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Phantom of Death

Play trailer Poster for Phantom of Death 1988 1h 35m Horror Play Trailer Watchlist
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A police inspector (Donald Pleasence) hunts a killer concert pianist (Michael York) who is aging fast from a rare disease.

Critics Reviews

View All (2) Critics Reviews
Matt Brunson Film Frenzy A disappointing giallo. Rated: 2/4 Jul 22, 2024 Full Review Philip Martin Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Rated: 2/5 Jul 29, 2002 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Audience Member Unpleasant and original Giallo from Ruggero Deodato--Great cast, reliable director...bizarre giallo!! Rated 3 out of 5 stars 02/22/23 Full Review Audience Member A famous concert pianist (Michael York) contracts a rare disease that causes rapid ageing so decides to ditch the piano and take up a bit of serial killing (as you do). Hot on his trail is a detective played by Donald Pleasence dusting off his Dr. Loomis personna and having about the same luck. Nothing new here and i would advise anyone including people with an interest in old Italian horror to stay away. 1.5/10 Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars 02/10/23 Full Review Audience Member Really liked this - got better as went on - Michael York gives a fantastic performance aging from 30 - 90 in a few months and Pleasance is good also - good make up effects and bloody deaths to begin with effects are pretty decent. Well worth a watch for Giallo / Horror enthusiasts Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 01/24/23 Full Review Audience Member Not quite as good as Cannibal Holocaust or anything like it whatsoever, here we have Michael York having a disease which ages him rapidly, which in turn, natch, makes him kill women. Took a while to get going but once the ageing began my attention was kept. Could have done with a bit more gore, but if I want a film about a man undergoing a horrific transformation in a gory ass fashion then I should just get The Fly out again. Shameless don't half tart up these dubious films well but with this one they don't seem to have been able to perfect the sound as it was a bit ropey in places, but the picture was a good as the others I've seen. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/25/23 Full Review Audience Member I had the misfortune to view a UK DVD claiming to be uncut, but which actually had several minutes hacked out of it. Ruggero Deodato, director notorious for making "Cannibal Holocaust" has made a giallo which also pays homage to "Phantom Of The Opera". Michael York plays a concert pianist who learns he has a medical condition which ages him prematurely and at a fast rate. It also turns him into a psychotic madman, and he starts slicing and dicing nubile young ladies throughout the city. Hot on his trail is cop Inspector Datti (Donald Pleasance). While the movie promises to be good it's rather slow in places, and the level of violence and body count is rather low by giallo (and Deodato!) standards. The most gruesome stuff in the DVD I viewed was a rather messy throat slashing scene. It is stylishly filmed though. Also costars genre faves Edwige Fenech and Giovanni Lombardo Radice. Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 01/26/23 Full Review Audience Member A bit disappointing, sadly. Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 01/23/23 Full Review Read all reviews
Phantom of Death

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Cast & Crew

Movie Info

Synopsis A police inspector (Donald Pleasence) hunts a killer concert pianist (Michael York) who is aging fast from a rare disease.
Director
Ruggero Deodato
Producer
Pietro Innocenzi
Genre
Horror
Original Language
English
Runtime
1h 35m