Alicia Veliz – Guest Writer
This is a weird one by any means, but what does one expect when you are dealing with the world of H.P. Lovecraft? Nothing less than weird. Color Out of Space is a 1927 short story by Lovecraft that has been adapted a few times to the big screen. It has been speculated that it was an allegory for the real-life Radium Girls scandal which involved some female factory workers who were exposed to radium. But I personally think that it goes deeper than that.
The film is about a family living out on a secluded farm trying to piece their lives back together after the mother recovers from a serious health ordeal. Things seem to be okay until a meteorite strikes the farm and then it is a downward spiral into utter madness. This film has been categorised as a Sci Fi Horror or Cosmic Horror.
Lovecraft has been quoted as saying that his inspiration for the alien in this story is due to the fact that he was tired of seeing aliens being depicted with almost human-like features, and he wanted to create something that was truly “alien. Hence, he chose Color, which is definitely not a form but it can be something or anything. That is kind of brilliant in my opinion!
I must say that there are some elements to this movie that reminds me of falling down the rabbit hole to Wonderland where it is strangely creepy, but visually stunning at the same time. The special effects on this one works well with the plot. It is a slow burn because it’s the little things that cause the dysfunction to get worse with the family. Nicolas Cage stars as the father who desperately loves his family and is trying to hold it together while dealing with his own personal demons from the past. Everyone and everything become slowly unhinged in their own way until there is a point of no return.
Apart from being an alien movie, I think that it is also a metaphor for the destruction and disintegration of the family unit. If issues are not dealt with and are allowed to fester they become like an infection, and the damage done is sometimes irreparable.
I know that this one may not be a straight go to on the movie watching list for most but, if you are a fan of the genre and the author you could give it a whirl and see if you if agree with me.
Rating: 6 out of 10
For my Quick Bite review of Australian WWII vampire flick Blood Vessel you can click here.