Question: When is the movie supposed to take place? I know the book was set in the 80s, and I thought the film was, as well. Most of the cars seemed to be 80s era vehicles, but the main character uses a cell phone to light his way in one scene and he mentions computer generated artwork. Any thoughts?
Question: After watching the film, I was wondering, does anyone know if the novella (upon which this film is based) or any similar Stephen King works served as inspiration to Konami's "Silent Hill" video game franchise? I am asking, because there are certainly some similarities between these works, both stylistic and in terms of tone.
Answer: I'll have to answer my own question here. After doing some research, it appears that yes, "The Mist" was partially an inspiration for Konami when they created the "Silent Hill" series.
Question: Why was Brent so certain that there wasn't anything in the mist? Dan ran into the store and said there were things in the mist. When David, Ollie etc came back from the loading bay, they told everyone about the tentacle. Brent, Bud and the biker guy started laughing about it believing they were making it up. Bud and the biker see the tentacle then change their tone. Why would Brent still think David was making it up, especially since Bud and the biker were originally in agreement with him?
Answer: Short answer, monster movies tend to have that one skeptical character, to provide human conflict. Long answer...would you believe that there were eldritch monsters lurking in fog, if you hadn't seen it with your own eyes? Most likely not; you'd chalk it up to hallucinations, mass hysteria, mental illness, or any number of "logical" explanations. 999,999 times out of 1,000,000, you'd be correct, but in that one-in-a-million scenario where you're actually in a horror movie, you die.
Answer: The film is contemporary, as was the original story. Neither was meant to be set in a specific time period other than "now." The reason for the many older vehicles is that the film takes place in a small town. Notice that none of the older vehicles is in new condition. The presence of cell phones and modern products and clothing in the store indicate it is set in the present.