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Richard Stanley’s ‘Color Out of Space’ Offers Wonder, Horror and a Peek into the Iridescent Unknown

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West of Arkham the hills rise wild, and there are valleys with deep woods that no axe has ever cut. There are dark narrow glens where the trees slope fantastically, and where thin brooklets trickle without ever having caught the glint of sunlight.

There are places in this world that seem to exist out of time. Hidden and forgotten countries of wilderness governed by a carnal will so far removed from human relevance that it scarcely seems natural to us. It’s in those places where magic can believably reside, where the strange and unknown can blossom and where imagination ceases to remain fantasy.

Color Out of Space (2019) materializes in such a spot, rooting itself amongst trees which pepper its opening moments, appearing as ancient, interweaving monoliths, almost alien in the foggy dim light. Then a voice resounds, ushering the film forward with the words of H.P. Lovecraft, embedding a sense of preternatural power in the foundation of the narrative before it even begins.

Residing on the vast expanse of country estate are the Gardners. A somewhat stereotypical American unit, they have shed city life in lieu of a quiet existence on an inherited farm. They are imperfect and struggling, but cohesive. Still, it’s a bond predicated on the status quo, their life having recently been upended by Theresa Gardner’s (Joely Richardson) struggle with cancer and the family’s subsequent relocation. The world is uncertain, they are very much on their own and, as a result, their actions have become progressively more and more dictated by their steadily increasing self-doubt.

The titular color strikes at the heart of these insecurities. A neon purple ring in the sky, a shade unlike any other, forms as Theresa and her husband Nathan (Nicolas Cage) make love for the first time since Theresa’s mastectomy six months prior. Their daughter Lavinia (Madeleine Arthur) lies in bed, listening to music, trying to drown out the harsh reality of her mother’s illness and her new rural life as the color invades her space. Their eldest son Benny (Brendan Meyer) stares vacantly at his computer screen and their youngest Jack (Julian Hilliard) cowers in the hall, screaming for his parents as the sight and sound of wildly chromatic particles rush through his body.

The aftermath of the color’s arrival serves as proxy for the emotional dissonance that typically accompanies a shocking trauma. Nathan folds in on himself and pours a bourbon. Theresa resents it, embracing Jack, petrified and wordless, attune to the protective nature of her motherhood above all else. Benny is frightened and Lavinia just wants it to stop. The family drama exhibited here could just as well be about the life disruption caused by Theresa’s diagnosis as it is the arrival of a potentially malicious, otherworldly entity.

Richard Stanley directs with a keen eye and a striking vision. The film is a stunning display of luminosity, the interplay between light and shadow a masterclass on how to make a visual motif into a discernible character with clear motivation. The color interacts with each person on its own terms, dividing them and mining their uncertainties until all that remains is the core of what it is they were always afraid of becoming.

Nicholas Cage is the standout, early on establishing his tumultuous relationship with his “intellectually abusive” father, from whom he inherited the farm. As the color wears him down, physically and emotionally, he gives in to his father’s nasally, exaggerated persona. He adopts the intonation that he used in the film’s opening moments in jest, gradually unhinging himself until he is nothing but a heightened clone of his deceased dad.

And, yet, for all his admittedly hilarious outbursts about Alpacas and his drama-obsessed daughter, there are equally manic eruptions that have the opposite effect of a laugh. Screaming and hammering the dashboard of his battery-drained car and shouting at his wife about the sickening pervasiveness of “Cancer smell” are but a few examples of the other side of that coin. Levity exists in life (Nathan’s embarrassing stint on the local news makes him feel more like a real dad than almost anything else in the film), and its existence here is key to the viability of the fantastical narrative.

Each character is treated to their own descent into madness, shepherded by the burgeoning size and malleability of the all-encompassing color. As their minds slip and their psyches begin to skip, in understanding and in time, nature itself flourishes, imbued with the spirited complexion of the color— not stained but in a sort of blush. Whether it be the small flowers sprouting exponentially or the vivid insects the color births, there’s undeniable beauty present in the change.

But, much like Nathan’s transformation, there is absurdity to evolution. Awe can accompany more than beauty, after all, and the final stage of change often requires an avenue that borders on the grotesque. Emotional regression in the face of a tragedy can have detrimental side effects to any relationship. Even if their bodies weren’t transforming, Nathan’s reliance on bourbon, Theresa’s self-disgust and Lavinia’s dedication to spells and rituals treading toward self-harm could make quick work of eradicating the family unit.

The film actualizes the swirling emotions of grief, repression and pain with the culmination of the color’s efforts. Mutations, surrealistic and perverted visions of characters and animals, take the forefront. Living beings interacting directly with the raw, undiluted force of the color. Much of these abominations are brought to life with a combination of stunning practical effects and CGI overlay, lending a weight and physicality that solidifies the terrifying implications and impact of these creatures in the film’s final act.

When all is said and done, the film finds itself again contemplating the immenseness of that which people do not, will not and cannot understand. The voice that shepherds the film at the end is again the same as it was at the start, that of hydrologist Ward Phillips (Elliot Knight), a young outsider who throughout the film attempts to approach the oddities he encounters scientifically. However, in the end, science as we know it is a human construct. In this case, an ineffective serum against a virus from parts unknown.

Color Out of Space is bombastic, innovative science fiction. A vision of wonder and horror so arresting, from its dazzling color palette to its pulsating soundscape, that the experience of watching it feels more akin to the experience of feeling it. Grounding its characters in real, relatable emotion and mental turmoil, the outlandish events brought about by the interloping being from the stars are made all the more substantial and affecting when viewed through the prism of Richard Stanley’s extraordinary vision.

There are places on this Earth that are foreign to us. Strange, miraculous points of bewilderment and reverence. And if such places can exist where we live, breathe and die, imagine what lies beyond the realms where we can travel. For, when our existence is confined to the muzzled darkness in our own heads, the shine from the sun can be blinding.

Much like an emissary of light from some distant sphere, grief and wonderment can bring equal levels of shock to the system. The undiscovered country isn’t always out there, after all, sometimes it’s a feeling. A thought. A flash.

A color. As numbing and frenzied as H.P. Lovecraft suggested.

Editorials

The 10 Scariest Moments in the ‘Ghostbusters’ Movie Franchise

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scariest Ghostbusters

WARNING: The following contains mild spoilers for the Ghostbusters franchise. 

Yes, Ghostbusters is a horror movie – gateway horror to be exact. Setting aside the fact that the title literally contains the word “ghost,” a foundational element of the scariest genre, the franchise follows a group of paranormal researchers who battle entities attacking from beyond the grave. After countless rewatches, the classic films and newer sequels may not scare us much anymore, but how many times have we as genre fans asserted that a film does not have to be “scary” to be considered horror?

Genre classification is nebulous and any film that centers on ghosts has a place in the sprawling house of horror. Yes, it’s true that most viewers over the age of thirteen will find more to laugh about than scream while watching a Ghostbusters film, but each entry contains a handful of terrifying moments. With Gil Kenan’s Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire uniting three generations of the parascientific warriors, perhaps it’s time to highlight the most frightening moments from each phase of this legendary franchise. 


Ghostbusters (1984)

A Haunted Library

scariest Ghostbusters movie

Ivan Reitman’s original film begins with a campfire tale come to life. We follow an unsuspecting librarian as she ventures deep into the stacks to reshelve a book. With her hair blowing from a spectral breeze, we watch a hardcover float across the aisle to the opposite shelf. A second book follows, but the librarian remains unaware. She finally notices the disturbance when card catalog drawers open on their own spewing cards into the air like literary geysers. She flees through the maze of narrow stacks only to come face to face with a mysterious force who blows her back with a powerful roar. We won’t see the Library Ghost (Ruth Oliver) until a later scene, but this introduction firmly positions the film that follows in the world of horror. On first watch, we can only speculate as to the ghost’s malevolence and whether or not the librarian has survived the encounter. It’s the perfect introduction to a world in which ghosts are not only real, they will pounce on unsuspecting humans at the drop of a … book. 

Shaky Ground

The original finale may not be the film’s most terrifying moment, but it has become the franchise’s most iconic image. When faced with choosing a form for Gozer (Slavitza Jovan), Ray Stantz (Dan Aykroyd) inadvertently conjures up an image from his childhood. Moments later, a set of once-cheery eyes peer through the skyscrapers. The Stay Puft Marshmallow Man towers over the city, stomping and destroying everything in its path. While there’s definitely something terrifying about a jovial mascot turned deadly killer, what happens moments before is arguably scarier. 

The Ghostbusters arrive at the luxury apartment building to throngs of adoring fans. Peter Venkman (Bill Murray) plays into this hero-worship and promises an easy solution to a supernatural problem. But before they can enter the building, lightning strikes the upper floors sending massive chunks of brick and cement raining down on the barricaded street. The ground begins to shake and a giant fissure swallows the entire team. It’s a destabilizing moment made all the more terrifying by its shocking reality. Speculation about the existence of ghosts may vary from person to person, but there’s no doubt that sinkholes are very real. It’s entirely possible that the ground we’re standing on right now could spontaneously begin to crumble, sucking us down into a seemingly bottomless void beneath the earth. 


Ghostbusters II (1989)

Runaway Baby

Ivan Reitman’s sequel begins with a sly update on the life of a beloved character as Dana Barrett (Sigourney Weaver) pushes a baby carriage containing her infant son Oscar (Henry and William Deutschendorf). When last we saw the attractive cellist, she was kissing Venkman in the wreckage of Gozer’s demise and the thought of this loveable lady’s man becoming a father may be more nerve-wracking than anything contained in the first film. We never learn much about Oscar’s real father, but we do discover that fate has a sinister plan for the adorable child. While Dana chats with her landlord, Oscar’s carriage rolls a few feet away. Dana reaches for the handle, but the buggy begins speeding down the sidewalk careening through the busy crowds. As if guided by unseen hands, the carriage twists and turns, then abruptly swerves into oncoming traffic. Cars honk and veer out of the way, but the racing carriage marks a collision course with an approaching bus. The wheels screech to a halt moments before what would surely be a deadly crash and Dana rushes to embrace her vulnerable child. This harrowing scene is likely to terrorize any parent who’s experienced the fear of trying to protect a baby in an unpredictable world.  

Sewer Screams

scariest Ghostbusters scene

While investigating the second film’s primary villain, Vigo the Carpathian (Wilhelm von Homburg), three of the Ghostbusters venture into the sewers hoping to find a growing river of slime. Ray, Winston (Ernie Hudson), and Egon (Harold Ramis) trek down an abandoned subway line while speculating about the hordes of cockroaches and rats they hear scurrying behind the walls. These vermin may be scary, but there are more malevolent monsters lurking in the dark. Ray and Egon both amuse themselves with the tunnel’s echo but Winston’s “hello” goes unanswered. Moments later, a demonic voice bellows his name from the dark end of the corridor. Waiting behind him is a severed head floating in the empty tunnel. As he tries to retreat, the team finds themselves surrounded by dozens of ghoulish heads that disappear faster than they materialized. Moments later, a ghostly train hurtles towards them, swallowing Winston in its spectral glow. Egon theorizes that something is trying to keep them from reaching their destination with effective scares designed to frighten the Ghostbusters and audience alike.  


Ghostbusters (2016)

Haunted Basement

Like its predecessor, Paul Feig’s remake opens with a spooky vignette. Garrett (Zach Woods) gives a tour of the Aldridge Mansion, a 19th century manor preserved in the middle of the busy city, and walks visitors through a troubling history of excess and cruelty. Hoping to inject a bit of excitement, he pauses near the basement door and tells the horrifying story of Gertrude Aldridge (Bess Rous), a wealthy heiress who murdered the house’s many servants. Hoping to avoid a public scandal, her family locked her in the basement and her restless spirit can still be heard trying to escape. Garrett triggers a trick candlestick to fly off the shelf, hinting at the spirit’s presence, but a late night incident shows that the deceased murderess may actually be lurking in her ancestral home. While closing up for the night, Garrett hears ominous noises from behind the barricaded door and watches the knob rattle against the heavy locks. An unseen attacker hurls him through the house and eventually drives him down the basement stairs to a sea of green slime pooling on the floor. The stairs crumble leaving the tour guide hanging on to the door frame for dear life as a spectral figure glides toward him with menacing hands outstretched. Once again, we won’t see the fully revealed ghost of Gertrude Aldridge until later in the film, but this terrifying opening sets the stage for a dangerous showdown with an army of the dead.

Mannequin On the Move

The scariest moment of the 2016 remake is arguably the vicious online hatred sparked well before the film’s release. In response to brutal comments posted to the first official trailer, the cast returned to film an additional scene in which they react to dehumanizing negativity. But another sequence may cut closer to the heart of this upsetting experience. The Ghostbusters respond to a call at a concert venue and split up to cover more ground. Patty (Leslie Jones) enters what she calls a “room full of nightmares” and immediately reverses course to avoid a multitude of mannequins stacked haphazardly in the dark. As she walks out the door, one of the faceless creatures turns its head her way. Walking on its own, this sentient prop follows her down the hall, pausing the moment she turns around. Eventually breaking cover, the mannequin chases Patty down the hall to the rest of the team. They unleash their proton packs and make quick work of the gargoyle-like ghost. Though this connection is surely unintentional, it’s a terrifying parallel to a faceless monster sneaking up to attack a woman simply trying to do her job. 


Ghostbusters: Afterlife (2021)

Smoke and Monsters

While Ghostbusters: Afterlife is nowhere near as scary as the horror films playing in the local summer school science class, Jason Reitman’s legacyquel does contain its share of frights. The film opens with a harrowing scene as we join Egon (Oliver Cooper) in the last moments of his life. Racing away from a sinister mountain, Egon’s truck collides with an unseen force and flips upside down in a field of corn. The elderly scientist races back to his crumbling farmhouse with a trap in hand, intent on ensnaring this invisible being. Unfortunately, the power fails and Egon has no choice but to hide the trap under the floorboards and wait. He sits in a comfortable old chair as a horrifying cloud of smoke drifts in behind him, momentarily forming the shape of a fanged beast. Demonic hands grab him from within the chair, likely causing the heart attack that will be listed on his death certificate. But his abandoned PKE meter below the chair activates, reminding us that Egon may be deceased, but he is far from gone.  

The Terror Returns

scariest Ghostbusters moments

Ghostbusters: Afterlife turns out to be a touching tribute to Harold Ramis as his friends and family unite to complete the beloved scientist’s heroic mission. In addition to a tearjerker ending, Reitman also includes a bevy of callbacks to the original film. Not only do the Spenglers square off against the team’s first enemy, Gozer (Emma Portner), the nonbinary entity brings back the Terror Dogs that once possessed Dana Barret and Louis Tully (Rick Moranis). These demonic beasts first rear their ugly heads while Gary Grooberson (Paul Rudd) stops by Walmart to buy a midnight snack. While the horde of mini marshmallow men are eerie in their gleeful self-destruction, the ghostly canine that chases him through the store is the stuff of nightmares. Early iterations of this fearsome creature are hindered by ’80s-era special effects, but Reitman’s version feels frighteningly real. While Gary frantically tries to find his keys, this Terror Dog snarls at him from atop his car dashboard, leaving the endearing science teacher with no way to escape. 


Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire (2024)

Frozen Dinner 

After a film set in a small mountain town, the opening of Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire takes us back to New York circa 1904. We see the fire station in its early years as a horse-drawn carriage responds to a call. Arriving at the scene, a fireman tests the door for heat and watches in horror as his hand instantly freezes. Inside, they find jagged shards of ice surrounding and piercing a frozen dinner party. Guests are posed in various states of ice-covered surprise while an eerie record skips in the corner. A figure covered in brass armor we will come to know as a Fire Master is crouched in the corner clutching a mysterious orb. When the fireman touches this rippling sphere, the frozen diners’ heads begin to explode, an ominous precursor to the chilling threat awaiting the newest Ghostbusting team. 

Lights Out

If Ghostbusters: Afterlife featured the lo-fi gear of the 80s, Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire hurls us into the future. Wealthy financier Winston Zeddemore has been surreptitiously building a new containment unit to relieve pressure on the original model along with a secret lab designed to study ghosts and haunted objects. In addition to fancy new gadgets and gear, this facility contains several captured spirits like a fanged Wraith and a speedy Possessor. Lab techs assure the astonished Spengler team that they are perfectly safe, but it seems they’ve overestimated the facility’s security. Lucky (Celeste O’Connor) and Lars (James Acaster) are studying the aforementioned orb when the power goes out, leaving them stranded in the dark with a cache of haunted objects. Not only does the ancient sphere hold a deadly spirit, the proton fields containing the captured ghosts have just been disabled. These terrifying creatures begin to drift through the walls toward the defenseless lab techs, perhaps at the bidding of an evil commander. Thankfully the generator kicks on in the nick of time, drawing the ghosts back into their cells. It’s a tense moment reminding us that no matter how charming the Ghostbusters may be, they still spend their days with evil spirits just waiting for an opportunity to wreak havoc.  


The Ghostbusters franchise excels at mixing humor and fear, practically setting the blueprint for the modern horror comedy. Moments from the original two films terrified a generation of gen-xers and elder millennials and newer iterations are currently scaring their kids. The fifth franchise installment effectively passes the proton pack torch to a new generation of Ghostbusters and we can only hope additional films will continue to induct future generations of Ghostbusters fans into the horror family as well. 

Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire is now playing in theaters. Read our review.

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