A fog bank is slow and plodding. That's a good enough excuse for me to take this long to finally review this.
This is The Fog, Carpenter's 1980 Film that is both well-regarded and also overlooked. It says something about his Filmography that he can make a Film and have it viewed that way.
You just made too many good Films!
The Plot, if you don't know, involves a fog (obviously), stolen treasure, random townsfolks and dark figures.
Notably, this Film features Jamie Lee Curtis- coming off of Carpenter's most famous Film-, Adrianne Barbeau- his then Wife- and Janet Leigh- Curtis' Mother.
It also features Tom Atkins and Hal Holbrook- not to bury the lead.
Is it a true classic? Let's find out...
In a Cold Open (quite literally- it is a night on the Beach), a man tells a Ghost Story to some Children.
This was added after Production originally wrapped to get the Film up to proper length.
That said, it is a great addition!
This California Town is celebrating its Anniversary.
Adrianne Barbeau is on the Radio.
All is right in the World.
Tom Atkins plays the role that Tom Welling did in the Remake.
His dynamic with Curtis is much different than in that Film as well.
That said, he's Tom Atkins and she's Jamie Lee Curtis.
After they are done establishing all of the characters, the Fog finally rolls in.
Poor random people on the Boat- including George 'Buck' Flowers (who dies in all of these things)- are killed in place of 2005's Party People.
I will also say this- the Fog looks better here.
In both Films, our Heroes rush in to save the DJ's kid.
In this one, Barbeau is 100% separated from everyone in the Film.
It was a bold choice to cast Curtis and Barbeau & then give them NO SCENES together.
The Priest- Holbrook, who is way more helpful here- gets everyone inside, but the Foggy Pirates (led by Rob Bottin, based solely on his Height) break in.
He reveals that the stolen gold was turned into their Cross and returns it.
After everyone leaves, he wonders why only 5 were killed...only for the creatures to kill him as the Credits roll.
A really good Film and, surprisingly, it has better pacing than the Remake!
A cliche- which is usually true- is that '70s Films (this one was made in 1979) are slower paced.
This one actually gets to the point WAY FASTER than the Remake.
At least it feels that way.
The 2005 one isn't terrible- I recently told someone that I was 'whelmed' by it.- but it is full of slow build-up to a strange turn that I still don't get.
She was not a Ghost...but now she is?!?
This one thankfully has none of that nonsense. It is just Ghost Pirates back for revenge and their gold.
Simple. Effective.
I'll throw this in- I thought Carpenter's Cameo wasn't bad. We are always our own worst critics though.
The Film is a Classic. It does so much without showing blood- since they were trying to avoid an R-Rating- and going into some weird Plot about becoming a Ghost.
A good takeaway- keep Atkins away from phones.
***It only gets worse in 2 years time***
Next up, I'm going to dig into my pile of '00s Remakes. I'm going to let random chance decide which one comes up first!
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