“In the Mouth of Madness” seemed like top tier horror.
The 1994 film was written by Michael De Luca and directed and scored by horror legend John Carpenter. It was inspired by the writings of HP Lovecraft.
If that’s not enough, it stars the great Sam Neill, who, when not fighting dinosaurs, is slowly driven to the brink of sanity.
Cool Idea
A popular horror novelist named Sutter Cane (Jürgen Prochnow) has gone missing. And his devout fans have gone crazy; attacking people in the streets and wreaking havoc across the country.
John Trent (Sam Neill) is an insurance investigator. Sutter Cane’s publishing company hires John to find the missing author.
John buys Cane’s books and reads them for clues. The twisted writings of the horror author begin to fester. John travels to an off-the-map town, accompanied by editor Linda Styles (Julie Carmen).
That’s when the spookiness really begins.
The Great
Sam Neill is one of the best. Known for his iconic role in “Jurassic Park,” he’s a talent to watch on screen. Here, he dazzles John Trent; a shrewd investigator and firm non-believer in the supernatural.
Familiar faces like David Warner, John Glover, and Wilhelm von Homburg deliver excellent cameo roles. There’s even an appearance by Charlton Heston, which is always fun.
John Carpenter
We know John Carpenter for “Halloween” and “The Thing.” He’s masterful at terror, sound, and practical effects.
One of my biggest critiques here is the score. It’s abundant and at times, out of place. The makeup of certain characters is nice, but also too much. I’d like one or two creepy things. Twenty or thirty and you lose me.
I loved one element; a painting that keeps changing. But the rest of the film is excessive and unnecessary gore.
“In the Mouth of Madness” promised greatness, but it completely disappointed me.
