Phantom of Death [DVD]

No classic, but…, 5 Jan 2011

By 

Ian Armer (Lancashire, United Kingdom) –

  

  

  

Michael York and Donald Pleasance both give surprisingly restrained performances in this 1987 curio about a famous concert pianist diagnosed with a fatal aging illness who goes ‘off balance’ (the other title of this film) and starts killing people.

York’s Robert is an interesting villain: a tragic ‘Phantom of the Opera’ type who is raging against those who will outlive him, God and his own sense of decency as he tries again and again to be caught by the police detective he taunts (Donald Pleasance). Why he doesn’t just hand himself over to the police is anybody’s guess, but there you go. However, it’s this struggle in York’s character that makes this film interesting. It’s actually very well written, shot and produced considering it’s an Italian pot boiler. Yes, it borders on the ludicrous (what Italian horror doesn’t?), some of the dialogue is a little risible, the odd performance low rent and the scenes of slaughter of a grand guignol excess – blood doesn’t spurt, it SPRAYS in unending floods! – but this was a definite cut above the usual dross.

Maybe ‘Phantom of Death’ is too introspective and angst ridden for gore hounds, but for those looking for a memorable villain who is both sympathetic and downright boo-hiss nasty, then this is a nice change of pace. I can’t guarantee you’ll look as favourably upon this film as I do, but I was rather pleased it defied my expectations.

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