Phenomena (AKA Creepers) by Argento

[Jim H]

Wow.  Saw this a couple days ago.  What a strange film.  It's even weird for Argento.  I found it pretty entertaining though, and some of the dreamy imagery was very cool.  Some of the imagery and music in combination worked very well, but some of it just seemed strange.  And how many other movies have a vengeful chimpanzee in them? 

Anyone else seen it?  What other Argento movies do you guys suggest?  I've seen

[peter johnson]

I have to watch Argento alone, if at all, as my wife cannot bear him -- too gory by far for her taste.

I've recently inherited about a dozen Argento films on VHS -- Criterion editions, with all the bells & whistles -- and have started watching them in bits and pieces.  I intend to give him a real chance, but so far I'm not getting the rush that others seem to derive from him.

I started "Tenebre" the other day, but popped it out after a bit as it didn't hold my interest.  The camera angles were very good, but the story just seemed a regular sort of noir cop film, of which I have a bunch.  I guess I was expecting to be blown away by the "Argento magic" or something.  I should try and strip myself of expectations & try and just watch these for what they are, but Argento is so over-hyped that I wonder if this is even possible.

I did see "Bird With The Crystal Plumage" years ago, as well as "Suspiria".  All I remember about "Suspiria" is the gasping breathing on the soundtrack -- otherwise not particularly scary or wonderful.

peter johnson/denny crane

[The Burgomaster]

PHENOMENA is a pretty good Argento flick.  CREEPERS was the title they gave to the U.S. theatrical version, which was heavily edited (less than 90 minutes long, I believe).  I saw it during its U.S. theatrical run and it stunk.  The full-length version is much better.

I liked TENEBRE much more than Peter Johnson did.  I have seen it several times.  The big pay-off is at the end, so stick around and you'll be glad you did.

My other Argento favorites are BIRD WITH THE CRYSTAL PLUMAGE, DEEP RED, and SUSPIRIA.  Try to get your hands on the higher-quality, widescreen, uncut DVDs of these movies.  Believe me, there are some cheap, usually cut, full screen, inferior versions of some of these movies.  And beware of the alternate titles (like UNSANE, which is an alternate title for TENEBRE and THE HATCHET MURDERS, which is an alternate title for DEEP RED).

Another decent (but not as good as some of the ones I mentioned above) Argento flick is CAT O' NINE TAILS with Karl Malden.  I haven't seen INFERNO in many years, but I seem to remember it wasn't especially good.

[Doc Daneeka]

I'm planning on snagging your recent view as well as his fan-favorite Deep Red and his breakout hit The Bird with the Crystal Plumage for Christmas, if not earlier.

I saw Suspiria not too long ago and it personally blew me away with how vivid they made the scares, not to mention the atmosphere it maintained overall and the PHANTASM like weirdness of it's characters.