Recently added item(s)
- Book Store Admin
- DVD's
- Comments Off on Color Out of Space
Color Out of Space is a 2019 American science fiction Lovecraftian horror film directed and co-written by Richard Stanley, based on the short story The Colour Out of Space by H. P. Lovecraft. It stars Nicolas Cage, Joely Richardson, Elliot Knight, Madeleine Arthur, Q orianka Kilcher and Tommy Chong. This is Stanley s only feature film since his firing from The Island of Dr. Moreau (1996). According to Stanley, it is the first film in a trilogy of Lovecraft adaptations, which he hopes to continue with an adaptation of The Dunwich Horror .
Plot
|
This section s plot summary may be too long or excessively detailed. (April 2020)
|
|
This section may need to be rewritten to comply with Wikipedia s quality standards. (April 2021)
|
In the wake of his wife Theresa s mastectomy, Nathan Gardner moves his family, including children Lavinia, Benny, and Jack, to his late father s farm. One night, a brilliantly glowing meteor crash-lands in their front yard, briefly traumatizing Jack. The next morning, hydrologist Ward Phillips, who is surveying the area for a dam development, along with the mayor and the sheriff of the nearby town of Arkham, arrive to see the meteor. That night, during a storm, Nathan and Lavinia witness the meteor being struck by numerous bolts of lightning.
Ward notices that the groundwater has taken on an oily sheen and tests it. When his test strips begin to glow brightly with the Color, he advises the Gardners not to drink it. While notifying nearby resident Ezra of the contamination, he is shown a recording of sounds of unknown origin sounding beneath Ezra s house at night. Meanwhile, Jack becomes fixated on the property s well, observing strange plant growths and insects, as well as claiming to communicate with a friend inside the well. A news crew arrives to interview Nathan about the meteor, but finds that it has vanished.
Later, while Theresa is preparing dinner, she absentmindedly cuts off two of her fingers. As Nathan rushes her to the hospital, he leaves Benny in charge. On Nathan s request, Benny goes outside to put the farm s alpacas back in their stables, but does not return until late at night, claiming time had passed instantaneously for him. Meanwhile, Lavinia attempts multiple times to contact Nathan, but they are unable to hear each other through the phone. Upon the parents return, Nathan lashes out at Benny and Lavinia with uncharacteristic rage.
Later, Nathan becomes frustrated after finding that his most recent harvest of fruits has proven inedible, and Theresa snaps after losing a work client due to the faltering Internet connection, bringing the two to a fight. The same night, Lavinia tries to perform a Ritual using the Necronomicon and offering her blood to save her family, mutilating herself in the process. Theresa suddenly hears Jack and Benny screaming after entering the alpaca stables and rushes to their aid, but in the process, a bolt of Color fuses Theresa and Jack together into a deranged mass. Unable to start the car or call for help as all electronic devices have stopped functioning, and upon discovering sunlight harms Theresa and Jack, Nathan and the children carry them into the attic. Benny reveals that he had witnessed the alpacas after a horrible mutation due to the Color. Nathan decides to euthanize the alpacas with a shotgun after finding they have similarly fused together. Beginning to lose his sanity, Nathan also attempts to euthanize Theresa and Jack but is unable to bring himself to.
Lavinia and Benny conspire to leave the farm using Lavinia s horse, but it runs from the property. Before returning inside, Benny insists he hears the family s dog inside the well, but upon climbing in, he is assimilated by the Color. Nathan displays more uncharacteristic rage and locks Lavinia in the attic with Theresa and Jack, who have turned to aggression. Ward and the sheriff are brought to the farm after a nearby resident discovers a fused mass of animals, and arrive just in time to break into the attic. Nathan shoots and kills the monster, saving Lavinia.
After rushing outside, Nathan attempts to shoot the Color emerging from the well, but the sheriff mistakes Nathan s aim for Ward and fatally shoots him. Ward and the sheriff leave to evacuate Ezra, and Lavinia insists on staying with Nathan. At Ezra s house, the pair only find his desiccated corpse and a recording he left behind, where he surmises that the Color is attempting to remake Earth into something it knows. Heading back towards the farmhouse, a mutated living tree kills the sheriff.
Ward returns to rescue Lavinia, but finds her possessed by the Color, which explodes out of the well and forms a funnel into the sky. Ward is shown a vision of where the Color hails from, a psychedelic exoplanet inhabited by tentacled alien entities, before Lavinia disintegrates. As space and time begin to unravel, Ward enters the farmhouse and is pursued by a murderous apparition of Nathan. He hides in the wine cellar as the Color s distortion of reality drives the property to destruction, leaving Ward the only survivor as he climbs out of the remains of the farmland, now a colorless ashy blasted heath .
In an epilogue, a traumatized Ward stands on top of the finished dam which covers the former property, and narrates that having witnessed the Color s takeover, he will never drink the dam s water.
Cast
- Nicolas Cage as Nathan Gardner, farmer, father of the Gardner family.
- Joely Richardson as Theresa Gardner, businesswoman and mother of the Gardner family.
- Madeleine Arthur as Lavinia Gardner, the teenage daughter and Wiccan.
- Brendan Meyer as Benny Gardner, the teenage son.
- Julian Hilliard as Jack Gardner, the youngest son.
- Elliot Knight as Ward Phillips, a hydrologist and surveyor for a Dam development company.
- Tommy Chong as Ezra, a hippie squatter who lives on the Gardners land.
- Josh C. Waller as Sheriff Pierce, chief of police to the nearby town of Arkham.
- Q orianka Kilcher as Mayor Tooma, the mayor of the nearby town of Arkham.
Production
|
This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (January 2020)
|
Richard Stanley s mother, Penny Miller, was a fan of H. P. Lovecraft. She read Lovecraft s works to Stanley when he was young. At the age of 12 or 13, he read The Colour Out of Space , which has always been a part of psychological makeup . When his mother suffered from cancer, Stanley read Lovecraft s works to her in her declining years.
Stanley initially announced the project in 2013, showcasing a proof of concept trailer online. In September 2015, it was announced that Spectrevision would be producing the film with a projected start date of early 2016.
After many delays, it was announced in December 2018 that Nicolas Cage had signed to play the lead role and that filming would begin in early 2019 with co-producers SpectreVision and ACE Pictures. In January 2019, the production announced additional cast members including stars Joely Richardson, Tommy Chong, Elliot Knight, Julian Hilliard and Q Orianka Kilcher. Filming took place in Portugal in February 2019.
Soundtrack
The soundtrack was composed by Colin Stetson. Waxwork Records released the sound track on a single LP in 2020 in collaboration with Milan Records.
Release
Color Out of Space premiered on September 7, 2019 in the Midnight Madness portion of the 2019 Toronto International Film Festival. On September 6, 2019, it was announced that RLJE Films acquired U.S. rights in a low-mid seven figure deal. “Color Out of Space” was financed by Ace Pictures and XYZ Films handled international sales on the film.
Following select preview screenings on January 22, the film was released in 81 theaters in the United States on January 24, 2020. With previews and the first weekend box office, the film grossed $358,154 over the four days.
Reception
Critical response
On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, Color Out of Space holds an approval rating of 86% based on 210 reviews, and an average rating of 6.80/10. The site s critics consensus reads: A welcome return for director Richard Stanley, Color Out of Space mixes tart B-movie pulp with visually alluring Lovecraftian horror and a dash of gonzo Nicolas Cage. On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 70 out of 100, based on 28 critics, indicating generally favorable reviews.
Chris Bumbray from Arrow in the Head rated the film a score of 7/10, praising the film s performances, visual style and effects while noting the film s length. Bumbray summarized his review by writing, While it s maybe a touch slow and arty for hardcore horror fans, Color Out of Space is still a handy comeback for Richard Stanley, who hasn t lost a beat. Mary Beth Andrews from Daily Grindhouse gave the film a positive review, writing, film successfully captures the madness of Lovecraft s work and is a dazzling modern interpretation. Lovecraft is notoriously hard to adapt, but Stanley walks the fine line between horror and existential dread to create a successful adaptation . Deborah Young from The Hollywood Reporter offered the film similar praise, writing, Hitting the main plot points with well-designed SFX and some impressive night photography, Stanley s film manages to be frightening indeed, even with star Nicolas Cage s semi-farcical leavening adding some nutty laughs. Jonathan Barkan of Dread Central awarded the film 3.5 out of 5 stars, praising the film s visual style, special effects, and soundtrack, while criticizing the film s first and third act. Nevertheless, Barken summarized his review by stating, Gorgeous, vibrant, and terrifying, Color Out of Space is packed with Lovecraftian creatures and cosmic infections galore. It s not perfect but goddamn is it a wild ride.
Dennis Harvey from Variety gave the film a mostly positive review, noting the film s uneven tone, full-bore climax, and Cage s arbitrarily oddball performance, while praising the film s otherworldly imagery, cinematography, and direction.The Skinny s Katie Goh gave the film a rating of 3 out of 5, stating that: Colour Out of Space is at its best when Stanley goes for this subtle and intelligent filmmaking, gesturing at the horror rather than pushing it in our faces .
Howard Gorman from NME praised Stanley s welcome return, underlining the core intense, unpredictable and harrowing moral tale, and Cage putting in his most nuanced turn in the last decade.
Accolades
| Award | Date of ceremony | Category | Recipient(s) | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Toronto Film Festival | September 7, 2019 | Creative Coalition s Spotlight Initiative Award | Nicolas Cage | Won |
| Fantastic Fest | September 24, 2019 | Best Horror Film | Richard Stanley | Won |
| H. P. Lovecraft Film Festival | October 6, 2019 | Best Feature, Audience Choice | Richard Stanley | Won |
| Bram Stoker Award | May 2021 | Superior Achievement in a Screenplay | Scarlett Amaris and Richard Stanley | Nominated |
| Year | 2019 |
| ReleaseDate | 2020-02-25 |
| RuntimeMins | 111 |
| RuntimeStr | 1h 51min |
| Plot | A secluded farm is struck by a strange meteorite which has apocalyptic consequences for the family living there and possibly the world. |
| Awards | Awards, 7 wins & 16 nominations |
| Directors | Richard Stanley |
| Writers | H.P. Lovecraft, Richard Stanley, Scarlett Amaris |
| Stars | Nicolas Cage, Joely Richardson, Madeleine Arthur |
| Produced by | Brett W. Bachman,Timur Bekbosunov,Simão Cayatte,Annie Chang,Johnny Chang,Calvin Choong,David Gregory,Stacy Jorgensen,Emma Lee,Elisa Lleras,Michael M. McGuire,Daniel Noah,Mário Patrocínio,Cândida Vieira,Josh C. Waller,Lisa Whalen,Peter Wong,Elijah Wood |
| Music by | Colin Stetson |
| Cinematography by | Steve Annis |
| Film Editing by | Brett W. Bachman |
| Casting By | Danielle Aufiero,Amber Horn,Maria José Monteiro |
| Production Design by | Katie Byron |
| Art Direction by | Sérgio Costa |
| Costume Design by | Patrícia Dória |
| Makeup Department | McGregor Allen,Rita Anjos,Anna Cichon,Rita de Castro,Dulce Filipe,Roz Gomersall,Dominic Hailstone,Jess Heath,Abigail Machado,Dan Martin,Sandra Meleiro,Ricard Ramos,Miguel Teixeira,Thomas Tuohey,Pamela Warden |
| Production Management | Joana Synek |
| Second Unit Director or Assistant Director | Dino Estrelinha,Jonas Govaerts,Hugo Pedro,Cláudia Rodrigues |
| Art Department | Ricardo Contramestre,Christofer Fernando,Nuno Fonseca,Madalena Guerreiro,Anna Henderson,Francisco Lacerda,Pedro Leite,Sofia Leite,Marta Levezinho,Ruth Levy,Sabrina Martino,Raúl Monge,Elder Monteiro,Miguel Oliveira,Sara Pinto,José Quieróz,Daniela Rocha,Nuno Tomaz,Miriam Vieira |
| Sound Department | Olivier Blanc,Joana Niza Braga,Teresa Braga,João Gazua,Rodrigo Gomes,Branko Neskov,Ivan Neskov,Tomé Palmeirim,Jason Sharrow,Cláudia Sul,Andy Welker,Juan Campos,Matt Davies |
| Special Effects by | Joana Eufrázia,Filipe Pereira,Pedro Rainho |
| Visual Effects by | Ian Amaya,Raquel Arano,Manuel M. Bautista,Juanjo Bernabeu,Ana Carbonie,Alfonso Casado Diez,Laura Cavia Peñalva,Ignacio Cuesta,Blanca de la Rúa,Jorge Jacob García-Asenjo,Pablo Guacamole,Joaquín Gutiérrez,Mikel Hernando,Nadia Khairat,Ivan Lopez,Silvia López Sanz,Raúl Monge,Elena F. Moreno,Bruno Muniesa,Rocío Pérez Arango,Belli Ramirez,David Ramírez,Sergio Rozas,Carlos Salgado,Jaime de los Santos,Alejandro Serna,Adriana Solé,Miguel Ángel Sánchez-Arévalo,Javier Txiki Tejedor,Guillermo Valadés Martínez,Óscar Villagrán Buraglia,Carlos Zaera |
| Stunts | David Chan Cordeiro,Luis Pedro Duarte,Miguel Frazão,Tiago Graça,Miguel Serra da Silva,Martins Vidigal |
| Camera and Electrical Department | Orkhan Abbasov,Inês Alegre,José Alves,Pedro Arial,Pedro Azevedo,João Carmo,Leandro Vaz da Silva,Sílvia Diogo,Rui Edgar,Hugo Espirito Santo,Rui Ferreira,Gustavo Galhardo Figueiredo,Carlos Góis,José Loureiro,Henrique Monteiro,Marco Oliveira,Tomás Paiva Raposo,Pedro Paiva,Pedro Patrocínio,Rui Pereira,Lisa Persson,António Reis e Silva,Paulo Miguel Rosa,Tomás Paiva Raposo |
| Casting Department | Maria José Monteiro,Steven Tylor O Connor |
| Costume and Wardrobe Department | Marie Cesari,Marin Fanjoy-Labrenz,Lurdes Gonçalves,Catarina Ruas,Margarida Ruas |
| Editorial Department | Inês Pott,Christian Del Rio Solorzano,Adriana Solé,S. Robyn Wilson |
| Location Management | José Aragão,Simao Braz Lopes |
| Music Department | Dan Wilcox,Colin Stetson |
| Script and Continuity Department | Paulo MilHomens |
| Additional Crew | Patricia Cano Rodríguez,Stefanie Coimbra,Taylor Condit,Fátima Correia,Cantina do Albert,Ricardo Fernandez Ferreras,Jonas Govaerts,Ashley Gravley,Pin-Chun Liu,Michael M. McGuire,Amanda Mariamne Radcliffe,Phillip L. Rosen,Beau Stapleton |
| Thanks | Daryl Tucker |
| Genres | Horror, Mystery, Sci-Fi |
| Companies | SpectreVision, ACE Pictures Entertainment, XYZ Films |
| Countries | USA, Malaysia, Portugal |
| Languages | English |
| ContentRating | Unrated |
| ImDbRating | 6.1 |
| ImDbRatingVotes | 47510 |
| MetacriticRating | 70 |
| Keywords | meteorite,farm,alpaca,farmhouse,alien invasion |