In The Mouth Of Madness

All of my faithful readers, and thanks to both of you, know that one of my favorite filmmakers is John Carpenter. So since it is the season, I thought I would revisit one of Carpenter's films that I haven't seen in a long time last night, 1995's In The Mouth Of Madness.

Trent, Sam Neill, an insurance investigator, has just been hired to track down a very popular, Stephen King style horror novelist named Sutter Cane, Jurgon Prochnow. Trent believes that this is just a publicity stunt to sell more novels. Aided by Cane's editor Linda Styles, Julie Carmen, the two set out to find what was believed to be a fictional town from his novels. Once found, Trent begins to realize that the fiction from Cane's writings is in fact reality and that the whole world is going mad.

I'll admit that when asked what my favorite Carpenter films are, this one isn't near the top. That's probably why I haven't seen it in awhile. That's not to say that I don't enjoy it however. It's just that Carpenter has so many terrific films that this one sometimes slips my mind. Rewatching it last night was a real treat. It's a very moody and suspenseful flick.

Neill is terrific, as is the rest of the cast that also includes David Warner, John Glover, and Charlton Heston. Carpenter, who was screenwriter Michael DeLuca's first choice, originally passed on the project and it went to Hellbound: Hellraiser II director Tony Randel, not to be confused with the actor from The Odd Couple. When things didn't work out with him, Pet Semetary director Mary Lambert was set to direct, but then backed out. DeLuca tried once again to get Carpenter, who finally agreed.

This a very creepy, sometimes confusing, movie from one of our best filmmakers.

It's available on dvd and blu ray.