Phenomena (aka Creepers) (1985)
Posted on December 24, 2007
Filed Under Creepy stuff, Italian, Movies, Serial killers, Slashers
Phenomena remains one of Dario Argento’s most controversial films. Arriving in 1985, it sits on the cusp of the period when most viewers feel his directorial career went into terminal decline, and yet it arrived only three years after the masterful Tenebrae, his elegant and stylish return to the giallo - the genre he helped to define more than any other director. Mainly remembered for featuring a very young Jennifer Connelly in the lead role, Phenomena remains something of a mixed bag, but generally scores more hits than misses.
Connelly is probably the film’s best asset, giving an appealing and spirited performance as Jennifer Corvino, the sleepwalking daughter of a film star who discovers she has an affinity with insects. She forms quite a compelling double-act with Donald Pleasance as the wheelchair-bound Dr McGregor, who helps her investigate a string of murders in the posh Swiss finishing school where she is a pupil. Phenomena was the first film where Argento recorded sync sound rather than adding all dialogue during post-production, which really helps the performances breathe in a more naturalistic way than one normally expects from an Argento movie - even if Pleasance’s Scottish accent is decidedly odd. Sadly, this treatment was only lavished on the two leads; for all the other actors it was business as usual, which makes the traditional dubbing seem even more stilted than normal. Argento regular (and one-time partner) Daria Nicolodi fares particularly badly in this respect; her opening scene in the car with Connelly is hellish, although matters improve further into the film.
Stylistically, Argento basically throws in everything but the kitchen sink. There are nods to the giallo - particularly in the opening beheading of a lost tourist - but generally the murder sequences are less audaciously stylised than before, relying more on shocks and scares and thus pushing the film more into the territory of a supernatural thriller. Even the climax (involving a monkey and a razor blade, no less) feels muted compared to the lingering nightmares of previous films. Equally uncharacteristic is how the look of the film is defined by its exterior shots. Argento is a master of colour, but usually allows each film’s palette to emerge through carefully controlled interiors. Phenomena, on the other hand, is flavoured by the cool blues and greens of the lush Swiss countryside, which infused some of the films most successful sequences, such as Jennifer’s first sleepwalk, her pursuit of the firefly or her escape on the water from the killer’s lair. Conversely, this means some of the interior sequences (such as the killer’s pit of decaying bodies) feel more drab than they should do. But despite these deviations, Phenomena is still a very attractive film, with more than its fair share of blissful moments - most notably the dazzling scene in which Jennifer, taunted by her classmates, summons a swarm of flies which crowd the windows of the school.
The music - another key weapon in Argento’s arsenal - also suffers from some bizarre creative decisions. His house band, Italian prog rockers Goblin, were by this point down to one member, Claudio Simonetti, whose cues make up the bulk of the score. By the mid 80s, Simonetti was operating in full-blown electro-pop territory rather than the more organic textures that make up the classic Goblin sound, but there’s some great stuff here including the memorable main title theme, an epic soprano and drum machine blow-out (although oddly, I don’t remember hearing my favourite cue from the soundtrack album, “Jennifer’s Friends”, on the actual film). Unfortunately, many of the important action scenes are accompanied by heavy metal tracks from the likes of Motorhead and Iron Maiden rather than original material. Argento’s use of contemporary-sounding music has always been bombastic to say the least; part of the appeal of his best films is how key sequences are framed almost like music videos (such as the razor blade through the light bulb in Tenebrae) but the use of fully-blown songs here feels like self-parody rather than a step forward, with the lyrics detracting from the action rather than complementing it.
But the prevailing problem with the film is that it’s simply too long. Tellingly, when it was released in the USA (under the ridiculous title of Creepers) around 20 minutes was cut from it to improve the pacing. Much of the first hour is given over to scene-setting, with the story only really kicking into overdrive around the 45 minute mark. Thankfully, things speed up a little in the second half, and the final chase through the killer’s hideout is brilliantly tense, if more than a little reminiscent of Don’t Look Now.
Ultimately, Phenomena isn’t exactly top-tier Argento but it certainly doesn’t deserve the pasting it has received over the years from some quarters. Its flaws generally arise from a surfeit of ambition rather than a lack of it, and he throws enough ideas and techniques against the wall to ensure that every misfire is matched by several successes. Yes it’s long, yes the music’s occasionally a bit rubbish, but it’s still an enjoyable and at times very exciting film - plus it’s hard not to look fondly on a film which ends with Jennifer Connelly hugging a monkey holding a blood-stained blade. Definitely worth a look.
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