Suitable Flesh (2023) #480

    Making appearances at film festivals around the county during the autumn of 2023, "Suitable Flesh" is a grand return of a H.P. Lovecraft story adapted for the big screen. If this feels like a movie Stuart Gordon might have made, it's because it is written by his long-time screenwriter Denis Paoli, the gentleman responsible for the screen plays of "Re-Animator", "From Beyond", "Castle Freak" and others. The amazing Barbara Crampton is back as well, both co-staring and co-producing the film. With familiar creatives like these two working on a new Lovecraft movie, "Suitable Flesh" is also a film by noted director Joe Lynch, a man with his own vision and sense of production. Most of all though, "Suitable Flesh" is all about Heather Graham in the lead role as Elizabeth Derby. Heather dominates the screen in every scene that she's in, seducing the characters in the story as well as the audience watching the narrative unfold. 

   

"Suitable Flesh" is an inspired take of Lovecraft's story "The Thing on the Doorstep". I truly appreciate the new title because this is both a homage and its own story, touching on some but not all of the original story's main plot points. In this version the gender roles have been flipped and the demeanor of the characters are more relatable than the original story. This Derby is not a timid, mother smothered occultist wannabe, but rather a successful therapist who feels her life has become stale. Work is dull, her sex life with her husband is boring, and life seems repetitive. 

Elizabeth's life takes a drastic turn when Asa White shows up at her office, asking for help. She is initially intrigued by his request when he tells her that he has read her book about out of body experiences and that he has been having such moments. Asa is a nervous and anxious young man, and he begs for Elizabeth to visit his house so he can further explain what he's concerned about. Then Asa's phone rings, and when he answers it, he appears to have a seizure of sorts, but in a few moments he's fine and displaying a nearly opposite set of behaviors; confident and egotistical. Unknown to her, Dr. Derby had just witnessed a mystical body swap between Asa and his sorcerous father Ephraim. She agrees to visit Asa at his house, which in turn begins a chaotic spiral of events of body swapping and mistaken identity that involves Elizabeth, Asa and his father, and even her best friend Dr. Daniella Upton.

While there are noticeable differences between "Suitable Flesh" and "The Thing on the Doorstep", the spirit of the story is here and presented in a fun and memorable fashion. The film also has some interesting editing choices that also help set it apart from other current horror movies. The pacing is great and the movie ends with a violent, chaotic crescendo. 

Watch the movie trailer here!

https://youtu.be/e52fRshVMRU?si=dKlsM6rqS75QZ2hz

 

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/

Celebrate H.P. Lovecraft!

In honor of the 25th anniversary of the H.P. Lovecraft Film Festival, here is a list of several of the movies that have been screened at the festival over the years. I have personally seen each of these at the festival, often for the first time. I always look forward to the festival and the experience of watching these films surrounded with other fans of Lovecraft and horror movies in general.  

If you would like to attend this year's festival, it is streaming worldwide. Here is the link to learn more!

Tickets for the H.P. Lovecraft Film Festival

Color Out of Space

"The Thing"

  

"From Beyond"

"Beyond Re-Animator"

"Dagon"

"Uzumaki"

"Marebito"

"Lifeforce"

Color Out of Space (2019) #446

H.P. Lovecraft was a pulp magazine writer from the 1920’s and 1930’s who left behind a small treasure trove of fantastic short stories after his death. Since the mid 1980’s, Lovecraft’s popularity has grown to incredible heights. Because of this, movies have been slowly adapted from his stories. Scores of independent and amateur films have been produced and shown at film festivals around the country but only a handful of adaptations have been big budget spectacles, which include director Stuart Gordon’s classics “Re-Animator”, “From Beyond”, and “Dagon”. Finally Lovecraft’s classic “Color Out of Space” has received the royal treatment.

Before it's theatrical release, “Color Out of Space” was screened for the loyal fans at the 24th annual H.P. Lovecraft Film Festival in Portland, Oregon in October of 2019. Returning guest of honor Richard Stanley, the film’s director and  co-writer, was full of pride as he presented his film to a sold out audience with appreciative standing ovations. Mr. Stanley was also on hand for a Q&A session. Those in attendance know what many others have come to know, that “Color Out of Space” is one of the best, craziest, and most fun film adaptations of an H.P Lovecraft story ever made.

At first glance, seeing names like Richard Stanley, Tommy Chong, and the ever unpredictable Nicholas Cage attached to a Lovecraft project may cause anyone to have serious doubts about the film being any good, but those names are exactly why this movie works. Mr. Stanley has been a fan of Lovecraft since he was a child. I had a chance to talk to him briefly at the 23rd annual H.P.L.F.F and he told me that he had been working on this script and fine tuning in for quite some time. His version of this well known story stays true to the nature of the narrative while adding visuals and events that add, and not detract, from Lovecraft's original vision. Casting Nicholas Cage as Nathan Gardner is perfect; it's a role that allows Mr. Cage to go all out crazy as he is known to do and horror movie fans are still talking about his recent role in the film "Mandy". Tommy Chong rounds out the noticeable casting choice as Ezra, a reworked version of Ammi Pierce. This is one of the biggest changes from the source material but it fits in perfectly in the narrative of this film. 


 

The rest of the supporting cast bring their respective characters to life and help make this particular film amazing. Joely Richards (Event Horizon) plays Theresa, Nathan’s wife, and Madeleine Arthur, Brendan Meyer, and Julian Hilliard were cast as the Gardner children, Lavinia, Benny, and Jack. Naming Madeleine’s character Lavinia, and having her performing a magical ritual in her opening scene was a clever nod to another well known Lovecraft character from the short story “The Dunwhich Horror”, a detail that I’m sure most Lovecraft fans will notice at once. 

In this adaptation of Lovecraft’s famous short story, an unusual meteorite crashes on the Gardner family farm, releasing an evil, malicious force that corrupts the land, animals, and the family themselves. There is a fair amount of high quality special effects as well as a few surprising moments of gore and body horror.

There is also a gracious amount of purple and pinks representing otherworldly color, so please accept that fact and enjoy the film.