Weather has been used for dramatic effect since fiction began, so much so that the term ‘pathetic fallacy’ is probably one of the main things you remember from your English Literature classes. But how does this apply to Hollywood cinema and film?
Hands down, the most dramatic of all meteorological phenomenon is fog.
It can be used to ratchet up tension, conceal terrifying creatures and even provide important characters with a suitably dramatic entrance.
Spanning genres from horror to sci-fi, mist and fog are more versatile than mere set dressing; they dominate scenes and often make them the most memorable part of their respective movies.
So, without further ado, let’s investigate the importance (not forgetting the scare-factor) that fog brings to the silver screen in this infographic from our friends at vapingman.
Which films are we missing? Which scenes have stood out for you? Please comment below.
A backyard movie night with one of those Blu-rays that are courteous enough to program a drive-in style evening, featuring two movies with an intermission.
The first film, PSYCHO FROM TEXAS (1975), was new to me. It’s about a criminal drifter named Wheeler who arrives in small town Arkansas to take on a kidnap/ransom job. The victim turns out to be the very same kindly old man who treated Wheeler earlier that day to a free Coke *and* a cup of coffee.
But we immediately find out that Wheeler is as cold as they come, and he doesn’t care what the old man did for him, he is actually looking forward to killing him once the money comes through. It turns out Wheeler’s Texas psychopathy stems from having a shitty mom who would beat him in between getting fucked by random dudes who pay her in stockings.
Filmmaking-wise, this is total amateur hour, featuring clumsy transitions and mostly bad acting, even the music suddenly changes back & forth between scenes. After the first half-hour, it meanders with an endless foot chase that is alternately funny and tiresome.
There are also whiplash-inducing shifts in tone, going from dumb good ‘ol boy comedy (complete with country bumpkin music) to ultra-grimy sleaze (Linnea Quigley appears in this, and I don’t think her visual discomfort is all acting, either).
But I can’t deny that I found the overall story kinda intriguing, and the filmmakers sure as hell knew how to end a movie on a high note. I’ve been re-reading the Parker novels recently, and Wheeler reminded me of one of those despicable sadists that Parker occasionally worked with (and who usually ended up fucking over Parker and his partners).
Plus, I’m a sucker for regional drive-in fare; I always felt these movies were better representations of their time & place than bigger budget fare. Probably because they couldn’t afford sets and back-lots. There’s a scene where a sheriff is explaining how a young boy found a very important piece of evidence; the boy is Black, and the sheriff begins to say “You know that young n-” and the print suddenly jump-cuts a couple seconds ahead to “…boy from so-and-so found…”, sparing us that very real Arkansas-in-the-1970s moment. I had to laugh.
Also, Wheeler drives a pretty sweet Dodge Dart Swinger 340, which is something I thought you would appreciate, if you were me.
There was a 13-minute intermission with classic snack bar ads and trailers for movies like COP KILLERS and THE GRIM REAPER (U.S. cut of ANTHROPOPHAGOUS), before moving on to the second feature, THE GATES OF HELL (1980) which is the U.S. cut of Fulci’s CITY OF THE LIVING DEAD. There are much better-looking versions available under the original title, but I appreciated the grind house charm of this scratched up print (I’m pretty sure this was the same print I’ve seen at various all-night marathons).
https://youtu.be/06c1xXYlu5Y
I’ve rambled about this one before; it’s not my favorite Fulci, but it’s good times all the same and it was fun to watch it outside at night, wondering if the creepy sounds I heard behind me were possums, gatos, or some evil zombie priest who wants to bring about the end of the world. (And yet, despite the bleeding eyeballs and puked-up entrails and living dead walking around, that priest *still* refuses to acknowledge his colleagues molesting the altar boys behind closed doors.) For the Silo, E.F. Contentment.
Meet Jerry Dandrige. He’s sweet, sexy, and he likes to sleep in late. You might think he’s the perfect neighbour. But before inviting Jerry in for a nightcap, there’s just one thing you should know. Jerry prefers his drinks warm, red, and straight from the jugular! It’s FRIGHT NIGHT, a horrific howl starring Chris Sarandon as the seductive vampire and William Ragsdale as the frantic teenager struggling to keep Jerry’s deadly fangs out of his neck.
Only 17-year-old Charley Brewster (Ragsdale) knows Jerry’s bloodcurdling secret. When Charley can’t get anybody to believe him, he turns to TV horror host Peter Vincent (Roddy McDowall), who used to be the “Great Vampire Killer” of the movies. Can these mortals save Charley and his sweetheart Amy (Amanda Bearse) from the wrathful bloodsucker’s toothy embrace?
AVAILABLE AS A LIMITED EDITION STEELBOOKOCTOBER 4TH
If you love being scared, FRIGHT NIGHT will give you the nightmare of your life.
DISC DETAILS & BONUS MATERIALS
4K ULTRA HD DISC
Feature scanned from the original camera negative and presented in 4K resolution with Dolby Vision
All-new Dolby Atmos audio + 5.1 + original Dolby Stereo
BLU-RAY™ FEATURE DISC
Feature presented in High Definition, sourced from the 4K master
5.1 + original Dolby Stereo
Special Features:
NEW: Deleted Scene Storyboards – Tom Holland guides us through the film’s only deleted scene, using his personal pre-production storyboards
NEW: Holland/Beyda Spec Trailer with an introduction by Tom Holland – the never-before-seen alternate trailer cut by Fright Night editor Kent Beyda with the guidance—and narration—of Tom Holland
Audio Commentary with Writer/Director Tom Holland, Actors Chris Sarandon & Jonathan Stark, Moderated by Filmmaker Tim Sullivan
Audio Commentary with Writer/Director Tom Holland, Actors William Ragsdale & Stephen Geoffreys, FX Artist Randall Cook, Moderated by Journalist Jeremy Smith and Filmmaker Tim Sullivan
You’re So Cool, Brewster! The Story of Fright Night
What is Fright Night
Tom Holland: Writing Horror
Theatrical Trailers
BLU-RAY™ SPECIAL FEATURES DISC
Special Features:
NEW: Fright Night 35th Anniversary Script Read – an anniversary cast reunion and script reading featuring writer/director Tom Holland and special guests including Rosario Dawson, Jason Patric, and many more!
NEW: The Queer Lens: Bryan Fuller in Conversation with Amanda Bearse – a candid discussion between Fright Night aficionado Bryan Fuller (Hannibal, Queer for Fear: The History of Queer Horror) and Fright Night star Amanda Bearse about the Gothic’s queer roots, the film’s queer subtext, and its metaphorical power
NEW: A Novel Approach: The Splatterpunk Story of the Fright Night Novelization – Tom Holland, Fright Night novelization authors John Skipp and Craig Spector, and publisher Mark Alan Miller discuss how the progenitors of the splatterpunk genre came to work on the book, their writing process, and the novel’s enduring legacy
NEW: SFX Storyboard Comparisons – a selection of original storyboards from key effects sequences, compared with their final filmed versions
Roddy McDowall: From Apes to Bats
Tom Holland and Amanda Bearse Talk Fright Night
Round Table with Tom, Stephen and William
Shock Till You Drop Presents Choice Cuts with Tom Holland and Ryan Turek
First Ever Fright Night Reunion Panel – Fear Fest 2 (2008)
Weekend of Hell Panel with Amanda and Stephen
Vintage EPK with Behind-the-Scenes Raw Footage
CAST AND CREW
Written and Directed By: Tom Holland
Produced by: Herb Jaffe
Cast: Chris Sarandon, William Ragsdale, Amanda Bearse, Stephen Geoffreys and Roddy McDowall
SPECS
Run Time: Approx. 106 minutes
Rating: 18A
4K UHD Feature Picture: 2160p Ultra High Definition, 2.39:1
4K UHD Feature Audio: English Dolby Atmos (Dolby TrueHD 7.1 Compatible) | English 5.1 DTS-HD MA | 2-Channel Surround DTS-HD MA
