I'm giving it a rest for once to provide a movie review. Be gentle, it's my first time!

Yes, you heard it correctly, I am giving my whining a rest for once and I'm going to talk about something that is very close to my heart.

Movies...

Well, not movies in general. One movie in particular.

A movie that I think is a John Carpenter masterpiece. 

Which one? You ask. The thing? Prince of darkness? Escape from New York? They Live?

None of those, although they are all very good in their own way. I am talking about a largely forgotten masterpiece. That of 'In the Mouth of Madness'.

 When I first saw this movie on its release, I was blown away by it as I had recently discovered Lovecraft and let's face it, it is a lovecraft story in everything other than name. At the time, I really didn't appreciate how intricate the plot was. I had recourse to discuss it a few weeks ago and realise that it was now available on region free DVD through Amazon.co.uk 

I bought it without hesitation hoping that it hadn't dated as badly as some of Carpenter's other movies have. I was not to be disappointed. It was every bit as good as I was expecting and with the added bonus of actually understanding some of the plot intricacies as well as some of the homages that were deliberately placed in there as deliberate hat tips towards Lovecraft and his writing.

It largely concerns the exploits of an insurance investigator who is sent to find a missing writer by the publisher that handles him. Sutter Cane out sells Stephen King two to one (according to the script) and has an army of loyal fans. His new book does strange things to the reader. The cast is delightfully strange and the main character is played by Sam Neill whose horror credentials are well established  and this movie probably secured his starring in Event Horizon. Jürgen Prochnow supports as the dark and enigmatic Sutter Cane. The supporting cast is actually quite incredible with David Warner and Charlton Heston to name but two. 

It is quite slow to get going, but if you are familiar with Lovecraft, you will be familiar with his penchant for painting idyllic pictures with only one or two small clues as to the horrors that will duly unfold. The film does start to unwind at quite a pace once the protagonists arrive in Hobb's End. There are the requisite amount of unspeakable monstrosities hiding just out of shot and the whole thing comes to a head with a really clever concept.

I won't spoil the finale for you, but the ending will have you scratching your head the first time you watch it, the second, there will be a dawning realisation of what you are watching.

I would personally give it an 8 out of 10 for originality and just general weirdness.

If you ever get the chance, watch it. Persevere with it you won't be disappointed