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When the fog rolls in... the terror begins!
Following on from the region 1 release of Christine last month, which gave a good speical edition treatment to a film of critically dubious quality (yes, I liked it, I know!), Momentum Pictures UK, have given a first class special edition treatment to Carpenter's superb 1979 horror flick, The Fog. Following on from the success of Halloween, Carpenter delivered this brilliantly crafted, Lovecraftian thriller-cum-horror. Carpenter allows every frame to count, building up tensions, and emotion over the course of an hour and a half. The Fog is Carpenter at his very best, weaving a tale of supense on the inhabitants of the sleepy little American bay village, held prisoner by a strange fog, and its ghostly inhabitants. A silhouetted crowd of pirates whose gold was stolen by the founders of the village, and whom must now, on its 100th birthday, atone for the crimes of the past. From the opening narrative, the story of the fog, as told by a crusty sailor to a group of mesmerised kids, the old fashioned tale of pirates and avengeance, is intertwined with some essential blood-letting. Carpenter himself explains that on first playing, the film fell flat, and he had to reshoot around a third, and add the bookending scenes, and attacks. The Fog itself is no longer the threat, but the secrets it conceals. The changes make the film, and provide one of Carpenter's very best films. The lighthouse serves as a watchtower for the village, the local radio station is based here, and through it we have a running commentary of the fog's movements. Production values are superb, direction is spot-on, and the cast are convincing. Carpenter's beau, Adrienne Barbeau gets to lead the action, whilst the support includes Jamie-Lee Curtis in a cameo, and her mother Janet Leigh (who died just a couple of days after I saw this disc first), the former star of Psycho, plays a nifty support as the self-serving mayor. The script too is peppered with rich dialogue and on the back of this and Halloween, Carpenter proves himself the Don of horror. This is essential viewing for any horror addict. Whether its Halloween, Christmas, or just a Friday night... transfer extras Audio Commentary: Anyone who has had the privilage, will agree, Carpenter's commentaries are amongst the best around on shiny disc. This is no exception, his conversational style with producer Deborah Hill, is never patronising, and always informative. Documentary "Tales From the Mist: Inside the Fog": A behind-the-scenes making of, about half an hour long. Full of behind-the-scenes info, and interviews with most of the cast and crew. A complete appraisal from conception to delivery. Original 1980 Documentary "Fear on Film : Inside the Fog": A ten minute tv documentary from 1980, including Carpenter, Hill, and Curtis, discussing the making of the film, and insight into the production. Storyboard to Film Comparison: An enjoyable piece, running through crucial climax scenes, in a direct storyboard comparison, to the actual footage. For what its worth, I like to see how the conception of the visuals comes around. Outtakes: Coupled with a hidden special features reel. Mostly behind the scenes trims, including footage of the crew at work, laying out the fog, fluffed lines etc. Photo Gallery: Substantail photo gallery. Many many pictures. Trailer RJES |
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DISC: Feature length: 86
mins SPECIAL FEATURES: see left for full details |
Kult UK 18 October 2004
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