DVD Review: The Mist

Writer: Frank Darabont, Stephen King
Director: Frank Darabont
Cast: Thomas Jane, Marcia Gay Harden, Laurie Holden, Andre Braugher, Toby Jones, William Sadler
Rating: R
Studio: Genius Products
Release Date: March 25, 2008

There are three surefire words/names that will get me to want to watch a movie. One of those is horror and the other two are Stephen King. I will admit that some of his ideas have not transferred well onto screen (does Dreamcatcher ring a bell?), but movies like Carrie, Cujo, and, more recently, 1408 were absolutely fabulous. All I knew about The Mist was Stephen King was involved. As a fan, that was really all I needed to know to be ready to enjoy an evening of suspense thanks to the master of horror.

I have to admit, I was shocked. This is what horror is meant to be. It’s thrilling and chilling, but not necessarily in the ways you expect. It’s ironic and unforgiving, much like life, and it’s utterly shocking. At the end, I just sat there baffled. I understood what had happened and yet, I couldn’t believe it. It made me realize why I love Stephen King’s work. He really doesn’t seem to conform for anyone or anything. While so many horror movies these days are trite and unexciting (The Saw Series and House of 1,000 Corpses excluded) The Mist hits home dead on and offers a film that horror and suspense lovers will not want to miss for anything!

Release Information:
This Stephen King venture was handled by Frank Darabont. If you’re a huge King movie fan you may recognize the name from such masterpieces as The Shawshank Redemption and The Green Mile. This is the third time the duo has worked together and while those other films were good, this step into the more horror end of the suspense genre shows that the third time is the charm! King’s novella was not an entirely new concept for a horror movie. You have elements of a biblical apocalypse, for starters, and so the possibility exists that the movie may seem like something you’ve seen before. However, with the grace of a King and Darabont pairing, the movie comes out tasting as bittersweet as you might expect.

The film premiered in theaters in late 2007 and has made around $42 million as of the end of March 2008. The film was released on DVD on March 25, 2008. The two-disc Collector’s Edition includes a number of special features. It is available through Amazon for $26, as well as all major retailers. If you are looking for a cheaper option there is a one disc set available without the added bonuses, though the price is only a few dollars different so you might want to consider splurging on this one.

The The Myst Plot
A huge crash occurs along the waterfront where we immediately meet artist, David Drayton (Thomas Jane (Face/Off), his wife, and his son, Billy (Nathan Gamble – Babel). After the crash, a thunderstorm wipes out the power and a tree trunk destroys a window in Drayton’s upstairs studio. With the power out and the window bashed in, Drayton and son head out in their Land Rover, with their snobby neighbor Brent (Andre Braugher – Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer) to the local market to get some supplies before everyone in town buys them up.

While in the store, a huge mist rolls through town. At first, it is thought that it could be weather related, but the bloodied man that comes out of the mist puts an end to that thought. He swears that there is “something” in the mist and before long everyone in the market begins to go mad, in their own hysterical way.

The question is not whether or not something is in the mist, but rather what that thing is. Brent believes that this is the way of the townspeople to get back at him for being an intellectual. Mrs. Carmody (Marcia Gay Harden – Into the Wild, The Invisible), on the other hand, believes that this is the wrath of God coming down upon them. As she preaches and amasses a following, it is not the creatures in the mist that are so frightening any longer. Instead it becomes the company that is kept, in the market, that is truly terrifying.

As the minutes tick away, sides will form with Mrs. Carmody on one side, taking advantage of the fear of the mist and her knowledge in the Bible, and people like David and Amanda Dunfrey (Laurie Holden – Silent Hill) on the other side, with a more logical, scientific approach hinging on survival rather than propaganda. However, as the tentacles slither into the market and people start getting hurt, town loyalists such as Jim Grondin (William Sadler – August Rush) and others will begin to switch sides and loyalties. As the space in the market becomes more volatile it soon becomes a question of what is more dangerous, the people in the market or what is in the mist.

The Mist manages to be frightening in all the right ways. From the thought of the unknown to perfectly subtle visual and audio cues, The Mist triggers a fear in you and has a hard time letting go. The thought of being closed in and not knowing what is behind a thin pane of glass waiting for you is bad enough, but when you add in a twisted yet ironic ending along with everything else, you cannot help but sit in awe. However, it is not just horror that makes this movie what it is. There are plenty of ironic or comedic moments that are well placed by the writers and the actors. In the end, it is the madness that will stay with you, giving you chills, and making you thankful that the only place you will see such a mist is on your television screen.

Praise should go to Marcia Gay Harden as the crazed religious lunatic that blames God for the troubles in the mist. She not only appears like a mental patient to the finest degree, she also is believable as the religious psychopath. I can’t speak for others that watch this, but I certainly wouldn’t want to be in a supermarket with her when it starts getting foggy!

If you purchase the Collector’s Edition you will notice that there is a black and white version of the film, as well. This was originally how the director wanted to show the film. If you have a chance to watch it, I highly recommend you check it out. If you think the color version is frightening, you have no idea what you’re missing by not checking out the black and white copy.

Storyline/Plot:
Replayability:
Acting:
Directing:

Audio/Visual:
The Mist is available visually at an aspect ratio of 1.85:1 and in anamorphic widescreen format. The transfer comes out looking amazing. The camera work is strong, the attention to detail is spot on, and there is really nothing wrong at all with this transfer, at least what is worth noting. The visuals work well along with the theme of the story with claustrophobic angles and beautiful yet occasionally haunting colors. An excellent job has been done by the visual team.

The audio is handled with a magnificent Dolby Digital 5.1 offering. The dialogue was always crisp and the music was as haunting as you might expect for this type of movie. The sound effects come through with amazing clarity and depth. Each small sound in the distance is heard with such precision it’s as if you’re hearing it off in the distance from where you are. A fine job was done on the English mix, which is not surprising since the video quality was as good as it is. In addition to an English track there is a French 5.1 track and subtitles in both English and Spanish.

Visual:
Audio:

Bonus Features:
The two disc Collector’s Edition of The Mist is filled with special features on both discs. You have to appreciate the amount of features that are available here. Almost anything you could ever want to know about The Mist is available on these two discs. The first disc starts out with an audio commentary with the director, Frank Darabont. This commentary is quite interesting. Darabont has a way about him that makes him perfect for such tasks as commentaries like this one. He is interesting, informative, and certainly never boring. It’s definitely worth a listen to gain that extra insight into what the director’s vision really was.

One of the most unique features on this disc is “Drew Struzan: An Appreciation of an Artist”. As many movies as I have seen, I do not ever recall seeing a featurette for someone that designed the posters for a movie. However, this was quite a welcome addition and certainly worth checking out. Struzan has worked on other King movie posters, as well as several popular series movies so this featurette is quite enjoyable. Seven minutes of extended and deleted scenes are included in this first disc. Every scene has the option of playing with commentary, should you wish to hear the director’s thoughts. The final two features on the first disc include three webisodes and three trailers of the film.

The second disc starts with the fabulously disturbing black and white version of the film. This film is shot in the same quality as is listed above, so the audio and visual aspects are just as amazing. The only difference is that it’s in black and white. While the theatrical version is deranged on its own, this adds an entirely new layer or terror to the story and should not be missed. Prior to this version of the film beginning, there is a three minute intro by Darabont introducing his ultimate vision to those who plan to watch it.

The rest of the features on the second disc are a collection of featurettes. Each one is informative and offers a wealth of information concerning the film and how it was made. Things get started with “When Darkness Came: The Making of The Mist“. The other features include “Taming the Beast: Shooting Scene 35”, “Monsters Among Us: A Look at the Creature F/X”, and finally “The Horror of it All: The Visual F/X of The Mist”.

Bonus Features:

Bottom Line:
If you buy one horror movie this year, make sure that it’s The Mist. Nothing in recent years even compares to the depths of fright that this movie is capable of reaching. Not only is this film well played from start to finish, but there are plenty of special features to entice any buyer into purchasing the Collector’s Edition DVD. This is the complete package and other studios can learn from a release like this one. You certainly end up with your money’s worth. If you are not a big horror fan you might want to rent this one, but if you are this is highly recommended for purchase.

Overall Rating:

Technorati Tags: Movie, DVD Review, Stephen King, The Myst, Horror, Thriller, Creatures, Religious Fanatic

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Written by Ashtyn - Visit Website
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Ashtyn Evans is a writer, advocate, free thinker, and all around cynical person. Always quick to find the negative in anything pop culture, she loves being a part of that which she despises. Ashtyn and Dominick own numerous blogs together, as well as a full-time writing business. In her spare time she is a full-time college student studying History and Psychology. She plans to one day give up her freelance career and be a full-time blogger, novelist, and domestic goddess. She can be contacted for writing projects, fan mail, or just to say hi. She really is friendlier than we make her look.