The Fall of Usher (2021) #479

 

This year the H.P. Lovecraft Film Festival had the privilege to host the world premier of the film "The Fall of Usher". The festival has often screened films inspired by Edgar Allan Poe, so this was the perfect place for this film to be shown. At first glance, the viewer is given that the movie is an adaptation of  "The Fall of The House of Usher", but it's so much more. The movie is a clever combination of several Edgar Allan Poe stories, each weaving in and out of each other seamlessly. The references vary from obvious and primary focal points to more subtle nods that were added for flair and visual effect. While the movie will be a treat for Poe super-fans looking for every reference and Easter egg they find, the film is easily accessible and enjoyable for those who don't know anything about the writer and his works.

Due to the nature of the narrative, I don't want to reveal any of the Poe stories that are used or how they are implemented. This is truly a case where the less you know before hand, the better. What I can say is that the movie stars Riker Hill, an amazing young actor that fully carries the film from beginning to end. This movie was not the first time that he had worked with director and writer Brian Cunningham, and after seeing how fun this movie was, I hope that work together again in the future. 

Look for this movie in a local film festival near you!

The Whisperer in Darkness (2011) #478

In celebration of its tenth an anniversary, “The Whisperer in Darkness” was a feature film at the 26th annual H.P Lovecraft Film Festival in Portland, Oregon. It truly is an independent film that was made with love, sweat, and tears by diehard Lovecraft fans. Adapted by Sean Branney and Andrew Leaman, the story faithfully follows Lovecraft’s original work with only minor changes, that is until the third act, which offers an expanded and action packed finale that I think most Lovecraft fans would approve of. 

The wonderful people of the H.P. Lovecraft Historical Society produced this wonderful film in the style of a 1920’s/30’s Universal Studios monster movie. Shown in black and white, the stark contrasts are used to maximum effect that produces some incredibly gorgeous shots and silhouettes. Adding to the visual atmosphere are the multiple scenes in the rain, which helps create the sensation of isolation and struggle. The musical score is beautiful and also very reminiscent of the scores of years long past from that era.

                                        

“The Whisperer in Darkness” is about Albert Wilmarth, a professor of folk lore at Miskatonic University, who is drawn into a controversy concerning the existence of monstrous creatures living in the mountains of Vermont. Ever the realist, Wilmarth finally agrees to go visit an educated correspondent who claims to have proof of the crab-like creatures ; letters, pictures, audio recordings, and a possible rune covered stone all hint at the actual existence of aliens that have been on the earth for years. As soon as Wilmarth arrives in Vermont, he begins to suspect that the secret conspiracy is more real and larger than he could have ever expected. Is the earth doomed and is there still time to save the human race?

The cast of "The Whisperer in Darkness" includes several members frequently heard in the H.P Lovecraft Historical Society's Dark Adventure Radio Theatre (D.A.R.T) radio plays. These include star Matt Foyer, Barry Lynch, Andrew Leman, and Sean Branney. It's great to see them after hearing their voices in all of the great D.A.R.T projects. "The Whisperer in Darkness" is not currently streaming anywhere or available to rent, but you can purchase a copy directly from the H.P. Lovecraft Historical Society at their website https://www.hplhs.org/

Blood Red Sky (2021) #477

 

Is "Blood Red Sky" more of a horror film or more of an action film? It's difficult to say for sure but it's still a fun, brisk movie that does not disappoint. The premise is simple; a single mother, Nadja, and her only child, Elias, are on their way to New York when the plane they're on is hijacked and terror ensues. The hijackers have planned for everything except for the fact that Nadja is a vampire who is struggling to keep her blood lust in check. Her fight to retain her humanity is slipping but she remains a protective mother first and foremost. 

"Blood Red Sky" was directed and co-written by Peter Thorwarth with a budget of $17.7 million dollars. Mr Thorwarth uses his limited budget and the enclosed space of an airplane to full effect, creating an effective vampire film that feels fresh and exciting. Peri Baumeister also stars as Nadja, who gives a performance that is equally emotionally driven as it is action oriented; she is seen as both vulnerable as well as an apex predator. Dominic Purcell, perhaps the most recognized name to an American audience, co-stars as Berg, the leader of the terrorists. He's cool and calm throughout the film, a clever and confident leader who planned for everything for a swift takeover. Alexander Scheer steals the spotlight as one of the terrorists, a psychopathic loose cannon who is the first to figure out that there is a vampire on the flight.

As a vampire film, "Blood Red Sky" examines the struggles of not giving into the beast of the condition. We see Nadja's infection and how she handles being a single mother of an infant. We learn in the beginning of the film that she is headed to New York for a possible solution for her condition although the audience isn't yet aware of what the condition is; this is quickly revealed so it's not really a spoiler. This leads us to speculate if vampirism is more accepted as a possibility than as a myth. When Nadja's vampiric tendencies begin to take over, we see the transformation of a meek, quiet woman to the predator we know vampires to be. Trying to keep her secret from the other passengers and the hijackers is a challenge that ultimately fails. The third act of the film becomes a bloodbath as less restrained predators are released.

"Blood Red Sky" is perhaps one of the more enjoyable vampire films I've seen in the last ten years and I hope Netflix continues to stream more horror themed content in the future.

Sacrifice (2020) #476

 

In the vein of H.P. Lovecraft comes "Sacrifice", a 2021 thriller about a young man returning to the land where he was born and the family secrets waiting for him there. The isolation of being on a small island in a foreign country, persistent nightmares, and creeping realization that the local citizens are all members of some esoteric cult wear down Issac and his wife Emma until the fateful revelation and conclusion of the film. Directed by Andy Collier and Tor Mian, the movie stars Ludovic Hughes as Issac, Sophie Stevens as Emma, and Barbara Crampton as Renate Nygard.

"Sacrifice" feels like a tribute to Lovecraft and his fans, and as such it may not appeal to every horror fan. While building atmosphere, the pacing may feel slow and dragging and the actual scary moments are few and brief, all much like a Lovecraft story. As fans of Lovecraft know, it's not always about the obvious scares that matter the most. The impending doom that haunt Emma throughout the film is truly effective, as well as the mysterious motivations of the cult that seems all too welcoming. Perhaps the most poignant attribute to Lovecraft is having Issac coming back to his homeland to tie up loose strings and slowly learning about his family's haunting past secrets. Giving Issac the last name of Pickman is also a very nice touch!

I must admit that I was looking forward to this film when I learned that Barbara Crampton was attached to the project. She had hinted that she was working on a Lovecraft style movie and that was all it took. She plays an important supporting role with plenty of screen time but still allows Sophie and Ludovic to shine during their scenes. As one of the local citizens with knowledge of Issac's past, Barbara's presence is felt more so in each subsequent scene. It was truly a pleasure watching her in a Lovecraft style movie again.

Doctor Sleep: Director's Cut (2019) #475

 "Doctor Sleep" is the sequel that we never knew we wanted. It is not a cheap cash-in like so many sequels are; case in point, the movie came out twenty-nine years after the "The Shining". This film builds upon the reality that the Stanley Kubrick film first establishes, complete with near perfect, young look alike actors filling in for Shelly Duvall, Scatman Crothers, and even Jack Nicholson. "Doctor Sleep" is rich in nostalgia in a good way as we revisit Danny, Wendy, Jack, Dick and our favorite haunted hotel and find out how they've grown over the past forty years. 

I've read both "The Shining" and "Doctor Sleep" and I have seen "The Shining" more times than any other Stephen King adaptation. The film follows the first half of the novel almost faithfully before taking a decidedly different turn...for the better. Director/Screenwriter Mike Flanagan, known for "Hush", "Oculus" and "Gerald's Game", adapted the Stephen King's story to follow the events from "The Shining" film and not from "The Shining" novel. This means that the Overlook Hotel is still standing and was not blown apart from the boiler exploding. Just like the actors, the Overlook Hotel looks nearly exactly the same, just forty years older. This is where the showdown between good and evil takes place in the very epic finale. 

A major theme in both books and both film is dealing with alcoholism. Mr. King has been very open about his struggles with substance abuse in his past and it feels like "Doctor Sleep" is a way for him to share what it could feel like. Just like his father, Dan Torrance is a full blown alcoholic, and when we first see him as an adult, he is hitting rock bottom. Luckily for him, he is able to find a fresh start when he hops on a bus and ends up in Frazier, New Hampshire. He befriends a man named Billy Freeman who helps him find an apartment and a local support group. Dan becomes sober but does battle some temptations throughout the story. The most intense temptation takes place in the Overlook, as Dan shares a deeply personal conversation with the ghost Lloyd the bartender. This scene is easily one of my favorites in the film.

Besides alcoholism, the other villain in "Doctor Sleep" is the Trueknot, a vagabond group of psychic vampires. They track down those with the shine to feast upon their power, which comes forth like a mist from the victim's mouth. Pain and fear cleanse the shine, makes me more delicious. But sometimes they recruit and turn those with a gift that the Knot could use to their gain. The newest member of the Trueknot is Snakebite Andi, a young teen who can hypnotize someone with a single word or phrase. They are led by Rose the Hat, a truly evil and sly antagonist. The concept could have come across as campy but that is not the case here; they are truly terrifying.  

Mr. King has written several different characters in various books who have a touch of the shine. In this story we are introduced to perhaps the brightest shine of them all, Abra. Growing up, she uses her powers not knowing that she is special, scaring her parents when she psychically plays the piano when she should be sleeping or imitating a magic trick that she saw a party magician perform. She even reaches out to Dan and leaves friendly messages on his large black board wall in his apartment. What I love about how this character is that she knows that she is powerful; she is never the damsel in distress. Ignoring the warnings from Dan to hide herself, Abra uses her powers to search for a young boy whom the Knot had feasted upon. When Rose the Hat learns of Abra, the two have more than one psychic tug-of-war with Abra winning each time. But when Rose the Hat becomes involved directly and the Trueknot comes to claim Abra, the young girl knows that she will need Dan's help

Again, my favorite scene is when Dan battles the temptation to drink and to face his past with his and his father's weakness.

The Void (2015) #474

Few films present cosmic dread and utter horror in such an effective way as “The Void”. From the very first scene the mood is set, from the violent death and follow through to the eerie background music and the credit sequence, the viewer is made aware that they are about to watch something special. With its indescribable creatures, a haunting silent cult, and cosmic dread that leaves you feeling that humanity is just a speck in the void, pardon the pun, it’s easy to compare this to something that could have been written by H.P. Lovecraft. And with its use of practical effects and make-up, spooky and unsettling soundtrack, and no-holds barred violence in the vein of “The Thing” and “Prince of Darkness”, it feels like this could have been directed by John Carpenter. The two masters of cosmic horror would be proud of writers/directors Jeremy Gillespie and Steven Kostanski.

 

The film is set in a desolate backwoods hospital that is nearing its scheduled closure. The emptiness and seclusion creates an immediate sense of dread, and when mysterious cult members arrive like phantoms in the parking lot, the horror escalates to chilling heights. Inside the hospital people become possessed without reason, unknown monsters lurk in the basement, and two armed strangers take the hospital staff and patients hostage. From every angle fear and dread seep throughout the film, “The Void” is a non-stop thrill ride into the unknown. 

Cosmic horror is at the forefront of “The Void”, leaving the characters feeling insignificant and hopeless. The first sign are the mysterious cult members, silent and haunting as they wait patiently around the hospital. How many of them are there and what are they planning to do? What have they done before the movie begins? The second example of the cosmic horror are the monsters; creepy, malformed, and deadly

When a sherif deputy comes across a man crawling along the street covered in blood, he quickly takes him to the nearest hospital. The hospital is operating with a skeleton crew as it prepares to permanently close down. Before anyone can even breathe, chaos ensues when a nurse becomes possessed by something and two strangers with a gun come looking for the blood covered man. Everyone becomes trapped when mysterious cultists surround the hospital. Finally, a bizarre basement is discovered hiding dark, hidden dangers.  

Mandy (2018) #473

“Mandy” is psychedelic mind trip of colors, false messiahs, drugs, bikers, and a Nicholas Cage that you’ve never seen before. The movie will leave you wondering what you just saw and additional viewings may not help answer any questions, although the film will still be fascinating. It’s a unique film that caught the attention of many and currently holds a 91% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes 

There is no better way to describe Nicolas Cage’s performance in “Mandy” as anything other than elemental; he is a force of pure energy. He is finally able to tap into whatever zone he enters mentally when he steps in front of a camera now days and completely let go. There are moments where he is allowed to be calm and reflective and other times where he literally gets to scream and let all of his rage and anguish flow. No one ever saw this performance coming and those who haven’t, prepare yourselves for a brand new kind of Nicolas Cage.

The film’s story is nice and simple, which allows the events that take place to have their own weight and importance in each scene. Red and Mandy live a simple, quiet life in the mountains of the Pacific Northwest. Red works as a logger and Mandy works as a cashier at a gas station. They have deep philosophical conversations that lead you to believe that they are both recovering from past traumas. Everything is going fine until one day when a van drives by Mandy and one of the occupants, Jeremiah Sand, sees her and becomes obsessed. Jeremiah happens to be the leader of a hippie cult that calls themselves The Children of the New Dawn, and Jeremiah truly believes that what he wants is his with the permission from god himself. He has members of his cult kidnap her, which begins a violent, manic turn of events as Red seeks vengeance and does not allow anything to get in his way.

One thing that makes this movie so odd and yet wonderful is that you have no idea what is supernatural and what isn’t. Is Red merely a man seeking revenge or is he some kind of immortal? Are the bikers really just mind fried junkies or actual demons? What other atrocities have the Children committed to satisfy Jeremiah? There are no back stories save one, and that teases the audience in the best way in this film. What I do know is thaT this movie will leave a little imprint scarred on your brain that reads “Mandy and Red we’re here”.