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The Colour Out of Space is a 2019 American science fiction cosmic horror film directed by Richard Stanley, based on the short story “The Colour Out of Space” by H. P. Lovecraft. It stars Nicolas Cage, Joely Richardson, Madeleine Arthur, Elliot Knight, Julian Hilliard and Q’orianka Kilcher. The film tells the story of the Gardner family, who move to a remote farmstead in rural New England to escape the hustle of the 21st century. They are closely tied to the land, but when a meteorite crashes into their front yard, its alien environment slowly contaminates the land and groundwater, leading to a mutating force that devastates their lives.
Plot Summary
The film opens with Nathan Gardner, his wife Theresa, and their three children (Benny, Jack, and Lavinia) moving into a secluded farmhouse in the fictional town of Arkham, Massachusetts. The farm had been abandoned for years but the Gardners plan to live off the land and disconnect from the modern world. Shortly after arriving, a meteorite crashes in their front yard one night, impacting with a flash of blinding purple light. Nathan and his family notice the air has a strange metallic scent after this event. The meteorite begins to have a malignant effect on the Gardner family and the surrounding vegetation and wildlife.
The Gardner’s livestock become sick and deformed, producing oddly-colored milk. Their crops begin to mutate into distasteful purple vegetation. The family members themselves also undergo physical and emotional transformations: everyone becomes listless and fatigued, and they all begin experiencing shared nightmares of a maddening color. Nathan becomes increasingly unstable and violent, Theresa develops open sores on her body, and the children’s behaviors all drastically change as well.
The mutations escalate until finally the meteorite appears to consume everything within its radius, including the animals and the Gardner family. The ending implies that whatever alien force has infected their land continues to extend its reach across other areas nearby.
Analysis of Key Themes
The Colour Out of Space explores a number of key themes:
The Futility of Escapism – The Gardner family moves to the remote farm to escape the modern world, but the alien force that destroys their home is something far beyond their control or understanding. It suggests man’s inability to truly escape the evils around him.
Humanity’s Fear of the Unknown – The meteorite and its unexplainable effects represents humanity’s fear of that which we cannot comprehend. The Gardner’s inability to understand or communicate what is happening to them and their land heightens the horror.
The Indifference of Nature – The mutating force is frightening because it is so far removed from anything natural or human. It highlights the indifference of nature to human needs and desires.
Corrupting Influence of Power – As the Gardner patriarch, Nathan feels entitled to the land and its bounty. This blind faith in his power over nature leads to the family’s downfall.
Helplessness in the Face of Change – Even as the Gardner family tries to stop the transformations overtaking their farm, they are helpless to reverse or even slow the effects. This reflects human anxiety about being unable to control change.
Analysis of Cinematography and Visuals
The Colour Out of Space makes use of dramatic cinematography and eerie visuals to create its unsettling atmosphere:
– Heavy use of shadows and silhouettes to add mystery and foreboding to scenes
– Eerie lighting, often with pulsating purples and neon greens to signify the alien presence
– Distorted camera angles and warped perspectives to convey disorientation
– Shots emphasizing isolation and smallness of characters amid the vast farm and forests
– Unnatural camera movements, like floating or aerial shots conveying ghostly POV
– Heavy gloomy fog permeating many outdoor scenes to signal contamination spreading
– Striking images of mutated creatures and plants to disturb viewers
– Ominous shots of the crashed meteorite pulsating and warping the area around it
– Artful transitions, fades, and match cuts linking related elements across scenes
Overall the visuals create an intense atmosphere of dread, confusion, and wrongness pervading the rural landscape. Vivid distortion of familiar sights like crops, animals, and the family home upend expectations and invite horror.
Analysis of Nicolas Cage’s Performance
Nicolas Cage delivers one of his famously unhinged performances as Nathan Gardner:
– Manic energy bound by frayed restraint creates tension and unpredictability
– Sudden outbursts of rage contrasted with sentimental fatherly moments
– Physical tics like clenched jaw, bugged eyes, frantic shoutingexternalize building inner turmoil
– Glazed stare and halting speech patterns demonstrate his deteriorating mental state
– Anguished body language reflects his contradictory urges to protect the farm yet escape its horrors
– Initially stoic determination gives way to desperate, tormented instability
Cage’s mercurial performance generates a pervasive sense of anxiety and danger as we witness Nathan’s sanity unravel before our eyes. His commitment to conveying the full psychological breakdown results in an intense viewing experience.
Does It Live Up to Lovecraft’s Legacy?
The Colour Out of Space is a noteworthy adaptation that captures much of Lovecraft’s peculiar tone and spirit:
– Otherworldly horror stemming from unknowable alien entity aligns perfectly with Lovecraft’s cosmic terror
– Rural New England setting taps into his favorites – isolated, antique landscapes harbouring ancient evils
– The title mirrors Lovecraft’s penchant for impossible, indefinable colors
– Growing sense of madness and gradual unveiling of mysteries echo Lovecraft’s narrative style
– While the stylistic surrealism is a more modern interpretation, it suits the disorienting story
On the other hand, some changes do deviate from Lovecraft’s vision:
– The meteorite crash provides a concrete explanation where the original source was left ambiguous
– Much faster paced compared to Lovecraft’s slow-burning, understated brand of horror
– Adds more visceral body horror while Lovecraft favored a psychological approach
Overall, The Colour Out of Space succeeds in capturing the core elements that define Lovecraft’s unique contributions to horror. Fans of his stories should appreciate this creative adaptation while also noting the departures from the source material.
Conclusion
The Colour Out of Space provides an eerie, unsettling viewing experience that demonstrates director Richard Stanley’s skill at cultivating an atmosphere of cosmic dread. Nicolas Cage’s intense performance as the patriarch watching his reality unravel ratchets up the horror. While not a purely faithful adaptation, the core spirit of Lovecraft’s story remains intact in its confounding Alien entity, isolated New England farmland permeated by horror, and descent into madness. The disturbing visuals and disorienting camerawork transport the viewer into a nightmarish reality. For fans of existential and body horror, this high-concept sci-fi chiller delivers on the thrills and chills. While flawed at times, The Colour Out of Space ultimately stands on its own as a testament to Lovecraft’s vision while proving horror cinema is still fertile ground for harvesting fresh and strange fiction.
| Actor | Character |
|---|---|
| Nicolas Cage | Nathan Gardner |
| Joely Richardson | Theresa Gardner |
| Madeleine Arthur | Lavinia Gardner |
| Brendan Meyer | Benny Gardner |
| Julian Hilliard | Jack Gardner |