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This film became an instant must see for me after reading the plot outline - how could I resist a film about a killer who was unlucky enough to catch a disease that makes him age rapidly? This film is quite heavily flawed, but it's safe to say that director Ruggero Deodato hasn't squandered it, as Phantom of Death is a very fun little thriller that makes good use of its central idea and features some very nice scenes of gore. Yes, you've got to expect a lot of the red stuff from a man whose biggest film credits include The House on the Edge of the Park and Cannibal Holocaust, and the film certainly doesn't disappoint; as we've got a woman being stabbed though a window, another having her throat sliced open, a decapitation and other such macabre happenings. The plot focuses on a piano player who, after losing some of his hair, discovers to his horror that he's one of the few adult sufferers of a disease that speeds up the aging process. As you might expect, this has a profound effect on his mind as well as his body; and it ultimately leads him to murder...One of the main weak points of this movie stems from the plotting. The screenplay is very disjointed, and the film doesn't always flow well. Furthermore, it suffers from the common Italian thriller flaw of not always making a great deal of sense - so it's lucky that the ideas and their implications are usually enough to carry the film. The acting is a strong point for the movie, however, and this one features some rather risky casting. Michael York takes the lead role and brings class and sophistication to it, which ensures that the classic British actor is always more than the common sleazy killer seen in most Giallo's. Donald Pleasance is his opposite number, and while he isn't given an awful lot to do in his role as the police officer on the case; he's a hell of a lot better than he was in the Halloween movies in which he made his name. The central cast is rounded off by classic Giallo temptress Edwige Fenech, who still looks great despite this film being made over a decade and a half since her immortal roles in Sergio Martino's classy Giallo's. Overall, this isn't great or a classic; but Phantom of Death shows some great originality (something Giallo's aren't well known for) and entertains despite its obvious flaws. Well worth seeking out!
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