PHENOMENA is a film that slipped by me as a kid. My friends and I used to rent every horror film we were able to get our hands on, but my youth as a horror fan, never found it’s way to checking out what many think is one of Argento’s best films. I was never able to find the film on DVD, and many people I know could not believe that I have never seen this film. Well after years of holding off from checking this film out, Anchor Bay finally came though and decided to send me the Dario Argento box set, which to my happiness included PHENOMENA, which yes; was the last film I watched in the whole box set, saving the best for last.
What I like about PHENOMENA is that it is a film that reflects the horror films of the eighties. Everything from the soundtrack to the style in which the film was shot screams eighties horror, and gave me flashbacks of films like The Gate, A Nightmare on Elm Street, Hellraiser and Evil Dead. It has that same feel that made those films great.
PHENOMENA is a film about a young girl named Jennifer Corvino (Jennifer Connelly) whom is sent by her famous father to a boarding school in Europe. While there her room mate tells her about a murderer that has plagued the campus for some time. Jennifer however is not really scared by the story, as she has some secrets that are quite scary themselves. Besides the fact that she sleepwalks often, Jennifer has the ability to communicate with insects. She always knew she was special, and it’s not until one night while sleepwalking she runs into and befriends a Scottish entomologist, Prof. John McGregor (Donald Pleasence), and his chimpanzee Tonga. Prof. McGregor help Jennifer with her ability and helps her use it to solve the crimes wave of murders that threaten the school. Now with her new found ability Jennifer tries to solve the murders that are plaguing the school and surrounding village. At first she wants to return to Los Angeles, but as time passes she realizes that the killer knows about her and she must face this unknown killer along with the help of some creepy crawlers and put an end to the murders once and for all.
I know this film does have it’s weaknesses, it is a long film to watch and some of then scenes do tend to become more of a talkie and drag on a bit, but being that I really got into the story, I was able to put all those minor flaws aside and just focus on the story at hand and the crime and mystery involved within it. Everything from the acting to the production value and the directing were top notch in my opinion. You get a real taste of how great of an actress Jennifer Connelly was even at the age of fourteen. PHENOMENA was one of the first films she was ever in, and the fact that she is now an academy award winner actress is echoed in her performance from such a young age.
The films production value is very good for the time in which the film was made. Argento uses some very dark and baron like sets, and locations that really give the audience an effect of being surrounded by darkness. The mae-up effects in the film are pretty good for the time in which this film was made, but the visual effects do look a bit unreal, but for the time in which PHENOMENA was made, I think they were the best they could be for that time.
Overall, I loved this film and had a great time watching it. I’ve always been told by friends that PHENOMENA was my kind of film and they were right. PHENOMENA is a film that has a very unique story and is one that I’m sure to watch again. In my opinion it’s one of Dario Argento’s best films.
– Horror Bob
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- Interview with Andrew J. Rausch - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Rick Popko and Dan West - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Director Stevan Mena (Malevolence) - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Screenwriter Jeffery Reddick (Day of the Dead 2007) - January 22, 2015
- Teleconference interview with Mick Garris (Masters of Horror) - January 22, 2015
- A Day at the Morgue with Corri English (Unrest) - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Writer/Director Nacho Cerda (The Abandoned, Aftermath) - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Actress Thora Birch (Dark Corners, The Hole, American Beauty) - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Actor Jason Behr, Plus Skinwalkers Press Coverage - January 22, 2015
