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Effects Artist Mark Shostrom Shares Tons of ‘Phantasm II’ Behind the Scenes Photos for 30th Anniversary
Unlike all the subsequent films in the franchise, which had mega low budgets and went direct-to-video, Don Coscarelli’s Phantasm II was given three million dollars by Universal Studios and released into theaters, as the studio was hopeful that the series could become a new hit franchise for them. It was released on July 8, 1988, making the film 30 years old as of yesterday!
In celebration of the 30th anniversary, makeup effects artist Mark Shostrom (From Beyond, A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy’s Revenge, Evil Dead II) took to Twitter to share a whole bunch of stories and behind the scenes photos from his archives, several of which had never before been seen. Naturally, the photos mostly highlight the film’s practical effects work.
“Angus [Scrimm] gave me my favourite nickname during the P2 makeup sessions,” Shostrom recalled in one tweet. “As I applied gelatin, yellow milk, yogurt & chicken skin to add to the verisimilitude of the makeup, he asked what each item was. Finally he said, ‘Mark, you’re like the Julia Child of Makeup.’ I miss the man.”
Happy 30th, Phantasm II!
In honour of the 30th anniversary of #PhantasmII‘s release, I’m posting a bunch of shots from my files, a few never before seen. Starting off, the P2 crew photo, coolest people at right: Don, me, Bob Kurtzman, Everett Burrell,@JamesLe_Gros@DonCoscarelli @FANGORIA pic.twitter.com/ncbGWegK79
— Mark Shostrom (@MarkShostrom) July 9, 2018
Bryant Tausek, Jim McPherson & I casting Angus. I thought it best to start Angus off easy, doing his hands. Once he saw how the process worked, I went full-on gallons of alginate on his head. In the last photo, Angus is holding a screaming expression for 5+ minutes. #PhantasmII pic.twitter.com/NX4HIJVnwO
— Mark Shostrom (@MarkShostrom) July 9, 2018
L-Early dwarf sketch I did just before my first design meeting with Don. R-Later I had Bob Kurtzman sculpt a variation of this, only in an angry expression for both generic masks and for the snarling head in the canister closeup. pic.twitter.com/tw9g8VgBzD
— Mark Shostrom (@MarkShostrom) July 9, 2018
L-The Ed Gale canister dwarf sculpture I did (inspired by a bog body, Lindow Man, which I’d seen at the British Museum). R-Everett Burrell’s sculpture for Paula Irvine’s back creature. #PhantasmII pic.twitter.com/ZLZBfYMl84
— Mark Shostrom (@MarkShostrom) July 9, 2018
L-R: A trim for Angus’s foam latex/mechanical head prior to filming (this head was made for the insect to come out of). Dave, Bob, Everett & Gino operate the head. Don sets a shot of the head as Angus and crew watch. #PhantasmII When #PracticalEffects ruled! pic.twitter.com/KyL5r1kugF
— Mark Shostrom (@MarkShostrom) July 9, 2018
James Le Gros performs with the mechanical head. The insect (also mechanized) slid up through a plexiglass tube. Dave Barton did all the animatronics, even Angus’s tongue. John Blake did the great hair punching. @JamesLe_Gros I remember how much you loved this process (not). pic.twitter.com/n0o0CJho87
— Mark Shostrom (@MarkShostrom) July 9, 2018
L-R: Last shot on my roll of 35mm Ektachrome of Angus melting w/foam latex & chicken skin. Me testing a sphere’s drilling (it worked-I still have the hole). On Production Designer Philip Duffin’s set. Philip made plaques for all the crew members. pic.twitter.com/c0lN3DUJF4
— Mark Shostrom (@MarkShostrom) July 9, 2018
Filming Paul Irvine’s back creature. L-R: Everett Burrell shines up the mechanical creature with KY. Everett & I adjust Paula’s hair & cloak. Finally, Paula is released and we shoot the creature’s dialogue. @DonCoscarelli – If I recall correctly, this scene took 44 takes. pic.twitter.com/vJC45Lpc3b
— Mark Shostrom (@MarkShostrom) July 9, 2018
1. Sculpting the insect head. 2. My press-out sculpture for the eye-pop.
I sculpted Angus’s eyes open and accentuated the squinting. 3. Head with untrimmed wig and brows placed (not glued). #Makeupfx peeps, this was a Smooth-on 724 head painted with rubber mask greasepaint. pic.twitter.com/rNw9bhILc8— Mark Shostrom (@MarkShostrom) July 9, 2018
#PhantasmII Sam Phillips – ending filmed but not in final cut. Angus was to peel off Kemy’s face. No time to enlarge her face to fit *over* Angus’s, so it never was 100%. Two weeks more would have done it but we were fighting release. @TheSingleLife Sam, not your best look! ❤ pic.twitter.com/clmftCnCHx
— Mark Shostrom (@MarkShostrom) July 9, 2018
Angus gave me my favourite nickname during the P2 makeup sessions. As I applied gelatin, yellow milk, yogurt & chicken skin to add to the verisimilitude of the makeup, he asked what each item was. Finally he said, “Mark, you’re like the Julia Child of Makeup.” I miss the man. pic.twitter.com/4QVcx9ZGEY
— Mark Shostrom (@MarkShostrom) July 9, 2018
Exclusives
‘Dead Mail’ Exclusive Images: SXSW Horror Movie Begins With a Blood-Stained Postal Box Delivery
One of the genre films we’re looking forward to checking out at SXSW this year is Dead Mail, written and directed by Joe DeBoer and Kyle McConaghy and premiering on March 9.
Meagan Navarro will be reviewing Dead Mail for Bloody Disgusting as part of her SXSW coverage, and she writes in her preview for the upcoming fest: “Dead Mail leans heavily into the ’80s analog aesthetic, delivering a unique crime thriller unafraid to get offbeat with its dark narrative. Expect its characters to be as atypical as Dead Mail‘s sense of style.”
In the SXSW 2024 horror film…
“On a desolate, Midwestern county road, a bound man crawls towards a remote postal box, managing to slide a blood-stained plea-for-help message into the slot before a panicking figure closes in behind him. The note makes its way to the county post office and onto the desk of Jasper, a seasoned and skilled “dead letter” investigator, responsible for investigating lost mail and returning it to its sender. As he investigates further, Jasper meets Trent, a strange yet unassuming man who has taken up residence at the men’s home where Jasper lives.
“When Trent unexpectedly shows up at Jasper’s office, it becomes clear he has a vested interest in the note, and will stop at nothing to retrieve it…”
Sterling Macer, Jr., John Fleck, Susan Priver, Micki Jackson, Tomas Boykin, and Nick Heyman star in Dead Mail. Preview the film with an exclusive image gallery below.
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