The Call of Cthulhu

Title: The Call of Cthulhu
Director: Andrew Leman
Cast: Matt Foyer, David Mersault, Noah Wagner
Year: 2005
MPAA: Not Rated
Date of Review: January 23, 2006

I have not seen any other screen adaptations of H.P. Lovecraft stories, save for Re-Animator, which I saw so long ago that I remember very little aside from a scene with a head on a tray and some very bright green liquid. As far as I know, though, there have not been any good adaptations of his stories, and I can understand that, since his stories are all based on IDEAS. The terror in his stories does not come from the horrible monsters that lurk in the depths of the ocean, or the brilliantly constructed cities of ancient times. What is so frightening is his ability to convey an idea of knowledge. That knowing about what the universe is really about - and what part man plays - is enough to drive a man mad, or even to his death.

The short silent film, "The Call of Cthulhu", throws out all the conventional ideas about filming some kind of monster movie, and instead puts into practice a unique blend of modern and silent-era techniques to make something wholly original. Whether it works or not, I believe, is in the eye of the beholder.

I, for one, thought the dream-like scenery and surrealism of the black and white photography brought a dimension to the story that couldn't be achieved with entirely conventional filming techniques. The backdrops used for the ancient city of R'lyeh are made out of cardboard, with obvious influences from "The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari", and other gothic films of the German expressionist era. Meanwhile, other special effects techniques from the same time are used, such as waving blankets simulating the tides of an ocean, and an eerie climactic scene with a stop-motion monstrosity.

Perhaps the film's greatest attribute is how closely it followed the source material. There is a difference between taking creative liberties and butchering a story, and the line between those two seems to have blurred over the years, However, Andrew Leman - the director of the film - got spot on what worked in the story, what didn't work, and what would work on the screen.

While the film is a short 45 minutes long, it has more impact, eerieness, and thought provoking concepts to be compared with the best surreal psychological horrors of any era. This film is most definitely not for everyone. If you find that "hoaky" effects remove you from the story of a film, or are not all that interested in silent film at all, then this is probably not going to be one for you to rush out and see. A background of some Lovecraft literature would also benefit your viewing, as there are many instances of dialogue and imagery lifted straight out of his writings, and much of it would go by unnoticed to anyone unfamiliar with his literary works.

8/10