PhantasmMania

PHANTASM-MANIA

Excerpts from my travel Journal I kept while in Austin....

1:00 am Thursday:

Today is the BIG DAY! It is hard to sleep, I am so excited! I got up to write in this journal for a few hours till I am tired again, and went back to sleep until 7:00 am

10:00 pm Thurday:

Well, this is it. I'm glad I learned the route to the Alamo during the day. I had no trouble getting here.

11:00 pm Thursday:

The Tall Man himself, Angus Scrimm, and my computer freind, Kris Deem arrive at the Alamo. I say 'hi' to Kris before she goes in. (That lucky girl. I have to wait). Well, in a few more minutes I get to go in.

Oh, man, was it great!! This one night made the whole trip worth it!! I finally got to meet my freind Kris Deem, who used my camera to take pictures of me with Angus and Reggie. She took me up to meet Angus for a few minutes. I gave him two cans of mixed nuts, which I know he likes. he is really a sweetheart. He sounds like Jebediah Morningside when he talks. He is very nice, and has an English accent. Then he had to go and sign autographs for all the Phans. I got in line and had him sign my copy of Netherworlds, along with Don and Reggie (Who had grown a beard, but on him it looks good). Then I bought a T-shirt and poster and went to talk with Kris Deem and Rob Long.

Rob is rather upset. Apparently his luggage was lost by his airline, including the posters he had intended to sell. He hopes to get them back tomorrow. If he does, I got to buy one for sure.

I gave Kris Deem some books that I promised her. Before I know it, the movie starts. it is a nearly perfect copy of the film, brought in by Don Coscarelli. This place is fabulous! True, the Alamo is only half full, but I have never seen an audience so full of electricity!! There is enough enthusiasm and love to fill up TEN Alamos!

All too soon, the movie is over. I give copies of my 2 Phantasm stories to Angus, Reggie, and a Phan who asked for them. Then I talked to Kris Deem for a few minutes and get some more pictures. She wants to go on a cruise to see the bats with me Saturday evening, which i had told her about on the computer. I tell her I will ger the details on it. Then it is time to leave. Back to my hotel to write in my journal, admire my souvenirs, and try to sleep after so much excitement.

A picture of me and Angus Scrimm, which he autographed for me.

Angus Scrimm at the autograph table.

Angus Scrimm, myself, and Reggie Bannister

Reggie enjoying a beer.

Don Coscarelli at the autograph table.

Friday

While in downtown Austin, a little around 2:00 pm, I visited a neat store called 'Wild About Music' which sells musical intruments and music themed gifts. I bought a pewter and gold guitar shaped pin for Reggie. I really don't know his tastes, but that seemed appropriate.

11:00 pm Friday

While waiting outside the Alamo, I got to meet Shawn Larsen for the first time. I had talked to him on the computer a lot, previous to coming down here. He was still in high school, but his parents let hum drive several hundred miles to attend this event, by himself. Obviously, he is very responsible for his age. Sadly for him, because of his school and work related obligations, he was only able to attend this one night. He sure had fun, though!!

After getting inside, I gave Reggie his pin, which he seemed to like. I asked Him and Don Coscarelli if they had ever heard of an artist by the name of Rene' Magritte, who did several surreal paintings that seemed to have a Phantasm-like theme to them, except they were done years before Phantasm was made. They had never heard of him, however.

Reggie and his band, the 'Jizz Ya Wailin' Doggies' played several songs. He is a great musician as well as a great actor. I must confess that I had been worried about the volume of the music. I have been to concerts and bars where the music was so loud that it felt like an ice-pick was being jammed into my ears. In light of this, I had brought my ear-protectors from target practice. Well, it turned out I didn't need them. Reggie had the volume on the speakers set at a perfect level. Loud enough to be rockin, but not so loud it hurt my ears.

Then it's time for P2. There are some movie trailers before it, and a really hilarious clip of the Tall Man at the end of P2 saying (instead of 'No, it's not!') "So what am I? The tooth fairy?" I just couldn't stop laughing after that. I wish i had a video tape with that on it.

Shawn Larsen, Kris Deem, and Angus Scrimm outside the Alamo. Shawn told me later that when Angus talked to him and knew who he was, he was 'about ready to fall over'!! Little did I know it would be my turn, soon!

Reggie Bannister, Shawn Larsen, and Gigi Porter. As you can tell, Shawn is VERY tall...hmmm, wonder if he could be a younger Tall Man. Sorry, Mike!

Saturday: I wake up early, but force myself to lie in bed until 3:00 pm. It's going to be a long, exciting day. I wash up and go down to the Hyatt Hotel, where I am to meet my freind, Kris Deem at the boat dock to take a bat seeing cruise at dusk. I am quite early, and do a little wading to collect some sea shells. I get a couple handfuls and sit down to watch some ducks until Kris arrives.

Saturday, 6:00 pm

OK. You may now knock me over with a feather. Not only Kris comes on the cruise with me, but Reggie Bannister himself (as well as Gigi Porter). As I write this, nearly 24 hours later, I still cannot believe that I went on a cruise with the Regman! I think I am going to be in shcok for at least a week. I could just kiss Kris Deem!

Reggie thought the bats were pretty cool. There must have been thousands and thousands of them. I'm really glad they chose to come out. It would have been really embarrasing if they hadn't. I just hope I did not make a complete idiot out of myself in front of Reggie.

Man! It had to be about the top awesome experience of my life. I am REALLY glad I came on this trip.

Me, Reggie and Gigi on the boat!

Saturday 11:00 pm

Well, it's the last night of Phantasm-Mania. There's a back to back showing of P3 and P4, with a few songs by Reggie and some scares courtesy of Angus in between the two films.
I think that Oblivion (P4) is my favorite of the series. I love the photography in it. (The eclipse, the Tall Man's shadow falling on Mike, Mike and the Tall Man reaching out to eachother.) But it's sad. Jebediah Morningside seems like such a sweetheart, and then he goes away and is replaced by the evil Tall Man. I want to cry during that scene, and at the end of the movie when Mike dies.

I stuck around for a while after the end of the movie to see Reggie one last time and pick up a few souvenirs for some of the Phans I talk to on the computer who couldn't make it. I'm just sorry that it's over. I wish it had lasted three weeks instead of three days. Reggie, Angus, and Don know how to put on a hell of a show. Me and all the other Phans love them, and I can tell they love their audience right back. Even a silly newsy girl like me.