I love this introduction. Saw it in black and white last night, and the passion he has in the intro shines through in this version of the film. If you are able, track down the black and white version and check it out. It adds so much atmosphere to the film.
I'm a huge fan of the novella and the movie and I am going to have to respectfully disagree. To me it's nothing more than a pointless distraction. Now I love black and white when it's used appropriately, (DR. STRANGELOVE is one of my all time favorites) but when I was a teenager reading the novella, one of the things that made the story so scary was the hyperrealism of it. It's what makes the story so relatable to so many. I watched the black and white version and it was, well, interesting. Was it scarier or creepier? To me? No. It took me out of the story to an extent. The pink gooey organic descriptions that King gave the creatures is what made the story so memorable. I read the novela decades ago and I still remember the description of the creature that killed Ollie. ("It was red.") These are real people acting how people would act in a situation like this if it was real. I'm sorry, but I just find the B&W to be a bit pretentious. I get what he's saying about the old horror films of his youth but I guess I always found some of those films to be a bit corny. Was the film version meant to be a nostalgic throwback to those types of films? Never really felt that to me. It felt like a loyal, well crafted adaptation of a terrific scary story. It's just my opinion. Still a huge fan. And I love the Daranbont ending. To me that will go down as one of the all-time great horror movie endings.
Every opinion is valid! I think I like the B&W because I haven't read the novella. Maybe now I should to get a more accurate feel for what Stephen King was going for. I have always been more drawn to older style filmmaking, mono audio tracks, 1.33:1 framing, B&W. So when Frank Darabont made The Mist available in B&W, I was instantly drawn to it! I can understand why it would take some viewers out of the experience and one thing that does spoil it a little for me is that it just feels like a color film with all that color stripped out, not organically B&W. But my love of the 50's and 60's Sci-Fi overwhelms that feeling and I can let myself become immersed in the B&W version. Don't be sorry, making a film B&W IS pretentious! The same I feel of A Ghost Story being framed like an old picture frame, but it adds to the experience for me. An extra focus to make me concentrate on what I'm being shown. Film becomes less of a passive experience to me then. Totally agree on the ending, it's one I will never forget, along with Se7en. If anyone ever asks me for a film with a depressing ending, I always instantly say THE MIST!!! Thanks for the comment, the next time I watch it, it will be in color and I will make sure I read the novella!
I love this introduction. Saw it in black and white last night, and the passion he has in the intro shines through in this version of the film. If you are able, track down the black and white version and check it out. It adds so much atmosphere to the film.
Very well said! It's the only way I ever watch it now along with the pilot episode of The Walking Dead, as Frank wanted it!
Yes, I have seen the Mist in B&W and it’s far more eerie in that format than in color.📺
You're right! I refuse to watch it in color now. All my friends think I'm strange and I can't convince them to even try! Their loss!
Just ace. And so much creepier in black & white
Heck yes! It's the only way I watch it now!
I'm a huge fan of the novella and the movie and I am going to have to respectfully disagree. To me it's nothing more than a pointless distraction.
Now I love black and white when it's used appropriately, (DR. STRANGELOVE is one of my all time favorites) but when I was a teenager reading the novella, one of the things that made the story so scary was the hyperrealism of it. It's what makes the story so relatable to so many.
I watched the black and white version and it was, well, interesting. Was it scarier or creepier? To me? No. It took me out of the story to an extent. The pink gooey organic descriptions that King gave the creatures is what made the story so memorable. I read the novela decades ago and I still remember the description of the creature that killed Ollie. ("It was red.") These are real people acting how people would act in a situation like this if it was real. I'm sorry, but I just find the B&W to be a bit pretentious.
I get what he's saying about the old horror films of his youth but I guess I always found some of those films to be a bit corny. Was the film version meant to be a nostalgic throwback to those types of films? Never really felt that to me. It felt like a loyal, well crafted adaptation of a terrific scary story.
It's just my opinion. Still a huge fan. And I love the Daranbont ending. To me that will go down as one of the all-time great horror movie endings.
Every opinion is valid! I think I like the B&W because I haven't read the novella. Maybe now I should to get a more accurate feel for what Stephen King was going for.
I have always been more drawn to older style filmmaking, mono audio tracks, 1.33:1 framing, B&W. So when Frank Darabont made The Mist available in B&W, I was instantly drawn to it! I can understand why it would take some viewers out of the experience and one thing that does spoil it a little for me is that it just feels like a color film with all that color stripped out, not organically B&W. But my love of the 50's and 60's Sci-Fi overwhelms that feeling and I can let myself become immersed in the B&W version.
Don't be sorry, making a film B&W IS pretentious! The same I feel of A Ghost Story being framed like an old picture frame, but it adds to the experience for me. An extra focus to make me concentrate on what I'm being shown. Film becomes less of a passive experience to me then.
Totally agree on the ending, it's one I will never forget, along with Se7en. If anyone ever asks me for a film with a depressing ending, I always instantly say THE MIST!!!
Thanks for the comment, the next time I watch it, it will be in color and I will make sure I read the novella!