MovieChat Forums > Phase IV (1974) Discussion > A nice companion piece to 2001 A Space O...

A nice companion piece to 2001 A Space Odyssesy

posted 10 years ago by disarrasin
6 replies | jump to latest

Everything from the eerie tone of the film, the camera angles, the mysterious cosmic influence that acts on the ants, the strange monolithic towers the ants build, the glaring reflection from the ant constructs and the deafening sound frequency that destroys them, not to mention the transfomation of the human species at the end.. It's obvious that the creators of this film were heavily influenced by 2001. Still a very great film that is much overlooked.

[–] 10 years ago

[deleted]

[–] templesofice 10 years ago

I agree that it is very overlooked. Have you seen Beyond The Black Rainbow? If not I think you'll like that one as well. It was influenced by Phase IV. I've seen both movies several times now. The only fault I have with Phase IV is that it's suppose take place in AZ but it was filmed in Kenya. AZ looks NOTHING like Kenya:-)

[–] melchior6 (1) 7 years ago

Yes I do see the similarities.., especially the transformation of people at the end. Both films are delightfully mind boggling.

[–] AP (5295) 7 years ago

I've never heard of this movie, but now I'm interested.

[–] jasonbourne (1027) 5 years ago

Are you stupid? No way is this film, if you could call it that, is a classic and piece of art as is 2001: A Space Odyssey. At least, bow down to its filmmakers and get the spelling right.

This movie is typical drive-in fodder for the 70s. I was thinking how director Saul Bass did not learn about suspense from the master of suspense Alfred Hitchcock nor drama from Otto Preminger. I thought about the movie Tremors as comparison as it was shot in a desert setting. However, the lack of actors spoiled the effect. For example, there is no way the two protagonists brought all that equipment in their Jeep and be able to set it up so fast. The opening scenes of the different ants were too long. It really needed some kind of big scare as to what tiny ants could do. Crop circles don't exactly do it. Furthermore, I think we can figure out what the plan is to put down the rebellion. Ants died in the making of this movie. Boo hoo.

[–] zephyr_cape (2979) 5 years ago

Irrespective of disparity in quality, the comparison to 2001 is very apt, stylistically and beyond.

Phase IV is like the missing link between 2001 and Halloween III in many ways. One of those bizarre, side-alley flicks that feels like a movie glimpsed in a dream, one of the sorts of rare movies that's most captivating to me. It's fascinating, and all the more so as a work of Saul Bass. 2001 is a genius level masterwork, but this is an underrepresented and underappreciated slice of remarkable off-model weirdness.