Delve Deeper

Thursday, December 31, 2009

The Dunwich Horror on Syfy...


Just in case you missed it the first time, the Syfy channel is set to air Leigh Scott's The Dunwich Horror at 1:00 pm on January 16th. The film stars Dean Stockwell (Wilbur Whateley in the 1970 version, Dr. Henry Armitage here) and Jeffrey Combs as Wilbur Whateley...


(Thanks to www.killerfilm.com)

Wednesday, December 30, 2009

Fatally Yours, Lovecraft...


Frank H. Woodward's Lovecraft: Fear of the Unknown, which I must admit, I've not seen, has been getting some very good reviews since it's release, and the lastest review over on fatally-yours.com is no exception...

All in all, this documentary is hugely successful…just so long as you're a Lovecraft fan (as noted). While the issues with accessibility have been mentioned, it would be criminal to let this deter an ardent horror fan from experiencing a truly good exercise in biography on a modern master...

- Michael Varrati


Check it out here...

(Thanks to www.fatally-yours.com)

Updated: Lovecraftian comic news...


Dread Central takes a closer look at Wildstorm's North 40 here. Issues 1-3 (of a six issue series), written by Aaron Williams with art by Fiona Staples, are currently available...

About the comic: Somewhere in Midwestern America was a place called Conover County. When the old book was opened and the runes therein used in haste and ignorance, a place of farms, simple folk, and small-town dreams became a den of monsters and nightmare. NORTH 40 is the story of those who survived and came to confront an even greater evil on the horizon - one that wouldn't just consume their flesh, but their souls as well. Heroes arise with power to bring against the dark: Wyatt, an unwilling protector of his former tormentors; Amanda, an apprentice to forgotten arts; and Sheriff Morgan, whose bonds with Conover County go back farther than even he can remember...


On
December 14th we revealed that Planet Lovecraft magazine, would cease and a new magazine, Strange Aeons, would take it's place. Below you will find proof of PL's rebirth through Ben Hansen and Levi Skeen's Strange Aeons issue #1 cover art...

The final issue of Wildstorm's Freddy Vs. Jason Vs. Ash: The Nightmare Warriors (#6 of 6) was released on on December 23rd. Details can be found here...

Update: Both Freddy Vs. Jason Vs. Ash: The Nightmare Warriors and North 40 appear on fangoria.com's Comic Screams Top 10 of 2009...

(Thanks to Dread Central, K.L. Young and bloody-disgusting.com)

Updated: Alien's Lovecraftian heritage...


There's an excellent article covering the cosmic horror heritage of Ridley Scott's masterwork Alien (written by Dan O'Bannon) on the Grognardia blog...

Update: The Black Glove: Horror Culture and Entainment blog lists Alien as one of the Five Most Lovecraftian Movies. Check out the list here...


(Thanks to
Grim Reviews and The Official Dan O'Bannon Fan Page)

Poe's descendant writes of cannibalism...


Poe's bicentennial saw Michael Cuesta's Poe adaptation Tell-Tale in limited release, news of James McTeigue's The Raven, Sylvester Stallone's Poe biopic and The Ushers by Green Knight Ventures all announced...

Next up, Francis Xavier's Poe, which starts shooting in Los Angeles this January. The film stars Stelio Savante (as Johnathon Poe), David Fine, horror great Tony Todd, Sally Kirkland and Kristen DeLuca...

Check out some early artwork, a detailed synopsis and the official site below...

About the film: The film follows formerly acquitted and rehabilitated criminal Dr. Andrew Casey (David Fine), who relocates to Los Angeles under the alias Jack Conway, aka 'The Chef'. Conway and his butler, Mr. Peeples (Tony Todd), establish a respected soup kitchen/charity, 'The Help Feeding Foundation', which lures the likes of actresses and models under false pretense.

The women are in fact obtained to satisfy Casey's culinary tastes. Conway handpicks respected writer Jonathan Poe (Stelio Savante), descendant of famed writer Edgar Allan Poe, to immortalize him in the form of an autobiography. Poe is intrigued by Conway and his lucrative offer and agrees to the assignment. Once at the house, Poe is forced to witness all manner of horrors without the ability to either escape or help the women who have been captured.

Resigned to his fate, Poe takes up the task at hand and begins recording the autobiography of Casey and his cannibalistic spree...

Check out the official site here...


(Thanks to Dread Central)

Wednesday, December 23, 2009

Happy Holidays...


Happy Holidays from everyone at Unfilmable.com...

The cottage hearth beams warm and bright,
The candles gaily glow;
The stars emit a kinder light
Above the drifted snow.

Down from the sky a magic steals
To glad the passing year,
And belfries sing with joyous peals,
For Christmastide is here!


- H.P. Lovecraft

1-minute teaser/trailer for "The Sleeping Deep"



And a variation of the poster:

Monday, December 21, 2009

Clip from "The Silver Key" (2009) on Youtube



(Please Note: The right edge of the video may be missing on some browsers. If so, click here for the full video...)

Saturday, December 19, 2009

US Colour DVD updated...


Tuesday we showed you some early DVD artwork for Ivan Zuccon's Colour from the Dark (see: Dec. 15th), and today we have an updated version of the same! The film stars Debbie Rochon, Michael Segal and Marysia Kay, and received the Best Feature award at the 2009 H.P. Lovecraft Film Festival. Look for it on DVD from Vanguard Cinema in 2010...


(Thanks to Ivan Zuccon)

Friday, December 18, 2009

Updated: The Great Race is on...


Swedish filmmaker/stop-motion animator Richard Svensson sends word that his untitled "Yithian Stop-Motion Project" (which we previously covered here) is underway, with filming taking place during downtime from his other projects...

Richard tells Unfilmable.com, "The animation process is really slow since I have quite a bit of move-able parts to animate, 16 of them, in fact. So it's a bit to keep track of and it takes a couple of hours just to finish a few seconds. But the results are very good so far and despite the complex nature of the animation I'm really enjoying the process."

He went on to say that while the Yithian's aren't exactly scary, the flying polyps, the villains of the piece, should be entirely more unpleasant...

Update: Richard passed along a couple of behind-the-scenes images of a Yithian in front of a blue screen! Oh, what horrors await us...




(Thanks to Richard Svensson)

Rest in Peace Dan O'Bannon...


Writer/director Dan O'Bannon, best known for his Alien screenplay (titled Star Beast), has passed away at the age of 63. In a career that spanned more than three decades, Dan worked mainly as a writer with John Carpenter's Dark Star (both were USC graduates), Heavy Metal (Soft Landing and B-17), Blue Thunder, Invaders from Mars and Total Recall to his credit. As a director he made one of the all-time classic horror films, Return of the Living Dead...

Of particular note to Lovecraft fans, Dan directed The Resurrected (based on The Case of Charles Dexter Ward), which is widely considered one of the most faithful and well-made of all Lovecraft adaptations. He also wrote the Lovecraftian Dead & Buried, Lifeforce (based on The Space Vampires by Colin Wilson) and Bleeders (based on The Lurking Fear)...

The 2009 H.P. Lovecraft Film Festival presented Dan with the Howie Award, which he accepted from his home due to illness...

Please take the time to watch the videos embedded below (courtesy of Jason V Brock)...

His voice will be missed...





(Thanks to
She Never Slept and Jason V Brock)

The Festival, a recap...


Lord Bassington-Bassington (a regular visitor to these pages) has held what he hopes is a "more or less" regular event called the Little Storping in-the-Swuff Howard Phillips Lovecraft, Lewis Theobald III and Sundry Mythos Writers Cinematographic Festival (and Open Absinthe Bar), or "The Festival" for short...

A more personal version of the H.P. Lovecraft Film Festival, "The Festival" contained screenings of a multitude of short films and trailers, as well as viewings of Dan Gildark's feature Cthulhu and Stuart Gordon's Masters of Horror Episode Dreams in the Witch-House...

Click here for a complete rundown of the event...

(Thanks to Grim Reviews)

Thursday, December 17, 2009

More stills from "The Silver Key"





Are you watching Fringe?


I like to think Lovecraft would appreciate TV's Fringe, which blends sci-fi and horror with great effect. And aside from the monster-of-the week episodes, it has an ongoing story concerning the dangers of cross-dimensional travel.

Well, the Lovecraft references are getting pretty thick lately. December 3rd's episode, "Snakehead," had imagery like this:


Cute, right? Sure, I hear what you're saying. One squid creature does not a Lovecraft show make.

But then came the December 10th episode, "Grey Matters." The story opens with a character in a mental institution named Joseph Slater.

"Jos Slater?" I thought. That sounded familiar. Wasn't that the mental patient's name in Lovecraft's "Beyond the Wall of Sleep"?

As the Fringe episode continues, we discover that Slater's mind contains a clue to crossing into another dimension. Not in the same way that Lovecraft's Slater journeyed to the Dreamlands, but the character's name can't be a coincidence.

No, the writers are definitely teasing us. Two more mental patients are related to the case. Patients with the following names:


I yelped so loud the neighbors heard me! Director Stuart Gordon and his frequent star (Barbara) Crampton get props -- it's like they're writing the show just for me. (And it wasn't till I paused it later that I discovered the name of Crampton's hospital was DUNWICH Mental Hospital.)

So what more can I say? Aside from the HPL references, it's a darn good show with great concepts and strong characters. Check it out on HULU if you like.

Fringe Season 2 : Ep. 10 : Grey Matters



EDITED TO ADD:
Someone just pointed out to me that there's even a "Doctor West" in this episode. Don't know how I missed that one.

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

East Coast Nevermore premiere...


For Immediate Release:

THE EDGAR ALLAN POE HOUSE AND MUSEUM IN BALTIMORE

Proudly Presents

THE EAST COAST PREMIERE of

JEFFREY COMBS in

NEVERMORE, AN EVENING WITH EDGAR ALLAN POE

Written by Dennis PAOLI Directed by Stuart GORDON

East Coast Premiere Produced by Jeff JEROME and Mark REDFIELD

TWO PERFORMANCES ONLY! ORDER YOUR TICKETS BEFORE WE SELL OUT!

WHEN: SATURDAY, JANUARY 23rd, 2010 at 7pm (doors open to the public at 6pm)

SUNDAY, JANUARY 24th, 2010 AT 4:30pm (doors open to the public at 3:30pm)

The performance is 90 minutes without intermission. Children under 9 years not allowed.

WHERE: WESTMINSTER HALL (the burial place of Edgar Allan Poe) 519 West Fayette Street (corner Fayette and Greene), Baltimore, Maryland 21201

Tickets are $35.00 (Order your tickets HERE). Tickets are transferable, but not refundable.

Celebrate Poe's birthday with us this January as we go beyond the bicentennial and present this astounding tour de force! You’ve heard about this remarkable one-man show and your friends who have seen it agree with the LA Times, calling Jeffrey Combs work "a landmark performance"!

Stay after the performance for our famous Birthday toast to Poe, and an after-show discussion with star Jeffrey Combs and director Stuart Gordon, moderated by Mark Redfield.

About the play, NEVERMORE, An Evening with Edgar Allan Poe

The Poe House and Museum is proud to present the East Coast premiere of this exciting work which debuted in Los Angeles at the Steve Allen Theater on July, 2009. Sold-out houses and multiple extensions brought the run in Los Angeles to a close on December 19, 2009. Hundreds of fans have seen the show and raved about Jeffrey Combs portrayal of Edgar Allan Poe.

NEVERMORE, An Evening With Edgar Allan Poe recreates the public recitals that Poe presented during the last few years of his life. This is Poe in his own words. The text is taken from his letters and essays.

"A landmark performance" –LA Times

ABOUT JEFFREY COMBS : Combs has appeared in over 75 stage productions during his long and successful career. He has performed at numerous theaters including the Old Globe, the Mark Taper Forum, South Coast Repertory, Pacific Conservatory of the Performing Arts and the Arizona Theatre Company.

He has starred in over 50 films and is perhaps best known for his portrayal of Herbert West in the cult classic RE-ANIMATOR. He also starred in FROM BEYOND, LOVE & A .45, the recent remake of HOUSE ON HAUNTED HILL and Peter Jackson's THE FRIGHTENERS among many others.

Over the span of his career, Jeffrey has also guest starred on many TV series including THE 4400, COLD CASE, and CSI. He appeared in almost 50 episodes as three different recurring roles within the STAR TREK franchise. He has also portrayed Poe on film in Stuart Gordon's THE BLACK CAT, a highly acclaimed episode of Showtime's MASTERS OF HORROR series.

"A must-see" - Metromix

ABOUT DENNIS PAOLI (playwright): Paoli has written screenplays and plays, many of them adaptations of the works of H.P. Lovecraft and Edgar Allan Poe (RE-ANIMATOR, THE PIT AND THE PENDULUM) many of them collaborations with many other writers (BEACH BUMS, BODYSNATCHERS), most of those with Stuart Gordon (DREAMS IN THE WITCH-HOUSE, THE BLACK CAT, FROM BEYOND). He teaches Gothic fiction (among other literature) and academic writing at Hunter College in New York City, and is Director of the Heidi Paoli Fund, to support cancer patients.

"Beautifully directed" – LA Weekly

ABOUT STUART GORDON (director): Gordon has been collaborating with writer Dennis Paoli since their high school comedy group called The Human Race hit the boards nearly 50 years ago and with actor Jeffrey Combs since they joined forces on the cult film RE-ANIMATOR almost 25 years ago. In 1969 Gordon and his wife Carolyn founded Chicago's Organic Theater Company, where as artistic director he produced and directed over 35 original plays. These included the science fiction trilogy WARP which was performed on Broadway, the world premiere of David Mamet's SEXUAL PERVERSITY IN CHICAGO, and POE, his first exploration of the life and works of the tormented writer.

Stuart Gordon is also known for his film adaptations of the works of H.P. Lovecraft which include FROM BEYOND and DAGON; as the co-creator of Disney's HONEY, I SHRUNK THE KIDS and as the director of EDMUND, the film adaptation of David Mamet's play.

Order your tickets NOW at
www.poebicentennial.com

(Thanks to Mark Redfield)

Updated: Lovecraft Signing at Dark Delicacies...


There will be a DVD signing for writer/director Frank H. Woodward's Lovecraft: Fear of the Unknown documentary at Dark Delicacies in Burbank, California (4213 W. Burbank). Woodward will be in attendance along with producers William Janczewski and James B. Myers and narrator Robin Atkin Downes...

Lovecraftian artists Adam Byrne (The Strange Adventures of H.P. Lovecraft) and
John Cherevka will also be available for signatures...

The signing takes place Saturday, January 9th at 2PM...

Check out Brutal as Hell's Lovecraft review
here...

Update: Scott Kenemore's Zombie Blog reviews the DVD here...

Update: Squib Central reviews Fear of the Unknown here...


(Thanks to Frank H. Woodward)

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

US Colour DVD revealed...


Writer/director Ivan Zuccon revealed some early artwork for Vanguard Cinema's Colour from the Dark DVD via his facebook page. Look for the DVD to be released in early 2010...


(Thanks to Ivan Zuccon)

Rinsch to direct Creature remake...


Universal Pictures is in negotiations with Carl Erik Rinsch to helm their remake of the 1954 classic, The Creature from the Black Lagoon (with 3D being a possibility). Breck Eisner, the director previously attached to the project, left in May of this year...

Rinsch, a commercial director for Ridley and Tony Scott, was being considered for the Alien remake before Ridley Scott took over that project...

The film will be produced by Strike Entertainment's Marc Abraham and Eric Newman along with Gary Ross...



(Thanks to Dread Central)

Monday, December 14, 2009

Planet Lovecraft is now Strange Aeons...


Editor/Art Director K.L. Young has announced (via a variety of sources) that Planet Lovecraft has ceased publication with issue #4, but the magazine will return under the new title Strange Aeons! With the help of new editor Rick Tillman (Pickman's Model, The Summoning), Strange Aeons will feature gorgeous cover illustrations, comics, short fiction, interviews, book, movie, product reviews and more...

The first issue will reprint the beginnings of two stories that started in Planet Lovecraft #4,
The Witch Hunter/Knightgaunt crossover and Rob Corless' "Awakener" (in color for the first time). Additional material will be announced at a later time, but it should be noted that the cover price will be lower than that of Planet Lovecraft ($7.99)...

Click
here for a recent review of Planet Lovecraft #1, courtesy of comicattack.net...


(Thanks to K.L. Young)

The Case of Charles Dexter Ward and other audio recordings...


A repost with updates...

Please welcome guest blogger MorganScorpion who shares her audio recordings of H.P. Lovecraft...

I became disabled a few years ago, and as a result of having to give up work, I turned to daytime television. It was hell. So I turned to audiobooks and embroidery to pass the time. Eventually I discovered Librivox; an online organization dedicated to recording out-of copyright books and putting them online for free distribution. Librivox uses volunteers, and always needs new ones. After downloading and enjoying their recordings for over a year I began to feel I should give them something back for all the entertainment they had given me. In short, I volunteered out of guilt, intending to record a few chapters then go back to just listening. To my surprise, I enjoyed myself. I've been a regular contributor ever since. Lovecraft fans are really in love with the man's work. They can't get enough of it. But there is a dearth of his later works available online, as the copyright status of his later work is uncertain. So I thought I'd fill in the breach, so to speak. I hope in time that a professional actor, like Jeffrey Combs or John Lithgow will do Lovecraft full justice.

MorganScorpion's Lovecraft audio recordings are linked below...

- The Festival
- The Hound
- Pickman's Model
- The Lurking Fear
- Dreams in the Witch-House
- The Unnameable
- From Beyond
- The Shunned House
- At the Mountains of Madness (part 1)
- At the Mountains of Madness (part 2)
- At the Mountains of Madness (part 3)
- At the Mountains of Madness (parts 4 and 5)
- At the Mountains of Madness (parts 6 and 7)
- At the Mountains of Madness (parts 8 and 9)
- At the Mountains of Madness (part 10, 11 and 12)
- The Case of Charles Dexter Ward (chapter 1)
- The Case of Charles Dexter Ward (chapter 2, parts 1 and 2) NEW
- The Case of Charles Dexter Ward (chapter 2, parts 3 and 4) NEW
- The Case of Charles Dexter Ward (chapter 2, parts 5 and 6) NEW
- The Case of Charles Dexter Ward (chapter 3, parts 1, 2 and 3) NEW
- The Case of Charles Dexter Ward (chapter 3, parts 4, 5 and 6) NEW
- The Case of Charles Dexter Ward (chapter 4, parts 1 and 2) NEW
- The Case of Charles Dexter Ward (chapter 4, parts 3 and 4) NEW
- The Case of Charles Dexter Ward (chapter 5, parts 1, 2 and 3) NEW


(Thanks to MorganScorpion)

Sunday, December 13, 2009

Dead Birds on the big screen...


Bloody-disgusting.com will host a special one night only 35mm screening of Alex Turner's Dead Birds! The midnight showing will take place Friday, February 5th at the NuArt Theater (11272 Santa Monica Blvd, Los Angeles, 90025). Director Alex Turner and writer Simon Barrett will be in attendance and Bloody Disgusting will host a Q&A afterwards. Tickets are available here...

About the film: Dead Birds takes place in 1863 during the American Civil War. A group of Confederate soldiers hide out in an abandoned plantation after robbing a bank and find themselves at the mercy of supernatural forces...


(Thanks to www.bloody-disgusting.com)

Saturday, December 12, 2009

The Heredity of H.P. Lovecraft...


According to Variety, Universal Pictures International has picked up theatrical rights to Jose Luis Aleman's Spanish horror film La Herencia Valdemar (The Heredity of Valdemar). The film, which was made for Euros13.5 million ($20.3 million), will be released in two parts. The first on January 22nd, the second in the fall of 2010...

Based on the works of H.P. Lovecraft, the film is set in Victorian England and the present, and starts with the disappearance of a woman after she visits a strange property in an inhospitable place; her boss then hires a detective to investigate her disappearance...

Valdemar stars Daniele Liotti, Oscar Jaenada, Laia Marull, Silvia Abascal and Spanish horror legend Paul Naschy, who passed away November 30th at the age of 75...

Look for a possible Spanish DVD from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment sometime in the future...


(Thanks to www.variety.com)

SpookySpookyScaryScary DVD out now...



The latest misadventures of Chuck and Dexter, those madcap Cthulhu cultists from Why Vote for the Lesser Evil?, are now available on DVD! SpookySpookyScaryScary is the episodic tale of Chuck and Dexter: best friends, roommates and huge fans of horror author H.P. Lovecraft. But when the Great God Cthulhu sends Chuck a dream, the duo form the world's worst cult ever. Armed only with the power of the internet, cheap beer, small daggers, and poor social skills they vow to spread the bad word that Cthulhu is real. A brutally sharp tale of obsession, fantasy and the comic horror of reality...

Purchase it here (from Joking Envelope films), and check out the trailer below...



(Thanks to www.spookyspookyscaryscary.com)

December is Lovecraft month...


...over at Tor.com! I'm a little (or a lot actually) late on this one, but if you haven't been keeping up with their posts, you can get started by clicking here. Included among the post subjects is a review of the H.P. Lovecraft Historical Society's A Very Scary Solstice and An Even Scarier Solstice, some Cthulhu Christmas Cards and a picture of Cthulhu in a jar! My personal favorite thread is the Lovecraft art meme, which can be found here...

If only they knew that every month was Lovecraft month...


image courtesy of and © 2009 Andrew Ozkenel

(Thanks to Lady Lovecraft)

New Sleeping Deep images and teaser news...


Jeff Palmer and the creative minds behind Red Brick Films are working like mad to bring The Sleeping Deep to the big screen, and Jeff sends word that their latest project is a new teaser trailer that will debut soon (several screen grabs from it can be seen below)! So check out the pics below, then visit the Sleeping Deep production blog for behind-the-scenes images, concept art and all the latest news...



(Thanks to Jeff Palmer)

Relic of Cthulhu gets Slammed



When last we checked in on Relic of Cthulhu, the feature film from director Henry Saine had won best comedy at the 2009 H.P. Lovecraft Film Festival.

The latest news is that The Last Lovecraft: The Relic of Cthulhu (new title?) will be one of ten narrative features screening at the 2010 Slamdance.

This mysterious film (mysterious because I can't seem to find a website or trailer for it online) is described as follows:

"Jeff is an ordinary guy that is stuck at a dead end job with a boring life, when a strange old man gives him an Ancient relic and tells him that he is the last bloodline of H.P. Lovecraft. He and his friend Charlie embark on an adventure to protect the relic piece from falling into the hands of the Starspawn and his minions that wish to reunite the relic and release Cthulhu back into the world."

The Slamdance film festival grew up in response to Sundance, screening independent works in Park City, Utah. This year's festival runs January 21-28, 2010.

Thanks to Dread Central.

Poe's The Raven...


James McTeigue (V For Vendetta) spoke with SciFi Wire recently about his next project The Raven, which he described as "sort of Se7en meets a series of Poe stories"...

"It's set in 1850's Baltimore, and it's about creating Poe's version of 1850's Baltimore, him moving through it. So it has a lot of the Poe stories interwoven into it," he went on to say...

The Raven, Tell-Tale Heart, Premature Burial, Murders in the Rue Morgue and The Cask of Amontillado are all incorporated into the film according to McTeigue, who hopes to start filming in March of 2010...

Check out
Shocktillyoudrop.com for the full article, and as always, watch this space for more...

(Thanks to
shocktillyoudrop.com)

Dirt Dauber reviewed by Grim reviews...


Dirt Dauber, the lasted short film from Steve Daniels (The Gibbering Horror of Howard Ghormley), gets the review treatment from the always informative Grim Reviews blog...

Winner of best short at the 2009 H.P. Lovecraft Film Festival, Dirt Dauber tells the tale of a man who awakens naked and confused in an isolated mountainous region...

He soon encounters a strange local who offers to help him. Afterwords, the stranger recounts local folklore that speaks of a murderous religious cult, and an insect-like fertility god that is said to dwell deep within the mountain...

Soon the two men go underground in search of the truth and soon find themselves in a stygian black temple of horror...

Dirt Dauber is without a doubt one of the best short films Unfilmable.com has seen this year, so if you get a chance, check it out, but for now, slither over to Grim Reviews for their take on the film...


(Thanks to
Grim Reviews)

Howard Lovecraft and the Frozen Kingdom review...


From The Tomb Magazine Comic Book Reviews has just posted a review of Bruce Brown and Renzo Podesta's graphic novel Howard Lovecraft and the Frozen Kingdom. Written by Brown and illustrated by Podesta, the comic revolves around young Howard Lovecraft who ignores his father's (who resides in Arkham Sanitarium) warning and uses the legendary Necronomicon to open a portal to a strange, frozen world filled with horrifying creatures and grave danger. Alone and scared, Howard befriends a hideous creature he names Spot who takes him to the castle of the king where he is captured and sentenced to death...

The 96 page graphic novel was released by
Arcana Studio, and retails for $14.95...


"Check it out, you might just find there is a little Lovecraft hiding inside of you."

- Decapitated Dan


(Thanks to
fromthetomb.wordpress.com)

H.R. Giger enters The Gate...


Dread Central reports that Swiss surrealist H.R. Giger (Alien, Species) has signed on to design the creatures for Alex Winter's remake of The Gate (in 3D)! Alex will direct from a script written by himself and Kerric Macdonald...

The press kit for the film states that the film will be a PG-13 children's fantasy (just like the original), and that additional creatures were designed by Academy Award winning FX artist Randall William Cook...

About the film: When best friends Miles and Terry discover a mysterious crystalline rock in Miles's back yard, they quickly dig up the lawn in search of more. Instead, they unearth the Gate—the opening to an underground chamber containing terrifying evil.

The teenagers soon realize the horror they have unleashed, as one dire event follows another. With supernatural fiends invading suburbia, it's up to the kids to find the secret that will lock the Gate forever...if it's not too late.

Check out an early example of concept art below, and click here for more...

(Thanks to Dread Central)

Colour from the Dark news and reviews...


Ivan Zuccon's Colour from the Dark is now available in France as a limited edition (1000 copies) Region 2 PAL DVD from Uncut Movies. Details can be found here (in French)...

In other Colour news, the December issue of Fangoria will feature the article Scares of a different "Colour" that talks about Italy's Ivan Zuccon and how he has made a H.P. Lovecraft scenario his own with Colour from the Dark...

Last, but not least, head over to Buried.com for a new Colour review and an interview with director Ivan Zuccon...


(Thanks to Ivan Zuccon, Michael Segal and Steve Hergina)

Tuesday, December 8, 2009

2 new stills from "The Silver Key" (2009)




Kris Keyes and Ian MacDonald as FBI agents and a pic of myself as 'Randolph Carter'.

Podcrafting The Other Gods



Is it self-serving to post a story connected to a film I was involved with? Perhaps, but I think it's worth the risk, since the H.P.Lovecraft Literary Podcast is definitely a show worth listening to.

The podcast itself is like reading Lovecraft with sarcastic (yet intelligent) footnotes. This week's episode (number 22) covers "The Other Gods." Hosts Chris Lackey and Chad Fifer dig deep into Dreamlands lore to review the story... and the short film I released through Subterranea Entertainment.

They've got a great understanding of Lovecraft's work, and I was thrilled to hear their thoughts regarding the animated film.

So crawl over to hppodcraft.com to listen online. Or get obsessive like me and download every episode to listen to on your iPod!

Saturday, December 5, 2009

Editing the Whisperer



It seems like I first saw the teaser trailer for "The Whisperer in the Darkness" forever ago. When could I see this follow up to the H.P. Lovecraft Historical Society's excellent "The Call of Cthulhu"? Why keep me in suspense?

Well, I eventually learned that the teaser was just that -- a teaser. Footage shot just to whet our appetites before beginning production on the actual movie.

When last Unfilmable checked in, they were in the midst of shooting, but now it's getting exciting... the movie has been shot (mostly) and editor/director of photograpy David Robertson is culling through some 50 hours of HD footage, looking for just the right shots.

Speaking of which, a few images have been posted over at the Whisperer production blog. These aren't snapshots, they came right out of the edit timeline, so you can see the quality we can look forward to in the final product.

Voice over actors have also been busy, recording Wilmarth, Akeley, Noyes, B-67 and a Mi-Go for "sections of dialogue which have no accompanying picture."

Click each pic below to enlarge. Be sure to visit the Whisperer Production Blog for more details and pics here.



Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Lovecraft Paragraphs soundtrack now available



If you're like me and missed the H.P. Lovecraft Film Festival this year (*sniff*) you may be interested to read first-time filmmaker Reber Clark's impressions of the event. The Lovecraft News Network has posted his thoughts on the festival, where he premiered his short film, "Lovecraft Paragraphs."

The film earned warm praise from the likes of S.T. Joshi and others, but it apparently provoked the opposite reaction in some. Festival director Andrew Migliore called it "...the most controversial film at the festival this year."

"Lovecraft Paragraphs" presents selected paragraphs from Lovecraft's work using effects, animation and electronic voices.

If you'd like to experience the film in audio form, Clark has released the soundtrack as an MP3 album through Amazon. $8.99 gets you two versions of the music -- with and without the narration.

The album is for sale here.

LCN's interview with Clark is here.

For more about "Lovecraft Paragraphs" visit http://lovecraftparagraphs.blogspot.com

Four Colors Out of Space

Greetings, lurkers! My name is Mike Boas, and Craig has asked if I could help contribute to the awe-inspiring Unfilmable while he relocates to some far off netherworld... I think he called it Oklahoma. As a long time lover of Lovecraft, I'm happy to do so. And now on with my first story...

Last week was Boris Karloff's birthday (I hope you celebrated) and many horror blogs honored the iconic actor by digging deep for weird photos and stories to post.

Two such posts that may be of interest to the HPL crowd are courtesy of Cinebeats and The Groovy Age of Horror.

Cinebeats has a brief review of "Die, Monster, Die!" -- which we all know as the slightly-less-than-literal adaptation of "The Colour out of Space." But the icing on the cake is posted over at Groovy Age... scanned images from the Dell comic book adaptation of the movie adaptation. Who knew a wheelchair-bound Karloff could look so vibrant in four colors?

Some readers have guessed that the comic artist might be John Tartaglione. If you know different, let them know!

See 11 pages of cosmic horror here.

Read Cinebeats' review here.

Saturday, November 21, 2009

Free ATROM screening...


For Immediate Release:

Date: Saturday, November 21, 2009
Time: 8:05pm - 9:05pm
Location: 2 Sussex Ave, Toronto, ON

FREE preview screening for the cast, crew and friends of At The Reefers Of Madness and The Whimsical Notions Of A Strange Deer Girl.

When I say FREE, I mean it, please come and enjoy the finished versions of these two shorts (plus a couple other very short shorts), and tell everyone you know and bring as many friends as you can. These are being submitted to fests right now, so they won't be online for many months and this will be your ONLY chance to see them until then. I may also screen The Seventh Shadow, which was recently accepted and shown at the HP Lovecraft Film Fest in Portland, OR.

At The Reefers Of Madness is a Lovecraft-influenced stoner comedy that imagines what would happen if modern college students attending Miskatonic University found themselves in the possession of the ancient book of evil, The Necronomicon. Instead of using it to obtain limitless power, they only want to conjure more weed for themselves. A Disciple of the Great Old Ones offers to grant their wish in exchange for a sacrifice, and soon the students find themselves 'laughing and killing in joy' as absurdity and insanity ensue.

The Whimsical Notions Of A Strange Deer Girl is a short musical project starring and featuring the music of Hank Pine and Lily Fawn and tells the story of the mysterious Deer Girl of the forest who ventures into the city, finds herself captured by an evil circus, and escapes with the help of Hank, until she decides to rescue babies from their evil alien parents with the help of a UFO that takes her into space.

The screening will be held at the Innis Town Hall theatre on the University of Toronto campus, at the corner of St. George and Sussex ave. The easiest way to get here if you are taking TTC is get off the subway at St. George station and exit via the St. George street exit. Walk south one block from Bloor onto the U of T campus, and turn right onto Sussex, the theatre is on the right (the north side of the street). We're screening pretty early (8PM) so that you can still go out after.

For more on ATROM - http://frontlinefilms.net/reefers.html
For music from Hank & Lily - http://hankandlily.com/

(Thanks to Brian Clement)

Saturday, November 14, 2009

Aaron Vanek's 2009 HPLFF recap...


Aaron Vanek's review/recap of the 2009 H.P. Lovecraft Film Festival is available courtesy of the Innsmouth Free Press...

Check it out here...

(Thanks to Aaron Vanek)

"The Silver Key" Official Poster



Official poster for "The Silver Key"(2010)starring Conor Timmis as Randolph Carter. Also stars rocker Kris Keyes, lead singer of the band "Gargantua Soul". Diretced by Gary Fierro.

Friday, November 13, 2009

Altitude trailer takes off...


A temp trailer has appeared for comic writer/artist Kaare Andrews Lovecraftian thriller, Altitude! The film stars Jessica Lowndes and revolves around a small plane with a mysterious malfunction that climbs out of control putting a rookie pilot and her four teenage friends in a showdown with a malevolent supernatural force...

Check it out below...



(Thanks to Dread Central
)

Thursday, November 12, 2009

Strange Adventures is coming to an end...


Issue #4 of Image Comics The Strange Adventures of H.P. Lovecraft hit comic shops this week! Strange Adventures was created by Mac Carter (story), Tony Salmons (art) and Adam Byrne (covers), and retails for $4.99...

This is the final issue of the series, so now begins the long wait for Ron Howard's big-budget Hollywood adaptation...


(Thanks to www.bloody-disgusting.com)

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

RI Author HP Lovecraft Explored...


Providence/New Bedford (ABC 6) News Reporter Julie Ruditzky takes a look at the life and work of HPL...

A Halloween leftover...



(Thanks to www.abc6.com)

Lovecraftian monstrosities await...


Bloody-disgusting.com caught up with Mortis Rex writer/director Peter Briggs at the American Film Market and grabbed even more exclusive artwork and some interesting words from the man himself...

"I've been working solidly the last month with our creature designer, Paul Mendoza, and our intention's to portray onscreen the baddest, nastiest, Lovecraftian-level monstrosity you've ever seen. If you're a fanboy, you'll know Paul's work...he sculpted Wayne Barlowe's "Decurion" for Sideshow a while back, and the guy's really a pocket genius. I've never seen anything like our creature, onscreen, ever. Period. I zap sketches to Paul, and he blasts finished renderings back over the internet, and then I scribble and Photoshop over them, and zap them back. I've had a vision in my head about what the thing should look like since I started writing "Mortis", but right now we're about 80% there, and our Big Chap just keeps looking scarier and weirder every time my email goes "ping". He's an extremely visually complex creation. He'd eat "Hellboy's" Ogdru Jahad for breakfast."

- Peter Briggs

Head over to bloody-disgusting.com for more...


artwork by Stuart Jennett

(Thanks to www.bloody-disgusting.com)

The Evil Dead returns to the big screen...

Bloody-disgusting.com reports that Grindhouse Releasing has secured the rights to show 35mm prints of Sam Raimi's horror classic The Evil Dead across North America in 2010. Dates and venues will be announced through GrindhouseReleasing.com. For bookings, contact David Szulkin...

"Nothing can prepare an audience for what they are about to see, because nothing punishes an audience like EVIL DEAD - especially on the big screen. I'm really glad it's back. People are gonna be hurt."

- Bruce Campbell


(Thanks to www.bloody-disgusting.com)

The Last Poe Picture Show: an evening of Poe on film...


For Immediate Release:

The POE HOUSE AND MUSEUM and WESTMINSTER PRESERVATION TRUST, INC. /UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND SCHOOL OF LAW present

THE LAST POE PICTURE SHOW—an evening of Poe on film

WHEN: SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 21ST, 2009. 7PM (Doors open to the public at 6PM)

WHERE: Westminster Hall. 519 W. Fayette Street. Baltimore, Maryland 21201

ADMISSION: FREE and open to the public! But reserve your tickets now, as seating is limited! Reserve your tickets at: http://www.acteva.com/book..ing.cfm?bevaID=193069

Join us for our final event celebrating Poe's Bicentennial in Baltimore and for a fun evening of films inspired by the work of Edgar Allan Poe!

THE PROGRAM:

Vincent Price in HOUSE OF USHER (1960). Roger Corman's first Poe adaptation!

POE ON FILM TRIVIA CONTEST! Smart and lucky winners who "know Poe" and the movies can win DVDs!

Mario Cavalli's THE CASK OF AMONTILLADO (1998). A thrilling adaptation of the Poe classic!

Panel Discussion: POE ON FILM with Chris Kaltenbach (film critic, The Baltimore Sun), Gregory William Mank ("Golden Age Horror" historian and author), Tony Tsendeas (actor, "The Poe Show"). Moderated by Mark Redfield (actor and filmmaker, "The Death of Poe"). Stay after HOUSE OF USHER for a lively discussion about Poe and the cinema. With 100 years of Poe inspired movies, we'll have plenty to talk about! Bring your questions!

FREE POPCORN! Refreshments also available.

FREE and OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. But reserve your ticket NOW as space is limited! Reserve them at: http://www.acteva.com/book..ing.cfm?bevaID=193069

ALSO: Do your Poe holiday shopping early! Vendors will be present featuring Poe-related gift items, perfect for the holidays, from t-shirts to DVDs to Gregory William Manks's new book "Bela Lugosi and Boris Karloff", signed by the author himself!

PROGRAM DETAILS:

PREVIEWS OF POE: We've assembled trailers (or "previews of coming attractions") of some of the many films inspired by Edgar Allan Poe. From the Universal Studios adaptations that starred Bela Lugosi and Boris Karloff, to the Roger Corman "Poe-Cycle" produced by American International Pictures and from films from all over the world, including works from filmmakers Frederico Fellini, Dario Argento and many more. How many have you seen?

THE CASK OF AMONTILLADO (1998). Starring Anton Blake (Montressor) and Patrick Monckton (Fortunato). Directed by Mario Cavalli. Screenplay by Richard Deakin. Great Britain. Color. 16 minutes. Superbly acted and photographed adaptation of Poe's classic tale of revenge, Cavalli's film has played in festivals world-wide. Filmed in 35mm with a hand-cranked camera and using available light, this CASK is one of the finer vintages of short film adaptations we've seen!

POE ON FILM TRIVIA CONTEST: Seven lucky winners receive Poe movies on DVD!

INTERMISSION

HOUSE OF USHER (1960). Starring Vincent Price, Mark Damon, Myrna Fahey. Screenplay by Richard Matheson. Directed by Roger Corman. USA. Color. 79 minutes. USHER is the first of the adaptations in Corman's so-called "Poe-cycle" for American International Pictures and remains a strong entry in the series. When AIP producer Sam Arkoff, known for producing quickie creature feature films for teenagers on the drive-in movie circuit, asked Corman what was "the monster" in this new horror film, Corman thought quickly on his feet and replied, "The house! The house is the monster!" Arkoff bought it, and green lit the film for production! Roger Corman will receive an honorary Oscar in 2010 for his prolific body of work.

PANEL DISCUSSION: "POE ON FILM". Stay and join us in a lively discussion moderated by actor and filmmaker Mark Redfield ("The Death of Poe", "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde"). Our panelists include Chris Kaltenbach (film critic for the Baltimore Sun), Gregory William Mank (film historian and author of the recently published "Bela Lugosi and Boris Karloff: The Expanded Story of a Haunting Collaboration") and Tony Tsendeas (actor, director and Poe interpreter, currently touring his one-man show "The Poe Show"). Please note that all panelists are confirmed, but appearance at the event remains subject to last minute professional commitments beyond our control.

WWW.POEBICENTENNIAL.COM

(Thanks to Mark Redfield)