The Call of Cthulhu (2005)

User Rating:

7.5/10   

Director:

Andrew Leman

Writers:

H.P. Lovecraft (short story)
Sean Branney (screenplay)

Genre:

Short | Horror | Thriller

Plot:

Plot Keywords:

Eye Patch | Secret Cult | Ship | Boat | H.P. Lovecraft

Cast

Ramón Allen Jr.	...	Louis
Leslie Baldwin	...	Greta Johansen
Daryl Ball	...	Officer Cassidy
John Bolen	...	The Listener
Aidan Branney	...	Swamp Boy
Sean Branney	...	Pub Man
Andra Carlson	...	Nurse
Mike Dalager	...	Guerrera (as Michael Dalager)
Erin Emmalee	...	Nancy
Chia Evers	...	Cultist
Matthew Q. Fahey	...	Briden
Chad Fifer	...	Henry Wilcox
Matt Foyer	...	The Man
Bruce Graham	...	Claude
Kirsten Hageleit	...	Cultist
Clarence Henry Hunt	...	Castro
Hannah Rose Jabaley	...	Swamp Girl
Ike E.Z. Jabaley	...	Swamp Baby
John Jabaley	...	Swamp Papa (as Ed Ruffin)
John Joly	...	Sgt. Bacon
J. David King	...	Cultist
Daniel Kirsner	...	Angstrom
John Klemantaski	...	Prof. Bell
Jennifer Knighton	...	Tilly
Chris Lackey	...	Parker
Andrew Leman	...	Unhelpful Bureaucrat
Carlos Linares	...	Hector
Ralph Lucas	...	Prof. George Gammell Angell
Richard Lucas	...	Thibidoux
Barry Lynch	...	Prof. Webb
Matthew Malcomson	...	Officer Langfield
Rebecca Marcotte	...	Swamp Widow
Jason McCune	...	Professor Quintana
David Mersault	...	Police Inspector John Raymond Legrasse
Dan Novy	...	Esquimaux Shaman / Cultist
Steven O'Connor	...	Tyler
Patrick O'Day	...	Johansen
Ryan Oliver	...	Cultist
Jason Owens	...	Prof. Quintana
David Pavao	...	Rodriguez
Jason Peterson	...	Officer Stanton
D. Grigsby Poland	...	Prof. Tutchton
Kalafatic Poole	...	Bartender
Vivica Prentice	...	Museum Clerk
Jonathan Putnam	...	Cultist
Ed Ruffin	...	Swamp Papa
Josh Thoemke	...	Hawkins
Aaron Vanek	...	Cultist
Noah Wagner	...	Captain Collins
Mona Weiss	...	Cultist
Erika Zucker	...	Swamp Mama
Susan Zucker	...	Landlady

Runtime:

USA:47 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | French | Spanish | Italian | German

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Silent

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

H.P. Lovecraft Historical Society (HPLHS), The

Trivia:

Named an official selection of the feature competition at the 2006 Slamdance Film Festival.

Goofs:

Factual errors: During the escape from the island by 2nd Mate Johansen and the other sailor (the only two surviving crew), Johansen is seen piloting the vessel, using throttles such as are only used on boats with a bell system, with the vessel responding immediately to the changes he makes in the wheelhouse. However, a bell system necessitates that another person manually throttle the engines from below decks, responding to chimes triggered by the throttles in the wheelhouse. Despite this, both survivors are seen in the wheelhouse at the same time during these changes, and it is indicated that only Johansen and (the corpse of) the other crew member were recovered from the ship.

Movie Connections:

Spoofed in LovecraCked! The Movie (2006)

One of the best Lovecraft adaptations ever committed to film

The story is classic Lovecraft, a man recounts how his discovery of secret knowledge has driven him over the edge and brought him close to death. Its the framework that Lovecraft used again and again to tell his stories of horror. Here the story is that of the cult of Cthulhu which he discovers upon the death of his Great Uncle, a man who was himself driven to the edge of madness and to death by the secrets he uncovered. Essentially a series of flashbacks and narratives this film builds a great deal of unease as bits of story and coincidence create an a narrative that has unpleasant implications. Its not the kind of think that will make you jump out of your seat, but it will make you want to turn the light back on.

Shot now (2005) but in the style of a 1926 silent film this movie manages to make what could be very silly seem very real and menacing. There is something about the black and white imagery that makes it all seem very possible. Many people have said the story was un-filmable because of its structure of multiple tales and because if not handled correctly the hysteria felt by some characters would just be silly, this film however has proved it can be done and in a very satisfying manner.

The film's flaws are mostly technical and except in one case minor. The film, which appears to have been shot on digital video for the most part looks good, though in sequence where fire is seen the film takes on an odd appearance. The films budget also has a some stark sets that seem more like a set than place. Still they are minor complaints. The one major complaint is Cthulhu himself, which is clearly a stop motion model. While its understandable that because of the nature of the beast this was probably the way to go (and probably close to how he might have looked in 1926 had he been put on screen back then), it still removes some degree of the horror that had been created prior to this point. Ultimately its a minor quibble because whats goes before and after makes up for it.

If you like classic horror and the writing of HP Lovecraft see this movie.(just remember its suppose to have been made in 1926, not now). 8 out of 10, one of the best Lovecraft films to get Lovecraft right.