After he was released from the set of Doctor Moreau's Island after just three days of shooting , Richard Stanley , who was also responsible for the already cult Hardware, had over twenty years waiting for his return on the director's stool, in the meantime working in independent cinema. And it's fortunate that we meet him again, because he has prepared a real delay bomb, especially for enthusiasts of the genre.
Color out of Space is the second (next to Alex Garland’s Annihilation ) modern interpretation of the classic Providence Loner short story by HP Lovecraft – but much closer to the original. Here are the members of a family of five enjoying a peaceful rural life witnessing unusual events when a meteorite falls on their property one night. The unusual purple glow emitted by the rock causes initially only intrigue, which soon turns into anxiety, and finally into an avalanche of panic. Everything more and more indicates that the mere presence of an alien from outside our planet begins to somehow distort reality into one that the weak human senses cannot understand.
Source: thebloodlust.net
You’ll see what you want to see
Richard Stanley’s film does not, however, show us the answer to the question about the nature of the events presented. On the contrary, it is this type of painting that will keep us in the dark until the very end, pushing us towards individual interpretations of individual scenes. Stanley makes use of his experience with smaller format cinema and completely consciously goes against modern trends – Color out of SpaceHe does not rush anywhere, remaining faithful to the literary original as much as possible. The spirit of the approaching madness straight from Lovecraft hovers over the whole thing and falls on the heroes like a shroud, and instead of the action sequence, we have here an unreal atmosphere of interdimensional threat, stretched shots and methodical drawing of psychological portraits of nightmare participants who face both physical and existential horror.
Thus, not everyone will be completely satisfied, especially not those who counted on the demonstration of the pulp possibilities and expression of Nicolas Cage straight from Mandy. In line with the title of the review, the branded Cage rage ultimately manifests itself in all its glory, invariably causing the viewer to react between shock and the urge to burst out laughing, but it is the icing on the show’s cake rather than the show’s main course. The same is true for gore items. Although the trailer suggested quite a significant participation of them, we will find them in only a few scenes – ones that will surely cause a grimace of disgust on the face of less used viewers.
Source: flickeringmyth.com
And what you see will take your eyes off
Color out of Space looks insane at times and you can see with the naked eye that the twelve million dollars allocated to production were used in the best possible way. The plastic deformation effects are properly disgusting, the frames are pampered, and CGI is probably the most powerful work of computer graphic designers in recent years in style. What we see on the screen alternately fascinates and disturbs, but above all evokes a feeling of communing with something that is beyond our understanding. Together with the excellent technical layer, successful performances of the actors go hand in hand. Although apart from Cage himself, with the more recognizable faces, we also have Joely Richardson, it’s hard not to get the impression that the already high level is driven by the performances of three kids, with the traumatized problems of adolescence Madeleine Arthur at the forefront.
Source: foxforcefivenews.com
Big comeback?
Richard Stanley returns to the screens in an exquisite style, skilfully blending seemingly divergent genres of science fiction, B-horror and finally existential drama. The result is certainly not intended for every recipient, but those who let themselves be carried away by his vision will surely be satisfied.
