The Fog

Described by the director himself as “a minor horror classic”, “The Fog”, despite undergoing protracted editing (several scenes were shot in a second round, given that the running time of the first version was too short and the result was far from terrifying), turned out to be a dark, gloomy film with high visual impact that uses the cover of a ghost story to camouflage what’s really a biting socio-political critique at its core.

Antonio Bay, a town built on innocent blood, serves as a savvy allegory for American history – something we’ll see again with a sci-fi twist in Carpenter’s 2001 “Ghosts of Mars”. Carpenter is particularly harsh in his criticism of governmental hypocrisy (the mayor, despite knowing the truth, refuses to cancel the centennial celebration) and of law enforcement’s ineptitude (connivance?). Nor does he spare the clergy from the usual barbs (“I am the thief and God’s temple is the tomb of gold“).

Despite its low budget, the film asserts itself on the esthetic level as well: great atmosphere, meager but effective special effects, fitting music.

“Cutting” ending.