| Phantom of Death | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Directed by | Ruggero Deodato |
| Screenplay by |
|
| Story by |
|
| Produced by | Piettro Innocenzi[1] |
| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Giorgio Di Battista[1] |
| Edited by | Daniele Alabiso[1] |
| Music by | Pino Donaggio[1] |
Production companies |
|
Release date |
|
| Country | Italy[1] |
Phantom of Death (Italian:Un delitto poco comune,lit. 'An Uncommon Crime') is a 1988 Italiangiallo film directed byRuggero Deodato. It starredMichael York,Donald Pleasence andEdwige Fenech.
Robert Dominici is a pianist who suffers from agenetic condition that causes him to physically age at a rapid pace and also to go mad. Distraught by his condition, Dominici goes on a killing spree. Inspector Datti sets off to catch him. Meanwhile, Dominici targets the Inspector's daughter, Gloria.
Phantom of Death had a script developed in the early 1980s byGianfranco Clerici and Vincenzo Mannino which later became the basis for the script forLucio Fulci'sThe New York Ripper (1982).[2] According to Clerici, the two were offended by how their script was changed and continued to edit it before giving it to directorRuggero Deodato.[3] Parts of the story that were used inThe New York Ripper remain in the film, such as the killer who disguises their voice and taunts the police.[4]
Deodato has stated that "I didPhantom of Death because it was based on a true element – the idea of growing old [...] And I got to work withMichael York andDonald Pleasence."[5] On the film as a whole, he commented that "some parts look like an'A' production. But it seemed too long in the final part." He added thatEdwige Fenech was miscast, and was only included because the producer wanted her in the film.[5]
The film was released in 1988.[2][6] According to film critic and historian Roberto Curti, the film has "passable box-office" results.[7] The film was released in Germany on home video asOff Balance - Der Tod wartest in Venedig and in Holland and Belgium as an English-language version asOff Balance.[4] In the United States, it was released by Vidmark asPhantom of Death.[4] It has received further DVD releases on home video by Shameless asPhantom of Death.[8]
From contemporary reviews, "Lor." ofVariety commented that the film had "little suspense".[1] The review noted that York had "solid thesping which engenders some pathos for the central figure" and added thatPino Donaggio's score was "lush".[1]
In his bookBlood & Black Lace (1999), dedicated to Italian horror and sex films, Adrian Luther Smith described the film as an "unexpectedly thoughtful production", and a "austere horror/giallo hybrid", finding it having a strong cast and "some choice moments of gore."[4] Curti wrote in his bookItalian Giallo in Film and Television that the film was "somewhat slow" but was "graced by the director's capable technique".[7]
 | This article related to an Italian film of the 1980s is astub. You can help Wikipedia byexpanding it. |