Dimension Films gathered together a hell of a cast for their 1998 sci-fi horror film Phantoms, including Ben Affleck, Peter O’Toole, Rose McGowan, Joanna Going, Liev Schreiber, Nicky Katt, and Clifton Powell. And yet, even with all that star power, it didn’t turn out to be a very good movie. It has mostly faded into obscurity – but there’s one thing that still keeps it alive. A joke in the 2001 comedy Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, where it was said that “Affleck was the bomb in Phantoms.” That’s a joke Affleck has heard repeated to him many times over the decades, and he referenced it himself when the film was mentioned during a conversation with GQ.
But Affleck didn’t just quote the joke while talking to GQ. He also reminisced about the experience of working on Phantoms. He said, “I was the bomb at Phantoms, everybody knows that. Peter O’Toole, by the way, Peter O’Toole signed my Lawrence of Arabia poster that’s out there on Phantoms. Nicky Katt, Liev Schreiber. I loved doing that movie. Well, no, I didn’t love doing the movie, but I liked those people. The movie was a sewer monster movie, let’s face it. And I was a sheriff in Colorado, I was, like, 20 years old. It was totally absurd. And the movie was utter garbage. But I did get to ski. I made, like, $100,000, so I was like, ‘I’m set for life, I’m retiring.’ And I met Peter O’Toole and, like, got stoned with Peter O’Toole, and was like, ‘What else happens in my life that tops this?’ Nothing.” Here’s the video:
Written by author Dean Koontz, based on his novel of the same name, Phantoms was directed by Joe Chappelle (Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers) and has the following synopsis: The resort town of Snowfield, Colorado, is under attack by an evil spirit that almost wipes out the entire population, possessing a number of those it kills. As the locals continue to fall victim to the demonic presence, it’s up to Sheriff Bryce Hammond (Ben Affleck) to lead the response. He’s helped by FBI-employed academic Dr. Timothy Flyte (Peter O’Toole), Deputy Stu Wargle (Liev Schreiber), local doctor Jennifer Pailey (Joanna Going) and her visiting sister, Lisa (Rose McGowan).
What do you think of Phantoms? Are you glad to hear that Ben Affleck has fond memories of working on the film? Let us know by leaving a comment below.
