In the Mouth of Madness

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In the Mouth of Madness

R

Released Feb 3, 1995

1h 35m

Horror

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Popcornmeter

59%

Tomatometer

51 Reviews

74%

Popcornmeter

10,000+ Ratings

When horror novelist Sutter Cane (Jürgen Prochnow) goes missing, insurance investigator John Trent (Sam Neill) scrutinizes the claim made by his publisher, Jackson Harglow (Charlton Heston), and endeavors to retrieve a yet-to-be-released manuscript and ascertain the writer's whereabouts. Accompanied by the novelist's editor, Linda Styles (Julie Carmen), and disturbed by nightmares from reading Cane's other novels, Trent makes an eerie nighttime trek to a supernatural town in New Hampshire.

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Critics Consensus

If it fails to make the most of its intriguing premise, In the Mouth of Madness remains a decent enough diversion for horror fans and John Carpenter completists.

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Adrian Martin

The Age (Australia)

Carpenter's work with music and sound design has never been so radical and the film's set pieces are breathtakingly executed.

Mar 2, 2024

Full Review

Jonathan Rosenbaum

Chicago Reader

In the Mouth of Madness isn't John Carpenter's best horror movie to date, but it may well be his scariest.

Rated: 3/4

Jun 7, 2022

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Sheila Johnston

Independent (UK)

This is one of those self- referential horror movies that gets buried alive in an avalanche of clever special effects and an incredible imploding plot.

Mar 29, 2019

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David Parkinson

Radio Times

John Carpenter's treatise on the psychological power of horror begins well, only to descend rapidly into special-effects genre cliché.

Rated: 3/5

Sep 13, 2024

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Justine Smith

Vague Visages

The film articulates that moral standards are representative of a dominant system of beliefs rather than an ingrained sense of righteousness, and that the fabric of our experience with the natural world itself can be altered through an infectious idea.

Jun 5, 2024

Full Review

Cole Smithey

ColeSmithey.com

John Carpenter's 1994 finale to his Apocalypse Trilogy is a no-holds-barred blitzkrieg of horror that will have you watching the movie a second time just to confirm that you did indeed see what you think you saw.

Rated: FOUR STARS

Nov 5, 2023

Full Review

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Yannis L

Le concept est intéressant mais je n'ai pas trouvé le film assez effrayant, je trouve aussi que certains effets ont mal vieilli et ça m'a sorti du film.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

08/12/25

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thiago s

Filme fraco, o roteiro é fraco, as cenas de terror são fracas, a história é fraca, o elenco é fraco, e ninguém ajuda a melhorar o filme, os personagens são fracos, e o filme deveria ter cenas bem melhores e relevantes, para fazer o filme ser bom

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

07/29/25

Full Review

Nick O

Feels like Stephen King meets H.P. Lovecraft at the end of the world in this psychotic, surreal slime trip that just proves that John Carpenter was nowhere near done earning his title of Master Of Horror by the mid-1990's!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

07/06/25

Full Review

Stephen C

Meant to be scary in 1 hour and 35 minutes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The USA grossed over $8,900,000.00!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

07/02/25

Full Review

Ian S

Some good moments but pretty dreary. Sam Neill tries hard and Charlton Heston was quite good as well. The first hour was incredibly slow. Basically a B Grade homage to Lovecraft. Little, in the way of scares or suspense. Made during Carpenter's dry spell, where his best work was long behind him. Basically Carpenter was done creatively by 1990.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

06/29/25

Full Review

Jack M

John Carpenter's 1994 finale to his Apocalypse Trilogy is a no-holds-barred blitzkrieg of horror that will have you watching the movie a second time just to confirm that you did indeed see what you think you saw.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

06/21/25

Full Review

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John Carpenter

Director

Sam Neill

John Trent

Julie Carmen

Linda Styles

Jürgen Prochnow

Sutter Cane

Charlton Heston

Jackson Harglow

David Warner

Dr. Wrenn

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Synopsis

When horror novelist Sutter Cane (Jürgen Prochnow) goes missing, insurance investigator John Trent (Sam Neill) scrutinizes the claim made by his publisher, Jackson Harglow (Charlton Heston), and endeavors to retrieve a yet-to-be-released manuscript and ascertain the writer's whereabouts. Accompanied by the novelist's editor, Linda Styles (Julie Carmen), and disturbed by nightmares from reading Cane's other novels, Trent makes an eerie nighttime trek to a supernatural town in New Hampshire.

Director: John Carpenter
Producer: Sandy King
Screenwriter: Michael De Luca
Distributor: New Line Home Video [us], New Line Cinema
Production Co: New Line Cinema
Rating: R
Genre: Horror
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Feb 3, 1995, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 1, 2012
Box Office (Gross USA): $8.9M
Runtime: 1h 35m
Sound Mix: Surround, Stereo

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