Phenomena
Now Remastered in 16x9 with an All-New Retrospective Featurette
Brace yourself for an all-new look at one of the most original films ever from writer/director Dario Argento, an insane epic of terror, wonder, and jaw-dropping carnage. Jennifer Connelly stars as an outcast student at a Swiss boarding school who discovers both her telepathic power to control insects and the gore-soaked trail of a razor-wielding killer. Can a kindly professor (Donald Pleasence of Halloween) now harness her 'gift' to stop the bloodbath of a psychopath? Daria Nicolodi (Tenebre), Dalila Di Nazzaro (Flesh for Frankenstein) and Fiore Argento (Demons) co-star - along with a pounding soundtrack by Goblin, Bill Wyman, Iron Maiden and Motorhead - in the shocker that remains a favorite of Argento fans as well as one of the most brutally original horror thrillers of the '80s.
Member Reviews
Good horror movie, good music - Fudgeflaps
I enjoyed this now as much as I had when I saw it on VHS long ago.
It's a fascinating story about a young girl (Jennifer Connelly) who has a unique ability with insects.
Being made in the 1980s it has a mood that I somewhat miss in current horror movies. Especially good is the soundtrack. I found the music really adds to the atmosphere. It is a shame music no longer adds to a movie's mood the way it did in the eighties. That is something I miss with more recent movies.The Dario we all used to love and adore. - OrionJeriko
One of Dario's last great hurrahs! before succumbing to complete banality. And it's not really a film spoken about too often when Argento's name is brought up, which is shameful because I've always loved this flick. Slow at times, sure, but it all falls into place with the final 15 minutes where the entire thing goes balls-out: razor-wielding monkey's, slashing deformed children, a pool of corpses, etc. Pretty far out there.Good enough but could have been better... - Coconut_Willy
I guess this is the curse of being as famous as Dario Argento is; the fan always expect more. This movie is typical of that phase in his career; excellent storyline but slightly underdeveloped in favor of presenting innovative visual effects. Although the pace of the film is sometimes a bit slow, the action scenes are quite spectacular. Style is ever present (as usual); great sets, great choice of actors even though the acting itself is a bit uneven, excellent soundtrack. The camera work is also very good even if his trademark lighting effects are less present than in other films; many key shots are just unbelievable. Overall a good movie and an obvious must-see for all Argento fans.
The transfer to DVD is of good quality with a little bit of damage once in a while. The image ratio is a bit bizarre though; not full screen but not widescreen either. Makes one think that we could be missing quite a bit on the sides...
Member Reviews
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Good horror movie, good music - Fudgeflaps
I enjoyed this now as much as I had when I saw it on VHS long ago.
It's a fascinating story about a young girl (Jennifer Connelly) who has a unique ability with insects.
Being made in the 1980s it has a mood that I somewhat miss in current horror movies. ...The Dario we all used to love and adore. - OrionJeriko
One of Dario's last great hurrahs! before succumbing to complete banality. And it's not really a film spoken about too often when Argento's name is brought up, which is shameful because I've always loved this flick. Slow at times, sure, but it all falls into ...Good enough but could have been better... - Coconut_Willy
I guess this is the curse of being as famous as Dario Argento is; the fan always expect more. This movie is typical of that phase in his career; excellent storyline but slightly underdeveloped in favor of presenting innovative visual effects. Although the ...