First off, Happy 2022 to all of my dear readers 🙂 Now let us continue the second half of Series 8 of Moviedrome. This week’s Moviedrome Monday blog entry consists of two different films.
The Fog (1980)
I have posted a youtube video link below to Moviedrome presenter Mark Cousins introduction to master horror filmmaker John Carpenter’s 1980 supernatural gem The Fog. Readers can also read Cousins intro transcript here. The episode’s original airdate was January 4, 1998 (read here). Unlike Cousins (who appreciates the film with reservations), I love The Fog as much as I love just about all of Carpenter’s films. If any of you readers are interested, here is a list of my favorite John Carpenter films (read here).
Here is a youtube video link to Mark Cousins Moviedrome intro to The Fog
Here is a youtube video link to the film’s original theatrical trailer
Darkness in Tallinn (1993)
I have posted a youtube video link below to Moviedrome presenter Mark Cousins introduction to Finnish director Ilkka Jarvi-Laturi’s 1993 comedic thriller Darkness in Tallinn. Readers can also read Cousins intro transcript here. The episode’s original airdate was January 5, 1998 (read here). I have not seen this film so I can’t comment, but it does look interesting based on Cousins description of it.
Here is a youtube video link to Mark Cousins Moviedrome intro to Darkness in Tallinn
Here is another youtube video link to Mark Cousins Moviedrome intro to Darkness in Tallinn
I can’t really find a youtube video link to the film’s original theatrical trailer
cinematiccoffee 
I don’t like The Fog. I thought it was a bad, boring, uninteresting and forgettable film.
Apparently John Carpenter doesn’t think it’s one of his better efforts. After filming he viewed a rough cut of the film and wasn’t pleased with it. As he said “It was terrible. I had a movie that didn’t work and I knew it in my heart”. He then went back and did reshoots to try to improve the film but I think these reshoots were to no avail. I don’t think they made the film any better or improved the film.
Jamie Lee Curtis doesn’t like The Fog. She said in a filmed interview that she doesn’t like the film, she’s never liked it and she thinks it’s a bad film.I think she’s right.
I haven’t seen the second film in this double bill.
John, have you watched any more of the poliziotteschis I recommended? If so, any thoughts?
Also, I got the UK release of Sergio Corbucci’s The Great Silence (a great film and classic) by Eureka! This release has a commentary and featurette with Alex Cox and both are great. The featurette is called Cox On Corbucci.
Like Steve, I am not a fan of The Fog, and haven’t seen the Finnish film. I went to see The Fog at the cinema, attracted by the casting. But once the ghosts of the pirates/sailors appeared, I thought it turned into slapstick. My favourite Carpenter film is still ‘Precinct 13’, closely followed by ‘The Thing’.
Best wishes, Pete.
Darkness in Tallnin sounds interesting and humorous. Satire is always fun.
As for Carpenter: I remember seeing The Fog and not really hating it until the end. But I guess it isn’t one of his better ones.
Let’s not forget: Big Trouble in Little China (just for the comedy) Vampires (the novel was better) Escape from New York (just for Kurt Russell, but I guess that’s not enough for guys, lol) and, of course, They Live! Priceless message–based on a 6-page short story !
I rarely watch horror films, but I do like The Fog. It’s so atmospheric, from the campfire scene at the beginning, to the scene near the end of the film with the revenants standing amongst the pews of the fog-encroached church. Adrienne Barbeau is fantastic too.
As I said in the blog entry Paul, The Fog is one of my many favorite John Carpenter films 🙂 Anyway, thanks for dropping by 🙂
Let us not forget The Thing 🙂 That is my number one favorite John Carpenter films 🙂 Anyway, thanks for dropping by 🙂
I would place The Thing at number one, but I love both films Pete 🙂 Anyway, thanks for dropping by 🙂
I shall continue where I left off Steve 🙂 Speaking of which, for Christmas, I got that Arrow box set entitled “Years of Lead Five Classic Italian Crime Thrillers 1973-1977” – exciting stuff 🙂
I too have the blu-ray of Great Silence with a lot of the features you talk about 🙂 Only the blu-ray company here is named Film Movement 🙂 I have also seen all the features with Alex Cox talking about why Sergio Corbucci’s 1968 spaghetti western The Great Silence is so masterful – I think it ranks up there as one of the many greatest spaghetti westerns ever made – a notion you agree with tremendously 🙂
Hey there Steve 🙂 Great to have you back 🙂 I love a lot of John Carpenter’s films and while I love The Fog every bit as much, I would not rank it in the top 5 of his films.
I am aware that Carpenter and co-star Jamie Lee Curtis did not think highly of it either.
On an unrelated note, did you hear that film critic turned director Peter Bogdanovich had passed away last week? 😦 He will be sorely missed 😦 I mention this because The Last Picture Show was a Moviedrome film 🙂
This might be one of the most controversial things ever for me to say but I’m not that big of a fan of John Carpenter.
I think They Live is great and a classic and I think Christine is good too, just good but I think Prince of Darkness is also a bad, boring, uninteresting and forgettable film. I also really dislike Big Trouble In Little China. I can’t fathom the following that film has.
I think it’s considered that Carpenter mostly didn’t direct any more good films after They Live. The years from the Chevy Chase Invisible Man movie to Ghosts of Mars weren’t exactly a golden era in Carpenter’s career. Although I haven’t seen any of the films he directed then.
I think it’s absolutely brilliant that you got Arrow’s Years of Lead boxset. I got it too and I love it. I think it’s a fantastic box set and I think Arrow did a brilliant job with it. I hope they release more poliziotteschis too. I hope you like Savage Three. It’s a really excellent film that Joe Dallesandro fans will love. Joe’s interview in the extras is also absolutely fantastic. I loved it. Joe is a legend. I’d really like to hear your thoughts on Savage Three when you watch it. Another film in the boxset I really liked is Highway Racer with Maurizio Merli. That’s an excellent film with great car chases and stunts. I hope you like that film too. I’d like to hear your thoughts on that too.
One film in the boxset I wasn’t keen on was Like Rabid Dogs. It’s quite a lot more violent, brutal and sleazy then your typical poliziotteschi and that’s really saying something!
Overall kudos to Arrow for this fantastic box set.
Also, you can read about Italy’s “Years of Lead” here: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Years_of_Lead_(Italy)
I also got the Blue Underground release of Sergio Corbucci’s Companeros. Great release of an excellent film. It has interviews with Tomas Milian, Franco Nero and Ennio Morricone which is great. I also ordered the UK release of Umberto Lenzi’s The Tough Ones aka Rome Armed To The Teeth by 88 Films. It turned out that Tough Cop didn’t get a release though. That was too bad as I really wanted to get that.
Did you watch Manhunt In The City, Blood Ties and other Tomas Milian movies? I’d like to hear your thoughts on those.
Speaking of Joe, did you write the review of Je T’aime Moi Non Plus yet? I’d really like to read that
I did hear about Peter Bogdanovich passing away. Sad. I watched The Last Picture Show because it was a Moviedrome film. I thought it was good but I wasn’t the biggest fan of it.