Occasionally, I make mistakes. In fact, I’ve made more than a few throughout this year’s series. Most of these mistakes must have been small as no one has brought them to my attention, but I’m certain that mistakes were made all the same. One thing that might be considered a mistake by some is that the topic of today’s Halloween Horrors post, In the Mouth of Madness, didn’t “officially” release until February of 1995, although it did screen at film festivals in 1994. When you combine this knowledge with the fact that this whole series is held purely for entertainment purposes and that no one really gives a shit anyway… What was I talking about?

Our friend, author Derrick Kinnison, joins us for today’s look at this tale of madness and horrors from beyond, marking his 7th appearance in our (mostly) annual series. As mentioned in previous years, Derrick has been one of this series more ardent contributors, always among the first to sign up for each new year’s event. That said, his enthusiasm to discuss this particular film did seem higher than in previous years. This in turn makes me worry that Derrick may have taken a little too much inspiration from Sutter Cane and that the following review will make a few people go violently insane… in which case, the management of Horror And Sons claims no responsibility. 

It’s always a pleasure to have Derrick join us, but seriously… if things go sideways, we had nothing to do with it.

 

 

 

Halloween Horrors 2024

“In the Mouth of Madness”

 

Well, here we are, again! I’ve been waiting all year for another round of Halloween Horrors and now you are all waiting to hear about my ‘Them’, aren’t you?

“What?” You ask?

My ‘Them’. Every writer who has returned to review their favorite Halloween Horrors experience has one; a ‘them’, a ‘they’, an ‘it’. And once again, you want to hear about my ‘them’, don’t you?

Well, all I can say is, the reviews I’ve done in the past haven’t had quite the effect, but this one is bound to drive you absolutely mad!

In the Mouth of Madness begins with the disappearance of a famous horror author named Sutter Cane, whose latest book has caused some of his readers to go mad. The book is a best-seller and when stores sell out, they’re attacked by angry mobs. John Trent, played famously by the dinosaur man himself, Sam Neill, is an insurance investigator hired to retrieve a yet-to-be released manuscript and ascertain the writer’s whereabouts. Accompanied by the novelist’s editor, Linda Styles (Julia Carmen), and disturbed by nightmares from reading Cane’s other novels, Trent makes an eerie nighttime trip to a small supernatural New England town he believes is located in New Hampshire. Once the two of them arrive is when everything seems to spin wildly out of control and madness ensues.

I wasn’t able to make it to the theater when this originally came out. So, knowing that I was going to love this new installment from John Carpenter, I instead waited like every other horror fanatic and caught it when it released on television and recorded it so I could watch it over and over, again. And I did. Little did I know at the time, watching this film would have a profound effect on me, just as Stephen King and Clive Barker did when it came to my writing. I ultimately added Sutter Cane to my list of writers I wanted to be like and aspire to.

As a kid, I was infatuated with this movie. (Still am to some degree) At that age, I couldn’t get enough of it. I was fourteen at the time of its release and horror movies were better friends to me than actual people. So, when it came to horror movies and a pencil and a piece of paper, at that time, it’s pretty much all I needed.

The other thing about this movie that captured my attention was that it revolved heavily upon the realm of H.P. Lovecraft and his stories of cosmic horrors, which I feel is a truly terrifying genre. So, when it comes to In the Mouth of Madness and having read most of Lovecraft’s work, this was definitely right up my alley as far as being a fan of Lovecraft. And nothing really says Lovecraft like when John Trent, who is being interviewed by Dr. Wrenn, states: “Every species can smell its own extinction. The ones left won’t have a pretty time with it. In ten years, maybe less, the human race will just be a bedtime story for their children. A myth, nothing more.”. It’s quotes like that throughout the film that resonates with me. That’s the true terror in cosmic horror. It’s what captivates.

Along with many other Carpenter films that get watched especially throughout the Halloween season, In the Mouth of Madness has always been consistent throughout the spooky season, but typically being a horror fan does not mean these movies don’t ever get watched outside of the October month. For us, Halloween is an everyday event, but when Halloween does finally roll around, it’s really “game on” and no rules apply. When I watch this movie, it’s almost like watching it for the first time, every time. No matter what. I can still remember the first time I watched it. I was absolutely captivated by everything, and just as I said before, it had a massive impact with my writing, as it truly inspires me, just as it does still to this day.

There is something else quite interesting about this film that I’m sure most know, but maybe not. When John Trent is finally spit out from Cane’s world and back into what he assumes is his own, he is stranded in the middle of somewhere in a rural area and approached by a young boy, delivering papers to the local community. This young boy just so happens to be the young “Anakin Skywalker“, a very young Hayden Christensen.

As a result of this year for this installment of the Halloween horrors, when this opportunity came up for this particular film, I quickly grabbed it up and was happy to write this year’s installment and share with everyone this beloved film of mine.

And so, as I come to the end of my submission, I want to leave you with this, as it’s a statement that I find quite true and honestly wouldn’t mind if this were to truly happen: “A reality is just what we tell each other it is. Sane and insane could easily switch places. If the insane were to become the majority, you would find yourself locked in a padded cell, wondering what happened to the world.” I find that quite ironic, being that a padded cell is right where he found himself and eventually found himself to be safer, inside the hospital, rather than outside of it.

All-in-all, it’s a great movie, regardless of peoples’ view of it. It still holds a special place for me, as it always will. In the Mouth of Madness is truly for the mad and the insane.