THE PHANTOM EMPIRE (1986)
Director: Fred Olen Ray
Retromedia Entertainment

Recalling the numerous cheap 50s sci-fi flicks filmed in California's Bronson Caverns (ROBOT MONSTER and BRAIN FROM PLANET AROUS are two shining examples), shlockmaster Fred Olen Ray set out to make an entire project in the territory. Taking the title of an old Gene Autry serial and tossing in a multitude of clichés, the result is an affectionate, no budget send-up of familiar sci-fi/fantasy/adventure themes.

After a cannibalistic cave creature appears and rips the head off a hapless picnic goer, it's discovered that the thing is wearing priceless jewels around its neck. A map is bought, a team of adventurers and scientists are hired, and an expedition into a lost underground cave is embarked upon. What they encounter is a tribe of rubber-masked troglodytes, stop motion animated dinosaurs, "cave bunnies" and a "Robby the Robot" replica with a different head attached to its body.

What makes THE PHANTOM EMPIRE so alluring is the all-star B-movie cast that Ray was able to assemble. Even though she doesn't appear until halfway through the movie, Sybil Danning is the main attraction, playing the alien Queen of the forgotten world, wearing a revealing black leather outfit that will assure that she is not forgotten. Also along for the ride are Ross Hagen (THE MINI-SKIRT MOB, ANGELS' WILD WOMEN) as the stalwart adventurer, Jeffrey Combs (RE-ANIMATOR) as a romantic hero(?) who gets licked by shapely cavegirl Michelle Bauer (who goes topless during the film's climax), and "Count Yorga" himself, Robert Quarry, as an older and wiser professor who's always behind the rest of the pack. Russ Tamblyn (SATAN'S SADISTS) has a cameo as the weirdo who sells the map.

THE PHANTOM EMPIRE is loaded with props from other productions, including a "land rover" from the "Logan's Run" TV series and a giant rotating spit from HISTORY OF THE WORLD PART I. The animated dinosaurs are actually culled from the film PLANET OF THE DINOSAURS and were employed to pad out the already short running time.

Fred Olen Ray fans will be very pleased with this DVD presentation. To start with, THE PHANTOM EMPIRE has been newly remastered from the original 35mm camera negative and letterboxed in the appropriate 1.85:1 theatrical aspect ratio. Aside from some minor grain, the colors are very pleasing and the source print is in immaculate condition. The Dolby 2.0 stereo audio mix is fine with no noticeable problems.

There's a commentary track with director Ray and cinematographer Gary Graver. Both come off as old friends recalling the fun time they had making the picture, but sadly, agree that the movie business has changed so much in 15 years that you can't even get a B movie in the theaters anymore. Graver is also a veteran of such Al Adamson films as DRACULA VS. FRANKENSTEIN and GIRLS FOR RENT, so I'd love to hear him take part in more DVD commentaries, especially ones for his earlier films.

Other extras include a behind-the-scenes documentary featuring new interviews with Ray, Hagen, Danning and Bauer. It's 25 minutes of cool anecdotes (Hagen hilariously recalls how he almost got slapped by Danning's bosom), and it would seem that all had a good time making it. There's also some footage of alternate takes with Bauer (not topless) for TV airings, a few minutes of video taken on the set, a still gallery, and a single frame gallery of unused poster art. Ray also hosts the festivities (along with some sultry starlets) from his "mansion" living room, giving us another installment of "Nite Owl Theater." (George R. Reis)

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