[Anticitizen One]

I have uploaded the 2 images that most of us probably think of when we think of Lovecraft. I am sure we have all owned some books that had part of these on the covers at one point in time: If some enterprising image manipulator wants, these images can be joined together and a banner can be made. I took the images from here: http://www.chrismclaren.com/blog/2005/10/06/lovecraft/ and as you can see there is some kind of watermark on them still. Sorry about that.

My book has these covers. Is there any particular stories/charecters/creatures that are referenced in these images?

[Combichristoffersen]

My book has these covers. Is there any particular stories/charecters/creatures that are referenced in these images?

Not really. In fact, I don't think those pictures have any relation to Lovecraft's creatures/stories at all, really.

[Fritz]

In that documentary posted in the OP, Del Toro is sitting in front of some monster replica. Is that possibly a design from Mountains of Madness?

[Manos: The Hans of Fate]

In that documentary posted in the OP, Del Toro is sitting in front of some monster replica. Is that possibly a design from Mountains of Madness?

It could just be fan design or something from a past project (Hellboy?). Odds are if you see it in a doc like this, then it's not going to turn up in a motion picture. I just hope his AtMoM is going to keep in mind it's not a monsterfest, but a tale of isolation and discovery.

[Hilbert]

My book has these covers. Is there any particular stories/charecters/creatures that are referenced in these images?

No it is more about the mood. And all the lovecraft books when I was younger had these covers and I used to study than for hours.

[LakeEarth]

I was thinking about how you could possibly make a movie out of "The Colour Out Of Space", I think what could work is making the movie in black and white but the colour comes out, Pleasentville style.

[Manos: The Hans of Fate]

No it is more about the mood. And all the lovecraft books when I was younger had these covers and I used to study than for hours.

Yeah, because if anything they really, to me seem generic. Interestingly enough Stuart Gordon in the doc I posted has a framed picture of it.

[Hilbert]

I was thinking about how you could possibly make a movie out of "The Colour Out Of Space", I think what could work is making the movie in black and white but the colour comes out, Pleasentville style.

There was a movie based on it. It had Wil Wheaton in it, I think it was called "The Curse". It was pretty bad.

[StoOgE]

I don't think you can really turn a Lovecraft book into a movie without completely missing the point.

It is about the first person narrative written by someone who was truly terrified of things they either saw, or in many cases simply heard 2nd hand.

For instance, Mountains of Madness isn't about a war between Cthulu and the great old ones at all, yet I fear the movie could easily go that way.

[TheKaeptain]

They are in public domain. Which means you can get them free online. There is a link in the OP.

[Aske]

From what I posted in the gaming thread I like how one author in the documentary Lovecraft: Fear of the Unknown put it. He felt that Lovecraft was essentially acting out in an adolescence way to the Red Hook section of Brooklyn and the diversity of it. I do think he believed his views, but I suspect they dissipated over time (from which there is evidence such as the German Jew story, of Lovecraft being horrified of her tales of how the Jews were treated in Germany). This event occured far later on in his life. One (unintentionally) humorous explanation is that Lovecraft was essentially trolling other people: I think it was most likely a mix of the two.

It's always interesting to me that Lovecraft discussions inevitably touch on his racism, when Robert E. Howard's is seldom mentioned. The original Conan stories are far, far, far more racist than anything Lovecraft ever penned.

Lovecraft = Fear of cultural degeneration/homogenization, miscegenation, and loss of Anglo-American identity; considered white people and western 'white' culture superior to black people and African American culture. Marked appreciation for Asian and Arabic cultures; married a Jewish woman despite casual anti-semitic opinions, and felt considerable distain for plenty of white ethnic groups outside his small sphere of preferred western nations.

Robert E. Howard = Negroes are cartoonish muscle-bound simpletons to be gazed upon in awe, like King Kong, or mocked mercilessly if they try to act like real people.

Seriously. Howard is one of my favourite authors, but his work is indefensibly racist. Profoundly racist. I-wouldn't-even-quote-it-to-prove-a-point racist.

The notion that Lovecraft was far more racist than most of his contemporaries is patently false. The man died in 1937. Rosa Parks was still sitting in the 'coloured' section of the bus when she was asked to give up her seat to a white passenger in 1955! Having read much of his correspondence (I own several volumes of his collected letters) it's clear that historical revisionism has played a part in this myth. So much of his private correspondence survives, and so much of it is so un-PC, that people want to put him in a special box: "Lovecraft was super racist - way more than my great grandparents, who had all started to figure that stuff out by then!". The fact is, in his letters, Lovecraft constantly argues, debates, and butts heads with his friends on a variety of topics. I don't recall a single incident during which he defended his racial attitudes in response to a disagreement; unlike his political opinions, or countless other branches of his personal philosophy.

Lovecraft's racism was not insidious or genocidal. It wasn't even hateful. It was just distressingly well-thought-out. It was based entirely in a fear of alien influences and people who he saw as encroaching on his proud Anglo-American nation. Most conservative, traditionally-minded white people believed themselves culturally and racially superior to all others - whether these others were black, Asian, or simply other white people from a 'less sophisticated' part of Europe!

As for Lovecraft's fiction, his most racist work is limited to two stories. The first of these is The Horror At Red Hook, written when he lived in New York, which lumps all the terrifying foreign ghetto elements into a single insidious cult of nefarious evil doers. It basically demonizes poverty stricken immigrant ruffians. It doesn't single out any specific group, and its racism is more a byproduct of the writer's intense xenophobia than anything else. The second of these stories is Arthur Jermyn, which isn't overtly racist - it can merely be interpreted allegorically (something Lovecraft did not intend - he loathed allegorical fiction), and focuses on a man who learns one of his ancestors mated with the queen of a tribe of white apes to father a degenerate line of tainted offspring. It displays a phobia of bigfoot more than a phobia of non-whites, though the African tribes mentioned incidentally are treated with a typical colonial attitude. Other stories are peppered with casually racist references (cat named 'Nigger-man', references to the Inuit as 'Esquimaux' etc.) but these are tactless faux pas typical of a pre-racially-conscientious culture rather than expressions of bigotry.

The difference between Lovecraft and Robert E. Howard might be that Lovecraft left behind a body of letters which have been carefully studied and catalogued, before being broken down and distilled into biographical form. These letters certainly display racist attitudes, the more shocking for being so well thought out. Where the man on the street may have felt blacks were inferior, Lovecraft took that feeling or cultural bias and dissected it in order to justify it as part of the tapestry of his worldview. As has been said, this attitude softened considerably as he aged.

As far as I recall, he was always a firm opponent of the Nazis, even before the war broke out. This rather surprised me, since he was always a supporter of Aryan racial theory and initially believed that utopia lay in an elitist government in which the wise ruled and the masses were grateful to be given direction. But his philosophy changed profoundly over the course of his life. In the 1930s, plenty of his contemporaries had no real issue with the Nazi agenda before the warmongering and atrocities became manifest, but Lovecraft always had a problem with the fascism; his own conservative politics softening to much more liberal, socialistic attitudes towards the end of his life. His classism gave way to empathy in the wake of the destruction wrought upon his beloved New England by the Wall Street Crash of 1929, and the resulting Great Depression.

Racial preferences weren't a primary motivator for his politics or belief system, they were merely a byproduct. Artistic experience and sensual pleasure were his bread and butter. All he really wanted was to be surrounded by like-minded Anglo-Americans who loved England and King George, and whose patronage would allow him to live his life free of financial worry or social upheaval.

[AkuMifune]

I recently re-read Herbert West: Reanimator. Good stuff. Need to see the movie again, it's been years.

Dagon was a cool movie too, otherwise a lot of the adaptations have been disappointing.

Also, Cthulhu lives!

The Bloop is the name given to an ultra-low frequency and extremely powerful underwater sound detected by the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in 1997. The source of the sound remains unknown. The location of the sound originated within 500 miles from the location of the fictional City of R'lyeh in the South Pacific, the coordinates for which were given in H.P. Lovecraft's short story The Call of Cthulhu thus coincidentally linking the sound to the sleeping Great Old One Cthulhu.

[notsol337]

There is a silent movie on netflix entitled "The Call of Cthulu" and it is incredibly well-made!

Give it a shot, Lovecraft-age.

[ridley182]

This is my favorite Lovecraft compilation by far, and I fully recommend it to anyone who wants to get into the Cthulhu mythos:

http://www.amazon.com/Best-H-P-Lovec...6250007&sr=8-1

It's missing a few of his best stories, but it is still a great introduction to his work, and it's just $11 :D

[GONz]

Long time since I've read a Lovecraft work. I remember my local library having these 3 huuuuuge books covering the Cthulhu mythos, unrelated works and the dream texts with analysis and similar works from Derleth. My mum had one of the funniest face when I came back from the library with something like 20 cm in thickness of books :lol

[Snaku]

Everyone who's even slightly interested in Lovecraft or Cthulhu owes it to themselves to see this film. The Call of Cthulhu is a very faithful adaptation of Lovecraft's story, presented as it would have been had it been produced in the golden age of silent cinema!

And the best part? You can stream it on Netflix!

GO GAF GO!

[Extollere]

Would book would you recommend to someone who has never read Lovecraft? Is there a main book for Cthulhu? Any essential reading?

[LakeEarth]

There was a movie based on it. It had Wil Wheaton in it, I think it was called "The Curse". It was pretty bad.

So they did the exact same story except the actual otherworldly colour part? Or did they just use light purple?

[ridley182]

Would book would you recommend to someone who has never read Lovecraft? Is there a main book for Cthulhu? Any essential reading?

This one:

http://www.amazon.com/Best-H-P-Lovec...6250007&sr=8-1

Trust me :D If you don't believe me take a look at the ratings and reviews by customers.

[Manos: The Hans of Fate]

It's always interesting to me that Lovecraft discussions inevitably touch on his racism, when Robert E. Howard's is seldom mentioned. The original Conan stories are far, far, far more racist than anything Lovecraft ever penned.

I think it may be due to Howard being a lot less read than Lovecraft, or at least lacking the scholarly following that Lovecraft has always had. Was the content toned down in some of the pastiches that were the only available versions for the longest time?

[Aske]

I think it may be due to Howard being a lot less read than Lovecraft, or at least lacking the scholarly following that Lovecraft has always had. Was the content toned down in some of the pastiches that were the only available versions for the longest time?

That might be it. I've only read the original Howard stories (discovered them right after they were re-released in their original versions) so perhaps the revised and rewritten versions that so many are familiar with were stripped of their racism. Certainly all the pastiche work by other writers will shy away from that aspect of the originals.

[Combichristoffersen]

I think it may be due to Howard being a lot less read than Lovecraft, or at least lacking the scholarly following that Lovecraft has always had.

I think that's the most likely explanation. Personally I've always considered Howard's Conan character to be far more known due to the movie and comic book adaptions than to Howard's original stories. Lovecraft has become a more or less household name, while Howard is still mainly known by those who are already Lovecraft fans, or those who are Conan fans.

[G.O.O.]

Everyone who's even slightly interested in Lovecraft or Cthulhu owes it to themselves to see this film. The Call of Cthulhu is a very faithful adaptation of Lovecraft's story, presented as it would have been had it been produced in the golden age of silent cinema! And the best part? You can stream it on Netflix! GO GAF GO!

This.

Also, In the mouth of madness is the best "normal" lovecraftian movie imo. Not because it tells a story he would have written, but because it's a wonderful and completely insane homage.

[J Tourettes]

This thread has reminded me that I still haven't finished all 3 omnibus editions that I bougth a few years back. Must get back to them soon.

[shuyin_]

There was a movie based on it. It had Wil Wheaton in it, I think it was called "The Curse". It was pretty bad.

That movie scared me as a kid :lol

There's also a direct-to-DVD 2010 movie (26th October) called Altitude, apparently inspired by Lovecraft. However, impressions seem pretty bad.

[Purkake4]

There is also the musical - A Shoggoth On The Roof.

[Manos: The Hans of Fate]

That might be it. I've only read the original Howard stories (discovered them right after they were re-released in their original versions) so perhaps the revised and rewritten versions that so many are familiar with were stripped of their racism. Certainly all the pastiche work by other writers will shy away from that aspect of the originals.

I think it's also that the racism wasn't as heavily present in the main Conan stories as some of the others.
http://www.rehupa.com/romeo_southern.htm

But yeah Howard was pretty damn racist.

[Hilbert]

So they did the exact same story except the actual otherworldly colour part? Or did they just use light purple?

Yea it was pretty much the exact story. It is hilariously bad, as the meteor crashes you can see that it is attached to a stick that is dragging it along. I don't remember any colors being used, perhaps that is why they changed the name to not mention any colors.

For the dedicated fan, you might be interested in listening to this interview with S.T. Joshi from the Point of Inquiry podcast.

http://www.pointofinquiry.org/st_jos...d_freethought/

It is a podcast about athiesm, but they do talk about H.P. Lovecraft's atheism, his philosophy, his racism and Joshi's other books about religion. It is pretty interesting.

I actually did not care for that black and white Cthulu movie. I thought it was pretty bad. Yea, it was an exact telling of the story, but the story is not made to be a movie. Exact translations of lovecrafts work have never really worked as a movie.

[John Dunbar]

On a lighter note, anyone read Neil Gaiman's I, Cthulhu? I found it to be rather funny.

[Kurtofan]

I love his work,scary stuff to read at night :D

[Az987]

Everyone who's even slightly interested in Lovecraft or Cthulhu owes it to themselves to see this film. The Call of Cthulhu is a very faithful adaptation of Lovecraft's story, presented as it would have been had it been produced in the golden age of silent cinema! And the best part? You can stream it on Netflix! GO GAF GO!

I own this on dvd. Its really cool

[Chorazin]

Robert E. Howard = Negroes are cartoonish muscle-bound simpletons to be gazed upon in awe, like King Kong, or mocked mercilessly if they try to act like real people. Seriously. Howard is one of my favourite authors, but his work is indefensibly racist. Profoundly racist. I-wouldn't-even-quote-it-to-prove-a-point racist.

Heh, I was actually going to post about Howard and racism, but you beat me to it and did a much better job.

Nothing like Conan beating up "ape-men" almost every other story. :lol

[Night_Trekker]

I know this is the OT (and I know there are going to be some who disagree with me), but if you like Lovecraft's writings and like video games, Eternal Darkness (GameCube) is about as good as it gets. Call of Cthulu: Dark Corners of the Earth might have the official license, but it's nowhere near as good. ED does Lovecraftian horror right.

There was a movie based on it. It had Wil Wheaton in it, I think it was called "The Curse". It was pretty bad.

Not to mention that Creepshow short starring Stephen King that was pretty obviously inspired by the story.

[afternoon delight]

If you're a film nerd, and you like Lovecraft, there's no reason not to watch Call of Cthulhu. That black and white rendition made me go apeshit. :lol

[Hilbert]

Not to mention that Creepshow short starring Stephen King that was pretty obviously inspired by the story.

I forgot about that one! Good call.
Has anyone seen these? http://www.amazon.com/H-P-Lovecraft-.../dp/B0015U0QNK
I haven't had a chance to yet.

edit: Hey it's on instant watch! I know what I am doing tonight!

[Imbarkus]

I know this is the OT (and I know there are going to be some who disagree with me), but if you like Lovecraft's writings and like video games, Eternal Darkness (GameCube) is about as good as it gets. Call of Cthulu: Dark Corners of the Earth might have the official license, but it's nowhere near as good. ED does Lovecraftian horror right.

THis thread as an OT was actually "spawned" after we got all literary in a thread started in the Gaming section to talk about Lovecraft Games, here:

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=409144

I did touch upon ED and DCotE, and was rightly schooled by the experts in all the titles I had missed, most significantly (and recently) is Amnesia: the Dark Descent, which I shall be downloading and trying tonight. So check that thread out for the gaming angle...

[Imbarkus]

Not to mention that Creepshow short starring Stephen King that was pretty obviously inspired by the story.

Ah, the lonesome death of Jordy Verrill (sp?), based on King's short story Weeds. Somewhat Lovecraftian. The Raft (from Creepshow 2) had some glints of Colour out of Space in it, though more so in the original short story than the movie.

Though if you want to read his true take on H.P.'s works you need to read Jerusalem's Lot, a short story you can find in Night Shift, I believe. Almost no relation to the vampire story 'Salem's Lot. Very much about unspoken eldritch horrors and a narrator who may or may not be stark raving mad...

[Cyan]

On a lighter note, anyone read Neil Gaiman's I, Cthulhu? I found it to be rather funny.

Read it before, but it definitely holds up on second reading. :)

[Hilbert]

Ah, the lonesome death of Jordy Verrill (sp?), based on King's short story Weeds. Somewhat Lovecraftian. The Raft (from Creepshow 2) had some glints of Colour out of Space in it, though more so in the original short story than the movie. Though if you want to read his true take on H.P.'s works you need to read Jerusalem's Lot, a short story you can find in Night Shift, I believe. Almost no relation to the vampire story 'Salem's Lot. Very much about unspoken eldritch horrors and a narrator who may or may not be stark raving mad...

Stephen King always has a lot of Lovecraftian influence. The Mist, and Pet Semetary come to mind. Needful Things has a blatent Lovecraftian homage at one point in the story.

[MrBelmontvedere]

on the Lovecraftian path, farther away from Stephen King and closer to actual legitimate literature, I would highly recommend Algernon Blackwood

he is mentioned in Lovecrafts essay "Supernatural Horror In Literature"

Less intense than Mr. Machen in delineating the extremes of stark fear, yet infinitely more closely wedded to the idea of an unreal world constantly pressing upon ours is the inspired and prolific Algernon Blackwood, amidst whose voluminous and uneven work may be found some of the finest spectral literature of this or any age. Of the quality of Mr. Blackwood's genius there can be no dispute; for no one has even approached the skill, seriousness, and minute fidelity with which he records the overtones of strangeness in ordinary things and experiences, or the preternatural insight with which he builds up detail by detail the complete sensations and perceptions leading from reality into supernormal life or vision. Without notable command of the poetic witchery of mere words, he is the one absolute and unquestioned master of weird atmosphere; and can evoke what amounts almost to a story from a simple fragment of humourless psychological description. Above all others he understands how fully some sensitive minds dwell forever on the borderland of dream, and how relatively slight is the distinction betwixt those images formed from actual objects and those excited by the play of the imagination.

there is nothing I could add that would have greater impact than Lovecrafts own recommendation. start with 'The Willows' and you won't be disappointed.

[Night_Trekker]

Though if you want to read his true take on H.P.'s works you need to read Jerusalem's Lot, a short story you can find in Night Shift, I believe. Almost no relation to the vampire story 'Salem's Lot. Very much about unspoken eldritch horrors and a narrator who may or may not be stark raving mad...

Sounds good. I'll check it out. Thanks! :D

[El_Victor]

I read some Lovecraft novels the last week, and he is (fucking) awesome. I especially liked Colour out of Space and Dunwhich Horror, and will read At the Mountain of Madness tonight. I thought he's work had aged horribly, but it's really enjoyable.

Started reading because of the Del Toro film that will come out; I am stoked.

[Purkake4]

If you love Lovecraftian stuff, be sure to check out the Laundry series by Charles Stross, starting with The Atrocity Archives.

[Cyan]

If you love Lovecraftian stuff, be sure to check out the Laundry series by Charles Stross, starting with The Atrocity Archives.

Yes! The Laundry is like Lovecraft mixed with Bond (mixed with Office Space). Love it.

[KingGondo]

I read some Lovecraft novels the last week, and he is (fucking) awesome. I especially liked Colour out of Space and Dunwhich Horror, and will read At the Mountain of Madness tonight. I thought he's work had aged horribly, but it's really enjoyable. Started reading because of the Del Toro film that will come out; I am stoked.

Colour Out of Space reminds me a lot of Stephen King's The Tommyknockers. Wouldn't be surprised if it was the direct inspiration, in fact. I remember that book being terrifying when I read it (I was probably 13), but I don't know if it still holds up.

Lovecraft is great, I'm gonna have to knock down a few more stories while I'm on Xmas break.

[Dyno]

That might be it. I've only read the original Howard stories (discovered them right after they were re-released in their original versions) so perhaps the revised and rewritten versions that so many are familiar with were stripped of their racism. Certainly all the pastiche work by other writers will shy away from that aspect of the originals.

Robert E. Howard was probably a rascist typical of the age (he grew up in and around Cross Plains, Texas.) While some of that may have entered his writing Conan himself, on multiple occassions, expressed his view that he didn't care what color a man's skin was, so long as that man was capable and decent. As well Conan was respectful to all of the woman he bedded, chivalric even, and he slept with woman of all nationalities through his adventures.

Lovecraft had his moments but his writing is quite leadened and he could obsess over architecture to the point of killing the flow of his own stories.

[ymmv]

Interesting thread. Bookmarked!

I read a number of short story collections by Lovecraft plus his short novel To the Mountains of Madness many years ago. Favorite story is probably Shadows over Innsmouth. Also read a collection RE Howard's Lovecraft pastiches.

The problem I have with many Cthulhu tales though is that many are regurgitating the same plot over and over again: a modern traveler comes to a remote town/house/lake/glade/etc, everything feels wrong, he wakes a hidden force of evil from its long slumber and loses his mind when he sees what should never be seen with human eyes.

I think I prefer the fantasy worlds created by Lord Dunsany or Clark Ashton Smith. I wonder why they never got the recognition RE Howard and HP Lovecraft received after their deaths.

[Cyan]

Lovecraft had his moments but his writing is quite leadened and he could obsess over architecture to the point of killing the flow of his own stories.

Only because it was non-Euclidean. Also eldritch.

[Trojita]

A game that was obviously influenced by Lovecraft was a Japanese PC game called Saya no Uta.

http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/SayaNoUta

It was translated into English.

After playing it I was sick in my stomach.

[besada]

I just bought the board game, Arkham Horror, for a friend. I played it a long time ago, but they clearly updated it. It looks great. My buddy is a huge Lovecraft fiend, and I generally get him something Lovecraftian every year. There's certainly no lack of merchandise.

Speaking of, anyone popped for one of these yet?