Customer Reviews

Pickman's Muse

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I agree with "klaar" - Barret Walz in absolutely fascinating as Pickman in this film which is full of stellar performances of captivating characters (including Fredrick Stone's near-perfect art dealer), masterful direction and cinematography, excellent music, and pacing that keeps the whole thing moving in the way this Lovecraftian story should. Based on H. P. Lovecraft's "The Haunter of the Dark" there are scenes in an abandoned church that, shot by incredible cinematographer Robert Cappelletto (who also directed), convey the essence of the crumbling ancientness of Lovecraft's dark church on Federal Hill in Providence.

I am so happy to see amazingly faithful films of Lovecraft's work and this is definitely one of the best. Lovecraft's stories have been so misused by TV and movies that there is probably an entire generation (or two) who just think of his stuff as schlock cinema. This film will help change those perceptions and will also help Lovecraft's work move to the screen in the manner it shoud - respectfully and seriously.

The stars are right for this one, folks. Cosmic horror never looked so good.

I was able to see the premier of this movie almost a year ago and was amazed how much I enjoyed it. H.P. Lovecraft's printed stories seduce you willingly or not into them and this movie is faithful to the allure of this author's ability to create psychological mayhem. As a painter I found myself compelled to follow Pickman, emphatizing with his drive to create. Through the cinematography and script the movie keeps you on the edge of your seat to see how Pickman will treat his "gift". This movie is well written, acted, the director paints a vivid picture of possession and the cinematography brings it all alive. Well worth my while and would gladly go to see another Lovecraft project by this producer.

Barret Walz is stellar in his performance of Robert Pickman. Tom Lodewick is fantastic as Goodie Hines. Don't miss this well-(love)crafted film!

Pickman's Muse is quite an interesting film and one I highly recommend. Obviously, the director and producer Robert Cappelletto has deep roots and affinities tied to H.P. Lovecraft and his worthy adaption is very rewarding. Few films, including mainstream Hollywood, seem to fully immerse themselves in the basic mythos structure; rather they suggest the basic lore and package a standard action/adventure around it. "Hellboy" comes to mind here. However, this film does feel how a H.P. book/story reads. Isolation, madness, otherworldly Gods...and of course, insane asylums. Production quality is surprisingly excellent for an independent film and there are nice touches of detail in set design. Art direction is also solid and in particular, the editing is well received. Obviously Mr. Cappelletto had his hands into just about everything in the production. You can feel the consistency and there's no question it was authored by someone very passionate about their craft.

This adaptation of H.P. Lovecraft's short story "The Haunter of the Dark" is a visually striking and eerily effective blending of the author's elements, and one of the best HPL films I've seen. Eschewing splashy gore effects, it focuses on building an ominous mood and revealing the slow decay of the main character's mental state as he glimpses "worlds unknown" and grinds his way down into violent madness. Beautiful cinematography and economic storytelling balance the claustrophobic environments of the artist's studio and the expansive mysteries of the abandoned church, while suggesting a darker and more malevolent cosmos lurking just beyond this false-front reality.

Key to the movie is the twitchy, introverted and hypnotic performance of Barret Walz. His self-absorbed and socially awkward character could easily alienate the audience, but instead betrays glimpses of vulnerability, loss, and yearning that underlies his visionary drive and artistic obsessions. He's supported by the terrific and colorful turns of a cast of accomplished character actors, including the avuncular Maurice McNicholas, fragile Edy Cullen, and the seething menace of Tom Lodewyck as fellow mad-artist Goodie Hines.

This movie is also a remarkable achievement on a limited budget. Dir. Robert Cappelletto has wisely focused on good storytelling over splashy effects, while still crafting a top-notch look and feel. The insidiously creepy aural landscape digs even deeper, with great sound design and a moody and effective score. Clearly more influenced by the suggestive horror of Val Lewton than today's splatter-tropes, this is a movie for anyone looking for more substance to their scares. A real treat for fans of Lovecraft's writings, as well as anyone seeking atmospheric, old-style horror thrills.

As other reviewers have said, Lovecraft's work has taken quite a beating over the years. "Pickman's Muse" is so faithful to its source material. "The Haunter of the Dark" is one of my favorite Lovecraft stories and this movie builds briliantly off of it. There are some changes to the story but these ar far from detractors. It feels almost like a continuation of "Haunter" save for a few details. Fans of Lovecraft and of good psychological horror will enjoy this film. It deserves every award it got and then some.

"The Haunter of the Dark" is one of my two all-time favourite tales by H. P. Lovecraft, and I was overwhelmed when I saw this magnificent cinematic adaptation on the big screen at last year's H. P. Lovecraft Film Festival. The trailer may be seen at YouTube and there you can catch a glimpse of the power this film contains, especially the lead actor's brilliant performance and the interior/exterior shots of that haunted church! I look forward to seeing this DVD, and I'm very proud that they used a quote of mine on the back of the DVD box. As soon as I've watched the DVD I shall give a full review of it and the film here. Highly recommended!

UPDATE: Yesterday's post brought me the DVD of this amazing film, and although I can watch DVDs only on the small screen of my laptop, I was sucked into this powerful Lovecraftian film completely; indeed, the film so gets under your skin that to watch it alone, in your basement, with your headphones on, is a potently CREEPY feeling! The DVD is very attractive, and the only thing it lacks that I would have enjoyed is a behind-the-scenes segment shewing the making of the film and interviewing Robert Cappelletto, who is the poetic genius behind the production. Not only did he direct the film and write its screenplay, he also served as the film's editor, and editing is such an amazingly important aspect, indeed that's where a film often comes completely to life, finds its rhythm, &c. There are no accidents in this film, there is nothing extraneous -- it is a perfect whole, from the opening image of ghastly red paint dripping from a brush to the image of water dripping from a rag around a ceiling pipe to the final awesome image of unearthly black water dripping from a shard of broken glass. The other reviews have mentioned the power of Barret Walz's magnetic performance, which is realistic in every way. He is stunning, but he does not carry the film alone. Maurice McNicholas as Dr. Dexter gives a solid yet strange performance that is keeping with such Lovecraftian "old men" as Dr. Willet in "The Case of Charles Dexter Ward," Dr. Whipple in "The Shunned House," and Henry Armitage in "The Dunwich Horror." He is the sane man who has had a brush with cosmic horror and the madness that such horror can spawn, who finds himself once more caught into a web of nameless menace. As portrayed in this film, the Dr. is a rather ineffective adversary, yet the tragedy of his experience is revealed full-force with a performance that grows in tragic portrayal. One of the strongest scenes in the brilliant screenplay is the meeting between Robert Pickman and Goodie Hines (played with splendid lunacy by Tom Lodewick) -- one can feel the fusion of these souls whose sanity has been melted by their encounter with cosmic nightmare. The use of light and darkness in this film is brilliant. But most important, for me as an obsessed Lovecraft fan, is that the film is absolutely successful in conjuring the power of Lovecraft's original story, all the while being the director's unique interpretation of that story. One of the fine moments that caused me to gasp in eldritch Lovecraftian pleasure is the bit where a flock of birds are flying toward the Starry Wisdom steeple, only to suddenly divert its course and turn away from the haunted edifice. This is straight out of Lovecraft:

"He believed that a vague, singular aura of desolation hovered over the place, so that even pigeons and swallows shunned its smoky eaves. Around other towers and belfries his glass would reveal great flocks of birds, but here they never rested."

Also directly from Lovecraft is the spectral image of the church against the moving sky, as Lovecraft describes it, "...at sunset the great tower and tapering steeple loomed blackly against the flaming sky." The colour of that flaming sky is caught to perfection in this film, in a shade of orange-yellow that becomes one of the recurring visual motifs. This is contrasted, expertly, when the preternatural storm comes to the city, its black and tempest swirling around the steeple of Starry Wisdom, and then the daemon that issues from that steeple as a black cloud of sentient smoke. PICKMAN'S MUSE is, all in all, a perfect cinematic portrayal of that which rocks my world, that fabulous creature that we call "Lovecraftian horror." Ia!

I must admit I have reservations about buying Pickman's Muse at the 14.95 cost, even with the photo cover on Lovecraft oriented Unfilmable, but I must say I am happy I relented. Here it is. Robert Cappelletto's $5000.00 vision hammer rams into a nightmare that the master, HP Lovecraft, would have been proud of. No spoilers here, folks. Being a fan of low budget horror films made by non Hollywood hackers, considering the difficult task of camera work, actors, and effects, and adapting Lovecraft to the screen, Robert Cappelletto has done an excellent job with his resources.

The film has the classic Lovecraft touches: a tormented man haunted by his discovery of other world intelligences, an old, Gothic church, a mental ward patient who saw too much, the classic HPL ending, and an official investigative wrap that brings the story into horror focus. The tale is based on 'Haunter of the Dark" and "Pickman's Model that blends the two into a terrific whole. The camera work is excellent in capturing an atmosphere of wonder and dread, with the lighting a critical factor. The church scenes themselves are very nice- where he found such a ruin I could never guess. The acting is reasonable-nothing that fails noted. And the climax is better than I envisioned when I read the original "Haunter of the Dark" tale.

If Robert Cappelletto had a film budget and more money for production, he would be one of the greats of Lovecraft cinema. The DVD itself has deleted scenes, extended scenes, trailer and photo gallery, but no director commentary - shame! The product does so well in the packaging but fell flat with no commentary.

Fix it, Robert Cappelletto! Or put a commentary on the next one!

I've been a devotee of Lovecraft's work for decades, but have usually been disappointed by the movies linked to his works. Some recent selections from foreign and indy creators have impressed me as Pickman's Muse did. I suggest Call of Cthulhu(silent Version) and House of Black Wings. I look forward to the Whisperer in the Darkness 's release in DVD as well.The Call of Cthulhu: The Celebrated Story by H.P. LovecraftLovecraft: Fear of the Unknown

Pickman's Muse is a tremendously well done adaption of Lovecraft! the cimematography is excellent! Walz was terrific as Pickman and Maurice McNicholas as the doctor did a fantastic job. The film does justice to Lovecraft but does not bog down. It flows well and keeps you interested throughout to the climatic end!

I enjoyed the premiere very much!

Looking forward to further features by Cappelletto and company!