Customer Reviews

The Lurker in the Lobby: A Guide to the Cinema of H.P. Lovecraft

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

It's absolutely hilarious. The remarks made about the bad films are so cutting, I kept checking to see if my fingers were bleeding. Between its skilled analysis of the good movies, its critical evisceration of the bad ones, and the interviews with people like Jeffrey Combs, Roger Corman, John Carpenter, and Stuart Gordon, this book is a must-have. The section on independent films is great as well. An often overlooked field. While I realize that most HPL fans are quite mature, perhaps a small disclaimer that some material may be inappropriate for younger readers could have been added. But it's very little material.

Charming and highly informative book on HP Lovecraft/Lovecraft related movies including all the usual suspects (ie the Stuart Gordon/Jeffrey Coombs/Barbara Crampton titles) and short films that might escape the attention of the average filmgoer. Misters Strysik and Migliore prove their love of both cinema and all things Lovecraft. with this fast paced read chock-full of eye candy (three cheers to Armitage House & Beyond Books for the wonderful layout)...

Besides the in-depth and witty reviews, there are interviews with the people behind the adaptations and an introduction from top Lovecraft scholar, S.T. Joshi. After finishing Lurker In The Lobby was ready to race off to the local video store (the only thing stopping me was the lateness of the hour) and rent enough films to keep me glued to the couch for hours.

Great little book, filled with big laughs and a lot of big pictures. The lay out and design work is great. A must have for all horror film fans and H.P. Lovecraft fans. Excellent production art from the never produced adaptation of "Shadow Over Innsmouth".

This book is helpful for those who want to brush up on their "must have" Lovecraftian films. In fact, I was surprised by one or two of the additions that I had either forgotten about or hadn't seen because of their easily overlooked releases. Still, it only goes so far on addressing the Lovecraftian equation of the cinema, leaving out some relatively obscure films that have been made and stringing together some really loose ties to others. The banter is sometimes really funny, sometimes really annoying, and oftentimes hit-and-miss with its reviews on the films it speaks of. I would only recommend it if you only want to get your feet wet in the mythos or just have to have anything with the word "Lovecraft" attached to it.

The problem with this book is the endless tongue in cheek approach which becomes very tiring and seems to show a lack of genuine respect for the material. Some parts are OK, but as a whole this Lovecraft guide is merely fair.