In the Mouth of Madness

Devil's Advocates #25

by Michael Blyth

Somewhat overlooked upon its initial release in 1995, John Carpenter's In the Mouth of Madness has since developed a healthy cult reputation. But far more than simply a fan favorite, this closing installment of the acclaimed director's self-described "apocalypse trilogy" (following The Thing and Prince Of Darkness) stands today as one of his most thematically complex and stylistically audacious pieces of work.

The story of an insurance investigator drawn into the supposedly fictional universe of a best-selling horror novelist, the film is an extension of many recurring themes found in Carpenter's filmography (the end of the world, the loss of free will, a distrust of mass industry and global corporations, the cataclysmic resurgence of ancient evil), as well as an affectionate homage to the works of H. P. Lovecraft (and horror literature more broadly) and a self-reflexive celebration of the horror genre that predates the Scream-inspired postmodernist boom of late-'90s genre cinema. While numerous books and countless academic essays have been written about Carpenter's work, surprisingly little has focused exclusively on In the Mouth of Madness, a film which feels more prescient, more essential, and more daringly complex than ever. This book seeks to redress this imbalance, at last positioning this overlooked masterpiece as essential Carpenter.

Genres: Film

124 pages, Paperback

Published May 15, 2018

Reviews

[Andrew Bishop · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not entirely a production history of the film but a discussion of its literary roots. That is, the influence of Lovecraft, Hubbard, and King on this particular story. As a fan of The Thing and Prince of Darkness the chapter on Lovecraft in Carpenter's work was great. And as farfetched as it might seem the chapter on Hubbard was very interesting and not something I'd have considered. And as ubiquitous as King still remains, he being the symbol for the power (or madness) of art isn't that bad of a meta turn. At this point, Carpenter was his own institution so his thinking over his career at this point isn't really a shot at King as much as a proxy. To see how badly this could have turned out just see the recent Halloween remakes. There's not a lot of discussion of Carpenter's literary influences generally so this was a helpful contribution to that side of his work.

[T.J. Tranchell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ah, such a pleasure. A fun monograph of an underrated and oft-misunderstood film from a cinematic genius.

Blyth’s analysis of the film in relation to Lovecraft, King, and even L. Ron Hubbard is insightful and written with a glee not often seen in this type of work.