PREVIEWS, TRAILERS: “The Signal” and Stephen King’s “The Mist”
Who said horror movies were dying? With Rob Zombie’s Halloween remake looking like a box-office win, we have The Signal and The Mist, two upcoming features that have Stephen King written all of them. (Literally for The Mist.)
After umpteen movies have given torture-horror a bad name (yes, even with a name like ”torture-horror”), we’re headed back to the days of people just going loony tune paranoid.
The Signal (coming Oct. 26) sounds just like Stephen King’s novel “Cell.” In both, people go homicidally nuts after hearing some wacky signal — in the movie’s case, it’s everywhere, cell phones, TV, etc. I love when technology bites us in the ass.
This indie is told by three directors, in three parts — cleverly called “transmissions” — and the silly catchphrase “do you have the crazy?” is spreading. Early word is decent, especially among the horror rags.
The Mist (coming Nov. 21) puts Stephen King material back in the hands of Frank Darabont, who wrote and directed The Green Mile in 1999. It tells the story of a mysterious fog (sorry, mist) containing vicious creatures that kill all who enter. A group, led by Thomas Jane, sets up camp in a supermarket to figure out survival tactics. Here’s footage from the set of The Mist.
I loved the book. But it sounds too derivative as a film. And what of Mr. Darabont? He hasn’t written and directed a movie since, well, The Green Mile. If this kickstarts a little comeback, early buzz will be good for his reported remake of Truffaut’s Fahrenheit 451, due in 2009.
QUESTION: Which of these two films appeals most to you? TELL US
Other Posts of Interest
- MOVIE POSTER MONDAY: Stephen King’s “The Mist”
- Demand for “The Mist” Spoiler
- “The Mist” Update: A New Ending for the Film
- Hostel Part II — Will It Suffer A Quick Death?
- Two “Killer” Endings Now on DVD
11 Comments
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A REMAKE of Farenheit 451? Doesn’t anyone read or see old movies anymore? This was already remade several times, its most recent incarnation “Equilibrium.” Doesn’t anyone have a new idea?
As far as “The Mist” goes, I liked it the first time I saw it, when it was called “Dawn of The Dead.” (If you remember, they were holed up in a mall.)
I have to say, I don’t like the look of “The Mist” at all. This has the look of bomb written all over it.
As far as horror not being dead, if Rob Zombie’s Hallowee remake is any indication maybe horror needs to die.
That coming from somebody who LOVES horror movies. The Halloween is a big pile of crap.
Just based on these trailers, I’d go with The Mist. It’s classic King cheese - Just Plain Folks® trapped somewhere while something horrible is trying to eat them - but I’m a sucker for that kind of thing. The bit where Andre Braugher’s rope gets yanked out of their hands is a nice little piece of tension.
That The Signal teaser had a few nice shots in it, but that hyper-edited style has worn thin on me. I got a lot more out of your description than the clip itself, and that’s not a compliment to the clip. I’d like to see trailer-cutters get a little more creative in how they try to build horror without all that noisy crap.
- Scott -
I had thought of the Dawn of the Dead parallel. But I guess if you’re going to quarantine a bunch of Americans you have to do it where they’re most likely to assemble: somewhere they can shop.
- Eric -
This version of Halloween might be crap, but I’m reserving comment til I see it. I’m a huge fan of the original film, and I do appreciate Zombie’s down-and-dirty style. I’m just not sure they should go together.
- Burbanked -
I love your use of the trademark… Based on the trailers, I’m with you 100%. But I caught a short scene of The Signal (I can’t remember where) and it seems serious enough to command attention. It’s just that the trailer sucks. Magnolia should know better.
Thanks for visiting this weekend guys. Talk to you again.
-Norm S.
[…] shared our preview of The Mist during Labor Day weekend, and now I hear a little buzz building. So, here’s our latest poster […]
THE MIST-Opened at #9!!!! A MEGABOMB!! BwwWWaaAAhhHHAAAaa!!!
This really makes my day, since everything this director has done has sucked BIG-TIME.
- Darkseid -
Man, you’re a hater! You’d have a hard time convincing people — including me — that The Shawshank Redemption “sucked big-time”. I also personally like The Green Mile and plenty of people like The Shield on FX.
As for The Mist’s opening, it was never going to be #1, if that’s what you’re thinking — it was on about 1000 fewer screens than Beowulf. But yeah, it probably underperformed compared to other medium-sized releases like This Christmas.
As you said, It was #9 for the 3-day weekend, but it’s estimated at #8 for the period from Wednesday on. Holiday time ain’t necessarily horror time, so movies like Enchanted are always gonna finish better.
Thanks for commenting.
-Norm S.
Shawshank is one of the most overrated films in the history of cinema, sorry. And Green Mile was just plain muddled and stupid.
Also, can’t get into the Shield-the schtick of an evil guy as ‘hero’ or ‘anti-hero’ or whatever leaves me stone-cold, since I don’t care about the protaginist.
Too bad, as I like Chikless (sp?) as an actor.