Working as a theater manager and then video store owner I
was fortunate to have the chance to see a ton of movies, good and bad. Both
gave me the opportunity to see movies that may not have played across the
country but for me, first in a large metropolitan setting and then with the
ability to order what I placed on my shelves, it opened the doors to a wide
variety of film. I’m thankful for that opportunity.
So it was that when I first had the chance to see films
created by Italian director Dario Argento it was long before he was considered
a cinematic genius. These films were coming to us mainly via video rather than
theatrical showings in the Midwest. And while it was good that they were
available there were issues with that format. Companies that handled many of
his films released poor editions of them using terrible prints to strike the
tape. A number were just tossed out by companies who folded within a year or so
making finding some of these titles hard to find.
I mention this because the first time I saw Argento’s film
PHENOMENA it was under the American title CREEPERS. The copy was promoted well
with a great ad campaign but the end result wasn’t what I had hoped for. The
picture was a bit fuzzy at times with a haphazard clarity to it. The end result
was I enjoyed it but felt there could have been more to it.
When I heard that Synapse was in the process of restoring
several Argento films, including this one, I was excited for it to arrive.
Synapse has shown a great respect for the source material and realizes that
fans are seeking only the best when it comes to these releases. They don’t
disappoint with this one.
The story revolves around a young woman named Jennifer
Corvino (Jennifer Connelly), the daughter of an American actor who arrives at
an all-girls school in Switzerland. What the school isn’t aware of is that
Jennifer suffers from deep sleepwalking and it isn’t long before she finds
herself in danger because of it. On one such night she wakes in the woods near
the home of entomologist John McGregor (Donald Pleasance). McGregor is bound to
a wheelchair but has assistance in the form of a chimpanzee named Inga. While
they wait for her ride home, McGregor takes notice of the ease Jennifer has
with the insects in his home, as if she has the ability to communicate with
them.
Returned to the school Jennifer is tested and the results
are she begins to see things from the previous night, things she didn’t
experience but was able to witness. It turns out she does indeed have the
ability to communicate with insects and she’s now witness to the acts of a
murderer of young women in the area.
After the murder of her roommate, Jennifer has another bout
of sleepwalking that leads her to find a maggot covered glove. Taking it to McGregor,
he hopes to study the maggots and discover where they came from, a location
that could help solve the murders taking place.
Jennifer is taunted by her fellow classmates which results
in her bringing a swarm of flies to cover the school. The headmistress decides
it’s best to send Jennifer to an asylum but before she can do so Jennifer
escapes and heads to the home of McGregor. With one of the maggots now a fly,
he places it in a glass cage and allows Jennifer to use it to direct her to the
home of the psychopath.
More murders take place, more secrets are revealed and a
shocking ending is on hand here that will leave you gaping and stunned. Unless
you’re like me with my dark sense of humor in which case you’ll be satisfied
with the end but laughing out loud as well.
The movie is one of the easiest to follow and loses very
little in the translation like many foreign films do. Argento has a keen eye
for visuals and that has always made his films more accessible than most. While
the bright colors of many of the horror films from Italy aren’t on hand here,
the giallo style is mixed in as we see the gloved hands of the killer from time
to time.
Synapse has done an amazing job here. Not only are we
presented with the film in the best format possible, there are three version of
it packaged here. There is the original version of the film that runs 110
minutes, the English version of the film that runs 116 minutes and the
aforementioned version of the film CREEPERS as well. This is the first time
that these films have all been presented in high definition format and it
shows. When the first images hit the screen while I watched I was stunned at
how clear they were, especially recalling my first time seeing the movie on
video and the fuzziness I mentioned. That’s all gone and as a fan I was
thrilled to finally see a perfect copy of the film.
The extras on hand here are fantastic as well. Included are:
-An audio commentary track on the 110 minute version from
Argento scholar and author Derek Botelho and film historian, journalist and
radio/TV commentator David Del Valle
-Two completely different sound mix options
-The documentary DARIO ARGENTO’S WORLD OF HORROR looking at
the films of Argento
-An interview with Andi Sex Gang, a band featured in the
soundtrack
-Theatrical trailers for both PHENOMENA and CREEPERS
This is a package that any Argento fan will find a must have
for their collections. Horror fans should make a point of watching the film and
taking the time to discover who Argento was if they haven’t done so already.
And movie fans can find the film an enjoyable time as well. If you don’t add
this one to your collections you’ll regret it eventually.
Click here to order.
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