REVIEW: ‘The Fog’ is classic Carpenter
Photo: Adrienne Barbeau stars in John Carpenter’s The Fog (1980). Photo courtesy of Rialto Pictures / Studiocanal. Provided by press agent with permission.
The Fog was director John Carpenter’s second feature film, coming on the heels of his seminal horror flick Halloween. Although his sophomore effort does not equal the sheer terror of the Michael Myers movie, The Fog is a lot of fun and holds up almost 40 years after its initial release.
This week, audiences can check out a 4K restoration of the horror movie, which is playing in theaters across the United States. This reviewer recently revisited the film (albeit not in 4K) and was pleasantly surprised how the believable performances anchor the suspenseful narrative.
The movie tells the tale of a small California coastal community where the lighthouse serves as the local radio station and the town’s 100th anniversary gets everyone out for a celebration. What disrupts the bucolic feeling of the neighborhood is a deadly fog that blows in from the ocean. Amidst the cloudy mystery is a ghostly group of mariners who are hellbent on revenge.
The particulars on why the mariners are so upset and have the town of Antonio Bay in their crosshairs is secondary to the overall story of a community needing to come together in order to survive. The best person who epitomizes this small-town feel is Adrienne Barbeau’s Stevie Wayne, who serves as host on the local radio station and uses her microphone to save as many people as possible.
There’s also Hal Holbrook as the community’s local priest, Father Malone. Jamie Lee Curtis is a hitchhiker who makes a connection with a local man, Nick Castle (Tom Atkins). Nancy Loomis plays an assistant to local civic leader Kathy Williams (Janet Leigh). Heck, even Carpenter shows up in a cameo.
For those who know horror films, the names of these actors should ring some bells. Leigh, of course, is known for her starring turn in Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho. Curtis, Leigh’s daughter, is a scream legend made famous by the Halloween films (she’s in the 2018 reboot as well). Loomis was also in Halloween, and Barbeau is known for Creepshow and Swamp Thing.
The gore is not off the charts. Instead, Carpenter and co-writer Debra Hill try to spin a tale of history, mystery and dread. The scares are largely missing, and most deaths happen off the screen. However, the eerie atmosphere that Carpenter and his team are able to achieve is much appreciated. Too often horror films in the 21st century forget about the look and feel of the setting, the believability of the characters and the engagement of the plot. The Fog has all of these feature and overcomes any shortfalls in the scare department.
This Halloween season, one should consider revisiting the Carpenter catalog, and The Fog should be near the top of the list.
By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com
The Fog (1980), directed by John Carpenter and written by Carpenter and Debra Hill, stars Jamie Lee Curtis, Hal Holbrook, Janet Leigh, Nancy Loomis, Adrienne Barbeau and Tom Atkins. Running time: 90 minutes. Recently released in a new 4K restoration. Click here for more information. Rating: 
