From a cab in New Orleans, I saw a sharp point sticking out of the tops of mausoleums in one of the most city’s most famous cemeteries. The driver asked, “Do you see that? The pyramid mausoleum? That belongs to Nicolas Cage.”
I expressed concern that I had somehow missed the news of his death and the driver laughed. “He’s not dead. It’s kind of a crazy story. He bought this old house in the French Quarter that used to belong to a serial killer [Madame LaLaurie]. We kind of think that house attaches itself to people, and he definitely thought he was haunted. He went to see a medium and she told him that the house cursed him. She told him the only way to remove the curse was to buy a tomb in town.”
It seems crazy, but the more you know about Nicolas Cage, the more you’ll think, “Yep, that seems right.”
Nicolas Cage is actually Nicolas Coppola. He’s the nephew of Francis Ford Coppola, and he changed his name when he realized he wanted to be an actor so that the public wouldn’t scream nepotism. He’s basically a film historian, and his love for movies has translated into an enigmatic career that is arguably one of the most misunderstood in Hollywood. He’s had a handful of roles that are celebrated by the mainstream and he continues to land those parts; simultaneously, he churns out B-movies that are almost impossible to keep track of. He boasts over 100 roles in his filmography and despite a small percentage of those being hits in the pop culture pantheon, Cage himself is an icon.
In the age of the internet, Nicolas Cage was reduced to a joke, subjected to ridicule, and made into memes. Does he deserve it for the infamous bee cage sequence from the widely panned 2006 remake of The Wicker Man? Probably. But has he more than redeemed himself in terms of horror? Yes. And then some. Here are some of the best entries into what I like to call the NCJFSCU: the Nicolas Cage Just F*cking Screaming Cinematic Universe.
Mandy (2018, U.S./Belgium, dir. Panos Cosmatos)
Starting at the top with what is arguably Cage’s horror magnum opus performance almost seems unfair to the rest of the list. This psychedelic revenge film unleashes Nic at his highest form: alternating between screaming hysteria and zen-like stoicism while performing horrific acts of hallucinatory violence.
Red Miller (Cage) and Mandy Bloom (Andrea Riseborough) are madly in love, living in a secluded cabin in the mountains. Their worlds are transformed forever when Mandy catches the eye of a cult leader, sparking a series of events that culminate in Red pursuing grisly vengeance, single-handedly taking on the LSD-laden cult and the demonic biker gang that helps protect them.
Mandy has a couple of issues, like the criminal underuse of Riseborough and a run time that feels a smidge too long, but these problems are overshadowed by deft direction, haunting visuals, and a pitch-perfect performance from Nicolas Cage. We see him subdued as man completely bewitched by his partner. Less than an hour later, we see him in his underpants, alternately downing a bottle of vodka and primitively screaming in emotional and physical pain. It’s pure, unleashed madness that matches the tone of the vision shot-for-shot.
Gore Meter: 5 out of 5
Streaming on: Shudder, Sling
Trigger/content warning (may contain spoilers)
Color Out of Space (2019, U.S., dir. Richard Stanley)
This one flew under the radar to everyone but horror enthusiasts and Lovecraft enthusiasts, but it’s kind of a big deal. See, Richard Stanley became a sought-after director in the 90s after his debut, the cyberpunk horror Hardware, was an unexpected success. In 1996, he was granted his dream project, The Island of Dr. Moreau, but was fired from the project a week after filming began after deliberate bullying from his contentious lead actors (Marlon Brando and Val Kilmer) and didn’t make a movie again until this one. Horror fans were waiting with open arms for him when this project was announced, and the cherry-on-top was the hiring of Nicolas Cage in the lead role.
In this seriously disturbing Lovecraft adaptation, a family recovering from a traumatic time moves to an isolated farm passed down the patriarch (Yep, that’s Nic). When a meteor crashes into their front yard, the family starts noticing strange changes to just about everything, including their behavior and their resources.
This is one of the most difficult-to-describe films you will ever see, even with spoilers. But the end result is a true spectacle with some of the most squeamish practical effects and monsters ever committed to celluloid. Cage’s performance here stands out in an ensemble cast, particularly when his own temperament is affected by “the color,” and his accent and mannerisms definitely mimic an exaggerated Donald Trump. Now, that’s scary.
Gore Meter: 5 out of 5
Streaming on: Shudder for Amazon. Behind the paywall on all other services.
Trigger/content warning (may contain spoilers)
Mom and Dad (2017, U.K./U.S., dir. Brian Taylor)
This has to be the most traditionally palatable of the films mentioned today, which is why I saved it for last. That isn’t to say that Mom and Dad is without brutality or intensity, but it is a horror comedy, so at least the violence comes with a side of giggles and one or two guffaws, depending on how funny you find the concept of filicidal tendencies spreading like the flu..
Brent and Kendall Ryan (Good Ol’ Cage and Selma Blair) are suburban parents of a teenage girl named Carly and a tween son, Josh. At the start of the movie, the family is just like any other on the surface; there’s squabbling and tension, nothing out of the ordinary. But when a static transmission starts to fill parents with homicidal urges directed only at their own children, Carly and Josh find themselves fighting for their lives against Brent and Kendall, the two people who are supposed to love and protect them above all else. To complicate matters, grandma and grandpa are on their way for a visit, and the Ryan home soon becomes balls-to-the-wall mayhem.
I’ve been told that being a parent can be a little frustrating sometimes, both from the mouths of my friends and from the reactions my own parents had to me when I was a teenager. Mom and Dad opens up a portal to a world where parents have a valid excuse to retaliate against their resentful creations, which is something that is so completely taboo, even in the age of “mommy needs wine” memes. This is Nic Cage at his most unhinged and off-the-wall, while and Selma Blair’s desperate-yet-cunning Kendall pairs well with his performance.
Gore Meter: 4 out of 5
Streaming on: Hulu
Trigger/content warning (may contain spoilers)
This is usually the point where I’d put an infographic that I made to summarize a bunch more information or tie up loose ends. This time, you get the send off of Nicolas Cage headbanging to Handel’s Messiah. NSFW. You’re welcome.
We have some catching up to do!
It’s looking like David Gordon Green is going to try his hand at another beloved horror franchise, this time potentially helming a sequel to The Exorcist.
The Resident Evil reboot (which Milla Jovovich is not very happy about) wrapped production, and it’s slated for 2021 release.
Steven Soderbergh has confirmed that there will be a sequel to Contagion. Gee, I wonder what inspired him?
Film School Rejects rounded up all the horror titles coming to streaming services this month. Very exciting: Kill List will be available on The Criterion Channel!
On January 6th, say “Happy Birthday” to Norman Reedus (Darryl from The Walking Dead), who turns 52.
Also on January 6th, we see the 14th anniversary of [a personal favorite] Eli Roth’s Hostel, making it almost 15 years since Roth brought excessive gore back to the mainstream.
And honestly, we can just stop on January 7th because you might not believe this, but…
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