Dr. Death Proof's 80's Flick Extravanganza and Shenanigans

Not as big on The Fog as some people here are, but I still enjoyed it.

The Fog (1980)







"Fog bank. There's no fog bank out there.


Hey, there's a fog bank out there."




The Fog is what happens when a brilliant director makes a low-budget horror movie that looks like it had ten times the budget. Using a great cast and a few tricks up his sleeve, Carpenter takes what could easily be a bad made-for-SyFy movie and makes it a horror classic. Shot in anamorphic widescreen Panavision, it gives the impression that this is a bigger movie that it really is.



The town of Antonio Bay is about to celebrate its 100th anniversary. But during the "witching hour" paranormal events begin to plague the town. Glass breaks, mirrors fall, and out on the bay itself, three fishermen are murdered by unseen assailants. In the meantime, Father Malone finds his grandfather's diary. The founders of Antonio Bay had conspired against a wealthy leper to prevent his forming a leper colony near them by purposely causing his ship to be dashed against the rocks, then stealing his gold to found their town.



As the centennial draws close, more paranormal events occur as the denizens of the town try to avoid getting murdered by leper ghosts. And then Tom Atkins whips out his massive dick and saves the day.








The Fog was directed by John Carpenter and co-written by Carpenter and Debra Hill. (who wrote Halloween, and was from Haddonfield, NJ not far from where I live)










Although made for a budget of a little over $1 million, The Fog boasts good special effects, a big movie feel with its Panavision and a great cast in Tom Atkins, Jamie Lee Curtis, Adrienne Barbeau and her twins, Hal Holbrook, Janet Leigh, and John Houseman. Special effects whiz Rob Bottin wears the Blake costume and Carpenter himself appears briefly as the priest's assistant, Bennett.


It's unfortunate that Carpenter doesn't make movies like this any more. But after his career, my man pretty much wants to sit around smoking weed and playing progressive jazz. Can't say I blame him.



8 seagulls out of 10

random childhood memory:

At the theater circa 1980 and upon seeing the poster for Final Countdown, expressed my interest in said film. Father replies that I'll probably find it boring. 40+ years later I still haven't seen it.

What did you end up watching instead?

Good question. We might've been there to see Empire or Superman II or something. So when I saw the Final Countdown poster it was more of a "hey can we come see this next week" kind of thing.

Aw man, you guys have cool first movies. My first was Johnny English when I was 11. My folks didn't take us to the movies all that much when I was a kid, but wanted to make the trip to see Rowan Atkinson.

Empire Strikes Back is my earliest memory at the cinema. But I’m pretty sure it was a re release in 1982, as I was far too young to remember anything in 1980 (3) as opposed to 1982 (5). Unless it had a release in 1983.
Most of my early memories at the cinema start at 1984 (7). Man that was a time.

Hmph.

Okay, fine. Let's make a deal. I'll say that The Fog is great if you say One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest is great. Deal?

what was stuntman mike eating at the bar before he picked up the dirty blonde ?