Call of Cthulhu the Move

RIPP_n_WIPE · Post by **RIPP_n_WIPE** » 2007-09-16 10:28pm

http://cthulhuthemovie.com/

Recently I've been trying to up my reading. While I would like to get into "important" reading, I've remained in my comfort zone of sci-fi fantasy, starting with 40k (which I love) and now going to the Cthulhu mythos. Though in my search for all things squiddish and alien I came across the site above.

Thought it might be interesting, simply because it has Tori Spelling.

Molyneux · Post by **Molyneux** » 2007-09-16 10:46pm

Apparently it's based on "The Shadow over Innsmouth"...
Naming a film after a completely different story does not bode well, as far as I can tell.

Covenant · Post by **Covenant** » 2007-09-16 11:05pm

Molyneux wrote:Apparently it's based on "The Shadow over Innsmouth"...
Naming a film after a completely different story does not bode well, as far as I can tell.

We're not treated to anything other than a psychological thriller type of trailer, which makes it sure seem like they're just tacking Cthulhu's name onto it as some kind of marketing ploy rather than to actually make some kind of movie that involves the Great Squiddy One. That's laaaame. They'd really get a better reaction if they just named it after what it was about.

People are really governed by expectations. Don't bait and switch!

Stark · Post by **Stark** » 2007-09-16 11:10pm

Has anyone EVER made a Lovecraft movie with a) the correct title and b) just one standalone story instead of mushing several into one? I mean, changing SoI to have Cthulhu in it wouldn't really be that had, but why do it in the first place? It's a psychological horror story (zomg town of teh alienz) not giant squid monster godzilla story.

Covenant · Post by **Covenant** » 2007-09-16 11:26pm

Stark wrote:Has anyone EVER made a Lovecraft movie with a) the correct title and b) just one standalone story instead of mushing several into one? I mean, changing SoI to have Cthulhu in it wouldn't really be that had, but why do it in the first place? It's a psychological horror story (zomg town of teh alienz) not giant squid monster godzilla story.

Not that I know of. Most Lovecraft movies are either several pieces merged together or completely taken to outside the Mythos completely. Though, there was this one wierdass movie... I don't quite remember it though. How many Lovecraft movies ARE there? It's like, as bad as the Asimov movies. After the horror that was I,Robot and The Bicentennial Man, I absolutely quake in fear at the idea of what an unsteady hand would do to the Foundation series.

We'd need to grease Peter Jackson up in 20 dollar bills just to get it half right.

It's not just movies though, it's also games. It's a common and tempting thing to throw some of that stuff in there, or to make thus-and-so book into a game, and it nearly always combines several things. That's fine, but can't they really just write an original story? It isn't difficult to. Like we said in our Dragon Wars thread, people would love to see some good ol' fanservice.

Thing is, SoI isn't about Cthulhu at all, which is the biggest issue--it's about Dagon and the Deep Ones and about the narrator specifically. As we see nary a single fishface in the entire trailer, but we DO see some sex, car accidents, and some kind of black crystal thing, I have to assume that the filmmaker is actually the primary actor (and the writer) and just wanted to hire some chicks to dry-hump him on film.

Andrew_Fireborn · Post by **Andrew_Fireborn** » 2007-09-16 11:35pm

Basic marketing weasel math: Most people have at least heard of Cthulu, heck there's a plush one buy able in a few places, therefore they'll get more people if they have such a widely known faucet of the mythos involved.

Stark · Post by **Stark** » 2007-09-16 11:36pm

I can understand that Lovecraft's stories are often quite short (although I'd say stuff like Cthulhu, Mountains and Innsmouth are long enough on their own) but I don't see why jamming other stories into the middle is supposed to be the best solution to that. I've seen some of the Z-grade movies where halfway through 'oh yeah Cthulhu was in the basement' or 'and the zombies were from MARS' and really grating stuff like that.

Stark · Post by **Stark** » 2007-09-16 11:37pm

Andrew_Fireborn wrote:Basic marketing weasel math: Most people have at least heard of Cthulu, heck there's a plush one buy able in a few places, therefore they'll get more people if they have such a widely known faucet of the mythos involved.

So... just make Call of Cthulhu? Include Cthulhu in some Cthulhu-related exposition dream sequence? Don't just poke him in where he doesn't belong.

Post by **Ghost Rider** » 2007-09-16 11:38pm

Stark wrote:I can understand that Lovecraft's stories are often quite short (although I'd say stuff like Cthulhu, Mountains and Innsmouth are long enough on their own) but I don't see why jamming other stories into the middle is supposed to be the best solution to that. I've seen some of the Z-grade movies where halfway through 'oh yeah Cthulhu was in the basement' or 'and the zombies were from MARS' and really grating stuff like that.

Pretty much all there is.

Chtulu is a liscence that is fodder for cheese, and will likely never have the horror factor correct, unless made by someone who enjoys the source and does decent horror.

Both that are lacking in this day and age.

Eris · Post by **Eris** » 2007-09-16 11:47pm

Stark wrote:
Andrew_Fireborn wrote:Basic marketing weasel math: Most people have at least heard of Cthulu, heck there's a plush one buy able in a few places, therefore they'll get more people if they have such a widely known faucet of the mythos involved.
So... just make Call of Cthulhu? Include Cthulhu in some Cthulhu-related exposition dream sequence? Don't just poke him in where he doesn't belong.

In fact, it's been done.

Little known since it's relatively recent and independently made by the HP Lovecraft Historical Society, although more people were probably involved. It just covers the events of The Call of Cthulhu and is done in a really stylistic manner; they tried to make it as it would have been made during the 20s when the story was written. Check out the trailer they've got up; it's actually a fun flick if you don't mind silent films, and all the melodrama and overacting they require.

If you're not familiar, the HPLHS is the group that also converts Christmas carols into Lovecraftian solstice carols, and produced the soundtrack to A Shoggoth on the Roof, and other fun stuff like that. They're really neat, if you're a Cthulhu fan.

Stark · Post by **Stark** » 2007-09-17 12:06am

I'd heard about that some time ago, but I've never been able to find a source for it.

Tiriol · Post by **Tiriol** » 2007-09-17 08:14am

Stark wrote:Has anyone EVER made a Lovecraft movie with a) the correct title and b) just one standalone story instead of mushing several into one? I mean, changing SoI to have Cthulhu in it wouldn't really be that had, but why do it in the first place? It's a psychological horror story (zomg town of teh alienz) not giant squid monster godzilla story.

Actually, there was a movie adaptation of Herbert West: Reanimator, although it was more about camp than about the original story's horror. They also took some liberties with the story, although Herbert West's reactions to his zombies were rather hilarious, especially during the end of the movie.

Coincidentally, there are two sequels to this movie and despite their humorous take on the source material, were quite entertaining (at least when you are stuck in military garrison with nothing better to do). You can find more information from here, here and here. Rather spoiler-heavy and from Wikipedia, but at least quite informative. I heartily recommend Beyond Re-Animator for its sheer camp humor. However, if one seeks true Lovecraftian horror, these aren't the right films for that, despite having some clear horror sequences.

Yokel on an Island · Post by **Yokel on an Island** » 2007-09-17 10:10am

Stark wrote:I'd heard about that some time ago, but I've never been able to find a source for it.

It's good, and the black and white format really meshes well with the material. The depiction of Cthulhu was....inspired.

Alferd Packer · Post by **Alferd Packer** » 2007-09-17 10:26am

If I had to guess at the most easily-adaptable Lovecraft story, in terms of its length and strength as a stand-alone story, it probably would be At the Mountains of Madness. Personally, though, I would love to see The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath on the big screen, even if the ending is a massive cop-out.

Molyneux · Post by **Molyneux** » 2007-09-17 05:08pm

Ghost Rider wrote:
Stark wrote:I can understand that Lovecraft's stories are often quite short (although I'd say stuff like Cthulhu, Mountains and Innsmouth are long enough on their own) but I don't see why jamming other stories into the middle is supposed to be the best solution to that. I've seen some of the Z-grade movies where halfway through 'oh yeah Cthulhu was in the basement' or 'and the zombies were from MARS' and really grating stuff like that.
Pretty much all there is.

Chtulu is a liscence that is fodder for cheese, and will likely never have the horror factor correct, unless made by someone who enjoys the source and does decent horror.

Both that are lacking in this day and age.

It's not a movie...but "Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem" came close.

Paradox244 · Post by **Paradox244** » 2007-09-17 05:18pm

Ghost Rider wrote:
Stark wrote:I can understand that Lovecraft's stories are often quite short (although I'd say stuff like Cthulhu, Mountains and Innsmouth are long enough on their own) but I don't see why jamming other stories into the middle is supposed to be the best solution to that. I've seen some of the Z-grade movies where halfway through 'oh yeah Cthulhu was in the basement' or 'and the zombies were from MARS' and really grating stuff like that.
Pretty much all there is.

Chtulu is a liscence that is fodder for cheese, and will likely never have the horror factor correct, unless made by someone who enjoys the source and does decent horror.

Both that are lacking in this day and age.

It would be pretty damn hard to make a decent Lovecraft movie, even if you do know what you're doing. How do you show a creature so horrible that meerly looking at it causes men to go completly insane? A movie about that would have to rely on atmosphere, and about fear of what you don't see as much as what you do. In fact, a small budget movie might be better than a large budget one, given Hollywood's obsession with flashy special effects. I just can't see a movie that does justice to stories where what you imagine is far worse than what could ever be seen.

Androsphinx · Post by **Androsphinx** » 2007-09-18 08:28pm

Apparently Guillermo del Toro is still trying to get studio backing (Warner Brothers) for a script he and Matthew Robbins (writer of Blood Brothers, go figure) wrote for Mountains of Madness. Which is excellent news.

Unfortunately the script is not wonderful (PM me if you want a copy). Not least because the ending is substantially different. Still, I'd love to see it made.

CaptainChewbacca · Post by **CaptainChewbacca** » 2007-09-18 08:53pm

Honestly I think the best TV/Film adaptation of Lovecraft was that Ghostbusters episode where the cultists were trying to wake Cthulhu up with the necronomicon.

Starglider · Post by **Starglider** » 2007-09-18 11:17pm

The film 'Necronomicon' was awesome, if only for Jeffrey Combs playing the role of H.P. Lovecraft.

'Dagon' was actually fairly reasonable (for a low budget horr), though heavily adapted/relocated. The first two Reanimator films are fun comedy-horror along the lines of Evil Dead II; unfortunately the third one isn't as good.

I agree that 'At The Mountains of Madness' would be the best one to turn into a film. Incidentally the plot of the Palladium bumper RP supplement/sequel 'Beyond The Mountains of Madness' was really good, actually up to the standards of the original story and with a lot more detail and a better ending. It's make a fine sequel (not that that would ever happen, sadly).

Majin Gojira · Post by **Majin Gojira** » 2007-09-19 01:02am

Starglider wrote:'Dagon' was actually fairly reasonable (for a low budget horr), though heavily adapted/relocated. The first two Reanimator films are fun comedy-horror along the lines of Evil Dead II; unfortunately the third one isn't as good.

Every time I hear the chant from "Dagon", I get chills down my spine.

Mostly because "They're saying 'Ia!'".

Oni Koneko Damien · Post by **Oni Koneko Damien** » 2007-09-19 01:29am

Both the first and second Ghostbusters movies are insanely Lovecraft based. The first one, Zuul is pretty much synonymous with Nyarlathotep, while the Gatekeeper and the Keymaster are a sort-of combination of Yog-Sothoth, and the amorphous, flute-playing heralds of Azathoth. Hell, the whole architecture-designed-to-summon-beasties angle is a direct take on "The Dreams In The Witch House".

All of Ghostbusters 2 is almost a direct take off of "The Case of Charles Dexter Ward", up to the movie equivalent of the painting of Joseph Curwen containing his essence.

Another good Lovecraft-based movie that hasn't been mentioned yet is "At the Mouth of Madness". Not really based on any specific Lovecraft story, but it's chalk full of subtle and not-so-subtle references and themes.

I actually have a promotional t-shirt for the HPL Historical Society's production of "Nyarlathotep".

The main problem with Lovecraft is the themes in his stories are the kind of stuff that really doesn't translate well into a film-format. Honestly, the HPLHS has the right idea in my opinion. A silent-film has the proper setting to capture the kind of mood that the stories inspire.

As for the OP: Be careful. HP Lovecraft is a *tough* read. Very heavy on the elaborate adjectives, and making it through some of his stories is like running a marathon, you feel pretty damn good at the end, but it's fucking tough getting there.