100 years ago,H.P.Lovecraftcarved out a vein of terror so original and bountiful that his mythology permeates popular culture still. He’s a Poe, a Shelley, a Stoker; he’s a master of crafting devilishly interesting scary stories. His signature blend of religious fiction, science fiction, and fantasy with his acute sense for the unimaginably terrifying coalesce into a timeless concoction of nightmare fuel. Like many white men whose names have endured history, he’s also a deeply unpleasant racist punk who deliberately infused much of his writing with the toxin of his prejudice. Thankfully, modern visual artists are extracting the interesting from the ignorance to adapt and craft original, horrifying tales of eldritch horror.
Eldritch horror, cosmic doom horror, science fiction, whatever the actual genre specification, magic, monsters, and titans from other dimensions are hallmarks of Lovecraftian horror stories. The man created Cthulhu–a character so immense that simply stating his name implies paragraphs of information. Body horror and incoherent madness act as obstacles to casual observers of the genre, especially when realized with disgusting accuracy by some of Hollywood’s hottest VFX artists. For horror fans looking for more madness and carnage, here are 17 of the best Lovecraft adaptations or inspirations to hit the big screen.
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Annihilation
While technically based on a book byJeff VanderMeer,Annihilationsolidly blends the source material with ideas from H.P. Lovecraft’s short story,The Colour Out of Space. Heady and heavy,Alex Garland’s (Ex Machina) second official directorial feature–despite the open secret of his heavy involvement in bringingDreddto theaters–oozes emotion and oddity. Identity, change, and love are revolving thematics permeating through this disorienting sci-fi picture. The killer cast of leading ladies each feels distinct and damaged. The story followsNatalie Portman’s Lena on her quest into an expanding zone of unknown origin dubbed The Shimmer. Lena’s husband, Kane (Oscar Isaac) returned as the only person ever to traverse the bubbling rainbow wall, but he can’t recall a detail about his time beyond the shimmer. While that may not sound very Lovecraftian, the visuals, terrors, and final act should delight and discomfort science fiction and film fans alike.
Color Out of Space
From the narration in the opening to the final lines and frame,Color Out of Spaceis one of the purest distillations of Lovecraft’s devious world ever. SpectreVision,Richard Stanley– who was famously replaced as the director of the 90s adaptation ofThe Island of Dr.Moreau–andNicolas Cageteam up to deliver one of the most colorful and crazy horror movies in years. The film follows the Gardner family adjusting to life in the New England countryside when a fluorescent meteorite makes contact with their property. After the rock mysteriously vanishes, the Gardner family is thrust into a wild vortex of body horror and the unknown.Color Out of Spaceis over the top, no question. Nic Cage’s accents,Tommy Chongas a stoner squatter, and certain line deliveries contribute to a funky tone that creates the darkest comedy out of some truly disturbing moments.Color Out of Spaceis fun, far out, and f’d up. Unfortunately, Richard Stanley was accused of domestic abuse by his long-time working and romantic partner, and the co-writer ofColor Out of Space,Scarlett Amaris. Following a blog post detailing several incidents of abuse, SpectreVision terminated their working relationship with Stanley and pledged the future profits fromColor Out of Spaceto organizations that help victims of domestic abuse.
A Cure for Wellness
After a decade of crafting top-notch blockbusters,Gore Verbinski(The Ring) returned to horror with one of the most polarizing and striking horror movies of all time.A Cure for Wellnessis deliciously devilish. Every frame of this slow-burn looks executed to perfection, all ordained in a soft green hue. The dynamic beauty and horror of the images captured byBojan Bazelli–who Verbinski worked with on bothThe RingandThe Lone Ranger–are enhanced by the eerie set and setting. Underneath the crawling story of a young business executive searching for his CEO amongst of crowd of patients at a resort-style treatment center is a fantastical tale shrouded in mystery. Its neo-noir meetsThe Shiningwith just the right amount of Lovecraftian fantasy. And, of course, it’s Gore Verbinski; it’s painfully horrifying when it wants to be.
Daniel Isn’t Real
It feels like already saying too much just includingDaniel Isn’t Realon this list, but damn does it deserve it. This trippy, intimate, disturbing picture shouldn’t stay locked away any longer.Miles Robbins’ (Blockers) robust performance as the melancholic collegiate photographer Luke is complimented by his co-starPatrick Schwarzenegger’s confident and charismatic Daniel. The duo carries the spirit of this picture from the moment the two reconnect. The small but mighty supporting cast includesSasha Lane(Loki) andChukwudi Iwuji(Peacemaker), demonstrating how deep the talent pool goes behind this passion project fromAdam Egypt Mortimer(Archenemy). Expert lighting elevates the visual experience, enhanced by the rolling synth score composed by the man simply known asClark(Lisey’s Story). Fans ofJustin BensonandAaron Moorhead’s (The Endless) orAri Aster’s (Hereditary) films shouldn’t ignoreDaniel Isn’t Real.
The Empty Man
The Empty Manis refreshingly original. David Prior’s debut picture is creepy and commendable. The film’s vision is only limited by its resources, imaginably. The ambition of the story, the writing, and the presentation feels like a sophomore effort, at least. It’s clear Prior’s time on set as a documentarian with expert filmmakers likeDavid Fincher(Gone Girl),Paul Greengrass(Captain Philips), andMichael Bay(Pain and Gain) served as a learning experience. There’s some of Fincher’s photographic flair, some of Greengrass’ expressionistic camera work, but alas no massive Michael Bay-style explosions.The Empty Manis mystic and mind-bending. Rich lore rains down through conversation and demonstration. The movie balances its large cast of characters against its leading man,James Badge Dale(The Departed) well. Strong appearances byMarin Ireland(The Dark and the Wicked),Robert Aramayo(Nocturnal Animals), andStephen Root(Office Space) strengthen the supporting cast. While it could comfortably be called a slow burn, patient viewers are rewarded byThe Empty Man.
The Endless
Full disclaimer,The Endlessis somewhat of a sequel. Its predecessor,The Resolution, is an even smaller-scale story rife with its own mysteries and dread; it also introduces multiple characters who play a role inThe Endless.The Endlessstars its directors/writer/cinematographer as its leading men,Justin BensonandAaron Moorhead. Justin and Aaron are still adjusting to life outside of a cult that served as the only community the men ever knew. After receiving a tape recorded by their old commune, Aaron pushes Justin into returning to see if there is anyone left alive.The Endless, likeThe Empty Man, is limited by its resources. The themes, characters, and mythos at work are awesome. It’s no wonder they developed a pseudo third piece in their odd world starringAnthony Mackie(The Falcon and the Winter Soldier) titledSynchronic. For more Benson and Moorhead, check outMoon Knight, currently streaming on Disney+.
Event Horizon
Paul W.S.Andersonis a director whose works immediately spark debate. He’s repeatedly adapted popularvideo game franchisesand overseen massive movie projects to mixed reception. Buried early in his filmography, just two years afterMortal Kombat(1995), is a sci-fi horror film viewers won’t ever forget.Event Horizonbegins following the reappearance of a ship–the Event Horizon–seven years after it disappeared. A team of investigators includingLaurence FishburneandSam Neillis sent in to investigate the conditions of the silent, motionless vessel and its crew. The mysteries and terrors that await them hide beyond the precipice ofEvent Horizon. Like several movies on this list,Event Horizonknows how to balance wondrous horrors with the acute symptoms that accompany eldritch madness. It strikes a tone between exceptionally unsettling and infinitely interesting. The effects and production design–aside from some very early CGI–hold up well even 25 years later.
The Field Guide to Evil (The Palace of Horrors)
The Field Guide to Evilis an anthology horror film featuring shorts from filmmakers across the world. These artists developed or adapted their entries based on folk stories native to their nationalities. The film includes vignettes fromSeverin FialaandVeronika Franz(Goodnight Mommy,The Lodge),Can Evrenol(Baskin),Ashim Ahluwalia(Miss Lovely), and several others. Ahluwalia directed “The Palace of Horrors,” segment forThe Field Guide to Evil, which is set in the jungles of India. The featurette opens with text setting the location and tone: Based on a Bengali folk legend, over the summer of 1913, deep within the ancient Sunderbans jungles, veiled from the outside world lies a crumbling palace–home to strange rites and barely-human curiosities collected by a deranged king. It’s a short few minutes of mainlined Lovecraftian nightmare fuel complete with an Englishman narrating the events in the past tense. While the rest ofThe Field Guide to Evilresolves to varied effect,The Palace of Horrorsis as succinct and disturbing as any of them. It’s sure to delight Lovecraft loyalists the world over.
From Beyond
Stuart Gordon(Re-Animator) got to work with all his favorite people for this Lovecraft adaptation ofFrom Beyond. Written byBrian Yuzna(director,Society),Dennis Paoli, and Stuart Gordon himself,From Beyondis far-out. Gordon reteams withJeffrey Combswho plays the manic Crawford Tillinghast and his museBarbara Crampton–who recently killed it inJakob’s Wife. The story follows Tillinghast as he attempts to explain how his mentor, Dr. Edward Pretorius disappeared into an alternate plane of existence that exists unseen all around us.From Beyondis heavy on the science. It sifts some silliness and camp from the formula that madeRe-Animatorso enjoyable. It leaves behind the gore, science fiction, and sex–it was the ‘80s after all. Alongside SpectreVision’sColor Out of Space,From Beyondis one of the quintessential adaptations of Lovecraft’s source material. Both films utilize similar color palettes and depictions of eldritch abominations disgustingly realized by practical effects. They both feature over-the-top performances by fantastic casts trapped in a pressure cooker of madness and change.
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The Lighthouse
Mystery abounds inRobert Eggers' (The Witch) sophomore cabin fever feature. WhereThe Witch’s themes lived literally and metaphorically in each frame of the film,The Lighthouseis deliberately more obscure. Where does the film take place? How much time passes throughout the picture? What mysteries are revealed in the light atop The Lighthouse? Are the Mermaids real? Is it an interpretation of the ancient Greek myth of Prometheus? Is it eldritch horror? Only Eggers knows.Robert Pattinson(The Batman)andWillem Dafoe(Spider-Man:No Way Home) are the only two people with speaking lines in the film. They turned in two of the best performances of 2019 in this arthouse horror story. The two illuminate this stark black and white film from A24 with their banter, bickering, and their god-damned farts. There’s a thin sheet of comedy crackling behind the inky black facade of the film. It hides between the period-accurate dialect and unnerving tension built by the leading men. Just asThe Witchwasn’t the most accessible scary story of 2015,The Lighthouseisn’t without its obstacles for the average viewer. But those who engage the madness of this New England Folktale will find one of the best films in A24’s repertoire.
