The Fog (1980)
October 24, 2021 6:38 PM - Subscribe
Strange things begin to occurs as a tiny California coastal town prepares to commemorate its centenary. Inanimate objects spring eerily to life; Rev. Malone stumbles upon a dark secret about the town's founding; radio announcer Stevie witnesses a mystical fire; and hitchhiker Elizabeth discovers the mutilated corpse of a fisherman. Then a mysterious iridescent fog descends upon the village, and more people start to die.
Written and directed by John Carpenter. Currently streaming in the US on Amazon Prime.
Written and directed by John Carpenter. Currently streaming in the US on Amazon Prime.
Being careful not to give any major spoilers away, it's interesting how the movie has two storylines running concurrently without ever joining. Not even the grand finale has all the actors finally meeting. Their character resolutions are completely disconnected all the way to the credits rolling.
It doesn't matter, though, as the film is shockingly mediocre considering both the director and the cool concept, but it manages to be just creepy enough for kids without any extreme violence, or gore, or nudity to concern parents. Nor, as I remember, does it have anything that would offend modern sensibilities, so there's that.
posted by Beholder at 4:36 AM on October 25, 2021 [1 favorite]
It doesn't matter, though, as the film is shockingly mediocre considering both the director and the cool concept, but it manages to be just creepy enough for kids without any extreme violence, or gore, or nudity to concern parents. Nor, as I remember, does it have anything that would offend modern sensibilities, so there's that.
posted by Beholder at 4:36 AM on October 25, 2021 [1 favorite]
Being careful not to give any major spoilers away
You do not have to do that. A FF thread is like a book club. You are expected to talk about the plot points of the thing here.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 5:07 AM on October 25, 2021 [3 favorites]
You do not have to do that. A FF thread is like a book club. You are expected to talk about the plot points of the thing here.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 5:07 AM on October 25, 2021 [3 favorites]
I think my favourite thing about this movie is the beginning where sure, let's have all the town kids hang out with the weird seafarer storyteller around the midnight hour.
Ah, childhood was different then.
posted by Kitteh at 5:44 AM on October 25, 2021 [3 favorites]
Ah, childhood was different then.
posted by Kitteh at 5:44 AM on October 25, 2021 [3 favorites]
Watching this and Halloween III more or less back-to-back, it was interesting seeing how much energy the Carpenter camp put into trying to make Tom Atkins a leading man. Interesting character actor, but an odd choice for that, really.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 7:35 AM on October 25, 2021
posted by DirtyOldTown at 7:35 AM on October 25, 2021
Saw a pristine 35 mm print of this movie a few years back andâbetween the breathtaking beauty of the Northern California coastal locations and Dean Cundeyâs brilliantly moody cinematographyâitâs got to be one of the most gorgeous horror films ever put on celluloid.
Not at all scary, however.
posted by Atom Eyes at 11:37 PM on October 26, 2021 [1 favorite]
Not at all scary, however.
posted by Atom Eyes at 11:37 PM on October 26, 2021 [1 favorite]
A radio station in a lighthouse... đ
I absolutely adore The Fogâs setting. Itâs another one of those horror movies that I wish had a slow TV version that just kind of hung around the town and didnât mention any curses.
posted by Going To Maine at 8:08 AM on October 28, 2021 [2 favorites]
I absolutely adore The Fogâs setting. Itâs another one of those horror movies that I wish had a slow TV version that just kind of hung around the town and didnât mention any curses.
posted by Going To Maine at 8:08 AM on October 28, 2021 [2 favorites]
the cool concept
As a counterpoint, I would argue that a killer fog is pretty uncool, fairly stupid concept. I also quite enjoy The Fog and its various silly plot bits, but I think itâs to Carpenterâs credit that the idea works at all. Fog is spooky, things coming out of the fog is spooky, but âOh no! The fog is getting in!â Is kind of inherently silly.
posted by Going To Maine at 8:14 AM on October 28, 2021 [1 favorite]
As a counterpoint, I would argue that a killer fog is pretty uncool, fairly stupid concept. I also quite enjoy The Fog and its various silly plot bits, but I think itâs to Carpenterâs credit that the idea works at all. Fog is spooky, things coming out of the fog is spooky, but âOh no! The fog is getting in!â Is kind of inherently silly.
posted by Going To Maine at 8:14 AM on October 28, 2021 [1 favorite]
This movie felt pretty bad. It didn't really come together very well. Felt reallllly undercooked.
Also weird how the fog creeps up and the monsters inside, like... do giallo/slasher kills.
A radio station in a lighthouse... đ
When I saw this shot I just started laughing.
posted by fleacircus at 5:14 PM on October 28, 2021
Also weird how the fog creeps up and the monsters inside, like... do giallo/slasher kills.
A radio station in a lighthouse... đ
When I saw this shot I just started laughing.
posted by fleacircus at 5:14 PM on October 28, 2021
I have never seen this movie (just caught this post scrolling through the Movies entries on FanFare looking for other recent things)âand based on some of the comments here perhaps I never willâbut it has one of my favorite film soundtracks.
posted by DevilsAdvocate at 11:52 AM on December 6, 2021
posted by DevilsAdvocate at 11:52 AM on December 6, 2021
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posted by Monochrome at 8:43 PM on October 24, 2021 [7 favorites]