Albert Pyun's Cool Air...

Albert Pyun's Cool Air (2006), a film I had almost forgotten about, is very much alive according to the website for his 2008 feature Road to Hell. The Filmwerks Inc. production, fully titled H.P. Lovecraft's Cool Air, is reportedly scheduled for release in the first quarter of 2009, but since that time has already passed, we'll have to wait and see...

The film, written by Cynthia Curnan, stars Morgan Weisser, Crystal Laws Green, Jenny Dare Paulin and Norbert Weisser and revolves around a struggling screenwriter in search of accommodations, who takes a room in a isolated Malibu mansion and learns of the mysterious doctor, who dabbles in strange experiments, that resides in the room above his own...


(Thanks to www.roadtohellmovie.com)

New Unfilmable.com poll...

The first Unfilmable.com poll, What is your favorite Lovecraft film directed by Stuart Gordon?, is now over and the new poll, Which Weird Fiction/Mythos author, besides Lovecraft, would you like to see adapted to the screen?, is up. Results will be available on June 14th...

Results for the first poll are as follows:

4 votes: Re-Animator (1985)
1 vote: From Beyond (1986)
0 votes: Castle Freak (1995)
8 votes: Dagon (2001)
0 votes: Dreams in the Witch-House (2005)

Thanks again for voting...

Mars reviews Colour from the Dark...

Lovecraftian composer, and friend of Unfilmable.com, MARS (Lovecraft: Fear Of The Unknown, Nyarlathotep) reviews Ivan Zuccon's Colour from the Dark...

Colour from the Dark (2008)
Directed by Ivan Zuccon

I am familiar enough with Ivan Zuccon's body of film work to have a solid frame of reference of his growth as a director, and specifically in his cinematic adaptations of H.P. Lovecraft's stories. The first HPL adaptation I saw from Zuccon was 2003's "The Shunned House" which I felt did a very admirable job of creating a somber, surreal atmosphere despite the "film's" (well, video really) budgetary limitations. Zuccon is obviously a real fan of Lovecraft, and he understands that throwing money at the screen is not what it takes to bring The Old Gentleman from Providence's stories to life.


The same dark undercurrent of mood and terror is present in Zuccon's current film, "Colour from the Dark".

This film is an adaptation of Lovecraft's "The Colour out of Space", which has met with a few previous attempts at translation to the silver screen. (Anyone remembering the lackluster "Die Monster Die!", or the painfully awful "The Curse" featuring a young Wil Wheaton and a very tired looking Claude Akins phoning in his "performance" back in the late 80's will see this film as a quantum leap forward in doing this particular story some cinematic justice.)

I won't go into the story, as I'm sure everyone reading this on this particular web site already knows it inside and out. I will say that there are extra characters, and plot elements that have been added to keep the story moving forward and engaging. Zuccon's additions are appropriate, and fit in nicely, so the HPL purists out there can rest easy; this is still close enough to the source material as not to be disrespectful, while still giving the film it's own identity.


Set in Italy during WWII, the story unfolds in a rather old school way, with an emphasis on keeping the pace deliberately less frantic than the current style most modern horror films fall victim to. If you've a short attention span, this may not be the horror film for you. But, those with an appreciation for a well-crafted storyline and solid characterizations will find this film very satisfying indeed.

For the most part, the acting is top notch, with lead actors Debbie Rochon (who is damn good even on her worst day), and Michael Segal carrying the bulk of the film. The rest of the ensemble cast turn in solid performances that never take the audience out of the moment.

The production value is outstanding, and the backdrop of the poor farmhouse never comes across as clichéd. The film's look features a fine colo(u)r palette and cinematography that belies the film's low budget. While still shot on video, there is a degree of artistry here that is visually reminiscent of Mario Bava's rich use of black as a color in his films. For this story, it works very effectively, and the look is comparable to that of film.


The special effects are standard CGI nonsense, but done with a degree of subtlety that helps them come across as much less obnoxious than most indie horror films these days. I am very impressed with the restraint that Zuccon has used with these FX, as it is another testament to his growing confidence as a director that he has opted to go with a "less is more" approach.

If I have any complaint here it would be with Marco Werba's rather pedestrian music score. While not bad by any means (the man is a consummate professional and a fine musician), it doesn't really capture the cosmic horror in a manner befitting this kind of story. All the standard scary stings and suspense cues are present and accounted for, but the end result just comes across (to me) as a bit uninspired. The bar for Lovecraftian film scores (at their best) means Lex Baxter's brilliant "The Dunwich Horror", or the work of Richard Band (whom Zuccon worked with previously on 2007's "Nympha") on "Re-Animator" and "The Resurrected" and this score isn't in that ballpark. Bear in mind, I'm a tough critic when it comes to film music (as evidenced by just how much space I've allocated to this part of the review) , and for the record I loved Werba's score to Dario Argento's "Gaillo".


So there you have it my fellow Eldritch Film Fans, there is another fine addition to Mythos inspired cinema to be on the lookout for. I highly recommend this to any fan of Zuccon's previous work, and for those just looking for an entertaining, well made horror film.

MARS
www.deadhousemusic.com

Copyright © 2009 MARS

(Thanks to MARS)

Last Battleground trailer online...

The trailer for Sonny Fernandez's Lovecraftian epic, The Last Battleground, is now online (check it out below). Sonny had this to say about his latest feature, "The Last Battleground follows a bunch of seemingly unconnected characters: a pair of inept hitmen, an abused girl who relies on an invisible friend to get her through rough times, a young homeless woman, and an artist who's been noticing a change in the world around him. Their paths and others will intersect one faithful night because heaven and hell have had their ultimate showdown for control of the earth, and damned if hell didn't score the upset victory.

Where do you run when salvation no longer exists? Where do you hide when the ground is opening up and letting unholy creatures run wild? How do you survive in a world where the dead are coming back as Lovecraftian demons manipulated by their earthly sins?

The film stars Cody Tergesen, Justin Kavlie, Liz Dockter, Kim Haarman, Dan Sorenson, and Sam Ova."

(Thanks to Dread Central and Sonny Fernandez Films)

Alternate Sleeping Deep poster...

An "alternate" poster for The Sleeping Deep appeared on the film's official blog the other day, and like the one I showed you here, this one was designed by Mike Nash...


(Thanks to Jeff Palmer)

Updated: Alien remake rumored...

Ridley Scott's Alien, a film that screams cosmic horror, is rumored to be the next big film being considered by the Hollywood remake machine...

If true, Ridley Scott, Michael Costigan and Tony Scott will produce with commercial/music video director Carl Rinsch at the helm. Updates, courtesy of bloody-disgusting.com, also state that 20th Century Fox are considering an origins story (aka prequel), as opposed to a remake...

Update: Tony Scott has confirmed that work is indeed underway on an Alien prequel and that Carl Rinsch will direct for 20th Century Fox...

(Thanks to www.bloody-disgusting.com)

Creature needs a director...

According to bloody-disgusting.com, Breck Eisner is no longer directing The Creature from the Black Lagoon remake (written by Gary Ross whose father wrote the original). Universal Pictures and Strike Entertainment are currently looking for a new director...

(Thanks to www.bloody-disgusting.com)

New Sleeping Deep clip...

Jeff Palmer and crew continue to knock out a variety of promotional materials for The Sleeping Deep, an example of which can be seen below. Check out official blog for more information, screen grabs and other goodies and watch for a full-length version of this clip in a couple weeks...



(Thanks to Jeff Palmer)

Fragments of the Necronomicon...

For Immediate Release:

Collected here for the first time: thirty-three woodcuts from a recently recovered 17th century edition of Abdul Alhazred's Necronomicon. Annotations and photos of relevant Mythos objects from the author's collection deepen the reader's understanding of the occult images...

(Thanks to Christian Matzke)

Quoth Cthulhu: Dead Birds...

This weeks Quoth Cthulhu consists of two of the more Lovecraftian lines from Simon Barrett's Dead Birds script. Neither of these lines appear in Alex Turner's film as written...

The Old Ones, I said. Most think of them as spirits. They can walk between worlds, and time is different for them. When they appear in our world, they mostly show themselves as animals, unless they are given greater power. Because they walk between worlds, their physical power is limited in each one. They should not be given mortal power, the power to change us, unless they can be controlled.

- Sam (played by Patrick Fugit)

There are things that exist alongside us, things that were once like us but just kept going, who live not in the places we know but in the spaces between them. Do you think it matters how big they are?

- Todd (played by Isaiah Washington)

(Thanks to Patrick Fugit and Isaiah Washington)

17th century Lovecraft...

Below you will find the trailer for Forlorn Hope, a 17th Century H.P. Lovecraft inspired horror/drama that takes place during the Thirty Years' War. The film revolves around a small group of Swedish soldiers lost in the forest after the battle of Breitenfeld (Germany), who meet a man who guides them on a forlorn mission...

According to information from the official blog and YouTube pages, the film, shot in the summer of 2007, will run between 40-45 minutes and is in the final editing and sound stage of post-production...

Watch this space (and the great Grim Reviews blog) for more...



(Thanks to Grim Reviews)

Pickman's Models: Planet Lovecraft...

The latest Pickman's Models gallery is an advanced look at Planet Lovecraft #4! In the tradition of Creepy, Eerie and Heavy Metal Magazine, Planet Lovecraft is on the leading edge of comics devoted to the Master of Weird Horror, H.P. Lovecraft...

Back issues can be purchased through planetlovecraftmagazine.com...

A Page from Abraham Martinez and Carlos de Anda's "The Vessel"

A page from "Awakener" by Rob Corless

A page from "In the Court of The Yellow King", a Witch Hunter/Knightgaunt crossover by Vin Ferrante and Tommygun

A page from "The Thing in the Box" by J.M. DeSantis

(Click each to enlarge)

(Thanks to K.L. Young)

Howard talks Lovecraft...

MTV's Splash Page spoke with Ron Howard about his interest in Lovecraft and The Strange Adventures of H.P. Lovecraft, and this is what he had to say about the project; "It's not a literal biography in any way," Howard tells MTV News, "It uses him as a way to invoke some of the spirit of his work in a way that's really, really scary and yet very psychological. I like it because it's sort of a journey and character study, and at the same time it's pretty horrifying and frightening," he continued, "I don't want to go into it in too much detail, as we've just begun writing it, but it's really fascinating in the way it utilizes Lovecraft..."

Hit this link for the rest of Howard's thoughts on the comic and the man who inspired it...

You can also click here for MTV's (older) interview with Lovecraft's creators Mac Carter and Adam Byrne...


(Thanks to chrisperridas.blogspot.com)

Unfilmable.com poll...

The first Unfilmable.com poll, What is your favorite Lovecraft film directed by Stuart Gordon?, can be found towards the bottom of the left-hand column. Results will be available on May 31st...

Thanks for voting...

Altitude takes on more passengers...

Julianna Guill (Friday the 13th remake) has joined the cast of Altitude according to the IMDb. Guill joins cast members Jessica Lowndes, Ryan Donowho, Landon Liboiron, Jake Weary, Mike Dopud, Ryan Grantham, Chelah Horsdal, Ian Robison, Michelle Harrison, Teghan Gentles and Seth Ranaweera...

About the film: Lost in a mysterious cloudbank, a rookie pilot and her four teenage friends must contend with a freak mechanical failure that first sends their small plane climbing to an impossible height, and then plummeting through endless mist...

After regaining control, the survivors are confronted with a horrifying realization - the very ground beneath them has vanished and a malevolent force lurking in the clouds wants them dead...

(Thanks to Dread Central)

Creepshow art revealed...

Warner Bros. has released the official Blu-ray artwork for George A. Romero's Creepshow, scheduled for release on September 8th. Of interest to Lovecraft fans, The Lonesome Death of Jordy Verrill (also known as Weeds) segment was inspired by The Colour Out of Space...

As previously announced, this will be a bare bones release...


(Thanks to Dread Central)

Updated: The Creature is rockin'...

Universal Studios Hollywood has announced July 1st as the start date of its musical based on the 50's classic The Creature from the Black Lagoon. The musical, titled Creature From The Black Lagoon – A Raging Rockin' Show, promises "an all-original score, acrobatic choreography and dazzling Broadway-level production values thanks to an award-winning theatrical production team"...

Details and the full promotional poster are available on shocktillyoudrop.com...


Update: According to fangoria.com, Creature from the Black Lagoon the Musical has a 25 minute running time and contains four original songs; Black Lagoon – the opening number which introduces the cast and sets the story in motion, Slay Me – Kay's solo performance during her choreographed swimming sequence with Gill, Prime Evil – the ensemble piece that tells the story of Kay's kidnapping by Gill, Strange New Hunger – a romantic duet between Kay and Gill...

(Thanks to www.shocktillyoudrop.com and www.fangoria.com)

Cthulhu rises again...

The H.P. Lovecraft Historical Society's B & W classic, The Call of Cthulhu, will screen at next months Fantastic Films Weekend in Bradford, UK. The screenings, sponsored by Yog Radio, will take place Friday, June 12th at 10:45 am and Sunday, June 14th at Noon. An animated adaptation of Edgar Allan Poe's The Tell-Tale Heart, directed by Annette Jung, is also on the schedule...

Check out the Fantastic Films site for more info...

(Thanks to Paul of Cthulhu)

Jeffrey Combs IS Edgar Allan Poe...

The Re-Animator/From Beyond triple-threat of Jeffrey Combs, Dennis Paoli and Stuart Gordon are celebrating the bicentennial of Edgar Allan Poe's birth with Nevermore - An evening with Edgar Allan Poe at the Steve Allen Theater in Hollywood, CA. Written by Paoli, directed by Gordon and starring Jeffrey Combs as Poe (a role he mastered in Gordon's The Black Cat), the one-man show is being billed as an evening of Prose, Poetry and Perversion...

Click here for dates and details...


(Thanks to Dread Central and The Combs Corner)

Bill S. Preston, Esq. enters The Gate...

Bloody-disgusting.com has confirmed that Alex Winter (The Lost Boys, Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure) is attached to direct The Gate remake (in 3D) and that the film is currently in pre-production. Winter hopes to have Stephen Dorff (Glen in the original) play the father in the updated version...

(Thanks to www.bloody-disgusting.com)

Poe's House in 3D...

Dread Central reports that indie production company Green Knight Ventures are planning a contemporary adaptation of Edgar Allan Poe's The Fall of the House of Usher in 3D. The film, titled The Ushers, is set to star Claire Forlani, Dougray Scott and Rufus Sewell...

About the film: A grown brother and sister have lived in the same Martha's Vineyard house for a long time begin to feel trapped there, so they bring in a real estate broker to help them resolve their crisis...

(Thanks to Dread Central)

Quoth Cthulhu: From Beyond...

The following Quoth Cthulhu continues along the Lovecraft tech theme by quoting Lovecraft's description of the resonator from the original story. Do you see any similarities between what has been filmed and what was written...

We entered the laboratory in the attic, and I observed that detestable electrical machine, glowing with a sickly, sinister violet luminosity. It was connected with a powerful chemical battery, but seemed to be receiving no current; for I recalled that in its experimental stage it had sputtered and purred when in action. In reply to my question Tillinghast mumbled that this permanent glow was not electrical in any sense that I could understand.

He now seated me near the machine, so that it was on my right, and turned a switch somewhere below the crowning cluster of glass bulbs. The usual sputtering began, turned to a whine, and terminated in a drone so soft as to suggest a return to silence. Meanwhile the luminosity increased, waned again, then assumed a pale, outrè colour or blend of colours which I could neither place nor describe. Tillinghast had been watching me, and noted my puzzled expression.

"Do you know what that is?" he whispered, "That is ultra-violet." He chuckled oddly at my surprise. "You thought ultra-violet was invisible, and so it is - but you can see that and many other invisible things now...

- From Beyond (1920)

(Thanks to H.P. Lovecraft)

Pickman's Models: Lovecraft tech...

Time for another Pickman's Models, and this time I've chosen a little Lovecraft tech in the form of From Beyond's resonator. In the story, the resonator was a device built by Crawford Tillinghast that stimulates a person's pineal gland through resonance waves, allowing them to see planes of existence outside the scope of accepted reality. Below you will find three examples of the resonator as it has appeared in Lovecraft cinema...

From Beyond (1986) by Stuart Gordon

From Beyond (1999) by Bob Fugger

From Beyond (2006) by Michael Granberry

Please note: The resonator also appeared in Ken Avenoso and Andrew Migliore's From Beyond (1997) and Från Andra Sidan (From Beyond, 1999) by Magnus Sorell, Peter Andersson and Robert Lindberg, but I was unable to find images for either...

(Thanks to Stuart Gordon, Bob Fugger and Michael Granberry)

Latest Colour from the Dark review...

The latest review for Ivan Zuccon's Colour from the Dark, based on The Colour Out of Space, has appeared over on the L'Abitatore del Buio blog...

Check it out here (in Italian)...


(Thanks to Ivan Zuccon)

Uzumaki re-release coming soon...

Higuchinsky's Uzumaki (2000) will be re-released on DVD through Discotek/Eastern Star in September. No further details have been released...


(Thanks to www.discotekmedia.com)

First House of Black Wings reviews...

The first three reviews for Sword & Cloak Productions second feature length film, House of Black Wings, are now online...

"Equally as creepy as any Roman Polanski vision...a unique effort full of dark flavor ...this one has something great to offer."

- Horror News

"Takes the time to build a story around our main characters...so when the horror becomes unleashed further we actually care about what happens."

- Horror Yearbook

"...something unique and special...we were quite impressed with this film."

- Kitley's Krypt

(Thanks to David Schmidt)

New Tell-Tale images...

Head over to Dread Central for exclusive Tell-Tale "Red Carpet and Q&A" pics from the Tribeca Film Festival premiere...

(Thanks to Dread Central)

Upcoming Lovecraftian DVDs...

Britain's Arrow Video will release Lucio Fulci's The House by the Cemetery (shades of Lovecraft's Cool Air) uncut on DVD for the first time in the UK on June 29th. Special Features include Fulci in the House: The Italian Master of Splatter documentary, an exclusive booklet, a deleted scene, photo gallery, U.S. theatrical trailer, International theatrical trailer and U.S. TV spot. Retail is £15.99. House will screen at Scotland's Glasgow Film Theatre on Saturday June 27th at 9 p.m. as part of Arrow's "Weekend of Italian Terror"...

Warner/New Line will release Creepshow, with the Lovecraft inspired segment Weeds, on Blu-ray DVD September 8th. No extras have been announced...

(Thanks to www.fangoria.com and www.shocktillyoudrop.com)

Lovecraft's in the Details...

Writer/director Pascal Laugier (Martyrs) is set to direct Details, a feature film based on a short story by China Mieville (from his collection Looking for Jake). The story, which also appeared in The Children of Cthulhu: Chilling New Tales Inspired by H.P. Lovecraft (edited by John Pelan and Benjamin Adams), revolves around a boy who is charged with caring for a mysterious old woman, when he discovers that strange and frightening forces live hidden in the lines, cracks and creases of our world...

In a recent Fangoria.com article, Laugier had this to say about the project, "That's a project with Paramount Vantage based on a novella by the famous, hip London-based writer China Mieville. The story, inspired by H.P. Lovecraft's writings, is about a boy looking after a weird old woman who discovers strange forces hidden in the creased fabric of our world. Mieville is a smart guy and a very dark horror writer. I've been adapting the story into a new script for six weeks now, and it's a very complicated assignment. It's more a piece of abstract literature you feel in your gut, and straightening it out into a more literal screenplay is hard."

Watch this space for more…

(Thanks to www.fangoria.com)

Behind-the-scenes: The Sleeping Deep...

Jeff Palmer's The Sleeping Deep continues to slither along and the official production journal/blog continues to track its progess with news, images and video...

Below you will find just one of the many behind-the-scenes images that have appeared recently, and a time lapse video from last Saturdays shoot. Head over to thesleepingdeep.wordpress.com for more news and images...

(Thanks to Jeff Palmer)

The Fog Blu-ray out now...

John Carpenter's The Fog, a film that contains several minor references to Lovecraft work, was released on Blu-ray yesterday. The disc lists for $40.98...

Please note: this release is available as an import only...


(Thanks to Dread Central)

Casting Call of Cthulhu is Fantastico...

Joseph Nanni's Casting Call of Cthulhu will screen as part of the Montevideo Fantastico in Uruguay. The festival takes place from May 15th through the 22nd. Details can be found here...

(Thanks to www.castingcallofcthulhu.com)

Creature from the Black Lagoon screening...

Jack Arnold's 1954 classic, The Creature from the Black Lagoon, will screen Saturday May 16th at the Barking Dog as part of the 2009 Boomtown Film and Music Festival. The special midnight screening will present the film in its original anaglyph (red and blue) 3D format...

Click here for details...


(Thanks to www.boomtownfestival.com)

Quoth Cthulhu: The Haunted Palace

Vincent Price Presents #8 isn't the first time that Price has been associated with the works of H.P. Lovecraft as he portrayed Charles Dexter Ward/Joseph Curwen in the 1963 film The Haunted Palace (based on The Case of Charles Dexter Ward but named after an Edgar Allan Poe story)...

Joseph, have you not gorged yourself enough on revenge?

- Simon Orne (played by Lon Chaney Jr.)

You do not know the extent of my appetite, Simon. I'll not have my fill of revenge until this village is a graveyard. Until they have felt, as I did, the kiss of fire on their soft bare flesh. All of them. Have patience my friends. Surely, after all these years, I'm entitled to a few small amusements.

- Joseph Curwen (played by Vincent Price)

(Thanks to Vincent Price)

Pickman's Model's: Doom Sire Studios

This weeks Pickman's Models comes to us from Horror Illustrator and Make-Up FX Artist Andrew Ozkenel. Besides being a good friend and co-worker, Andrew is huge fan of all things Lovecraft as the below denizen of Innsmouth attests...

Check out Doom Sire Studios for more of Andrew's (and his wife Key's) work...

Click to enlarge...

(Thanks to Doom Sire Studios)

The Music of Vincent Price...

The latest issue of Vincent Price Presents, published by Blue Water Comics, is out and the story revolves around Vincent trying to burn down an evil house while holding demons at bay by using Erich Zann's viol. Little does he know that in doing so he will wake the great old ones...

The comic, titled The Green Estate, is written by Neal Bailey and illustrated Nestor Ruiz and retails for $3.99...


(Thanks to www.bluewaterprod.com)

Whisperer in Darkness moves forward...

According to the H.P. Lovecraft Historical Society website, The Whisperer in Darkness is now in "active pre-production phase" with locations being scouted and props being built. The amazing teaser trailer, released in 2007, can be found here (or on YouTube here)...

Production updates are forthcoming...


(Thanks to www.cthulhulives.org)

Get your own Elder Sign...

Elder Sign, the latest short film from Joseph Nanni, is now available on DVD! The DVD retails for $20 and contains both Elder Sign (2 min 14 sec) and Joseph's previous effort, Casting Call of Cthulhu (9 min 12 sec). The hand-crafted packaging, which you can see below, was designed by Gints Bruveris and assembled by Joseph Nanni from a single 11 x 17 sheet of 100 lb paper! Head over to castingcallofcthulhu.com for a step-by-step look at how the package was created or purchase your copy here...

The Elder Sign is also on the IMDb, so if you've seen it, stop by and give it your vote...

(Thanks to Joseph Nanni)

Horror Vault DVD news...

The horror anthology The Horror Vault 2, which contains a film inspired by H.P. Lovecraft, (and it's predecessor The Horror Vault) are now available on DVD for $9.95 through IndieFlix. Click here (part 1) and here (part 2) for details. The film can also be obtained as a video-on-demand through the official site...

A third volume in the series (also containing a Lovecraft inspired segment) is currently in post-production...


(Thanks to www.myspace.com/horrorvault)

The Sleeping Deep continues to impress...

Jeff Palmer's screenplay for The Sleeping Deep continues to receive great feedback and according to the official blog, the screenplay is currently a finalist in the WILDsound Feature Screenplay contest...

Keep up to date with all things Deep at the official Sleeping Deep blog...

(Thanks to Jeff Palmer)

Tell Tale review and screening news...

Head over to Fangoria.com for news about an incident that occurred at a recent screening of Michael Cuesta's Tell Tale at the Tribeca Film Festival. Evidently, the film caused an "extreme physical reaction" in one of it's viewers...

Fango also reviews the film here...

(Thanks to www.fangoria.com)

Adventures of H.P. Lovecraft review...

Fango's Comic Screams reviews issue #1 of The Strange Adventures of H.P. Lovecraft here...

"The Strange Adventures of H.P. Lovecraft is [a] smart, authentic comic book pulp, and readers will really enjoy this if they want a more intellectual approach to their horror."

- Comic Screams


(Thanks to www.fangoria.com)