THE MIST
Frank Darabont chose to adapt Stephen King's "The Mist" despite the fact that it has no magical Negroes and isn't very "Hanksy".It Is a pretty straight forward update of a 1950's big bug movie with some social criticism and a dark tone. Thomas Jane plays David Drayton, a Hollywood poster painter who goes to town for supplies after a big storm that has caused some property damage and ruined his work in progress, a poster for Stephen King's 'The Dark Tower". He takes his young son and uppity neighbor, played by Andre Braugher. Wait, change "uppity" to "antagonistic urbanite".Anyway The mist rolls in, trapping a group inside the grocery store who are concerned about the giant man eating monsters in the mist. Once it becomes gruesomely obvious that there are actually monsters out there, the group inside the store begins to break down in fear and panic. As things get a lot worse, a crazy old testament holy roller played by Marcia Gay Hardin slowly gathers a group of like minded idiots who are convinced this is God's wrath and the beasts are demanding sacrificial lambs. David and a few others then plan to leave the store and try to drive out of the mist. And that's about it. But what I'm here for are the bugs and grisly bug inflicted death and Darabont delivers some good stuff and a good amount of suspense and dread. Monster Roll Call: you got your unseen save for some massive, flesh scrapping tentacles monster, some big, stinging dragonflies, a whole shitload of crazy "zanti misfit" spiders, some dopey four winged, small pterodactyl-like things, a big lobstery-mantis guy and a super giant what the fuck is that walking beast. All of which are pretty cool. I think several were designed by comics legend Bernie Wrightson. I suppose it's a fairly lean story but he doesn't play it as some cutesy genre send up, instead packing it with dread and the horrible knowledge of an inevitable fate. I've read people bitching about the ending but it seemed fairly true to the film to me and not meant to be shocking for shocking's sake.
Personally, I would've liked more bugs but I understand how Darabont wanted to avoid making a film that was basically one long KING KONG spider pit sequence. It's rare to see a film in 2008 that has at its core a bunch of giant bugs and takes itself and its characters seriously. With another director this could easily have been more expensive Sci-fi Channel exclusive. Maybe it's poor box office take has something to do with the deluge of giant bug straight to DVD or the sci-fi channel movies that have come out in the last few years and made people think only "cheesy" when hear of something like THE MIST. I suspect it will build an audience on DVD and cable the way THE THING did.
THE BLACK SCORPION
If THE MIST got you in the mood for more giant man-eating bugs, check out THE BLACK SCORPION. Sure, it's not THEM! Or even TARANTULA but it does have really cool stop motion scorpions, Mara Corday and is set in Mexico-the land of sombreros, tequila and enchilada platters! A volcano disaster gets geologist Richard Denning to Mexico where he and his partner Arturo learn of some mysterious disappearances which are blamed on a demon bull for some reason. Denning quickly hooks up with sexy rancher Mara Corday and they discover that it's giant scorpions that are to blame. The flick has all the elements of a 50's sci-fi picture such as the older scientist guy, the annoying kid, goofy romance and questionable science. At one point they find a small scorpion who squeaks like a mouse. But the real stars of the film are the giant scorpions that have been animated by KING KONG vet Willis O'Brien. They look very much like something from the legendary missing spider pit sequence. At one point our heroes descend into a cave and we get some crazy giant pincher worms as well as the giant scorpions and a giant trapdoor spider. The scorpions themselves are very aggressive and we get to see them grab guys to eat. There's also some great scorpions close-ups with oozy drool dripping down. The high-lite and scene most like THE MIST is the attack on a train where people are pinched up and fought over by several scorpions. The movie definitely gives you a bit more gruesomeness than other big bug movies of the fifties.