EPISODE · Sep 22, 2023 · 1H 8M
From R'lyeh to Yuggoth: A Journey into Lovecraft's Dread
from Sitting in the Dark · host TruStory FM
We gather 'round dim candlelightTo delve where sanest avoid sight Into twisted worlds that Lovecraft penned Where cosmic terrors apprehensions rendThese truths not meant for mortal brainBut like those in Lovecraftian vein Drawn by fascination grim and dire To learn what none should e'er acquireAs films that try to emulateThe mythos they dare replicate They court revelation of the dire kind And risk what's left of human mindSo wish them well on nightmare quest That some humanity in them rest Pray that benign powers hear our plea To guard what's left of sanityJoin us, if you be so inclined As we descend into darkest mindWith Ray, Tommy, and Pete our guide Though fraying sanity be their plightThe doors of perception now open wide The black stars align, let terror inside Our ritual begins, the incantations unfold Beyond sanity's edge we now go boldOK, ok... as a trio, we didn't have the most extensive background in the works of Lovecraft. That's what makes the film adaptations the perfect fodder for this fair show. So, we did the work and watched a starter package of a bunch of films that are either direct adaptations or clearly influenced by the writing of Lovecraft, and we present our experience today. Want to watch along? Check out our Letterboxd list and get going!Lovecraft's fiction focused heavily on fear of the vast unknown universe, inherited evil, and his potential for mental collapse. Though not widely known during his lifetime, he developed a cult following for his weird tales published in pulp magazines in the 1920s-30s. Lovecraft helped popularize cosmic horror with recurring elements like the fictional Miskatonic University and entities like Cthulhu. He allowed other writers to borrow his ideas freely, helping spread his Cthulhu Mythos. After his 1937 death, his influence quietly grew until it permeated modern horror. His cosmic themes and tropes are now ubiquitous across literature, visual art, film, games, and pop culture. However, appreciation of his problematic views has lagged, sparking debates on separating his ideas from his beliefs.Many films have adapted Lovecraft's stories or integrated his themes. The Haunted Palace, The Dunwich Horror, Re-Animator, and other direct adaptations capture the tone of impending madness and futility in the face of elder gods. Meanwhile, The Thing, Prince of Darkness, In the Mouth of Madness, Annihilation, and The Lighthouse incorporate Lovecraftian elements into original narratives. Creative choices must be made to translate his verbose prose into visuals. Performances that show protagonists struggling to cling to sanity resonate as Lovecraftian. Later horror creators owe a debt to Lovecraft's brand of unknowable, cerebral fear.He was a troubled guy, and as filmmakers continue to reimagine the mythos, we're seeing updates to problematic elements while, in many cases, artfully preserving the essence of his disturbing philosophical horror. He is among many case examples of needing to separate the art from the artist, however, and some of the film adaptations are, frankly, much better than others. Still, you can't deny his influence on the art form. (00:00) - Welcome to Sitting in the Dark(02:09) - What We Know About Lovecraft(05:29) - He was... problematic(10:46) - A Recitation of the Movies(11:51) - Impressions of the Films(17:10) - The Necronomicon(24:45) - The Lighthouse v Call of Cthulu(31:29) - Greatest Hits of the Lovecraftian Vibe(01:03:35) - Awakenings(01:07:07) - Coming Attractions: The Movie-lover's Guide to LycanthropySupport The Next Reel Family of Film Podcasts:Become a member for just $5/month or $55/yearJoin our Discord community of movie loversThe Next Reel Family of Film Podcasts:Cinema Scope: Bridging Genres, Subgenres, and MovementsThe Film BoardMovies We LikeThe Next Reel Film PodcastSitting in the DarkConnect With Us:Main Site: WebMovie Platforms: Letterboxd | FlickchartSocial Media: Facebook | Instagram | Threads | Bluesky | YouTube | PinterestYour Hosts: Kyle | Kynan | Pete | TommyShop & Stream:Merch Store: Apparel, stickers, mugs & moreWatch Page: Buy/rent films we've discussedOriginals: Source material from our episodesSpecial offers: Letterboxd Pro/Patron discount | Audible
What this episode covers
We gather 'round dim candlelightTo delve where sanest avoid sight Into twisted worlds that Lovecraft penned Where cosmic terrors apprehensions rendThese truths not meant for mortal brainBut like those in Lovecraftian vein Drawn by fascination grim and dire To learn what none should e'er acquireAs films that try to emulateThe mythos they dare replicate They court revelation of the dire kind And risk what's left of human mindSo wish them well on nightmare quest That some humanity in them rest Pray that benign powers hear our plea To guard what's left of sanityJoin us, if you be so inclined As we descend into darkest mindWith Ray, Tommy, and Pete our guide Though fraying sanity be their plightThe doors of perception now open wide The black stars align, let terror inside Our ritual begins, the incantations unfold Beyond sanity's edge we now go boldOK, ok... as a trio, we didn't have the most extensive background in the works of Lovecraft. That's what makes the film adaptations the perfect fodder for this fair show. So, we did the work and watched a starter package of a bunch of films that are either direct adaptations or clearly influenced by the writing of Lovecraft, and we present our experience today. Want to watch along? Check out our Letterboxd list and get going!Lovecraft's fiction focused heavily on fear of the vast unknown universe, inherited evil, and his potential for mental collapse. Though not widely known during his lifetime, he developed a cult following for his weird tales published in pulp magazines in the 1920s-30s. Lovecraft helped popularize cosmic horror with recurring elements like the fictional Miskatonic University and entities like Cthulhu. He allowed other writers to borrow his ideas freely, helping spread his Cthulhu Mythos. After his 1937 death, his influence quietly grew until it permeated modern horror. His cosmic themes and tropes are now ubiquitous across literature, visual art, film, games, and pop culture. However, appreciation of his problematic views has lagged, sparking debates on separating his ideas from his beliefs.Many films have adapted Lovecraft's stories or integrated his themes. The Haunted Palace, The Dunwich Horror, Re-Animator, and other direct adaptations capture the tone of impending madness and futility in the face of elder gods. Meanwhile, The Thing, Prince of Darkness, In the Mouth of Madness, Annihilation, and The Lighthouse incorporate Lovecraftian elements into original narratives. Creative choices must be made to translate his verbose prose into visuals. Performances that show protagonists struggling to cling to sanity resonate as Lovecraftian. Later horror creators owe a debt to Lovecraft's brand of unknowable, cerebral fear.He was a troubled guy, and as filmmakers continue to reimagine the mythos, we're seeing updates to problematic elements while, in many cases, artfully preserving the essence of his disturbing philosophical horror. He is among many case examples of needing to separate the art from the artist, however, and some of the film adaptations are, frankly, much better than others. Still, you can't deny his influence on the art form. (00:00) - Welcome to Sitting in the Dark(02:09) - What We Know About Lovecraft(05:29) - He was... problematic(10:46) - A Recitation of the Movies(11:51) - Impressions of the Films(17:10) - The Necronomicon(24:45) - The Lighthouse v Call of Cthulu(31:29) - Greatest Hits of the Lovecraftian Vibe(01:03:35) - Awakenings(01:07:07) - Coming Attractions: The Movie-lover's Guide to LycanthropySupport The Next Reel Family of Film Podcasts:<a href="https://trustory.fm/join/" target="_blank"...
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From R'lyeh to Yuggoth: A Journey into Lovecraft's Dread
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