Expert: 7devonapes - 8/24/2007

Question
Hi, I have ben trying to remember the name of a film I saw in my early
teens aroung the mid 1980's. All I can remember was that a girl was trapped in a house with if i
remember correctly a monkey!! There was a mad woman who was trying to kill her,
who also had a son in the house that could not look in any mirrors, so she kept
them covered up. I also remember there being a cop that tried to rescue her, but
got caught and tried to pull his handcuffs off and ended up taking the skin off
his hand! I think in the end her father turned up but got his head sliced off
with a big piece of metal by the mad woman! I thought it was called Monkey
something but cant find anything about it. Hope you can help.


Answer
Hi Emily,

The movie you are looking for is called "Phenomena" aka "Creepers" which was released in 1985 and starred Jennifer Connelly. The film was also directed by Dario Argento. A plot summary from imdb.com follows:

"In Switzerland, the teenager Jennifer Corvino (Jennifer Connelly), daughter of a famous actor, arrives in an expensive board school and shares her room with the French schoolmate Sophie (Federica Mastroianni). Jennifer is a sleepwalker, is capable of telepathically communicate with insects and has adaptation problem in the new school. While sleepwalking, she meets and becomes friend of a Scottish entomologist, Prof. John McGregor (Donald Pleasence), and his chimpanzee Tonga. Jennifer decides to help the investigation of Dr. McGregor about a serial killer that is killing young girls in that area. When her friend Sophie disappears and Dr. McGregor is killed, the scared Jennifer decides to call her lawyer and return to Los Angeles. She is invited to stay in the house of Frau Brückner (Daria Nicolodi) waiting for her flight, but the serial killer is already chasing her."

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0087909/

Here is the film's trailer:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Mk6EjlATp4

DVD copies are available from Amazon.com, Video Universe, and eBay.

Best of luck,
Ryan