SCORETOBER!!!! Day 19 John Carpenter's The FOG!!

Day 19

John Carpenter’s The Fog

I hate admitting it, but remember I was a child when I saw this, and I never put it together until….we will say fairly recently. But the original poster for this film with Jamie Lee Curtis on the cover looking at the Door, with the fog coming through and such? Yeah, I never knew that was her until….recently.

I remember the poster always standing out to me in the video store, and the cover art on the box. It just looked so cool, and when I saw it I always assumed, and I pray they never see this. I always assumed it was supposed to be like the old lady that opens the door in the film. So I assumed it was them recreating that scene for the cover and. I am a horrible person for only now realizing that was Jamie Lee Curtis on the cover.

Why my mind never put those two together, I don’t know. I’d blame the pot I used to smoke, but I didn’t smoke that much, and certainly not at that age. I didn’t do that till way, way, way, waaaaaaaay later in life. Chef in South Park said, the best age to do anything is 23.

Moving right along.

This is a film I found the older I’ve gotten, I keep revisiting more and more. As much as I love Prince of Darkness and hold it very highly on my list of Carpenter films. This one just stands a step above it for me. I think it’s because the film is at its heart a simple ghost story. , It’s a ghost story told in an interesting way. With an equally interesting set of characters. It also arguably has one of the best openings to any of Carpenters films, and it absolutely sets the tone for the film.

Just hard to beat a great opening like that, I would say I hold it up there with Jaws and the opening kill on the beach.

I recently picked this one up in 4k and I also as recently got a frame for the poster it came with. Which looks stunning. I haven’t revisited this film in a while, so it’s gonna be nice doing so tonight with you all. If its your first viewing before the review. You are in for some fun times indeed.

Though I will defend myself a little bit going back to the Jamie Lee Curtis thing. In my defense…and for the benefit of those seeing this film because she is in it. Though she is on the Poster for the film? She is not the main character. There are a couple of those as the film goes between a few characters from different perspectives in the story. She has a fun story, and with Tom Atkins no less, he’s popped up a few times on this list. If we had to say a main character? It’d likely be Adrienne Barbeau.

Frankly it could be any of the three ladies in this film. We have a beautiful cast of top female talent in this film and it deserves all the love and respect. That being said. Lets get close to the fire and start this tale.

The Movie.

The film begins with a quote “Is all that we see or seem, but a dream within a dream” from Edgar Allan Poe, which I still think the world was robbed by not getting to see a biopic film of starring Sylvester Stallone. Seriously it’s a passion project of his and he wanted to play the man. Google an image of the man, and look at Stallone in the late 80’s. Your welcome.

As the quote hovers on screen and Carpenter’s theme plays in the background, while a pocket watch ticks rapidly. We begin with a shot of that pocket watch, as it hangs in the air by a campfire. And the beautiful voice of John Houseman as Mr. Machen rings out. He gives us a scary camp fire tale, which turns out to be the main story of this film. It’s beautiful told and written, so damn right I’m going to include it here.

“11:55, almost midnight. Enough time for one more story. One more story before 12:00, just to keep us warm. In five minutes, it will be the 21st of April. One hundred years ago on the 21st of April, out in the waters around Spivey Point, a small clipper ship drew toward land. Suddenly, out of the night, the fog rolled in. For a moment, they could see nothing, not a foot in front of them. Then, they saw a light. By God, it was a fire burning on the shore, strong enough to penetrate the swirling mist. They steered a course toward the light. But it was a campfire, like this one. The ship crashed against the rocks, the hull sheared in two, masts snapped like a twig. The wreckage sank, with all the men aboard. At the bottom of the sea, lay the Elizabeth Dane, with her crew, their lungs filled with salt water, their eyes open, staring to the darkness. And above, as suddenly as it come, the fog lifted, receded back across the ocean and never came again. But it is told by the fishermen, and their fathers and grandfathers, that when the fog returns to Antonio Bay, the men at the bottom of the sea, out in the water by Spivey Point will rise up and search for the campfire that led them to their dark, icy death…12:00, the 21st of April.”

That scene, the story he tells, the looks on the kids faces at the campfire. How we all watch and listen intently to this story of the sea. That’s what inspired me to create my Deep Sea Anthology series. Which I have not forgotten about. It’s just a well done scene that sets the mood and what we’re in store for. Enough of a backstory to help fill in the blanks until we get the rest shown to us. But not enough to spoil us.

As the scene fades out we are greeted to the town of Antonio Bay, A quiet island town with a radio operated from the light house. Father Malone is pouring himself a little drink as his night comes to an end and he readies to turn in. Before he does though he hears something, like someone moving in the room. He looks around seeing nothing and announces himself to the room. A moment after he does, a piece of stone wall crashes onto his desk startling him, what’s more though, is behind that stone was a hidden book, sealed in leather. Which he pulls free and investigates. At the same time across town, a shop owner is sweeping up after having closed their little corner store. This shop owner apparently believed in the same thing as the man who ran the store in Friday the 13th part 3. This bastard is drinking orange juice from one of the containers on the store shelf! What the hell is wrong with these people?! Did everyone do this back then?! WHY?!!!

Someone is gonna buy that, they wanted to buy orange juice, not back wash! At least discount it for gods sake man.

Well their night gets interrupted too, as the overhead radio begins to slowly die while playing music, and the store shelves begin to rattle. A womans chair scoots suddenly across the room with no one near it or thankfully in it. Parked cars in a lot begin flashing their lights and honking their horns. Pay phones begin ringing one after the other. The whole town is going while for a solid minute. Nearly 12 minutes after midnight, then as suddenly as it came on. It’s gone.

On the road during this same time, we are meeting up with and hanging out with the man himself. Minus the stache. Tom Atkins as Nick Castle. Which is a fun jab from Carpenter and Hill as Nick Castle is also the name of the man who played Michael Myers behind the mask in the first Halloween film and Halloween 2018. He’s trying to stay focused on his late night drive, while listening to the islands Lighthouse DJ Stevie Wayne, played by the wonderful Adrienne Barbeau. Even if her timing wasn’t entirely the greatest during the making of this film, for the unlearned, John Carpenter and Debra Hill had divorced, and John began dating Adrienne shortly before this film. Sooo slightly awkward. Slightly.

But don’t slow down just yet. We got another start coming in hot and heavy, and I do mean that. Nick while driving happens across a hitchhiker who he decides to pick up because well, why not. We’re now introduced to Elizabeth Solley, played by the one and only Jamie Lee Curtis. She is…a bit thirsty, and looking for weird company, because weird is fun and normal is boring. She informs Nick that he’s the 13 ride she’s had so far. Nick is, a superstitious man, “Great. Weird, and unlucky.” He teases her while grinning continuing their drive, she assures him she’s not bad luck, and who knows, they might get lucky. Wink, wink, nudge!

As she says that, so perfectly timed. Suddenly the windshield gets blown out, Elizabeth begins the first of many screams that made Jamie the scream queen. Just as the windows exploded and the car radio died, and just as silence begins to fill the car. The radio snaps back to life, and we hear Stevie Wayne, giving everyone the time. 12 minutes after midnight.

Well that’s all a bit funky and spoopy, but we’re just getting warmed up. After all this weirdness, we finally get introduced to Stevie Wayne, as she takes a call from a friend and weatherman, also part time phone flirter, Dan O’Bannon(Charles Cyphers). If the name rings a familiar tone well. Its Carpenter again having some fun as he named the character after his friend who helped him make Dark Star, Carpenter’s first film and the actual precursor to what would later become the film, ALIEN called Dark Star.

Carpenter does this a third time in the film too though it’s not officially credited, at the beginning with Father Malone, there is a man asking for his paycheck named Bennett. Bennett was played by Carpenter in the film for one scene, and the name came from a friend of his, Bennett Tramer, who if you are a fan of Halloween, will now the name came up in THAT film as the boy Laurie Strode had a crush on, Ben Tramer.

There’s also ONE MORE name he does this with, but its more of a, well. We’ll get to that when we get to it. There’s a lot of really fun little things in this movie. But for now. Dan is calling to chat with Stevie and tell her about a ship out at sea with some local friends aboard. He figured its not exactly breaking news, but it might be worth mentioning on the radio to that boat that a dense fog bank is moving toward them. So maybe they should raise anchor and head back, otherwise careful sailing. So Stevie, before spinning her next smooth jazz track. Mentions this over the radio, sending out a special song for them along with the message.

Which, thankfully those men aboard the Sea Grass were listening and got her message, while one of them discusses his wishes to meet Stevie in person one day, and a shipmate confirms the man would indeed enjoy meeting her someday, even if he IS happily married. A grumpy shipmate glares out a port window beer in hand, ‘There ain’t no fog bank out there…….hey, there’s a fog bank out there.”

Seriously just s few seconds after declaring there wasn’t. There now is. This guy.

Well the captain of this ship announces he’s drunk enough so they can head back now. But moments before they can begin to do so. The ship is surrounded by a thick dense blanket of fog. Stirring the entire crew as they begin to move up to the ships deck, looking over the large fog bank. As they do though, they take notice of another surprise that silences all of them. Out of the fog, the large wooden mast of an old sail ship appears, and soon the ship is coming along their broadside, listing along lazily. In the distance you can hear what sound like an anchor from the ship dropping.                                             

While the men stare at the large shipping wondering where it came from, and who was aboard it. They soon begin to get that answer. Soon figures begin to materialize within the fog. Each figured tall, dressed in their gear, but unable to make out anything clear about them. The one thing they all do have in common though, they’re all carrying ship board weapons. Which the crew of the Sea Grass realize, as their captain is stabbed from behind with a saber. Another gets a hand held hook driven into him. And before long the crew is taken out. The youngest of whom, stayed below deck watching as things began to happen, calling out for the captain. Only to be answered by one of the figures from the fog ship. Using a tool to jam through his eyes into the back of his skull.

Just like that, as quickly as the fog had rolled in and overwhelmed the ship. The fog just as swiftly pulls back and vanishes back the way it came. Which back on shore, does not go unnoticed by sir Dan O’Bannon. He calls up Stevie and, delivers a mouth full of sass which is beggin for a beating of his ass. He tells Stevie he appreciates her message she sent out to the crew on his behalf. But tells her she got her facts wrong. The fog bank is movie do west.

The man, the weatherman. Was the one who called and told her about the fog bank, AND told her what direction it was moving in. But suddenly its her fault? How?!

She is as equally confused as the rest of us and checks her gauges. Which prompts her to answer back at him, that her gauges say the wind is blowing do east. So how can fog move against the wind? It’s a fair question, and I would love to hear his answer.

But we aren’t getting that. Instead we are getting back in touch with Nick Castle and his unlucky Hitchhiker. It appears these two got lucky together and are now sharing a bed, cuddles, and art work. Elizabeth is a practicing artist who started drawing as she traveled. Selling them for a few dollars a piece. Unless she likes you, then you can have it for free. She likes Nick, so he’s allowed one for free. Tom Atkins you sly fox.

But as he’s about to put the moves on Elizabeth and what would surely be round 5 of his usual 8 rounds of love making. They’re interrupted rudely by a knocking at his door. A knocking we see being done by a hand holding a ships hook. The fog has rolled up to his door step. Nick gets out of the bed to investigate and hears the knock turn into a doorbell being rung. Well this is damn odd, and annoying him. He moves to unlock the door, and as he does we see the arm with the hook in hand raise to strike down as soon as he opens the door. Fortunately he is unable to open it, and just as his clock strikes 1am. The glass on the face of his clock cracks violently, and suddenly. The figure outside? Is gone. As is the fog. He doesn’t know exactly what to make of that, other than adding it to a list of odd occurrences that night.

As morning comes, we are greeted by the youngest cast member, a face that appeared earlier while listening to the story at the beginning of the film, Andy Wayne(Ty Mitchell), he’s Stevie Wayne’s son. He’s been out fishing while his mother slept, and I honestly cant blame her, beds are amazing, and made for sleeping. But as her son returns home, he stops by the shore, spotting something glittering off a rock. As he goes to investigate we discover it’s a gold coin. A very old gold coin. So like any of us would, he’s gotta get close enough to grab it. That there is treasure!

Only small waves keep crashing over it, and as the last wave crashes over the coin and pulls back. The coin has vanished. Now replaced by a torn plank of wood baring the name DANE on it.

Well it may not be a gold coin, but it sure as hell is still cool. So he picks it up and carries the soaked aged wooden blank into the house. Doing his best to wake his mom up, because it’s morning, she’s sleeping, he’s home now, and has a cool story to share with her. Which even if she doesn’t want anything to do with getting up, and especially less to do with being made to get up. She still does, and manages a very cute smile as she says good morning to her son. It’s a fun mom moment. He tells his mom all about his amazing discovery, and how he wants to go back to look on the beach after lunch incase there’s more gold. This kid has the right idea.

The kid also is about to unleash on an unsuspecting world, thanks to John Carpenter, a mystery which until the man answered it himself on social media and then a commentary track no one had the faintest idea what in all of the world this kid was talking about, when he uttered the line, “Mom, can I have a stomach pounder and a coke after lunch?”

What is a stomach pounder you ask?

Well…ahem.

If you visit urban dictionary? It will tell you that a stomach pounder is a popular kids drink from the 70’s -80’s. Where you combine a full bag of pop rocks candy into a glass with a bottle of coke.

Interesting, but not correct.

Then, much later, the film Halloween 6 references the drink. The kids Tim and Danny are adding various items into a blender, which are Bananas, pickles, and peanut butter and chocolate milk. Tim calls it a stomach pounder.  

That’s still not a Stomach Pounder.

In the novelization of the movie! They mention the Stomach Pounder! What is it in the book? It’s supposed to be a quarter pounder from McDonalds. Why the kid would want a hamburger after lunch with a coke is…well a kid.

BUT! That is still. Not. A Stomach Pounder!

People pestered and asked the kid actor and Carpenter about this repeatedly, and again it wasn’t until not that long ago, Carpenter finally came out, ending this back and fourth debate of people swearing they know the truth, people swearing they’ve had them growing up, and other people claiming this or that website are correct. John Carpenter admitted that a Stomach Pounder was an exercise in P.E. he used to have to do where you lift your legs up together and it works your stomach muscles. He just thought it sounded cool for a snack name. So he used it.

I just saved you years of wondering and researching. The internet is a glorious thing sometimes.

So that mystery out of the way. We are moving on to everyone starting their day. Including nick and Elizabeth making their way down to the docks. Nick is good friends with the captain of the Sea Grass, and when he hears the coast guard sending out a message over the radio about the ship going missing, and his friend not returning last night. He’s worried. So he’s going out there to investigate this. Seeing as no one on the dock has seen the guy or anyone else from the crew, they’re of no use to Nick. So he decides to say screw it, he’s going to contact the harbor master who’s a friend and get on a boat to go looking out there at a few of his friends favorite spots. Elizabeth invites herself along figuring there’s a fun adventure to be had here, pluss she kinda likes Nick and more time with him isn’t exactly a terrible thing.

Meanwhile, at the towns center, we are meeting two fun characters. We meet the very busy, and lovely Kathy Williams, played by Jamie Lee Curtis’s mother, Janet Leigh. If you have no idea who that is, shame on you. She’s been in nearly every amazing film done by great filmmakers, from Touch of Evil, Psycho, the Birds, bye bye birdie, Angels in the Outfield.

I’m telling you this movie is a strong woman lead cast, and she’s a fun addition. They even have a reference to the film The Birds in the movie, Nick mentions a place, Bodega Bay, it’s a scene from The Birds and a place where Janet’s character pulls into town just as the birds begin their attack.

Well Kathy is busy planning the towns 100th birthday celebration. They’ll have a candlelight service, Father Malone will say a few words and a blessing, and they will unveil a piece of art made to commemorate the event. Helping her to keep a level head, and keep her head on her shoulders really, is A Carpenter Alumni, Kathy’s personal assistant, Sandy Fadel played by Nancy Kyes, acting under the name Nancy Loomis. This would be her 3rd appearance in a John Carpenter film, of which she did 5 total. She played Lauries friend Annie in Halloween and Halloween 2, she was Linda Challis in Halloween 3 AND she played Julie in Assault on Precinct 13.

Told you, this film has a lot of talented, fun, strong actresses in it. Her part may be short as Kathy’s assistant, but she’s great in it as its nearly just how she was as Annie. She’s short, to the point and as Kathy lovingly tells her “You are the only person I know who can make ‘Yes, Ma’am” sound like “Screw You.”, The two are hurriedly going through the cycle of events for the towns celebration. Kathy panicking over making sure they will have everything they need, worrying she didn’t order anything they absolutely must have, or gotten out the advertisements for the event. Whether or not the commissioned statue for the event will actually look good or not. All while Sandy continues to tell her everything is fine, everything is taken care of, it’s all going to go well. It’s a quick introduction, that’s about to get very interesting, and also slightly fun as these two are headed over to meet with Father Malone.

Who seems strangely absent in his church. He’s fine though, don’t worry. He just spent his entire night reading the book he found. He also provides one of the really surprising jump scares in the movie as he’s standing just behind Kathy in the shadows as she calls out to him, then reaches out in a swift move that still gets me a bit even now. Just like my dad with the head that pops up in jaws, “No matter how many damn times I’ve seen the movie and KNOW it’s coming. It still gets me.”

Father Malone is shaken himself though, he calmly ask the ladies to join him in his study as he has something to share with them. Finally revealing what the book was he found behind the crack in the wall. It was a diary kept by his grandfather back in 1880. He begins reading the following passage which, I mean I gotta include. It’s just so good, and no one can stop me.

"December 9: Met with Blake this evening for the first time. He stood in the shadows to prevent me from getting a clear look at his face. What a vile disease this is. He is a rich man with a cursed condition, but this does not prevent him from trying to better his situation and that of his comrades at the colony. December 11: Blake's proposition is simple, He wants to move off Tanzier Island and re-locate the entire colony just north of here. He has purchased a clipper ship called the Elizabeth Dane with part of his fortune and asks only for permission to settle here. I must balance my feelings of mercy and compassion for this poor man, with my revulsion at the thought of a leper colony only a mile distant. April 20: The six of us met tonight. From midnight until one o'clock, we planned the death of Blake and his comrades. I tell myself that Blake's gold will allow the church to be built, and our small settlement to become a township, but it does not soothe the horror that I feel being an accomplice to murder. April 21: The deed is done. Blake followed our false fire on shore and the ship broke apart on the rocks off Spivey Point. We were aided by an unearthly fog that rolled in, as if Heaven sent, although God had no part in our actions tonight. Blake's gold will be recovered tomorrow, but may the Lord forgive us for what we've done.”

He couldn’t bring himself to read anymore past that entry, he’s more than a little upset at what he’s discovered and now, well rightfully. Believes they are celebrating a town built on murder. It’s kind of funny, in a way. Not the story, but the reaction after the two ladies hear his story conclude, sandy simply adds “Your grandfather had a way with words”, and Father Malone, broken just responds “The celebration tonight is a travesty. We’re honoring murderers.” It just reminds me of the comedy Step Brothers, when their step dad ask the kids at Christmas if they want to know what he got, and tells them he got a crushed soul. Father Malone explains that he found the book detailing his grandfathers sins hidden behind the wall, a few minutes after midnight. Having heard this, Kathy and Sandy chime in that that’s about the same time odd things began happening around town and with themselves. Father Malone turns from them adding that from what he had read. That’s around the time the conspirators began their attack. Well that’s just a bunch of happiness to throw on the situation, and Kathy is not wanting to feed into his already obvious paranoia and shaken state. Again its funny because her thought is to change the subject, so she thinks to ask him if he’ll be giving the Benediction tonight at the celebration, he responds with a distant look “Antonio Bay has a curse on it..”, and the wonderful Sandy responds “Do we take that as a ‘no?’ “ I love it.

As for Elizabeth and Nick, they’ve been out on the water a while now, but managed to find the Sea Grass. They’ve contacted the coast guard and decide to investigate the ship while they wait. Oddly there are no bodies anywhere on the ship. Even more odd is what’s become of the ship since last night. Every gauge on the boat has been broken. Even the thermometer has busted and seems to have been stuck at 20 degrees. Half empty beer cans are full of salt water. Every piece of metal on the ship, from the portable lockers, the tin cups, and tools are rusted to the table and floors. The ship looks as if its been submerged then drained. Nick can’t make any sense of it, but he also doesn’t care to admit it is getting to him. Elizabeth didn’t know the men, just that Nick was good friends with the captain, but she still tries to lighten things somewhat, by apologizing to him, feeling that ever since he picked her up, he’s had nothing but bad luck. The busted windows in his truck, the midnight visitor to his front door, and now this. Nick shakes it off and, well. Drops an interesting story in response, “I don't believe in luck, good or bad. I don't believe in anything much. Something did happen once. My father was a fisherman. He ran a trawler out of Whitley Reef. One night, late, he was coming back in. He was out beyond the reef, out near Spivey Point. He looked to windward and saw a brig under shortsail, heading right for him. And he radioed, there was no reply. Nothing moved on deck, but she held her course. My dad and two of his hands, they boarded the brig, the Risa Jane. No one was on board. There was food on the table, and a hot, steaming cup of coffee. But underneath, the tin cup was rusted to the table. And then something caught my father's eye. It was a gold dubloon, minted in Spain, 1867. My dad picked up the coin, put it in his breast pocket of his jacket, and zippered it up. He came home, told us the story, and he unzippered the pocket to give me the coin. It was gone.”, I really love the atmosphere in this film, and again, just bits like this are so good. So worth it. Even better, at the end of the story, a handful of map and charts suddenly fall out behind Elizabeth startling her. So she sighs in relief and after the spooky story and adds, “I think I’ll go to Vancouver now.”, and as she moves forward to get up, the only body left behind on the ship tumbles out from behind those maps and over her. Prompting another one of her A class screams. Jamie is a little under used in this film, but always a joy to watch when she is, even if her screams are enough to blow out your speakers.

So as the Sea Grass is brought in by the coast guard and the others follow, now with a body in tow. Stevie is driving off to the lighthouse, it’s time to get her show ready. She’s cycling through advertisement tapes as she busies herself, and we see she brought with her the wooden blank her son had found on the beach. Setting it aside atop her tapes, as she goes over paper work and the advertisements for the nights celebration, the board baring the name DANE begins bleeding out salt water, down the stack of tapes and across her desk. It’s a creepy moment as it causes the taped recordings to distort and slow down. Until finally stopping all together and suddenly the voice of Blake comes out across the tapes, “Something that one lives with, like an albatross round the neck. No, more like a millstone. A plumbing stone, by God. Damn them all” Just as the last part rings out, the tape player stops, a fire erupts from the wooden plank. She panics and runs for the extinguisher only for the fire to vanish nearly as quick as it had just begun. The tape player resumes normal playing and things again are acting perfectly normal. Aside the fact that Stevie’s heart has just about exploded out of her chest, prompting her to contact her son and warn him to stay the hell away from any other strange pieces of wood and or gold. Well possibly the gold, mama needs a furr coat you know, but still. Possible cursed gold.

Okay so no cursed gold either. As for the plank of wood baring the name DANE? It has something now scorched into it from the flames, a warning. “ 6 must die”

Now with the only body from the Sea Grass now resting at the morgue. Nick and Elizabeth talk with the doctor about the events on the ship and condition of the body. The fact it was the only person they found isn’t the only weird thing about it. The bodies lungs are full of salt water. There’s silt under its fingernails, algae in his wounds and seaweed in his hair. It’s like the body had been at the bottom of the ocean for days, versus having only been missing just one night. None of it makes any sense, the same as the boat looking the same way. As the two talk, Elizabeth opts to stay behind in the examination room. A decision she may regret, and one of the odder moments in the film, atop all the other moments thus far. As she stands idly in the room, the body of the young crewman resting under cover. Begins to slowly move. Sliding from the table onto its feet. The body lumbers from the table slowly over to Elizabeth. Just within reach of her before she turns and the body collapses. Prompting another appropriate piercing scream. I honestly think there might be something to her being unlucky.

I mean honestly what corpse just suddenly gets up for a single jump scare on ONE person?!

Well, what do you do when your day is full of bad luck and corpses throwing themselves at you? Go to the bar and kick back some rolling rock.

Seriously. Corpses go flinging themselves at you, weird shit is following you. I guess its Miller time?

Well they aren’t the only ones. Kathy and Sandy are there as well. But mostly as its part of the celebration, or they really just need a cold one. Especially Kathy. You see the captain of the Sea Grass was her husband. She has no idea what happened to him but only assumes the worst given the state of the one body recovered, imagining now her husband and the others may have died having gone overboard, or worse. Murdered. Now the towns 100th birthday celebration is even more a needed distraction for her as its all she has left to pull her focus.

So as everyone is drinking and taking in their sorrows. Nick decides to give Stevie a call, he tells her how he’s one of the men who found the Sea Grass. He heard her mention the fog on the radio and wanted to talk to her about it. She decides to tell him how she found it to be odd. How It seemed to be glowing and moving against the wind. How it appeared around the same time that all these weird events happened around the same time as the arrival of the fog bed.

She doesn’t know if its connected to the Sea Grass and what happened, but she feels it could be. Nick is more than willing to believe strange fog could somehow me a part in all this so the two talk a while and decide it’s worth making a run out to the lighthouse to meet up with Stevie and talk more about this, as well as the piece of driftwood her son found.

However as Nick and unlucky Elizabeth begin heading out for the lighthouse. Stevie is getting an update on the weather from her flirty friend Dan. Apparently there’s an even larger fog bank than the previous night and its headed for his weather station and south east along the cost. She decides to share this information on her broadcast, adding on an “For anyone interested”, Nick in his truck hearing this immediately changes direction, following her directions to try and avoid the fog and possibly reach Dan.

But Dan is not safe. The fog is quickly overtaking his little station as he talks to Stevie on the phone. As they talk his power goes out. His barometer has dropped to nearly 20 degrees. On top of this, he now hears knocking at his weather stations door. Despite Stevie telling him to lock the doors, he tells her to shush it and puts the phone down so he can look out side into the fog. And just as surely as your grandmother will fart when you watch her get up off the sofa, Dan is dead. Taking a giant hook to the throat and gagging as he dies. Leaving Stevie to hear it on the other end of the phone.

Farewell Dan.

Stevie is making an emergency broadcast, asking the sheriff to contact her immediately, broadcasting their number over the air. The sheriff at the towns birthday even thankfully is told about the emergency call and goes over to the bar. Using their phone to contact Stevie. Only when he does. The fog has swallowed up the phone lines and taken them out, disconnecting all phone service. The fog isn’t done yet. It’s moved on to the towns power plant and just as suddenly as the phones had gone out. The power now too is out.

Stevie looks out from her lighthouse and notices the glowing fog on the beach near her, but more scarily. The fog is headed toward the house along the shore where her son is spending the night with their neighborhood friend, Mrs. Kobritz(Regina Waldon).

It’s a tense scene as Stevie begins rushing down the lighthouse tower in a panic trying to activate the generator so she can get the radio back on and try to broadcast a message to her son warning them. She’s trying her hardest to get the old generator to kick over until finally after cussing at it and nearly tripping herself she is able to get it running and back on the air. Rushing up the lighthouse she begins broadcasting in an absolute panic, begging Mrs. Kobritz to get them both out of the house. Pleading with anyone listening to go help save her son. Giving out the address hurridly over the air.

Meanwhile Nick and Elizabeth have arrived at the weather station. Only to discover Dan is not there. Just like the boat his gauges and monitors are all broken. They can only assume given their experience with the Sea Grass, what has happened to Dan. The two quickly exit back to their car. As they quickly drive off, they tune back into the radio and pick up Stevies cry out on the radio begging anyone to save her son. Nick floors it and they’re off toward the house.

Inside the house, Mrs. Kobritz and Andy are relaxing and readying for bed. Neither has listened to the radio. As she notes the fog bank rolling in she begins locking up the doors and windows. Telling Andy to go upstairs and do the same to his room. She hears a knock at the door and grows worried as no one should be out let alone knocking on her door at this hour. Andy is curious too as to who their visitor is. But she’s the adult here, and she commands him to get his ass up those stairs and do as she asked. Staring at him until he does so. A win for old ladies watching kids. But a loss for Mrs. Kobritz as she is dragged off into the fog and stabbed to death. Leaving Andy to fend for himself. Alone and scared in his room as he hears the heavy footsteps outside the closed door.

Nick his racing to the house and thankfully the pair make it just in time. Breaking a window outside of Andies room and helping him out. Making it to the truck and letting Elizabeth drive them off. Which seemed a good idea until they get a little stuck in the mud. But thankfully she’s able to gun through it and take off once more, with Andy safely in tow.

At least for the moment. What takes place is now a race against. Well, the fog! Stevie is using her position at the lighthouse to notify anyone listening out there by car or battery powered radio, the fog is not headed toward town. Sending Nick and Elizabeth, as well as Kathy and Sandy on a race through town of constant U-turns, quick break checks and entirely avoided roads. Until they all are told of the one place left untouched by the fog and likely the safest place for them. The church.

And with that, we are now back where the film began. Both cars pull up nearly at the same time to the church. Immediately entering and meeting a very out of it Father Malone. Still very ready to accept that they all must doe for the sins of his grandfather.

Only Nick is not ready to accept this fate. He begins quickly asking Father Malone about what’s going on and what all he knows. He tells them quickly as they all rush to barricade themselves in the back room about the book and the murders committed by the founders of the town. Nick rushes to find the journal and begin sifting through it, even as the priest still continues to tell them there Is no hope. Nick shares all he heard from Stevie on the phone, about the plank of wood the name DANE and now 6 must die. They confirm the name was part of the ship that was attacked, The Elizabeth Dane. What’s more though they begin to connect the 6 must die message. Father Malone tells them there were 6 conspirators and that is the number of people who must die for them to leave, as the fog rolls into the surrounding area of the church they read further into the journal past where the priest could not continue, only to uncover the aftermath of the towns attack.

“Were it possible to raise the dead, I would return Blakes fortune to him intact, save the money I spent on these walls that hide it. My fellow conspirators believe that the confiscated fortune has been stolen from them. When in fact I am the thief, and God’s temple is the tomb of gold.”

As he finishes the passage a hand crashes through the stained glass with a hook. Blakes crew in the fog are there. With that the group begin doing their best to tare down the wall where the father found the diary. Trying to locate Blake’s treasure in an attempt to do just as the book suggest. To give back his fortune.

On the other side of town, at the lighthouse. Stevie is in for the night of her life. The fog has made its way very quickly toward the lighthouse surrounding her. They aren’t exactly in a mood for knocking anymore. They are bashing at her door fighting to enter. She does her best to fight them off and push back but it proves too much for her. She has no choice but to abandon the bottom of the lighthouse and ascend the tall building. Only now there’s nothing to stop them from getting to her. No more doors, so she does the only thing she can, which also so happens to be the scariest damn thing she can. She climbs outside the lighthouse onto the metal roof. And Blakes men are already following after her.

At the church, the group has managed to uncover most of the space behind the stonewall, as Blake’s crew begin breaking more church windows and struggling to reach the survivors in the back room. The group is able to uncover a large cross wrapped in cloth, soon revealing thanks to Malone. The cross is made of Blake’s melted gold. Father Malone holds the large cross examining it closely, Sandy screams out as one of the men grabs the back of her head. Trying to pull her toward their blades on the other side of the window. The group rushes over immediately to help her, Andy watches scared from the back and notices Father Malone taking off with the cross. Headed toward the room they’d sealed themselves off from.

On top of the lighthouse, Stevie is kicking at and fighting off the men as best she can. It’s the worst place you could ever want to back yourself onto, but it’s also the best there’s only one way up there, one ladder. Only these are reanimated fog corpses, they travel by fog!

She soon finds herself surrounded as she turns to climb the other side of the pointed roof only to come face to face with one of Blake’s men, who slash at her with his hook. Managing to dig it into her shoulder. She falls down clawing at the weapon to pull it out of her shoulder, as another of Blake’s men makes his way over to her. She punches at them and thankfully, not so thankfully. We get to see the sea rotted face of the man she attacked, complete with worms pouring out of his face and slick green bloated skin. She’s forced to back up toward the center of the roof, surrounded by two men on either side of her, swords drawn and ready to attack.

Father Malone, now carrying the golden cross enters into back into the church, immediately met by Blake and his crew. He swallows his fear and approaches the men as they stare at him and the cross. Blake keeping a hand on his sword ready to draw it out as he approaches Malone, “I am the sixth conspirator. I’m Father Malone. Take me!” he holds out the large golden cross to Blake. Blake takes one step closer, sheathing his sword and taking hold of the cross. As he does, the two men begin to shake as the cross glows. Brighter and brighter as the room begins to fill with a glowing light. Nick grabs onto the priest and pulls him back, freeing him from the cross. Blake holds tightly to his gold. The men begin to groan out and soon Blake and his crew vanish along with the golden cross.

At that same moment back at the lighthouse. As Stevie braces for a final attack, her attackers are gone. And with them, the fog begins to roll out. Pulling from both the lighthouse, and the church. Pulling from the town and returning to the sea. Nick, Malone, Kathy, Sandy Elizabeth and Andy all stand outside the church now watching as the terror in the fog retreats. The town now empty and quiet. Power returning throughout. Stevie makes her way back into the lighthouse and begins the last of her broadcast to any still out there and listening. “I don’t know what happened to Antonio Bay tonight. Something came out of the fog, and tried to destroy us. In one moment, it vanished. But if this has been anything but a nightmare, and we don’t wake up to find ourselves safe in our beds. It could come again. To the ships at sea who can hear my voice. Look across the water into the darkness. Look for the fog.”

As her broadcast warning comes to an end. Father Malone returns to his now empty church. The survivors reuniting Andy with his mother and returning to their own homes. Father Malone goes over everything once more that happened, and Blake’s message of 6 must die. There were 3 men on the Seagrass, the weatherman and Mrs. Kobritz. He puzzles over why they let him go. Thankful they’d taken the gold regardless and that his ancestor was right in doing so would settle the score with Blake.

Of course it doesn’t!! As Malone walks down the isle of his church, fog begins to seep through the door once more. He feels he’s being watch and turns toward the door. Finding Blake’s men all standing there watching him, red eyes glowing. As he turns back around to the pulpit he’s met by the red eyes of Blake who’s sword swings down and decapitates him. The screen goes black and credits roll.

The End

I love, love, love this damn movie. It’s absolutely beautiful in 4k, it still manages to get me with its jump scares, and I still find more to love about the story itself. It’s a very simple straight forward ghost story, but it’s done in a refreshingly different way. The  film was partially inspired by another older film in which monsters attacked under the cover of clouds. The basis of the story from the beginning and the Elizabeth Dane were inspired by an actual event involving the clipper ship ‘The Frolic’ where the ship had been mislead to shore with a false light and plundered. It was also something that became common of pirates at some point too. There’s a lot of fun facts with this movie and its an interesting story to get into the making of, it was an independent film with a smallish budget. But Carpenter made it look much bigger, and the studio spent twice the budget trying to market the film given the success of Halloween. Unfortunately the film did not fair that well. It also is one of the few Carpenter films Jamie Lee Curtis doesn’t really care for. She’s not into ghost stories so much. But she enjoyed working on the film.

The sad part is that Carpenter had planned the film to be part of an anthology series. He’d wanted to do other films that would have the same Fog terrorizing others in different locations and points in time. Which would all tie back into the first film. That’s why things like the story about the vanishing gold coin from Nick’s father were mentioned. Little tidbits that would’ve been cool links between the films. I just wish we would’ve gotten those. Instead we got a remake that. Well. Yeah.

The movie found its fans through vhs and bless them for that. I don’t know the mind set back then but the movie I feel got a bum rap when it was released. But maybe it wasn’t what people were expecting. I mean Halloween was something new and really blew people away. So going from that type experience into a slower ghost story with really no gore what so ever. Well yeah, not everyone was excited.

But, much like with the previous film Nightbreed, between fans of the film and fans of his music. The score for this film was. Well let’s get to it.

The Music.

The score is beautiful. It can just be left at that but I know I have to stretch that out. But just know it is true. I waited for the longest time for this to come out. Any time previously the score found its way out, it sold out. Resales were astronomically priced and for good reason. It’s considered one of Carpenter’s better scores. It’s tone. Well. Ahem.

When Carpenter made this, he meant for it to be sort of an homage ot the work of Lovecraft. And M.R. James. Ghost story and supernatural authors he grew up enjoying. However. That was not the final score we got for the film. He wrote an entirely different score which ended up not being used. In fact his original cut of the film he considered to be one of the worst. So he, Deborah Hill and Tommy Wallace all worked their asses off reshooting, re-editing, and rescoring the film.

This lead to Carpenter finding what was missing from the music.The first score was too aggressive and upfront in its terror. He felt he should go more with something softer, that gave a false sense of safety. Like an understated fear. He found the tone that worked for the film, for him. And it really did make the score near perfect. Its beautiful, simple and like with all of his projects as he constructs the music while watching the film. It all perfectly fits each moment. Tracks like “Walk to the Lighthouse” are damn near majestic. Its 3 beats with a fluted melody and it just. I don’t know. It ‘is’ Stevie’s theme. Much in the same way John Williams theme for Leia perfectly captured the character. Carpenter achieved the same.

At the same time it really does carry that sense of something beneath the skin, it’s a little unsettling but in a very pleasant way. Which I know doesn’t make much sense. But it works. That’s the main thing. One of the longest tracks on the album, practically tells its own story. “Reel nine” is over 10 minutes long and without referencing the film scenes, it plays like an evolving action scene turned into a chase. With rising tension and burst of action. Scares and a quickening pace. It’s easy to get lost in and something that on it's own is worth it.

But hands down my two favotires on this album both the same piece of music just done in different tones. Are “Theme from the Fog” and “Andy on The Beach”

Honestly as short as the music is for Andy on the beach, just before discovering the wood. It’s just beautiful. It’s a prime example of Carpenter in a minimalist approach. Its simple and beautiful. It’s the main theme but without the grandness or orchestral feel behind it. It’s a stripped down version that feels the same to me as Vaders funeral pyre theme. It’s the Imperial March but played by a solo horn and it takes an otherwise imposing powerful peace of music, and turns it into a somber sad piece of music.

The complete opposite and absolute classic monster movie theme for the fog though. Is just that. It’s a grand stage, open the curtains and let the show begin piece of music. It strikes hard and loud in a jump scare, then flows out into the repeated notes of the main theme that we hear through out at different points. It’s equally haunting and beautiful. While the ticking of the clock as seconds pass give it a certain edge and uneased tension. Which is great in the film.

I honestly would’ve loved hearing the original score just for the sake of wanting to have something to compare it to from what we got in the end. What if any of the original may had survived and found its way into the final.

But that’s not likely to ever happen and, I still feel the film is better for it. We all are.

It’s a great film score and I’m glad I was able to pick up a repressing of the complete score. His film scores more often than not all play for me like cd’s I’d pick up as a kid of rock music. They all have such a unique touch to them that just capture the film. He’s still doing it too! Him and his song. The music that he keeps putting out is just, great. But his earlier films, their music. I grew up with them and I listened to them a lot more than I did most rock cd’s I owned. Scores like this for The Fog got me interested in making my own music, and built a love for synth machines and toying with them to create both beautiful and creepy tracks.

I really fought with should I include this in my top films for this month or not. Because I really do love both the film and score but. At the end of the day? All of the films I’ve reviewed so far and have yet to do so. Are all great for me. I really hate ranking them so I chose not too, except a small select few, for reasons you’ll soon find.

Whenever I meet someone who isn’t into horror or has unfortunately not listened to Carpenters music. This is always my go to film. It’s not overly scary, its not bloody. It’s spooky, a good story. Beautifully scored, and some of the best cast for a horror film. You got three legendary scream queens for petes sake!

It’s really a great film to watch, during Halloween, or like me, on the 21st of April.

Yes. I seriously do that. I always mark my calender, like a dumbass, and make a point to pull out the movie and play it.

But not always that day. I watch it a lot. Like a lot lot. It’s just fun doing so on the 21st. Any time I hear the music, even recognize just a note from it. I’m instantly happy, and ready for it.

I had a lot more written here I was going to share, but this review is already late as it is, and thanks to my machine shutting itself down, it didn’t save my first draft. So unfortunately we are left with. Well my usual wrants. So not much lost honestly. But if there are some mistakes in this I did not catch. My apologies. I just hope you all enjoy the movie as much as I do, and the music even more. If you’ve never caught it before, you genuinely owe it to yourself to listen to it. The fact they even include the ghost story told at the campfire in the beginning makes it worth it alone. Damn I love this score.

With that said, and I rush to feed myself before starting the next review. Check it out! And until tomorrow. Stay out of the fog, and never ever mislead rich lepers into traps so you can rob them. Curses are not fun for anyone. Especially 100 year old curses.