Local legend tells of a ship lured on to the rocks of Antonio Bay being enveloped by a supernatural cloud as it sank; the myth says that when this mysterious fog returns, the victims will rise up from the depths seeking vengeance.
Grimmfest says: You all know it. You’ve all seen it, probably more than once. And you all know just how richly it pays to revisit its many cinematic pleasures. What more really needs to be said about John Carpenter’s classic tale of collective guilt and supernatural retribution? Not to be confused, of course, with James Herbert’s once-notorious novel of the same name, if it owes a debt to any British author, then it’s William Hope Hodgson, inspiration to H.P. Lovecraft, and master of the supernatural seafaring tale, who actually wrote a novel called THE GHOST PIRATES (although John Houseman’s avuncular campfire storyteller is called “Machen”, hinting at another source author). But such tales have a long tradition in the folklore of most coastal and seafaring regions, and the film’s deft depiction of a small-town community under threat by a supernatural force owes at least as much to a US literary tradition that would include Ray Bradbury and Stephen King. There might even be a nod to JAWS, as Antonio Bay, like Amity Island, prepares to celebrate its history, regardless, and in defiance of the threat it now faces. But for all the subtle nods and references, at heart, this is pure Carpenter, at the peak of his game. The detailed backstory, establishing the nature of the threat, the meticulously timed ratcheting up of tension and danger, the Hawksian focus on mismatched characters coming together to avert a crisis, the prowling camera and throbbing soundtrack almost becoming characters in their own right. The fine cast of genre icons and Hollywood legends add weight, wit, and nuance to the script, all anchored by Adrienne Barbeau’s velvet voiced DJ, Stevie Wayne, whose role becomes that of narrator and coordinator of the ensuing battle for survival. And who will be joining us in person for the screening, and to accept her Grimmfest Reaper Lifetime Achievement Award, for her long and storied career in the genre.
A special screening followed by a Q&A with star Adrienne Barbeau.