Havin' A Ball

You wouldn't think a shiny metal ball would be scary, unless you've seen Don Coscarelli's Phantasm. The late-'70s horror film is remarkable not only for its unique take on the tropes of the genre, but for its judicious use of your own brain to terrify you. The story concerns two brothers, Jody and Michael, and their efforts to crack the mystery of what's happening at the town's mortuary, which is run by the towering and creepy Tall Man (Angus Scrimm, in his career-defining role). Joined by Jody's good friend, Reggie the ice-cream truck driver, the boys encounter a dangerously seductive blonde, dangerously creepy dwarves and the aforementioned dangerously vicious metal sphere, which flies of its own volition and packs an impressive arsenal of cutlery. There's some gore, some skin and a whole lot of mind-bending twists -- and the ending isn't really the ending, if you know what I mean. Destroy the Brain presents a 35mm print of Phantasm as part of its Late Nite Grindhouse series, at 11:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday (July 1 and 2) at the Hi-Pointe Theatre (1005 McCausland Avenue; www.latenitegrindhouse.com). Admission is $6.
Fri., July 1; Sat., July 2, 2011