MovieChat Forums > The Call of Cthulhu (2005) Discussion > Which HPL story would make a great movie...

Which HPL story would make a great movie, and who would direct it?


Whenever I read any of his stories, I always see vividly, how I would make a certain scene work in a movie. I'm talking like a big production, big budget, etc. And in TRUE Lovecraft style, unlike the majority of the movies based on his works, which are crappy, and mangled beyond recognition (the 2005 call of cthulhu movie being the exception of course!).

Which story do you think would work great on the big screen?

My top 5 would be:

-The Whisperer In Darkness
-The Call Of Cthulhu
-The Shadow Over Innsmouth
-At The Mountains Of Madness
-The Shadow Out Of Time

As director...Peter Jackson.

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I think David Cronenberg could make a fantastically creepy version of The Shadow Out of Time.

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I recently got done with The Case of Charles Dexter Ward, it would make such an awesome movie if done right.

One scene I can perfectly visualize in my head, is the part in the caves where Dr.Willett uncovers the the hole. It would be sooo creepy. The camera would probably be right behind Willett's shoulder, and hwne he leans over the light slowly goes down the brick, all the while you hear the jumping and moaning of the thing in the hole. And for one second, the light passes over the creature, Willett cries out and drops the light. Then there would be nothing but pitch black, and the sounds of Willett's screams/panting/crawling, and the various moans resonating from the holes.

It gives me chills just thinking of it.

~The multiplying villainies of nature do swarm upon him...~
*BatCave Member*

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Case Of C D W was made as "The Resurrected" with Chris Sarandon as Curwen/Ward the story was mauled as usual but some glimmers came through --the Lab with the Pit's was Ok although it didnt require the lady to be protected -alone is so much better also the body found by the river was good .

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Without going into the independent realm there really isn't a better HPL adoption than The Resurrected though. So I can't slag it and aside from it's Lovecraft hooks it's a solid film on it's own.

That being said I would really like to see another adaptation of The Case of CDW made in it's proper period and more faithful to the original work. But it is my favorite Lovecraft story so that adds to the bias I have for it.

But I'd also like to see a well done short for The Tomb. I've had a strange affection for the story ever since I've read it but a full length film would simply be too much. It's a great Lovecraft tale for those who haven't read it. I have a very deep impression of what it would be like to lay in front of those doors myself. Fantastic!

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There was also the Vincent Price version of CDW, The Haunted Palace. Lovecraft wasn't a household name then so the producers went with a Poe title.

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I'd have to agree with all of them... and "Dagon" and "The Outsider" (perhaps as a short film).

Interesting to note though... John Carpenter's The Thing. It was based on a story by John W. Campbell, called "Who Goes There?" That story in itself bears a considerable resemblance to "At the Mountains of Madness" (though with a few key differences, but enough that in seeing Carpenter's film, it has a Lovecraftian feel). Also, Carpenter's In the Mouth of Madness is a pastiche of Lovecraft (even the title is similar, and there is a reference in the film to "The Old Ones"), so... I think Carpenter could make a damn good "true" Lovecraft film if he really tried.

I also agree that Cronenberg would be a good choice. I think Carpenter and Cronenberg would be able to grasp the psychological aspects of Lovecraft's work and give them prominence.

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[deleted]

I think Peter Jackson would be perfect, possibly George Lucas

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For Lucas... don't forget that, with the exception of "Radioland Murders", it's been almost 20 years since he has done any work that didn't involve STAR WARS or Indiana Jones. I don't believe that he has ever done a horror film. (No, HOWARD THE DUCK and WILLOW don't count, no matter how frightening it is that they were released.)

As for Jackson... a possibility. There were aspects of KING KONG that could be glimpsed in Lovecraft's stories. (A boat travelling an exotic, hidden island. Primitive natives sacrificing to a mysterious giant creature.) As long as it doesn't descend into the kind of parody that BAD TASTE was.

Just one thing: for our sakes, PLEASE keep Uwe Boll from getting within a thousand miles of it!!!

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Why not Guillermo Del Toro? I seem to remember some rumors about him directing "At the Mountains of Madness" for Dreamworks but nothing ever really came from it and it never materialized.

If you look at his work with Pan's Labyrinth, Hellboy and The Devil's Backbone - I think he could really pull it off.

Maybe after Hellboy 2?

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What I don't really understand is how come Hollywood still hasn't in all the years, tried to make a proper HPL adaptation to the big screen.

He is hardly an unknown author, and some of his stories just scream "perfect movie material". Although, I still rather have no HPL movie than a crappy one, like some sort of a poorly done PC game adaptation.

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It could be because, in H.P. Lovecraft's stories, humanity seems to always come out the loser. It might be that, until recently, Hollywood did not have the technology to properly reproduce the contents of the stories. It could also be that Lovecraft's stories would not be considered right for Hollywood's preferred style of movies, given that many of hte stories ar eslow and take a long time to develop, as well as requiring a lot of exposition.

Of course, Lovecraft's lack of appeal in Hollywood may have something to do with his personal viewpoints about non-white races & cultures, being rather problematic in as politically correct environment as Hollywood. Don't forget that many of his stories had derogatory statements about non-whites, often depicting them as primitive and uncivilized. That's not something that would go over well with the Hollywood elite.

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primative is really only a lack of exposure to "civilisaion"- in many ways bushmen are better off than us primitive may nt be derogatory. Hollywoods made a few films that cast the "backwoods inbred types" in a bad light and that got through the censor- Delivrance , wrong turn , king kong [they were european type islanders i think]. More a falling backwards than primatives. I think the low budget slasher type productions of HPL's stories have besmerched the reputation more, although I've watched and got them all. :]

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Guillermo del Toro and David Lynch would make good ones.

You've got to follow your balloon!

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In general Lovecraft's style of writing doesn't suit film very well. He often wrote of horrors that were too great and awful to be fully comprehended by the human mind. That is hard to "show" rather than "tell" on screen.

Call of Cthulhu is an exception; it works as a film and it sticks close to the text. It is the only straight Lovecraft cinematic adaptation I have ever seen.
Don't get me wrong, I've seen a lot of Lovecraft movie adaptations, but they are almost always very loosely adapted from the original text.

I would love to see Guillermo del Toro direct an adaptation of "At The Mountains of Madness." I've read a glowing review of the script here http://www.latinoreview.com/scriptreview.php?id=43, but it still sounds like the screenwriters updated the old story to work better as a movie.
The link has a quick overview of the first act of the script.

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'At the Mountains of Madness' to be directed by Guillermo del Toro.

"Cthulhu fhtagn!"

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That would be absolutely awesome - I was going to put "At the Mountains of Madness" at #1 on my list... :D

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Toro sounds good.

Lynch? Jodorowsky?



Starry Vere, God bless you!

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Whisperer In Darkness is in pre-production from the guys at HPLHS.

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My choice for directors: Kubrick.....but since he's dead,

Ridley Scott (don't forget that he directed ALIEN, the only TRUE Lovecraftian film so far made)
David Lynch


ok two so far....can't think of anyone else yet.

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To anybody who is a fan of H.P Lovecraft. There is a new film been made that you might like the look of. It’s called Image of Madness, you can check out the website

hear: www.imageofmadness.co.uk

Or go on the films myspace: http://www.myspace.com/imageofmadness


It looks very cool

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Call me crazy, but, I think that the best idea would be to go with the team who's already accomplished part of the Mythos in the previously considered "could not be done" Call of Cthulhu. If they can accomplish all of this with less than $1500, imagine what they could accomplish with a budget a hundred times that ($150,000). So yeah, give them a REAL budget, and I think you could definitely see the Mythos come together in movies.

What movies would work the best, though? Well, that's hard to say...

The biggest problem with the shadow out of time is, unless there's a lot of description for the audience as it progresses, people won't know what's going on, because it'll seem like a guy who just acts weird, almost alien (hint hint).

You have to keep in mind that, stories that are composed of mostly narration are not going to work overly well, as there's simply not enough happening to encompass a story. Maybe the HPL society could pull it off, but, I don't think so.

The Shadow over Innsmouth, or At The Mountains of Madness would work absolutely brilliantly, however, as there is much more happening. I think a proper adaptation of Dagon might work as well.

As I say, keep the HPL Society in charge of the projects though. And as for Peter Jackson? He's already busy ruining the Halo movie(s), and besides; if you put him in charge, you're going to see a movie released, and then re-released seven times with about 10 minutes worth of changes between each release. Regardless, he's not a fan of the Mythos, so he wouldn't create something true to the Mythos.

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I do know who should NOT direct it: Stuart Gordon. I am tempted to offer a reward to the one who brings me his head on a silver plate... or in a bag, it's the same.

Anyway moving oon...

What I'd like to see on screen is:
The case of Charles Dexter Ward
The dreams in the witch house
The rats in the walls [hell yeah!!!!]
The name-less city [would be reeeaaaaally awesome]
and...
The quest for unknown Kadath

Maybe the last one would have to be in 2 or 3 parts.... but it would be aweeesome with a high budget.... just convice the producers that it'll be something like the lord of the rings or star wars or that kind of stuff.... That should loosen up that precious budget :D

David Lynch has made fantastic works before, but I don't if he would be into this kind of stories

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[deleted]

Dagon was NOT a good Innsmouth adaptation. Gordon's Dreams in the Witchhouse SUCKED. Stuart Gordon feels a need to sex and romance it up and that isn't HPL.

I'd like to see these filmed well:

The Shadow Over Innsmouth
Rats in the Walls
Dunwich Horror
Whisperer in the Dark

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If you're watching 'Fullscreen' DVDs, you aren't getting the whole picture.

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My 3 favourite directors would be (in no particular order):

Ridley Scott
Guillermo del Toro
Peter Jackson

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I know it wouldn't make a particularly LONG film, maybe just a featurette, but Rats in The Walls would make a good 'movie' as for the director, Ridley Scott or Del Toro for definate, or maybe J.J Abrahms he seems to have the whole mystery/scary thing going on pretty well

<Giant Kung-Fu Panda FTW>>

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Rats in the Walls can be the perfect Lovecraft film to put onscreen. cannabalism is a well-explored aspect of horror but seldom do we see the protagonist being the cannabal.

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