The Lurker in the Lobby: A Guide to the Cinema of H. P. Lovecraft

By Andrew Migliore and John Strysik

The definitive guide to film and television influenced by the writings of H.P. Lovecraft. From Alien to Hellboy to Rough Magik it's all here. Coverage of feature films, television shows, independent... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1887797157
• ISBN13: 9781887797153
• Release Date: January 2000
• Publisher: Tynes Cowan Corp
• Length: 198 Pages
• Weight: 0.55 lbs.
• Dimensions: 10.8" x 0.5" x 8.5"

Customer Reviews

Enjoyable and witty

This is a light, crispy diversion for fans of Lovecraft and genre cinema, that asks the compelling question: "What in the name of Yog-Sothoth is a 'real' Lovecraft film adaptation?" It is sprinkled with droll witticisms that lovers of Lovecraft will relish. For example, of the silly-sounding eldritch lines spoken by Dean Stockwell's Wilber Whateley, in "The Dunwich Horror" (1970, which faithfully try but painfully fail to bring Lovecraft's written word to soundtrack life, the authors astutely observe: "Lovecraftian incantations like ygnaiih or thflthkh'ngha ... look more blasphemous than they sound." Or, their general reference to film versions of Lovecraft works as "these flickering blasphemies." The appreciation and love of HPL's works, and the intentions (if not always the results) of cinematists who have tried to honor them in film, come through in the pages of this book, endearing the attentive reader. The authors profess this is not a comprehensive work, so I cannot fault them for anything left out. Still, if not presumptuous, I would lobby (ahem) for inclusion of a film that deserves consideration in a work such as this, in a presumptive future, enlarged edition: "The Kindred" with Kim Hunter, Rod Steiger, and a starring cast of younger, lesser-known actors. It is chockful of Lovecraftian themes, moreso than many a work explicitly claiming Lovecraft as the source. On the whole, this is a good book, with plenty of photographs and illustrations. But alas, it is over too quickly, leaving one wanting more, but mainly as a tribute to its enjoyable style and concept.

Good guide to Lovecraftian films

This is a good guide to Lovecraftian films. Of course, there are films I would have left out and films I would have included, and I don't agree with their opinion on every film. Still, it's an interesting read and covers a wide selection, including shorts and TV shows.