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The Fog

Play trailer Poster for The Fog R 1980 1h 29m Horror Mystery & Thriller Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
76% Tomatometer 72 Reviews 65% Popcornmeter 25,000+ Ratings
Strange things begin to occur as a tiny California coastal town prepares to commemorate its centenary. Inanimate objects spring eerily to life; Rev. Malone stumbles upon a dark secret about the town's founding; radio announcer Stevie witnesses a mystical fire; and hitchhiker Elizabeth discovers the mutilated corpse of a fisherman. Then a mysterious iridescent fog descends upon the village, and more people start to die.
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The Fog

The Fog

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Critics Consensus

A well-crafted return to horror for genre giant John Carpenter, The Fog rolls in and wraps viewers in suitably slow-building chills.

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Critics Reviews

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Vincent Canby New York Times 01/30/2020
Unlike Halloween, which was a model of straight-forward terror and carefully controlled suspense, The Fog is constructed of random diversions. Go to Full Review Dave Kehr Chicago Reader 01/29/2020
It's a failure, but it's a failure in the right direction. Go to Full Review Will Lawrence Empire Magazine 01/29/2020
4/5
Ghoulish, tense and utterly fantastical, John Carpenter's tale of shipwrecked spectres squelching their way through a fluorescent fog to wreak vengeance on a seaside town is a classic campfire yarn. Go to Full Review Matt Brunson Film Frenzy Apr 16
3/4
Unpretentious genre fun, stylishly assembled and populated with colorful characters. Go to Full Review Richard Freedman Newark Star-Ledger Jan 7
Anyone who has ever thrilled to a ghost story will have a fine, scary time with "The Fog." Go to Full Review Patrick Cavanaugh The Wolfman Cometh Sep 12
4/5
A spooky ghost story that is elevated by the moody atmosphere and sinister score. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Antonio O 10/16/2022 A true classic that relies on a good story and score rather than CGI and gratuitous gore. See more Wyatt F @RT17845314 Jul 31 A creepy and unsettling movie with great atmosphere, plus it’s a solid horror movie for younger teens since it isn’t too disturbing or gory. See more J H @UpstateNYThriller Jul 29 6.7/10 Horror movie 1980 creator of Michael Myers Halloween series John Carpenter. Jamie Lee Curtis is in it Small coastal creepy California town is overcome by a fog that’s haunted by pirates See more Jeepers C @RT12312147 Jun 3 I just love this movie. The bay is turning 100 Yeats old and the dead men of the sea are coming for revenge. Stay clear of the fog. The movie is very atmospheric and has a great musical score. It stars Tommy Atkins, Jamie Lee Curtis and Adrian Barbao. There's never a dull moment. When the fog rolls in, all hell breaks loose. The movie has become a cult classic. See more Mark H @RT45667637 May 4 A nice slow build of atmosphere and subtly score, this John Carpenter follow up to Halloween isn’t nearly as unsettling or genre defining as Halloween, but few movies are. This is a good, patient supernatural mystery more than a horror movie. Few graphic scenes, much like in Halloween. The story is a bit muddled, something about a 100 year old curse on the town caused by 6 town conspirators who deliberately caused a ship full of leprosy victims to crash upon a rocky shore and sink to their deaths. A thick blanket of fog aided the murder plot. Now, the ghosts of that doomed ship are returning to Antonio Bay, via The Fog, to take 6 victims to answer for the 6 conspirators. The story goes that when the film was previewed, it made little sense and disappointed Carpenter. About 30 minutes of new footage was shot, including a 5 minute intro which explains the legend via campfire story. The added scenes helped, resulting in an eerie ghost story and a staple for Carpenter fans. See more Dallas H @FozzieMcFly Apr 29 Watch this movie on April 21st at midnight. See more Read all reviews
The Fog

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Cast & Crew

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John Carpenter

Director

Adrienne Barbeau

Stevie Wayne

Hal Holbrook

Father Malone

Janet Leigh

Kathy Williams

Jamie Lee Curtis

Elizabeth Solley

John Houseman

Mr. Machen

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The Fog

The Fog (1980) A scene from "The Fog." View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis Strange things begin to occur as a tiny California coastal town prepares to commemorate its centenary. Inanimate objects spring eerily to life; Rev. Malone stumbles upon a dark secret about the town's founding; radio announcer Stevie witnesses a mystical fire; and hitchhiker Elizabeth discovers the mutilated corpse of a fisherman. Then a mysterious iridescent fog descends upon the village, and more people start to die.
Director
John Carpenter
Producer
Debra Hill
Screenwriter
John Carpenter, Debra Hill
Distributor
RCA/Columbia, AVCO Embassy Pictures, MGM/UA Home Entertainment Inc.
Production Co
AVCO Embassy Pictures
Rating
R
Genre
Horror, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Feb 8, 1980, Original
Rerelease Date (Theaters)
Oct 26, 2018
Release Date (Streaming)
Nov 8, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA)
$69.5K
Runtime
1h 29m
Aspect Ratio
Scope (2.35:1)
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