Phase IV – 1974 – United States
I’ve been meaning to watch this movie for 20 years. I knew it would be interesting, but I underestimated how interesting. After getting zapped with space radiation, a colony of ants become sapient. Two scientists build a geodesic dome laboratory in the middle of the ants’ turf. Their goal is to study the ants, but one scientist becomes obsessed with destroying them, and the other becomes obsessed with communicating with them. The scientists squabble while fending off the increasingly hostile and intelligent ants.
The most awesome thing about Phase IV is (predictably) the ants. They are impossibly intelligent, collaborative, and dedicated to their inscrutable goals. When the scientists try to poison them, the ants steal samples of the poison and induce a mutation that makes them immune. Later, the ants build enormous mirrors of polished stone to reflect sunlight at the scientists’ dome, overheating the equipment inside. Against these ants, the scientists never have a chance, and the ants’ ruthlessness makes the movie genuinely scary.
Phase IV features really great close-up photography of ants. There is creepy, fascinating footage of ants digging tunnels, laying eggs, and killing and eating other insects. The movie would feel like a nature documentary if it weren’t so sinister. There are also some grisly visuals of ants pouring out of holes in people’s skin.
The ending of Phase IV is haunting. The war-like scientist is killed, and the peaceful scientist is lead into the ant colony to be experimented on. The scientists thought they were studying the ants, but actually, the ants were studying them all along. The ambiguous ending suggests the ants will take over the world and breed genetically modified humans as a source of labor.
There is also an alternate ending that was cut from the theatrical release. It doesn’t change what happens, but it shows it via an extremely surreal and psychedelic special effects montage. It is totally incredible. Do not miss this!
Phase IV is the only movie directed by Saul Bass, the special effects maestro who made slick intro sequences for dozens of well-known movies from the ‘60s and ‘70s.
Rating: 7/10 Shrunken Heads
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