The Fog

While not John Carepenter's best movie, "The Fog" is an atmospheric ghost story that delivers a few good chills. We can't expect our beloved horror movies from the 70's and 80's to hold up forever, and "The Fog" has become a little dated over time. "The Fog" is very scenic and has a great ensemble cast including Adrienne Barbeau, Jamie Lee Curtis, Janet Leigh (Jamie's real life mother), and a small cameo by John Houseman… just to name a few. I particularly liked the premise of Jamie Lee Curtis's character Elizabeth Solley, a solo hitchhiker on her way to Vancouver who gets picked up by local resident Nick Castle (Tom Atkins), sleeps with him the first night they meet, and then never leaves his side through the rest of the movie as the terror of "The Fog" unfolds. Boy, you just HAVE to love the 80's!!! The small coastal town of Antonio Bay is celebrating it's 100 year anniversary. However, also 100 years ago a ship sailed along its shores and a curse was born. Unbeknownst to the new residents, the sailors of that vessel have come back, walking through the nightly glowing fog to kill and avenge the loss of the treasure that was stolen from them. I won't say more as not to give the movie away. For nostalgic purposes, this film is definitely worth a viewing. If it's been a very long time since you've watched "The Fog" and you don't remember it all too well (as was the case with me) it's worth a second look indeed. "The Fog" is not bloodbath/slasher horror, but it does make for a good spooky late night film. With the current remake currently in production and to be released by 10-05, what better time to revisit the original!! Recommend!

source: The Fog

Trailer—The Fog

The Fog

Once upon a time, a ship was lost at sea. The fog was obscuring the visibility. Then, the crew saw a light; they assumed that it was a town. They sailed in that direction...and were killed when the ship crashed into the rocks. The legend says that when the fog returns, the ship will also return and look for the light that led it to its doom. Since the movie happens on the hundredth anniversary of the shipwreck, it naturally means that the fog does return, and...well, you can probably figure out what happens. It's predictable, but fun nevertheless, as John Carpenter's movies often are. And Janet Leigh and Jamie Lee Curtis are pretty interesting on screen together (they later co-starred in "Halloween: H20"). Improbable, but neat.

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!!!

I expected more from The Fog. It wasn't as much "scary" as it was "kind of boring." There were some creepy moments and the special effects were good, but, for the most part, it's mostly sitting around and waiting for something to happen.

John Carpenter does a fairly good job in directing the material here, with some effective horror moments, even if they are too few, and an interesting visual and audio style. Otherwise, this is not good stuff. Fog as a horror monster is not really scary, the characters and events are run-of-the-mill, and the dialogue is lame, bridging on bad, with Adrienne Barbeau going through some very poorly written monologues. The special effects are okay, but hardly brilliant, and both the acting and writing in general is below par. Carpenter shows some skill in the film, but only as a director and not as a screenwriter. Overall this is still as forgettable as the average horror film out there, despite a few neat bits thanks to Carpenter being in the director's chair

"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.

John Houseman sits around a campfire telling children about the story of a ship that went down near their home Antonio Bay and how the drowned sailors will reappear 100 years to that very night in the fog. It is a wonderful beginning to a very chilling film, directed by the modern horror meister John Carpenter. As with most of his films, Carpenter creates a scary atmosphere through moody settings(the California coastline, a lighthouse, an old Church), relentless mood music as in Halloween, good character acting(Holbrook, Houseman, Curtis, Leigh), and a claustrophobic feeling of something vice-like gripping you. The story has some plot problems, but none enough to detract from the overall enjoyment of the film. Adrienne Barbeau is as lovely as ever in the lead, and the film is credible amidst the background of supernatural actions.