Customer Reviews

Phenomena (Special Edition)

5 star:		(58)
4 star:		(31)
3 star:		(10)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

PHENOMENA

(Italy - 1984)

Aspect ratio: 1.66:1
Theatrical soundtrack: Dolby Stereo

Originally edited for US consumption and released under the title CREEPERS, the full-length version of Dario Argento's masterwork reveals the method in his madness. Whereas the edited version was a fast-moving collage of half-baked themes which evoked nothing of any significance, PHENOMENA reinstates the crazy-quilt pacing, whereby dream-like passages surrender abruptly to episodes of screaming hysteria, all of which is essential to any appreciation of the film's dark ambitions.

Romano Albani's sumptuous cinematography transforms the breathtaking Swiss locations into a fairy-tale landscape where monstrous eruptions of violence disturb the illusion of tranquility, and Jennifer Connelly drifts through the narrative in a state of near-hypnotic grace, allowing herself to become ensnared by the machinations of a deformed killer and his/her equally psychotic 'guardian'. True, the longer version is bogged down at times by lengthy dialogue scenes which hold up the plot, and the involvement of Donald Pleasence's chimp is no less misguided than before (its final act of retribution crosses the line into absurdity), but the set-pieces are magnificently realised, and the final 20 minutes are as hair-raising as anything in Argento's ouevre.

Dario Argento throws in all his trademarks in this horror/fantasy extravaganza.A plain crime story mixed with dream sequences, gore, state of the art camerawork, maggots, fireflies, broken glass, running water, beautiful young girls and a brilliant soundtrack. You name it, it`s all here !

Argento has made a lot of mediocre movies the recent years, but this 1984 movie is a true classic.

The film is presented in 1.66:1 with a DD 5.1 soundtrack. Both picture and sound is good, but nothing spesial.Anchor bay has also thrown in some extras, but nothing very interesting in my opinion. There is a dull commentary with Argento and three of his collaborators in very broken english, a trailer, two music videos,a lousy behind the scenes segment, and a ridiculous Argento interview from a Joe Franklin show. And don`t be fooled to believe that the 28 minutes that is restored in this UNCUT and UNCENSORED version is gore.It is simply the full european version, and all 28 minutes are plain story and character building.No doubt that this cut is much better than the "Creepers" cut, though.

It is the feature itself that makes this disc a must-have.They simply don`t make movies like this anymore ! (Neither does Argento, unfortunately !)

Now I can hardly wait for Anchor Bay to release "Opera" and " Suspiria."

Phenomena hooked me right away, even the momentary twinge I felt when the monkey made its appearance (I hate monkeys, especially monkeys in "horror" movies) was short lived; this monkey is actually a device to move the plot along and never overstayed its welcome. The tension continues to build up, right up to the end, which was a nice surprise. Many elements from prior Argento films make appearances here and everything just works.

Inferno is the third and final chapter of the Deep Red trilogy and the second and, so far, final chapter in the proposed Three Mothers trilogy. Inferno suffers from the "Jan Brady" syndrome. She is beautiful and accomplished in her own right, but she follows an even more beautiful and equally accomplished sister. It is easy to be so dazzled by Suspiria that Inferno is obscured in her shadow. But upon a second viewing, the scales fall and the ears become unplugged and Inferno proves to be her sisters equal. Its simply that Suspiria is a fairy-tale whereas Inferno is a symphony.

Phenomena includes a trailer, a couple of music videos, the first of which is absolutely mesmerizing, and an interview.

Inferno includes an introduction by Dario Argento, that unfortunately comes off as an apology, a trailer, and an interview segment.

This gift set, in fact, all three volumes of the Dario Argento collection, represent a tremendous value. Just compare the price of buying these two DVD's separately. This is now the DVD's golden age. Enjoy it while it lasts.

This was my second dip into the Argento pool. I had recently watched "Tenebre", one of Argento's best from what I can gather. I was worried about a let down because I enjoyed that film so much. So I prepared myself. I read some reviews and took some advice. The results of my preparation were a mixed bag; some good, some bad. So, I appropriately lowered my expectations but hoped for the best. What I learned about Argento from watching "Phenomena" was that perhaps his biggest weakness is his clumsy story telling. Let me get to the point, hopefully quicker than "Phenomena".

-IF YOU WANT TO BE IMPORTANT, YOU HAVE TO LOOK IMPORTANT.
Argento has a knack for making everything look so important that you are glued to the imagery on the screen. "Phenomena" is full of long, stylish, detailed, seemingly important scenes. Every scene has a sort of leisurely pace to it. I began to assume that if I didn't pay attention, I would miss something. Eventually, this became a chore. After about 70 minutes, there had been 4 fairly unremarkable murders and yet we were no closer to knowing who the killer was. When it was finally over, I scratched my head and thought, "Did I miss something?" So I watched it all again. It turned out that I hadn't missed a thing. Most of the movie was not nearly as important to the plot as its treatment would have you believe. The result was an overly arduous, not particularly meaningful journey for a brief and crazy end.

-SO, WHICH STORY DID YOU LIKE?
Even though most of the movie was treated with overwrought and unwarranted importance, nothing that happened could be declared useless. But there were so many things that were given importance I wondered which thread of the story was the one that mattered most. How important was the generous time spent on the entomologist's theories? What role would the girl's talent with insects play? Why is the school so important? Does the hot but nasty teacher hold any significance? Was that time spent at the bank warranted? It turned out that all of the unique threads had very convoluted and somewhat ludicrous connection to how the film ended. I was forced to invest effort into all of the deceptive threads resulting in disappointment at their ultimate lack of importance. The worst part about it was that most of it wasn't particularly exciting or interesting.

-AT LEAST THE T-SHIRT IS OK. (Content could be interpreted as spoilers)
So I went through all this effort on stuff that varied in importance because I couldn't be sure what really mattered. My reward for all of this was an ending that bordered on cheating. It turns out the murders were committed by someone we never met directly or were never given cause to suspect until they are revealed. You could not possibly have deduced who it was because no meaningful clues were ever presented. Luckily, the ending has enough wacked-out moments and lively pacing that at least some satisfaction is achieved. However, that's only when compared to the rest of the films slogging pace.

-JUST BE YOURSELF JENNIFER.
Jennifer Connelly and Donald Pleasance are the big attraction here. Jennifer is very good at acting like Jennifer; a female Harrison Ford. Donald scrapped his usually wonderful British accent for a nearly undecipherable Scottish accent. There were other actors I won't mention though they were all capable for the most part. The chimp (Yes, the chimp) was actually an interesting figure whose function is clumsily jammed into place.

-SHE'S BRUSHING HER TEETH; CUE MOTORHEAD.
The music was wildly varied in style from scene to scene and just as wildly inappropriate in its placement. We often get scenes of someone walking slowly with some crazy guitar rock grinding away in the background. I can't say this had a big impact on me because I had bigger problems than the music to worry about. It didn't help though.

-SAY IT ISN'T SO!!
Some might be disappointed that there is no nudity and limited gore in this film. I don't mind those things but it wasn't a major sticking point with me in "Phenomena". I will say that a little more gore and nudity might have distracted me from the sluggish pace of the story. Yet, I think it would have had limited affect. Of course, the frenzied ending, which could be considered gratuitous, goes a long way to keep this from being a total loss.

-VENUS FLYTRAP.
As I stated before, Argento has a talent for giving drama to the most mundane event. Up to now, I really do like the overall feel of his films. They have a very inviting visual style. However, the enticing visuals could not enhance the plodding story enough to keep me interested or entertained throughout. He almost fooled me into believing that what I was seeing was always important.

-THE FLY ON THE WALL.
The fly on the wall knows the truth. In all honestly, I didn't like the way this story was played out. It was almost as if Argento had an ending in mind and then back-loaded the story to provide him all the pieces to construct his grand finale. The grand finale was pretty compelling but the back-loaded story was clumsy and those pieces didn't always fit too well. Why Jennifer's talent with bugs is important, why the chimp matters, why we spend so much time at school or in the bank and everything else was not nearly as important as the attention it was given. No matter how visually compelling things were, the events taking place just weren't that big a deal most of the time. Though Argento's talent is evident, the decent acting and visual aspects of this film were not enough to fix the convoluted story.

Story.....2 stars
Acting...3.5 stars
Visuals...4 stars
Music....2.5 stars

Average..3 stars

It's been said that "Phenomena" is the movie Argento wanted to make with "Suspiria", the latter being cast with actresses well out of their teens. Here, much younger actresses are used, including Argento's own daughter, Fiore, who has the opening (amazing) death scene. Fourteen year old Jennifer Connelly is our lead, and Argento must have been quite taken with her, as she is lovingly framed and lighted in every scene. There are numerous similarities with "Suspiria". Just as Suzy is chastised for arriving at the European school from America late, so is Jennifer. The girls at this school are also odd, and while Suzy is drugged in "Suspiria", someone attempts to do the same with Jennifer.

The kills are stylish as ever, great lighting, camera work, cinematography, and a very interesting story. I think this is the first Argento where I cared about the characters-Those being Jennifer, and the Entomologist and his chimp. By the way, the Chimp has a really wrenching scene where she is desparately trying to get into the house while her master is being menaced by the killer. Many other noteworthy scenes include Jennifer sleepwalking, Jennifer summoning insects to her aid in the school, and the reveal of the killer. The soundtrack by Goblin is incredible per usual, and I didn't mind the heavy Metal music used as well. Some weird stuff, some gross stuff, and Argento's most gorgeous heroine to date. I am amazed to find I like this even better than Suspiria. If you are just getting into Argento, or thinking of, this is a great movie to try. I absolutely adore this film. Oh, and in the cab ride to the school, (You knew there would be a cab ride, right?) Daria Nicolodi's character tells Jennifer, "They call this area the Swiss Transylvania, you know." Jennifer: "Really? Why?" Daria: "I don't know, they just do." I love the randomness of the Argento dialogue!

Simply put, this film is pretty messed up. I don't know quite how seriously we are supposed to take all this, as the various plot elements and twists are just so bizarre and/or silly. Part of me would like to believe that this is supposed to be a whole lot more light-hearted than Argento's other fare, but I don't really believe this is the case. (I certainly could be wrong, though) So, in the end, I suspect this was just a severe misstep on Argento's part, but it's an entertaining misstep, at least.

This film combines Giallo with supernatural elements, to odd effect. The basic setup is that a 14 or so year old American girl, Jennifer Corvino, is sent off to a fancy private girls-school in Switzerland, whereabouts a maniac killer is slaughtering young girls. Also, Jennifer sleepwalks, and has a telepathic connection with insects.(!) Naturally, she and Scottish entomoloigist, Dr. Somethingorother, who just happens to be in the area, determine that they must catch the killer, with the help of the insects.(!) This may sound a bit more complicated than most of Argento's other fare, and it is, which leads to the main problem with the film- too much plot, not enough killing. The acting is something of a mixed-bag, as it tends to be in Argento's films. Donald Pleasance, as the entomologist, gives the best performance in the film. He's likable, and quite restrained by his standards. Sadly, he has a smaller part than I'd imagined. A very young Jennifer Connelly (Dark City, A Beautiful Mind) plays the lead, and suffice to say she is a much better actress now than she was then. She's not terrible, but pretty flat and bored much of the time. (It's interesting to note that she was 14 at the time, approximately the same age as the character she was playing. What a novel concept) Daria Nicolodi, who generally gives some of the best performances in Argento's movies, is a bit off here. Sometimes she's good, sometimes she overdoes it. Most of the other roles in the film are pretty tiny, but the supporting actors are quite consistently bad. Some of Jennifer's schoolmates are almost painful to watch, but they aren't around much. The chimp who plays the wheelchair bound entomologist helper-chimp does a decent job too, and Argento wisely does not give him too much screen time, as all monkey are hideous and obnoxious. (Though he is less hideous and obnoxious than most)

The plot is pretty off the wall, but that's not the real problem with the film. The real concern is that the horror scenes just aren't any where near Argento's standards. Most of them are staged in a not particularly interesting fashion, and lack any terribly interesting gore. (There is some gross out stuff, but most of it isn't in the death scenes. I'll get to that later) Furthermore, the killer generally uses a very modern, metallic spear, which just isn't a very interesting weapon. Still, it has it's moments. The most effective death is towards the beginning, where a nameless girl is being chased by the killer, and stabbed in the back with the spear.(Spoilers) She then crashes part way through a window and screams at a Jennifer, only to have the spear driven through the back of her head and out her mouth. Sadly, that's the only killing toward the beginning of the film which is particularly interesting. (The ending is better)

Stylistically, this is a bit more restrained than most of Argento's other films from that era. Still, it looks nice, with lots of beautiful forested scenery, and some cool architecture and a bit of ominous, stylized lighting in some scenes. The camerawork and cinematography aren't terribly exciting however, other than a nice shot of the camera zooming through a house to find a maggot-covered severed hand. The music is hit and miss. As is typical of Argento's soundtracks, and soundtracks involving Goblin, the music itself is well written, although the production techniques tend to be a bit dated. I particularly like one of the more prominent themes, until it breaks out into an inappropriate and overdone dancebeat. (I'm talking about the one with the solo opera singer) Still, it's not as good as what you usually get in an Argento film. They also use some heavy metal here, and it doesn't work very well. (Unlike in Opera, where I actually think it does) The problem is that it isn't used at appropriate times: It's ok to use it after the killing is already underway, but not during moments where you're trying to build tension. That, and it uses a popular, well-known song (Flash of the Blade) which is a bit distracting in and of itself. (i.e. I think it better to use more obscure stuff, so that it doesn't call too much attention to itself)

It may seem like I've done nothing but criticize this movie, but in the end it's quite fun and entertaining. The plot is quite absurd, but more interesting than most of his other films, and it's got a very entertaining climax, with a bunch of deliriously weird twists. They also kick up the gross out quotient towards the end, with a nasty pit of rotting corpses, a hideous mutant child, a hilariously dated decapitation, self-mutilation in order to escape a pair of handcuffs, and worst of all, some painfully drawn out vomiting. And the final twist, while clearly telegraphed, is pretty amusing as well.

In the end, this is a `good-bad' movie. (unlike the 5 other Argento films I've seen, which were good-good movies) But that's better than most movie can manages, and this is certainly worth seeing if you're interested in the director's work in general.

Dario Argento's 'Phenomena' is a a gem of a B-movie with enough engaging and entertaining characteristics to make this film well worth your time if you're into such genre novelties. When you have a film that features a monkey sidekick, a crippled scientific genius, an all-girls boarding school in Europe, Jennifer Connelly in her teenage glory, insect swarms, rotting corpses and a few other surprises the question is - what doesn't this film have? One of Argento's more entertaining films and a decent dvd to boot - lots of extras and an above average transfer.

Perhaps one of Dario Argento's most bizarre films ever, Phenomena is pure 80s horror fun, with brilliant moments and a killer score. Although it is often criticzised for making little or no sense, Phenomena is effective at setting up a dream-like feeling of spookiness, with the required gory pay-offs. While not as polished looking as Suspiria or Inferno, or technically advanced, I find it still holds up with time.

The story of a young girl who can communicate with insects, and her stay at a creepy Swiss boarding school, complete with slasher killer, this one is for horror fans everywhere.

May I add, the Anchor Bay edition is the best looking transfer still, without those annoying Italian language shifts mid-conversation, and with the gore complete.

First of all, I'd like to start off with how I came to know this film. Ever heard of a videogame called Clock Tower? It's about a serial murderer, and has a Japanese prequal which I've also played.. Having liked that so well, I found on the internet that it was originally inspired by an Italian made, but English language, film called Phenomena.. I ordered it very eagerly,and couldn't wait for it to come in. When I finally got it, I watched it, of course...and loved every minute of it. It had everything I think a scary film should have! The characters, I believe, were developed enough, and I don't understand why so many people say Argento can't write them well. Maybe that's the case with his other films, but this one has quite well developed characters. We even learn the past of the most important characters, and I was actually sad whenever one of the more involved characters would die (The mark of good character development in horror) which is rare (In most of them, I'm alright just so that the main character lives). The plot was perfect, in my opinion. I didn't see any of the alleged plotholes. Sure, there were some things I wanted to know more about (Such as who exactly assaulted a certain person in a mental hospital) but very few, and nothing contradicted anything else in the plot: Jennifer Corvino, daughter of a famous actor, must stay in a Switzerland Boarding School for girls. Only there's a murderer around, killing girls around her age. She finds that she can communicate with insects, and has actually witnessed one of the murders while sleep walking. Along the way, she meets a crippled professor who believes her ability could help to solve the murders. It's far more developed than Halloween or Friday the 13th ever were, especially since all this was developed in (gasp) one installment (I've got nothing against sequals, but the original should also be able to stand on its own). The atmosphere in this movie was great, and it proves that the 80's really WERE the decade of the best horror films. The gore, while I don't need a lot of it in a movie, did add to some of the primal fear that the movie can generate. I only have one complaint with the music--when there are lyrical vocals, it sort of takes away from the effect. Otherwise, the music was wonderfully memorable! The special effects? Well, I'll never forget one of the more gruesome deaths. Here's a hint: It's the one Jennifer witnesses in her sleepwalk. One character in the movie is, in a sense, more terrifying than anything in any other murder movie. I love this movie! But if you're looking for more of the same, with a guy in a mask chasing people, look elsewhere--you never see the the films killer while in the process of a chase until the end. You just see the weapon. To me, that makes it better. Part of the suspense is wanting to see the killer, and boy is it ever worth the wait when you finally do! But it's not good for those who HAVE to see the murderer through every part of the film to enjoy it. This movie, as well as MANY aspects of it, lives up to the name. It is a real Phenomena. Perhaps the only thing more fascinating would be the reason why anyone would dislike it!

In my opinion, Phenomena is Argento's most under rated film and it's easily my favorite. What I really enjoyed about it was that it has a surreal, dreamlike quality and builds a disorienting, creepy atmosphere. What other film can boast a murderous dwarf, swarming insects, a sleepwalker who can talk to bugs, piles of maggots and a razor-weilding monkey? Jennifer Connolly is very easy on the eyes, and the soundtrack moves from a moody score by the Goblins to 80s hair metal, giving it an appropriate amount of cheese and livening things up a bit. The end chase scene / climax of the movie is also pretty shocking. Like nearly all of his other movies, the dialogue is stilted and the plot a bit incoherent, but Connolly gives the lead role some charisma and the movie looks great; no one goes to see this kind of movie for a logical plot and taut, snappy dialogue anyway. A very good film, and much more of a fairy tale than any of Argento's other movies; I highly recommend it.