In the Mouth of Madness (1995)

Director:

John Carpenter

Writer (WGA):

Michael De Luca (written by)

Release Date:

3 February 1995 (USA)

Genre:

Fantasy | Horror | Thriller | Mystery

Tagline:

Lived Any Good Books Lately?

Plot:

An insurance investigator begins discovering that the impact a horror writer's books have on his fans is more than inspirational.

Plot Keywords:

H.P. Lovecraft | End Of Mankind | Good Versus Evil | Self Referential | Film In Film

Awards:

1 win & 3 nominations

Cast

Sam Neill	...	John Trent
Julie Carmen	...	Linda Styles
Jürgen Prochnow	...	Sutter Cane (as Jurgen Prochnow)
David Warner	...	Dr. Wrenn
John Glover	...	Saperstein
Bernie Casey	...	Robinson
Peter Jason	...	Mr. Paul
Charlton Heston	...	Jackson Harglow
Frances Bay	...	Mrs. Pickman
Wilhelm von Homburg	...	Simon
Kevin Rushton	...	Guard #1
Gene Mack	...	Guard #2
Conrad Bergschneider	...	Axe Maniac
Marvin Scott	...	Reporter
Katherine Ashby	...	Receptionist

Also Known As:

John Carpenter's In the Mouth of Madness (USA) (complete title)

Runtime:

95 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (DeLuxe)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR | DTS

Certification:

Canada:14A (Manitoba) | South Korea:15 | Iceland:16 | Germany:18 (DVD release) | USA:R (certificate #32596) | Philippines:R-18 | Canada:18A (British Columbia) | Canada:R (Nova Scotia/Ontario) | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Argentina:16 | Australia:M | France:-12 | Germany:16 | Norway:18 (video premiere) | Portugal:M/16 | Singapore:PG | Spain:18 | UK:18

Filming Locations:

King City, Ontario, Canada

Company:

New Line Cinema

Trivia:

Robot Monster (1953), which Sam Neill is watching at the end of the movie, is one of director John Carpenter's favorite monster movies as a kid.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: In the scene where Sutter Cane peels himself away to reveal the abyss, although most of his upper half is no longer "in reality" his shadow on the wall behind him remains perfectly intact.

Quotes:

John Trent: Every species can smell its own extinction. The last ones left won't have a pretty time with it. In ten years, maybe less, the human race will just be a bedtime story for their children. A myth, nothing more.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Kammaren (2007)

Soundtrack:

WE'VE ONLY JUST BEGUN

Black Magickal

This review contains some slight spoilers. Many people say that John Carpenter does either GREAT or VERY BAD films. I think his only two duds were Escape from LA and Village of the Damned. But he is one of my two fave directors (David Lynch is the other) and this is one of his best movies.

It may seem confusing at first but trust me…it does make sense. The premise of this film fascinates me. What happens when the line between fantasy and reality disappears and creatures from fiction can exist in the real world? Wow! This makes the basis of a totally cool movie.

John Carpenter always used 2.35:1 photography and in this film we get a screen filled with creepy imagery and cool locations. The film was shot entirely in Canada in 1993 and was released in 1995. It is set basically in the city and in the fictional town of Hobbs End. When I say that Hobbs End is fictional I really mean it. In the film the town does not exist but Sam Neill ends up there. Some dark magick/logic at work methinks.

This is definitely a horror film for the thinking audience. If you like your horror deep, intriguing and downbeat without being depressing…you'll LOVE this one.