I opted to skip NDTD yesterday in order to give a little more blog time to my kick-ass contributors Jerry and Erin, because their reviews were both so fun. Also, I’m lazy! Everybody wins!

I figured I hadn’t done a RDWD in some time, so let’s run with one today, okay folks?

I was talking to a friend about The Mist the other day and how I found myself so pleasantly surprised upon my first viewing. I realized, “Why the hell have I not preached this Misty gospel to that hungry congregation that is the world wide web?!” No one truly understands The Mist, no one believes me until they’ve seen it. I know, I know, most Stephen King movies aren’t particularly hard-core. Or, you know, good. Spoken by a true Stephen King fan, still I repeat: the movies? They suck.*

*this obviously does not apply to The Shining, Shawshank Redemption or Misery. All of which premiered 20-30 years ago, so move on.

Guys, The Mist will KICK YOUR ASS. This is no candy-assed Hollywood happy-ending film. It’s serious business! Based on the Stephen King novella of the same name (I just discovered this; I was so certain King had just written the screenplay and it was not based on a story of his. Shows how much I know.), The Mist is taut and gory, a real big-budget monster movie with balls. No bullshit. This movie has BALLS FOR DAYS.

Scream king Thomas Jane plays David Drayton, a commercial artist first spotted putting the finishing touches on a painting of none other than Roland of Gilead. This is quite the expeditious route to my heart. Alright, so I’m a sucker for Dark Tower shout-outs, but The Mist offers a little more than that. After a violent thunderstorm rocks a small town in Maine (you were expecting some other state?), a gnarly mist rolls into the city. And there are things…in the mist.

Drayton and his young son are stuck in the local grocery store with several other townies, and shit deteriorates with a quickness. A bloody, gruesome, disturbing, AWESOME quickness.

As in most Stephen King stories (including his newest, Under the Dome, which I’m currently wolfing), the big baddies outside are merely a frightening symbol for the characters’ own darkness within, a darkness that is exposed once danger strikes, resources dwindle and panic spreads. Marcia Gay Harden plays the intensely freaky Religious Right prophet, Andre Braugher plays Drayton’s crotchety old neighbor (although he’s no Brian Cox), Smallville’s Sam Witwer plays a guilt-ridden soldier and Toby Jones plays Stephen King’s favorite character to write, the unlikely hero, Ollie.

The Mist has some extraordinary special effects, OUTSTANDING grue, and tension that steadily escalates until you want to gnaw off your own arm just to relieve the stress. Thomas Jane plays a great everyman struggling in a treacherous situation—which is good, because that’s pretty much what he does in every genre movie ever. Fine with me, Mr. Jane! Stick your handsome mug in all of my favorite horror movies!

Better you than Angela Bettis!

All of the acting is fun and enthusiastic, if not overwhelmingly nuanced. As always with Stephen King stories, The Mist has several fully-realized characters with complex motivations and wildly disparate reactions to the looming menace, and the cast pulls it off.

Director, screenwriter and frequent SK collaborator Frank Darabont created a film that is a love letter to old Hollywood monster flicks. The Mist has some unbelievable set designs and the creature work is downright spectacular. And the ending…I am SO PROUD of this ending. Having just realized that this is based on a Stephen King novella (rather than his own screenplay), I am not surprised to discover that this is not the ending he chose for his story. I love Mr. King like a father, but he is a fan of the pattycake ending. Darabont? Did not write a pattycake ending. The ending of this film is AMAZING, a big, ballsy ”EFF YOU!” to Hollywood. 

So: The Mist! Watch it immediately! Now excuse me while I go follow my own advice, as it’s been too many months since I’ve punched my fist in the air as the credits roll and shouted to my empty living room, “I LOVE THIS MOVIE!”

Link Drop:

I knew it was too good to be true. Rachel McAdams has no Spidey plans.

The Smallville movie event has a name! Smallville: Absolute Justice. The date has also changed from January 29 to Feb 5.

Review Preview:

FINALLY watching Deadgirl tonight and reviewing it tomorrow. Whoop!

I couldn’t get enough of Stephen King’s latest examination of the human species!  I stayed up way too late, nearly was late to work, and begged out on social engagements in the name of getting through this hefty novel.  Coming in at 1074 pages, its nothing to scoff at–Uncle Stevie even makes light of that himself by having a woman who considered being an author concede that if you wrote your 1000 page masterpiece and no one liked it that that would suck.  (I’m paraphrasing here!).

So the plot basically is this, a clear but impenetrable dome comes down on a town in Maine one fine fall Saturday (Dome Day).  Cut off from outside help, resources, and order, the residents begin to self destruct.  Local dirty politician, Big Jim Rennie is right involved in the power plays as he has set himself up to run the figure-head leaders.  What seems an idyllic small town has some major issues going on just under the surface. Living under this dome, where no weather conditions are happening, but the sun is causing it to warm up, while the people there are using up all their resources causes frightened people to go to the extremes.

Think part small-town in a snowglobe, very normal people in an odd situation (I’m reminded of It, here), the human struggle turn Lord of the Flies (think The Mist, as everyone is in the grocery store) with very Ray Bradbury type cultural warnings.  King gives us his usual pop culture references which make the work all the more real, and includes warnings (or at least thought provoking commentary) on social issues such Meth, global warning, free speech, greed, and righteousness.

What’s more is he does it while never giving his Constant Reader any lag time.  From page 1 you are drawn in and the ride never slows down until the end.  How someone can take 1000+ pages and have it all be dramatic is amazing to me.  I wish I had that talent.  There are a ton of people and personalities here but they are so vivid and different (while being someone you KNOW in real life) you aren’t left searching your memory as to what this person has previously done.

One of King’s best in years.  I don’t know that I’d say the BEST ever, but its on my shortlist!

NOT ME. Hi there

Omg, the other day in the car, I said to my dad: ”Who do you think would win in a fight, ‘The Mist’ monster, or the monster in ‘The Mist’.” ROFL. People make dumb mistakes all the time xP One time, we were talking about panda bears, then about Santa. And I accidentally said ”Panta”. Hahahaha!

Ooh, let’s talk backwards. Eip stanaw ohw? Em ton. Ereht it, lol.

See ya.

Frank Darabont has the hots for Stephen King. He is a consummate Stephen King director. He’s done the most by far when it comes to adaptations, and he seems to not only understand, but actively love the material he’s using. Today’s film, The Mist, is his third King film he’s adapted, and I think he’s starting to get better with it each time he does it. As the world knows, I wasn’t a huge fan of The Shawshank Redemption (GASP!) and The Green Mile was a little sappy for my tastes. So this time, apparently, Darabont got my memo and stopped making the easy King movies. The Mist is a difficult undertaking, and it’s primarily because the limits are only the imagination of the director. Fortunately for us, Darabont has a reasonably good head on his shoulders, because The Mist is both imaginative and provocative, with enough of that King allure and deep mystery to keep you guessing and afraid until the very end.

It all happens in Maine (Again; GASP!). A father named David Drayton and his son have to go to the local grocery store to pick up some things after a big storm. It’s a bit dangerous because of a thick fog moving in, but they make it there just fine. In the grocery store there are a few of the local residents, as well as a few soldiers. David doesn’t think anything of it really, and continues on with his day, until some police show up outside in the thick fog. There is an obvious violent confrontation between them and something they cannot see, and as quickly as it begins, the scuffle ends eerily and silently. Everyone in the store is confused momentarily, until a frightened townsperson comes barreling through the parking lot begging to be let in. They lock the door behind him, and he tells them that something’s out there, and it tried to attack him. People begin to form their own opinions about what happened, and as the mist rolls closer and harder onto the store, they begin to wonder  just what is happening, if anyone is going to help them, or if there is even anyone alive to help them. Paranoia grip the denizens of Podunk, Maine, and heads clash on how they will best survive the crisis, and it seems for a while that the greatest danger David and his son might face will be from those around them. But a terrifying mission to switch on the generator will reveal an awful truth; that there is something IN the mist, something not of this earth…

What an amazing atmosphere… The Mist has that timeless element that all horror classics have right from the get-go. Unlike most horror films, though, it keeps its cerebral grip on you throughout most of the film due to the varying nature of the threat. We don’t know all that lies in the mist; there are oddities that defy all logic there, and we’re never sure to what degree these creatures can even threaten the people inside. There are unexplained massive tentacles, larger-than-life insects, and other unspeakable things that lie within, but at first it seems like they might not venture too close to the window-panes that make up the front of the store. But the nature of the mist is elusive, and perhaps there is something larger and more sinister waiting to pounce on them in their huddled vulnerability.

And not everyone is living peacefully in the store, either. Frank Darabont really capitalized on the awesome dynamic within the store that King envisioned. There are your average folks, like our hero David Drayton, but there are also backwoods yokels, naysaying skeptics, hotheaded bullies, and a particularly dangerous religious fanatic that divides the townsfolk with her use of Old Testament fear-mongering and firebranding that is scary on a number of levels. You start to see lines being drawn between people when they should be thinking about the outside threat, and that is another layer of tension that is wonderfully effective in this instance.

A stellar cast inhabits this tiny little Maine shopping center. Thomas Jane should be credited as the necessary good in a sea of mistrust and mayhem, David Drayton. He is such a strong lead that it makes me instantly forget his yucky turn in The Punisher. I liken him to the Henry Fonda character in 12 Angry Men; he’s strong, he’s courageous, and he rocks some washboard abs. Good job, Jane, especially in the finale. Laurie Holden is Amanda, the sweet and caring girl who would be Jane’s love interest (only Drayton is A MARRIED MAN!). She’s okay, but they really don’t ask her to do much. She’s not that big of a deal as far as presence goes, but I wouldn’t say she was awful. The real star here is Marcia Gay Harden, who plays religious fanatic Ms. Carmody. She is such an evil and self-righteous chick that I wanted to punch her through the screen. Not only is religious sanctimony my NUMBER ONE pet peeve (more like my personal nightmare), but I also hate this character’s insistent rudeness. This woman is a downright monster, and I thought her to be just a tiny bit worse than some of the monsters in the mist. harden does an excellent job in a definite performance to watch. The fervor in her eyes is as good as real, and you get the sense that it even gets to her as an actor at some points.

It’s not perfect; there are quite a few “how is everybody doing?” scenes where we have to do a lot of banal check-ins with everyone’s current condition and their unique pasts. Which would be fine, if this wasn’t set in Maine, where interesting stuff is hard to come by without a mysterious mist rolling in. And some of the characters, like Drayton’s generic kid, were a little half-baked and boring. But I liked The Mist a lot. It’s been done before, but never with so much imagination behind it. Many scenes feel electric with a frenetic energy that is synonymous with the new, with the unexplored, with the unknown. And there is a lot we don’t know about The Mist. If you like movies that are willing to challenge you, or movies that aren’t afraid to hit home with you, this will be one for you. But if not, I wouldn’t recommend it; at least, for your sake, turn it off 15 minutes before the end, because the last scene is one that you won’t ever forget. I give The Mist 8 1/2 Mainian (?) grocery stores out of 10!

Tomorrow I’ll check in with Hellraiser! Until then!

The Mist (The Mist) è un film horror del 2007 diretto da Frank Darabont.
Scritto e prodotto dallo stesso Darabont, la pellicola è la trasposizione cinematografica del racconto di Stephen King La nebbia, contenuto nella raccolta Scheletri.

Leggi altre notizie su: | Horror | Frank Darabont | Stephen King | Thomas Jane | Laurie Holden | Toby Jones | William Sadler

“redrum…”

Pocas figuras de la literatura contemporánea han logrado una presencia tan ominosa como la de Stephen King. Tanto la literatura como el cine, la música y la ficción en general se han nutrido por decadas de la imagineria de este escritor norteamericano. Sus historias se han vuelto parte de la cultura contemporánea y ya con más de 3 décadas de carrera literaria es el innegable referente de la literatura moderna de terror.

Su primera publicación, y para muchos la más importante, fue escrita a principios de los años 70, después de su matrimonio y en medio de su adicción a las drogas y el alcohol.

"Carrie" de Stephen King, edicion tapa dura, $25.000.-

“Carrie” es la novela que la esposa de King, Tabitha, rescato del basurero cuando este desechó sus primeras páginas. Apoyado por su mujer, King continuó escribiéndolo pese a creer que el libro sería un fracaso y luego de enviarlo a las editoriales para tentar su publicación olvidó el proyecto por completo y continuó su vida. Años más tarde la novela no sólo habría sido publicada con gran éxito sino que incluso Brian de Palma (Blow Out, Scarface) la llevaría al cine y la transformaría en la primera adaptación de un libro de King al cine.

Si hablamos de adaptaciones cinematográficas de la obra de Stephen King, no podemos dejar de mencionar la que se convirtió en una de las más importantes obras del género de terror.

“The Shining” (1980) dirigida por Stanley Kubrick (Full Metal Jacket, A Clockwork Orange) está basada en la novela del mismo nombre escrita por Stephen King. King se basó ampliamente en el cuento “La Mascara de la Muerte Roja” de Edgar Allan Poe, una de sus mayores influencias, y su nombre lo rescató de una canción de John Lennon (“Instant Karma”).

“The Shining” está basado en la experiencia personal de King quien, luego de escribir “Carrie” y la magnifica “Salem’s Lot”, deseaba cambiar de ambiente para encontrar inspiración para su siguiente libro. A mediados de los 70’s King, su esposa Tabitha y sus dos hijos pequeños, pasaron un invierno en un hotel situado en las montañas y casi por completo deshabitado. Con el mero hecho de estar en ese lugar, el objetivo de King había sido concretado. El ambiente de soledad y misterio del solitario edificio gatilló en King las más oscuras visiones.

Jack Torrance, el protagonista, es la encarnación del King que hasta ese momento permanecía reprimido, y con buena razon. Jack representa el lado más oscuro del autor, su violencia y sus manías más ocultas. Es sin duda una de las obras más personales de King y una de las más significativas de su catálogo.

"The Shining" de Stephen King, edicion tapa dura, $24.000.-

La bibliografia de obras fundamentales de King es bastante extensa. Junto a una gran cantidad de novelas, Stephen King ha escrito innumerables cuentos y muchos de ellos han generado sus propias adaptaciones cinematograficas.

De sus recopilaciones de cuentos las más destacadas son “Night Shift” (1973), del cual se desprenden “The Lawnmower Man”, “Children of the Corn” y “Trucks” que terminarían siendo adaptadas al cine, y “Nightmares & Dreamscapes” (1993) la cual daría pie para una serie de televisión basada en los cuentos de Stephen King.

"Night Shift" de Stephen King, edicion tapa dura, $26.500.-

"Nightmares & Dreamscapes" de Stephen King, $16.000.-

Stephen King ha sido durante decadas un referente cultural. Sumado a su aparición en papeles pequeños en muchas de las películas basadas en su obra está también la obvia referencia a su persona en el personaje de Sutter Cane en la pelicula “In the Mouth of Madness” (1994) de John Carpenter, además de sus diversas apariciones en Los Simpsons y Padre de Familia. Y, como autor de culto que es, sus obras seguirán trascendiendo géneros y siendo llevadas al cine.

Es asi como “Cell” (2006) está en proceso de adaptación mientras ya se especula que su más reciente trabajo llamado “Under the Dome” (2009) tendría vendidos los derechos aún cuando todavía no ha llegado a las librerias.

Probablemente el interés de Hollywood sea debido a que “Under the Dome“ ha recibido una muy buena recepción de la crítica que lo ha catalogado como una obra que recupera el tono épico de las historias de King.

Con más de 900 páginas este libro se convierte en uno de los más extensos del autor y sin duda tiene a sus lectores ansiosos por tenerlo en sus manos. La historia, una reinvencion de ciertos borradores que King descartó durante los años 80, gira en torno a un pueblo que de la noche a la mañana se ve encerrado en un domo del cual no hay salida. Los personajes tendrán que enfrentar la sobrevivencia en el encierro y una vez que la comida se acabe sólo se tendrán a ellos mismos como posible fuente de alimento.

"Under the Dome" de Stephen King, edicion tapa dura, $20.000.-

King ya ha terminado su labor con “Under the Dome” y su siguiente trabajo será su primera incursión en el mundo de la novela gráfica. Junto con Scott Snyder está trabajando en “American Vampire” cuyo lanzamiento sería a principios del 2010. King esta encargado de darle un origen al vampiro norteamericano durante el primer arco argumental de esta nueva saga.

No cabe duda que Stephen King tenemos para rato por lo que siempre será un buen momento para empezar a leer a este icono de la literatura de terror y seguirlo en sus viajes por los intrincados corredores de la conciencia humana, por sus temores y sus horrores.

Stephen King en la puerta de su casa.

]]> http://rbdirect.wordpress.com/2009/11/04/getting-trapped-under-the-dome/ Wed, 04 Nov 2009 15:13:41 +0000 RB Nick http://rbdirect.wordpress.com/2009/11/04/getting-trapped-under-the-dome/

Next Tuesday, November 10th, Stephen King's latest novel, Under the Dome, will go on sale. We're happy to report that Recorded Books is releasing the audio version on the same day, so you King fans won't have to wait long to get this book into your waiting ears. At nearly 1100 pages, it’s King’s most expansive work since releasing Duma Key almost two years ago. Clearly, this is a novel with some serious scope behind it. But what’s it about?

In Under the Dome, a quiet town in Maine is thrown into chaos when an invisible force field suddenly appears, cutting off the townspeople from the rest of society. Short-order cook Dale Barbara watches as a plane strikes the dome and goes down in flames. But he’ll soon learn that the greatest threat comes from inside—where greed and the thirst for power run rampant.

To me, the greatest thing about Stephen King has always been that he can take a premise that sounds somewhat ridiculous when taken out of context and turn it into a psychological thriller.  Under the Dome is a perfect example of this, and his novella The Mist also comes to mind. It sounds a little absurd to say that an invisible dome suddenly comes down and covers an entire town, but once you suspend your disbelief and give in to the premise of the story, the real fun begins. That’s the beauty of Stephen King—if you buy into the idea that anything is possible, he’ll show you more than just the supernatural—he’ll give you a peek into human nature.

There’s a great video interview with Stephen King in the related media section of Amazon’s page for Under the Dome, and in it King talks about how he’s had the idea for this book since 1976. Well, it took thirty-three years from his initial conception for the book to come to fruition, but King finally delivered. The interview gives some great insight into how the master of horror thinks about his novels, and it’s definitely worth a listen. Have you ever had an idea that just wouldn’t leave you alone until you attended to it?

‘Tis the season! With the end of the decade and Halloween approaching, now’s the best time to torture your soul with the best horror this decade has to offer. Now, please, forgive me. The horror genre, like everything else, is getting blurrier. It’s hard to tell just what exactly is a horror film these days. I attempted to honor the genre, while keeping a clear opinion of what the best are. Enjoy!

10. 30 Days of Night

It was either this or Zombieland. A) You already know and love Zombieland. B) This is a comic site! I have to mention the adaptations when I can. 30 Days of Night could’ve easily been mediocre. An essential part of the book’s success was Templesmith’s art. Having said that, this movie looks pretty damn good. Snow always feels epic. 30 Days of Night is well-acted and well-made. It manages to naturally stretch Niles’ novel, making it, in some ways, better. To those of you who vomit at the sight of sparkly, beautiful teenage vampires, watch 30 Days of Night. These are just about the ugliest vampires ever filmed, and that’s a good thing.

9. Land of the Dead

I would’ve loved to re-watch this one, but I figure I have to get this out before Halloween. Romero’s return wasn’t as earth-shattering as we may have liked, but there’s plenty of merit here. For one thing, Land of the Dead looks great and features actors who can actually act. For another, Romero still manages to scare us with creatures who aren’t all that scary, providing uniquely gory deaths for his decent actors. And what would a Romero Dead flick be without some social commentary? With “Fiddler’s Green,” he managed to capture both the atmosphere of rich nations, who live in luxury while many still live in hell-holes, and of a post-post 9/11 world. While we sit comfortably, discussing American Idol, the evil is still lurking, and, perhaps, evolving.

8. The Mist

Ok, it’s kind of a zombie movie with bugs, but that’s different, right? In fact, thanks to the titular mist, the creatures can be grand and epic, without looking too cheesy. We’ve got some great actors here: Thomas Jane, Marcia Gay Harden, Toby Jones. They help elevate the material. Frank Darabont, the director of The Shawshank Redemption and The Green Mile, completes his King trilogy, and it’s a lot of gruesome fun. This being a comic site, I have to mention Darabont’s Walking Dead TV involvement. If you want to see if he’s right for that adaptation, this movie will give you a clue.

7. 28 Days Later

Again, I would’ve loved to re-watch this. I even rented it, and I will watch it, but I’m a slave to this post. Danny Boyle was a good director before Slumdog Millionaire. I swear he was, and this film is part of the proof. I mentioned in my introduction how the horror genre has gotten blurry. Indeed, this film helped start that, with many rabid fans crying, “These aren’t zombies!” Well, whatever they are, they’re scary as hell. 28 Days Later has many impressive, grim shots of a destroyed London. It has great performances from the then-newcomer Cillian Murphy and the always-fantastic Brendan Gleeson. This may have helped splinter the zombie genre, but at least it’s pretty damn good.

6. Shaun of the Dead

This movie hammered home what George Romero has known since the 70’s: zombies are hilarious! They’re such boring monsters. In this film, we can barely tell them apart from the boring humans, maybe that’s just because they’re British. Shaun of the Dead is hilarious, but it also manages to touch upon the important elements of zombie movies, such as banding together, social commentary, and that wonderful gore.

5. Drag Me to Hell

I don’t want to oversell this, but Drag Me to Hell is arguably Raimi’s best film. We’re back to Evil Dead 2, with the perfect mixture of terror and comedy. Christine isn’t as lovable as Ash. She’s not really meant to be. However, Alison Lohman is a perfect horror heroine. She has the innocent looks and a wonderful scream. Amongst the laughs and gasps, this movie teaches us some very valuable lessons. Never deny an old gypsy! And never dig up a body in the worst storm of the decade!

4. Grindhouse

Yeah, it’s one film, damn it. Funny thing about this being on a “best” list, it’s trying so hard to be bad. That said, this is probably the most enjoyable pick on my list. Ok, so Deathproof isn’t much of a horror film, even though hot girls are getting hunted and slaughtered by a badass Kurt Russell, but Planet Terror is horror all the way, in the vein of a Carpenter flick. You’ve got the babes. You’ve got the gore. You’ve even got the great actors, like Bruce Willis! And if you’re not at least a little scared of testicle harvesting, I don’t know what to tell ya.

3. American Psycho

Finally, a slasher movie where the murders don’t matter, even within the context of the film! Bateman’s murders are an expression of his boredom and vanity. Mary Harron took this material and made it an exploration of male insanity, rather than just Bateman’s. You’ve all seen these guys. They’re on Wall Street. They’re trying to sell you something. They might even be firing you. American Psycho documents masculine squabbles in deliciously, horrific detail. Perhaps, most chilling of all, the film asks, “What if these assholes really are killing, and, with wealth & power, their mess is wiped clean?”

2. Antichrist

I was mugged by God. That was my initial reaction to this film. True of almost every great film, on the first viewing, we’re not really sure what we’ve seen. This movie’s depth is so endless, it threatens to swallow you whole, taunting you to disregard it as Eurotrash. What I am sure of is the bravery of Willem Dafoe and Charlotte Gainsburg, who follow Trier’s insanity to the end. Trier is a madman, as most great directors are, and his images, no matter how shattering to our senses, are fully realized here.

1. Sweeney Todd

The bloodiest musical, Burton’s possible best, and indeed, the greatest horror film of the decade. Burton stays faithful to the original tale, as well as Sondheim’s music. Depp and Carter are dressed like 30’s horror stars, paying homage to both the genre and the original film. I never felt Sondheim’s music should be gloriously sung, no matter how talented Angela Lansbury is. These songs are sad and personal, and though Burton’s cast aren’t singers, they are actors, and they deliver their tunes in the best possible way. You won’t find any prancing or choreography here. Sweeney Todd is a dark, terrifying tragedy that will slash its way into your nightmares as efficiently as Mr. Todd’s razors.

For more comic goodness, go here.

Comme j’adore le mois d’Octobre, l’Halloween et les films d’horreur, j’ai décidé de faire le premier Horreur-o-thon des Bipolaires! En effet, j’écouterai un film de peur par jour jusqu’au 31, alors revenez lire mes critiques quotidiennes…si vous en avez le courage! MOUAHAHAHAAA!

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The Mist est la 4e collaboration entre Frank Darabont et Stephen King (The Woman In The Room, The Shawshank Redemption et The Green Mile…trouvez l’intrus).  Dans ce film de science-fiction psychologique hautement efficace, David Drayton, un peintre père de famille, part à l’épicerie du coin avec son fils afin de restocker ses provisions après une tempête violente.  Arrivé là-bas, un homme en panique fait irruption et avertit la foule qu’un brouillard mystérieux s’empare de la ville…et que quelque chose dans ce brouillard a tué son ami…

Bien que le film n’hésite pas à montrer ses bébittes fantastiques et cauchemardesques (des araignées géantes qui lancent une toile d’acide!), la terreur du film vient d’avantage du climat de tension parmi la foule du magasin.  En effet, les personnalités s’opposent quand les esprits sceptiques décident de quitter le refuge et que Mme Carmody, une fanatique Catholique cinglée, tente de convertir le reste.  Ainsi, Darabont dépeint une atmosphère de plus en plus hostile, opposant les thèmes de religion et de fanatisme avec ceux de la science.  De plus, le film porte un regard sur l’instinct de la race humaine et ce qui arrive lorsque l’Homme s’en remet à celui-ci.

Bref, les performances engageantes, l’action continuellement intéressante, les monstres terrifiants et la finale inattendue font de The Mist un des classiques du genre.

Note finale: 9/10

———-

Meilleure citation: “The day I need a friend like you, I’ll just have myself a little squat and shit one out.” (Qui d’autre voulait pousser Miss Carmody dans le brouillard en fêtant?)

Meilleure mort: Où commencer? Un homme coupé en deux, un autre en flammes, une jeune femme qui se fait piquer par un méga-moustique dont le visage gonfle grotesquement…

Y’as-tu des tits?!: Si je sentais ma mort approcher, je sais ce que je ferais, mais malheureusement, le seul couple du film ne va pas jusque là et tout le monde garde son linge.

Saviez-vous que…: En tant qu’admirateur de Drew Struzan, la première scene où le studio de David contenant tous ses posters se fait détruire a été plus difficile pour moi à regarder que le bout où quelqu’un se fait couper la jambe par de l’acide.  Oui oui.

I’m letting my fellow MGM boys take a little break so that I can express my thoughts on the subject(s) of my blog better.  Recently I figured that doing a Top 10 list every now and again wouldn’t be too shabby of an idea, so here’s one on a collection of films that I feel quite strongly about: the ten most disappointing films that I’ve seen.

10. Quantum of Solace

I’m sure most people, whether big James Bond fans or not, can agree that Casino Royale was a very solid film.  Although I’ve never been too crazy about 007, I still found Daniel Craig’s first outing to be surprisingly well done and despite not looking the part at first, he embodied a strong yet inexperienced personality nicely.  With that in-mind, it’s needless to say that I figured the sequel to Casino Royale could at least prove to be a decent offering.  Sadly, Quantum of Solace was dull, uninteresting and lacked any wit or charm its predecessor had.  The story was weak and executed just as lousily, pacing was prolonged, charm almost nonexistent and it had a distinct lack of care. While there were a couple decent action scenes and a humorous one-liners, that’s about all the credit I could really give the film in the long run.

9. The Mist

Normally this movie would be higher on the list but I put it low simply because I wasn’t sure from the trailers if it’d really be that great of a film (they really didn’t leave much of an impression on me).  But I primarily was interested in this movie since it’s a Stephen King-based film, who’s produced some of my favorite stories and was directed by Frank Darabont, who did wonders with two of King’s other efforts (The Green Mile and The Shawshank Redemption).  Unfortunately, despite the intentions and point of the film, the execution was just sloppy.  Barely any of the characters were convincing, which was a huge shocker after Darabont’s other two films.  Worst of all, Marcia Gay Harden portrays a character who’s so ludicrous that in spite of fitting into the role well enough, only makes for frustrating sequences (mostly due to how absurd her lines and support for them are).  While the idea of a film showing how people are their own worst enemies offers up strong potential, The Mist simply failed to realize this.

8. Slumdog Millionaire

I seldom, if ever agree with the Academy on their choices for any award, especially the Best Picture selections.  Yet this movie is one that I feel very strongly about in regards to my disagreement.  So much praise surrounded this film by the time it had been released, which only indicated to me that it was at least worth seeing, and the plot for the film sounded quite interesting so my curiosity hit fairly high levels.  And though this was a good film it’s far from the masterpiece that so many have made it out to be.  One part to the film I loved was how for certain questions we got flashbacks to how the main character knew them.  However, outside of these interesting scenes and a few strong (in a Blood Diamond way) bits there was absolutely nothing remarkable about this film.  What I expected was a film that truly was better than the best of the year, what I got was a merely above average watch.

7. Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay

My stepfather and I are big fans of Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle (I remember him grabbing a couple boxes of the burgers to eat when we first saw it), so after some very promising previews it’s pretty obvious that we were excited.  As usual I wound up seeing the film but he waited for my verdict and both of us agree that this is a huge step down from the first.  Now, I did enjoy parts of Escape from Guantanamo Bay (emo Harold anyone?), but it fell into the rut many recent comedies have (namely Jim Carrey films): taking itself way too seriously.  I won’t spoil the details for those have yet to see this movie, but let’s just say that Rob Corddry is completely unnecessary and unwanted (much like Harden from The Mist) while both Harold and Kumar’s characters feel ruined with their sudden personality shifts.  Though certainly not bad, Escape from Guantanamo Bay proved to be a huge disappointment after the wonderful comedy and great pacing of its predecessor.

6. Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest

I could rant on and on about how much potential was teased and hinted at but ultimately wasted on this film.  Just like some of the films on this countdown I did at least enjoy Dead Man’s Chest in parts but after how great Curse of the Black Pearl was, it was tough to not feel let down here.  Perhaps the biggest problem with this film is the exact opposite of the above title: this film doesn’t take itself seriously enough.  A key part of what made Curse of the Black Pearl work was that it managed to balance the comedy with the weightiness of the present scenarios.  Dead Man’s Chest, on the other hand, treats itself almost like one big joke that feels overdone, overplayed and simply falls flat because of this.  It’s a shame because there’s a great film underneath all the bad jokes; Davy Jones’ character alone had far more potential than what we got.  At least At World’s End managed to rectify these issues almost entirely (for me anyways).

Well it’s October, which means Halloween is just around the corner, and it’s time to throw on your favorite horror films to get into the season. There are many different subgenres to horror, like creature-features, slasher movies, “fun” horror flicks, and genuinely disturbing films, all of which I tried to represent on this list. My one concession was that every film on the list has to be at least a year old, which excludes recent horror films I have loved like Drag Me to Hell and Trick ‘r Treat. I adored both of those movies, but it just seems right to sit on them for a year before making them tradition.Without further ado, here are some of my favorite horror films that I try and watch in October to get me in the Halloween spirit.

#18 – The Birds

Alfred Hitchcock’s story of random chaos and uncontrollable destruction in a small Bay area town is still absolutely effective to this day. The film takes some time to get going, I will admit, but once the birds attack the editing become masterful, and its uncertain conclusion is surprisingly bleak for the period.

#17 – The Haunting

It’s important to note that not a single drop of blood is spilled in this early 1960s chiller from Day the Earth Stood Still director and Citizen Kane editor Robert Wise. Instead the film creates an incredibly unsetting experience thanks to expert use of light, sound, and editing. The Haunting is one of the few films to make reaction shots unnerving, but it does so very well.

#16 – The Mist

Frank Darabont’s adaptation of the Stephen King novella is, in my mind, one of the best cinematic adaptations of a King horror story (not including Shawshank mind you) to date. The creatures may be weird and cool, but the real horror comes from the way people in the film are so eager to turn on one another and embrace a crazed mob mentality. The film plays like a classic Twilight Zone episode, so I can forgive some moments for being a little campy. But wholly crap, that ending. This film has one of the darkest, most nihilistic endings I have ever in a major studio film. It’s gutsy, angry, and it completely makes the film work. Make sure to watch the film in black-and-white too!

#15 – Alien

Talk about an excellent use of a location. Alien makes the most of its claustrophobic quarters by turning it into a space so tense that it leaves you gasping for air. The chestburst is still freaky, and the design of the Xenomorph is still terrific, but part of the reason that movie is still creepy today is because of the sense of claustrophobia it invokes.

#14 – The Thing (1982)

Not only is The Thing a great horror movie (as well as one of the few great remakes) but it is also a great guy movie too. From the moment Kurt Russell’s MacReady throws him glass of liquor onto the computer that beats him at chess, to the final frame of the film, he is absolutely bad-assery incarnate. And that blood test scene? Still awesome.

#13 – The Fly (1986)

What makes the body horror films of Cronenberg so innately disturbing is that everyone has that basic, human fear of irreversible damage being done to our flesh. That Kafka-esque idea of a transformation, and the potential to lose one’s humanity makes it even more disturbing, yet also compelling. Jeff Goldblum is still terrific in the film, which has often been thought of as a metaphor for the AIDS crisis, and the practical effects seen as his body deteriorates are still disgusting/terrific. It’s a tough watch, but a pretty great film nonetheless.

#12 – An American Werewolf in London

A horror-comedy that is as much of a creepy thrill as it is a blast to watch. David Naughton and Griffin Dunne are both quite good in their roles as nebbishy young American tourists whose decision to go through the Moors at night leads to unintended consequences. And that werewolf transformation scene is still a great example of the power of practical effects. The film is often surreal, hilarious, and clearly made by someone who knows their horror films.

#11 – Creepshow

A blackly comedic horror anthology film written by Stephen King and directed by George Romero? Sign me up! The truth is, this is a campy, gross, and often crazy movie that is a ton of fun too. Every story is different, but offers its own unique charm, from the inspired lunacy of “The Crate” to the genuinely disturbing “They’re Creeping Up On You”. It’s not the best horror film, but it’s a very enjoyable film that makes you feel like a kid reading E.C. Comics.

#10 – Dawn of the Dead (1978)

George Romero’s zombie classic is still the ultimate zombie film, and a surprisingly smart critique of mindless consumerism. The zombie kills are inventive, while it also works in themes of prejudice, conformity, and American mall culture with a good amount of black humor. Also worth noting is that Zach Snyder’s remake is surprisingly watchable too, thought not nearly as cerebral as the original, but still a lot of fun.

#09 – Let the Right One In

This was the good adolescent vampire romance that came out last year, not that Twilight garbage. This is a film about the pains of adolescence, violence in youth culture, and what love can be defined as at such a young age. In terms of atmosphere and place the film is beautifully made, as it absolutely puts you into the film’s dark, snowy Swedish town where there always seems to be something ever so slightly off. The performances from the young leads are great, the cinematography is excellent, and the film itself is beautiful, disturbing, melancholy, and oddly touching too.

#08 – Evil Dead 2

General rule of thumb dictates that when a movie features a POV shot of an eyeball going into a woman’s screaming mouth, it’s not a film to take seriously. Evil Dead 2 is a gross-out, crazy, hilarious spook-a-boo, the horror-comedy genre that Sam Raimi has down to perfection. Bruce Campbell once again proves himself to be the ultimate, modern day B-movie star, and the no-budget aesthetic of this movie makes it even more enjoyable to watch.

#07 – Halloween (1978)

Carpenter’s Halloween is in many ways a watermark for the slasher film subgenre, and the original film still displays the best use of Michael Myers as a villain. He’s not a little kid with crazy redneck parents, or a hulking behemoth who could survive getting run over by a tank, but rather a silent, deadly killer whose motives defy human logic. Between Myers’s costume and that piano theme music, there is a reason this movie is as iconic as it is.

#06 – Silence of the Lambs

Anthony Hopkins’ performance as Hannibal Lecter has been parodied to the extent that you would think this movie is impossible to take seriously these days, but not so. There is a reason Lecter is remembered as an all-time great cinematic villain, as evidenced by the fact that Hopkins won a Best Actor Oscar for this role despite being in a mere 20 minutes of the film. It may sound cliche, but the guy is that good. And the movie is pretty great too.

#05 – Psycho

This is the movie where Hitchcock defined the slasher film, and it remains riveting today. Anthony Perkins is still a great Norman Bates, the voyeuristic undertones of the film are still haunting, and that shower scene is still effective.

#04 – Shaun of the Dead

As I lover of zombie movies, and any collaboration of Edgar Wright and Simon Pegg, I absolutely love this movie. It’s entered the realm where this movie has just become comfort food to me, and if I’m ever bored I can go back to the Winchester and try and survive the zombie apocalypse with Shaun and Ed. Shaun of the Dead is a sweet, touching, and gut-bustingly hilarious movie about friendship, pun unintended. Make no mistake, Shaun may be fighting to get Liz back, but the film’s real love story is in an odd way between Shaun and Ed (though to be fair Wright ups the homoerotic ante ten fold in the follow-up film, Hot Fuzz). Still, if you can name a better zombie romantic comedy, I’ll throw myself to the zombies.

#03 – Seven

“Ernest Hemingway once said, ‘The world is a fine place, and worth fighting for.’ I agree with the second part.” David Fincher’s nihilistic, disturbing procedural is still a groundbreaking, frightening look into human depravity. The chemistry between Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman is excellent, and the motivations of the killer, John Doe. are continually as troubling as ever. Doe is obviously a sick, disturbed individual, but he’s not just a crazy with a knife, but rather a deeply intelligent and committed man who genuinely believes what he’s doing is righteous. Now that is scary.

#02 – The Shining

What is unknown to people is frightening and that is exactly what makes The Shining so damn terrifying. As you are trapped with Jack Torrance and his family at the Overlook Hotel, you are completely at the mercy of the film as you are pulled through a surreal and unnerving experience which can only be described as hellish. The Shining shows the viewer very little, but just enough that what it leaves for the imagination to presume is chilling.

#01 – Rosemary’s Baby

It’s my favorite horror film of all time, one of my favorite films of all time, and the movie I try and watch every Halloween at least. The film is not immediately terrifying, but it does such an incredible job of slowly building an atmosphere of unease and dread that I can’t help but get enveloped in it each time I watch it. Everything in the movie, from Mia Farrow’s brave performance to that incredible score to the frequent moments of dark humor, works perfectly in tandem with making the movie an experience to watch. Polanski is an incredible director, and how he establishes New York as a character in this film is also pretty amazing. And what makes the movie so creepy is that it’s about the very human fear of control, or lack thereof. No matter what Rosemary does in this film, or how hard she fights to escape, she is ultimately helpless, which is a terrifying thought.

Après un violent orage, un étrange brouillard arrive dans une ville du Maine. Celui-ci cache en réalité des créatures cauchemardesques qui se mettent à attaquer les habitants contraignant nombre d’entre-eux à se mettre à l’abri dans un supermarché. Il reste maintenant aux survivants à faire un choix entre trois camps : celui de la raison avec les personnes qui décident de combattre les affreuses créatures, celui de la folie avec celles qui croient en un signe de Dieu et celui des personnes qui se refusent à croire ce qui se passe et qui sortent du supermarché, se dirigeant vers une mort certaine. Mais au final, qui sont les plus dangereux : les monstres de dehors ou les humains à l’intérieur qui commencent à se dresser les uns contre les autres à cause d’une prêcheuse ?

Ce film n’est peut-être pas le plus récent mais j’avoue avoir été agréablement surpris, en parti parce que je n’attendais rien de particulier de ce film. Tiré d’une histoire de Stephen King, auteur à succès hyper connu, The Mist est sorti en 2007.

Certes il s’agit d’un film de monstre qui ressemble plus à une production de série B. Toutefois, il faut bien remettre les choses dans l’ordre. The Mist est bien un film de suspens avant tout et réussi bien dans cette catégorie. Le début est voué à créer l’atmosphère inquiétante et même si ce n’est pas le film le plus flippant de l’histoire, l’ambiance est là.

Mais ce qui est vraiment réussi, c’est indéniablement le côté psychologique. Dans une situation délicate, l’homme peut agir étrangement. Cette partie est la plus complète du film, avec une évolution croissante pour terminer en apothéose. Oui, plus qu’un film de monstres, c’est bel et bien une réalisation sur l’humanité, dans un cas à part.

De bons acteurs, un huit clos à 90%, une atmosphère inquiétante, The Mist est une bonne surprise. SI vous en avez marre des films de ce genre, tentez l’aventure. The Mist a au moins l’avantage de proposer autre chose.

]]> http://cinematicheavenandhell.wordpress.com/2009/10/01/the-decade-in-review-the-top-10-horror-movies/ Thu, 01 Oct 2009 17:02:11 +0000 hueles013 http://cinematicheavenandhell.wordpress.com/2009/10/01/the-decade-in-review-the-top-10-horror-movies/

This decade has not been very good for horror movies. The types of horror movies that plagued theaters this year were either J-Horror remakes, torture porn, or remakes of classic horror by untalented individuals whose only directing experiences is making music videos.

However, that does not mean that all horror movies were bad. When there was a horror movie that stood apart from the rest it was usually crowded pleasing or truly great. These movies were not necessarily straight horror movies. Some were more dramatic, some were comedic, and some were more thriller than horror, but due to the poor state of the horror genre they will be included here.

Without further ado, here are my picks for the best horror movies of the decade.

10. House of Wax

Jaume Collet-Serra, 2005

I had a really hard time deciding whether or not to put this on my list. On one hand, it is a horribly written movie with some really bad performances and full of the usual horror clichés. On the other hand, it is meticulously produced movie with a couple of good performances, a great finale, one of the most inspired villains in horror movies (but that’s not saying much), and one of the most pleasing death scenes in probably the history of cinema. Eventually the latter reasons won, because there were not many horror movies that could claim the same things.

9. The Strangers

Bryan Bertino, 2008

Most recent main-stream horror movies rely on shocking images to scare the viewers (i.e. cutting off limbs, gore, gruesome images), so it was nice to see a movie that relied on atmosphere and just creepy images to achieve its goal, and it succeeds. The dark cinematography combined with the simple masks, and effective performances from Liv Tyler and Scott Speedman, makes an effect that creeps up your skin throughout the movie and by the end you are completely terrified and makes you go out and check if there are no creepy people stalking you.

8. The Ring

Gore Verbinski, 2002

This was the first of the many J-Horror remakes and it remains the best. The script was not a play-by-play remake of the original but rather adapted it for American audiences and fixed the flaws that the original had. Also, Gore Veribiski’s direction and Naomi Watts’ great performance helped the movie feel more believable. After this studios would approach the original directors to make the remakes of their movies. That didn’t always work because some of the scares got lost in translation and the actors did not bring the seriousness that Watts brought to her character.

7. The Orphanage

Juan Antonio Bayona, 2007

Althought there were aspects of this that annoyed me quite a bit, such as the set designs, this is a great ghost story. Juan Antonio Bayona, in his directorial debut, crafts a suspenseful and unpredictable mystery, anchored by Belen Rueda’s great performance. Hopefully Guillermo Del Toro, an executive producer on this one, will get some equally bright talent for the upcoming remake.

6. Slither

James Gunn, 2006

Based on the commercials I knew that this wasn’t going to be a typical zombie movie. I mean, alien worms coming to earth in order to expand their kind by turning people into zombies? I had never seen that before. Add to that a clever script, James Gunn’s fun direction, Nathan Fillion and Elizabeth Banks and you have one of the most memorable horror comedies in a while, and it was until #2 on the list came out.

5. The Skeleton Key

Iain Softley, 2005

This movie came out as the PG-13, J-Horror remake craze was on it’s downturn. They were starting to be bad and audiences weren’t paying much attention to them. For this reason, this movie was somewhat of a financial failure. That is too bad, because this ORIGINAL story was better than all the remakes that had come out and come out since. Kate Hudson gives her best performance since Almost Famous as a nurse who is taking care of an elderly couple. Strange things happen in the couple’s house, some coming from the Lady of the house, the great Gena Rowlands. Although the movie is PG-13, that does not mean that it doesn’t have a few scares. It relies on the supernatural to deliver the thills rather than the gore, and the ending I did not see coming.

4. 28 Days Later & 28 Weeks Later

Directed by Danny Boyle, 2002 | Juan Carlos Fresnadillo, 2007

The best of the many zombie movies of the decade. Danny Boyle’s Days explored the lives of a few survivors of a biological attack in London that turned people into super zombies, that is zombies that can run fast. The script by Alex Garland had character that we cared about and sometimes hated and it delivered on the scares. The sequel, executive produced by Boyle but directed by Juan Carlos Fresnadillo, continues  the story as a select group of survivors are transported to a zone that has been cleared off, but there is danger out there, and the conscience of a man who made wrong choice will make everything happen again. Weeks is more action-oriendted, but that does not mean it is inferior. It has equal amounts of thrills as the previous one and the social commentary is still there.

3. Let the Right One In

Tomas Alfredson, 2008

Not a horror movie like others, but rather a love story involving vampires. It will forever be compared to Twilight for this (or as long as that fad lasts), although they could not be completely different. In terms of story, this is about finding a friend when no one seems willing to be one; about the consequences of being an immortal creature and the effect it takes on those that care for them, about the way society looks at outcasts. In terms of filmmaking, Alfredson has more talent than any one who has signed on for that other franchise. He, along with his team has crafted a film that relies heavily on the cinematography and the performances to establish and carry the mood of the movie. The script is brilliant, and the score is subtle but breathtaking.

2. Drag Me To Hell

Sam Raimi, 2009

Sam Raimi started his career directing horror movies, among them the Evil Dead series, which now has cult classing status. After many years, he finally returned to his roots with Drag Me to Hell, and it did not disappoint. First off, this movie is fun. It features some great visual gags, and fights that had the audience I watched it with laughing. There were also some genuine frights, among them the impressive opening scene and the unexpected ending, but since this is a Raimi movie, I should have expected it. The I thought about the ending for days after I watched it, which is something that only #1 on the list did

1. The Mist

Frank Darabont, 2007

No other studio-produced horror movie left me this shocked. Rather than being about the unspeakable horror that lie in the strange mist, this movie is about how humans react to such situations; about how religion takes hold of most people, leaving rational thinking behind. Throughout the movie we get to care for the characters, which makes the ending even more shocking. I can’t say too much without going into spoiler territory, but suffice it to say that The Mist is the best horror movie of the decade, the only movie that delivers everything that a horror movie should offer.

Honorable mentions: The Others (2001), The Host (2007), Trick ‘r Treat (2009), Bug (2007).

Thanks for reading. Feel free to leave your comments about the list.

Un film di Frank Darabont. Con Thomas Jane, Marcia Gay Harden, Andre Braugher, Laurie Holden, Toby Jones.
Horror, durata 127 min. USA 2007. Key Films, uscita venerdì 10 ottobre 2008. – VM 14

Una tempesta notturna particolarmente violenta mette a soqquadro gli abitanti di un modesto paese del Maine, negli Stati Uniti. La mattina seguente, David (Thomas Jane) si dirige al supermercato col figlioletto Billy per comperare gli attrezzi necessari per riparare ai danni; l’albero del vicino Brent Norton (Andre Braugher) è, infatti, crollato sulla rimessa della sua casa.
All’improvviso, una fitta e densa nebbia comincia ad avvolgere la tranquilla cittadina. Nel supermercato entra un anziano abitante del paese, coperto di sangue, urlando che un suo amico è stato inghiottito dalla nebbia e non è più uscito. Da fuori provengono strani rumori e grida, e le persone presenti nel supermercato sono costrette a barricarvisi dentro. I pochi che, straziati dall’ansia e dall’interminabile attesa, provano ad uscire, non percorrono più di un centinaio di metri. Ben presto, la folla spaventata del supermercato si accorgerà che nella misteriosa nebbia si nascondono strane creature con intenzioni poco amichevoli. Il panico e il terrore cominciano a insinuarsi fra i presenti.
In questo clima di tensione e paura generale, avrà gioco facile la
signora Carmody (una splendida Marcia Gay Harden), una pazza fanatica che convincerà la maggior parte dei presenti che si è giunti al giorno del Giudizio Universale: bisogna redimersi dai propri peccati e accettare serenamente la morte. Solo un piccolo gruppo, composto da David, Amanda (Laurie Holden), Toby (Ollie Weeks) e pochi altri, tenterà di opporsi alla follia che ormai si è impadronita delle persone presenti nel supermercato.

Frank Darabont è un regista che nella sua carriera ha diretto dei veri e propri capolavori (Il Miglio Verde e Le Ali Della Libertà), ma si è sempre parlato più dei suoi film che di lui. Moltissimi conoscono Il Miglio Verde, pochi sono quelli che conoscono Darabont. Eppure questo regista francese ha dimostrato che di cinema se ne intende, eccome.

The Mist è un film horror, ma presenta delle particolarità che lo rendono unico nel suo genere. Darabont, infatti, non si preoccupa più di tanto di spiegare le cause della misteriosa nebbia: sì, alla fine l’arcano verrà svelato, ma nell’opera questo è un particolare quasi privo di importanza. Il regista preferisce concentrarsi sull’animo umano messo di fronte alle sue paure più nascoste.
Secondo la sua teoria, infatti, l’uomo impaurito tende a regredire alla condizione primitiva, perdendo la razionalità e soprattutto l’individualità, per riunirsi in un “branco“, come fanno i lupi. Questi esseri umani, defraudati della propria virilità, messi a nudo e smarriti, cercano disperatamente di trovare un’ancora di salvezza. Non importa se è astrusa o incredibile, per loro sarà sufficiente. E, come nella preistoria gli uomini si riunivano attorno al fuoco, in questo piccolo microcosmo delimitato da scaffali pieni di cibi in scatola e porte scorrevoli, essi troveranno la loro via di scampo nell’espiazione professata dalla signora Carmody. La pazza diventerà il capobranco, una sorta di Leviatano che avrà potere su tutto e tutti. I mostruosi insetti che, di notte, sono attratti dalle luci del supermercato, vengono da lei interpretati come le cavallette che scendono dal cielo, e gli uccelli affamati che li mangiano diventano gli angeli mandati in terra per ripulirla: insomma, semplici fenomeni naturali vengono ricondotti forzatamente a un’azione divina.

Pensando all’attualità, potrebbe essere una provocazione quella di Darabont? Forse. O forse è solo una costatazione di come un gran numero di gente stia perdendo la propria individualità per entrare in una logica di massa sempre più folle e senza limiti. Comunque sia, sta di fatto che solo una minoranza all’interno del supermercato mantiene la razionalità e la lucidità necessarie per tentare di uscire da una situazione difficilissima. Il branco, privo del suo capo, è abbandonato al proprio destino, ma lo sono anche questi improbabili eroi che, usciti allo scoperto, vengono sopraffatti da un fato crudele e spietato.
Allora non c’è scampo per nessuno? No: con un preziosissimo fotogramma nei secondi finali, Darabont conclude la sua teoria: ci mostra, infatti, una donna che era uscita all’inizio dal supermercato alla ricerca dei propri figli, da sola perchè nessuno si era offerto di aiutarla per paura. Ora è salva con la prole su una vettura dell’esercito. Come dire, alla fine vince chi agisce prima che sia troppo tardi, chi anticipa la follia del branco e il destino crudele: vince, insomma, chi ha il coraggio di uscire subito allo scoperto. Gli altri, chi per un motivo e chi per un altro, sono costretti a rimanere nella nebbia. Pochi altri registi sarebbero stati in grado di dire così tanto con un solo fotogramma. E pochi registi sarebbero stati in grado di fare di un film horror una riuscita metafora della vita in una maniera così sottile e implicita.

Regista sottovalutato, film sottovalutato. Peccato, perché di film così densi di significato se ne fanno pochi ormai.

VOTO: 8,5

David Parasporo

♫ :Metric

Help, I’m Alive, My Heart Keeps Beating Like A Hammer..