phenomena 1985 jennifer connelly phenomena

Nicolodi is great as always as the school chaperone Frau Brückner, who has a kind warmth before her sinister side is unveiled. Pleasance is wonderful as McGregor, even with a slightly dodgy Scottish accent, and it’s great to see a disabled character that isn’t defined by their disability. One of the best things about the film is the mesmerising performance of Jennifer Connelly, who even at the age of 14 has a wonderfully ethereal and commanding presence that provides an emotional centre for the film. It’s thrilling, it’s wholly predictable and yet keeps you on the edge of your seat, and contains what must be the only cinematic case of Chekhov’s straight razor. It’s a cracking film that may not be as good as Argento classics such as Deep Red, Suspiria, and Tenebrae (to be fair, it’s hard to match any of those) but is still a hell of a lot of fun, taking cues from the giallo playbook and mixing them up with a Carrie-esque main character and some disparate elements to produce something unique. Phenomena is a ride, and I mean that as an absolute compliment. From then on, we’re introduced to flesh-eating flies, a monstrously deformed child, and a horrific watery pit of maggots and body parts. The bad thing is she can’t remember what happened, although when she happens to find herself in the home of entomologist Dr McGregor (Pleasance) thanks to his helper chimp Inga, he recognises something extra-sensory in her – her ability to be able to communicate with insects. Life is not hunky-dory, however there’s a killer on the loose, and Jennifer happens to witness one of the murders while sleepwalking. Jennifer is the daughter of a famous American actor who, in shades of Suspiria, is sent to a prestigious boarding school in Switzerland. READ MORE: Destiny 2: The Witch Queen – Game Review Now released as a 4K UHD, it’s a twisty-turny supernatural experience as only Argento can do them.

Released in 1985, Phenomena stars Jennifer Connelly in one of her earliest roles as Jennifer – she had previously appeared in Sergio Leone’s crime epic Once Upon A Time in America – along with Argento regular Daria Nicolodi and the great Donald Pleasance. Jennifer is the protagonist of Dario Argento‘s Phenomena, known originally in the UK as Creepers horror fans may remember the VHS art with the chimpanzee menacingly wielding a cutthroat razor. What are little girls made of? Sugar and spice, and everything nice, except for Jennifer, who’s made of sterner stuff that allows her to be besties with all kinds of creepy crawlies, so much so that she can call on them at a moment’s notice to do her bidding.

Phenomena 1985 jennifer connelly phenomena