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    The Fog (1980) vs. The Mist (2007)

    Which one did you enjoy more? Why?

    http://www.moviesmackdown.com/2007/1...mist-2007.html

    The Smackdown

    Don’t underestimate the impact of a little cloud coming over the horizon — and I don’t mean the mushroom variety. You see, some types of ground-hugging hazy vapors possess evil things which brutally attack isolated villages and wreak more havoc than this year’s BCS situation. I know, I’ve seen several films dealing with this concept and they make me think twice about venturing out when the sun ain’t shining. Written by John Carpenter and Debra Hill, “The Fog” is a terrific example and may very well be the gold standard of this sub-genre. We now welcome John Darabont’s “The Mist,” based on a novella by none other than Stephen King. Two heavyweight directors tackle the same basic precipitation premise. Is “Mist” simply “Fog Lite,” or does it weather the storm of this writer’s criticism?



    Mist (2007)

    The Challenger

    In the opening scenes of “The Mist” a violent storm passes through a small village in Maine (with Stephen King where else would it be?). As the townsfolk begin to clean up and attempt to make repairs, an approaching cloud of mist appears and slowly engulfs the entire community. Those inside the Food House supermarket are soon warned that “There is something in the mist!” by a frightened neighbor who seeks refuge inside. Actually, there are a lot of things in the mist including intestine-devouring creepy crawlers, killer spiders who can shoot their poisonous webs farther than you can spit a watermelon seed, gigantic deadly mosquitoes (for lack of a better description) which make the Houston variety seem impotent, scores of what look like Zanti Misfits (or should I say Mistfits?) and multi-tentacled giant arachnids who have a propensity to probe where we wish they wouldn’t.

    Scary stuff, indeed, but none of these creatures of destruction equal the horror of the Bible-spewing, supercalifragilisticexpiationdoses-demanding Marcia Gay Harden who proves that true evil is not lurking outside in the parking lot but within the souls of those huddled inside. It helps that the entire ensemble cast is quite good and you can rest assured that the overall graphic horror quotient will satisfy even the most blood-thirsty cineaste. And while I won’t give away the ending, let me simply say it was a bold and unexpected one that will leave some viewers shaken as the end credits begin to crawl.

    The Defending Champion

    “The Fog” is a traditional zombie film with an outstanding cast. Adrienne Barbeau, in perhaps her best film role, is accompanied by the real-life mother-daughter team of Janet Leigh and Jamie Lee Curtis as well as John Houseman and Hal Holbrook. It is the inimitable Mr. Houseman who sets the stage by telling an old ghost story by a camp fire on the beach of a seaside community about to celebrate its centennial. Apparently one hundred years earlier the town’s founders set a fire to lure a sailing vessel to the rocks and a watery grave for all aboard, including the lepers who intended to land nearby to establish their own settlement. Legend has it that “When the fog returns to Antonio Bay, the men at the bottom of the sea will rise up and search for the campfire that led them to their dark and icy death.” The legend was dead on. At first only weird things happen; clocks stop, electronic devices go haywire, glass shatters, etc., but then the faceless killing shadows of the resurrected emerge from the ethereal fog that overtakes the town and the revenge begins. Unlike Mr. Darabont, Mr. Carpenter relies far more on atmosphere (pun intended) than graphic visuals to frighten the audience. In fact, most of the horror is left to the viewer’s imagination and not to the special effects gurus.

    The Scorecard

    Let’s start with the title. Clearly “The Fog” is superior to “The Mist.” For God’s sake, what’s next? “The Haze” or “The Condensation” — how condescending would that be? Points also go to “The Fog” for a superior cast. Sometimes a film can really benefit by having relatively unknown actors throughout, but a typical genre piece, or in this case a sub-genre film, generally benefits by having a recognized cast assuming they are right for the part. Who better than John Houseman to be the storyteller? Who better than Hal Holbrook to play the priest? Who better than Adrienne Barbeau to play the buxom heroine, at least back in 1980?

    “The Mist” is a more ambitious film on several levels. It is far more dependent on special effects and for the most part the CGI creatures are reasonably good. And points will always be won when the Zanti Misfits are given a homage; it’s like having a cameo appearance by Kukla, Fran and Ollie, you just can’t go wrong. (That’s my opinion and I’m sticking to it.) Whereas “The Fog” is simply a straightforward suspense/horror film, “The Mist” delves into a post-9/11 political allegory at times as it explores mob dynamics and religious fervor. That’s quite an undertaking. You almost want to drink Kool-Aid rather than a Coke to wash down the popcorn.

    The Decision

    While both films are worth seeing, the clear edge must go to “The Fog.” It achieves precisely what it sets out to do by delivering an entertaining, stylish suspense/horror story that works on all levels, despite a relatively small budget. That’s what true talent can deliver, and while one may argue that “The Fog” isn’t John Carpenter’s best film, it certainly holds up very well after twenty-five plus years. I don’t believe the same will be said of “The Mist” in the year 2025. “Plunk your magic twanger, foggy!”


    source: http://www.moviesmackdown.com/2007/1...mist-2007.html
    ================================================


    I liked The Fog more. Don't get me wrong, the creatures hiding in The Mist were wicked and pissed. Cool cast and great special FX. Loved the way those creatures ravaged that town ...was pretty scary but I liked the concept of The Fog more, the vengeful undead traveling within a thick fog seeking stolen gold , taking it out on the town and the people that reside in it who were the descendants of those responsible. Creepy atmosphere pretty much the whole way thru driven home by a fine cast and a cool soundtrack.

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    Last edited by koolmike; 04-19-2016 at 07:23 AM.
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  2. #2
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    Two totally different flicks but for my buck The Mist is superior in almost every way. Small town, tight knit community revealing their true colors after a military experiment presumably trying to factor in another dimension leads to an all out Lovecraftian, biblical clusterfuck. The Fog is good on its own terms and outside of the weather related titles the movies are non-comparable. Throw in the ending from The Mist which could be one of the ballsiest, gut wrenching endings ever made and for me it is a no-brainer.

    The writer of the article is off his rocker for actually pitting these two movies against each other because of their title. All you need to know about how off his rocker this dude is...he calls The Fog a "traditional zombie movie"!

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    Last edited by Macready; 04-19-2016 at 05:30 AM.
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  3. #3
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    Found The Fog a bit boring.

    I like The Mist, though. Only thing is, you don't find out what happened to the people in the store. I wanted to know if they survived. Maybe I missed something.

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    I took it as since they decided to stay there the military eventually got to them and they were rescued. It's kind of open but that is what I had always thought. Which makes what took place with the group that left even more tragic.

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  5. #5
    Child of the Grave
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    Quote Originally Posted by Macready View Post
    The writer of the article is off his rocker for actually pitting these two movies against each other because of their title. All you need to know about how off his rocker this dude is...he calls The Fog a "traditional zombie movie"!
    Threw this out there just for fun...and of course The Fog is in no way a "traditional zombie movie"

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    Quote Originally Posted by koolmike View Post
    Threw this out there just for fun...and of course The Fog is in no way a "traditional zombie movie"
    Yup, I know. Just had to single that out because of how ludicrous it is! That statement alone should prevent this guy writing anything to do with horror ever again.

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    Published writer in Fantastic Horror, Volumes 1,2, and 5. Currently working on my first two novels!

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    Quote Originally Posted by Macready View Post
    Throw in the ending from The Mist which could be one of the ballsiest, gut wrenching endings ever made and for me it is a no-brainer.
    Agreed on The Mist being superior. The main thing that usually keeps me from rewatching it though is because of that ending. Well, not the ending itself, but it's the timing of those gut wrenching events that borders on the ridiculous IMO.


    Spoiler...
    well... looks like we've run out of gas... say, may I have my bullet sandwich now? Please. Completely ridiculous. I can understand it under a panic scenario, everyone scrambling out of fear, chaos full throttle, dogs and cats living together - mass hysteria type of thing and everyone grabbing for the heater and trying to be the first one to check out. That wasn't the situation though. That's not to say that it wouldn't have reached that crescendo at some further point, but at that moment the situation was as calm as a pinic by the lake. So they came to a stop. Nothing clawing to get in, nothing banging off the windows, and now the dead carts a rollin'...

    I think a bit more of an immediate threat would have to be in order to justify those dirt napps at that moment. Call me crazy, but there had better be some serious extra-dimensional maleficent mofo's coming through that door in order to get the solo to cash in his chips early. Turns out if they woulda just shut their pie holes and sat there for another 10 min. (in relative peace mind you) things woulda been right as rain. The point being - why would you not do just exactly that seeing how there was not an immediate threat?

    Basically i've never had any issues with the ending Darabont wanted... only the timing of it.



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  8. #8
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    I see your perspective on the ending however after going through all they did and seeing what could happen such as being a host for spiders from another dimension and having them rupture through your skin, to being stung by an insect thing the size of a toaster oven and swelling up with shit oozing out of the gaping sting hole I don't see it being a reach. Especially 100% under the impression those people in the store you left behind are the only others left.

    The possibility of stepping one foot out of the car and ending up with one of those horrible fates or something even worse (don't forget what they saw in the parking lot getting to the car) the timing doesn't seem off for me.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Macready View Post
    I don't see it being a reach
    We're not talking about maybe one of the group imploding with a nervous breakdown and biting the bullet early due to an understandable inability to cope... but rather a whole damn car load of supposed sane, rational people here. You don't see how people checking out at the earliest convenience because of a known threat vs. an immediate threat as being something of a reach?

    Are you saying that you, Macready, sitting in that backseat as the gas runs out, would ask to have his turn of the cylinder under no immediate threat - instead of holding onto life for the longest possible moment?

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    Honestly I don't know. If I saw and went through all they did and had no doubt in my mind we were all that was left and knew what was out in that mist and what it was capable of...possibly.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Macready View Post
    Honestly I don't know. If I saw and went through all they did and had no doubt in my mind we were all that was left and knew what was out in that mist and what it was capable of...possibly.
    I suppose that's the real kicker here - that struggle of doubt. Not sure any of them could have ever known in terms of absolutes if they were all that was left, or that everything has completely ended, but then they wouldn't have to. It would only have to be absolute in their own mind, and then for them to do accordingly. One, in the group maybe, but I find it highly unlikely all 4 would do so under no immediate threat.

    In the case of TZ's Henry Bemis after the they dropped the Gawd Bomb. He believed that he was all that was left... and lead was on the menu.
    I could relate to his state of mind in this scenario a little easier.

    Attachment 25251

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    Spoiler...
    For me, if I was in that car I would want to go out before the kid. I couldn't possibly witness that.


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    Agreed. The most tragic part of the flick.

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  14. #14
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    Never cared for that ending....The Fog IMO was more entertaining.

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    I'm sorry, but the ending of The Mist will ALWAYS make me laugh.

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  16. #16
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    Quote Originally Posted by IKickAssForTheLord View Post
    I'm sorry, but the ending of The Mist will ALWAYS make me laugh.
    ...me too

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  17. #17
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    I've never seen the Mist but just got my hands on it. It had 3.5 out of 5 stars and I know the fog is not a 3.5, so we shall see...

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  18. #18
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    If you like J Carpenter horror films, you will love The Fog.

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    John Carpenter's The Fog all the way.

    It was such a visually engaging, beautiful picture.

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    Last edited by little ghost; 05-02-2016 at 05:51 AM.

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