Phase IV (1974)

Director:

Saul Bass

Writer:

Mayo Simon (written by)

Release Date:

September 1974 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Tagline:

Ravenous Invaders Controlled by a Terror Out in Space Commanded to Annihilate the World!

Plot:

Desert ants suddenly form a collective intelligence and begin to wage war on the desert inhabitants...

Plot Keywords:

Ant | Desert | Scientist | Evolution | Investigation

Cast

  (Complete credited cast)

Michael Murphy	...	James R. Lesko
Nigel Davenport	...	Dr. Ernest D. Hubbs
Lynne Frederick	...	Kendra Eldridge
Alan Gifford	...	Mr. Eldridge
Robert Henderson	...	Clete
Helen Horton	...	Mildred Eldridge

Also Known As:

Phase Four (UK)

Runtime:

93 min | USA:84 min (TCM print)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Finland:K-16 (1989) | Iceland:12 | Australia:PG | France:-12 | Norway:15 | Sweden:15 | UK:PG | USA:PG | West Germany:12

Filming Locations:

Pinewood Studios, Iver Heath, Buckinghamshire, England, UK

Company:

Alced Productions

Trivia:

Saul Bass has said in interviews that the studio tampered with film in post against his wishes.

Goofs:

Continuity: During one of the scenes inside the dome, Lynne Frederick speaks with a English accent instead of the American accent she uses during the rest of the film.

Quotes:

Dr. Ernest D. Hubbs: You did your major work applying game theory to the language of killer whales.
James R. Lesko: Well, it seemed cheaper than applying it to roulette
Dr. Ernest D. Hubbs: Did you actually *succeed* in making positive contact with the whales?
James R. Lesko: Only with the emotionally disturbed.
Dr. Ernest D. Hubbs: How were you able to determine that?
James R. Lesko: We talked!

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Mystery Science Theater 3000: Phase IV (#1.9)" (1989)

Intelligent SF

A fairly unknown SF film, but I would definitely recommend it. It's in typical seventies style: the world is doomed, the human race has messed up, and now we pay the price. Well, what else is new, right? The things a lot of these seventies movies predicted are now becoming reality (global warming in Soylent Green), earthquakes, disasters, diseases, you name it. Even the world is run by damn dirty apes now! That is why I always enjoy these movies, including "minor" classics such as the Andromeda Strain, Omega Man and Phase IV. Phase IV tells us what a lot of scientists know already: insects will survive us all, they are intelligent, inventive and indestructible. This movie tries to tackle the subject in a quite serious fashion (no giant rubber monsters here), and perhaps that's is why is has slowly vanished into movie limbo: it's not a spectacular and exciting movie, it tells us what could happen (and in a very grim and scary atmosphere). It's this reality that makes it exciting, not all the overload of effects and action people expect today. I liked the movie a lot, and sincerely hope it gets a DVD release. With all the crap they put out these days, isn't there some room for quality and intelligent stories? I actually saw the movie during its theatrical release, and believe me, this one belongs on DVD!