Jennifer Corvino (Connelly), the daughter of a famous actor, arrives at a girl's boarding school in the "Swiss Transylvania", whose eerie-sounding winds have a reputation for driving less-than-tightly-wrapped insane. Decomposing pieces of young girls have been turning up in the area, stumping the local constabulary and compelling them to seek the aide of a wheelchair-bound Scottish-born etymologist (Pleasance). Aside for a penchant for sleepwalker, Jennifer also possesses the peculiar psychic ability to communicate with insects. Soon, she and the good doctor are working in concert to stop killer and his reign of murderous mayhem.
Of course, all of this is completely preposterous. But like the best gialli, Phenomena is crafted with such morbid gusto and child-like enthusiasm that you hardly even notice that the story you're watching is incredible nonsense, and once you do you simply cease to care. All you can do is entrust the controls to the mad pilot and enjoy the ride, and here that ride is a delirious, spiraling descent into nightmare. Released in America minus a whopping 18 minutes, Creepers always left me with the impression that I hadn't just watched a really ruthless, stylish horror movie so much as the trailer for one. Seen in its unmolested form, Phenomena reveals itself to be one of Argento's most accomplished fright-films, assuming its rightful place alongside his acknowledged masterpieces Deep Red, Suspiria and Inferno.
In addition to a pristine letterbox transfer, the DVD also boasts such tasty bonuses as a "making-of" short and two music videos (by Goblin's Claudio Simonetti and the Rolling Stones' Billy Wyman, respectively, the latter of which is directed by Argento protégé Michael Soavi). While the bonus footage doesn't add too much in the way of gore (at least not that met with my scrutiny) it's a vast improvement in terms of pacing and mood. What might be the last truly great horror movie by one of the truly great horror movie directors, Phenomena showcases Argento's imagination and ingenuity at their feverish peak.
