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Phase IV (1974)

 Sci-fi September

#something old

Phase IV (1974) PG; 1 hour, 24 minutes

Director: Saul Bass

Writer: Mayo Simona

Stars: Nigel Davenport, Michael Murphy, Lynne Frederick

Streaming on: Amazon, Epix, Hulu

Keywords: ant attack, psychotronic film, biodome




The Plot: Time0lapse ants stalk two scientists in the Arizona desert. 

Random Observations

  • Totally thought the narrator was Kelsey Grammer at first, but it isn't obviously, I was just dumb for like 40 seconds. 
  • The director is Saul Bass. Yeah, THAT Saul Bass, who does the super bitchin' title animations for films such as North by Northwest, Psycho, and The Man with the Golden Arm. It looks like this was his only feature film. 
My "something old" today is a first watch for me (Although, I did watch it on Mystery Science Theater 3000 -- KTMA Season 0 Episode 9 about a decade ago). The 1970's has some of my favorite science fiction. Even though there are some smooshy plot lines and a bit of unnatural dialogue in places, this film is still worth a watch, especially if you love 1970's Britich sci-fi aesthetics. 


.5/1 Directing
1/1 Cinematography
1/1 Visual design
.7/1 Editing
0/1 Plot 
0.5/1 Dialogue
0/1 Acting
0/1 Soundtrack/Score/Sound
.2/1 Originality
.4/1 Rewatchability

Total: 4.3/10 Binge Bones


Verdict: Tech nerds may enjoy seeing some awesome old timey computer equipment and teletype-type thingymajigs. Overall, you aren't missing much by skipping this one, but it may be relaxing eye candy in the background (with the sound down because there is a cacophony of screaming sirens for about 1/3 of this film) whilst you do something lowkey, like work on your calligraphy or finish that stupid Sudoku puzzle, even though you already fucked up by starting with a pen when you KNEW you should have used a pencil, but everytime you've used a pencil before you go, "Damn, I could have used a pen! I'm THAT good". Then you strut your shit around your apartment in your underwear while singing "I've Gotta Crow" from Peter Pan.

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