'Phantom of Death' is an enjoyable late 80's Giallo slasher flick with a macabre atmosphere, an interesting plot and some well staged death scenes that enhances the bleak tone of the movie. The genre was pretty dead by this point, so it was nice to have a well-made Giallo flick with a different point of view from this time period, even if it does go off the rails with its choppiness change in direction.
The plot = A gifted pianist Robert Dominici (Michael York) is stricken with a genetic disease called Progeria which causes him to age rapidly and to lose his sanity and goes on a killing spree prompting a police inspector Datti (Donald Pleasence) to try and stop him.
The movie starts out like a typical Giallo with an interesting set up, but the mystery element is thrown out the window when the main character gets the disease and becomes the killer, which isn't a spoiler its literally revealed in the synopsis and trailers. The movie then shifts focus to a more crime thriller slasher film which I thought that was an interesting twist by making this more of a character study and it does subvert the genre tactics, but the filmmakers could have done more with this idea as it basically comes out of nowhere and makes this a rather confusing first time viewing. The haphazard editing doesn't help with these matters as there's a lack of flow from scene to scene and you're not entirely sure how much time has passed between certain scenes. Despite the scripting problems this is a solid enough entry in the genre with enough craziness going on to sustain momentum.
The cast here are excellent with Michael York delivering an entertaining performance as the main lead and provides a stellar screen presence with believability and conviction in such a demanding role. Donald Pleasance is always a joy to watch and injects the movie with much needed enthusiasm even if he is treading on familiar ground. Then of course there's the ultimate genre queen Edwige Fenech who despite being in such a small role, brings elegance to the flick and its great to see her in what would be her final Giallo outing.
Overall 'Phantom of Death' is a decent late offering from the genre.
