Tall Man (Thug)

The Tall Man (also known as The Tall Man) is a character in the Phantasm horror film series. He first appears in the 1979 film “Phantasm” and is the main negative character in all five films in the series, the last of which was released in the fall of 2016. The role of the Tall Man in all films was played by actor Angus Scrimm.

The Tall Man lived in the 19th century and worked as an undertaker, then his name was Jebediah Morningside. For many years, while arranging funerals, Jebediah was preoccupied with thoughts of death and the bridge that connects the world of the living and the dead. He eventually constructed an apparatus that allowed him to travel through space and time. After passing through the portal for the first time, finding himself in the unknown, Jebediah soon returned to his reality changed, irreversibly transformed into a being better known as the Tall Man. Lives in a funeral home next to Morningside Cemetery in China Grove.

The Tall Man always wears a formal black suit and has long gray hair. He speaks very little, using mostly facial expressions - most often raising one eyebrow - this has become one of the character's most recognizable features. The elderly man has superhuman strength: he can lift not only a person, but an entire coffin with one hand. It is also shown in the films that he has telekinesis, controlling objects and people using his mind. He can change his appearance, often turning into a seductive woman - this is how he lures unwary men, his potential victims. His severed limbs and organs do not die, but immediately turn into insect-like creatures.

Although the Tall Man always comes back to life, he can still be harmed. In particular, it is incredibly sensitive to cold. According to Mike, this is because the Tall Man probably comes from very hot places. The monster is also sensitive to certain sounds, which temporarily immobilize it. Very often, when meeting Mike, he says in a drawn-out manner, “Paaaaaren!” (English: Boooooy!).

Almost always, the Tall Man is accompanied by other creatures, in particular resurrected people, gnomes and other demonic entities. The Tall Man's main henchmen are the gnomes. Initially, these were ordinary people whose bodies were dug up by a monster from the grave after their death; he then shrinks them to dwarf size, removes the brain, and reanimates the body. Despite their size, these dwarves - also known as Lurkers - are very powerful and represent the Tall Man's main army. In addition, he uses flying metal spheres called Sentinels. These spheres hide various types of weapons inside them: blades, drills, lasers and circular saws. They are the Tall Man's signature weapon. As it later turns out, the spheres also contain brains extracted from the Spies.