Search - Phenomena [Uncut] on DVD

MPAA Rating: NR Content Advisory: Violence, Not For Children, Gore Movie Release: 1984 DVD Release: 03/16/1999 Format: DVD - Enhanced Wide Screen Letterbox for 16x9 TV Edition: Special Collection Audio Tracks: English, French SwapaDVD Credits: 1 Number of Discs: 1 Run Time: 1 hrs 50 mins Studio: Anchor Bay Members Wishing: 22 Genres: Horror, Natural Horror, Giallo See Also: Creepers, Phenomena [Special Edition]

Declared "my most personal film" by Italy's premier horror director Dario Argento, this production marked the director's return to the eerie thematic territory he pioneered in 1977 with the horror classic Suspiria. Much like that film, Phenomena conforms to the logic of nightmares. Jennifer Connelly stars as Jennifer Corvino, the daughter of an American film star, who enrolls in a prestigious Swiss boarding school under the tutelage of the prudish Mrs. Bruckner (played by frequent Argento collaborator and former beau Daria Nicolodi). Possessing a unique telepathic gift, Jennifer is capable of communicating with insects on an instinctive level, often while sleepwalking. This trait soon brands her a "freak" among her snooty classmates but makes her a valuable asset to entomologist Dr. MacGregor (Donald Pleasence), who is currently employing the innate forensic skills of insects to aid police in tracking a serial killer targeting the boarders at Jennifer's school. As Jennifer's tiny friends (including the corpse-hunting Sarcophagus Fly) guide her closer to the murderer's lair, everything from MacGregor's revenge-driven pet chimpanzee to Bruckner's monstrously disfigured son figure into the mix, providing not one but three shocking endings. Shot in English and re-dubbed for various European markets, this graphic thriller was released in drastically edited form as Creepers in the U.S. and England; Argento's original cut runs 110 minutes. ~ Cavett Binion, All Movie Guide

Jennifer Connelly - Jennifer Corvino
Donald Pleasence - John McGregor
Daria Nicolodi - Mrs. Bruckner
Patrick Bauchau - Inspector Rudolf Geiger
Dalila di Lazzaro - Headmistress

Buzzing onto DVD and making its uncut and uncensored stateside debut courtesy of Anchor Bay's Dario Argento Collection, =Phenomena (aka Creepers) arrives in a package irresistible to even the most hardened Argentophile. Presented in the original theatrical aspect ratio of 1.66:1, the letterboxed image is sharp and colorful, gleefully emphasizing the more lurid colorful images and attractively complementing the surreal nighttime sequences with solid blacks and the vivid splashes of color Argento fans know and love. Rounded out with attractive skin tones, a clean transfer, and minimal evidence of artifacting, the image is just about as good as one could ask for. Available in either English Dolby Digital Surround 5.1 or French Mono, the audio is crisp and clear, jolting life into the soundtrack's numerous thundering heavy metal cues, providing suitably realistic swarming insect sounds, and giving composer Claudio Simonetti's hypnotic score deep resonance. The commentary track, featuring Argento, special makeup effects artist Sergio Stivaletti, music composer Claudio Simonetti, and journalist Loris Corci, covers all aspects of the film, and while not always bursting with life, is consistently compelling and interesting. Argento's passion for this film certainly shows as he reveals some of the protagonists' autobiographical motivations, exudes his enthusiasm for working with the late Donald Pleasence, and discusses the popularity of his films in Japan. Stivaletti fondly recalls Phenomena as his first collaboration with Argento, and Simonetti gives insight into his scoring process and relationship with frequent collaborators Goblin. A behind-the-scenes segment hosted by Luigi Cozzi discusses Argento's passion for constantly exploring new cinematic techniques, takes viewers to see props from the film in Argento's Profondo Rosso museum, and showcases some deceptively simple effects processes behind Phenomena. A thoughtful interview with Joe Franklin gives insight into Argento's influences, and discusses his frequent comparisons to Alfred Hitchcock. An original theatrical trailer and music videos from Claudio Simonetti and Bill Wyman round out this extremely satisfying, must-have addition to the Dario Argento Collection. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide