I'm pretty excited

[ablethevoice]

OK all you Lovecraft fans.
I don't know if you are aware of the H.P. Lovecraft Historical Society (HPLHS), but if not, and you are a Lovecraft fan, you should check them out. They are a group of HPL devotees like myself who cater to HPL fans with all sorts of high quality memorabilia such as key chains, T-shirts, coffee mugs and the like.

Now, as a Lovecraft fan I have of course watched all the films Hollywood had cranked out based on his works and 95% of them have been beyond crappy (Lurking Fear, The Unnameable, Cthulhu Mansion). The few that didn't totally suck were enjoyable, but weren't quite faithful to the source material (From Beyond, Re-Animator, Necronomicon). In spite of the above named "fairly good" films mentioned, I was beginning to wonder if Lovecraft could really and successfully be put on film. Turns out that the founders of the HPLHS are quite accomplished amateur filmmakers. A couple of years ago, they did something which most HPL fans considered impossible; to put H.P. Lovecraft's most famous short story on film. And you know what? It's the best cinematic Lovecraft adaptation I've ever seen. It just goes to show that it CAN be done if the filmmakers have a real passion for the source material. The Call Of Cthulhu was filmed in B&W and made to look as if it had been made contemporary to when the original story was set (the early 1920's) down to it being a silent film with dialog slides...and the occasional scratch on the "film", a couple of "hairs" sliding across the field... everything. It's an astonishing piece of work from a couple of guys with a budget of something like $50k. Not one actor in the film is a "known" mainstream actor and yet these guys really pulled it off.

It was so successful that the HPLHS has done it again. They are about to release their next Lovecraft film: The Whisperer In Darkness and based on that teaser, it looks to be as good as the Cthulhu film was.
Am I fired up about this?
Am I excited?
Am I a NERD?
Yeah, I guess I am

[Holst]

After your post in the Day the Earth Stood Still thread with the link to the Lovecraft books online I have read a bunch of his works.

If I had the 20 bucks I'd by the Cthulhu film, but it will have to wait.

[Ashfan]

I had heard good things about The Call of Cthulhu, and so when my company gave me an Amazon.com gift card for Christmas, I ordered it along with a fwe other DVD's. Should be arriving sometime shortly after Christmas.

Edit: Oh, and yes you are a nerd. Welcome to the club.

[jeckmartin]

Hi Everyone !

I have also seen a movie "Call of Cthulhu " THis was really so interested and it my favorite horror film. Now i am waiting new film The Whisperer in Darkness. I think it will also so interest.
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Horse Racing Systems

[screenersam]

on my Netflix queue...

[Ashfan]

Watched it yesterday. Very good. These low budget filmmakers could teach a thing or to about creation of atmosphere to the Hollywood biggies.

[ablethevoice]

^^Yeah, wasn't it? You are so right about the "atmosphere" element that that "old" film had. And they did it without $40million of greenscreen, CGI, Mo-Cap and all the plasticy-looking imagery that Hollywood's products are stuffed with.

And the musical score was incredible, no?

[Sam Cogley]

I'll have to check that out. I'm finally reading Lovecraft - I found a huge "Complete Fiction" omnibus hardback at Barnes & Noble for $13, before a nice discount coupon. So far, I'm really enjoying it, and I haven't even made it past his early amateur output yet.

[Ashfan]

Originally Posted by ablethevoice

^^Yeah, wasn't it? You are so right about the "atmosphere" element that that "old" film had. And they did it without $40million of greenscreen, CGI, Mo-Cap and all the plasticy-looking imagery that Hollywood's products are stuffed with.

And the musical score was incredible, no?

Excellent point about the music. Very effective. Amazing what a small group of people with a clear vision can do with a little film and a few pieces of wood.