And with the release of Dead Shadows, we remember our Top 11 Lovecraftian Horror Films.
This list contains not just movies inspired by the writings of H.P. Lovecraft, although some of them are certainly here; it also has movies that fall into the Lovecraftian-inspired category. Cosmic horror of the unknown and unknowable that could fracture sanity hovering over reality. Cthulhu. And, of course, those tentacles we mentioned earlier.
As for honorable mentions, how about the wildly popular hit HBO show “True Detective” for starters? There are certainly some Lovecraftian influences there, including Rust Cohle’s ideas on fate and religion and the cult of Hastur operating in Louisiana. Rod Serling’s “Night Gallery” adapted some Lovecraftian works, and “The Outer Limits” had episodes that embraced the mood.
As for films, there are plenty that walk the Lovecraftian path. John Carpenter’s In the Mouth of Madness and Prince of Darkness certainly fit the bill, as does The Resurrected and Malefique. Lovecraft director extraordinaire Stuart Gordon’s Castle Freak is adapted from one of the author’s stories, and the hilarious horror/sci-fi/comedy At World’s End starts with a pub crawl and ends up with humans facing an unspeakable reality… ‘Show me the way to the next whiskey bar’… now that’s Lovecraftian!
Now, without further ado, on to the…
The Evil Dead (1981)
After The Evil Dead writer/director Sam Raimi studied H.P. Lovecraft, he was inspired to make a film entitled Book of the Dead, which was to be a full-length retelling of his Within the Woods short film. A pretty ambitious plan for a filmmaker who had just turned 20 years old. The Evil Dead does not scream Lovecraft, but the fact that the entire situation revolves around a Necronomicon (Book of the Dead) and the fact that we have plenty of otherworldly, inter-dimensional things going in The Evil Dead (and also its sequels) make this one that definitely qualifies for this list.
Necronomicon (1993)
Also known by its extended titles, Necronomicon: Book of the Dead and Necronomicon: To Hell and Back, the three sections in this anthology film are each based on Lovecraft stories and feature a different director. Brian Yuzna directs Whispers, which is based on The Whisperer in the Darkness (incidentally, Yuzna also directs the wrap-around piece, The Library, that runs between the anthology segments). Christophe Gans directs The Drowned, based on Rats in the Walls, and The Cold, based on Cool Air, is helmed by Shusuke Kaneko. Lovecraft himself is featured as a character in the movie and is fittingly played by Jeffrey Combs, who would go on to compile quite a resume of Lovecraft-inspired work.
The Thing (1982)
The first part of John Carpenter’s Apocalypse Trilogy (along with In the Mouth of Madness and Prince of Darkness, each with their own Lovecraftian ties), The Thing has intense Lovecraftian issues as we learn that if the indescribable thing reaches the unsuspecting human population, it would certainly mean the end of life as we know it. Although the movie was actually based on John W. Campbell, Jr.’s novella, Who Goes There?, moviegoers have long appreciated the influence that H.P. Lovecraft certainly had on both the book and movie versions of the story. And tentacles, oh yeah, plenty of tentacles!
From Beyond (1986)
Directed by Stuart Gordon, produced by Brian Yuzna and starring Jeffrey Combs and Barbara Crampton, this Lovecraftian power quartet created this adaptation directly from the short story by H.P. Lovecraft with the same name. It’s based around a scientific experiment gone horribly awry and has all the makings of a great Lovecraftian story. It’s got gruesome creatures and alternate dimensions, it’s got tentacles and heightened perceptions and a sense of foreboding that runs throughout the movie. Gordon reunited Combs and Crampton as they had worked together previously on a Lovecraftian film (yes, yes…it’s on the list) and knew they would be asked to do some rather strange things. Purists are sometimes put off by the overt sexuality of From Beyond, but all we can say is, lighten up. Man cannot live on tentacles alone!
The Mist (2007)
You want mysterious creatures, unsuspecting humans and a sudden sense of impending doom? You’ve got it all in The Mist, which was based on a Stephen King novella. So while the inspiration for the story was not Lovecraftian (it actually came to King on a visit to the grocery store with his son), the sense of horrific fear beyond the scope of human knowledge and comprehension, combined with the tentacles and their squid-like appearance on otherwise unseen beasts, definitely shows Lovecraft’s influence on King. And, of course, there’s the seemingly ever-present New England locale that both Stephen King and H.P. Lovecraft use so commonly in their works.
Alien (1979)
Here we begin our Sigourney Weaver section of the list. Hey, Jeffrey Combs and Stuart Gordon can’t get all the love! Weaver’s first appearance in an overtly Lovercraftian-styled film occurred when she appeared as Ripley in Alien. Alien had a Lovecraftian component built right into the art team as H.R. Giger, an artist with a known Lovecraftian influence, designed the signature alien creature (based on his creation Necronom IV) that would go on to define the franchise. Giger would win an Oscar in 1980 for his work on the film. If looking at the drooling xenomorphs isn’t enough to convince you of Giger’s love for HPL, the fact that he named his first printed collection of images Necronomicon should prove it. Now where have we heard that name before?
Ghostbusters (1984)
Sigourney Weaver returned a few years later to star in another Lovecraft-flavored film. Ghostbusters is certainly the funniest film on this list, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t have its money shot moments. With gods and monsters coming from other dimensions and that obligatory feeling of doom right around the corner, Ghostbusters has tons of elements to qualify it for this list. And if you need more proof, check out this quote from Louis Tully (Rick Moranis) a.k.a. Vince Clortho, Keymaster of Gozer… “Gozer the Traveler! He will come in one of the pre-chosen forms! During the rectification of the Vuldrianaii, the Traveler came as a large, unmoving Torb, then, during the third reconciliation of the last of the Meketrex supplicants, they chose a new form for him: that of a giant Sloar! Many Shubs and Zuuls knew what it was like to be roasted in the depths of the Sloar that day, I can tell you!”
The Cabin in the Woods (2012)
Finally, Ms. Sigourney Weaver returns not to fight the evil as she did in Alien or to assist it as when she was possessed by Zul in Ghostbusters, but in The Cabin in the Woods Weaver is The Director of The Facility, a faction responsible for keeping The Ancient Ones at bay. And it is these Ancient Ones that bring the most Lovecraftian flair to the movie. In true Cthulhu mythos fashion, the power of The Ancient Ones is only hinted at for most of the film (that is, until the final moments when they decide to lay the smack down on Earth), but once again we have a huge ominous power hanging over the movie, with the vast majority of humanity having no idea they are just one teenager’s death (or survival) away from complete annihilation.
The Call of Cthulhu (2005)
Who knows Lovecraft better than members of the H.P. Lovecraft Historical Society? This group was responsible for distributing The Call of Cthulhu, which was a silent film adaptation of the Lovecraft story. Produced by Sean Branney and Andrew Leman (Leman also directed), the film runs just 47 minutes long but is a very creative effort. It was shot silently and in black-and-white so as to give the audience the feel of a film created in the 1920’s. This is a wildly successful adaptation and popular among Lovecraft fans. If you need something done right, you do it yourself… and get the historical society on board to help out!
Dagon (2001)
Stuart Gordon appears again on the list as he directed this Spanish film (Brian Yuzna produced), which is based on the Lovecraft novella The Shadow Over Innsmouth (not his short story Dagon as one might assume). The film kept very close to the source material and was embraced by most fans. The film centers around the worship of the god Dagon and the Imbocans, who do the worshiping. And none of the congregation is more colorful than the unforgettable Uxia, who must be seen to be believed, but let’s just say, if you’ve got to have tentacles wrapped around you, these would be the ones you’d want.
Re-Animator (1985)
Amongst horror fans this is probably the most memorable film based on a Lovecraft story. Re-Animator (from the story Herbert West—Reanimator) left an impression on audiences that still lasts to this day as some of the shocking imagery from the film was just unforgettable…you know what I’m talking about. Once again the team of Stuart Gordon directing with Brian Yuzna producing and Jeffrey Combs and Barbara Crampton starring made for another fantastic Lovecraft adaptation. Although some HPL fans felt the movie was a desecration of their hero, who could never write such exploitation, in reality it is a relatively close retelling of the story. And regular ol’ horror fans loved every drop of the 24 gallons of blood Gordon used on the film (his previous bloodshed record for a film was two gallons).
Dead Shadows Synopsis
Dead Shadows, David Cholewa’s first feature film, tells the terrifying story about a young man, Chris, whose parents were brutally killed 11 years ago on the same day that Haley’s comet could be seen from earth. Tonight a new comet is going to appear, and everyone in his building is getting ready for a party to celebrate the event. There’s even an apocalypse theory going around.
As night falls, Chris starts to discover that people are acting strange – and it seems to somehow be connected to the comet. People are becoming disoriented and violent, and it doesn’t take long before they start mutating into something from beyond this world. In a fight for survival, Chris has to try to escape from his building with the help from some other tenants – but will they make it out alive?
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