Guillermo del Toro’s At The Mountains Of Mad

[Urisk]

One of my friends was traveling across Australia by train for business, long trip so it was dark out as well. I suggested he read The Shadow Out of Time.

Oh great idea! As if the poisonous snakes and spiders and man-eating ants aren't enough, now he'll be afraid of flying polyps

I did like how they did not show the Mi-Gos completely until a good length in. Prior to that only a silhouette from the one room, and then a bit of leg as the one left the house.

There is a collection of Lovecraft films on DVD; The H.P. Lovecraft Collection Vol 1-5. First one is Cool Air, ASIN: B0006HCT3S.

They have the films from the last several H.P. Lovecraft Film Festivals, most in black and white. Some of the short films among the collection are;

• Cool Air
  
• Nyarlathotep
  
• The Hound
  
• The Music of Eric ZannT
  
• The Terrible Old Man
  
• From Beyond
  

An excellent collection to have in my opinion.

The MiGos. Yeah they were kinda cool I guess. Stillnot sold on the CG But you're right ,the use of shadow is incredible, and they probably should've left it kind of at that. Like Alien. They could've had a puppet that you only see little bits of. But hey, they still did very well with the story!

I've seen the first reanimator, and i remember a trailer of From Beyond. If it's anything like Reanimator, I have to see it for sheer splatter value

Speaking of... seen this? It's well made and mildly terrifying

[buckskin scout]

That was brilliant Urisk! I found that short superior to Stuart Gordon's From Beyond which is abit cheesy and not the least bit frightening.

[Insanity]

Oh great idea! As if the poisonous snakes and spiders and man-eating ants aren't enough, now he'll be afraid of flying polyps

The MiGos. Yeah they were kinda cool I guess. Stillnot sold on the CG But you're right ,the use of shadow is incredible, and they probably should've left it kind of at that. Like Alien. They could've had a puppet that you only see little bits of. But hey, they still did very well with the story!

I've seen the first reanimator, and i remember a trailer of From Beyond. If it's anything like Reanimator, I have to see it for sheer splatter value

Speaking of... seen this? It's well made and mildly terrifying

Excellent short, and I liked the ball bearings eyes too.

I am currently running a Call of Cthulhu RPG, and one of the places the scenarios may lead them is to The Lost City of Pnakotus of the Yithians in the Northwestern part of Australia. I am not certain if they will go there, or if all the current characters will make it if they do. They're currently in Cairo during the 1920s, and are about to have a close encounter with one of Nyarlathotep's cult. I expect several insanities and deaths.

[ReaperS_ParadoX]

Iv also seen The Re-animator and the Bride of The Re-animator. The mouth of Madness to I would love to get my hands on those Cthulu movies though Iv never seen them, I know big Lovecraft fan right.

That short was extremely good

[ReaperS_ParadoX]

Have you guys seen this

[media=]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hBN7LtESqRw[/media]

Edited January 16, 2013 by R4z3rsPar4d0x

[ReaperS_ParadoX]

My fault I meant to just post the link but ended up putting the video in, I know thats frowned upon, That was my bad

[Insanity]

Have you guys seen this

I own the DVD. The opening quote is from Lovecraft's essay, 'Supernatural Horror in Literature' first published I believe in 1927.

It is a good read as he critiques several novels, stories and such from his time and earlier, i.e. Shelley's Frankestein. Those he like he praises highly, those he does not are more or less torn apart, though in short words.

[ReaperS_ParadoX]

Hes my favorite author hands down

[Insanity]

Lovecraft's biggest influence was Edgar Allan Poe, and I've gotten a Complete Stories and Poems of Poe to start reading myself.

[ReaperS_ParadoX]

Lovecraft's biggest influence was Edgar Allan Poe, and I've gotten a Complete Stories and Poems of Poe to start reading myself.

You can tell by some of Lovecrafts stuff that hes written that it he was heavily Influenced by Poe.

[Insanity]

Of what I've read so far of Poe's, he most certainly was.

The Atlanta Radio Theatre Company has done a few dramatizations of Lovecraft stories, including At the Mountains of Madness, and some were free to download at one time, not sure if they still are.

[buckskin scout]

Lovecraft's biggest influence was Edgar Allan Poe, and I've gotten a Complete Stories and Poems of Poe to start reading myself.

Another huge influence was Lord Dunsany.

[Insanity]

Correct. I believe the Nightgaunts in his stories were from nightmares of his own too.

[ReaperS_ParadoX]

Its really too bad he was never satisfied with his work

[buckskin scout]

Hes my favorite author hands down

I cant say he is my favorite per se but he is up there. My problem is the fact HPL was a flawed writer, is it that he doubted the intelligence and imagination of his readers or doubted the power of his prose to capture his imagination?

In other words, he rambles too much and that could be a deal breaker when constructing atmosphere. Take Colour Out Of Space for example, that story needs some serious editing but a very fine story in of itself. But would have been a magnificent piece of horror literature if HPL had chosen to describe less and left more to the imagination of his readers.

With that said, what an awesome imagination!

[Urisk]

I also wonder if William Hope Hodgson's House on the Borderland is an influence? I've not read it but from what I gather it's very Lovecraftian, and it predates Lovecraft's work. In fact, you know that pic that used to get used often for the Call of Cthulhu RPG? The one with the house and the giant pig-man thing in the background? Aye, that was a cover for that book.

[buckskin scout]

I also wonder if William Hope Hodgson's House on the Borderland is an influence? I've not read it but from what I gather it's very Lovecraftian, and it predates Lovecraft's work. In fact, you know that pic that used to get used often for the Call of Cthulhu RPG? The one with the house and the giant pig-man thing in the background? Aye, that was a cover for that book.

HPL himself admits Hodgson as an influence. I haven't read any of William Hope Hodgson's work. He wrote short stories alot about sea-life and nautical ghost stories. The reason I haven't read Hodgson is his work is pretty hard to come by at a reasonable price.

Other HPL influences were Ambrose Bierce, Algernon Blackwood, Robert W Chambers, Arthur Machen, and Clark Ashton Smith.

[buckskin scout]

[Urisk]

Another personal fave that one I think that would make a really good film.

[Insanity]

A reading of The Shadow Over Innsmouth I do not have, will need to fix it.

[buckskin scout]

Another personal fave that one I think that would make a really good film.

Stuart Gordon used large parts of this story for his adaptation of Dagon though. It is one of the better adaptations of Lovecraft out there.

A reading of The Shadow Over Innsmouth I do not have, will need to fix it.

Another youtube HPL reader on has an awesome voice though lacking the dramatic music and sound fx.

[Insanity]

There are some readings of Lovecraft on librivox as well.

[Urisk]

Stuart Gordon used large parts of this story for his adaptation of Dagon though. It is one of the better adaptations of Lovecraft out there.

So I've heard. Wasn't sure how good it would be. I mean, Reannimator... yeah it's great but it's ridiculous,and I've not seen From Beyond. Must check out Dagon. Isn't it in Spanish?

On another note, does anyone else find Clark Ashton Smith frustrating to the point of almost throwing the book out the window?

[buckskin scout]

So I've heard. Wasn't sure how good it would be. I mean, Reannimator... yeah it's great but it's ridiculous,and I've not seen From Beyond. Must check out Dagon. Isn't it in Spanish?

On another note, does anyone else find Clark Ashton Smith frustrating to the point of almost throwing the book out the window?

It is a Spanish production with three language tracks, English, Spanish, and Gallegan. I actually probably prefer Dagon above both Re-Animator and From Beyond in all honesty. It is the HP Lovecraft film that has the most Lovecraftian authenticity. The short posted in this thread earlier of From Beyond is way better than the movie and more terrifying.

Though I haven't read much of CAS but I do know what you mean.

CAS can be very frustrating because of his lack of descriptive economy and his non-linear lack of straightforward prose towards description and introspectives. His sentence structure is often times feels backwards or mixed-up and sentences should be written with simply half the words he uses. Plus, his writing comes across to me personally as though the narrator or narrative has a voice of dramatic gusto as though I should be reading these stories in quick excited whispers.

Otherwise, he does come highly recommended to HPL fans.

[Urisk]

Though I haven't read much of CAS but I do know what you mean.

CAS can be very frustrating because of his lack of descriptive economy and his non-linear lack of straightforward prose towards description and introspectives. His sentence structure is often times feels backwards or mixed-up and sentences should be written with simply half the words he uses. Plus, his writing comes across to me personally as though the narrator or narrative has a voice of dramatic gusto as though I should be reading these stories in quick excited whispers.

Otherwise, he does come highly recommended to HPL fans.

Well there is that. But to me it's the fact his endings (or at least the ones I've read) are the worst I've read and make you wonder what was the actual point in reading the story. The Seven geases being the best example of this. I think I did throw the book in a fit of rage and scream "GRUAAAAAAAAAAGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!" . Treader of the Dust was exactly the same... all this suspence building up and then... "???" and that was it. Perhaps I should read more of his stuff and give him a proper chance though.