TIFF 2019: The Oddities: COLOR OUT OF SPACE And THE LONG WALK

For this TIFF report, I thought I’d focus on those films that are hard to place in any definable category. Perhaps the best way to describe them is as a mix of horror and sci-fi, but not quite aligning with either one. At any rate, both Color Out of Space and The Long Walk were amongst the more amusing films I saw at the festival.

Color Out of Space – Richard Stanley

During my time at TIFF, I was determined to attend at least one midnight madness screening. That film happened to be Color Out of Space, a sci-fi based on an H.P. Lovecraft short story and starring Nicolas Cage. It was also directed by Richard Stanley, a South African director who was big in the ’90s, but who hasn’t directed a feature film in 22 years. Mix all these ingredients together, and you’re bound to come up with something interesting.

And something interesting it was. The film focuses on the Gardner family, who have just moved out of the city into order to live in a self-sustaining way on an old family farm. They are Nathan (Cage), the father, Theresa (Joely Richardson), the mother, Lavinia (Madeliene Arthur), their daughter, and Benny (Brendan Meyer), their son. In supporting roles is none other than Tommy Chong, who plays a neighbor, as well as a scientist named Ward Phillips (Elliot Knight) that comes to the area after finding unusual seismic activity.

While sleeping at their farm one night, a strange, bright red meteorite crashes down outside on the lawn. Following this, an increasingly strange series of events start to occur, including the loss of time, more bright lights appearing across their lawn, and their animals growing erratic (the family owns a bunch of alpacas, for god knows what reason). Oh, and they start to get possessed themselves as well, by whatever entity has crash-landed on their lawn.

Much like many Lovecraft stories, Color Out of Space goes both everywhere and nowhere in particular. It pushes everything to eleven, from the neon-light strobing effects, to the family members acting completely out of whack (Nic Cage is at his Cagiest here), and with a lack of explanation as to what exactly is occurring. While a trippy experience, it admittedly does get numbing after awhile, especially during the film’s final act. It lacks the buildup of something like David Lynch, though, or even the end sequence of 2001: A Space Odyssey. Here, it’s everything all at once, without even a chance to breathe in-between. But hey, if that’s what you’re looking for, you’re sure to get some enjoyment out of Color Out of Space. Seeing it in a Midnight Madness setting was definitely the most fun I could’ve had with it.

The Long Walk – Mattie Do

And now we get to a somehow even more out there movie, that of The Long Walk, directed by Mattie Do. The film takes place in Laos, Southeast Asia, focusing on a young boy who lives in an isolated village along with his mother. Seeming to possess some kind of sixth sense, he can witness and speak to a spirit that often accompanies him. Alongside the young boy is the story of an older man, who also talks to the same spirit. We don’t yet know how these two stories are connected, though you may figure it out yourself after not too much time has passed.

The Long Walk is one of the more unusual ghost stories I have seen. The spirits within it do not outwardly appear menacing or scary; instead, they are almost comforting, especially the one that wanders alongside our main characters. In a way, much like 2017’s A Ghost Story, ghosts and the afterlife almost just seem to be silent observers of the still living, as if quietly amused at the absurd choices we make.

The Long Walk also deals greatly with time. First and foremost, we see different time periods taking place in front of us, which comes full circle during the film’s final conflict. The film also seems to occur in a distant future where technology is far more advanced, as the characters have microchips implanted into their arms. Yet, the isolated, primitive village appears more like something you would identify with the past. This clash of contradictions only adds more to the film’s haunting and alluring effect.

Mattie Do‘s film is one I’m very glad I got to witness. The Long Walk is one of those supernatural stories that, as bewildering as they can be, are also a real treat as well, the type that will stay with you. I sincerely hope I get to see more films from her in the future.

Conclusion

Well, that concludes this report on the stranger films I saw at TIFF. Stay tuned, as I have just one more report on the way. Thanks for keeping up!

What are your thoughts on any of the films mentioned?