In 2002 I was a socially awkward 14 year old with an affinity for monsters and a budding interest in Cryptozoology. During my adolescent “figuring myself out” phase I sometimes referred to myself as an, "amateur cryptozoologist", which is a sort of oxymoron, if you really think about it.
That said, I was ecstatic when I learned that a movie based on the cryptid "Mothman" was in production, and scheduled to be released the summer after my interest in arguably-non-existent animals had blossomed.
So a couple of friends and I negotiated the terms with our parents, and opening night were dropped off to see The Mothman Prophecies at the AMC next to the Merit Square Mall. What followed was a sort of thrill ride; a feeling I've yet to experience since.
Six years later, I'm a socially awkward (though less noticeably so) 21 year old and I can't stop buying DVDs. So when I ran across The Mothman Prophecies at work the other day, I felt almost obligated to purchase it. I've just finished re-watching it and hope to do it justice with the following.
The Mothman Prophecies is based on a book by the same title, written by John Keel and published by Panther Books in 1975. It is categorized as non-fiction, and chronicles the strange goings on which took place in and around Point Pleasant, Virginia, between 1966 and 1967. Most notable among these events is the appearance of a winged, humanoid creature, commonly referred to as the Mothman.
The movie takes the great majority of it’s inspiration from the book, but differs in that it is more of a psychological thriller than an investigative look at the paranormal.
It follows the character John Klein (played by Richard Gere). Klein has a good job at the Washington Post, and is happily married to the woman of his dreams. Life seems perfect for him, until one night his wife suffers a sort of panic attack, and runs their car off the road. This lands her in the hospital, where it is discovered that she has a tumor in her brain.
She dies, and Klein becomes predictably depressed.
Two years later, unable to sleep, he takes to the road at one in the morning, driving with no apparent destination in mind. He finds himself in Point Pleasant, the town which is the main focus of the original book. His car breaks down in front of a house in the middle of nowhere. He knocks on the front door, asking to use the phone, and is shocked as the owner of the home points a shotgun at his head, and drags him inside.
The police show up, and it is revealed that someone, believed to be John Klein, has come knocking at the front door of the house at two thirty AM for the past three nights, asking to use the phone. John insists that he’s never been there before.
From here it just gets weirder. John becomes friends with the disturbed home owner (a man named Gordon), who begins to receive messages related to forthcoming natural disasters, including accurate predictions of locations and death tolls. John himself is set upon by a bizarre series of events which seem to be connected to that of his new friend, and many residents of Point Pleasant report seeing a winged creature with glowing red eyes.
While all this is going on, John wrestles with his own grief over his wife’s death, even as he forms a relationship with the town’s sheriff (portrayed by Laura Linney). He begins to investigate, and draws ever closer to the truth concerning Point Pleasant, which may be connected to the death of his wife.
At the center of everything, yet always just out of reach, is the Mothman. Seen only in passing glances, backlit by blinding red light, the creature appears to forty-some eyewitnesses before the movie’s climax.
John Klein receives phone calls from the apparent being, which refers to itself as Indrid Cold. It demonstrates the ability to read John’s mind, to know things before they happen, and warns John of a tragedy soon to befall Point Pleasant. The messages are so cryptic, however, that John can scarcely decipher them, and his warnings are brushed off by those he tells.
The movie portrays a sense of the unknown in very Lovecraftian fashion; an entity, more advanced than a human being, operating at the edge of known reality. Seen only when it wants to be seen, heard only when it chooses to speak, The Mothman meddles in the lives of select individuals with little or no explanation. It hints at a reality far beyond human comprehension, too vast and terrible to be understood.
Subtle imagery is used throughout the film. Allusions to butterfly-like shapes and glowing pairs of red eyes are consistent from start to finish, and add to the idea of something which is unseen, but almost certainly present.
The film may disappoint some viewers in that a good look at the monster – if indeed there is one – is never given. Blurred glimpses from far away, sketches drawn by people who may or may not be crazy, reflections in mirrors which disappear as soon as you notice them: these make up the majority of the Mothman's screen time. You'll find yourself wondering whether or not the creature actually exists.
Are the Mothman sightings legitimate, or the result of mass hysteria? Has Gordon actually encountered the creature, or is he insane? Is John Klein really being contacted by some paranormal being, or are his experiences hallucinations, brought about by his emotional instability? The film does an excellent job of crafting an open-ended plot, allowing the viewer to draw his or her own conclusions as the story progresses.
Overall, this is a great movie. A psychological, suspenseful thriller with a lot to offer any fan of the surreal. Gere’s performance is believable and competent, and the supporting cast does an excellent job. More than worth your time, and with a typically low price tag, it’s a highly accessible commodity.
Careful, though – next time your phone rings, you may think twice about answering.
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