Chad

Gobear

In the Mouth of Madness is the best Lovecraft movie pastiche ever, even though it's not actually based on anything Lovecraft wrote. Carpenter gets everything right, especially Lovecraft's central conceit that the world we see is merely a thin sheet insulating humankind from the true chaotic nature of the universe, a reality that would shatter sanity if it were seen clearly.

PhantomStranger

I consider this Carpenter's most polished horror movie and it's one of my favorites. The script is fantastic.

orlmac

John Carpenter. Really, nothing else needs to be said. Sam Neill played his role to perfection. One of the best movies of the subset so far.

Trevor

You all took most of the words out of my mouth.

The only thing I'll add is that the commentary on the DVD is a snoozefest unless you're into the technical side of film. It's almost 100% technical discussion.

Undeadcow

I'm surprised In the Mouth of Madness hasn't been a subset pick sooner; I think it's Carpenter's best film. I love the slow decay of reality making it feel like there are 2 halves, the more subtle first half and the exiting reality second half... plus the ending is excellent. Sam Neil really sells the role too.

ntnon

I liked the meta-movie watching, too.

Enjoyable enough, though it made me yearn for a 'lunatics in the asylum' film where they AREN'T right, but are actually hallucinating and delusional.

The credits said the paperboy was Hayden Christensen.

Why So Blu?

And it's got one of the coolest rock intro/outros ever. I love the soundtrack

Hokeyboy

Carpenter's last brilliant film.

inri222

rbrown498

Probably much to Undeadcow's displeasure, I must be the dissenter again, but only because I find the majority of Lovecraft's work to be silly in the extreme. Therefore, I also find most movies based on Lovecraft's work to be kind of silly, and this one is no exception. I would probably agree with all of the comments above if I liked Lovecraft's work...but I don't, so I don't. No amount of technical skill exhibited by Carpenter can overcome what, to me, is a goofy basic concept.

Now that I think about it, this may have something to do with why I don't love The Cabin in the Woods, either....

Okay, you can start lobbing the brickbats now.

Spiderbite

I saw this one in the theaters and don't think I have seen it since. It left me cold in the theater and leaves me cold now. I usually like movies where your aren't sure what is reality and what isn't but this movie does nothing for me.

Why So Blu?

Stop being a snob.

rbrown498

I'll stop being a snob if you'll stop being an asshat.

DaveyJoe

Bro, do you even like horror movies?

PhantomStranger

In The Mouth of Madness has a great Stephen King vibe. It's the closest movie I can think of that captures the mood and spirit of his better novels. Yes, I realize Stephen King did not write the script or anything.

rbrown498

I love 'em. I thought that I gave a perfectly valid reason for not liking this one: I don't like Lovecraft. I never have. I don't understand how that makes me a snob or gives the impression that I don't like horror movies. Do I like all horror movies? Obviously not, or I'd like In the Mouth of Madness.

I've seen, quite literally, well over 1,000 horror films during my lifetime, and I've become somewhat of a connoisseur of them, just as someone who really loves wine, or cigars, or cars knows enough about them to be able to tell the good ones from the bad ones. Somebody who's only tried Boone's Farm will probably think that it's at least an okay wine, but someone who knows the difference between a Pinot Grigio and a Sauvignon Blanc will probably hate it. Does that make them a snob? Or does it make them an informed consumer of wine?

I've not disparaged anyone's taste in horror movies this Challenge--if you like a film, well, bully for you. Just because I don't like that same film doesn't mean I'm a snob or that you have no taste. It just means that you like what you like because of the things that you've experienced, and I like the things that I like because of the things that I'VE experienced. I will always try to give reasons for not liking something, so that others will know where I'm coming from. I don't care if others disagree with me; disagreement gets presidents elected. Stooping to name-calling if you don't agree with my or any other person's opinions is childish and doesn't accomplish anything.

Trevor

I hate that we need to use smilies to make sure we're not seen as 100% serious in our snarky comments.

rbrown498

Welcome to America 2015, Trevor.

ntnon

I managed to avoid using them for a good decade, but then managed to seriously offend/cause offense/..problems were caused somehow I'm still not certain of probably because of a misconstrued text message. So I started scattering them sparingly by phone message to fend off ignorance/misunderstanding. Then a similar case of idiocy/confusion was explicitly linked to a confusion of tone in a forum, so.. it's sad and annoying (and probably a symptom of societal failing) but often necessary.

Slightly more charitably, as the world shrinks and there is more interaction between cultures, mindsets and backgrounds of all types.. having a common shorthand of happiness, sadness and sarcastic-jokery DOES help with comprehenaion in a reading-based world of interaction devoid of facial expression and tone.

I liked using bold and italics to convey tone, but many don't, so I try and refrain.

Why So Blu?

I forgot to use one and I get called an asshat.

ntnon

I'm generally unmoved by Lovecraft and his works, but this was actually a lot better for me - few tentacles and unpronouncable monsters; meta-fourth-wallery AND you could see the whole thing as allegory for people claiming/blaming that popular (horror) culture is influencing/affecting/responsible for their actions.

ntnon

At least it was reciprocal rather than escalated - I got death wishes once... Which made me , not .

Undeadcow

While I enjoy Lovecraft I can see how his slow buildup of just un-seen terror is the best part and once tentacles start flying then it's somewhat over the top if not set up well. In the Mouth of Madness has enough set-up that I think it works and with the exception of the end it never feels so full on transparent that it maintains the 'just outside of vision' feel that is Lovecraft at his best. Certainly if it was a tentacle monster jumping around that would be silly; but then again that applies to many horror tropes.

WillieMLF

We're of the same mind on this one. I've been going through the discussion films the past few nights, and I wanted to pick this film up before October left us in its wake. I've never been much on Lovecraft, but I could see why someone would really love this film. I thought Sam Neil was fantastic, but the story left me a little flat.

I caught Das Boot a few weeks ago at one of the retro screenings in town. I was glad to see Jurgen Prochnow in this movie, during his 'wild hair' days.