In Search of Lovecraft (2008)

the audience applauded

People are voting emotionally.

Good films always raise compelling questions, whether the format is fiction or documentary fact.

It’s sentimental, ridiculously long and only occasionally funny

Rebecca Marsh (Renee Sweet) is a reporter assigned a Halloween fluff piece. She asks people about HP Lovecraft and ends up investigating a cult.Much of the movie is found footage. It was amateur, The script and acting was bad. In one scene the car is shaking. The people are rocking back and forth. The shaking stops and we can still see Rebecca's head moving back and forth. Amber (Denise Amrikhas) had the best lines and provided some humor to this drab film. Renee appears to have learned acting from watching Bambi Woods' films with her deer-in-the-headlight stare and inability to read lines. Take a pass.I am certain Lovecraft would be rolling over in his grave, if he is still there.Guide: F-word. No sex or nudity. No hot redhead that is on the cover either.

I've seen some fairly rough movies made from the characters and writings of H.P. Lovecraft. Never, until now, have I rooted for Nylarthotep. ***Spoiler*** When Amy gets sucked out of the car as the first of the major characters to go I felt relieved. Clearly, she was most deserving to be pulled out of the car. Later on in the movie I was hoping for other cast members to meet a similar fate. ****end spoiler****Here's why: Many moments of dialog are delivered as if by a high school drama understudy. Many of the lines of dialog are as if written by a junior high playwright. All Lovecraft movies have moments of exposition, if they didn't the audience would truly be lost. While they might have been effective in providing the background information they were recitations rather than acting. People talk to each other but not how these characters showed it. This movie is not without its good moments: ***Spoiler Alert*** The inter-dimensional hound coming through the door effect was first class. I liked the cockroach like things scurrying about its edges, it added a touch of this creature bringing its world to ours that is often missed in these films.****end spoiler****Sound quality throughout was quite good. The dialog was understandable and clear. It wasn't lost in background noise or mumbled.The score was constructed well. It was never out of place or intruding or obnoxious. It helped to reinforce the scenes without becoming the most noticeable aspect of them. During the titles at the beginning the score had a very Philip Glass feel to it. Lots of strings with a drive that built anticipation for what was to come.Because I enjoy Lovecraft and because I am tolerant of a wide variety of skills in movie making I watched this and enjoyed it to a point while sitting on my couch by myself. However, I have to say that about fifteen seconds after my wife sat down next to me to watch I was acutely embarrassed to have this on.I will not tell you "do not watch this". I will tell you that if you do watch it you are going to find it has some deficiencies that you are going to have to embrace to enjoy.

I have read everything ever written by Lovecraft including fragments and collaborations with other authors. It is sad that given the state of the art effects available today that no major studio can make a quality adaptation of any of Lovecraft's major works. Those that have been made thus far are either pure camp or pure crap. This film falls into the latter category. The acting is elementary school level because I have seen far better acting at high school productions. The plot borrows loosely from Lovecraft's "The Haunter of the Dark" by mentioning the tetrahedron stone and the Starry Wisdom Sect. Lovecraft's most important works always were set in New England with a few notable exceptions such as "The Horror At Red Hook". To film this story in San Francisco is to rob it of any chance of atmosphere. If you want to see a scary and suspenseful Lovecraft adaptation watch "The Dreams in The Witch House" which was an episode of "The Masters of Horror" television series. I believe it is available on Netflix for streaming. By the way, I gave this 2 stars instead of none because the Halloween interviews conducted by the reporter in the beginning of the film were somewhat amusing

The acting in this movie is so incredibly horrid you will squirm with pain in your seat while you attempt to watch this movie. The lead reporter was so unbelievable and so detached from everything that when her co-actors deliver their lines that she forgets to react until she has to say her lines. Although it is understood that the camera work is from a portable shoulder camera, there is almost no consistency. The script continues to stress that the cameraman is one of the best yet the shot is constantly zooming in and out and changing targets. This lack of focus leaves the viewer with zero ability to become attached to any of the actors. There are a few moments during flash backs that are fairly well played out but definitely not worth the effort. Please do no waste 98 minutes of your life.