Customer Reviews

Cthulhu

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(11)

 

 

As a huge Lovecraft fan and movie buff, I end up seeing most movies which make any claims to be inspired by or based on the work of H.P. Lovecraft. I don't care if the plot of these movies follow any particular Lovecraft story -- what's more important to me is that they seem to convey the same themes and qualities of the stories. For example, the movie In The Mouth Of Madness is one of my favorite Lovecraftian movies even though it is in no way based on a specific Lovecraft story.

All of that said, I was pleased by many things about this movie. First, I feel it did a great job of being true to the Lovecraft themes. The atmosphere of the movie was pitch-perfect, and I think the overall plot was good. My main complaint, and the reason I am only giving the movie three stars, is that there are a lot of things which aren't really explained and don't seem to make any sense. I don't want to give any specific spoilers, but there were points in the movie where I wasn't sure why some things were happening. And not in a good, Lovecraftian mystery sort of way. Although now that I think about it, I guess it could be that sort of a mystery -- we're just accustomed as movie viewers to be presented with enough information to make sense of what we're seeing. I suppose there's a chance some of this confusion was a deliberate choice on the part of the filmmakers.

Anyway, I in no way regret seeing this film, even if it could have been better. I'm on the fence about buying it, but probably will end up doing so. It's a movie I'd enjoy rewatching from time to time. If you like Lovecraft, I recommend it.

One other note -- a lot of the other reviewers seem bothered by the fact that the main character is gay. Some seem to view the film as geared toward a gay audience, with the fact that he is gay having no relation to the rest of the movie. I very much disagree. The fact that he is gay is important for a number of reasons in terms of the plot. It helps explain his extreme alienation from his father, and it also explains why he has not produced (and isn't willing to produce) a biological child. I'm sure the filmmakers could have come up with other ways to accomplish that same thing, but why bother? I thought his being gay worked very well with the plot and didn't really stand out. If anything it made him a more complex character -- rather than just say he is alienated from his family, it gives it some context.

Oh, and I thought the acting was pretty strong for a low budget movie. I was never taken out of the moment by poor acting, anyway, with the possible exception of a drunk fisherman who seemed to yell dialog bit more than was realistic.

I say "Lovecraftian" because I don't feel that this movie is a direct adaptation of any Lovecraft story; it has a passing resemblance to "Shadow Over Innsmouth", but it is not a movie treatment of this material. Instead, I found this film has a wonderful Lovecraft "feel" to it. The plot is a bit choppy in places, but the tension builds nicely throughout the film; there are also several genuine jolts, which rather suprised me. When I found that the lead character was gay, I was pleased to find that it fit right in with the story rather than standing out in any glaring sort of way. For the most part, the writing and acting were quite good, and the movie as a whole is beautifully filmed. I would recommend "Cthulhu" for those who prefer a more sedate, stylish horror movie as opposed to one with graphic gore.

Despite its title, Cthulhu isn't a direct adaptation of any single H. P. Lovecraft story. While it takes its name and a few elements from his famous "The Call Of Cthulhu", it borrows more heavily from "The Shadow Over Innsmouth" and "Dagon", as well as incorporating elements from other stories like "Rats In The Walls." What director Dan Gildark and writer Grant Cogswell are aiming for is a distillation of Lovecraft's work and themes, and in that respect they succeed brilliantly.

Lovecraft's work is often portrayed very poorly and straight adaptations often fail to capture the intellectual side of his unique brand of weird horror. Gildark understands that Lovecraft is best when the visceral and the physical are left mysterious. He focuses on the themes Lovecraft is known for: the bleakness of reason, humanity's futile efforts to prosper in a world dictated by alien logic, the insularity of isolated communities, the curse of heritage and the distinctions of class and station in social interaction. By making the protagonist gay, Gildark and Cogswell add an unexpectedly fresh element to the mix. As many gay men can attest, having to deal with a small town past can be as horrifying as staring into the abyss of the unknown, and without giving away any story elements, it IS actually important to the plot.

Gildark casts scenes featuring the human cast in natural lighting that gives the proceedings a sometimes unnerving realism, while outdoor scenes are cast in a slightly unnatural blue-tinged light. The waves surrounding the island town are constantly roiling in mysterious ways, and nothing is ever too slick or too polished to break the illusion. Special effects are kept to a distinct minimum, and the horrors Russell is faced with are wisely kept in the periphery of the mind and never fully seen, most effectively during an extended underground sequence where the only illumination comes from brief flashes of light from a disposable camera.

Jason Cottle is a wonderful lead, and he portrays Russell as a classic Lovecraft protagonist. As the film progresses, his hold on reason and sanity starts to slip, his emotions become more explosive, and it soon becomes difficult to tell where his dreams end and his waking life begins. His relationship with Green is portrayed with care and grows organically. Green himself is a calm, centered presence in contrast to Cottle, and the two work very well together. Even Tori Spelling comes off well, and she comes at her role with just the right amount of wickedness. None of the cast ever plays the film for camp or humor, and the characters act and speak like real human beings, making the horror elements of the film that much more immediate.

Gildark and his cast and crew have created what may be one of the best Lovecraft films of all time. Always maintaining a reverence for the source material, Cthulhu is the hypnotic examination of what happens to humanity when forced to deal with a world that is literally and inexorably going to Hell.

this was a pretty good version of Shadow Over Innsmouth, right down to several of the same characters from the original, such as a young liquor store clerk.

i find it embarrassing that so many fellow Lovecraft fans seem to have sexual hangups, complaining about the gay element of the story. who cares? it completely works for the character and the store (adding to his outsider mentality) and is *not a big deal*. geeze! grow up!

the general mood and atmosphere was completely Lovecraftian. uneasiness. not quite seeing things clearly... dread, gloom. these things the film did perfectly.

Here's the deal with 'Cthulhu': it's not a monster movie. It's not torture porn (like 'Hostel' or some other recent horror movies). It is a story about a very alienated individual who is facing something he can barely comprehend. In short, it's pure Lovecraft.

Others have described the plot, so I won't go into it here other than to say that it is a very decent modernization of the Lovecraft story "The Shadow Over Innsmouth."

Russell, the main character, is fully fleshed out by actor Jason Cottle. Using the homosexual aspect of the character to illustrate his feeling that cosmic forces are against him is genius. I have seen many other Lovecraft adaptations that fail miserably at this. The only other two Lovecraft films who even come close to this level of atmosphere and foreboding are "The Call of Cthulhu," which is a very faithful silent film version of the source material, and Stuart Gordon's 'Dagon,' which tells the same basic story as the film above. The problem with 'Dagon,' though, is that gore is overemphasized, and tone and story are de-emphasized.

'Cthulhu' has a genuine apocalyptic feel to it that is enhanced by the fact that the main character isn't sure of his identity. He is the proverbial Lovecraft narrarator: the outsider who finds himself the pivotal player in games of cosmic terror. Even the usually vapid Tori Spelling plays creepy very well here. The fact that the viewer is never 100% sure of what is happening on screen is fine because Russell isn't sure either. I would recommend this film to anyone who isn't stuck in their right wing sensibilities. Yes, the main character is gay. No, it's not gay porn and no, it will not make you gay to watch it.

Be sure and watch the credits to listen to the brilliant Rocky Votolato sing "White Daisy Passing," a strangely relevant song to the flick.

Peace.

Despite some of the film's peculiarities and idiosyncrasies, this adaptation of Lovecraft does an excellent job of accomplishing the primary objective of any cosmic horror -related weird tale: atmosphere. The acting is spare and understated and special effects are kept to a minimum--the result is a lean, focused production that imitates the style of Lovecraft while paying homage. Of interest primarily to HPL fans, or tangentially, to cinephiles seeking something unusual in GLBT independent films. For those needing fiery explosions in their films, look elsewhere.

2-2.5/5

As a longtime fan of H.P. Lovecraft's work, I was excited when I heard about Cthulhu. The film is kind of an art house horror flick that modernizes Lovecraft (his themes, at least) to address major contemporary issues. Unfortunately, it's marred by terrible editing and several huge missteps in story direction.

*Possible Spoiler Alert*
In one scene, for example, Russ, the protagonist runs into a couple with whom he previously had a profoundly unpleasant experience. They drug him and the scene shifts to a dreamlike sequence in a bar, where the bartender tells Russ something about how he's always belonged in the town. Then it cuts back to the alleyway where they drugged him, and Russ is being dragged through a dark doorway by some unseen thing. He basically justgets up and continues on his way, rendering the whole second encounter with the couple totally inconsequential. The conversation in the bar was fine, but the director's decision to shoot it as such deflates all dramatic tension and alienates the audience (and not in a good way!)
**

Cthulhu's only saving grace is the cinematography. Beyond that, this wasn't any better than the usual direct-to-dvd horror movie. If you really want to see this one (like I did), maybe you can borrow a copy from someone or find a cheap rental. You might end up regretting that you didn't choose something -- anything -- else, but at least you'll have satisfied your curiosity.

The scariest experiences I have ever had have all come from my own bad dreams. The scariest ones are usually the awkward, odd, off-putting ones that resemble reality and depart from it in odd uncomfortable ways. In cinema horror films rarely even scratch the surface of what my own head can produce. Usually in cinema horror is approached simply as the threat of death to the protagonist and their peers. The better horror films depart from the simple and get awkward and uncanny. There are only a handful of such films. The Shining, Videodrome, The Exorcist, just to name a few, address the uncanny more and deal with the threat of death less. The threat of death is replaced with the uncanny, the bizarre, the unknown.

I feel that as humans our fear of the unknown is more frightening than the threat of death. I feel all horror is an attempt to capture and bring this fear of the uncomfortable unknown to the forefront and tease and scare us with it.

This film while being low budget and having flaws still approaches this uncanny unknown fear and comes very close to being very very scary. It's successful on many levels too. We experience the film through the protagonists point of view. We know as little as he does which works well in this film. The main character is gay and the film has an overall homosexual feel to it. I did not mind this and felt it actually added a nice juxtaposition between the fringe element he is uncovering and the way he exists within one of societies fringe social groups. Gay for me is not a marketing tool, but since there are so few mainstream films with gay protagonists i did feel it was interesting. I was reminded of some Gus Van Sant films like My Own Private Idaho. I enjoy watching films that are not run of the mill. This film was not. It was done artfully and with as much care as possible given it's obvious budget constraints. For what it was working with it was way above par. I would love to see what this director could have accomplished with a bit more money and a few better actors. The acting did not stink but it was obviously below par at points.

Ultimately i enjoyed this and will now re-read some Lovecraft. I recommend this film for anyone with the patients to give it a chance and see something that is not mainstream. It will require a few viewings for me and that is always a good thing. perhaps it will grow on me as some films need time to sink in to become beloved. For now i just think it was done very well. 4 out of 5 stars.

Disgracefully disappointing attempt to infiltrate the, revered literary artist, H.P. Lovecrafts domain.

The first offense was to name the film Cthulhu when this appears to be (at first anyway) primarily based on the classic 'Shadow over Innsmouth'. The second mistake was to adhere to the obvious request of the film distributors to consistently insist upon gay drama instead of focusing on the intriguing mythos that H.P. Lovecraft so brilliantly hinted at throughout most of his stories

I would like to make it clear that I do not resent or disapprove of either artistic license or gay drama but there does have to be a limit and I, personally, do not appreciate the feeling of insistence upon the viewer that they need to take an interest in the relationships of a sexually confused writer with anger issues delivered throughout as opposed to spending more time focusing on H.P.L and the universe that he created for us.

Now to the third - what happened to the story? What are you trying to do to H.P.Ls work? The first hints of tension appear and wha? ...what's this? 'The Shadow over Insmouth' now appears to be integrated with snippets from the rest of H.P.Ls canon. Please do tell me ...What exactly was the writer thinking about when creating this script? I firmly belive that the writer may have suffered what some may call 'Needus Moneyous Badlius' or "Please sir can I have the funds for this film if I write a part for your sibling and change anything that you don't like?"

The final disappointment was the acting, while professionally delivered, there is a very distinct stiffness from all of the actors with the exception of Tori Spelling who (again nothing personal) played a predictable flirty college girl wow!!!!!! hold me back I haven't seen that before - let's put that down to either poor direction or atypical scriptwriting to acquire the "company's" approval and retrieve the funds they needed to make their film.
Note to the film crew Next time please ensure that the appropriate respect is reflected should you choose to make a film based on an H.P. Lovecraft story instead of succumbing to the temptation to take money for a project as opposed to maintaining the integrity of the story and the film project.
The film does not deliver a sense of menace until the film is almost over and that sense of terror\fear is extremely diminished by the preceding focus on what seemed to me to be akin to a gay dawsons creek drama as opposed to a tension building drama (e.g. Ringu)
That having been said I won't deny that there was spectacular scenery filmed.

If you were expecting any further praise prepare for dissapointment (at least you have recieved a warning - those of us that purchased this film had none)

Final comment ..I don't even approve of one star to rate this film but didn't have a choice - not quite Dreadful cac but only a few steps away (not even clever enough to at least come off as pretentious) ..don't waste your money on this drek

If you want good H.P. Lovecraft oriented films then look up Director Stuart Gordon for better artistically transposed goodies such as the incredible 'Dagon','Re-Animator' and 'From Beyond' and if you're a hardcore H.P.L purist you will truly enjoy the astounding 'The Call of Cthulhu'

Absolutely not recommended viewing for the H.P. Lovecraft fan but might be good fodder for those looking for a little bi-sexual titillation and approximately five (count 'em) outbursts with the main protaganist repeatedly spouting fbombs every other word of his dialogue, again I don't really have any issue with profanity but give it a rest after one or two fbombs don't write one in after every single word for a 40 word speech (know your bloody limits) ...not really very clever chaps, better luck next time and leave H.P.L to the professionals.

Ignore the bad reviews, Cthulhu is an incredbly well done movie. Eveything here shines: the acting is great, the script is solid, the directing and cinematography are a joy. Gore is rare but incredibly well used when it is.

So why 4 stars? Simple. Tori Spelling. She's awful, she's out of place, and she's transparently only in the film to attract the mouth breathing idiots who would freak out over the fact the protagonist is gay. This is no preachy, pro-gay film. It's a very true-to-life representation of growing up small town gay with the extra surprise of the small town actually being a crazy cult. I can't reccommend the film more; it's a masterpiece - without Tori, anyway, which apparently is how it was when initially released.