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Post by GRWelsh on Oct 21, 2012 16:02:54 GMT -5
I started watching The Resurrected, a movie based on HPL's story "The Case of Charles Dexter Ward." I noticed it is directed by Dan O'Bannon, one of the script-writers of the original Alien movie. I hope it's good.
I wonder what the best HPL movie is? For how great the stories are, there have been a lot of real stinkers.
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Post by geneweigel on Oct 21, 2012 16:43:18 GMT -5
Thats back in the day when I pre-ordered movies at the video store which I never do anymore. It was alright at the time. Specifically the vampire from FRIGHT NIGHT with rotten teeth is all I recall.
As far as the best Cthulhu movie, there was some independent film I saw of CALL OF CTHULHU made in silent movie style that was pretty cool as if it was out in the theater at the time of the story publishing.
I waited forever (2000?) to finally see THE SHUTTERED ROOM (1967) and THE DUNWICH HORROR (1970). I regret not taking an old friend off the family's advice back in 1982 to ignore both of them.
I think good as far as Lovecraft-themed (but ultimately not the male-oriented gentleman of new England POV that I'd wish) for is EQUINOX (1970). Thats because of the cameo by Fritz Leiber, the various stop motion monsters and the freaky forest ranger make it entertaining.
There was some crappy HBO made-for-TV movie in the early 90's that featured Dennis Hopper as a detective name Lovecraft and it just turned me off at the time but it had many glib non-reader types referring to it in my life that almost make me wish it never existed.
The Stuart Gordon films are the worst: REANIMATOR; FROM BEYOND; DAGON; and his TV episode of MASTERS OF HORROR: "DREAMS IN THE WITCH HOUSE" are all the same formula H.P. Lovecraft with some Hollywood cheesy "sexiness". Bleargh!!!
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Post by GRWelsh on Oct 22, 2012 10:42:55 GMT -5
The Resurrected was pretty good. It was hampered by a production value not much better than a made for TV movie. The directing/pacing was unremarkable. But the acting was decent. Chris Sarandon,the vampire from Fright Night, did a good job, especially with the antiquated language-style of the 1700's. My favorite part was Curwen's cellars and laboratory, it was done well -- a classic dungeon exploration. The protagonist, a PI, had an employee who was played by a guy who was the "wise ass" in Fast Times at Ridgemont High and seemed like the exact same character.
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Post by geneweigel on Oct 22, 2012 11:06:14 GMT -5
Yeah its all coming back.
John Carpenter did that MOUTH OF MADNESS that was a little Cthulhian. (I usually got into Carpenter in a major way back in the 70's and 80's but his 90's shit just derailed his vision. Including the John Carpenter presents BODY BAGS thing I didn't like. GHOSTS OF MARS he sort of came back a little but not enough because he started that MASTERS OF HORROR show for a few episodes that sucked.) but not his best stuff I basically cut him off with THEY LIVE.
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Post by geneweigel on Oct 22, 2012 11:11:26 GMT -5
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Post by GRWelsh on Oct 22, 2012 11:19:58 GMT -5
Yeah, you just reminded me... John Carpenter's The Thing may be the best Lovecraftian movie ever made. It wasn't based on a Lovecraft story, per se, but on a story obviously inspired by Lovecraft. What a classic movie.
There was definitely a Lovecraft vibe going through several Carpenter movies. The Prince of Darkness had those weird 'dream-broadcasts' that made me think of the nightmares in the "Call of Cthulhu" short story.
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Post by geneweigel on Oct 22, 2012 11:49:12 GMT -5
Yeah, you just reminded me... John Carpenter's The Thing may be the best Lovecraftian movie ever made. It wasn't based on a Lovecraft story, per se, but on a story obviously inspired by Lovecraft. What a classic movie. There was definitely a Lovecraft vibe going through several Carpenter movies. The Prince of Darkness had those weird 'dream-broadcasts' that made me think of the nightmares in the "Call of Cthulhu" short story. Yeah those I really enjoyed especially PRINCE OF DARKNESS because they had a pure Carpenter feel. I recall seeing POD with a total KING-KOONTZ-ite who didn't think HPL was worth a squat... hey... don't see him no more...  but the original THING story "WHO GOES THERE?" by John W. Campbell (1938) is more like the Carpenter one almost scene by scene with the exception it has limited mass in the story and Shoggothian proportions in the Carpenter version. However was Campbell inspired by MOUNTAINS OF MADNESS? BTW, I still love the original film completely. I mean THAT is the version that inspired John Carpenter's HALLOWEEN (1978) and various relentless killer slasher flicks. Does this mean that Michael Meyers is quasi-Cthulhian? Perhaps.... WATCH THE SKIES! |
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but the original THING story "WHO GOES THERE?" by John W. Campbell (1938) is more like the Carpenter one almost scene by scene with the exception it has limited mass in the story and Shoggothian proportions in the Carpenter version. However was Campbell inspired by MOUNTAINS OF MADNESS? BTW, I still love the original film completely. I mean THAT is the version that inspired John Carpenter's HALLOWEEN (1978) and various relentless killer slasher flicks. Does this mean that Michael Meyers is quasi-Cthulhian? Perhaps.... WATCH THE SKIES!