The Shadow Over Draymen (Spoilers)
Hi,
I could not help but notice this film felt like a modern day re-imagining of H.P. Lovecraft's "The Shadow over Innsmouth".
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Shadow_over_Innsmouth
"...fell into such decline that it is no longer shown on maps. Although he is cautioned that Innsmouth(Draymen Estate) is avoided because of "race prejudice" against the townspeople, and that visitors sometimes disappear or go insane, he decides to stop there. He finds the inhabitants have a repulsive appearance and the whole town reeks of corruption, most houses are boarded up and apparently derelict.
The characters arrive by a bus driven by a strange local. They are on the way to meet a local who wants to tell them what's going on (Zadok?).
"finding a cult that practiced human sacrifice to placate immortal undersea creatures. The creatures made a pact with the sailors, who brought them back to Innsmouth to dwell on an offshore reef and be worshiped; in exchange the undersea creatures provided gold. The townsfolk revolted against making human sacrifices, but were defeated by the creatures following a nocturnal invasion. Surviving residents agreed to join the cult and keep its secrets. They were forced to intermarry with the creatures; the resulting children appeared human, but became undersea creatures in later life."
Auntie is like Obed Marsh. She(he) discovered that dead animals cultivated the crop and now sacrifices people to the weed..
Ok we dont have sea monsters but their worship of the the weed is almost like a cult, the way they force others to take it and join them.
Whilst the children are not going to become actual undersea monsters they are being groomed toward becoming monsters. Step 4 kill a human.
Staying overnight despite warnings, the young man flees from the hotel during an attempt on his life. He is pursued by inhuman-looking shapes, and he sees reinforcements swarming him. Confronted with the reality that they are a hybrid race, half-human and half an unknown marine creature, the narrator blacks out. Upon revival, he escapes and calls in authorities. They secretly destroy the town and torpedo the reef. Learning later that his own ancestry goes back to people in Innsmouth, the young man believes he is fated to become one of the undersea creatures.
The kids are summoned by inhuman howls and the students are swarmed. Ok no one torpedo the place although she does shoot someone in the head(A very small airborne torpedo :)). At the end she is fated to become one of them.
So while its not a play for play retelling and has some elements missing, it still bears an interesting resemblance. I certainly enjoyed the movie more for it. Am I giving the writer too much credit?
K
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