The H.P. Lovecraft Collection, Vol. 3: Out of Mind

Professor Miskatonic

at 6:21 pm

The third of four Lurker Lovecraft collections, this is by far the most satifying. Produced by the French Canadian Canada Bravo! Cable channel, the main feature, ‘Out of Mind: The Stories of H P Lovecraft’ benefits greatly from a stylistically European arthouse feel. Natural acting, long takes, effective yet unintrusive sound imbue the feature with a strangely dislocated, and highly appropriate, atmosphere. As the title suggests,however, this is far from a linear adaptation of a specific Lovecraft piece. Instead, we have a deceptively complex and serpentine narrative which references many of Lovecraft’s works ( the Necronmicon has a pivotal role, character names are drawn from Lovecraft stories ) and shifts continually in time and dimensions. Consequently, this is a demanding and challenging watch. Indeed, more than one viewing ( and the excellent essay in the companion booklet ) are recommended to fully follow the nuanced ‘space between space’ layering. Arguably the most notable aspect is the truly astonishing portrayal of Lovecraft by Christopher Heyerdahl, which has to be seen to be fully appreciated ( and believed ); it would not be an exaggeration to suggest that in the grainy monologue sequences you could be watching and listening to the man himself. There are disturbing moments; the design of the cosmic creature in the cellar, perhaps intentionally, tips it’s hat to John Carpenter’s magnificent ‘The Thing’, itself a strong Lovecraftian homage. Equally, there are moments of light playfulness, most notably a contemplative Lovecraft strolling in the forest trying to find the voice of Cthulhu, then attempting to write it down. The commentaries, surprisingly, are a touch erratic. Interesting anecdotes and informative production points are punctuated by protracted silences, strange given that the work was an obvious labour of love for writer / director Raymond Saint-Jean. Two of the shorts, ‘The Outsider’ and ‘My Necrinomicon’ are interesting film school pieces, but ‘The Music of Erich Zann’ is a terrific adaptation of one of Lovecraft’s most loved, and arguably unfilmable, short stories. The downside, however, is that it is difficult to see the point of entry ( or point full stop ) for non-enthusiasts or casual viewers. Without some background knowledge and reading much of the works in all of these collections could appear to be nebulous, impenetrable science fiction ( a term Lovecraft despised ) tosh. That said, it could well be the case that playing to the casual and mainstream audience does not concern the film makers behind these collections. The end results are all the more rewarding for that philosophy, of which the man himself would surely approve.
Rating: 4 / 5