Phenomena [Creepers Edition] (1985) – Film Review

Director: Dario Argento
Cast: Jennifer Connelly, Donald Pleasance, Daria Nicolodi
Certificate: 18

By Sarah Morgan

What is it about Dario Argento and flies?

Back in 1971 the famed Italian auteur made Four Flies on Grey Velvet, one of his finest movies. Then, 14 years later came Phenomena, in which they – and other insects – play an integral part.

A myriad of creepy crawlies have starring roles, and some of them even help Jennifer Connelly, as teenager Jennifer Corvino, solve a series of grisly murders.

Yes, you did read that correctly! And if that bonkers synopsis isn’t enough to make you want to watch the film, then perhaps the presence of Donald Pleasence and a chimp will.

The Nottinghamshire-born actor has plenty of links to South Yorkshire, having attended Sheffield’s Eccelsfield School before studying drama in Barnsley. He also worked at Swinton railway station (his father was station master at Conisbrough in the 1940s) before deciding to tread the boards.

“Unmasking”

However, in Phenomena, his accent takes a journey even further north – he plays a Scotsman. Entomologist John McGregor meets Jennifer’s acquaintance after she’s found sleepwalking near his home in what he describes as the ‘Swiss Transylvania’ by his constant companion, chimp Inga. McGregor quickly notices her affinity with insects, and her unique ability to seemingly attract and communicate with them.

Jennifer is enrolled at a Swiss international school, but her love of six-legged creatures and the fact her father is a film star make her a target for bullies. The headmistress and her staff seem particularly cruel too, and you wonder how they’ve managed to attract or keep any pupils.

What’s more, there’s a serial killer on the loose targeting young girls. When a firefly points Jennifer in the direction of some puzzling maggots, McGregor encourages her to investigate further, believing she could prove crucial to unmasking the murderer.

He turns out to be correct, but the notion proves to be his downfall – and also plunges his young friend into grave danger…

“Merits”

Phenomena is far from being Argento’s greatest movie, and watching it makes you long for the likes of Deep Red, Suspiria or The Bird with the Crystal Plumage. But if you can suspend at least some of your disbelief (and ignore the terrible, heavy rock soundtrack), it’s not a bad euro-thriller.

Pleasence is always worth watching, although Connolly, shortly before gaining fame in Labyrinth, is pretty woeful – you would never guess she would become an Oscar-winning actress after her performance here.

The set includes three different versions of the film – the original Italian release, a slightly shorter cut made for the international market, and a very much trimmed down US take. All have their merits, with the best and most coherent being the middle one.

There’s also a wealth of special features to enjoy, including a two-hour long making-of documentary.