# H. P. Lovecraft fans -- Have you seen this movie? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 24, 2011, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/h-p-lovecraft-fans-have-you-seen-this-movie/575889 "2011-03-24T21:12:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![gytalf2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ac91a4/32.png) [@gytalf2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gytalf2000)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2011, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/h-p-lovecraft-fans-have-you-seen-this-movie/575889/1 "2011-03-24T21:12:54Z")
I just found out about this recent DVD, “The Last Lovecraft: Relic of Cthulhu”: > **[Amazon.com: The Last Lovecraft: Relic of Cthulhu : Kyle Davis, Devin McGinn:...](https://www.amazon.com/Last-Lovecraft-Relic-Cthulhu/dp/B004EI2NPO)** > > Product Description Jeff, a down on his luck office worker finds out he is the last living relative of horror novelist H.P. Lovecraft. What he doesn't know is that Lovecraft's monsters are real and will soon threaten the very existence of... If anybody on this board has seen it, please tell me what you thought of it! Thanks in advance for any info! ---
**Author:** ![detop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bcef8e/32.png) [@detop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/detop)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2011, 12:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/h-p-lovecraft-fans-have-you-seen-this-movie/575889/2 "2011-03-25T12:05:21Z")
Yea, I have it. Generally decent, the writer(s) obviously knew their Lovecraft (with a few modifications. Really, Cthulhu has a sidekick ?). Overall, it reminded me of the book _The Mall of Cthulhu_ ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2011, 12:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/h-p-lovecraft-fans-have-you-seen-this-movie/575889/3 "2011-03-25T12:22:44Z")
> [@](#): > > Really, Cthulhu has a sidekick ? Tell us more. Is it like Joe Pesci (“Scary? What do you mean scary? Do you find me horrible?”, etc.) or Elisha Cook Jr. (kinda like Jeffrey Combs’ part in the recent remake of _The Dunwich Horror_), or like Sammael in _Hellboy_? ---
**Author:** ![detop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bcef8e/32.png) [@detop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/detop)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2011, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/h-p-lovecraft-fans-have-you-seen-this-movie/575889/4 "2011-03-25T16:19:54Z")
Sorry, I’m presently at work. I will come back this evening with a fuller report. BTW, it is a comedy. ---
**Author:** ![detop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bcef8e/32.png) [@detop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/detop)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2011, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/h-p-lovecraft-fans-have-you-seen-this-movie/575889/5 "2011-03-26T14:09:57Z")
Once again, my apologies if I didn’t come back earlier (and sorry for the double post). Now, to the report. Although I like it, the movie has its weak points, I guess mostly budget related, but it is still a valiant effort and worthwhile a look see. About the Cthulhu sidekick (who goes by the name of Starspawn), my main beef with him is that he doesn’t act like a representative of the Elder Gods but more like a Mafia thug (but with tentacles). Like posted earlier, it is obviously written by someone knowledgeable with the Mythos, but it is dumbed down to attract a general audience (there is no sense of dread, of futility). Basically it is (Gasp ! Can I say it ?) the _Starship Troopers_ equivalent for hardcore Lovecraft fans. Don’t get me wrong, it is an interesting movie in its own right (with an hint of a sequel _At the Mountains of Madness_), but a faithful depiction of the Mythos it isn’t. Worth a rental, but don’t get your hopes to high. ---
**Author:** ![furryman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/furryman/32/99_2.png) [@furryman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furryman)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2011, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/h-p-lovecraft-fans-have-you-seen-this-movie/575889/6 "2011-03-26T17:56:21Z")
Is it funny? Or rather is it funny because they make fun of H. P. Lovecraft and his works or is it just a collection of horror comedy cliches? ---
**Author:** ![aldiboronti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc348/32.png) [@aldiboronti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aldiboronti)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2011, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/h-p-lovecraft-fans-have-you-seen-this-movie/575889/7 "2011-03-26T22:00:19Z")
Yes, I’ve seen it. It’s played for laughs and has none of that eldritch terror you associate with Lovecraft. They should have watched [Re-Animator](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0089885/) first, it would have taught them how to successfully inject humor into the tales without losing the horror. ---
**Author:** ![detop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bcef8e/32.png) [@detop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/detop)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2011, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/h-p-lovecraft-fans-have-you-seen-this-movie/575889/8 "2011-03-26T22:06:51Z")
> [@furryman](#): > > Is it funny? Or rather is it funny because they make fun of H. P. Lovecraft and his works or is it just a collection of horror comedy cliches? They don’t make fun of Lovecraft’s works, they use them as the setting for the movie, they show some respect to the Mythos, but like **aldiboronti** says, they could have used a better writer. But for a low-budget indie movie, it holds its own. ---
**Author:** ![gytalf2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ac91a4/32.png) [@gytalf2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gytalf2000)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2011, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/h-p-lovecraft-fans-have-you-seen-this-movie/575889/9 "2011-03-28T16:56:44Z")
> [@detop](#): > > Once again, my apologies if I didn’t come back earlier (and sorry for the double post). Now, to the report. Although I like it, the movie has its weak points, I guess mostly budget related, but it is still a valiant effort and worthwhile a look see. About the Cthulhu sidekick (who goes by the name of Starspawn), my main beef with him is that he doesn’t act like a representative of the Elder Gods but more like a Mafia thug (but with tentacles). > > Like posted earlier, it is obviously written by someone knowledgeable with the Mythos, but it is dumbed down to attract a general audience (there is no sense of dread, of futility). Basically it is (Gasp ! Can I say it ?) the _Starship Troopers_ equivalent for hardcore Lovecraft fans. Don’t get me wrong, it is an interesting movie in its own right (with an hint of a sequel _At the Mountains of Madness_), but a faithful depiction of the Mythos it isn’t. Worth a rental, but don’t get your hopes to high. Hey, thanks very much for the information. I am thinking that I will see this movie, eventually. It should be mildly entertaining!