Hope in the mist

 

I came across this semi precious gem of a movie through a recommendation. I drove by the independent video store after work and was delighted to see the customer service person whom I knew from university working that night. The video store had a great selection of foreign movies and scifi/fantasy and an owner who encouraged his staff to converse with customers. I needed a good movie and Stephen Kings the mist had just been released on DVD. The last thing I need is another formulaic Stephen King story where evil is defeated then returns I told Christine. She smiled. Watch it it's gooood, she told me. I rented it and expected nothing.

If you have not watched Stephen Kings The Mist, this post contains spoilers.

I'm not fond of horror; but this was not horror. It was about a group of people thrown into a frightening and increasingly horrific and hopeless situation. A study in human nature and the breakdown of society. The people who band together to help one another, the macho guy who crumbles in fear and cowardice, the courageous mother walking alone to save her children, the courageous seniors toughened and strengthened by life. The useless young soldiers and MPs. The managers of a store who were surprisingly capable. A cross section of humans from all demographics, each credible within their representation. As I watched I remember thinking I know someone just like that. I watched people grouping and regrouping and know that some people turn heroic and others irrational.

Throughout the movie I asked myself how would I react, what would I do in that particular situation. Since I had read and watched so much scifi, I probably would have been less surprised, probably would have explained that as unlikely as it sounds we were dealing with an alien ecosystem and food chain. Would it have helped? Probably not.

Above all was Marcia Gay Harden's oscarworthy performance as the nut bar fundamentalist Bible thumper; the opposition to rational thought and science. Eventhough science was responsible for creating this mess in the first place. Scientific experimentation gone wrong is a common theme in sci fi.

Below is one of my favorite movie conversations and a great simple summary of human behavioral history. It is also an argument that I've been hearing more of recently. (There is no horror, just conversation)

https://youtube.com/watch?v=YfTU6x_nXso

I watched it for the first time in about 2008, sat in shocked silence as David makes his incomprehensible choice. Well, what was the point of that? Then came the lifting of the mist as rescue came and started to clean up. An incredible scene that epitomized lost hope and never losing it. Eventually the mist and fog disperses.

I watched it again last week as we're in the fog of war to see if my opinion had changed. No. But I did notice Mrs. Carmody more and how dangerous fundamental religion and beliefs have become. I've actually met a few Mrs. Carmodys in the intervening years. I also noticed that I had changed; surprised by the character's shock at watching others suffer. It has become so normalized that I have encountered too many people that are numb and apathetic and needed a movie to remind me that the humane in humanity still exists.

Oh. Yeah. And hope.