Search - The Phantom on DVD

MPAA Rating: PG Content Advisory: Suitable for Children Movie Release: 1996 DVD Release: 05/25/1999 Format: DVD - Enhanced Wide Screen Letterbox for 16x9 TV Edition: Special Collection Audio Tracks: English, French Subtitles: English SwapaDVD Credits: 1 Number of Discs: 1 Run Time: 1 hrs 40 mins Studio: Paramount Members Wishing: 12 Genres: Adventure, Fantasy, Superhero Film See Also: The Phantom [Blu-ray]

The first superhero ever, created by Lee Falk in 1936, gets another shot at movie stardom 60 years after achieving fame in comics and serials. Billy Zane stars as Kit Walker, who discovers that he's the 21st in a line of purple-clad African superheroes known as "The Phantom" or, to superstitious Bengalla Island natives, "the Ghost Who Walks." When he's not fighting the evil Singh Brotherhood with his faithful wolf Devil and white horse Hero, the Phantom lives in the hidden Skull Cave. Kit discovers that Xander Drax (Treat Williams), a slimy industrialist, is plotting to take over the world by uniting the three long lost magical Skulls of Touganda. So he travels to New York, where he finds allies in crusading newspaper publisher Dave (Bill Smitrovich) and his niece, Diana (Kristy Swanson), who's also Kit's ex-girlfriend. Kit and Diana tackle Drax's forces, including the conflicted Sala (Catherine Zeta-Jones), in a quest for the Skulls that brings both sides back to Bengalla for a showdown. The Phantom's mixture of elaborate stunts with liberal doses of tongue-in-cheek humor was characteristic of screenwriter Jeffrey Boam, whose previous films included Innerspace (1987) and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989). ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide

Billy Zane - Phanton/Kit Walker
Kristy Swanson - Diana Palmer
Treat Williams - Xander Drax
Catherine Zeta-Jones - Sala
James Remar - Quill

Evil gets its due in the comic-book-adapted action-packed film The Phantom. The film is presented in 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen and is a nice effort by the studio. The colors (especially the purples) are all bright and solid without any bleeding in the image. The black levels are also spot-on with only the slightest amount of edge enhancement popping up once in a great while. Overall, Paramount has done a very admirable job on this transfer. The soundtrack is presented in Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround as well as Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround in French and English. The 5.1 mix on this disc is very aggressive with directional effects spread through both the front and rear speakers. All aspects of the mix are free and clear of any excessive hiss or distortion. No subtitles are available on this disc. Fans will most likely want to slam their heads against a crystal skull when they discover that the only extra feature available on this disc is a theatrical trailer for the film. ~ Patrick Naugle, All Movie Guide