Whilst suffering decision paralysis, caused by having too many choices available on Netflix and Amazon Prime, I came across a film that popped up and intrigued me… The Color Out of Space. I was familiar with the short story from H.P. Lovecraft, having read it about 20 years ago, and had loved the strange premise of a meteorite landing on a farm and bringing dreadful consequences for the creatures and humans that lived in the area. However, I didn’t know how this story could be effectively adapted for the screen as Lovecraft’s Cosmicism and existential dread, about humanity’s insignificance in the eyes of unknowable beings, would lose its power if the creature (in this case, a colour) were presented on screen as nothing is scarier than the unknown. So, suitably intrigued I selected to see who was involved and upon seeing Nicolas Cage front and centre, it kinda clinched the deal for me that this was a must watch… the man is an enigma and is pushing acting boundaries- both good and bad.
I watched the movie late at night over a couple of days and, at times, it felt like a strange lucid dream. In fact, on the second night I had to rewatch 10 mins from the previous night as I wasn't sure that I hadn't fallen asleep and dreamt it. I can reassuringly say that no, I hadn't dreamt it and yes, it was in fact as strangely, magnificently, hauntingly beautiful as I had thought.
I only knew the director, Richard Stanley, from the amazing documentary Lost Soul: The Doomed Journey of Richard Stanley's Island of Dr. Moreau when he went into the rainforest and survived off the land, playing an extra under disguise after being fired from the film shoot. However, based on this film, I can say that he is a solid director and has great vision which would have made Moreau a more exciting proposition than what we ended up with.
The Color Out of Space is a glorious B- movie and the whole feel is very The Thing or, more recently, Annihilation as it is a slow burn that slowly brings out the scares without being too graphic or gory. Cage keeps it reigned in for the first hour before he starts to Cage Rage out but he never goes Full Cage (FC) or gives the powerhouse gonzo performance we are used to and expect (Think The Wickerman bees scene). Rather, this is a more tempered and measured approach with occasional FC elements like the alpaca shooting and 'family always sticks together' speech. The rest of the supporting cast are solid and play it straight.
The cinematography is stunning and there are moments of pure spectacle. The trippy visuals and practical special effects give the film a timeless vibe in that the CGI is very good for the budget and the practical effects work well in an 80s way- the period it most recalls in its homage to the sci-fi horror genre. The soundtrack by Colin Stetson is reminiscent of dark 80s synth wave but also with some heavier beats. Overall, it's an excellent soundtrack that complements this unusual film.
I know that this is the first of a planned Lovecraft trilogy and I eagerly await the next one, which I hope will happen even thought this film was disastrous financially but won general plaudits from fans and reviewers alike. If you have a spare couple of hours and want something very unique, this may well fit the bill.
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