Cthulhu is Pure Lovecraft
Cthulhu is pure lovecraft and a treatment of the Lovecraftian Mythos as the backdrop for a town shrouded in mystery, disappearances and cults.
Written by The Horror Czar, Don Sumner
August 25, 2008
Release: August 22, 2008 (Limited U.S.)
Directed by: Dan Gildark
Written by: Dan Gildark, Grant Cogswell, Jason Cottle, Douglas Light and H.P. Lovecraft (Book)
Starring:
Jason Cottle as Russ
Scott Patrick Green as Mike
Cara Buono as Dannie
Tori Spelling as Susan
Robert Padilla as Ancestor
My experience with H.P. Lovecraft-inspired film has been limited to a couple that are considered good translations of Lovecraft novels, namely Re-Animator and From Beyond, both starring Jeffrey Combs and directed by Stuart Gordon. Although I have read many overviews and synopses of Lovecraft literature and understand a bit about the common themes and style through these cliffs notes versions, I have actually never read a Lovecraft or Lovecraft-inspired novel from beginning to end. I mention this because the facts are relevant to my suitability to write a review of Cthulhu, the horror release coming August 22, 2008 from Arkham Northwest Productions. The question is, does my general unfamiliarity with H.P. Lovecraft and the intricacies of the Cthulhu Mythos render me unsuitable, or uniquely suitable to write a review of a film based on this “series” of stories involving “The Old Ones”?
I am going to contend that my particular background affords me a point of view that will be accessible to a wider array of horror fans than if I had a decidedly Lovecraftian sensibility. Let’s face it – H.P. Lovecraft is considered a horror legend by many, but why? Is it because the Lovecraft themes are widely known and followed? No, that’s certainly not it. H.P. Lovecraft is known by many horror fans, but known anecdotally for the most part. Lovecraft has made a mark because he had the vision to think outside of the reality that people see every day, and managed to spark the imagination of many follow-up writers who built on the themes and assisted in building an entire universe of deities, reality, rules, causes and effects that have impacted everything from horror movies and literature to computer games.
The Cthulhu Mythos is an element of Lovecraft’s work that has been highly developed by writers over the years through horror, science fiction and fantasy. According to the United States Version of Wikipedia describing Cthulhu and the mythos surrounding the concept/character there exists a series of complex classifications of the mythos, one of which is using Cthulhu as a background concept for other goings on. This is the way that the film Cthulhu is approached.
Russ is a history professor who is estranged from his family and has lived his life in complete separation from his parents and sister. When his mother dies he must return to his home town to attend the funeral and settle the estate. Upon first meeting with Dear Ole Dad Russ again confronts conflicts regarding religion, sexuality and Dad’s affinity for purple jump suits. Dad, by the way, leads a local cult based on the coming of “The Old Ones” and has a televised religious program so he is a loved/hated local celebrity.
Russ realizes, after a few days in town, that Dad is not the only weird and “cultish” member of the community – they seem to be everywhere, but only at night when the streets are filled with cars… the city is like a ghost town during the day.
After finding a strange symbolic object in his motel room (which, incidentally, is pulled into physical reality from a dream Russ has) Russ begins a journey toward understanding the object’s significance and why everyone seems to know him in town, looking at him with an eerie anticipation.
Cthulhu is a wild film, sometimes slow and sometimes moving so quickly that nothing makes sense. It seems that the goal of the film maker is not so much to tell a story as to cast an experiential spell allowing those who watch it to experience every development of the saga along with the main character. Watching and enjoying this film requires that one cast away requirements for neatly packaged stories and instead make a decision to be carried away in the experience of the quest unfolding around you.
I also recommend that, unless you are accustomed to the seeming disjointedness of a Lovecraftian tale, watch this one at least twice. Once the sensory overload of the first viewing is complete there are a few neurons available for comprehension and absorption. I liked this one the first time and practically loved it the second. In fact, I am now obsessed with the Cthulhu mythos and, hopefully, this is the last I can write from the point of view of one unfamiliar with H.P. Lovecraft. Questions or comments about Cthulhu? Discuss it on The Ossuary Forums!
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