द फ़ॉग

The small coastal town of Antonio Bay is celebrating its 100th year since being founded. However the residents are not aware of the tragic history of their small town and think nothing of the wider significance of the date as they prepare for a big party; they don't even put together all the strange things that start happening on the day itself. However when a small boat is lost in a dense fog that contains a mysterious ship some residents begin to suspect something more sinister than meteorology is at work.

With a remake in the cinemas and the fact that I had just returned from the coast of northern California I thought I'd revisit The Fog having not seen it for almost 15 years. Trading on the very hallmarks that made John Carpenter famous (before he couldn't buy a hit movie) The Fog is an effective chiller even if it won't scare those accustomed to more gory, modern fare. Quite short and to the point, the film makes good use of the fog to draw tension out of every scene and overcomes the potential silliness of a smoke machine working overtime behind the scenes. Instead the tension is consistent and produces a good few jumps and build ups along the way; the ghosts are kept well hidden so that the limited effects don't undermine them by totally exposing them. Carpenter uses his usual minimalist electronic score to good effect, playing it low and constant like a heartbeat.

The famous cast help the convincing atmosphere and do more than just run and scream. Barbeau leads the cast well from the solitude of her lighthouse and she helps keep the tension up with her delivery. Curtis and Leigh both have smaller roles but they add class to the film and they "do" scared well. Atkins makes for a good male lead and he gets solid help from Holbrook and a few others in supporting roles. The zombie creatures move slowly but are a good presence.

Overall this is a solid chiller from the days when Carpenter seemed to know what he was doing. The low budget effects are covered up by solid delivery and a consistently tense atmosphere which is supported by convincing performances and Carpenter's usual low, steady consistent score.

THE FOG

Aspect ratio: 2.39:1 (Panavision)

Sound format: Mono

While celebrating its centenary birthday, a small Californian coastal town is visited by a ghostly fog containing an army of murderous spirits who take revenge for a terrible injustice.

Released on a wave of expectation following the worldwide success of John Carpenter's HALLOWEEN (1978), THE FOG surprised everyone by generating only moderate returns at the US box-office, though it's arguably the better of the two films. Beautifully photographed by Carpenter stalwart Dean Cundey (BACK TO THE FUTURE, JURASSIC PARK, etc.), this unassuming 'ghost story' opens on a lonely clifftop at midnight, where crusty old sea dog John Houseman tells an audience of wide-eyed children how their home town was built on the foundations of tragedy. As with HALLOWEEN, the pace is slow but steady, punctuated by a series of well-judged scares, and there's a relentless accumulation of details which belies the script's modest ambitions.

Jamie Lee Curtis headlines the movie opposite her real life mother Janet Leigh, though Hal Holbrook takes the acting honors as a frightened priest who realizes the town was founded on deception and murder. As the fog rolls in, the narrative reaches an apocalyptic crescendo, as the film's principal cast are besieged by zombie-like phantoms inside an antiquated church, in scenes reminiscent of NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD (1968). Scary stuff, to be sure, though Carpenter was forced to add new material during post-production in an effort to 'beef up' the movie's horror quotient, including a memorable late-night encounter between a fishing boat and the occupants of a ghostly schooner which looms out of the swirling fog (similar scenes would be added to HALLOWEEN II in 1981 for the same reasons, though under less agreeable circumstances). Production values are solid, and Carpenter cranks up the tension throughout, resulting in a small masterpiece of American Gothic. Highly recommended.

The Fog is an instant horror classic from the first scene- a salty, old sailor tells a group of young children the true story of a ghostly, wrecked ship. The scene was so simple yet so thrilling that the viewer is hooked (no pun intended) for the rest of the film. The cast is great and the music sets the tone just as it did for Halloween. The best part of the film is that it made no attempt to explain everything away in a hokey horror sense (Why are the bodies returning to life?). Things happen simply because they happen. Much like Night of the Living Dead, the characters are not concerned with why they are in danger, but more concerned with getting out of danger. On a side note, John Carpenter has the best endings of any filmmaker on the market. Just as Halloween and The Thing both ended with a sense of foreboding and silent terror, The Fog ends with style and allows the viewer one final scare. A definite hit!!!

A mysterious fog roles into Antonio Bay.

The Fog is a guilty pleasure film of mine as I love how well the filmmakers develop the tension and tell a story with great cinematography, sound, and use of locations.

The plot is simple and full of dark cynicism about accepted histories, but it mostly just sets up creepy and suspenseful horror moments. Some aspects feel contrived, but it does not impact the entertainment if you do not take certain details too seriously.

I like how it creates a plausible small town community tied together by the soothing voice of the radio DJ character. I think this develops a sense of quaintness and enhances the vulnerability of the characters during the horror sequences.

Dean Cundey's cinematography is one of the highlights as there are some beautifully composed shots, and virtually every one feels spooky regardless of the content. When combined with the editing and sound, it works superbly. I usually cannot take my eyes off the screen when watching the opening scenes around the Antonio Bay as they give fairly mundane imagery of people and places a sense of impending dread.

As for the effects, you can see John Carpenter made the best use of a limited budget. You have to suspend the disbelief that a smoke machine is meant to be the fog and accept that several ghostly murderous figures are obscured by darkness for a good reason.

All actors are on good form, particularly Adrienne Barbeau and Janet Leigh. Jamie Lee Curtis and Tom Atkins have a good natural chemistry and their banter feels real. Hal Holbrook puts his heart into a key role and despite the silliness of certain aspects of the plot he pulls it off well.

"The Fog" has the special place in my heart-it is one of the first horror movies I have ever seen.Everyone knows the plot,so let's concentrate on the other things.First of all the photography by Dean Cundey is absolutely brilliant(Cundey worked together with Carpenter on "Halloween" and "The Thing")."The Fog" certainly delivers some scares-the ghostly sea crew appears as shadows and aren't seen much.Jamie Lee Curtis is perfect as one of the leads and it's nice to see her famous mother,Janet Leigh in the film!All in all if you haven't seen this one check it out as soon as possible.A must-see for horror fans.9 out of 10.