Some films are remembered as classics, others as disasters, and some simply seem to disappear. The Mothman Prophecies arguably belongs in that final category. Released in 2002, this eerie supernatural thriller has quietly become something of a forgotten gem.
Making a modest $55.2 million at the box office against a reported $32 million budget, The Mothman Prophecies received mixed reviews. I recall that some even likened it to an episode of The X-Files. While I can see some similarities, director Mark Pellington’s technical craft elevates the film into a much more effective and eerie thriller.
The Mothman Prophecies is more about what you do not see than what you do. That is the film’s main strength. It could have easily taken the exploitative route of using the real Mothman legend to make a fun and predictable monster movie. Instead, its atmospheric approach makes it feel like a film made with much more care and consideration.
Richard Gere plays John Klein, a reporter who loses his wife, Mary, shortly after a sudden car accident. Two years later, he unintentionally finds himself in Point Pleasant, West Virginia, where strange incidents have been occurring. He desperately tries to get to the bottom of the situation and eventually finds more than he bargained for when he discovers there may be a connection to his deceased wife.
UK viewers actually received a fairly generous selection of extras when the film first arrived on DVD. However, the later US two-disc Special Edition added a substantial amount of material that British fans missed out on. Now, 88 Films has finally brought much of that material to the UK while adding a wealth of brand-new content of its own.
Blu-ray owners can celebrate the fact that 88 Films has presented a new 4K remaster from the original camera negatives, presented here in 1080p at its 2.39:1 aspect ratio.
I am pleased to say that, overall, the picture is strong and clean. There are a few surprisingly soft close-up shots, but I hesitate to blame the transfer, particularly as the print itself looks clean. Other close-ups are detailed and crisp.
Day and night scenes are both important for this film, especially the latter, and I am happy to say that detail and black levels are strong. Skin tones look natural and there is no obvious DNR. I also noticed no distracting compression artefacts during dark scenes.
You get a choice of either Dolby Atmos or 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio. I noticed that the 5.1 DTS-HD MA track had more bass, while the surround channels, when they do kick in during an otherwise dialogue-heavy film, are pleasingly prominent. Dialogue is also clear.
A sequence involving a car accident noticeably contained more punch than the Dolby Atmos track provided, while the 5.1 track also sounded more convincing during a scene set in an echoing room. Dolby Atmos still gives you a decent experience, particularly when the score kicks in, but compared with the 5.1 DTS-HD MA track, I found the bass and surround activity a little less forceful.
There is a ton of additional material here for UK viewers, including both brand-new extras and archive material previously confined to overseas releases.
Totally new for everybody is an audio commentary by director Mark Pellington, cinematographer Fred Murphy, composer Andy Milburn, editor Brian Berdan and production designer Richard Hoover. It is quite a technical listen, with much of the discussion focusing on things such as the photography, sets, costume design and locations.
Also new is another commentary by film critic Kim Newman and filmmaker Sean Hogan. This was my personal favourite of the two. It is much less technical. Paranormal lovers will lap this one up as they enthusiastically discuss the Mothman legend and how it influenced the creation of the film. It occasionally veers into technical territory, but not very often.
The main new video piece is an 82-minute documentary called Do Not Be Afraid: Investigating The Mothman Prophecies, which looks at the making of the film. There is a range of largely unseen material and recollections from the crew, including one in particular from Pellington, who amusingly mentions how Debra Messing managed to stay in character between scenes. The documentary also focuses on other aspects of the production, including the special effects and cinematography.
The Bridge – The Making of the Bridge Sequence (17 mins) talks extensively about the climactic bridge-collapse sequence. Mothman Under the Influence (15 mins) presents images taken from Mark Pellington’s personal production archive. David Ness, who provides the accompanying music, also briefly talks about his enthusiasm for the Mothman legend and the film.
Day by Day – A Director’s Journey Parts 1 and 2 run for roughly 60 minutes in total. Although previously seen by US viewers, these are new to the UK edition of The Mothman Prophecies. Together they form an intimate production diary showing the locations Pellington and his crew were scouting, some of the financial negotiations involved in getting the film up and running, and even rehearsal footage of Richard Gere and Debra Messing preparing for a scene.
There are also five deleted scenes that are new to UK fans. Some are interesting, but you can probably understand why they were cut, especially the last one, which would have painfully disrupted the flow of the movie. Also included is Low’s “Halflight” music video, which wasn’t included on the original UK DVD, and a very fluffy six-minute archive promo piece advertising the film.
The remaining extras include archival material such as Pellington’s original solo audio commentary, First Look – Behind the Scenes (15 mins), Search for the Mothman (45 mins), roughly 30 minutes of archive cast-and-crew interviews, and trailers.
Interestingly, the original UK DVD release featured a UK-exclusive animated intro sequence and animated audio menus. On this edition, the menus are static. So, if you love little things like that, you may want to keep hold of that particular DVD version.
Perhaps the greatest compliment you can pay The Mothman Prophecies is that it still feels strange. It doesn’t explain everything, it doesn’t provide comfortable answers, and its atmosphere of dread lingers long after the credits have rolled. 88 Films has treated this forgotten gem with the care it deserves, making this an ideal opportunity to return to Point Pleasant.