VIDEO REVIEW: The Fog

REVIEW: The Fog

The Fog
Director: John Carpenter
Year 1980

The Fog is John Carpenter's sensational ghost tale about a shipwrecked undead crew who terrorizes the residents of the sleepy coastal town of Antonio Bay. After churning out two exceptional TV movies, Someone's Watching Me and Elvis, Carpenter burst back onto the big screen to continue his legacy of fear which started with the cult classic Halloween.

Crafted with a heavy dose of atmosphere and a stellar cast, The Fog makes for a great viewing that really showcases the wild ride that Carpenter's career would take in the following years. If you're looking for a neat little haunted tale, then look no further then The Fog.

Adrienne Barbeau you are AMAZING!

Something's in the fog.... Who is that?

Antonio Bay is the fictional setting for this wonderful little horror gem and boy is it a picturesque sight. Nestled against the moody shores of the Pacific Ocean, Carpenter uses a number of various locations to set up his quaint cinematic town that soon becomes the victim of a terrible curse that is violently set upon its townsfolk for the crimes committed by its founding fathers. A slow and brooding build up provides the perfect introduction and ambient opening to let us get to know the world that Carpenter has created in this story. It's these quiet moments that occur in the early parts of the film, that really give the movie a deliberately restrained pace, allowing for us to get to know the layout of the town and the living cast within it.

The gradual approach of slowly revealing the various areas and inhabitants of Antonio Bay, is complimented rather nicely against the director's trademark use of anamorphic lenses, which beautifully showcase the surrounding areas breathtaking landscapes and unique vistas. This eye for detail is not just provided for visual splendor, but for emotional impact as well, as Carpenter cleverly uses these locations to tell a parallel story within the film. He places his characters in secluded locations throughout Antonio Bay, in order to emphasis that lonely feeling that he sets up in the initial moments of the introductory opening of the film. With his guided direction, the town to us feels empty and lifeless, home to only a few lost souls that we are slowly introduced to one by one.

Is that one of the Goonies? Hey you guy!!!!

Who's the son of a bitch that stole my mustache?!?!

What is most interesting to me, is that the haunting nature of the film is not only provided by the ghostly zombie like apparitions that come into play later on in the movie, but it is assisted by the overall coldness of Carpenter's portrayal of the town of Antonio Bay. By combining the moody visuals of the coastal town with the jaded lives of the various characters of the film, Carpenter makes for a unique blend of melancholy malaise that perfectly establishes the film in a ghost-like reflection. This really comes to light when comparing some of the characters to their assigned locales within the movie.

A great example of this, is that of the lighthouse which serves as one of the film's most iconic fixtures and an essential informational post for the film's entire citizen population. The lighthouse serves as the local radio station, Radio K.A.B., and it is essentially home to disc jockey Stevie Wayne, played by the fabulous Adrienne Barbeau. Set at the end of a seemingly never ending iron staircase, high upon the cliffs, the secluded nature of the radio station helps to provide a feeling of helplessness that is highly prevalent when shit really starts to hit the fan for the sleepy town of Antonio Bay. Being the only person in the whole town that really has an eye on the whole situation high atop her lighthouse station, Stevie Wayne provides the much needed information to the unsuspecting people below.

Someone's not gonna like finding this guy home.

So why'd you steal Tom Atkins' mustache Padre?

What's unique about this position that she is in, is that she is as helpless as the rest of the people of Antonio Bay. Trapped with no where to go, she is powerless to protect her young son when a thick fog rolls into town containing some very pissed off and vengeful ghosts. The seclusion is maddening, but deliberate in part by Carpenter's overall vision for the movie. You could say that his approach is almost Hitchcockian in a sense, most notably mimicking elements from Rear Window, where she is forced to see this impending doom approaching the town, but can do little to stop it. Even in such dire circumstances, she finds a way to hinder the oncoming storm by broadcasting updates on where the fog is heading and the safest place to ride out the strange arrival of this dangerous and mysterious thing that has gripped their small coastal town.

It is through these efforts of communication, by Barbeau's character, that we are primarily connected to the rest of the ensemble cast. From Tom Atkins and Jamie Lee Curtis' group to Charles Cyphers, Janet Leigh, Nancy Kyes, and finally Hal Holbrook's character, a community begins to form bringing a cohesion that isn't as strongly felt during the beginning half of the film. It's fascinating to see things come together, starting from the cold and distant relations of the individual characters to eventually ending with them coming together as a solid unit in the most desperate of times. It's something that you don't initially come away with after first watching the film, but after analyzing it after a few viewings, you begin to realize that this movie is far more then just a simple ghost story.

Damn hitchhiking ghosts.

One of the creepiest and coolest wedding processionals.

Aside from my deep personal analysis of the film, the movie is just stupendous if viewed as a straight forward tale of terror. Carpenter injects such a sense of dread and foreboding, that you really don't need to look as in-depth and personal as I have stated earlier in the review. You can take the film at face value and it still makes for one classic tale, filled with some great subtle performances and killer atmosphere. Hell, the ghostly apparitions are creepy to boot, coming off more as a horde of zombies then any kind of ghost that I've seen prior to this film.

Fundamentally, the film just hits all the right notes in providing an engaging story with memorable characters, frightening ghouls, and exceptionally crafted atmosphere. I haven't even mentioned the amazing original soundtrack provided by John Carpenter himself, which compliments the visuals so well that you'd be hard pressed to separate the two. When it comes to music, not many can capture that unique flare that Carpenter seems to effortlessly create for his projects. The Fog is definitely a film that has the Carpenter stamp of approval, having his professionally crafted hands in all aspects of the production. The man is a legend.

Holy Shit! The power of Christ compels you!

Smoke if you got em.

The Fog is a film that feels complete in every aspect of its production. The world that John Carpenter has created in this film, feels whole and lived in, even if it is lifeless and lonely for the characters within it. The hauntingly somber and picturesque locations, enhance that feeling of dread and solitude that lies so heavy on this ghostly tale. Much like the sordid history of Antonio Bay's past, the story gives off that overbearing presence of being inherently marked by the events of the past. Cursed to pay for the wrong doings of our forefathers, yet there is a silver lining in the coming together of the various characters. Through their sense of community and the combined efforts of the townspeople as a whole, they can right the wrongs done and find new life.

Whether you look at the film from a more in-depth view point or just take it as one hell of a fun ghost story, you are going to come away from this film with an appreciation for what John Carpenter has created in this little gem and what he has contributed to the genre. The movie just oozes atmosphere in every inch of the frame and is paced beautifully, so check it out if you haven't already and if you have, give it another go. Long live Carpenter!

5 out of 5 stars       John Carpenter's Ghostly Masterpiece!

REVIEW: Magnum Force

Magnum Force
Director: Ted Post
Year 1973

Magnum Force is the superb follow up to the 1971 hit film Dirty Harry. The story continues with a new baffling case that legendary Harry Callahan has to crack before the end credits roll, but before cracking the case, he has to crack a few skulls. Just like in the first film, Harry takes his hardcore policing to the streets of San Francisco and leaves no thug unscathed. Clint Eastwood reprises the role of Harry Callahan, the same role that made him a pop culture icon and led to a countless number of copy cat films since. This time, director Don Siegel hands over the reigns to a new director, Ted Post, who doesn't necessarily have the impeccable skills and visual flare that Siegel brought to the table, but he still manages to make a more then worthy addition to the Dirty Harry series.

Harry in his too cool for school shades.

Harry's problems start out when a slew of unsolved crimes begin to crop up in the city. All of the victims are the lowest of the low, like a mob boss who has just manipulated the justice system having been acquitted of all charges and the pimp who loves to smack his hoes up and steal all of their money. These two fine upstanding shit stains are just the tip of the iceberg, as many more criminals begin to be bumped off one by one. The premise of having a vigilante running around the city taking out crooks is a rather genius concept to throw into the world of Dirty Harry. It's a nice touch to see Harry kind of shrug off the idea of criminals being killed by saying, "Couldn't of happened to a nicer bunch of guys." He agrees with the demise of these despicable men, yet he still knows he has to do his duty and capture the perpetrator who is committing these seemingly random murders.  

You make me sick.

It's also an intriguing concept, because Harry is often thought of as the main suspect. Who else but Harry would be riding around town dealing out his own special brand of justice? To make matters worse, the audience is shown in the very beginning of the film, that the unnamed killer is in fact dressed up in a patrolmen's uniform while riding a police motorcycle. The stakes seem raised against Harry in that he will come out of this one clean, but sure as shit, we know he will find a way.

Let Harry show you punks how it's done.

We are also introduced to a new brand of policeman in the form of the four new recruits, who happen to be a crack shot with a gun. These young police officers are fresh out of the academy and represent the coming of a new age at the precinct. Tim Matheson plays Officer Phil Sweet, Robert Urich plays Officer Mike Grimes, David Soul plays Officer John Davis, and Kip Niven plays Officer Red Astrachan, rounding out the imposing group of elite cops that share a unique kinship to Harry Callahan's work on the streets. As the film progresses, we find that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, but not the sorts that Harry approves of. The idea of bringing this group of opposing rookies into the story is a genius one that sets a fire to a rather intense story of paranoia and mistrust among the police force.

That's one hell of a pool party you got there man.

The way the mysterious killer takes out his target is reminiscent of James Cameron's Terminator, as he coldly and collectively terminates anyone who is a collective target. The man draped in police gear, cooly walks up to his intended prey and fills them full of lead. It's creepy in that nonchalant manner, where a person can just extinguish a life and not bat an eye. The numerous scenes that display the killer at work are astonishingly effect in there representation of a man without a conscious or soul. The addition of making the killer fit in more with the horror archetype of a slasher killer is a great twist on the crime genre and one that gives this story a little bit of an edge over typical cat and mouse games.

Harry as he shoots squirrels in his

backyard as they try to steal his bird seed.

Another great addition to the cast is Hal Holbrook as the assholeish boss from hell, Lt. Neil Briggs. As soon as the film starts, he has it out for Harry and he never lets up throughout the entire runtime of the film. Hal does a spectacular job, as he usually does, in making us believe he has a chip on his shoulder courtesy of Dirty Harry. Holbrook has been in so many classic films that it's hard to list them all, but my favorites have to be John Carpenter's atmospheric 1980 masterpiece The Fog, the ever entertaining 1982  horror anthology Creepshow, and one of my personal favorite roles, his turn at Hamilton Johnson in Chevy Chase's excellent comedy sequel Fletch Lives. He's a stupendous actor and one that nails his part in Magnum Force with an expertly crass delivery for his crotchety Lt. Briggs role.

Hal Holbrook at the Manchester Morgue.

The action set pieces are up to par on what we now expect from a Dirty Harry film and their delightful in their diversity and unabashed mayhem inducing qualities. There's a sequence where Harry and the rest of the police force are raiding a mob boss' hangout, only to have the bad guys be tipped off by an unknown source. The baddies lay in wait and then finally take it to the cops, firing with all they have. At the end of the sequence, the main boss tries to escape in his car only to have Harry jump onto his hood and cling on for dear life. The stunt work is phenomenal and Harry's character gets whipped around like a ragdoll as he holds on amid the chaos. Finally he is flung from the car to land in a heap of boxes in a lavish and drama filled spectacle. Needless to say the action is full force and comes on strong.

Damn it! Every time I go into the country I end

up getting an Eastwood on my windshield!

There's also a large dose of drama set in this narrative. Harry is up against more then just an unnamed killer who likes to dress up as a policeman as he maims the cities undesirable residents. He's also contending with the suspisions of others, as he most fits the bill as the one making all of the killings. The killer even likes to use the same model gun that Harry is so fond of, the .357 Magnum. It seems that someone is pointing all of the fingers at Harry and through the use of these plot devices, the director is able to create a very real sense of paranoia and frenzied mistrust. It's a great way to continue Harry's storyline, by creating a sequel that really ups the anti in throwing something original and rather deep at our main character.

Now you put the bullets in this round circle looking thing, right?

The choice of the visuals for Magnum Force are quite different from what we were presented with in Dirty Harry. In this film, we are given a brighter color palate that is mostly set during the day, making even more disturbing that all of these violent acts are occurring in broad daylight. Was San Francisco really this dangerous during this time period? Who cares, it's a Dirty Harry film and I'm glad that they upped the stakes and went a different route with the action taking place during a cloudless sunshine filled day. It's a great contrast to Dirty Harry's darkened San Francisco underbelly that so prevalently is displayed during those dark covered nights.

Harry's leisurely Sunday morning drive takes a drastic turn.

There's also an entertaining change in Harry's personal life. He actually has women throwing themselves at him in this flick. I'm not being a smart ass here, they are actually throwing themselves at him. Harry runs into an old police buddy of his and finds that he isn't doing so well, so he decides to visit the man's wife and children to see what the story is. He finds out that his relationship is strained and that he has fallen into a depression, but instead of the wife being all distraught over this situation, she finds it the perfect opportunity to proposition old Harry for a roll in the hay. It's pretty funny to see the hardened cop that is Harry, have to sort of fend off the advances of a housewife, but the end result seems to fit to Harry's character as he gently finds a way out of it. There's even a neighbor of Harry's that asks right out, "What does a girl have to do to go to bed with you?" This simple line just proves the point that Harry is indeed the MAN.

Dirty Harry is Hell on Wheels!

Just like in the first film, there is a slew of comedic scenes that intertwine themselves within the action set pieces. Harry's expert and sarcastically driven wit is on hand and in true form. These witty remarks work wonders as Harry battles words with Hal Holbrook's Lt. Briggs. There's some classic lines that the two characters come up with and the conflicts between the two really add to the rivalry that they share. Another great moment comes when Harry finds a bomb in his mailbox. One of his neighbors annoyingly asks what he is doing and threatens to call the police on Harry for destroying a mailbox, as Harry desperately tries to dismantle the box. Harry turns and shows the bomb to the man saying, "If you'd bothered me any more, we'd all be stuck to the ceiling now. Here.... would you like to hold it?" The neighbor runs up the stairs saying that he doesn't want to be involved. The comedic timing of this scene is just spot on and I caught myself laughing out loud at this whole scene. Pure genius and pure Dirty Harry.

Dirty Harry, you are one smug bastard.

The comedy is spot on for a Dirty Harry film, and the same can be said for the satisfying ending of Magnum Force. All of the Dirty Harry films seem to be able to wrap everything up and serve the audience with a satisfying demise to the films central bad guy, giving him his just desserts and leaving Harry as the undisputed bad ass of film. Magnum Force is no exception and there's enough twists and turns in the old formula to really churn out something special in this effort. I won't give it away, but it's quite explosive. Yeah that was cheesy, but it felt so right.

Harry walks off into the sunset,

which is now replaced by a burning car.

Magnum Force is an amazingly cohesive effort that delivers a worthy sequel that has all the things that we have come to love in the original Dirty Harry film, yet manages to expand on the ever violent universe that director Don Siegel set up. The addition of adding a killer that mimics Harry's style of policing with the combination of a moral decision that Harry is presented with in the near closing segments of the film, really add to the already stellar qualities that make Harry such an intriguing character and explosive icon of action cinema. Magnum Force is highly recommended to anyone who loved Dirty Harry and want to see him kick more ass and take more names.

4 out of 5 stars               A Great Dirty Harry Sequel!