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TIFF Review: ‘Color Out of Space’ Paints a Messy Picture

Published

5 years ago

September 10, 2019

Director Richard Stanley returns to narrative filmmaking after over 20 years with Color Out of Space, a hypnotic H.P. Lovecraft adaptation. Published in 1927, the story is one of Lovecraft’s most popular works and is said to be his favorite of his short stories. Stanley brings his love for Lovecraft into the film and adds his own personal flair to the tale, creating a unique and inventive experience.

Starring Nicolas Cage (Mandy), Joely Richardson (Event Horizon), Madeleine Arthur (The Magicians), Brendan Meyer (The Guest), Julian Hilliard (The Haunting of Hill House), Elliot Knight (Once Upon a Time), and Tommy Chong (of Cheech and Chong fame), Color Out of Space follows the Gardner family as a meteorite crashes on their farm. This space rock emits an indescribable color that affects all life nearby in mysterious and terrifying ways. Soon, the family is left to fend for their very lives as the color spreads across their land, leaving chaos in its wake.

Cosmic Lovecraftian horror can be a challenge as the monster effects are key. If you ask any horror fan, they’ll gladly tell you that practical effects are always preferable. Thankfully, Stanley uses practical effects for the most horrific moments in the film, which is truly appreciated.

Reminiscent of Rob Bottin’s creature designs for The Thing, the monsters of Color Out of Space are quite effective. CGI effects are layered over top of the practical effects to enhance them with the titular color, however, in some instances the amount of CGI use overshadows the practical effect so it’s difficult to tell what was physically made.

via IMDb

For the most part, Color Out of Space hits some of the narrative beats from the original short story, though certain changes have been made with varying effect. Naturally some shifts have occurred that affect the development of the plot, though there are also some ancillary adjustments that change the film’s overall tone.

Rather than a collection of generic livestock, the family’s farm is populated by a herd of alpacas. More often than not, these alpacas serve as a punchline which can be distracting as they make every scene they’re in a bit silly (because alpacas are naturally kind of absurd).

Multiple characters are combined into one hydrologist who serves as a scientific catch-all whenever knowledge is needed. It’s a bit odd that a hydrologist would be consulted for the discovery of a meteorite, or would know what radiation burns look like, but it’s best not to dwell on it… the man knows his science.

via IMDb

There are a few other narrative seeds planted that don’t really grow into anything and could be cut out entirely without affecting the film at all. They add to character development, but are generally unnecessary as there are other ways to build the audience’s relationship with and understanding of these characters without needless filler.

What’s more jarring is the fact that each actor seems to be working in a different movie. Performances are all over the place in terms of tone with varying degrees of intensity. Nicolas Cage takes center stage in one of his most cagey performances to date, alternating between dowdy farmer (slash bourbon connoisseur) and full-blown bonkers on a hairpin trigger. When facing an unhinged Cage, the actors deliver their dialogue with such sincerity that it can be quite comical, though it’s unclear if this is always intentional. The cast can’t match his eccentricity and don’t try to, so as an end result, the energy is very uneven.

As a Lovecraft adaptation, Color Out of Space is fine. It’s not overwhelmingly good or bad, though it might not be what you expect when you hear the combination of Lovecraft, Nic Cage, and Richard Stanley. It’s hypnotically entertaining — particularly for its Cage-isms — but overall it could be more cohesive.

Color Out of Space strays outside the lines to draw its own unique picture, and the end result is a bit messy. The film has already been acquired by RJLE Films ahead of its Midnight Madness world premiere. But the real question is, will audiences buy it?

Color Out of Space

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Netflix Releases First BTS ‘Fear Street: Prom Queen’ Footage

Published

5 hours ago

April 30, 2024

Timothy Rawles

It’s been three long years since Netflix unleashed the bloody, but enjoyable Fear Street on its platform. Released in a tryptic fashion, the streamer broke up the story into three episodes, each taking place in a different decade which by the finale were all tied together.

Now, the streamer is in production for its sequel Fear Street: Prom Queen which brings the story into the 80s. Netflix gives a synopsis of what to expect from Prom Queen on their blog site Tudum:

“Welcome back to Shadyside. In this next installment of the blood-soaked Fear Street franchise, prom season at Shadyside High is underway and the school’s wolfpack of It Girls is busy with its usual sweet and vicious campaigns for the crown. But when a gutsy outsider is unexpectedly nominated to the court, and the other girls start mysteriously disappearing, the class of ’88 is suddenly in for one hell of a prom night.”

Based on R.L. Stine’s massive series of Fear Street novels and spin-offs, this chapter is number 15 in the series and was published in 1992.

FEAR STREET: PROM QUEEN IS NOW IN PRODUCTION 🩸 Welcome to Shadyside High. We're gonna have a killer time. pic.twitter.com/jDl0zRa2CH
— Netflix (@netflix) April 30, 2024

Fear Street: Prom Queen features a killer ensemble cast, including India Fowler (The Nevers, Insomnia), Suzanna Son (Red Rocket, The Idol), Fina Strazza (Paper Girls, Above the Shadows), David Iacono (The Summer I Turned Pretty, Cinnamon), Ella Rubin (The Idea of You), Chris Klein (Sweet Magnolias, American Pie), Lili Taylor (Outer Range, Manhunt) and Katherine Waterston (The End We Start From, Perry Mason).

No word on when Netflix will drop the series into its catalog.

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Live Action Scooby-Doo Reboot Series In Works at Netflix

Published

7 hours ago

April 30, 2024

Timothy Rawles

The ghosthunting Great Dane with an anxiety problem, Scooby-Doo, is getting a reboot and Netflix is picking up the tab. Variety is reporting that the iconic show is becoming an hour-long series for the streamer although no details have been confirmed. In fact, Netflix execs declined to comment.

If the project is a go, this would be the first live-action movie based on the Hanna-Barbera cartoon since 2018’s Daphne & Velma. Before that, there were two theatrical live-action movies, Scooby-Doo (2002) and Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed (2004), then two sequels that premiered on The Cartoon Network.

Currently, the adult-oriented Velma is streaming on Max.

Scooby-Doo originated in 1969 under the creative team Hanna-Barbera. The cartoon follows a group of teenagers who investigate supernatural happenings. Known as Mystery Inc., the crew consists of Fred Jones, Daphne Blake, Velma Dinkley, and Shaggy Rogers, and his best friend, a talking dog named Scooby-Doo.

Normally the episodes revealed the hauntings they encountered were hoaxes developed by land-owners or other nefarious characters hoping to scare people away from their properties. The original TV series named Scooby-Doo, Where Are You! ran from 1969 to 1986. It was so successful that movie stars and pop culture icons would make guest appearances as themselves in the series.

Celebrities such as Sonny & Cher, KISS, Don Knotts, and The Harlem Globetrotters made cameos as did Vincent Price who portrayed Vincent Van Ghoul in a few episodes.

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BET Releasing New Original Thriller: The Deadly Getaway

Published

7 hours ago

April 30, 2024

Cameron McFarland

BET will soon be offering horror fans a rare treat. The studio has announced the official release date for their new original thriller, The Deadly Getaway. Directed by Charles Long (The Trophy Wife), this thriller sets up a heart racing game of cat and mouse for audiences to sink their teeth into.

Wanting to break up the monotony of their routine, Hope and Jacob set off to spend their vacation at a simple cabin in the woods. However, things go sideways when Hope’s ex-boyfriend shows up with a new girl at the same campsite. Things soon spiral out of control. Hope and Jacob must now work together to escape the woods with their lives.

The Deadly Getaway is written by Eric Dickens (Makeup X Breakup) and Chad Quinn (Reflections of US). The Film stars, Yandy Smith-Harris (Two Days in Harlem), Jason Weaver (The Jacksons: An American Dream), and Jeff Logan (My Valentine Wedding).

Showrunner Tressa Azarel Smallwood had the following to say about the project. “The Deadly Getaway is the perfect reintroduction to classic thrillers, which encompass dramatic twists, and spine-chilling moments. It showcases the range and diversity of emerging Black writers across genres of film and television.”

The Deadly Getaway will premiere on 5.9.2024, exclusively ion BET+.