Phase IV *** (1974, Nigel Davenport, Lynne Frederick, Michael Murphy) – Classic Movie Review 9795

‘Adapt or die.’

The 1973 Phase IV is a fascinating sci-fi thriller from Saul Bass – making his first and only feature film – the man who directed the best movie credit sequences in the business and is said by some partly to have created the shower sequence in Psycho. Ironically, perhaps, there are no opening credits in Phase IV, not even the Paramount logo.

In the prophetic story, scientists at an Arizona desert station fight off an attack of brainy (but not giant) ants set to take over the planet unless man retaliates successfully.

Phase IV is intelligently written by Mayo Simon, well acted and looks great, with a striking score by Brian Gascoyne.

It stars Nigel Davenport as Dr Ernest D Hubbs, Lynne Frederick as Kendra Eldridge, and Michael Murphy as James R Lesko, with Alan Gifford, Helen Horton, and Robert Henderson.

Bass’s most famous works are the title sequences for The Man with the Golden Arm (1955), North by Northwest (1959), and Psycho (1960). He also drew up storyboards for the shower scene on Hitchcock’s specific instructions, but Hitchcock stated that he didn’t use these because they ‘weren’t right’. He designed the poster for The Shining.

Phase IV is directed by Saul Bass, runs 84 minutes, is made by Alced Productions and Paramount Pictures, is released by Paramount Pictures (1974) (US) and Cinema International Corporation (CIC) (1974) (UK), is written by Mayo Simon, is shot in Technicolor by Dick Bush and Ken Middleton, is produced by Paul B Radin and is scored by Brian Gascoyne.

Footage from the discarded original ending is used in the promotional trailer.

It is shot in Eloy, Arizona; Rift Valley, Kenya; Yuma, Arizona (extended alternate ending) and at Pinewood Studios, Iver Heath, Buckinghamshire, England.

© Derek Winnert 2020 Classic Movie Review 9795

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