Comments on: Necronomicon http://filmjournal.net/paulwjm/2007/09/14/necronomicon/ The Darkest Corner of the Web Tue, 02 Dec 2008 15:35:33 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=wordpress-mu-1.0 by: paulwjm http://filmjournal.net/paulwjm/2007/09/14/necronomicon/#comment-850 Mon, 17 Sep 2007 18:07:23 +0000 http://filmjournal.net/paulwjm/2007/09/14/necronomicon/#comment-850 Yes ...Madness was one of his best without much doubt, possibly my favourite. I saw it at the pics originally and liked it, I've since found it's one of those films that can work really well on repeat viewings and I've probably seen it around six times over the years now. You'll notice that the disc has the 4:3 P&S version on one side and the 2.35:1 version on the other - don't watch the former!!! Yes …Madness was one of his best without much doubt, possibly my favourite. I saw it at the pics originally and liked it, I’ve since found it’s one of those films that can work really well on repeat viewings and I’ve probably seen it around six times over the years now. You’ll notice that the disc has the 4:3 P&S version on one side and the 2.35:1 version on the other - don’t watch the former!!!

]]> by: Ian W http://filmjournal.net/paulwjm/2007/09/14/necronomicon/#comment-842 Sun, 16 Sep 2007 19:55:34 +0000 http://filmjournal.net/paulwjm/2007/09/14/necronomicon/#comment-842 Totally agree about In the Mouth of Madness, in fact it's another film I've recently ordered from the US. Not only is it the best Lovecraftian film, it's also the last really good Carpenter film and I'm looking forward to seeing it again. Totally agree about In the Mouth of Madness, in fact it’s another film I’ve recently ordered from the US. Not only is it the best Lovecraftian film, it’s also the last really good Carpenter film and I’m looking forward to seeing it again.

]]> by: paulwjm http://filmjournal.net/paulwjm/2007/09/14/necronomicon/#comment-841 Sun, 16 Sep 2007 18:54:48 +0000 http://filmjournal.net/paulwjm/2007/09/14/necronomicon/#comment-841 Thanks for your informative comments on the Necronomicon DVD situation. Stuart has indeed made Lovecraft adaptations something of a speciality. I only ever saw Castle Freak once but didn't particularly enjoy it at the time (will re-evaluate it at some point hopefully), however, like you I'll be picking up the new From Beyond disc very soon - looking forward to checking this out again (only ever saw it on n'th gen. video cassette). Yes I've got the two Unnameable films - I think the first one is okayish but the second is definitely barrel-scraping. They hardly tapped into the essence of Lovecraft did they! Don't know whether you've seen it but Carpenter's In The Mouth of Madness is possibly the best Lovecraftian film (despite not actually being based on the author's work) focusing as it does on indescribable monsters, non-existent realities, and madness. Thanks for your informative comments on the Necronomicon DVD situation. Stuart has indeed made Lovecraft adaptations something of a speciality. I only ever saw Castle Freak once but didn’t particularly enjoy it at the time (will re-evaluate it at some point hopefully), however, like you I’ll be picking up the new From Beyond disc very soon - looking forward to checking this out again (only ever saw it on n’th gen. video cassette).

Yes I’ve got the two Unnameable films - I think the first one is okayish but the second is definitely barrel-scraping. They hardly tapped into the essence of Lovecraft did they!

Don’t know whether you’ve seen it but Carpenter’s In The Mouth of Madness is possibly the best Lovecraftian film (despite not actually being based on the author’s work) focusing as it does on indescribable monsters, non-existent realities, and madness.

]]> by: Ian W http://filmjournal.net/paulwjm/2007/09/14/necronomicon/#comment-839 Sun, 16 Sep 2007 08:50:29 +0000 http://filmjournal.net/paulwjm/2007/09/14/necronomicon/#comment-839 An excellent review. This is a film I’ve wanted to see for some time being a big fan of both Christophe Gans and Jeffrey Combs but I hadn’t realised there was a French DVD available. In fact a bit of digging revealed that there has been a Japanese release (out of print now I think) and next month will see a German DVD release. The French disc features forced subs (but my player can get around them) but apart from that seems to be English friendly with even the audio commentary in English. I’ll probably wait for some reviews of the German disc before deciding on the French though. As for Lovecraft on film, Stuart Gordon is definitely the king. I’m surprised you didn’t mention From Beyond, his superb follow-up to Re-Animator (my DVD is on its way from DVD Pacific!) and there’s also Castle Freak and his Masters of Horror episode, Dreams in the Witch-House. But apart from Gordon no one has really been able to translate Lovecraft to film, no doubt for the reason you stated (have you seen the dreadful Unnameable?). An excellent review. This is a film I’ve wanted to see for some time being a big fan of both Christophe Gans and Jeffrey Combs but I hadn’t realised there was a French DVD available. In fact a bit of digging revealed that there has been a Japanese release (out of print now I think) and next month will see a German DVD release. The French disc features forced subs (but my player can get around them) but apart from that seems to be English friendly with even the audio commentary in English. I’ll probably wait for some reviews of the German disc before deciding on the French though.

As for Lovecraft on film, Stuart Gordon is definitely the king. I’m surprised you didn’t mention From Beyond, his superb follow-up to Re-Animator (my DVD is on its way from DVD Pacific!) and there’s also Castle Freak and his Masters of Horror episode, Dreams in the Witch-House. But apart from Gordon no one has really been able to translate Lovecraft to film, no doubt for the reason you stated (have you seen the dreadful Unnameable?).

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