The Fog (1980)

An unearthly fog rolls into a small coastal town exactly 100 years after a ship mysteriously sank in its waters.

Director:

John Carpenter

Writers:

John Carpenter, Debra Hill

Stars:

Adrienne Barbeau, Jamie Lee Curtis, Janet Leigh

1 win & 2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Adrienne Barbeau	...	Stevie Wayne
Jamie Lee Curtis	...	Elizabeth Solley
Janet Leigh	...	Kathy Williams
John Houseman	...	Mr. Machen
Tom Atkins	...	Nick Castle
James Canning	...	Dick Baxter
Charles Cyphers	...	Dan O'Bannon
Nancy Kyes	...	Sandy Fadel (as Nancy Loomis)
Ty Mitchell	...	Andy Wayne
Hal Holbrook	...	Father Malone
John F. Goff	...	Al Williams (as John Goff)
George 'Buck' Flower	...	Tommy Wallace
Regina Waldon	...	Mrs. Kobritz
Jim Haynie	...	Dockmaster
Darrow Igus	...	Mel

Storyline

Against the backdrop of spine-chilling stories of drowned mariners and a 100-year-old shipwreck lying on the bottom of the sea, the peaceful community of the coastal town of Antonio Bay, California is making preparations to celebrate its centennial. However--as strange supernatural occurrences blemish the festivities--an impenetrable opaque mist starts to shroud the seaside village, leading to unaccountable disappearances and the spilling of warm bright-red blood. One long century ago, a hideous crime was committed by the town's elders. Now, the restless dead have returned for revenge, demanding justice. Is there something evil lurking in the fog?

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Plot Keywords:

fog | ghost ship | lighthouse | cult director | revenge | 

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Taglines:

100 years ago, it moved across a small town creating a terror no human being should ever live to see again! Now, it has returned.

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Genres:

Horror | Thriller

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Certificate:

AA

Did You Know?

Trivia

The role of Father Malone was originally offered to Sir Christopher Lee who believed the character to be the 'father of the community'. However, Lee proved unavailable and Hal Holbrook was eventually cast.

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Goofs

When Andy runs on the beach to find the gold coin, footprints from previous takes are visible.

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Quotes

Stevie Wayne: I don't know what happened to Antonio Bay tonight. Something came out of the fog and tried to destroy us. In one moment, it vanished. But if this has been anything but a nightmare, and if we don't wake up to find ourselves safe in our beds, it could come again. To the ships at sea who can hear my voice, look across the water, into the darkness. Look for the fog.

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Connections

Referenced in Discoverer (2009)

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Soundtracks

Stagione Vivaldiana
(uncredited)
Music by Alessandro Brugnolini, Giancarlo Gazzani, Stefano Torossi, Giovanni Tommaso and Massimo Catalano

User Reviews

Creepy Atmosphere

John Houseman sits around a campfire telling children about the story of a ship that went down near their home Antonio Bay and how the drowned sailors will reappear 100 years to that very night in the fog. It is a wonderful beginning to a very chilling film, directed by the modern horror meister John Carpenter. As with most of his films, Carpenter creates a scary atmosphere through moody settings(the California coastline, a lighthouse, an old Church), relentless mood music as in Halloween, good character acting(Holbrook, Houseman, Curtis, Leigh), and a claustrophobic feeling of something vice-like gripping you. The story has some plot problems, but none enough to detract from the overall enjoyment of the film. Adrienne Barbeau is as lovely as ever in the lead, and the film is credible amidst the background of supernatural actions.

Details

Official Sites:

MGM

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

8 February 1980 (USA)

Also Known As:

Le brouillard

Filming Locations:

Farm House Restaurant - 10005 Highway One, Olema, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$1,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$39,565, 28 October 2018

Gross USA:

$21,448,782

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$21,448,782

Company Credits

Production Co:

AVCO Embassy Pictures, EDI, Debra Hill Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

89 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1