Lovecraftian Films?

[Olgar Shiverstone]

My wife and I watched The Ring on TV last night, and throughout it I got the distinct feeling I was an investigator in a Call of Cthulu game. There were a couple of points where I could almost hear the "You take 2d10 SAN loss!"

Which got me to wondering: has anyone actually made any films of Lovecraft's stories? Or what films seem to hold that Lovecraftian/Cthulu-esque feel to you?

 

[Krug]

Actually there's a whole film festival dedicated to HP Lovecraft, though some can't really qualify as Lovecraft adaptations:
http://www.hplfilmfestival.com/homeflash.htm

 

[jonesy]

Which got me to wondering: has anyone actually made any films of Lovecraft's stories? Or what films seem to hold that Lovecraftian/Cthulu-esque feel to you?

Movies based on Lovecrafts works have been quite horrible, and I don't mean that in a good way (yes, I hate Re-Animator too). Just do a search on imdb.com for Lovecraft.

 

[haiiro]

My wife and I watched The Ring on TV last night, and throughout it I got the distinct feeling I was an investigator in a Call of Cthulu game. There were a couple of points where I could almost hear the "You take 2d10 SAN loss!"

Actual adaptations have already been covered, but if you haven't seen the Blair Witch Project, it's worth checking out. Much like The Ring, it really feels like a CoC scenario (in addition to being a good movie).

 

[Chimera]

Cast a Deadly Spell may qualify as Lovecraft if only because the bad guy is using the Necronomicon to summon Cthulhu to eat the world.

Not a bad little film, but not currently available on DVD.

 

[Maerdwyn]

A couple of Stephen King's more recent books have shown some clear HPL influence.

I'll put spoilers, and what I see as the HPL connections in spoiler tags, just in case.
Dreamcatcher,

Spoiler

about an invasion of fungus-based aliens than live inside people's bowels, controlling them with telepathy,

was made into a movie a couple years ago. Decent.

Don't think there's a movie, but The Girl who Loved Tom Gordon,

Spoiler

was quite horriffic in the "I'm hopelessly lost in the mountains of rural New England and something that has a voice like a buzzing insects is hunting me" HPL sort of way. Sacriest if you yourself have young kids.

 

[Gomez]

Cast a Deadly Spell may qualify as Lovecraft if only because the bad guy is using the Necronomicon to summon Cthulhu to eat the world.

Not a bad little film, but not currently available on DVD.

Oh and the main character is named H.P. Lovecraft!
The sequal "Witchhunt" is pretty good too!

 

[Gomez]

Here is a list of movies directly adapted from a Lovecraft work.

Bride of Re-Animator (1990)
Both Jeffrey Combs and Bruce Abbott return in this mediocre sequel to Re-Animator, which actually owes more to The Bride of Frankenstein. However, some scenes, including the final one in the tomb of the Averills, were directly inspired by the original story, “Herbert West – Reanimator”. (purchase from Amazon.com on VHS)

The Crimson Cult (1968)
Boris Karloff, Christopher Lee, and Barbara Steele star in this film which is ostensibly based on Lovecraft’s “The Dreams in the Witch House”. This is one of Karloff’s last films (if not the last).

The Curse (1987)
The presence of Wil Wheaton, Claude Akins, and John Schneider don’t bode well for this dull adaptation of Lovecraft’s “The Colour Out of Space”. Inexplicably, the location of the story was moved to Tellico Plains, Tennesee, and the family name was changed to Hayes. (purchase from Amazon.com on VHS)

Dagon (2001)
Based more on “The Shadow Over Innsmouth” than on “Dagon”, Ezra Godden plays the protagonist and Francisco Rabal plays a difficult-to-understand version of Zadok Allen. The setting is terrific and the film is better looking than earlier Gordon productions, but the chase scene from “The Shadow Over Innsmouth” is strung out for much of the film yet lacks the manic energy of other Gordon films. (purchase from Amazon.com on DVD)

Die, Monster, Die! (1965)
Also known as Monster of Terror, this film takes Lovecraft’s “The Colour Out of Space” and emphasizes the science-fiction aspects rather than the horror. Boris Karloff stars as scientist Nahum Witley, as opposed to farmer Nahum Gardner. This film is another example of a classic horror actor crippled by an awful script.

The Dunwich Horror (1970)
Many of the elements of Lovecraft’s “The Dunwich Horror” were kept intact, including several of the character names: Wilbur Whateley (Dean Stockwell), Dr. Henry Armitage (Ed Begley, Sr.), Lavinia Whateley (Joanne Moore Jordan), and Old Wizard Whateley (Sam Jaffe). However, the addition of a female lead (Sandra Dee) and psychedelic special effects end up making this film pretty average.

From Beyond (1986)
Jeffrey Combs and Barbara Crampton of Re-Animator fame return in another Brian Yuzna and Stuart Gordon horror-fest. The events of Lovecraft’s short story “From Beyond” effectively take place before the opening credits roll, thus this fairly entertaining film could be considered a sequel to the story. (purchase from Amazon.com on VHS)

The Haunted Palace (1963)
For marketing reasons, director Roger Corman named this film after an Edgar Allan Poe poem, but it is actually based on Lovecraft’s The Case of Charles Dexter Ward. Vincent Price stars as Charles Dexter Ward and Lon Chaney, Jr. stars as Simon Orne, but even these veteran actors can’t raise this film very far above average. Instead of Price acting in a dual role as both Ward and Joseph Curwen, the spirit of Curwen possesses him. (purchase from Amazon.com on VHS)

Lurking Fear (1994)
One of the poorer Lovecraft adaptations yet, this film is only loosely based on Lovecraft’s “The Lurking Fear”. Other than the town of Lefferts Corners and the presence of the degenerate Martense family, this film bears little resemblance to the original story. Even the manic performance of Lovecraftian actor Jeffrey Combs (Re-Animator and From Beyond) and Hellraiser’s Ashley Lauren[ce] can’t save this terrible film. (purchase from Amazon.com on VHS)

Necronomicon (1993)
An anthology of three tales, with an unintentionally laughable wrapper story called “The Library” featuring Jeffrey Combs as Lovecraft himself. Combs obtains a copy of the Necronomicon and is apparently reading these three tales from it! The first segment, “The Drowned,” is based very loosely on “The Rats in the Walls” and has a few genuinely atmospheric moments – but no rats! The second segment, “The Cold,” is based a little more solidly on “Cool Air” and stars David Warner, but a female protagonist was added. The last segment, “Whispers,” was supposedly based on “The Whisperer in Darkness”, but apparently underwent so much revision that the resemblance was lost. Altogether, a very average film. (purchase from Amazon.com on VHS)

Re-Animator (1985)
Despite taking enormous liberties with Lovecraft’s “Herbert West – Reanimator”, this is one of the most entertaining and financially successful of Lovecraft films. Produced by Brian Yuzna and directed by Stuart Gordon, this scary and funny film stars Jeffrey Combs as Herbert West, Bruce Abbott as Dan Cain, Barbara Crampton as Megan Halsey, and David Gale as Doctor Carl Hill. (purchase from Amazon.com on DVD or VHS)

The Resurrected (1992)
Based on Lovecraft’s The Case of Charles Dexter Ward, this film is perhaps the most faithful Lovecraft film to date. Directed by Dan O’Bannon (who wrote the script for Alien) and starring Chris Sarandon (The Sentinel and The Princess Bride) as Charles Dexter Ward and Joseph Curwen. The scenes in the tunnels beneath Curwen’s house are especially impressive. (purchase from Amazon.com on VHS)

The Unnamable (1988)
Little more than a monster-kills-teenagers-having-sex movie, this film does manage to incorporate a few Lovecraftian references and the Necronomicon, although its relationship to Lovecraft’s “The Unnamable” are minimal. (purchase from Amazon.com on VHS)

The Unnamable II: The Statement of Randolph Carter (1993)
Taking place immediately after the events of The Unnamable, this sequel incorporates more elements of its namesake, “The Statement of Randolph Carter” than its forerunner. Still, these elements do not make up the foremost portion of the film, and the presences of John Rhys-Davies and David Warner don’t make this any better than an above-average film.

 

[Gomez]

This list contains movies that are not based on Lovecraft stories or ideas, but merely make Lovecraftian references.

Army of Darkness (1993)
Bruce Campbell is back as Ash in Sam Raimi’s third Evil Dead film. This film has all the manic pace of the first two films and, once again, the Necronomicon figures prominently. (purchase from Amazon.com on DVD or VHS)

Cast a Deadly Spell (1991)
Fred Ward stars as a private eye named Harry Philip Lovecraft who lives in a 1940s Hollywood where everyone uses magic. David Warner hires Ward to retrieve his stolen copy of the Necronomicon so he can release the Old Ones. Not very Lovecraftian, despite all the references, but still fairly amusing. (purchase from Amazon.com on VHS)

Cthulhu Mansion (1990)
This terrible film isn’t even remotely Lovecraftian – the word “Cthulhu” appears on a book and a wrought iron gate, and that is all. As an example of how far off the mark this movie is, here’s a quote from the back of the box: “Feeding on fear, the satanic, primal forces of Cthulhu, the Devil’s footsoldiers, now stalk the hallways in search of vengeance.” (purchase from Amazon.com on VHS)

The Evil Dead (1982)
Sam Raimi’s directing debut and one of Bruce Campbell’s earliest roles, this manic film has become a cult classic. Essentially a zombie film, the mayhem is due to the discovery in a cabin in the woods of a copy of the Necronomicon. Tom Sullivan, well-known as an artist for the “Call of Cthulhu” roleplaying game, created the special make-up effects for the film, as well as the copy of the Necronomicon. (purchase from Amazon.com on DVD or VHS)

Evil Dead II (1987)
Sam Raimi and Bruce Campbell return in what seems to be more a re-make of, than a sequel to, The Evil Dead. Fans seem to enjoy this film ever so slightly more than its predecessor. (purchase from Amazon.com on DVD or VHS)

Forever Evil (1987)
In this horribly amateurish film, a cult that worships “Yog Kothag” kills several people and is then tracked down by the sole survivor of the massacre. There are references to the Necronomicon, the “Lost Gods,” and The Gate and the Key by C.D. Ward. (purchase from Amazon.com on VHS)

In the Mouth of Madness (1995)
John Trent (Sam Neill) is hired by Jackson Harglow (Charlton Heston) to locale missing horror novelist Sutter Cane (Jurgen Prochnow). Trent finds Cane in a New England town that isn’t on any map and finds that Cane intends to bring back the “Old Ones” with his ability to alter reality through his writings. Many consider this to be one of the better Lovecraftian films of recent years, but there are probably more references to King than there are to Lovecraft, and the mood of the film isn’t especially Lovecraftian. (purchase from Amazon.com on VHS)

La Setta (a.k.a. The Sect and The Devil’s Daughter) (1990)
An Italian re-tread of Rosemary’s Baby with some Lovecraftian references thrown in for good measure.

The Shuttered Room (a.k.a. Blood Island) (1967)
“The Shuttered Room” is a story marketed as having been written by “H.P. Lovecraft and August Derleth” – like Derleth’s many “posthumous collaborations,” he was responsible for most, if not all, of the tale. The creature from the story is replaced by a deformed girl, which some have said actually improves upon Derleth’s original tale.

Transylvania Twist (1990)
A horror-comedy that gets more unintentional laughs than intentional. A copy of the The Book of Ulthar is stolen from the Arkham Library, and librarian “Dexter Ward” attempts to retrieve it from a vampire, Lord Byron Orlock (Robert Vaughn).

Witch Hunt (1994)
Dennis Hopper replaces Fred Ward as detective H. Philip Lovecraft in this Lovecraft-free sequel to Cast a Deadly Spell. (purchase from Amazon.com on VHS)

 

[Gomez]

This list includes movies that do not have explicit Lovecraft references, but have a Lovecraftian feel to them. In many respects, these films are better than those that are intentionally Lovecraftian.

Alien (1979)
This film was the general public’s first exposure to H.R. Giger’s surreal creations. Giger has long claimed to be influenced by Lovecraft (although there’s little to support that) and some consider the creature in this film to be Lovecraftian in nature. Scripted by Dan O’Bannon, who later directed The Resurrected, based on Lovecraft’s The Case of Charles Dexter Ward. (purchase from Amazon.com on VHS)

The Last Wave (1977)
An Australian lawyer (Richard Chamberlain) defends five aborigines in a murder trial and in so doing is exposed to some of their tribal secrets. Chamberlain’s apocalyptic dream-visions and the theme of “secrets Man was not meant to know” are especially Lovecraftian. (purchase from Amazon.com on VHS)

The Maze (1953)
Many have claimed that the thick atmosphere and minimal shocks of this 3-D film are especially Lovecraftian. This film featured a hedge maze over 25 years before The Shining, although the latter film put this element to better use.

Quatermass and the Pit (a.k.a. Five Million Years to Earth) (1967)
The third of Nigel Kneale’s Quatermass films with Andrew Keir replacing Brian Donlevy as Professor Bernard Quatermass. Excavations in the Hobb’s End underground station reveal a Martian spacecraft buried for millions of years and containing preserved Martian corpses. The notion that these creatures influenced our early evolution is reminiscent of Lovecraft’s At the Mountains of Madness. (purchase from Amazon.com on DVD or VHS)

The Thing
Also reminiscent of At the Mountains of Madness is John Carpenter’s re-make of Christian Nyby’s The Thing from Another World (1951), which was based on John W. Campbell Jr.’s short story, “Who Goes There?” A dozen researchers trapped at an Arctic station are terrorized by a shape-shifting creature that has been frozen in the ice for millions of years. Although the special effects sometimes overwhelm the story, a well-crafted theme of paranoia amongst the men is present. (purchase from Amazon.com on DVD or VHS)