Lovecraft Country

The period between 1977-1986 is what I’ve always considered the Golden Age of modern horror movies. Recently I’ve found myself feeling as though maybe Brian Yuzna’s been unjustly neglected in my acknowledgement of influences. By no means am I an expert on his work, but Re-Animator (1985, Stuart Gordon) produced by Yuzna, From Beyond (1986, Gordon) produced by Yuzna, and Society (1989, Yuzna) have long been among the finest horror I’ve seen. And by today’s standards, they’re even better.

     Color Out of Space (2019, Richard Stanley) is prestige horror. Mom and Dad (2017, Brian Taylor) struck me as a B-movie, and it is. But it was fun and edgy. Mandy (2018, Panos Cosmatos) struck me as a B-movie, but took me off-guard and had me simultaneously fascinated that I’d never seen anything quite like it’s metal/carny/blacklight/druggy airbrushed fantasy aesthetic; in other words, delivered a yield that exceeded its investment or something.

     Color Out of Space finds Stanley in command of his material, along with contributions from the camera operator, boasting a consistently flawless execution of composition through staging and blocking, . This movie’s got style. And it’s this aspect in which the whole thing feels like an A-picture. Next, I suppose it’s the subtle sound design and calmly eeire atmosphere score.

     It’s surprising that the film comes off so well done considering the excessively graphic horror images nestled within the nice peaceful family alone in the woods backdrop. But of course, like the rare exception Lovecraft himself, who wrote quality prose but found subtle ways to get lost off the traditional path and wander into demented stuff you’d expect in pulpier fare, Stanley blends high art with the deranged effortlessly. 

     And speaking of the nuclear family: mom, dad, two boys, a girl, with a cat and a dog, I love how I was unable to get a strong sense of their dynamic. At first, they’re practically so perfect it verges on cliché. But then, they all gradually kind of cuss each other out, which isn’t an error in tone, but the asteroid’s presence beginning to affect them. It's also where the movie really gets fun. Especially with Cage in full-on Vampire’s Kiss filing system mode.

     And, dig the poster art. I’ve been living in Atlanta the past couple of years and listening to trap and, maybe it’s just me, but the whole fuchsia world that manifests seems like the coolest version of the codeine crazy trip with slowly psychedelic visuals melting your face I’ve ever seen.

     So in conclusion, the Lovecraft tone is what makes Color Out of Space strong and most enjoyable, but it’s also got some throwback late 80s Yuzna vibe that made me love horror even more.