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Sunday, November 25, 2007

Stephen King's THE MIST

Regular readers of my blog know of my love for supernatural/horror movies. Bela Lugosi and Boris Karloff reign supreme from the time I was six to this day.

And for a few years now, Stephen King is among those I revere for talent and tenacity. As King gets older (and faces daunting odds regarding his deteriorating eyesight and recovery from a car accident that nearly killed him) he only gets better. "The Mist" is one of the best movies I've ever seen. The writing and directing is flawless. This novella of King's was in good hands.
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I don't want to talk too much about the movie because to do so would reveal too much. When the film started, I recognized it as King's salute to the creature features of the 1950s and early 1960s along with a nod to the kind of unseen terror "The Fog" had given audiences years ago. So I thought I knew how the film would end but as long as old material was given some new life, I would go along for the ride.

I was wrong. King breathes bold life into this story bringing theological and philosophical elements into the mix that throws the audience off enough that the ending comes as a big surprise. I was not prepared for it at all.

I can get very restless at a movie, even a good one but "The Mist" held my attention for two solid hours. The special effects were great but did not overwhelm the story. There was quite a story a tell too.

By all means go see this flick on the big screen before you add it to your DVD collection. It's a great ride.

2 comments:

Lugosi said...

I remember reading "The Mist" more than 20 years ago. To this day, when I find myself in thick fog, I still think about it.

Stephen Mark Rainey said...

I loved THE MIST, Nancy. It's my favorite of King's stories, and it's one of the best adaptations of his work. Frank Darabont is a director to be reckoned with (and he was once a DEATHREALM subscriber, back in my editing days). ;)

You can see my take on it here:

Something in THE MIST

--M