Somewhat overlooked upon its initial release in 1995, John Carpenter's In the Mouth of Madness has since developed a healthy cult reputation. But far more than simply a fan favorite, this closing installment of the acclaimed director's self-described "apocalypse trilogy" (following The Thing and Prince Of Darkness) stands today as one of his most thematically complex and stylistically audacious pieces of work.

The story of an insurance investigator drawn into the supposedly fictional universe of a best-selling horror novelist, the film is an extension of many...