PHASE IV (1974)

3 stars

88 Films. Limited edition UHD + Blu Ray. 20th April

When I first saw PHASE IV back in the day, I remember it being quite dull. Unfortunately, unlike a fine wine, it hasn’t improved with age! It isn’t helped by the opening, which is very long and comes across like you are back at school – as it explains that some kind of astronomical event has meant that ants are now working together, across species, and pose a danger to mankind. Still, the micro footage of ants by Ken Middleham, is rather impressive.

Two scientists, Ernest Hubbs (Nigel Davenport) and James Lesko (Michael Murphy) are in their dome packed with equipment, in the Arizona desert (though the exteriors were shot mainly in Kenya). They are there to study the ants and find out what they are up to. Most people have left the area – except one family, who end up outside the boffins research facility and are killed when Hubbs release some yellow gunk to prevent the insects from attacking. Going outside in their hazmat suits, they rescue young Kendra (Lynne Frederick – who had worked previously with Davenport on NO BLADE OF GRASS (1970)). Lesko, a communications expert, manages to work out how the ants are able to “talk” to each other… and it soon becomes a battle of wills as the tiny terrors infiltrate the dome.

It is not hard to see why this failed at the box office, as it is all a bit po-faced and fails to lean into what is basically a B movie premise – man vs ant! This was the only feature directed by acclaimed graphic designer Saul Bass, who was best known for his stylish and iconic title sequences for films like ANATOMY OF A MURDER, NORTH BY NORTHWEST (both 1959) and PSYCHO (1960), among many others. This means the movie is great to look at, even if the script by Mayo Simon is lacking. This originally had a more trippy ending (here as one of the extras), which was excised by Paramount just before release.

Steve Kirkham

EXTRAS

Audio Commentary by Genre Cinema Experts Nathaniel Thompson and Troy Howarth

Ant Allegory – Author Deborah Allison on Phase IV

Another World – Artist Graham Humphreys on Saul Bass and Phase IV

Original Saul Bass Ending

Theatrical Trailer