go USA release (some of the timings are just
slightly different):
- Behind the Scenes (1080p; 5:07)
- Deleted Scenes (1080p; 7:25) are authored together this time, rather than separately as before, and also include some explicatory text.
These are in rough cut form, with an overlay and timecode
from the production house. An optional commentary is also available.
- Phantasm: Bloopers and Outtakes (1080p; 8:35)
- Trailer (1080p; 1:44)
- Audio Commentary features Don Coscarelli and David Hartman.
In addition, these new supplements are also offered:
- The Making of Phantasm: Ravager (1080p; 50:25) takes a little different tack than the previous "Making Of" featurettes
did, with a compilation of things like alternate takes, VFX tests and artwork.
- Friendship and Phantasm: An Interview with A. Michael Baldwin (1080p; 19:10)
- The Lady in Lavender: An Interview with Kat Lester (1080p; 17:36)
- The Name is Chunk: An Interview with Stephen Jutras (1080p; 8:31)
- Red Credit Sequence (1080p; 4:34:) is from the end of the film.
- A Moment with the Director (1080p; 1:05)
- Teaser Trailer (1080p; 1:03)
Phantasm: Ravager Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation
As with the reissued first film in this franchise, Well Go USA has made the prospect of double dipping a little easier to swallow due to more supplements
and a more proficient technical presentation of the video and audio. Recommended.
