Phobia is a 1980 Canadian psychological thriller film directed by John Huston, with a screenplay written by Peter Bellwood, Lew Lehman and Jimmy Sangster; from a story by Ronald Shusett and Gary Sherman. It stars Paul Michael Glaser as an experimental psychotherapist, whose patients are targeted by a killer whose methods prey on their phobias.[2]
| Phobia | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical poster | |
| Directed by | John Huston |
| Written by | Peter Bellwood Lew Lehman Jimmy Sangster |
| Story by | Ronald Shusett Gary Sherman |
| Produced by | Zale Magder |
| Starring | Paul Michael Glaser Susan Hogan John Colicos |
| Cinematography | Reginald H. Morris |
| Edited by | Stan Cole |
| Music by | André Gagnon |
Production company | Borough Park Productions |
| Distributed by | Paramount Pictures |
Release date |
|
Running time | 94 min. (approx.) |
| Country | Canada[1] |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $5,100,000 |
| Box office | $59,167 |
The film premiered at the Venice International Film Festival, before being released in Canada by Paramount Pictures on September 26, 1980, to a lukewarm critical reception.
Plot summary
editDr. Peter Ross, a psychiatrist, introduces a radical new therapy which he tests on five of his patients to cure them of their various fears (heights, crowded places, enclosed spaces, men and snakes). However his patients start being murdered by an unknown assailant using methods relating to their respective fears.
Cast
edit- Paul Michael Glaser as Dr. Peter Ross
- Susan Hogan as Jenny St. Clair
- John Colicos as Inspector Larry Barnes
- David Bolt as Henry Owen
- Patricia Collins as Dr. Alice Toland
- David Eisner as Johnny Venuti
- Lisa Langlois as Laura Adams
- Alexandra Stewart as Barbara Grey
- Robert O'Ree as Bubba King
- Neil Vipond as Dr. Clegg
- Marian Waldman as Mrs. Casey
- Kenneth Welsh as Sgt Joe Wheeler
Reception
editLos Angeles Times film critic Kevin Thomas described Phobia as "the worst film ever directed by a winner of the American Film Institute's Life Achievement Award."[3]
Reginald H. Morris received a Genie Award nomination for Best Cinematography at the 2nd Genie Awards in 1981.[4]
References
edit- ^ Gerald Pratley, A Century of Canadian Cinema. Lynx Images, 2003. ISBN 1-894073-21-5. p. 169-170.
- ^ "Film Review: Phobia (1980)". horrornews.net. Retrieved 2017-01-18.
- ^ Thomas, Kevin (17 August 1986). "The China Syndrome (ABC Sunday at 9..." Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 9 May 2019.
- ^ Jay Scott, "Genie nominations released". The Globe and Mail, February 10, 1981.
External links
edit- Phobia at IMDb
- Phobia at Rotten Tomatoes
- Phobia at Box Office Mojo
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