Along with what is arguably Argento's other greatest film, Suspiria, Phenomena is a fairy tale re-envisioned. Though what separates Phenomena from Suspiria, and perhaps from every other film Argento's made, is that it is perfect not just in style and execution, but also in its logic and narrative – something uncommon in this genre.
After the release of 1982's Tenebre, which was full of elaborate shots, inventive music, and some truly grotesque set pieces, Argento returned to the world of the supernatural. For Jennifer Corvino (Jennifer Connely), the protagonist of Phenomena, is in possession of some extraordinary telepathic powers – she's able to empathize with insects. Although Argento is smart: he makes it more akin to the insects picking up on Jennifer's pain and them doing their best to make her feel better – it's more symbiotic and less a master/servant relationship. Throughout the course of the film the insects help Jennifer find her way through darkness (lightning bugs), bring her evidence of crime (larva), lead her to more evidence (flesh-flies), enact some revenge on one of the bad guys (bees), and threaten those who have been cruel to her (a monstrous swarm of god-only-knows).
As with Susie Bannon from Suspiria, Jennifer Corvino finds herself a 'Stranger in a Strange Land', a common trope for a fairy tale, and both Suspiria and Phenomena are chock full of these recurring themes. Jennifer finds herself at an all-girl Swiss boarding school – much like Susie being holed-up in a strictly segregated dancing school in Suspiria. The main difference between the two, however, is that this time we're dealing with actual girls, teenagers, whereas in Suspiria it was late 20-somethings acting like little girls. If the art direction, the music, the performances, and the Technicolor are all a bit muted from Suspiria to Phenomena, it's clearly for the better. Instead of amping up the style of a film so that it also becomes its substance, Argento finally found the right balance. The acting, the script, the design, the music, the editing, the effects – all are executed perfectly.
Finding herself thrust into the middle of a series of murders either involving girls from her school, or taking place near or on the school property, our Jennifer Corvino has suspicion laid on her by the strict, puritanical and quasi-Christian adults who run the boarding school. After witnessing her powers over insects, and remembering that one of Satan's monikers is Beelzebub (The Lord of the Flies), Jennifer is immediately accused of witchcraft by the nastiest of the teachers. Aside from this, Jennifer walks in her sleep, and it is during these nightly sojourns that Jennifer witnesses one of the murders. Not sure what is truth and what is dream, Jennifer later finds herself rescued from certain nighttime harm by Inga, a friendly chimpanzee who is caretaker for a nearby forensic entomologist, Dr. John McGregor. Taking Inga's hand, Jennifer is lead back to the home of Dr. McGregor, and after he learns of Jennifer's affinity and powers towards insects they become quick friends. Dr. McGregor had already been approached by the police in regards to the murders, as via his own skills McGregor is able to determine the age of the crime based upon the decomposition on the body (parts). And with Jennifer personally involved in the murders (aside from the accusations, her roommate eventually being a victim) it's only natural that the two of them should gang up together and track the killer, of course darling Inga will help too.
The benign surrogate father. The animal helper(s). Being ostracized for difference. The evil surrogate mother(s). Having to enter a dream world/state. To run a gauntlet. A "magic wand". These are all conditions and events within Phenomena and also classic themes of the fairy tale; Argento utilizes them brilliantly. This is one of the best fairy-tale films ever made, next to Donkey Skin, Breilliat's Bluebeard, The Company of Wolves, Princess Mononoke, and the movies of Michel Ocelot. Of course, it's Italian Horror at its core, so Phenomena certainly is not a film for children, but neither, really, are any of the films I just mentioned. Argento actually created an atmosphere in the film where one cheers along with bugs. Where else is there a film where The Great Sarcophagus fly (see magic wand above) is a film hero? Flesh- eaters are supposed to be the enemy, right? Although he does eventually enter his usual world of Freudian psychosis, Argento keeps it, if not to a minimum, than relegated to the film's denouement. But even this is forgotten, if not forgiven, because he makes the character of Jennifer Corvino such a kick-ass, fighting back not just out of a survival instinct and/or being cornered, but because Jennifer refuses to accept the lot and conditions she finds herself in. Jennifer fights back immediately, and her fear (though constant) never gets the better of her – she's one of the great, unsung heroines of Horror films. Just who the bad guy/gal is in all this I'll leave a mystery, as I know this is one of the Argento films a lot of people skip over, and perhaps many of you out there haven't seen it yet. Needless to say, it's a bit of a nasty commentary on the part of Argento. Though the actor who gets to play the bad guy part plays it to such a scary and crazy hilt, that it's obviously an attempted spit in the eye to Dario for creating the role to begin with.
All in all, Phenomena is Argento's finest hour. One knows when watching a film whether or not he or she is experiencing something exactly as the writer/director originally intended; whether or not the final product is just how it was envisioned in the mind and on paper. Phenomena is one of those films. Yes it's horrific, relentless, squally, and almost harebrained, but that's what makes it successful Italian Horror, and that's what makes it a must-see.
After the release of 1982's Tenebre, which was full of elaborate shots, inventive music, and some truly grotesque set pieces, Argento returned to the world of the supernatural. For Jennifer Corvino (Jennifer Connely), the protagonist of Phenomena, is in possession of some extraordinary telepathic powers – she's able to empathize with insects. Although Argento is smart: he makes it more akin to the insects picking up on Jennifer's pain and them doing their best to make her feel better – it's more symbiotic and less a master/servant relationship. Throughout the course of the film the insects help Jennifer find her way through darkness (lightning bugs), bring her evidence of crime (larva), lead her to more evidence (flesh-flies), enact some revenge on one of the bad guys (bees), and threaten those who have been cruel to her (a monstrous swarm of god-only-knows).
As with Susie Bannon from Suspiria, Jennifer Corvino finds herself a 'Stranger in a Strange Land', a common trope for a fairy tale, and both Suspiria and Phenomena are chock full of these recurring themes. Jennifer finds herself at an all-girl Swiss boarding school – much like Susie being holed-up in a strictly segregated dancing school in Suspiria. The main difference between the two, however, is that this time we're dealing with actual girls, teenagers, whereas in Suspiria it was late 20-somethings acting like little girls. If the art direction, the music, the performances, and the Technicolor are all a bit muted from Suspiria to Phenomena, it's clearly for the better. Instead of amping up the style of a film so that it also becomes its substance, Argento finally found the right balance. The acting, the script, the design, the music, the editing, the effects – all are executed perfectly.
Finding herself thrust into the middle of a series of murders either involving girls from her school, or taking place near or on the school property, our Jennifer Corvino has suspicion laid on her by the strict, puritanical and quasi-Christian adults who run the boarding school. After witnessing her powers over insects, and remembering that one of Satan's monikers is Beelzebub (The Lord of the Flies), Jennifer is immediately accused of witchcraft by the nastiest of the teachers. Aside from this, Jennifer walks in her sleep, and it is during these nightly sojourns that Jennifer witnesses one of the murders. Not sure what is truth and what is dream, Jennifer later finds herself rescued from certain nighttime harm by Inga, a friendly chimpanzee who is caretaker for a nearby forensic entomologist, Dr. John McGregor. Taking Inga's hand, Jennifer is lead back to the home of Dr. McGregor, and after he learns of Jennifer's affinity and powers towards insects they become quick friends. Dr. McGregor had already been approached by the police in regards to the murders, as via his own skills McGregor is able to determine the age of the crime based upon the decomposition on the body (parts). And with Jennifer personally involved in the murders (aside from the accusations, her roommate eventually being a victim) it's only natural that the two of them should gang up together and track the killer, of course darling Inga will help too.
The benign surrogate father. The animal helper(s). Being ostracized for difference. The evil surrogate mother(s). Having to enter a dream world/state. To run a gauntlet. A "magic wand". These are all conditions and events within Phenomena and also classic themes of the fairy tale; Argento utilizes them brilliantly. This is one of the best fairy-tale films ever made, next to Donkey Skin, Breilliat's Bluebeard, The Company of Wolves, Princess Mononoke, and the movies of Michel Ocelot. Of course, it's Italian Horror at its core, so Phenomena certainly is not a film for children, but neither, really, are any of the films I just mentioned. Argento actually created an atmosphere in the film where one cheers along with bugs. Where else is there a film where The Great Sarcophagus fly (see magic wand above) is a film hero? Flesh- eaters are supposed to be the enemy, right? Although he does eventually enter his usual world of Freudian psychosis, Argento keeps it, if not to a minimum, than relegated to the film's denouement. But even this is forgotten, if not forgiven, because he makes the character of Jennifer Corvino such a kick-ass, fighting back not just out of a survival instinct and/or being cornered, but because Jennifer refuses to accept the lot and conditions she finds herself in. Jennifer fights back immediately, and her fear (though constant) never gets the better of her – she's one of the great, unsung heroines of Horror films. Just who the bad guy/gal is in all this I'll leave a mystery, as I know this is one of the Argento films a lot of people skip over, and perhaps many of you out there haven't seen it yet. Needless to say, it's a bit of a nasty commentary on the part of Argento. Though the actor who gets to play the bad guy part plays it to such a scary and crazy hilt, that it's obviously an attempted spit in the eye to Dario for creating the role to begin with.
All in all, Phenomena is Argento's finest hour. One knows when watching a film whether or not he or she is experiencing something exactly as the writer/director originally intended; whether or not the final product is just how it was envisioned in the mind and on paper. Phenomena is one of those films. Yes it's horrific, relentless, squally, and almost harebrained, but that's what makes it successful Italian Horror, and that's what makes it a must-see.