Lovecraft, love him or hate him, there is no denying his impact on the horror genre has been massive. The creator of the Cthulhu mythos as well as dozens of short stories that have been printed time and again. This documentary looks at the man and his work from the perspective of those in the movie and writing industries, including Interviews with John Carpenter, Guillermo del Toro, Neil Gaiman, Stuart Gordon and others.
Most of Lovecraft's life was dogged by anxiety's, xenophobia, depression and awkwardness. This documentary doesn't try to embellish the man and make him into something that he isn't. It's a true and frank look at a very weird man with a special skill for writing stories that have inspired countless creative artists. It starts in Lovecraft's early years as a youngster and takes us through his life showing us the pitfalls he had to go though as a person and as a writer.
In honesty i don't think this docu will enlighten huge fans of Lovecraft but it is interesting to watch, even if for the opinions of those who are interviewed. John Carpenter, Guillermo del Toro, Stuart Gordon, these guys are some of the best horror directors going today and to hear their opinion on one of the true great writers who have inspired them is just priceless. It investigates and looks at some of his best works and offers opinions on what makes them special and pertinent to modern and past societies. It gets very psychological at times, but then i guess horror is a psychological business.
Ultimately, those who care nothing for Lovecraft are probably going to hate this documentary. It is at times slow and a bit drawn out. I also wish that they could have focused a bit more on the movies that have been produced from Lovecraft's writings, ie: From Beyond, Re-Animator, Dagon etc. It wasn't to be though.
So, anyone wanting to know a bit more about one of horror's best thinkers or even anyone looking to find a nice and somewhat intellectual way to spend an hour and half could do worse than checking this one out. I really quite liked it and i hope you do too.