The Lovecraft List by Matt Jones
If you were thinking, 'Hmm, I really fancy watching something based on Lovecraft.'
Then this is the list for you. I've tried to amalgamate as many movies and TV shows based on or inspired by his writing as I can think of. If you know of any more hit me up and I'll add 'em. By the way, a lot of these movies are pretty lame or have a tiny budget, so if you watch 'em and think 'they suck' don't say I didn't warn you.
I haven't included any anime because Lovecraftian themes run quite prevalent in that particular genre. Urotsukidoji anyone? I might add them at some point but right now I'm only looking at the more western stuff.
Then this is the list for you. I've tried to amalgamate as many movies and TV shows based on or inspired by his writing as I can think of. If you know of any more hit me up and I'll add 'em. By the way, a lot of these movies are pretty lame or have a tiny budget, so if you watch 'em and think 'they suck' don't say I didn't warn you.
I haven't included any anime because Lovecraftian themes run quite prevalent in that particular genre. Urotsukidoji anyone? I might add them at some point but right now I'm only looking at the more western stuff.
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- DirectorChristian NybyHoward HawksStarsKenneth TobeyMargaret SheridanJames ArnessScientists and American Air Force officials fend off a bloodthirsty alien organism while at a remote arctic outpost.A B-Movie classic inspired by At the Mountains of Madness. While it may not be as good as the John Carpenter remake, it's worth a watch for sure.
- DirectorRoger CormanStarsVincent PriceDebra PagetLon Chaney Jr.Charles Dexter Ward arrives at a small village to visit the house he inherited from his ancestor who died there 100 years ago.This one's a little odd as it's billed as Edgar Allan Poe's The Haunted Palace. Now, there is a Poe poem (hehe) of the same name but the story is based on Lovecraft's The Case of Charles Dexter Ward. This is actually pretty good and ticks all the boxes of classic horror.
- DirectorRoger CormanStarsRay MillandDiana Van der VlisHarold J. StoneA Roger Corman tale of Dr. James Xavier's devastating experiments on himself and the unforeseen.
- DirectorDaniel HallerStarsBoris KarloffNick AdamsFreda JacksonA young man visits his fiancée's estate to discover that her wheelchair-bound scientist father has discovered a meteorite that emits mutating radiation rays that have turned the plants in his greenhouse to giants. When his own wife falls victim to this mysterious power, the old man takes it upon himself to destroy the glowing object with disastrous results.
- DirectorHarvey HartStarsLeslie NielsenPeter Mark RichmanJudi MeredithPolice call in occult expert to help solve series of murders.
- DirectorRoy Ward BakerStarsJames DonaldAndrew KeirBarbara ShelleyA mysterious artifact is unearthed in London, and famous scientist Bernard Quatermass is called in to divine its origins and explain its strange effects on people.This is a classic with loads of Lovecraftian ideas; Ancient aliens affecting human evolution and turning people mad. From what the plot looks like, Prometheus is kinda like a sequel of sorts. Unfortunately, the special effects totally suck.
- DirectorDavid GreeneStarsOliver ReedGig YoungCarol LynleyA series of horrific murders is traced to a creature that inhabits a very strange house.This is kinda so-so. It seems to be about a husband unintentionally torturing his much younger wife, making her re-live a terrifying childhood by forcing her back to the creepy house that she grew up in. Despite her protests and the warnings from the inexplicably rapey locals, he insists on bullying her into submission. It doesn't exactly bode well for a film when the good guy is a total dick. You'd think that having Oliver Reed in it might elevate it a little and it could have done if his accent wasn't some sort of weird American/Irish/English/Whateverish mess. It does, however, have a swinging '60s jazz odyssey of a soundtrack and quite frankly it's better than quite a few films on this list. There's a Straw Dogsyness to it which is interesting I guess as it predates that movie by about four years.
- DirectorVernon SewellStarsBoris KarloffChristopher LeeMark EdenRobert Manning visits the remote country house where his brother Peter was last seen. While his host seems outwardly friendly and his niece more demonstrably so, Robert detects a feeling of menace in the air.The '60s are fully swinging in this loose version of Dreams in the Witch House. It's kind of well stupid and not very scary, but it does star Christopher Lee and Boris Karloff which elevates it slightly I guess. Personally, I think the random guy in the speedos and antlers really makes it.
- DirectorDaniel HallerStarsSandra DeeDean StockwellEd BegleyWilbur Whateley travels to the Arkham Miskatonic University to borrow the legendary Necronomicon. But, little does anyone know, Whateley isn't quite human...
- DirectorPeter WeirStarsRichard ChamberlainOlivia HamnettDavid GulpililA Sydney lawyer defends five Aboriginal Persons in a ritualized taboo murder and in the process learns disturbing things about himself and premonitions.This is a quality movie from a master filmmaker. It's not a straight-up adaptation but there's a fair amount of Lovecraftian references and symbolism such as black goats, prophetic dreams, magic and secret cults.
- DirectorRidley ScottStarsSigourney WeaverTom SkerrittJohn HurtThe crew of a commercial spacecraft encounters a deadly lifeform after investigating a mysterious transmission of unknown origin.I don't think there's much questioning its Lovecraftian credentials. From Giger's design of the creature to grandiose questioning of mankind's place in the Universe, it pretty much has it all.
- DirectorJohn CarpenterStarsAdrienne BarbeauJamie Lee CurtisJanet LeighAn unearthly fog rolls into a small coastal town exactly 100 years after a ship mysteriously sank in its waters.OK, so Carpenter used zombie pirates instead of fish people but this has plenty in common with Lovecraftian themes. I think Arkham gets a mention too.
- DirectorLucio FulciStarsChristopher GeorgeCatriona MacCollCarlo De MejoA reporter and a psychic race to close the Gates of Hell after the suicide of a clergyman caused them to open, allowing the dead to rise from their graves.Some people like this, I didn't. Dunwich gets a name drop.
- DirectorBarbara PeetersJimmy T. MurakamiStarsDoug McClureAnn TurkelVic MorrowHumanoid sea creatures start killing a fishing town's residents, and raping their women. It's up to the townsfolk and a visiting biologist to fight back and fend them off.This is a proper turd. Exploitative, lacking in humour and featuring Doug McClure, there's not much to recommend. Its only saving grace is that the humanoids from the deep are actually mutant salmon people with giant brains. Of course, they only use their giant brains to growl a lot and generally scare people by waving their elongated arms about. Still, I've warned you.
- DirectorSam RaimiStarsBruce CampbellEllen SandweissRichard DeManincorFive friends travel to a cabin in the woods, where they unknowingly release flesh-possessing demons.One of my favourite movies, with plenty of Lovecraftian references scattered about. The exposition on the tape, the Necronomicon et al
- DirectorAndrzej ZulawskiStarsIsabelle AdjaniSam NeillMargit CarstensenA woman starts exhibiting increasingly disturbing behavior after asking her husband for a divorce. Suspicions of infidelity soon give way to something much more sinister.This is a pretty good movie, but the Lovecraft thing comes from the tentacle, mucus creature. Yeah.
- DirectorJohn CarpenterStarsKurt RussellWilford BrimleyKeith DavidA research team in Antarctica is hunted by a shape-shifting alien that assumes the appearance of its victims.Another film I love. Pretty much a follow on from At the Mountains of Madness.
- DirectorIvan ReitmanStarsBill MurrayDan AykroydSigourney WeaverThree parapsychologists forced out of their university funding set up shop as a unique ghost removal service in New York City, attracting frightened yet skeptical customers.Did you know some people on this planet haven't actually seen this. If you're one of those people rent it now. If you're not sold on the Lovecraftian themes check out the cartoon.
- DirectorStuart GordonStarsJeffrey CombsBruce AbbottBarbara CramptonAfter an odd new medical student arrives on campus, a dedicated local and his girlfriend become involved in bizarre experiments centering around the re-animation of dead tissue.Although it doesn't capture the tone of Lovecraft this movie's quite good fun. Essentially it's a big schlock fest, so if you like that sort of thing go for it.
- DirectorStuart GordonStarsJeffrey CombsBarbara CramptonTed SorelA group of scientists have developed the Resonator, a machine which allows whoever is within range to see beyond normal perceptible reality. But when the experiment succeeds, they are immediately attacked by terrible life forms.While it's by no means brilliant I quite like this film. Probably because Gordon manages to convey the Lovecraftian feeling quite well.
- DirectorDavid KeithStarsWil WheatonClaude AkinsMalcolm DanareWhen a meteorite lands near his family farm during a storm in Tennessee, the son of a struggling farmer believes it's connected to strange plague-like events afflicting the crops, the farm animals and even the family themselves.This has Wil Wheaton in it post Stand by Me. It's rubbish.
- DirectorSam RaimiStarsBruce CampbellSarah BerryDan HicksAsh Williams, the lone survivor of an earlier onslaught of flesh-possessing spirits, holes up in a cabin with a group of strangers while the demons continue their attack.See Evil Dead. Fantastic movie. I might prefer it to the original.
- DirectorJames CameronStarsSigourney WeaverMichael BiehnCarrie HennDecades after surviving the Nostromo incident, Ellen Ripley is sent out to re-establish contact with a terraforming colony but finds herself battling the Alien Queen and her offspring.See Alien. Another superb sequel. As a child, I think I liked this one best, but as an adult, I lean more towards the original.
- DirectorJohn CarpenterStarsDonald PleasenceLisa BlountJameson ParkerA group of graduate students and scientists uncover an ancient canister in an abandoned church, but when they open the container, they inadvertently unleash a strange liquid and an evil force on all humanity.Evil entity worshipping, loony cult. That's pretty Lovecraftian, right?
- DirectorRoger EvansStarsRed MitchellTracey HuffmanCharles L. TrotterThe sole survivor of a backwoods massacre investigates the incident with the help of a photographer and a police officer. Soon, it becomes clear that they're up against nothing less than an ancient god!
- DirectorJean-Paul OuelletteStarsCharles KlausmeyerMark Kinsey StephensonAlexandra DurrellCollege students check out a haunted house where in the 1800's an ugly monster called "the Unnamable" was trapped in a vault.I like this one. Not a great film but they got the Lovecraftian stuff about right. One of those late-night movies I saw when I was about 12 and it kind of stuck with me. Actually, an awful lot of the movies on this list are like that.
- DirectorDavid McCormickStarsMark LaCourTim VerkaikEddie MooreReporter Clint Harrison is sent to investigate a massacre at a Louisiana campground and finds that it may be linked to the Dansen clan an old local family thought to have died out years ago.This movie is as rotten as the colour out of space. Every aspect of it is awful. It looks like it was filmed a lot earlier than '89 too. This isn't exactly a bad thing, it's just I don't think it was actually made before '89. Basically, it seems dated for its release date. That's not what makes it so terrible though, it's more the script and the acting. God, I wish I could take back that hour and a half.
- DirectorBrian YuznaStarsBilly WarlockConcetta D'AgneseBen SlackAn ordinary teenage boy discovers his family is part of a gruesome orgy cult for the social elite.I really like this film. As far as Lovecraftian content, watch it and see what you think.
- DirectorIvan ReitmanStarsBill MurrayDan AykroydSigourney WeaverThe discovery of a massive river of ectoplasm and a resurgence of spectral activity allows the staff of Ghostbusters to revive the business.See Ghostbusters. This one might actually have more Lovecraftian themes than the first, but it's certainly an inferior film.
- DirectorBrian YuznaStarsJeffrey CombsBruce AbbottClaude Earl JonesDoctors Herbert West and Dan Cain discover the secret to creating human life and proceed to create a perfect woman from dead tissue.See Re-Animator.
- DirectorMartin CampbellStarsFred WardDavid WarnerJulianne MooreIn a fantastical 40's where magic is used by everyone, a hard-boiled detective investigates the theft of a mystical tome.This is another odd movie I saw years ago on late-night TV. I liked it then, I couldn't say if I'd like it now. Kind of a comedy, Lovecraft mash-up
- DirectorDan O'BannonStarsJohn TerryJane SibbettChris SarandonCharles Dexter Ward's wife enlists the help of a private detective to find out what her husband is up to in a remote cabin owned by his family for centuries.This isn't too bad as far as Lovecraft adaptations go. Inferior to The Haunted Palace but better than most. If anything it's worth watching for the early 90's fashion, mullet's and sleeveless tank tops....Yeah.
- DirectorSam RaimiStarsBruce CampbellEmbeth DavidtzMarcus GilbertWhen Ash Williams is accidentally transported to 1300 A.D., he must retrieve the Necronomicon and battle an army of the dead in order to return home.See Evil Dead. Hail to the King.
- DirectorDavid FincherStarsSigourney WeaverCharles S. DuttonCharles DanceReturning from LV-426, Ellen Ripley crash-lands on the maximum-security prison Fiorina 161, where she discovers that she has unwittingly brought along an unwelcome visitor.See Alien. Looks great, should have been better. This movie is uber-disappointing. Nonetheless, it's still superior to half the films on this list. The best way to watch this is the Director's Cut.
- DirectorJean-Paul OuelletteStarsMark Kinsey StephensonCharles KlausmeyerMaria FordA creature of demonic nature, too hideous to have a name, once again terrorizes the college kids that summoned it.See The Unnameable. Much turdlier than the original but it has John Rhys-Davis in it so I guess it was deliberate. Despite its crapness, it maintains a soft spot in my heart.
- DirectorChristophe GansShûsuke KanekoBrian YuznaStarsJeffrey CombsTony AzitoJuan FernándezLovecraft visualizes 3 stories in Necronomicon: The Drowned, The Cold and Whispers, about bringing a dead wife and child back to life, extending life and aliens.An anthology of films. I quite like them but would have liked to have seen each instalment as its own feature. Still, at least it's not Dark Heritage.
- DirectorMariano BainoStarsLouise SalterVenera SimmonsMariya KapnistA girl travels to an island, after the death of her father, to find out why the father funded a monestary on the island.This isn't a bad effort. It drags at times and the misery can be a little overwhelming, but the atmosphere is suitably unsettling. Probably because it was filmed in the Ukraine post-collapse of the USSR. It's pretty much Shadow Over Innsmouth but with creepy nuns.
- StarsJimmy SmitsMarg HelgenbergerJohn AshtonThe small town of Haven becomes a hot-bed of inventions all run by a strange green power device. The whole town is digging something up in the woods, and only an alcoholic poet can discover the secret of the Tommyknockers.A pretty good Stephen Kinger. Ancient aliens and a closed community going nuts distinguishes it as having some pretty Lovecraftian elements.
- DirectorJohn CarpenterStarsSam NeillJürgen ProchnowJulie CarmenAn insurance investigator begins discovering that the impact a horror writer's books have on his fans is more than inspirational.I love this film. While it's not a straight adaptation, it amalgamates various Lovecraftian themes, creating something that is arguably more Lovecraftian than anything else on this list.
- DirectorC. Courtney JoynerStarsJon FinchBlake AdamsAshley LaurenceThe town of Leffert's Corners has been plagued by unearthly beings for decades, and now there is only a few people left... what everyone is not aware of are the humanoid creatures lurking underneath the holy grounds.Essentially this is the movie equivalent of sharting. It's trying to be funny but with every quirk, there's a messy follow-through. Nevertheless, soiled pants aside, it has a decent genre cast, it's just a shame the shoddy script and poor direction give them very little to work with. It's not the worst film I've ever seen though, that would be The Quince Tree Sun, yeah not Dark Heritage if you can believe it.
- DirectorPaul SchraderStarsDennis HopperPenelope Ann MillerEric BogosianIn a twisted 1950's where everyone does magic, a private detective investigates a murder case without it.See Cast a Deadly Spell. I know you're thinking it can't be that bad, it has Dennis Hopper in it, but have you seen some of his career choices? Actually it's not the worst, just nothing special.
- DirectorStuart GordonStarsJeffrey CombsBarbara CramptonJonathan FullerA man travels to Italy with his family to live in the castle they have recently inherited. But he soon begins to suspect that they are not the only occupants.This isn't the worst film by any means but if you have a blind daughter would you honestly move to a castle? It just seems a little inappropriate. The weird thing about this movie was I couldn't figure out if the castle freak had a willie or not. Was his lack of junk the reason for his uncontrollable rage, or was it that no one wanted to make out with his slobbery, deformed mouth. Either way, the stalking of the visually impaired is always good for a creep-fest and Jeffrey Coombs is as solid as ever in it.
- DirectorClive BarkerStarsScott BakulaKevin J. O'ConnorJ. Trevor EdmondA private detective gets more than he bargains for when he encounters Philip Swan, a performer whose amazing illusions captivate the world, but they are not really what everyone thinks.I love the whole neo-noir angle to this. If you stick in loony cults you can't really escape Lovecraftian comparisons. This is a Clive Barker film and quite frankly I dig his vibe. It is actually tempting to put more Barker films on the list too, but I'm undecided as to how Lovecraftian they are.
- DirectorJean-Pierre JeunetStarsSigourney WeaverWinona RyderDominique PinonTwo centuries after her death, a powerful human/alien hybrid clone of Ellen Ripley aids a crew of space pirates in stopping the aliens from reaching Earth.See Alien. Looks smashing but is probably the worst of the alien movies. Features the same themes as its predecessors but with some added genetic manipulation.
- DirectorPeter SvatekStarsGillian FerrabeePascal GruselleRoy DupuisA man travels to an island with his girlfriend in search of his relatives, but he finds maybe more than what he wanted to know.Compared to Lurking Fear this is a masterpiece, unfortunately, compared to almost anything else it's pretty cruddy. It should have been better; scripted by Dan O'Bannon and starring Rutger Hauer it had a reasonable amount going for it and to be fair he who watched the stars fight on the shoulder of Orion was fine. What makes this a poor film isn't the ideas or the tone, it's that it's incredibly slow and lacks tension. Added to that are some of the least scary antagonists ever; two-foot-tall hermaphrodites, some of which are paraplegic. I mean come on, Willow's more intimidating.
- DirectorJesús Salvador TreviñoStarsBruce BoxleitnerClaudia ChristianMira FurlanThe crew of Babylon 5 discover an ancient artifact floating in hyperspace.By way of this list, this movie isn't too bad. It takes about halfway through until anything seems to happen but when it does it's ok for mid 90's TV. It has Lovecraftian elements for sure; Cross dimensional beings who cause people to go mad, but it doesn't really feature any horror. Still, if you fancy some intergalactic space battles go for it.
- DirectorJoe ChappelleStarsPeter O'TooleRose McGowanJoanna GoingIn the peaceful town of Snowfield, Colorado something evil has wiped out the community. And now, its up to a group of people to stop it, or at least get out of Snowfield alive.I really liked this movie. It has a strong cast and is suitably eerie. It's based on a book by Dean Koontz and is stuffed with Lovecraftian themes.
- DirectorBryan MooreStarsJack DonnerRon FordVera LockwoodRandolph Carter moves into a squalid boarding house in the summer of 1925 where he becomes friends with a mysterious doctor who revives him after a near-fatal heart attack. Soon after, Carter discovers the awful truth about the doctor and the fragile line that separates life and death. Featuring a stellar performance by Jack Donner as Dr. Muñoz, Cool Air remains a haunting reminder of the power of the human will.In terms of authenticity, this is a solid adaptation. The script and acting are actually superior to many of the other Lovecraftian offerings. The only criticism is that it drags a bit. However, for Lovecraft fans, this is worth a butchers.
- DirectorDamian HeffernanStarsPaul DouglasMelissa GeorgiouMalcolm MillerDan Upton is concerned about the influence of a young woman upon his friend Edward Derby. While a series of dismemberment killings in Arkham seems to be linked to a Cthulhu cult in nearby Innsmouth and Dunwich.
- DirectorStuart GordonStarsEzra GoddenFrancisco RabalRaquel MeroñoA boating accident runs a young man and woman ashore in a decrepit Spanish fishing town which they discover is in the grips of an ancient sea god and its monstrous half human offspring.A lot of people hate this movie, but I like it. It's not really Dagon, more Shadow Over Innsmouth, but so what? It's an aptly horrific and modern adaptation of a great story.
- DirectorBrian YuznaStarsJeffrey CombsTommy Dean MussetJason BarryAfter 13 years in prison, the mad scientist from Re-Animator (1985) gets a new chance to experiment with the arrival of a young prison doctor, who secretly hopes to learn to reanimate dead people. Good intentions turn to horror.See Re-Animator.
- DirectorEdward Martin IIIStarsToren AtkinsonRaymond BeckettJason Brooks"Three times Randolph Carter dreamed of the marvelous city, and three times was he snatched away while still he paused on the high terrace above it." Thus begins H. P. Lovecraft's epic tale of the courageous dreamer Randolph Carter and his search for the mystical sunset city by petitioning the gods of Kadath. During his journey, he travels deep into the world of dream, to the edge of the world, to the moon and back, and to the heights and depths of human and... inhuman experience.
- DirectorIvan ZucconStarsGiuseppe LorussoFederica QuaglieriEmanuele CermanBased on an H.P. Lovecraft tale, THE SHUNNED HOUSE is the story of Alex and his girlfriend, Rita, who enter a decaying inn to investigate a series of gruesome and unexplained murders from the distant past.I actually think this is pretty good. Haha, not really, it's a piece of crap.
- DirectorGuillermo del ToroStarsRon PerlmanDoug JonesSelma BlairA demon raised from infancy after being conjured by and rescued from the Nazis, grows up to become a defender against the forces of darkness.Not a bad movie. Plenty of Lovecraftian references going on.
- DirectorKenneth J. HallStarsMary WoronovJanet Tracy KeijserShawn SavageYoung girls are disappearing in and around the Mary Magdalen Halfway House for Troubled Girls. Desperate to find out what became of her sister, Larissa Morgan goes undercover to infiltrate the Catholic-run institution.Wow, this is truly an abominable discharge of a film. It pretty much plays out like Humanoids From the Deep's far more retarded and misogynistic cousin. I'd rather re-live the day my dog died than watch this spazathon again. Literally sub-par porn acting and an overall quality that makes Uwe Boll look like Spielberg.
- DirectorAndrew LemanStarsMatt FoyerJohn BolenRalph LucasWhile sorting the affairs of his late Uncle, a man accidentally stumbles across a series of dark secrets connected to an ancient horror waiting to be freed.Unsurprisingly, being distributed by the Lovecraft society this is an extremely authentic adaptation and it's really good. Preceding The Artist by about six years and arguably to better effect, it revives the silent movie technique, admirably. Watching this kinda gives a sense of steping back in time for a moment.
- DirectorEric MorgretStarsMelanie CalderwoodDoug CartwrightAngelica DiMicoSoon after his marriage to the beautiful but mysterious heiress Asenath Waite, poet and scholar Edward Derby exhibits alarming personality changes and mood swings. His graduate advisor, Dan Upton investigates.By the old ones, this is pretty low grade. The script and the acting couldn't be more embarrassing. It's not the worst film on this list, but it's close. I swear I made better films in college.
- DirectorRupert WainwrightStarsTom WellingMaggie GraceSelma BlairA thick mist full of vengeful spirits haunts a prosperous island town off the coast of Oregon, as its inhabitants try to learn their town's dark secret in order to stop it.See The Fog. This is just an inferior remake of the Carpenter film. Bollocks really. Although not as bollocks as Dark Heritage.
- DirectorAlbert PyunStarsMorgan WeisserCrystal Laws GreenJenny Dare PaulinCharlie Baxter, a struggling screenwriter, is searching for accommodation in a rundown mansion somewhere in the isolated mountains above Malibu. An expressionless and creatively bankrupt young man who rewrites exploitation sci-fi / horror scripts for a living, he takes a room in the mansion and learns of the mysterious doctor residing in the room above his own who dabbles in strange experiments. As he learns more about the circumstances of the doctor and the history of his landlady, her autistic daughter and the strange lodger across the hall, Baxter is inspired to write his long blocked "great American Screenplay". Working furiously, Baxter suffers a heart attack, and staggers up to see the doctor for treatment. He passes out immediately, but awakens a cured man. But at a terrible price. The Doctor, a strangely preserved woman named Shockner, persuades Baxter to stay until he recovers fully, and informs her "patient" of the medical condition that has forced her into a hermit's existence. Twenty years ago Shockner suffered a fatal disease. Her solution found in the occult and dark arts, preserved her life but at the cost. Slowly Baxter is drawn into a nightmarish world of insane experiments and murder. He knows something must be done to stop the evil that resides in the room at the top of the stairs.What this film lacks in cinematography and set design, it makes up for with a decent script. Not bad for an amateur flick.
- DirectorDan GildarkStarsJason CottleCasey CurranEthan AtkinsonA Seattle history professor, drawn back to his estranged family on the Oregon coast to execute his late mother's estate, is reaquainted with his best friend from childhood, with whom he has a long-awaited tryst. Caught in an accelerating series of events, he discovers aspects of his father's New Age cult which take on a dangerous and apocalyptic significance.This isn't a bad effort for the budget. If you don't expect great things then it's OK. It's Shadow Over Innsmouth.
- DirectorSerge RodnunskyStarsThomas CalabroAshley LaurenceShaun KurtzIn this classic retro horror thriller, Sam, an aspiring writer, takes a job as a clerk in an L.A. inner city grocery market owned by the sinister Dr. Munoz, a former scientist who claims to have a rare skin condition that forces him to live in sub-freezing temperatures. Meanwhile, Sam befriends an attractive neighborhood boutique owner Maria and becomes unwittingly entwined in a threatening love triangle when she reveals that ex-boyfriend Detective Defazio, who is investigating the recent disappearance of two local prostitutes, is stalking her. But it's what Sam doesn't know that might prove more fatal. A darker, diabolical secret lurks behind the freezer walls of his newfound employment. Sam is horrified when he discovers that Munoz died some time ago, but has kept himself alive through occult measures and the flesh that he harvests from his kidnapped victims. With Defazio off track in his investigation, Sam becomes captive in this house of horrors. Time is running out and he must escape to save his own hide - literally. Will he escape before the next fall of Munoz's razor-edged blades?Based on Cool Air, apparently, it won and was nominated for a bunch of indie awards. I don't know why. Although it's not as bad as Ashley Lawrence's other Lovecraftian outing, Lurking Fear, it's still pretty atrocious. Everything about it is poor. It's slow, the script is shocking, the acting's a joke, it's not scary and it's boring. I seem to have lost the will to live.
- DirectorFrank DarabontStarsThomas JaneMarcia Gay HardenLaurie HoldenA freak storm unleashes a species of bloodthirsty creatures on a small town, where a small band of citizens hole up in a supermarket and fight for their lives.This is one of my favourite Stephen King stories and it's one of the best movie adaptations. It is pretty much an expansion on Lovecraft.
- DirectorGuillermo del ToroStarsRon PerlmanSelma BlairDoug JonesA prince of the mythical world starts a rebellion against humanity in order to rule the Earth. Hellboy and his team must fight to stop him from locating the all-powerful Golden Army.See Hellboy. I prefer this to the first one.
- DirectorChuck PattonCurt GedaVinton HeuckStarsNika FuttermanKeith SzarabajkaJim CummingsA team of miners at an outpost in deep space unearth an ancient alien artefact. After the relic is brought aboard their spaceship, the USG Ishimura, for scientific study, an alien species begins to infect the members of the ship.I've not played the game but I enjoyed the animation. Loony cults, monoliths, transformation, lots of Lovecraftian elements.
- DirectorRyûhei KitamuraStarsVinnie JonesBradley CooperLeslie BibbA photographer's obsessive pursuit of dark subject matter leads him into the path of a serial killer who stalks late night commuters, ultimately butchering them in the most gruesome ways.This is one of my favourite Barker stories. It definitely has Lovecraftian elements. Although better than an awful lot on this list, I didn't really like Bradley Cooper in the lead, I'm not sure if it's the actor's fault or the writers, probably a combination of the two but I just didn't care for the character. Nevertheless, it has superior production values and it's a cool idea, I certainly wouldn't say don't watch it.
- DirectorRichard GriffinStarsLynn LowryJason McCormickJeff Dylan GrahamKenny Crawford arrives in Dunwich after hearing that his brother Andrew has been admitted to a psychiatric ward, and is suspected in a string of disappearances in the town. With the help of local reporter Marsha Calloway and the eccentric Upton Armitage he probes the last few weeks of his brother's life. As they do so, they uncover evidence of a plot in the works revolving around Andrew, his girlfriend Nikki Hartwell and her twisted friend Otto Bellinger.
- DirectorHenry SaineStarsKyle DavisDevin McGinnMatt BauerJeff is an ordinary guy that is stuck at a dead end job with a boring life, but when a strange old man gives him an Ancient relic and tells him that he is the last bloodline of H.P. Lovecraft, He and his friend Charlie embark on an adventure to protect the relic piece from falling into the hands of the Starspawn and his minions that wish to reunite the relic and release Cthulhu back into the world.A tiny budget but a lot of fun. As a fanboy, I really enjoyed this and kinda want them to make a sequel.
- DirectorLeigh ScottStarsSarah LievingGriff FurstDean StockwellA single mother delivers a monstrous baby boy, somehow connected to a dark prophecy involving the Black Brotherhood, a book called the Necronomicon, and a demonic portal.Crappy CGI, but not a bad effort. It was engaging despite its flaws. Note that Dean Stockwell stars in this, much like he starred in the 1970 version.
- DirectorRobert CappellettoStarsBarret WalzMaurice McNicholasTom LodewyckAn artist, Robert Pickman, becomes obsessed by visions of unworldly horror, revealed to him through an ancient artifact discovered in an abandoned church.A decent indie that uses a less is more approach to its advantage. Certainly a must for Lovecraft fans. Beware, some of the acting is a bit suspect, but given the clearly low budget, it's a solid effort.
- DirectorMatthijs van Heijningen Jr.StarsMary Elizabeth WinsteadJoel EdgertonUlrich ThomsenAt an Antarctica research site, the discovery of an alien craft leads to a confrontation between graduate student Kate Lloyd and scientist Dr. Sander Halvorson.See The Thing. Not awful but unnecessary. I think I still like the old-school effects more. They said they were going old school, but all I saw was a ton of CGI.
- DirectorSean BranneyStarsStephen BlackehartAutumn WendelP.J. KingBased on the H. P. Lovecraft story of the same name, a folklorist investigates reports of unusual creatures in Vermont only to uncover more than he bargained forTiny budget, but is a decent effort. Much like the '99 Cool Air and The Call of Cthulhu it's extremely authentic and makes for an impressive fan film. I'd watch this over a number of movies on this list any day.
- DirectorMike DisaStarsChristopher JudgeRicardo ChaviraGwendoline YeoFour survivors aboard the spaceship USG O'Bannon, the first responder ship sent to rescue the members of the USG Ishimura, try to recall the horrific events that wiped out their crew.See Dead Space.
- DirectorJoseph NanniStarsAdam Kenneth WilsonJacques Cowan is what the French call "a runner of the woods." He may be a foreigner in the new world but Jacques quickly learned the ways of the native people, their language, their routes, and their skills. But he didn't leave his life in another land for adventure, freedom, and wealth - he had much more in mind than trading pelts and cheating death. Jacques had listened intently to the stories that had crossed the ocean, extraordinary tales of mystical creatures and unknown forces. Black Goat finds Jacques mid hunt, as he closes in on what others thought was a legend. What he doesn't realize is that the legend is on a hunt of its own.This is really just an exploration into madness. Incoherent and nonsensical it's a difficult watch. It is however an extremely unsettling film.
- DirectorDrew GoddardStarsKristen ConnollyChris HemsworthAnna HutchisonFive college friends head out to a remote cabin for a getaway, but things don't go as planned when they start getting killed. They soon discover that there is more to the cabin than it seems.I can't say too much in case I give too much away, but you'll see what I mean.
- DirectorRidley ScottStarsNoomi RapaceLogan Marshall-GreenMichael FassbenderFollowing clues to the origin of mankind, a team finds a structure on a distant moon, but they soon realize they are not alone.Decent movie with a bit of a silly ending - see Alien.
- DirectorDon CoscarelliStarsChase WilliamsonRob MayesPaul GiamattiA new street drug that sends its users across time and dimensions has one drawback: some people return no longer human. Can two college drop-outs save humanity from this silent, otherworldly invasion?I really enjoyed this. Sure it drags in places, but its outrageous bizarreness outweighs the negatives. Anyways, alternative dimensions and monstrous gods are worth a watch.
- DirectorBrett PiperStarsTaylor Nicole AdamsBob DennisSteve DiasparraFollowing her recent divorce, a writer moves into a new home to begin penning her next book. Little does she know this house has some dark secrets. A giant rat visits her in the middle of the night and in her basement lies a pathway to another dimension. Haunting dreams soon begin in this loosely based retelling of H.P. Lovecraft's classic tale, "The Dreams in the Witch House."This is pretty embarrassing. In fact, from the moment we're introduced to what is clearly the filmmaker's parent's house, including a leather-clad, shaven-headed estate agent, sporting a van dyke that screams 'I was the bass player in the most pathetic 90's metal band you can imagine it's only gonna go downhill from there. There's absolutely no skill, love, or intelligence involved in the making of this movie, and although the budget is very low, even in relative terms it's rubbish.
- DirectorBlair EricksonStarsKatia WinterTed LevineMichael McMillianJournalist Anne Roland explores the disturbing links behind her friend's sudden disappearance, an ominous government research chemical, and a disturbing radio broadcast of unknown origin.This works as a textual intervention/sequel to From Beyond. It's a decent effort with some genuinely creepy moments and a decent performance from Ted Levine.
- DirectorAndrew g MorganStarsEdward Lewis FrenchZoë Simpson DeanJilly BondArkham Sanitarium is an anthology of three short stories faithfully adapted from the works of H.P. Lovecraft - each of the three stories is set in 1930s New England (specifically Providence, Rhode Island and the fictional town of Arkham, Massachusetts). The stories are connected by an original 'wraparound' story. In this story - set in the 1950s - Alice Crow investigates the strange stories surrounding the infamous Arkham Sanitarium.I wish I could have that time back. This is a film designed only for those into rape and truly desperate humour. It's just crap, why do I keep putting myself through these dreadful movies?
- DirectorRichard StanleyStarsNicolas CageJoely RichardsonMadeleine ArthurA secluded farm is struck by a strange meteorite which has apocalyptic consequences for the family living there and possibly the world.Excellent movie
- DirectorAlex GarlandStarsNatalie PortmanJennifer Jason LeighTessa ThompsonA biologist signs up for a dangerous, secret expedition into a mysterious zone where the laws of nature don't apply.
- DirectorXavier GensStarsRay StevensonDavid OakesAura GarridoA young man arrives at a remote island to take a post of weather observer only to find himself defending the watchtower from deadly creatures which live in the island shores.
- DirectorPaul W.S. AndersonStarsLaurence FishburneSam NeillKathleen QuinlanA rescue crew is tasked with investigating the mysterious reappearance of a spaceship that had been lost for seven years.
- DirectorJeremy GillespieSteven KostanskiStarsAaron PooleKenneth WelshEllen WongShortly after delivering a patient to an understaffed hospital, a police officer experiences strange and violent occurrences seemingly linked to a group of mysterious hooded figures.
- DirectorGareth EvansStarsDan StevensRichard ElfynPaul HigginsIn 1905, a drifter on a dangerous mission to rescue his kidnapped sister tangles with a sinister religious cult on an isolated island.
- DirectorRidley ScottStarsMichael FassbenderKatherine WaterstonBilly CrudupThe crew of a colony ship, bound for a remote planet, discover an uncharted paradise with a threat beyond their imagination, and must attempt a harrowing escape.
- DirectorMike FlanaganStarsKatie ParkerCourtney BellDave LevineA woman and her sister begin to link a mysterious tunnel to a series of disappearances, including that of her own husband.
- DirectorDavid BrucknerStarsRafe SpallArsher AliRobert James-CollierA group of old college friends reunite for a trip to a most dangerous country in Europe - Sweden, encountering a menacing presence there stalking them.
- DirectorWilliam EubankStarsKristen StewartVincent CasselMamoudou AthieA crew of oceanic researchers working for a deep sea drilling company try to get to safety after a mysterious earthquake devastates their deepwater research and drilling facility located at the bottom of the Mariana Trench.
- DirectorTate SteinsiekStarsClair CatherineJake HorowitzKika MagalhãesAn Albanian castle with bloodthirsty creatures is inherited by a young woman.
- DirectorStuart GordonStarsEzra GoddenCampbell LaneJay BrazeauA graduate student questions his sanity after he rents a room in an old boarding house which was the residence of a 17th-century witch, and he discovers that the evil forces still roam within the walls.Some people didn't like this series but I thought it was great. This is actually one of my favourite episodes and it runs pretty close to the source material.
- 1986–199130mTV-Y78.3 (146)TV EpisodeStarsArsenio HallMaurice LaMarcheLorenzo MusicThe Ghostbusters are fighting creatures in the sewers, chasing down cults and research comic books to succeed in the their mission - to recover the Necronomicon that gets stolen from the public library.I remember watching this at the time and thought it was great. Of course I was only 7.
- DirectorStan PhillipsWill MeugniotStarsDave CoulierBuster JonesMaurice LaMarcheThe Ghostbusters visit Russia to give a lecture about their work. They become the scapegoats for the theft of the precious Nameless Book, a link to awakening a great evil.
- DirectorButch LukicStarsMaria Canals-BarreraSusan EisenbergGeorge NewbernSolomon Grundy attacks a harbor. After the military has him contained, Aquaman arrives and steals Grundy. When the League finds out Aquaman is involved, they head to Dr. Fate to get some answers.Yeah, JLA do Cthulhu mythos. Actually alright.
- DirectorButch LukicStarsMaria Canals-BarreraSusan EisenbergGeorge NewbernFate and Aquaman wanted to sacrifice Grundy to prevent the return of a mystic being. The being has arrived; Aquaman leaves to protect Atlantis. Hawkgirl finds out the being had visited her homeworld long ago.
- 200644mTV-145.4 (809)TV EpisodeDirectorMark HaberStarsClaire ForlaniEion BaileyLinal HaftAn American couple in London gets lost in an abandoned part of the city where a terrifying Lovecraftian dimension seeps into our own.This is a contribution to the Cthulhu Mythos by Stephen King. It's no secret that Lovecraft is a massive influence on King and this plays as a homage from one master to another. Certain films on this list are superb but many are dreadful and although this may not be in a league with the likes of Alien or The Thing, it's actually a decent effort in amongst a lot of trash. Unfortunately, the setting's about as authentic as a Dick van Dyke CocKney accent and it's not very scary. Still, to see a production that's had more than a fiver spent on it kinda elevates it a little.
- DirectorJames StrongStarsDavid TennantBillie PiperDanny WebbWhen the Doctor and Rose become stranded on a planet orbiting a black hole, they find a human expedition crew and their servants, the Ood, being terrorised by the Devil.This is the first of a two-parter. It's pretty Lovecraftian; crazy mollusc people who worship giant cosmic gods. That's as Lovecrafty as your gonna get really.
- DirectorJames StrongStarsDavid TennantBillie PiperDanny WebbThe Doctor risks his life to investigate the pit and is forced to make a terrible decision, while Rose and the crew fend for their lives against the Legion of the Beast.See above. This is part two.
- DirectorTrey ParkerStarsTrey ParkerMatt StoneMona MarshallA new superhero named "Captain Hindsight" emerges to help with a new BP oil spill, and The Coon tries to make sure that he joins his union of superheroes.Awesome, need I say more.
- DirectorTrey ParkerStarsTrey ParkerMatt StoneMona MarshallMysterion assumes control of South Park's superhero alliance after The Coon is kicked out. Meanwhile, The Coon plots his plan for revenge by conspiring with the enemy, and where is Captain Hindsight when the world needs him?See above. This is part 2 of a trilogy.