Phenomena (Synapse Films Blu-ray Review)

Blu-ray Distributed By: Synapse Films / September 12, 2017

The young Jennifer Corvino (played by Oscar-winning actress Jennifer Connelly, in one of her first film roles) is sent to a private Swiss academy for girls where a vicious killer is on the loose, brutally murdering students. Jennifer is a “gifted” girl with the strange ability to communicate with insects, and Dr. McGregor (Donald Pleasence, John Carpenter’s HALLOWEEN series, ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK) enlists her to help locate the killer. Jennifer finds herself in a bizarre murder plot with maggots, mutants, and razor-wielding chimpanzee mayhem! Can she uncover the killer’s identity before becoming a victim herself? Daria Nicolodi (TENEBRAE) and Fiore Argento (DEMONS) also star in this strange, unique and gory film from Italy’s Master of Horror, Dario Argento. PHENOMENA also features fantastic soundtrack music from progressive-rock favorite Goblin, British Heavy Metal masters Motörhead & Iron Maiden, Andi Sex Gang, Bill Wyman and Simon Boswell!

Jamie: (3.5 / 5)

Jimbo: (3.5 / 5)

Hidden Treasure or Dumpster Fire?

Special Features:

Disc 1:

PHENOMENA (116 minute hybrid version)
CREEPERS (83 minute U.S. release version)
English/Italian Hybrid Audio and Complete Italian Audio Options for PHENOMENA (116 Version)
Multiple optional subtitle selections on PHENOMENA (116 Version), including one for just the foreign English language segments of the hybrid version, complete English subtitles for the entire feature, and complete English subtitles for the Italian version of the film.

Disc 2:

PHENOMENA (110 minute international version)
Audio Commentary Track on PHENOMENA (110 Version) from Argento scholar and author, Derek Botelho and film historian, journalist and radio/television commentator, David Del Valle
Two completely different sound mix options on PHENOMENA (110 Version), including the original 2.0 stereo mix, along with a rare alternate mix containing different sound effects and music cues.
DARIO ARGENTO’S WORLD OF HORROR – Documentary. A fascinating look at the early films of director Dario Argento, including PHENOMENA, SUSPIRIA, DEMONS, DAWN OF THE DEAD, INFERNO and many more! Containing candid interviews and awesome behind-the-scenes footage, DARIO ARGENTO’S WORLD OF HORROR gives us a look into the mind of Italy’s Master of Horror and is an essential viewing experience for all Argento fans.
Interview with Andi Sex Gang
PHENOMENA – International Theatrical Trailer
CREEPERS – U.S. Theatrical Trailer & Radio Spots
Optional English Subtitles for the Deaf and Hard for Hearing on PHENOMENA (110 Version and CREEPERS Version)

Limited Edition Exclusive Disc 3:

PHENOMENA Original Motion Picture Soundtrack CD – This original motion picture soundtrack contains the complete 16 track Goblin instrumental score for PHENOMENA, along with four additional music tracks from Andi Sex Gang and Simon Boswell. This CD, exclusively available from Synapse Films, is the first time these music tracks have been included on the same CD compilation.

Limited Edition Collectible Booklet – a collector’s booklet with liner notes from writer Michael Gingold and former New Line Cinema publicist Gary Hertz, along with technical notes about this release from Vincent Pereira complete this unique and amazing Special Edition package.

Jamie’s Take (3 / 5)

Considered to be Dario Argento’s favorite film, Phenomena is a mix of mystery, horror, and supernatural all rolled into one bat-shit, incomprehensible nightmare of a film that feels like an epic fever dream. For those who like traditional storytelling, stay far away from Phenomena. There are moments of head-scratching confusion but if you are willing to accept Phenomena as a horrific art-film, you may enjoy it and forgive it’s flaws.

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After a freaky and brutal murder of a young teen (Her head goes through a glass window; pieces of glass landing on her face in slow motion), the viewer is introduced to American teen Jennifer (Jennifer Connelly from Labyrinth and Dark City). She arrives at a new school in Switzerland as her Hollywood actor father is off on set making a film. Jennifer is no ordinary teen, she has a special bond with insects that she claims to love. The insects do not sting or bite, even going so far as to allowing her to pet and hold them. Jennifer also has a tendency to sleepwalk at night. She has visions of a serial killer that has been killing young teens in the area where the school is at.

Jennifer befriends the invalid Professor John McGreggor (Donald Pleasence from Death Line). John is a entomologist that is working with the police in tracking down the serial killer. McGreggor also has a pet monkey named Inga who helps him around his home. Inga does serve a purpose at the films conclusion. But for much of the film one may wonder what the hell is the point of this pet chimp?

The professor assists Jennifer in finding out where her missing roommate may be. He no doubt believes she is the key to tracking down this killer. As the plot thickens, Jennifer soon finds herself face to face with the killer.

Phenomena‘s third act plays like a strange nightmare with Jennifer going through tunnels, finding herself caught in a pool of dismembered bodies, fighting off a troll like monster (while having a flock of insects come to her aid)… It’s pretty weird and may turn some viewers off at how odd it is. Argento’s stylish directing isn’t quite on par with say Deep Red or Tenebrae. However, it still packs a punch with some great, gory and gross visuals.

The one thing Argento can’t seem to do is direct his actors in such a way that doesn’t come off as forced or stagy. The script, co-written by Argento himself, is also poorly written with some awful lines of dialog. What teen in 1985 had a deep admiration for The Bee Gees? Connelly does her best with what is given to her. While she looks great on film and tries her best, she seems either miscast or too inexperienced in carrying this film on her shoulders. Pleasence simply doesn’t have a big enough role to take on the film himself.

An odd directorial choice is also the music. Argento’s go-to progressive rock band that he likes to utilize in his films is Goblin. Their music and especially the main theme here is quite fantastic. However, the theme is played at the oddest moments. The music will be fast and quick paced and yet it’s played during a scene where Jennifer sleepwalks slowly as a lightning bug guides her to a clue that the killer left behind.

Another strange move on Argento’s part is having heavy metal bands Iron Maiden and Motorhead play at various times in the movie, mostly during inappropriate times. I am all for hearing Maiden’s Flash of the Blade (played twice too) but does it need to be played while Jennifer slowly looks for a way out of a house that she’s trapped in?

Synapse’s new blu ray release is available in a limited steel-book collector’s edition or a more stripped down and less expensive two disc release. The limited steel book comes with a booklet and the film’s soundtrack. That’s about the only difference between the two editions. The two disc release has not one, not two, but THREE versions of Phenomena, all looking and sounding absolutely pristine and gorgeous in HD.

There is the 83 minute U.S. butchered cut, renamed Creepers. This version makes barely any sense at all. Although it does cut down on some of the slow pacing. There is the 110 international cut that many have grown to love over the years. Finally, there’s an even longer 116 minute cut that was once released on a Japanese laserdisc that is long out of print.

Further supplements include a commentary with Argento scholar Derek Botelho and journalist/historian David Del Valle. This track provides a lot of interesting stories regarding Argento and the making of the film. Although at times it can be a bit dry. There’s an interview with Andi Sex Gang, trailers and radio spots. Finally Dario Argento’s World of Horror, a 76-minute documentary from 1985 that was directed by Michele Soavi, chronicles the director’s resume up until that point in his career. Previously released as a standalone documentary by Synapse years ago, this special feature may be worth the purchase alone. Synapse has been very good to Argento fans.

Phenomena is not going to win over non-Argento fans. However this surreal, visually gorgeous nightmare is a nice edition to any horror fans collection. While the plot is threadbare and the performances a bit lackluster, there is still plenty of creepy and gross moments that I found worthwhile; accompanied with some striking visuals that seem to have fallen by the wayside in the director’s later works.

Jamie Ranks Top 5 Argento:

Suspiria
Tenebrae
Deep Red
Opera
Inferno

Jimbo’s Take (3 / 5)

Synapse Films doesn’t pay me to say nice things about their products. I do because I’m a huge fan. I’ve purchased every single one of their exclusive releases beginning with Document of the Dead to their most recent pre-order for the highly-touted 4K remaster of Dario Argento’s Suspiria. Therefore, it’s not surprising that I own the limited collector’s edition steelbook of Phenomena.

As Jamie points out, the differences between the standard and limited editions are minor but, in my opinion, significant. The CD soundtrack is incredible. As a matter of fact, I’m listening to it as I draft my thoughts to page. I find Phenomena’s soundtrack to be one of my favorites among the Goblin/Argento catalog. Having it to listen to outside of the viewing experience is a real treat for me.

The booklet is less impressive. I’ve seen better booklets come from other distributors. However, the liner notes do include a lot of other relevant details about Phenomena not included in the blu-ray’s video supplements. It’s definitely worth a read for the super-fan.

Finally the steelbook case is sturdy and beautiful from front to back. It looks great on the shelf. Not everyone will care for such aesthetics, and Synapse’s asking price is a little steep for casual shoppers. But overall, I have never been disappointed with my limited edition purchases from Synapse Films. And when I buy direct, I know I’m helping fuel their business so they can keep releasing these amazing products.

Regarding the film itself, Phenomena is easily in my top five Argento films. I love it. I think it’s weird and a little uneven. But it is pure Argento. With Phenomena he’s able to reel in his more abstract tendencies into a mostly tangible narrative. However, those abstract tendencies are still very much there! To me, Phenomena acts like a bridge between his mainstream (Bird with the Crystal Plumage) and his unconventional art (Inferno).

The use of music is less traditional than we’re used to experiencing. I know Jamie questions the timing of the soundtrack in key film moments. I won’t disagree with him. However, this is Argento dream logic. My opinion is that the film world he creates is outside of our own. In this case, the use of music is creating a nightmare other-world, distinctly Argento. And I’m willing to give Argento artistic latitude because his style and vision is unique and strong. Jamie would probably argue that the music is a distraction. He’s not wrong and many will think the same. I simply believe the opposite to be true. I believe Argento is creating the right mood and tempo he intends with the music.

I don’t have the same criticisms Jamie has about performance. That’s because I find the performances to be uniformly stilted in all of Argento’s films. You have to consider that an Italian filmmaker is trying to write dialogue for Italian and English speaking audiences. Something is bound to be lost in translation. But because everyone seems to be speaking the same kind of broken dialogue, it simply feels like another weird part of his world. It’s odd, but consistently so.

My only criticism is that I feel the script structure is a little uneven. To the point where many of the final revelations of the film feel unnecessary. Or at least, poorly set up for the third act’s execution. But, seen through the fogged prism of a Argento’s nightmares, these are small criticisms for a suspenseful and visceral experience that continues to spook, creep, and gross me out time and again.