Search - In the Mouth of Madness on DVD

MPAA Rating: R Content Advisory: Graphic Violence, Not For Children Movie Release: 1994 DVD Release: 02/08/2000 Format: DVD - Enhanced Wide Screen Letterbox for 16x9 TV,Pan and Scan Audio Tracks: English Subtitles: English SwapaDVD Credits: 1 Number of Discs: 1 Run Time: 1 hrs 35 mins Studio: New Line Home Video Members Wishing: 12 Genres: Horror, Supernatural Horror

Hired to help locate a missing author, an insurance investigator discovers to his terror that the nightmarish events depicted in the writer's best-selling horror novels are coming true. Wishing to be both a horror film and a parody of the genre, John Carpenter's In the Mouth of Madness combines supernatural thrills with winking references. For instance, the vanished author, Sutter Cane (Jürgen Prochnow), is modeled on writers like Stephen King and Howard Phillips Lovecraft, from his great popularity to his obsession with small-town New England. Indeed, it is to one such hamlet that investigator John Trent (Sam Neill) and Cane's female editor (Julie Carmen) travel, discovering a town filled with terrifying scenes right out of Cane's books, from random axe murders to far worse. Have Cane's fans gone psychotic and begun imitating his writings, or are Cane's stories of an otherworldly evil invading the earth actually true? In the Mouth of Madness's mix of self-referential satire and real frights anticipates the later Scream (1996). ~ Judd Blaise, All Movie Guide

Sam Neill - John Trent
Julie Carmen - Linda Styles
Jürgen Prochnow - Sutter Cane
Charlton Heston - Jackson Harglow
David Warner - Dr. Wrenn

New Line does its usual good job on this DVD, though it's a bit disappointing compared to some of their other discs. The main problem is the picture; it's very good, but not up to the level of many of their other titles. The biggest problem is the black level, which is filled with a consistent off-shading that looks blocky; since much of this film takes place at night, it becomes even more evident. Beyond that, the picture is quite solid. The disc includes both the 2.35:1 widescreen and a pan-and-scan version, with both on the same side of the disc. As would be expected from New Line, the widescreen version is an anamorphic transfer. The sound on this disc is also very good, though also not without its problems. There is good use of the surround speakers, especially during storms, and the dialogue is centered up front. However, the sound level seems to change without reason throughout the film, making frequent volume adjustments necessary. Extras on this disc are a bit light, though a scene-specific commentary track (taken from the previous laserdisc edition) with director John Carpenter and his director of photography Gary B. Kibbe is included. Carpenter is always interesting and his love of filmmaking shines through at all times. One thing can be said about this track: if you want to know how to light a movie, then Kibbe will tell you. Lighting questions are about the only thing Carpenter asks him, so unless viewers are very technically minded, they will probably be bored with what Kibbe has to say. Beyond that, the disc has the obligatory trailer and filmographies. ~ Trent Fordham, All Movie Guide