Phenomena

1985 Directed by Dario Argento

When Insects Attack!

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.

Jennifer Connelly Daria Nicolodi Fiore Argento Federica Mastroianni Fiorenza Tessari Dalila Di Lazzaro Patrick Bauchau Donald Pleasence Alberto Cracco Kaspar Capparoni Mario Donatone Antonio Maimone Davide Marotta Fulvio Mingozzi Francesca Ottaviani Michele Soavi Franco Trevisi Fausta Avelli Franca Berdini Marta Biuso Marisa Simonetti Geraldine Thomas Tanga

Alternative Titles

Fenómena, Fenomina, Fainomena, Creepers

thriller horror

116 mins More details at IMDb TMDb Report this film

Popular reviews

Review by Hollie Horror ★★★★★ 35

There is something extra gratifying when revisiting a favorite film, especially when it turns out to be just as good as (if not better than) the last time you watched it. This is clearly the case for me with Phenomena.
The film elements Argento has made a signature are all here: wonderful cinematography, intricate & beautiful scenes of death, a wonderful cast (Nicolodi ♥, Connelly, Pleasence and Soavi) and the music....THE MUSIC!
More often than not the mixture of music genres within a single film can hinder it more than it helps but the use of Iron Maiden, Motörhead, Goblin, Claudio Simonetti and Bill Wyman & Terry Taylor did nothing more than create an overall superb soundtrack that just works. The real…
Review by Ian West ★★★★★ 20

This review may contain spoilers. I can handle the truth.

It’s been a week or so since I watched an Argento film so clearly I’m back on my bullshit. This was my first Argento picture and over the years it’s molded itself into my mind, hypnotizing me with its oddity trappings of telepathic bug detection, fly POV shots, maggot body pools, decapitations, and an avenging razor wielding monkey. It’s absurd in so many ways but that only adds to its uniquely wonderful carnival of insanity charm. A true fairy tale for 1985, and one of my most cherished and beloved movies!
The first time I watched Phenomena was in the mid ‘90s on a heavily edited 83 minute version on VHS known as Creepers here in the United States. The box…
Review by Dyrnott ★★★★ 3

It has been a few years since I last saw this movie. It still entertaining as it was. Directed by the legendary director Dario Argento. It is beautifully shot, quite unique story line which can be gross at times an evolves into bat shit crazy! The sound track is killer with works from Goblin, Iron Maiden and Motörhead. If you haven’t seen it check it out on Amazon Prime.
Review by Tony the Terror😼🏳️‍🌈 👻 ★★★★★ 15

This movie just keeps getting better as I get older. I’ve always loved it, but on this rewatch I was just mesmerized throughout the entire thing. This is a surreal fairy tale nightmare masterpiece. The beauty that is this movie is almost indescribable. I love that opening scene of gray and cloudy Swiss countryside. I love the Simon Boswell/Goblin score and I could listen to it for all eternity. I love that the whole movie is a little bit of all of the genres in which Argento dabbles. I love Jennifer Connelly’s misunderstood outsider and Donald Pleasance’s bug enthusiast. I love Inga the chimpanzee. I LOVE Daria Nicolodi with all of my being. I love the lighting and the beautiful…
Review by san ★★★★

“I am not schizophrenic, epileptic, or stoned!”
A flawed masterpiece. Hellish acting from the supporting cast, random lines dubbed in Italian, and a questionable plot are multiple reasons to criticize Phenomena. Yet, there’s so much chaotic charm to this film that its unique identity can easily be cherished. It’s great at not taking itself too seriously and being engaging to its audience. Likewise, the soundtrack is the perfect fit to its absurdity.
Review by JackBurton1234 ★★★★★ 11

My seventh watch for Spooktober. Decided to watch two today.
This film is insane. Just absolutely insane.
The opening scene is just brutal in the most Argento way.
It’s between this and Suspiria for my favorite film of his.
While I love Deep Red, Inferno, Tenebre, Bird with the Crystal Plumage, and Opera this and Suspiria just connected with me more.
I’ll be reviewing Suspiria tomorrow when I rewatch it.
But yeah this movie is just a perfect giallo for me.
Also the ending is intense.
The direction by Argento is great.
The way he films the whole school adds so much to the atmosphere.
You feel like you’re trapped in this countryside area without anyway to get out.
Jennifer Connelly gives a great performance.
10/10 I really enjoy this one.
Glad I rewatched it for Spooktober.
Also I’ve rewatched this to many times. I just love it.
Review by Branson Reese 4

Absolutely perfect. This is exactly what I'm looking for in a movie which is why I'm always mad at movies.
Review by ScreeningNotes ★★★★ 2

Not Quite Hoop-Tober: Day 13
Dario Argento double feature – part 1
Finally! The horrific, absurdist, female-centered, heavy metal superhero movie I've been waiting for all my life!
Jennifer Corvino (a perfectly charming Jennifer Connelly), the daughter of a famous film director (wink #1), has a telepathic connection with insects. She travels to a foreign country for school, and in spite of her general social alienation she makes fast friends with her roommate (Argento's real life daughter; wink #2). Jennifer also has a habit of sleepwalking, and one night her dreams and a firefly lead her to discover her new friend murdered. She decides to take the matter into her own hands, and along with the reclusive Professor John McGregor…
Review by Warp ★★★★ 4

Phenomena is a beautiful print with poetic photography, suggestive dream sequences and a harsh heavy metal soundtrack that fits almost perfectly (surprisingly much better than in Opera) it contains not too much gore until it reaches the end. Besides that the atmosphere and its characters are great, Connelly is stealing the show, her innocent beauty is breathtakingly strong in certain shots without exaggeration. It’s all very atmospheric, style over substance, and I loved that monke.
Review by <Todd> ★★★★★ 11

"I love insects, and they love me" - Jennifer,
- Argento Ranked: boxd.it/30KqM
- My 50 Favorite Horror Films: boxd.it/1Sdga
Jennifer Connelly, Donald Pleasence and a chimpanzee... ready?
For my birthday today I made my wife and daughter watch this with me and they both liked it, while finding it very weird. Phenomena remains my favorite Argento film and one of my favorite horror films of all time. It's so unusual and beautiful and surprising. It's hard to describe that extra quality that makes this one of my favorites but it most definitely is a favorite. If you haven't seen it I strongly suggest.
Review by Eli Hayes ★★★★½ 8

Hoop-Tober 2.0, Film 10 of 31:
Far more fantastical, bizarre and grotesque than I was expecting, even from Argento; as of right now, easily my favorite of Dario's films.
Review by Ian West ★★★★★ 12

I never liked bugs... they creep me out. I’ll tell you what I do like... Phenomena! The score, detective duo of Connelly and Pleasence, razor wielding chimp, maggot pool filled with bodies, and Iron Maiden raging as the wind blows in them ‘Swiss Transylvanian’ hills!

Recent reviews

Review by laryssa ★★★★

cadê os pais dessa menina pqp a cada segundo quase morria e quem mais ajudou ela foi um macaco e insetos
adorei
Review by HowlSamurai ★★★

23.976,115
imdbmubi116，烂番茄110
我最喜欢的阿基多。开场不俗，摄影机像幽灵跟在人物身后。康纳利真是太好看了，几乎每个特写都传出四个字：不可逼视。46min的白裙，82min
摇滚乐用的我觉着不那么好听。阿基多的电影都喜欢有谋杀，有谁是杀手的悬念，这次玩的特别好，结尾的两次反转，哈哈哈，被母子双重追杀真棒。比其他电影里的悬念要强烈效果也更强。
Review by Corvo Chestnut ★★★★★

I think that Jennifer Corvino and Henry Spencer would be perfect friends
Review by Aaron Hammond ★★★★

On top of everything else...that fly was a hell of an actor.
Review by Pshepp ★★★★

I get a bit nostalgic with this as I saw it as Creepers on video in the mid 80s, probably 20 years before I knew anything about Argento or Italian cinema. The film is very silly and has some awful dubbing, but it's quite fun, moves pretty fast (I watched the 110 min International Cut) and Connelly is impressive in an early role.
Review by sara campins ★★★★

El guión, los diálogos y la actuación muy slapstick.
Cada película de Argento, con distinas narrativas e imágenes visuales, nose com s'ho fa el tiu però totes les pelis acaben essent iguals!!!!!! No hi ha cap detall que s'escapi de la quotidianitat d'Argento. Ricardo Wagner y los insectos, o uau.

La chimpanzé la mejor, cosa tan bonita <3
Review by MiaCave ★★★

very similar to Suspiria in the sense that it’s about a teenage girl who enrols herself in a foreign boarding school that has some kind of “deep secret”. In comparison to Suspiria, Phenomena tends to be more visually horrific -whereas Suspiria is more psychologically horrific. I do love how Jennifer Connelly’s character has the power to understand insects, i think it adds a certain essence of psychological darkness. If this part was dismissed, i don’t think the movie wouldn’t be near as good.
I don’t like the soundtrack all that much as it constantly reminds me that the film is very obviously filmed in the 80s. For a movie that was created early 1980s i do believe that it held…
Review by Sam McMahon ★★★★

Me: It’s pretty quiet I’ll turn up the volume.
Dario: IRON MAIDEEEEEEEN!!!!!
Review by yasminidadurmus ★★★

the soundtrack
Review by JustRadu ★★★★

Jennifer and Igna are so badass! I think I have a crush on Dario Argento and his style o_o
Review by jodiemaia ★★★★

Phenomena is quite simplistic in nature and not as shocking or scary as I was expecting, but then it works as it made the final sequence more unexpected and dramatic. I love the use of blue throughout and traditional gothic tropes like the innocent young girl dressed in all white, gives the whole film a part dreamy part hellish feel. I also love the idea of bugs being used to expose the real evil disguised in people. Apparently Dario Argento was inspired by the fact that bugs are sometimes useful for murder investigations, which is pretty interesting!
Review by Robyn

The same Iron Maiden song plays twice over two different scenes of girls running from murder.