Hello, Gang! Here is another older review from my bud, Brian Volke. It has been re-edited and I have added New Images! Hope you all enjoy it and thanks for checking in on my re-vamped reviews during my hiatus! Thanks for checking into Vic’s Movie Den.
– Vic
What’s it About?
A Northern California fishing town, built 100 years ago over an ancient leper colony, becomes shrouded by a killer fog containing zombie-like ghosts seeking revenge for their deaths.
All of John Carpenter’s best films take simple ideas and he expand upon them by the use of creative and atmospheric worlds and scenarios. “Halloween”took a normal neighborhood and made it terrifying, “The Thing” created a sense of gloom within the snow and cold of Antarctica, and “The Fog” uses darkness and shadows to create one of my favorite ghost stories ever put to screen. His movies are also more dependent on the setting, suspenseful dynamics and locations than most filmmakers use to create immersive mood.
The opening of the film really sets the stage with the legendary John Houseman telling a scary story around a campfire and then dropping us right into the island where we’ll spend the next 90 minutes. “The Fog” is a classic sleepover ghost story similar to the one we’ve all hear a million times about the murderer coming back for revenge and scratching the car with his hook(ironically, the ghosts have hooks here too).
The script is really simplistic and silly. Supposedly, pirates were screwed over by the Church and now they’re back to re-claim their treasure. Now, before you start to get flashbacks of a Scooby-Doo episode, understand that this is a John Carpenter film and he is a master at creating suspense, mood and dread. Along with a healthy dose of fear and mysticism.
Director of Photography Dean Cundey (Jurassic Park, The Thing, Back to the Future, Escape from New York)was at the top of his game here too. The small, and almost Lovecraftian, coastal village of Antonio Bay is an absolutely perfect setting and his camera work, lighting and compositions are nothing short of stunning. He makes low budget films look a lot more expensive by his use of excellent framing as well as his use of darkness and shadows.
The performances are nothing to really write home about. But they are very adequate for this material. Jamie Lee Curtis is a bit bland at times, Tom Atkins is sometimes blah but nicely stoic enough. The wholesome Adrienne Barbeau (Swamp Thing, Escape from New York, Maude)is nice to look at but offers little else but being a stereotypical scrappy and lonely Mom who takes up the mantle of protecting Antonio Bay as a kind of monster watcher who issues warnings. So, why am I rating this an 8 with a simplistic story, somewhat bland acting, and a silly mystery? Because “The Fog”is all about atmosphere and suspense. And in that line of thinking, it delivers in spades.
John Carpenter in the Studio cutting together “Escape from L.A.”
Hi gang! Here is another movie composer “Top 5” from yours truly. The great John Carpenter. I hope you see one or two of your favorites. Enjoy!
Vic’s Top 5:Favorite John CarpenterMovie Scores:
No. 5 – “Christine”
Ethereal and other-worldly Carpenter’s score for his Haunted car movie is very well done. It manages to both frighten and disorient us with electronic eerie-ness. Tracks like “Moochie’sDeath“, “Obsessed with the Car” and “Football Run” stand out as strong tracks from the ghostly canvas that Carpenter paints with his story, actors and images.
No. 4 – “Halloween – Season of the Witch”
(with Alan Howarth)
Creepily atmospheric and piercing, this under rated and widely dismissed score has a huge cult following. That’s no surprise with great tracks like “Drive to Santa Mira” and “Chariot of the Pumpkins” creeping us out. A strong effort by Carpenter and collaborator Alan Howarth. Always in rotation on my iPod.
No. 3 – “Escape from New York”
(with Alan Howarth)
EFNYis an insanely popular score among Carpenter fans (and even his detractors) and it accompanies an even more hugely popular film that stars Kurt Russell as Snake Plissken in this sci fi thriller from 1981. Very experimental and completely solid, the score is an electronic music fan’s wet dream. Crisp, fast and futuristic sounding, the score satisfies with just about every track. And not one track sounds like the other. “The President is Gone” and “The Duke Arrives” are strong standouts. Highly recommended.
No. 2 – “Halloween”
Well, this is a no brainer. No explanation really needed. Iconic. Daring. Scary. Powerful and ever so popular this is a score that every horror movie composer should strive to provide. It set the bar so high that still to this day it is widely recognizable and even used as a ringtone during the month of October all over the world.
No. 1 – “The Fog”
(with Dan Wyman)
Hauntingly hypnotic and eerie, The Fogis my favorite score by John Carpenter. He creates mood, suspense and a sense of dread that lasts way after the film ends. The music is almost like a ticking time bomb. We get soft piano at the start and then it just gets more menacing by the minute. It contains some of my favorite music composed by him and I frequently re-visit it on my iPod.
The score somehow makes the mysterious fog come alive and Carpenter’s ethereal piano compositions throughout are just insanely suspenseful. He uses the music in this film to chip away at our perceptions, fears and sense of safety. It works like no other score by him, ever. If you track it down on CD, I recommend the Expanded Edition from 2000. Enjoy!
While an old, weather-beaten fisherman tells a ghost story to fascinated children huddled by a campfire, a piece of driftwood in a child’s hands begins to glow, and an eerie fog envelops the seaside community of Antonio Bay. From its midst emerges demonic victims of a century-old shipwreck seeking revenge on the small town. Director John Carpenter’s follow-up to his breakout film, Halloween, stars Jamie Lee Curtis and Janet Leigh.
All of John Carpenter’s best films take simple ideas and expand them by the use of creative and atmospheric worlds. Halloween took a normal neighborhood and made it terrifying, The Thing created a sense of gloom within the snow and cold of Antarctica, and the Fog uses darkness and shadows to create one of my favorite ghost stories ever put to screen. His movies are more dependent on the setting and location than most filmmakers to create the mood.
The opening of the film really sets the stage with the legendary John Houseman telling a scary story around a campfire and then dropping us right into the island where we’ll spend the next 90 minutes. The Fog is a classic sleepover ghost story similar to the one we’ve all hear a million times about the murderer coming back for revenge and scratching the car with his hook(ironically, the ghosts have hooks here too).
The script is really simplistic and silly. Supposedly, pirates were screwed over by the Church and now they’re back to re-claim their treasure. Now, before you start to get flashbacks of a Scooby-Doo episode, understand that this is a John Carpenter film and he is a master at creating suspense. Director of Photography Dean Cundey was at the top of his game here too. The island is an absolutely perfect setting and his camera work is nothing short of stunning. He makes low budget films look a lot more expensive by his use of excellent framing as well as his use of darkness and shadows.
The performances are nothing to really write home about. Jamie Lee Curtis is really bland, Tom Atkins is blah, and Adrienne Barbeau is nice to look at but offers little else. So, why am I rating this an 8 with a simplistic story, bland acting, and a silly mystery? Because the Fog is all about atmosphere and suspense. And in that line of thinking, it delivers in spades.
