The Wasteland Reviewer

The Wasteland Gems: In the Mouth of Madness (1994)

How do you choose what to watch on all those streaming services you have access to? There are so many options that it is just overwhelming. These services constantly release new content and overshadow all the great films from the past that are already there and ready to watch. Now there is The Wasteland Gems! Here is a great film on streaming right now that you should check out this weekend:

In the Mouth of Madness (1994)

Are you a fan of John Carpenter? This man is one of the greatest filmmakers in the realm of genre flicks. Horror. Science Fiction. Fantasy. Carpenter has done them so well. Especially looking at his track record with horror and sci-fi, he is one of the best filmmakers in those genres. Arguably the greatest slasher film of all time came from the mind of Carpenter, Halloween. One of the greatest sci-fi/horror films of all time is one of his as well, The Thing. But he does have some quality films that have fallen under the radar including In the Mouth of Madness.

What makes this a worthwhile flick in Carpenter’s filmography? It does a lot of the things his best films do. Carpenter injects his distinct vision into this film even at the later stages of his career. There is that crisp, textured, and rich palette that is sorely missed in so many films today. The visuals in this film are quite striking as a few haunting images deliver bone-chilling reactions. A psych ward covered in drawn crosses. An eerie empty movie theater. A haunting labyrinthian dungeon. There are so many terrifying beats in this twisted tale from Carpenter. The Lovecraftian elements that Carpenter explores in the film are quite fascinating and give the experience so many wild, stand out moments. Oh…and that Carpenter goes hard (as always!).

Does the story match Carpenter’s directorial vibes? There is something haunting and twisted in the narrative of this film. In the Mouth of Madness takes quite the twisted approach to a meta-contextual story around a Stephen King like writer. Sutter Cane is a fascinating specter that looms over the narrative of the film as he has disappeared into a dark and twisted town. Sam Neill’s John Trent is tasked with finding him…which is a lot easier said than done. The film is quite scattered and abstract, but it is consistently fascinating and mysterious. The more this story spirals into the depths of the human psyche, the more meta the experience gets, the more unhinged and morbidly fascinating Carpenter’s film becomes.

What is the secret weapon that sells this cinematic experience? Sam Neill. This man…he delivers a wild and crazed performance. Neill begins as an ordinary insurance investigator who will soon lose all his sanity and slip into a Lovecraftian hellscape. His performance transforms from strait-laced profession type to a wild madman with drawn crosses all over his body. His performance just keeps spiraling out of control and becomes infinitely more entertaining. An unhinged performance in a bonkers horror is always a great addition.

Why should you dive In the Mouth of Madness? This wild hellscape will scratch that itch when you need a bonkers horror experience. Neill delivers a magnetic performance that is hard to ignore. A meta-narrative delivers a unique and thought-provoking journey with some impressive Lovecraftian imagery is a worthwhile experience on streaming.

In the Mouth of Madness is streaming on AMC+.