In the Mouth of Madness
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Movie Reviews of In the Mouth of Madness
Movie Review: Do you read Sutter Cane?
Summary: 5 Stars
This is arguably Carpenter's best horror movie. Not as fierce as The Thing or as grisly as Prince of Darkness but scary enough to give you nightmares. As both those movies are must-sees so is In the Mouth of Madness.
Story revolves around detective Trent (Neill) relating events that have landed him in an insane asylum to metaphoric gatekeeper Warner. It seems the nut Neill was hired to crack has made him nuts. It's a question of reality. The atmosphere, a Carpenter trademark, for this unreality is set early-on in the office of Heston when Neill, showing much skepticism, accepts the assignment of finding the missing Sutter Cane. Cane is a writer of horror whose influence far exceeds Stephen King's and even seems to strangely askew his readers.
Casting for Carpenter movies is always superb but even by his standards this is perfection. I'm surprised there hasn't been another collaboration between Neill and Carpenter but then again I don't think a script like this one has come across his desk, since.
Many stylish devices used are reminiscent of some other previous English films. Nothing wrong with that but it would be wrong for me to detail them before you see the movie. I'm sensitive to spoilers and don't partake in them myself. I waited three years for a new Cronenberg movie and avoided the trailers in the theater only to have someone ruin the first fifteen minutes of History of Violence just an hour before I saw it because he had to tell me what the trailer reminded him of even after I begged him not to do so.
And hey, check out the price on this puppy. It's under $8.00 at the time of this writing.
As always, I strongly recommend Carpenter's other great works; The Thing, Prince of Darkness, They Live, Assault on Precinct 13, Dark Star, Big Trouble in Little China but above all Starman.
He sees you.
Movie Review: Who is Sutter Cane?
Summary: 5 Stars
A prophet? A devil? An oracle? A preacher? Whoever he is, he outsells every other author with his Lovecraftian style horror books, and now he's turned up missing. John Trent (Sam Neill) begins the film in an insane asylum, telling Dr. Wrenn (David Warner) a fantastical tale.
John, an insurance investigator, was hired to find the missing Sutter Cane (talented Jurgen Prochnow). Tagging along with him is the publisher's assistant Linda Styles (Julie Carmen). Together, after John pieces together a map made from Cane's book covers, they set out to find the fictional New Hampshire town called Hobb's End, featured in Cane's book and supposedly his current hideout.
Those allegedly firm lines between reality and insanity begin to slip-slide away when John finds Hobb's End. Styles had warned him that Cane's work had been known to have effects on his less stable readers, resulting in disorientation, memory loss, and severe paranoid delisions. John believes this, having been attacked by a man with an axe, asking him if he read Sutter Cane.
But, now that he's found Hobb's End, will John be able to leave? After meeting Sutter Cane, can John handle the tales told to him? Is John factual or fiction? And what lies in wait for him in the black church?
Believers, fanatics, followers, all flock toward Sutter Cane's work, which boils down to one question - is it fiction or reality?
Look for a great performance by John Glover as Saperstein, plus cameos from Charlton Heston as Jackson Harglow and Bernie Casey as Robby. The acting is good and the atmosphere creepy, but the editing is a bit choppy in places. However, those who love great 'B' horror won't be disappointed in this little lovecraftian-type terror fest. One of John Carpenter's best films outside of 'The Thing'. Enjoy!
Movie Review: Carpenter Takes On Lovecraft-And By Golly, It Actually Works
Summary: 5 Stars
This is one of the best horror films of the 90s. I ain't lying. Let the pimple faced critics say what they want, but this movie is very, very good. Especially when you see the horror films it's up against anymore. I saw this in the theater and I've never seen so many people jump. Of course you can put that down to the fact that this was when theaters first started using digital sound. I'd say this film is the most faithful screen depiction of Lovecraft, and it's not even based on any particular story of his. It's more of a Lovecraft tribute, but I'll take it over any of those rotten films that bear the Lovecraft name in the title. And there's no lame CGI. There are many slimy, Lovecraftian monsters, but they're only seen in quick flashes, which helps the film more than anything, considering the fact that Lovecraft's writing usually relied on the same technique to make the creatures scary-just in a literary way. Whether this film achieves creepiness, lameness or just confusion is up to the viewer, but nobody can tell me that the kid on the bike deal doesn't raise your hairs just a bit. I've never really though much about Sam Neill, good or bad, but I really think he carried this movie well. Carpenter once again chose the actor he felt was right for the part instead of just casting Vin Diesel or Ben Affleck right off the bat in order to guarantee ticket sales. It is too bad that this movie wasn't really a hit at the box office considering most of the people who see this movie usually tend to enjoy it. You really should make an effort to see In The Mouth Of Madness whether you buy it, borrow it or rent it.Movie Review: It's The End Of The World As We Know It...
Summary: 5 Stars
I spent much of my youth reading the works of H.P. Lovecraft. His delightfully overblown style and ability to bring darkness into (brief) focus kept me turning those pages. The stories always seemed to come down to: A) Man discovers horrible truth about elder gods / old ones. B) His mind is torched by the experience. C) The world is doomed. The End. Simple and right to the point. Most film versions of Lovecraft nightmares have been less than frightening, even dull. Well, John Carpenter has put together a successful homage to H.P. with IN THE MOUTH OF MADNESS. insurance-fraud investigator, John Trent (Sam Neill from Omen 3: The Final Conflict, Jurassic Park, and Dead Calm) is the normal, rational man caught within the horrific, ever-tightening noose of building insanity. He finds his sanity of little use when confronted by things that defy description. While not based on any true Lovecraft tale, ITMOM is definitely Carpenter's tribute to the master of slithery, utterly evil universe destroyers! We are treated to glimpses and hints of terrors so immense that seeing them in their entirety would surely splatter our brains! Reality bends in on itself, until we, like Trent, can no longer tell fact from fiction. From the axe-wielding, mutated maniacs, to the black church of unspeakable blasphemies, Hobbs End is a town located only in the shadowy, uneasy realms of accursed slumber (how's that for overblown!). If you are a Lovecraft lover, you will be pleasantly chilled...Movie Review: "... experience any good movies lately?"
Summary: 5 Stars
WARNING! contains possible spoiler...
In the beginning, God exposed the darkness to the light, there for... locking all the terrible thing's which hid within the dark once, into a void... allowing the beauty of nature to grow & shine.
Well... here we are, in all of Gods glory! So what?! Well, what if it were time for what once was, to be set free & inherit back what was their's?, reverse the light... back to darkness!
Written by 'Michael De Luca' (also The Lawnmower Man, Freddy's Dead) & directed by master 'John Carpenter' (The Thing, Christine, Halloween), "In the Mouth of Madness" has an atmosphere eerie & somber, yet completely enticing. When it's all over, i feel as though i've awoken from a lucid dream, wondering if the ancient tale's we know & even fanatically believe, are a possible reoccurrence or just what they seem to be... tale's.
This is 'Carpenter's' best film to date (don't hate me, it's just my opinion!). He Knows how to create an eerie vibe in a horror tale, with chilling affect & the visceral cinematic beauty he captures through out, pulls me further into the story every time!
A unique masterpiece!!!
This "New Line Home Video" edition is short on the extra's, but, still a worthy buy. Featuring a trailer, a commentary track (which is boring but informative on technical details) & also, both widescreen & pan/scan version's of the film.