Phase IV (1974) [Preview Version]

Director: Saul Bass
Starring: Michael Murphy, Nigel Davenport, Lynne Frederick, Alan Gifford, Helen Horton, Robert Henderson

Following a mysterious eclipse-like solar event, scientists begin to notice strange and unexplainable behavioral changes in ants. While initially written off as an unconcerning anomaly, it soon becomes apparent that the creatures have developed advanced intelligence along with the ability to work collectively. Scientists Ernest Hubbs and James Lesko have been transferred to a futuristic lab in a remote part of the Arizona desert in which to study these phenomena. However, when the ants begin to attack and kill both wildlife and humans, Hubbs and Lesko realize that the entire human race might now be at a deadly evolutionary disadvantage to the tiny insects…

The sole feature film directed by acclaimed graphic artist Saul Bass, PHASE IV is a landmark of 1970s science fiction as it blends arresting visuals, photographed by Dick Bush (Sorcerer) along with nature photographer Ken Middleham, with a tense and harrowing animal attack narrative. Starring Nigel Davenport (Chariots of Fire), Michael Murphy (Nashville), and Lynne Frederick (Schizo) and featuring a mesmerizing musical score by electronic music pioneer Brian Gascoigne, Vinegar Syndrome presents PHASE IV on 4K UHD, newly restored from its 35mm original camera negative and at last containing its legendary and never-before-on-video Preview Version, featuring exclusive, extended, and alternate sequences which have remained unseen since 1974!

In the book "Future Tense" by John Brosnan, an alternate ending to the film was described: "Bass originally filmed a spectacular, surreal montage lasting four minutes, showing what life would be like in the 'new' Earth, but this was cut by the distributor." A preview version with this ending intact was shown to some audiences in 1973-4; clips of it showed up in film's the theatrical trailer, and in Saul Bass' title sequence to Martin Scorcese's Cape Fear (1991). The alternate ending and preview version did not resurface until 2012. The 35mm original footage of the ending was scanned and color corrected (it had faded to magenta) by the Academy Film Archive. Beginning in 2013, repertory showings of the film (for instance at Cinefamily and Anthology Film Archives) have shown a DCP of this alternate ending after the main feature. Because Paramount would not license the footage, the 2015 Blu-Ray release by Olive Films doesn't include this alternate ending (or the theatrical trailer). It hasn't been until 2020 that the alternate ending has been made available officially outside theatrical revival showings.

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