Intense John Carpenter Classic Is Now Free to Stream: “One of the most atmospheric horror movies ever made”
John Carpenter is not only a master of horror. He’s also a master of atmosphere. He’s adept at building a mounting sense of tension and a palpable sense of dread, as is clearly evidenced in films like his breakout hit Halloween and the underrated made-for-TV picture, Someone’s Watching Me. Both of those films largely eschew gore in favor of atmosphere, and we’re all better for it. Carpenter continued that trajectory with the 1980 chiller The Fog, a film that many fans, myself included, consider his most atmospheric effort.
The Fog is the perfect film for a dreary day at home. Every time I watch it, I feel like the walls are closing in, in the best possible way. It’s claustrophobic and intense. Better yet, it’s now available to stream for free (with ads) on The Roku Channel.
The Fog unfolds in the coastal town of Antonio Bay. The action is set on the cusp of the town’s centennial anniversary. While many are eager to celebrate the momentous occasion, supernatural forces disenchanted by the town’s sordid past have very different ideas. Deadly consequences soon ensue.
This early career effort from Carpenter is a claustrophobic film that I previously likened to a campfire tale in a Dread Central editorial. I additionally posited that the film succeeds at what would be impossible in less capable hands: making fog feel profoundly menacing.
In an excerpt from my previous coverage, I said: “After establishing a tense and foreboding setup, Carpenter manages to make the fog feel ominous. He uses an eerie score, disquieting sound design, and camerawork that masterfully frames the fog as if it is closing in on the residents of Antonio Bay. Not many films have managed to succeed in making a weather pattern feel threatening. And those that have successfully done so were working with more than just fog, which is literally just a low-hanging cloud of condensation.”
You know what, though? You don’t have to take my word for it. The film has an adoring legion of fans. I’ve sampled a handful of reactions below that echo just how effective The Fog is. Keep reading to see what I mean.
Well, dear reader. What did you think of those rave reactions? Pretty impressive, no? If the overwhelming enthusiasm has you eager to enjoy the film, head over to The Roku Channel, where you can stream The Fog for free right now.
That’s all for this broadcast. Stay tuned to Dread Central in the near future for more recommendations from the streaming space.
Categorized: Streaming News
