Phenomena (1985)

Very interesting film. Was caught on the premise when seeing the trailer but unsure as to what the outcome would be for the showing. As it turns out, it was a very good film.

Great movie! If you want to be entertained and have a few good laughs, see this movie. The music is also very good,

The film makes a home in your brain and the only cure is to see it again.

An old-fashioned movie made with new-fashioned finesse.

This movie from Dario is very different from his other Giallo films, it's very unique in way, with a frightening shocker at the end, which actually, all of his climaxes in films are shocking, but this one is just unimaginable and horrifying in a way that I never thought of. Also, I loved this story : a girl who has the power of the ability to communicate with insects!!! It's just awesome. Incredible, brutal, and just amazing special effects from FX Master, Sergio Stivaletti, and featuring brilliant performances by Jennifer Connelly, Daria Nicolodi, and The Late Legendary Donald Pleasence. A great mystery horror thriller that I'm truly proud of having in my collection!!!

The opening sequences in Phenomena are a true testament to a dying art of film-making cinematography by capitalizing on an area's landscape. The mountain background and cold atmosphere provided a chilling bleak outlook for the character left behind by a tour bus. Argento's craft is driving a thrilling story full with brutally graphic kill scenes but also masterfully suspending the monster or true horror for the climax. Pheonomena is a perfect example of this blueprint, keeping the viewer completely engaged with odd insect sequences, horrifying kill scenes, all while keeping the mystery alive to the very end. It's also interesting to watch the mixture of English speaking actors, Connelly the American, Pleasance being British along with a host of Italian actors. The dubbing is noticeable but Argento managed to make this a non-issue by off- camera shots and solid editing. There are some corny, unneeded aspects of the story and the ending could have finished more eloquently but it's still a superb, must-watch horror film.

In her youth, Jennifer Connelly made a name for being a young actress. In Phenomena, aka "Creepers" she plays a student in Switzerland learning abroad. While learning, she discovers that she has the ability to communicate with insects. It comes in handy when a killer is on the loose killing the young ladies. Months earlier, one student is beheaded by a mysterious killer. A wheelchair bound doctor(Donald Pleasence) is determined to help find the killer with Jennifer's help. Her power of telepathy to insects makes her a outcast to the school. The rest of the girls insult her so bad, she wants to go back to the States. That happens right after her French roommate gets killed. Her sleepwalking gets the attention of the doctor. But when he gets murdered, Jennifer takes action. The chimpanzee assistant has her ways of getting into trouble, but even she has her connection with Jennifer. A great movie it is. Bizarre as well. A major keeper in the horror vault. Rating 4 out of 5 stars.

31 Days Of Horror: Day 3Ahh, Dario Argento. Never has a director been such a genius at setting atmosphere, picking perfect music and visually drawing the viewer in, and so tragically challenged with pacing, story beats and especially directing actors. His films always look and sound like something from a surreal nightmare, and always have some level of ineptitude in other areas. If you go in knowing this your first time with an Argento flick, it lessens the blow of shock. Phenomena isn't AS extreme of an example, but there's still some...moments. That being said, it's got a musical and visual element unlike any other, and is downright intoxicating. Youthful Jennifer Connelly plays Jennifer Corvino, an American girl arriving at a remote boarding school in the picturesque Swiss Alps. As per usual in Argento's films, there's an unseen murderer on the loose, killing girls from a relentless POV perspective. The opening sequence is a stunning ride through the countryside, set to the warbling, eerie tones of Goblin and Claudio Simonetti's time capsule worthy soundtrack. It soon turns violent and we see where the film intends to take us. It's a startling opening sequence to rival Argento's classic opening murder in Suspiria. Jennifer fits in well enough at the school, but starts having hypnotic sleepwalking episodes (again set to the striking soundtrack) that put her dangerously close to the path of the killer. She meets charming entomologist McGregor in town, played by the incomparable Donald Pleasence, and his pet chimpanzee🙉. Together they attempt to find the killer, aided by a local cop (Patrick Bachau) and Jennifer's strange, random ability to communicate with insects via telekinesis. Weird enough for you yet? There's a trick I use to get past the semi real, often detaching nature of some of the acting and fractured, bizarre storyline in his work: Let the experience wash over you in an almost subconscious way, and don't take everything at face value. It's more of an emotional state, a tone poem rather than a logical, rational narrative. Don't watch the movie, dream it. And what a dream this one is. Moments of stark, sheer ugliness are woven together with interludes of hazy passages of fairytale storytelling and music. Not everyone's thing, but one of my favourites.