Phenomena (1985)

Director:

Dario Argento

Writers:

Dario Argento (screenplay)
Dario Argento (story)
(more)

Release Date:

2 August 1985 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

Jennifer Has A Few Million Close Friends. She's Going To Need Them _All_.

Plot:

A young girl, with an amazing ability to communicate with insects, is transferred to an exclusive Swiss boarding school, where her unusual capability might help solve a string of murders.

Plot Keywords:

Insect | Sleepwalking | Boarding School | Serial Killer | Chimpanzee

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Jennifer Connelly	...	Jennifer Corvino
Daria Nicolodi	...	Frau Brückner
Dalila Di Lazzaro	...	Headmistress
Patrick Bauchau	...	Inspector Rudolf Geiger
Donald Pleasence	...	Professor John McGregor
Fiore Argento	...	Vera Brandt
Federica Mastroianni	...	Sophie
Fiorenza Tessari	...	Gisela Sulzer
Mario Donatone	...	Morris Shapiro
Francesca Ottaviani	...	Nurse
Michele Soavi	...	Kurt, Geiger's Assistant
Franco Trevisi	...	Real Estate Agent
Fausta Avelli	...	Schoolgirl
Marta Biuso	...	Schoolgirl
Sophie Bourchier	...	Schoolgirl
Paola Gropper	...	Schoolgirl
Ninke Hielkema	...	Schoolgirl
Mitzy Orsini	...	Schoolgirl
Geraldine Thomas	...	Schoolgirl
Tanga	...	Inga
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Nick Alexander	...	Real estate agent (voice: English version) (uncredited)
Dario Argento	...	Narrator (Italian version) (voice) (uncredited)
Franca Berdini	...	Teacher (uncredited)
Kaspar Capparoni	...	Karl, Sophie's Boyfriend (uncredited)
Alberto Cracco	...	UBS Bank Teller (uncredited)
Carolyn De Fonseca	...	Frau Brückner (voice: English version) (uncredited)
Antonio Maimone	...	EEG Doctor (uncredited)
Davide Marotta	...	Patua, Bruckner Child (uncredited)
Fulvio Mingozzi	...	Mr. Sulzer (uncredited)
Marisa Simonetti	...	Schoolgirl (uncredited)

Directed by
Dario Argento

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Dario Argento		screenplay
Dario Argento		story
Franco Ferrini		screenplay
Franco Ferrini		story

Produced by
Dario Argento	....	producer
Angelo Jacono	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Simon Boswell
Goblin

Cinematography by
Romano Albani

Film Editing by
Franco Fraticelli

Production Design by
Maurizio Garrone
Nello Giorgetti
Luciano Spadoni
Umberto Turco

Costume Design by
Giorgio Armani
Marina Malavasi
Patrizia Massaia

Makeup Department
Carboni	....	hair stylist
Patrizia Corridoni	....	hair stylist
M. Garrone	....	special makeup effects artist
Pierantonio Mecacci	....	makeup artist
Rocchetti	....	hair stylist
Sergio Stivaletti	....	special makeup effects artist
Barbara Morosetti	....	assistant makeup artist (uncredited)

Production Management
Cesare Jacolucci	....	production manager
Angelo Jacono	....	production manager
Marcel Just	....	unit manager: Switzerland (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Bettina Graebe	....	second assistant director
Michele Soavi	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Roberto Giancaterini	....	property master
Mario Grilli	....	set painter
Renato Lori	....	set dresser
Osvaldo Monaco	....	property master
Giuseppe Pagnotta	....	construction grip
Giuseppe Pagnotta	....	property master
Rina Villani	....	set dresser

Sound Department
Nick Alexander	....	sound effects editor
Vito Catania	....	boom operator
Franco Fraticelli	....	supervising sound editor
Sergio Graziani	....	dubbing sound
Giancarlo Laurenzi	....	sound mixer
Federico Savina	....	stereo sound consultant: Dolby
Danilo Sterbini	....	sound mixer

Special Effects by
Antonio Corridori	....	special effects
Danilo Bollettini	....	special effects (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Luigi Cozzi	....	special optical effects

Stunts
Eleonora Quaranta	....	stunts
Giorgio Ricci	....	stunt coordinator
Attilio Severini	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Alberto Altibrandi	....	gaffer
Gianlorenzo Battaglia	....	underwater photographer
Francesco Bellomo	....	still photographer: action stills (as Franco Bellomo)
Aldo Bergamini	....	assistant camera
Alfredo Ciarpelloni	....	grip
Maurizio di Stefano	....	electrician
Sergio Dori	....	electrician
Cesare Emidi	....	grip
Luciano Giusepponi	....	grip
Giancarlo Mereschini	....	grip
Agostino Pascarella	....	key grip
Nicola Pecorini	....	Steadicam operator
Leandro Punturi	....	grip
Stefano Ricciotti	....	camera operator
Alessandro Rinaldi	....	second assistant camera
Otello Santoro	....	electrician
Vittorio Tonin	....	electrician

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Giovanna Jacono	....	wardrobe
Marina Malavasi	....	wardrobe assistant
Patrizia Massaia	....	wardrobe assistant

Editorial Department
Piero Bozza	....	first assistant editor
Sergio Fraticelli	....	assistant editor
Roberto Priori	....	second assistant editor

Music Department
Simon Boswell	....	composer: maggots scene music
Piero Bozza	....	music editor
Vincent Messina	....	music soundtrack producer
Fabio Pignatelli	....	musician
Claudio Simonetti	....	musician
Terry Taylor	....	musician

Transportation Department
Cartocci	....	transportation
Romana Transporti	....	transportation

Other crew
Ferdinando Armati	....	special entomological photography
Daniel Berquiny	....	owner of chimpanzee "tanga"
Ferdinando Caputo	....	chief production accountant
Giulio Cestari	....	production accountant
Antonio Corridori	....	special stage effects
Fabio Dell'uomo	....	assistant entomologist
Fabrizio Diaz	....	production secretary
Egle Friggeri	....	production secretary
Maurizio Garrone	....	animal and insect supplier
Sheila Goldberg	....	dialogue coach
Enrico Lucherini	....	unit publicist
Saverio Mangogna	....	production secretary
Giorgio Ricci	....	gunsmith
Renato Rinaldo	....	production accountant
Serenella Severini	....	production secretary
Enrico Stella	....	entomology consultant
Aldo Taloni	....	chief set builder
Vivalda Vigorelli	....	script supervisor
Carlo Zini	....	jewellery
Cesare Barbetti	....	voice dubbing: Patrick Bauchau (uncredited)
Maria Pia Di Meo	....	voice dubbing: Dalila Di Lazzaro (uncredited)
Sergio Graziani	....	voice dubbing: Donald Pleasance (uncredited)
Roberto Ornaro	....	production accountant (uncredited)
Ilaria Stagni	....	voice dubbing: Jennifer Connelly (uncredited)

Thanks
Carlo Zini	....	thanks

Production Companies

• DACFILM Rome

Distributors

• Titanus Distribuzione (1985) (Italy) (theatrical)
• New Line Cinema (1985) (USA) (theatrical) (dubbed)
• Media Home Entertainment (1985) (USA) (VHS)
• Creswin Distribution (1986) (Canada) (theatrical) (dubbed) (cut US version)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (1999) (USA) (DVD)
• Roan Group, The (1999) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (2001) (USA) (DVD)
• Dragon Film Entertainment (DFE) (2001) (Germany) (DVD) (long version)
• TF1 Vidéo (2001) (France) (DVD)
• MRA Entertainment Group (2004) (Australia) (DVD) (as "Creepers")
• Umbrella Entertainment (2004) (Australia) (DVD)
• A-Film Home Entertainment (2005) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• EastWest Entertainment (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• SBP (2006) (Argentina) (DVD)
• SBP (2006) (Argentina) (VHS) (re-release)
• Works Editora (2006) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Alliance Home Video (1996) (Canada) (video)
• New Line Home Video (1996) (USA) (video)

Other Companies

• Fratelli Cartocci S.r.l.  transportation
• Giorgio Armani  Jennifer Connelly's costumes
• Rocchetti e Carboni  wigs

Also Known As:

Creepers (USA)

Runtime:

110 min | 116 min (integral version) | USA:110 min (re-release) | USA:82 min (edited version)

Country:

Italy

Language:

Italian | English | German | Swiss German | Danish

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Netherlands:16 | Argentina:16 (re-rating) | Argentina:18 (original rating) | New Zealand:R16 | Australia:R (as "Creepers") (DVD rating) (cut) | Australia:R (as "Phenomena) (DVD rating) (uncut) | Australia:R (original rating) | Denmark:15 (video premiere) | France:-12 | Italy:VM14 | Norway:18 (video premiere) | Spain:18 | UK:18 | USA:R | USA:Unrated (director's cut) | West Germany:18 | Finland:K-18

Filming Locations:

Elios Studios, Rome, Lazio, Italy

Company:

DACFILM Rome

Trivia:

Shot in English and dubbed into Italian.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: The girl in the opening is allegedly Danish, but clearly speaks Norwegian.

Movie Connections:

References Murders in the Rue Morgue (1971)

Soundtrack:

The Wind

deserves to be reviewed twice!

I have already written a review of "Phenomena", but now that I've seen it 8 or so times since then, it's quickly becoming my favorite Argento movie, with the possible exception of "Suspiria". Both movies are dreamlike - "Suspiria" being an outright surrealistic rollercoaster ride with unforgettably bold visuals. "Phenomena" acquires its texture through a more subtly seductive directorial sense. The blue nights are wonderfully inviting and the day scenes out in the country, with unsurpassedly serene, lovely music (The Goblins?), are almost painfully beautiful. I am serious when I say it's almost sad when I long for my senses to experience such a scenario in real life. And these scenes introduce us to a strange feeling of isolation and ensuing terror. The integrating contrasts are very effective here. I really do think Dario Argento should be defended to those who think he's no more than a hack. Although his sensibilities are irretrievably steeped in a visual framework, almost all of his films are separable accomplishments, each different than the other. The murders are actually secondary to the atmosphere in "Phenomena", which is like a lightweight fairy tale with horrifying subtext. It is his most inviting film by far. "Deep Red" is his sharpest, with the best placement of incongruities (miniature toys and great murders). "Tenebre" is his most textured, probably his most sensuous (all the running water and metal surfaces and bright lighting and that unbelievable tracking shot - yum!) and it contains the most horrific murder. "Suspiria" is absolutely his most vivid and memorable. "Opera" is the probably the most suspenseful (the ending of that film approaches "Phenomena" in unexplainable beauty) and has an incredible gimmick (pins under the eyelids). My favorites in order - 1)Suspiria 2)Phenomena 3)Tenebre 4)Opera 5)Deep Red 6)Cat O'Nine Tails 7)Bird with the Crystal Plumage 8)Inferno 9)Trauma