Stay Away From The Fog

For this week’s old horror movie, I decided to watch something directed by John Carpenter. For those of you who don’t know, Carpenter directed the original Halloween, which jumpstarted Jamie Lee Curtis’ career, and earned her a place in cinematic history as one of the first “scream queens.” Carpenter is also responsible for such films as The Thing and Escape From New York. However, the Carpenter movie I chose to watch isn’t any of those. Instead, I went with 1980’s The Fog. 

The Fog starts out with an ominous Edgar Allen Poe quote to set the tone for the movie before it transitions to an old man telling several children ghost stories while they are all sitting around a campfire in the middle of the night. The old man is telling stories of the town’s origins. Spivey Point is an old fishing town, and the next day just happens to be its 100 year anniversary. From midnight to one a mysterious fog rolls in. Car alarms go off, dogs bark, and there is just chaos everywhere. In the middle of commotion, some parts of the town church’s stone walls shake loose, revealing an old journal from one of the town’s founders. The journal states how the town was really founded, and who was killed along the way. The next night the fog rolls in again, making the events of the night before look like child’s play. The residents of Spivey Point should watch out, there may be something sinister in the fog- looking for revenge on the town's anniversary. 

photo courtesy of imdb.com

Jamie Lee Curtis does not headline the cast in The Fog, but she does have one of the larger roles. Curtis, in her second Carpenter role, stars as Elizabeth, a hitchhiker trying to find herself. Unfortunately, she finds herself in Spivey Point at the wrong time. Curtis did a good enough job as Elizabeth. The hitchhiker almost had an air of innocence about her, and a toughness at the same time. Curtis was joined by Carpenter’s then wife Adrienne Barbeau as Spivey Point radio station owner and on-air talent Stevie Wayne, and Tom Atkins as Nick Castle, the man who decides to give Elizabeth a lift. The three of them round out the films stars. The acting was a positive for the movie. 

The Fog was an okay movie, but that’s the best I can say about it. It was not up to Carpenter's normal caliber. However, its not a total waste of time. There are some jump-worthy moments. I think for me it was the plot. The plot’s backstory was thought out enough, but the idea of creepy ghost things coming out of glowing fog to kill people just doesn’t do it for me. Also, the first scene kills me. Its midnight, and all of those kids’ (who all look 10 and younger) parents are okay with them being on a beach that late with only a creepy old man? Sorry, but my mom would have never gone for that. Maybe it's just something that has changed over time.  The execution was not the best either. The movie moved along kind of slow for me.

In the end, unless you’re a dedicated Carpenter fan, I would not recommend renting this one. However, it is on Netflix, so if your curiosity gets the best of you then go for it.