One of Nicolas Cages Wildest Roles Came in This Lovecraftian Body Horror

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Nicolas Cage is no stranger to the horror genre. Hell, he’s no stranger to any genre. His bizarre range stretches from the ultra dramatic in Leaving Las Vegas to the hilariously over the top in Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans.Sometimes, he is the craziest part of a movie that is already truly bizarre, and this is exactly the case with Richard Stanley’s body-horror epic, Color Out of Space. This H.P. Lovecraft adaptation is full of atmosphere, terror, and madness, making it a playground for the unpredictable actor, and a delight for cosmic horror fans.

H.P. Lovecraft’s Story Gets a Modern Update in ‘Color Out of Space’

The story of Color Out of Space is based on the 1927 H.P. Lovecraft short story of the same name, and follows the story beats fairly closely. The plot revolves around Nathan Gardner (Cage) and his family, consisting of his wife, two sons, and daughter. The Gardners move to Nathan’s late father’s farm to grow produce and raise alpacas, until one night, a meteor crashes into their yard. Everything starts to change after that, starting with the large extraterrestrial rock simply disappearing from the earth. The flora and fauna start to grow larger and take on fantastical colors, and electronics and radio signals go haywire until the whole family is isolated. The youngest son, Jack (Julian Hilliard), talks to a “man in the well”, setting the stage for the whole family’s descent into madness. The titular “color” seems to inhabit the earth around the farm, and anything it touches becomes hideously mutated and fused with other living things in a body horror masterwork.

How Does Nicolas Cage’s Gonzo Acting Fit in ‘Color Out of Space’?

Nicolas Cage is not really a “one-size-fits-all” kind of actor, but many directors have tried to fit the enigmatic player into a variety of different roles, often with unintentionally hilarious results. He is often wacky, sometimes brilliant, but only rarely boring.Color Out of Space gives the actor an opportunity to make his signature gonzo performance style fit into the mad world on the screen. Lovecraft’s work is often marked by characters going mad, usually thanks to some cosmic, malevolent influence, and director Richard Stanley makes great use of Nic Cage’s mad acting in this movie, which fits the story and setting like a glove. We see Nathan Gardner freak out and slam dunk produce into a trashcan. We see him pitch a world-class fit in his car when it won’t start, and he lectures his daughter Livinia (Madeleine Arthur) with a tirade reminiscent of his infamous performance in Vampire’s Kiss. Cage even manages to deliver some emotional, grounded lines as a father facing the systematic destruction of his family. Color Out of Space really has it all as far as Nicolas Cage is concerned, and it works surprisingly well all the way around.

The 10 Best H.P. Lovecraft Movies, Ranked

H.P. Lovecraft’s cosmic horror has captivated audiences with its dread and fascination.

Color Out of Space also marks the return of director Richard Stanley, who took a long hiatus from film making in 1996 after the famously difficult production, The Island of Dr. Moreau. And this triumphant return effort is creepy, scary, suspenseful, and absolutely brimming with atmosphere.The body horror elements mix practical and digital effects in a way that makes the fleshy abominations look nauseating, but also otherworldly. Stanley manages to portray the slow mutation of the world in a way that is subtle and brilliant on camera, with flowers and bugs taking on impossible colors. Some of the performances are a little clunky, and there is some superfluous fluff in the screenplay here and there, but it is well worth a watch for any fan of H.P. Lovecraft or ‘80s body horror.

Nicolas Cage is an actor who draws audiences for a variety of different reasons, and while it is always fun to laugh at his wild rants, one has to give him credit where it is due. As a stressed out family in Color Out of Space, Cage’s mad acting style shines brightly and helps tie this cosmic horror story together. Richard Stanley delivers the perfect world for that madness to stand out, with a weird atmosphere and brilliant special effects. Body horror fans will delight at the tasteful mix of practical and digital effects, and everyone can appreciate this film's grand vision, and look forward to a promised follow-up from Stanley. A good Cage freak-out is never a bad reason to look up a film, but Color Out of Space is much more than the performance of its lead actor.