I disliked this movie as a kid, so dry and slow. Then I was drawn back to it bychildhood memories, it's all pretty odd, and still slow with a lot of fairly long, detail closeups of ants pondering machinery and so on...
It almost has an instructional, Open University vibe in parts.
Not sure how I feel about it still, it has a poor (but somewhat typical) endingand the scientific chest-beating element gets a bit wearing.
I came across this link in which someone has posted a lot of isolated shots,all of them are strangely beautiful. I was also unaware that it was Saul Bass' only film. Which possibly explains the lovely colour and detail in the stills.
http://www.goofbutton.com/2008/09/saul_bass_phase_iv.html
Any love for this film?
― MaresNest, Tuesday, 16 December 2008 15:04 (fifteen years ago) link
the soundtrack is excellent.
― ǝɟɟɐzǝɟ (☪), Tuesday, 16 December 2008 15:13 (fifteen years ago) link
lotsa love on ilx for phase iv. you can check me + milton parker blabbing about it here: The 1970's Science Fiction Movie Poll
― Edward III, Tuesday, 16 December 2008 15:15 (fifteen years ago) link
it just came out on DVD this summer, makes a perfect stocking stuffer for the headz in yr family
― Edward III, Tuesday, 16 December 2008 15:18 (fifteen years ago) link
I have a vivid childhood memory of watching phase iv on a hot summer afternoon after school, drifting in and out of sleep, mixing it in my dreams. my love of the film is rooted as much in that memory as it is in how good it is.
thanks for that link, screenshots are awes.
http://www.goofbutton.com/images/phase_iv%20(23).jpg
― Edward III, Tuesday, 16 December 2008 15:32 (fifteen years ago) link
http://www.goofbutton.com/images/phase_iv%20(31).jpghttp://www.goofbutton.com/images/phase_iv%20(12).jpghttp://www.goofbutton.com/images/phase_iv%20(26).jpg
― Edward III, Tuesday, 16 December 2008 15:34 (fifteen years ago) link
I just watched this the other day. 2/3rds of the way through it seemed like some bitching Ant-dromeda Strain but the ending – what? WHAT?
uh, WHAT?
― Abbott of the Trapezoid Monks (Abbott), Tuesday, 16 December 2008 17:54 (fifteen years ago) link
Psychedelic ant love utopia cosmic ant sex union?
― Abbott of the Trapezoid Monks (Abbott), Tuesday, 16 December 2008 17:55 (fifteen years ago) link
The ant structures reminded me a lot of this.
― Abbott of the Trapezoid Monks (Abbott), Tuesday, 16 December 2008 17:59 (fifteen years ago) link
More specifically, this part of it.
― Abbott of the Trapezoid Monks (Abbott), Tuesday, 16 December 2008 18:00 (fifteen years ago) link
Nice Link!
thanks for the link to those screen shots. this one has been waiting to be my desktop for a long time.
Yes it's classic for every reason, Saul Bass trading in every insider favor accumulated over a Hollywood career to direct his first film, and the film ends up being this.
Music by David Vorhaus but he raided the BBC Radiophonic Workshop soundbed archive hard, you can hear some of those same drones from the 60's Doctor Who episodes & the White Noise An Electric Storm album.
There's a great article in Cinefex No. 3 with Ken Middleham who did the insect photography for Phase IV, basically in his garage studio. I ordered the copy of the article because I had to know how a film that was obviously this scripted & storyboarded out could possibly have starred real ants, it's a great story: basically, a lot of ants were definitely harmed in the making of this film. He also goes into the original ending, which actually depicts Phase IV's Ant / Human hybrid world through a psychedelic three minute abstract collage which the distributors cut from the film for being too confusing. I'm hoping that footage can be found & restored at some point.
Ken's earlier film is the next stop if you liked this, not on DVD but I found a torrent.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hellstrom_Chronicle
― Milton Parker, Tuesday, 16 December 2008 19:24 (fifteen years ago) link
thanks abbott, now I have song titles for my unrecorded album
* Landscape of Thorns* Spike Field* Spikes Bursting Through Grid* Leaning Stone Spikes* Menacing Earthworks* Forbidding Blocks
― Edward III, Wednesday, 17 December 2008 15:11 (fifteen years ago) link
phase iv has no beginning credits, but has interstitials throughout the film marking the beginning of each phase and the last one is PHASE IV roll end credits slow clap saul bass = genius
would love to see the lost end sequence footage
― Edward III, Wednesday, 17 December 2008 15:22 (fifteen years ago) link
i just saw this film a couple weeks back, it's pretty great. all the shots like the ones shown in the screen caps and the weirdly fascinating pseudo-science chatter is kinda hypnotic.
― the stickup man from the gripping "wire" television show (omar little), Wednesday, 17 December 2008 16:13 (fifteen years ago) link
wow. this movie. wow.
― (jaxon) ( .) ( .) (jaxon), Monday, 9 March 2009 19:32 (fifteen years ago) link
Finally got around to this -- as striking and strange as one could want. I got a pretty clear sense that Chris Carter had to have this in mind for a lot of his work -- the research station in this made me think of the beehive station in the middle of nowhere from the first X-Files movie.
Question, though -- is there any word as to whether the opening voiceover was a last minute studio addition? Not Nigel Davenport's initial thoughts some minutes in but the very first thing from Michael Murphy when the 'Phase I' eclipse starts up -- in watching the film through twice I had a feeling that voiceover was tacked on, less like Harrison Ford in Blade Runner than like Kiefer Sutherland at the start of Dark City, which, yeah, explained a bit of stuff but didn't feel needed in the end and ended up undercutting the impact of the story a bit first time through.
― Ned Raggett, Saturday, 30 January 2010 18:08 (fourteen years ago) link
this movie is fucking awesome btw
― in my day we had to walk 10 miles in the snow for VU bootleg (Shakey Mo Collier), Wednesday, 2 June 2010 20:37 (thirteen years ago) link
haha this was recommended to me recently by mr amazon
― Don't look at the finger (Ste), Wednesday, 2 June 2010 20:43 (thirteen years ago) link
― Milton Parker, Tuesday, December 16, 2008 2:24 PM (3 years ago)
incredibly, now out on blu-ray
http://www.olivefilms.com/films/the-hellstrom-chronicle-blu-ray/
― I GUESS THAT CINNABON GETTIN EATEN (Edward III), Thursday, 8 March 2012 17:17 (twelve years ago) link
It's basically a cross between proto-Animal Planet and Rod Serling's Night Gallery. Probably shouldn't have been rated G.
― Milton Parker, Thursday, 8 March 2012 19:08 (twelve years ago) link
http://twitchfilm.com/reviews/2012/01/the-hellstrom-chronicle-blu-ray-review.php
Professor Hellstrom, a famous entomologist, is so shaken by the savagery and ferocity of the predatory insect world that he films this "documentary" to warn mankind of its danger. Featuring stunning microphotography of a variety of insects and plants that include ultra close-ups of wars between ant colonies and a gigantic praying mantis practicing cannibalism. This unusual blend of horror film and nature study won an Academy Award for Best Documentary in 1972.
The victim in this film, the one who should be hiding in the closet with a knife waiting to fend of his eventual enemy, is you, the viewer.
― Milton Parker, Thursday, 8 March 2012 19:10 (twelve years ago) link
ha, damn, the review mentions the film's one spoiler. drat. is better not to know going in.
― Milton Parker, Thursday, 8 March 2012 19:11 (twelve years ago) link
I am watching The Hellstrom Chronicle right now and it is FANTASTIC
― owenf, Thursday, 8 March 2012 21:50 (twelve years ago) link
I have to see both these movies.
― (he did what!) (Austerity Ponies), Thursday, 8 March 2012 21:54 (twelve years ago) link
Oooh!
Love Phase IV
who is the "Ken" referred to in the first post tho
― the sir edmund hillary of sitting through pauly shore films (Shakey Mo Collier), Thursday, 8 March 2012 21:58 (twelve years ago) link
first post of this revive, that is
Hellstrom Chronicle is on Youtube in like 10 min parts. Might buy the blu-ray though. This is basically my idea of heaven, evil dead style narration and vicious animal warfare.
― owenf, Thursday, 8 March 2012 22:00 (twelve years ago) link
Phase IV: The Microcosmic World of Ken Middleham Cinefex Issue 3 - Article by Don Shay Phase IV was anything but a typical science fiction film. No spaceships, no alien invaders, no unleashed technological horrors - just ants. But not ordinary ants. Ants with geometric patterns emblazoned on their foreheads; ants unafraid to engage a praying mantis in battle; ants that bestow ceremonial honors on their fallen dead; and ants that transport crystals of posionous material in a suicidal death march. Ace macro cinematographer Ken Middleham discusses the creation and photography of these uncharacteristic ant behaviors.
― Milton Parker, Thursday, 8 March 2012 22:17 (twelve years ago) link
shot of tarantula's face (?) where you can see a fly reflected in its eyes is amazing. what a great film.
― the sir edmund hillary of sitting through pauly shore films (Shakey Mo Collier), Monday, 12 March 2012 21:38 (twelve years ago) link
Probably shouldn't have been rated G.
I find myself saying this about other scifi movies of the era - destroy all monsters, beneath the planet of the apes, planet of the apes, and the andromeda strain come to mind, all have pretty violent/disturbing scenes, with (not that I care) nudity in the latter two. MPAA, what happened to you?
― diamanda ram dass (Edward III), Wednesday, 14 March 2012 21:31 (twelve years ago) link
bummed that netflix has the DVD of hellstrom chronicle but not blu-ray
― diamanda ram dass (Edward III), Wednesday, 14 March 2012 21:39 (twelve years ago) link
The end of the trailer for phase IV clearly uses a few shots from the original ending of the film
The directors cut has got to be out there somewhere
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IuhgBvOWb_k
― Milton Parker, Friday, 30 March 2012 02:41 (twelve years ago) link
god I wish that would get discovered
milton maybe you can be the ray carney to saul bass' cassavetes
― diamanda ram dass (Edward III), Friday, 30 March 2012 15:15 (twelve years ago) link
HOLY
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/saul-bass-phase-iv-original-ending-cinefamily-paramount-341449
― Ned Raggett, Monday, 25 June 2012 22:15 (eleven years ago) link
!!
― johnny crunch, Monday, 25 June 2012 23:36 (eleven years ago) link
phase iv is super creepy & psychedelic, with some of the best acting by real ants ever filmed and a great burbling electronic score. I was talking to a friend who had vague memories of seeing it as a child, but he had perfect recall when it came to the scene where ants started crawling out of the 3 circular holes in a dead guy's hand.
DVD NOW PLZ
-- Edward III, Wednesday, 19 March 2008 14:35 (3 months ago) Link
DVD GODZ HAVE ANSWERED MY PRAYERS
― Edward III, Wednesday, July 9, 2008 4:35 PM (3 years ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
http://www.youtube.com/v/IuhgBvOWb_k&fs=1&hl=en
― Milton Parker, Thursday, March 29, 2012 10:41 PM (2 months ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
― diamanda ram dass (Edward III), Friday, March 30, 2012 11:15 AM (2 months ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
2 months pass...
― Ned Raggett, Monday, June 25, 2012 6:15 PM (Yesterday)
my phase iv precog is strong
― diamanda ram dass (Edward III), Tuesday, 26 June 2012 04:28 (eleven years ago) link
And for that we thank you.
― Ned Raggett, Tuesday, 26 June 2012 05:24 (eleven years ago) link
this would be the point in a twilight zone episode where I'd say I like the film so much I wish it would come true
― diamanda ram dass (Edward III), Tuesday, 26 June 2012 05:53 (eleven years ago) link
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v216/sexymollusk/wtf.jpg
― fancy poodle (latebloomer), Tuesday, 26 June 2012 10:51 (eleven years ago) link
haha what the what
― diamanda ram dass (Edward III), Tuesday, 26 June 2012 16:23 (eleven years ago) link
venn diagram of baseball fans & apocalyptic insect enthusiasts
― diamanda ram dass (Edward III), Tuesday, 26 June 2012 16:25 (eleven years ago) link
That's fucking ILX in a nutshell! It's obvious that's Morbz right there!
― Ned Raggett, Tuesday, 26 June 2012 16:25 (eleven years ago) link
so awesome this has been found. great news.
― a dense custard of infinity (Shakey Mo Collier), Tuesday, 26 June 2012 18:17 (eleven years ago) link
LOTS OF LOVE FOR THIS FILM.
― Matt M., Monday, 2 July 2012 04:42 (eleven years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oHWSAZ3fZsQ
― Elvis Telecom, Monday, 2 July 2012 07:30 (eleven years ago) link
Hey, did you go to either of the showings of the film the last couple weekends? I was told that the suppressed ending was going to be screened, but friends who went just last night said that the ending wasn't shown, due to objections by the estate. What gives?
― Matt M., Monday, 2 July 2012 15:30 (eleven years ago) link
Cinefamily did mention that the re-discovered ending would only be shown on 24 June. I went to the showing on Thursday... still processing it. I'm not sure if it's even reviewable in the traditional sense.
Man I wish someone would DVD-R release all of Omni Magazine.
― Elvis Telecom, Monday, 2 July 2012 21:13 (eleven years ago) link
Ah, interesting. I'd assumed that once the ending was out there that it'd be shown again.
Or it would at least show up on the net...
Would buy a DVD of OMNI in a heartbeat. Maybe less.
― Matt M., Monday, 2 July 2012 23:18 (eleven years ago) link
http://drafthousefilms.com/blog/entry/watch_saul_bass_rare_1983_sci_fi_short_quest
― Milton Parker, Monday, 22 July 2013 19:14 (ten years ago) link
also online: audience-cam from the phase iv cinefamily screening
WHERE
― truth bomb lawyer mean mean pride (Edward III), Tuesday, 23 July 2013 18:50 (ten years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=beLpsWaUDNk
― Milton Parker, Sunday, 28 July 2013 22:28 (ten years ago) link
thanking u
― truth bomb lawyer mean mean pride (Edward III), Monday, 29 July 2013 17:55 (ten years ago) link
maybe it's just as well they took that out, it would've blown my childhood mind beyond all repair
― truth bomb lawyer mean mean pride (Edward III), Monday, 29 July 2013 18:02 (ten years ago) link
The lost ending is without a doubt the coolest thing I have ever seen. I still need to see this movie though.
Are there any other films that have this style trippy amazing 70s psych montage? It is beyond cool.
― Emperor Cos Dashit (Adam Bruneau), Thursday, 3 October 2013 20:22 (ten years ago) link
Oh yeah, "Quest" is pretty cool too!
mr bass and mr middleham would have loved these
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1IugvemOyZY
― Milton Parker, Thursday, 10 October 2013 17:51 (ten years ago) link
RIP Nigel Davenport.
― hewing to the status quo with great zealotry (DavidM), Monday, 4 November 2013 15:08 (ten years ago) link
And here we go:
http://www.factmag.com/2015/02/20/stream-waxworks-reissued-score-classic-killer-ant-movie-phase-iv/
― Ned Raggett, Friday, 20 February 2015 18:44 (nine years ago) link
oh shiiiiit cool! What was obviously the intended album assembly of the OST leaked to the soundtrack nerd forums last year, in listenable but not great sound. Hopefully this is a higher-fi version of that!
Some good reading here (and on uncanny film scoring in general):
http://www.electricsheepmagazine.co.uk/features/2011/10/19/phase-iv-synthphony-for-the-ant-nation/
― a date with density (Jon Lewis), Friday, 20 February 2015 18:55 (nine years ago) link
ugh this is so good
is Waxworks a vinyl only label or am I going to be able to buy this?
― a date with density (Jon Lewis), Friday, 20 February 2015 22:25 (nine years ago) link
vinyl only, looks like :-(
― the late great, Tuesday, 31 March 2015 05:08 (nine years ago) link
oh well glad I downloaded the soundcloud stream even if was only 128 bit.
― demonic mnevice (Jon Lewis), Tuesday, 31 March 2015 15:19 (nine years ago) link
Finally saw this! Generally amazing. Cut 'utopian' ending is also findable now.
― brooklyn suicide cult (Dr Morbius), Saturday, 27 June 2020 21:34 (three years ago) link
The recent super deluxe Blu-Ray (Euro only) has the lost ending.
― but also fuck you (unperson), Saturday, 27 June 2020 21:41 (three years ago) link
On Talking Pictures right now. Pretty great so far.
― Sonny Shamrock (Tom D.), Friday, 31 July 2020 21:33 (three years ago) link
I’m still waiting for a bluray I ordered back in ... March?
― assert (MatthewK), Friday, 31 July 2020 21:40 (three years ago) link
The ants don't want you to have it.
― Sonny Shamrock (Tom D.), Friday, 31 July 2020 22:42 (three years ago) link
Hell yeah.
https://vinegarsyndrome.com/collections/frontpage/products/phase-iv
3-disc Set: 4K Ultra HD / Region A Blu-ray x24K UHD presented in High-Dynamic-RangeNewly scanned & restored in 4K from its 35mm original camera negativeThe 84-minute Theatrical Version is available on both the UHD and Blu-ray discsThe 89-minute Preview Version with multiple soundtrack options is included on a Blu-ray discCommentary track for the Theatrical Version with film historian Matthew Asprey Gear"Evolutions: The Making of Phase IV" (48 min) - a brand new documentary by Elijah Drenner featuring interviews with Jeffrey Bass, co-star Michael Murphy, screenwriter Mayo Simon, archivist Sean Savage and design historian/Saul Bass biographer Pat Kirkham"Formicidae Sinfonia: The Music and Sounds of Phase IV" (15 min) - a brand new featurette with composer Brian Gascoigne and electronic music artist David VorhausDeleted shots and sequences (2 min)Raw footage from Saul Bass' original ending montage sequence (16 min)
― Ned Raggett, Thursday, 1 February 2024 21:19 (three months ago) link