Mister Frost

`You should fit in well here then. We have one patient who calls himself Lucifer and another calling himself Mephistopheles.' `There's one difference. They're obviously insane.' With this dialogue the tension begins to mount in Director Philippe Setton's thriller. Writers' Derry Hall and Brad Lynch have created a perfect showcase for the quirky acting talents of lead, Jeff Goldblum. Goldblum's character is arrested at the beginning of the movie for the savage torture/murder of 24 people. We become aware of these murders as we see the investigators watching the tapes he made. Their reactions intensify the impact more than actually viewing it our self would have. Frost is immediately incarcerated in a psychiatric institute where he begins to make the claim he is actually the Devil and his mission on earth is to cause people to regain their belief (faith if you will) in him. Strange things begin to happen shortly after his arrival, which cause Dr. Sarah Day, played by Kathy Baker, to consider his claim. The movie leaves it to the viewer to decide if Frost is really causing things to happen using Demonic powers or just `brilliantly' insane and everyone, including the hospital staff, is falling prey to his psychosis. It is a well-directed and written story with a standout performance coming from Goldblum. He instills in his character a certain evil slyness, which will cause you to glance quickly behind you when Mr. Frost lays his eye on you.

True, there are plenty of devil-themed movies out there. But what makes "Mister Frost" different is that it looks more at how the Prince of Darkness might try to communicate with humans. Jeff Goldblum plays the title character, in the form of a man who suddenly is living in a villa and admits to having buried 24 corpses in his yard. After two years of silence, he starts talking to psychiatrist Sarah Day (Kathy Baker) and trying to convince her that he is in fact Satan.

This movie is sort of the flip side of stories about people who rediscover their faith in God. Sarah gives a speech detailing the fact that humans have wrought more havoc than the Devil seemingly could, Frost starts complaining that science has interfered with progress; he's trying to renew her faith in his existence. This is one charismatic Devil. That is, when he's not possessing people.

I certainly liked this movie. Far more perceptive than the average devil-is-trying-to-take-over-the-world story, it manages to be creepy without being particularly violent. Each of the characters looks just a bit menacing at some point or other. Early in the movie, Jeff Goldblum looks almost exactly like Michael Jackson in the "Thriller" video. Really good.

Also starring Alan Bates, Jean-Pierre Cassel, Vincent Schiavelli and Charley Boorman (John Boorman's son).

This is a movie for mature audiences, viewers that like the subtalty over the blatant. The dialog is clever, a bit flat sometimes due to the lack of a score, but sometimes this ads to the movie in particular places. Jeff G. is excellent in this role (and I am not one of his fan). And to those that complain that the end of the movie is not climactic enough I don't know why because it is just perfect, just with one line. Rent this movie. It will scare you without grossing you out.

This movie is sadly overlooked and underated. As far as I'm concerned, it's one of Goldblum's better performances (sure beats ID4!). He was okay in The Fly, and okay in Jurassic Park too.

I like Kathy Baker's role, but she herself, I find a little annoying at times. Here she's dead on as a psychologist who begins to lose faith in her field.

Mostly thought, it's the tension this movie produces that won me over. For once I couldn't predict how it was going to end. Would she just quit and walk away from it all? Would she stick to her guns and ignore Mr. Frost's wishes like a "good doctor" should? Would she give in to Frost? I really saw it going any of those ways 'till the end.

I could really have done without Francois Negret-- his character was important, but as a person he really put me off. He was the worst part of the movie. And the performance of the doctor unable to withhold his love for Sarah was so melodramatic and overplayed, it bordered on revolting.

Overall I think this movie was original and cleverly-made.

"It used to be simple: good on one hand, evil on the other. There was a strugle. And then you people came along - the scientists."

Excellent film about about perceived good and evil from the viewpoint of humanity, and how science is has to be neither. Impartial, and yet with greater power and potential to be used for either. Or is it? Which will win out reason or emotion, or will they corrupt each other?

Or maybe Mister Frost simply a deranged man after all?

The previous lines were to give an overall feeling about the general atmosphere of Mister Frost for those who have not seen it. It is difficult to describe the plot in more depth than in the summary on the main page without spoiling the film, but imagine the confrontations between the possessed Regan and Karras or the doctors in William Peter Blatty's novel 'The Exorcist' that were cut out of the film. There you have Mister Frost.

Basically, if you like your thrillers to be charged with atmosphere and intelligence then this film is definitely worth viewing. Oh yeah, and also if you thought Jeff Goldblum could put in a good performance with a good script, but haven't yet seen it happen. This film is it.