Lovecraft: Fear of the Unknown (2008)

Simply A Masterpiece

Highly Overrated But Still Good

Awesome Movie

I cannot think of one single thing that I would change about this film. The acting is incomparable, the directing deft, and the writing poignantly brilliant.

Unfortunately, if you've ever read anything about Lovecraft's life, this documentary will probably end up leaving you wanting something a bit more in depth. For one thing, the Wikipedia entry on Lovecraft is actually quite good. It covers everything that this documentary covers, and you get the benefit of seeing citations. The interviews aren't really all that great, but you do get to hear some interesting people talk about a subject that interests them. If you're watching this documentary, then you probably share that same interest.Unlike some other reviewers, I'm not sure that this is a good introduction to Lovecraft. The documentary assumes that you have at least passing familiarity with each story, though it usually does give a very brief synopsis. I would have preferred that they had either gone much more in depth, with actual literary criticism (they had S.T. Joshi there, after all) or done more of a beginner's introduction.In the end, I can't really recommend this for either beginners or fanatics. It occupies an awkward middle ground: those who have read the stories but don't really know much about Lovecraft. Thus, I recommend it mostly for the interviews. One of the interviewees is a complete ass, going on some rant about "islamofascism" in the middle of the documentary. I can't believe they left that in, yet they barely got any comments at all from John Carpenter. And this is right after going on about the Lovecraft's xenophobia and racism. Amazing.

This is a documentary about the bizarre fantasy writer, H.P. Lovecraft. It consists of narration and LOTS of interviews--some from such notable personalities as Gillermo del Toro, Neil Gaiman and John Carpenter. All of the folks being interviewed are writers, directors and the like--and they all are huge fans of Lovecraft. To me, this is actually a bit of a weakness, as instead of looking at him objectively, they looked at him as fans. Because of that, they tended to excuse or de-emphasize his many faults. When talking about his extreme xenophobia (he truly hated foreigners and 'inferior' peoples), they seemed to gloss over it--though even by early 20th century standards he was extreme. They also seemed to love him so much that they were reticent to discuss his mental health--which was CLEARLY very, very bad! I would have much preferred the approach that he was a great writer AND a terribly screwed up and nasty man. So, if you want a warts and all look at Lovecraft or an in-depth biography, keep looking--this is more a celebration of his work with some biography thrown in as well. Not bad but not exactly what I'd hoped it would have been.

"Lovecraft: Fear of the Unknown" is a nice documentary about author Howard Philips Lovecraft's life. And this particular documentary is a great introduction to the force behind some of the most influential horror writings in the 20th century.As an avid fan of Lovecraft's writing, and finding many of the films based on his work interesting as well, I sat down to watch this documentary and found it to be quite good. You were given bits and pieces of the author's past and history, bits and pieces which you may or may not already have been familiar with. But regardless, "Lovecraft: Fear of the Unknown" is a great introduction for new fans of his timeless works.The documentary has appearances by some of the more influential horror writers and movie directors of the 21st century, giving their input and adding to the story. Which I found to be a nice touch.Of course, "Lovecraft: Fear of the Unknown" is a piece that is intended for fans of H. P. Lovecraft, and if you sit down to watch this documentary without knowing what it is, you might be sorely disappointed, because this is not for everyone to enjoy."Lovecraft: Fear of the Unknown" also delves into the Cthulhu mythos to stir up enough interest for new audiences to spark a flame of interest. And for us well-read fans, the documentary does bring about some interesting facts.As a fan of Lovecraft, I found "Lovecraft: Fear of the Unknown" to be a good supplement to the books on my bookshelves. And if you enjoy Lovecraft's works, then watch this documentary. And if you are a fledgling fan in the works, then "Lovecraft: Fear of the Unknown" is a good introduction to the fabulous works of one of the greatest authors in the horror genre.

It was interesting to see, at long last, a documentary about the reclusive "gentleman from Rhode Island" (as Robert E. Howard referred to him). For fans of fright fiction, there aren't a whole lot of writers whose work can hold a candle to that of Lovecraft (for my money, there are only a handful: Robert E. Howard himself, Edgar Allen Poe, Richard Matheson, Harlan Ellison, Charles Beaumont, and Shirley Jackson). Some of my own earliest stories were inspired by Lovecraft and, although I now own two Lovecraft biographies, this is the very first time I've ever seen a documentary (courtesy of The Chiller Channel) about the man. Long overdue, to say the least. The comments made by the frightmeisters herein are all surprisingly well-informed (especially those by director Del Toro, whose movies THE DEVIL'S BACKBONE and PAN'S LABYRINTH are themselves stellar examples of the kind of horror(s) Lovecraft often unearthed). A must-see for anyone interested in one of the pioneering True Greats.