Day 42:The Call Of Cthulu

HP Lovecraft, while one of my favorite horror authors, is nearly impossible to capture onscreen. And, like all of his work, Call of Cthulu is no exception. The whole idea of the Elder Gods as evil deities is that to look upon them creates madness in the observer. Their features make no sense and don't conform to any known rational form of organization. Fortunately for director Andrew Leman, Cthulu is one of Lovecraft's creations that has been visualized and is now easily recognized by the tentacle filled face, bat wings and huge body.

The other boon to this production is that it was filmed like a 1920s silent film. Not only is that more fitting of the era when the stories were set, it allows a certain amount of leeway in terms of special effects. The animation in this case feels kind of South Parkian, not that it is cartoonish but rather that is seems to be cutouts moving in an animated way. Technical questions aside, this is a fairly faithful adaptation. One could do worse than be drawn into this web of obsession and danger focused around a cult that worships an ancient deity named Cthulu. Check it out, you may like it.