Cast and Crew: Goblin, Franky Goes to Hollywood, Motorhead, Iron Maiden (Soundtrack); Daria Nicolodi
What It’s About: Jennifer Corvino (Jennifer Connelly) is the 14-year-old daughter of a film star who is having serious trouble sleep walking. She’s shipped off to an exclusive boarding school in Europe where she slowly realizes she can control instects, and, where, instead of being taught how to user her power by a benevolent bald psychic in a wheel chair and his team of super-powered mutants, she is encouraged to use her powers to solve a string of serial murders by a benevolent balding Scottish wheelchair-bound etymologist forensics expert John MacGregor (Donald Pleasence) and his laser guided helper chimp.
Why Watch it Today?: Donald Pleasence was born on this date in 1919, and it is a testament to his professionalism that he turns in a fine performance no matter how silly the role he’s given might seem. Phenomena is late period Argento, but the leads and the off-kilter plot make it well worth a watch for fans of the unusual…just be sure you don’t stumble upon the original, heavily edited American release Creepers, as it slices substantial portions of the plot out of the film to ill effect.
Oh, I need to see this one, as I got stuck paying to see Creepers back when it was originally released and despised it (it makes almost NO sense in that cut up US version!)
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I saw it as Creepers first, on a battered VHS copy I bought from a video store going out of business during the period Blockbuster was devastating Mom and Pop shops. The full version is still a bit touched, but it is far better than the cut version.