I've seen the HPLHS 'Whisperer in Darkness' [Spoilers]

[Lakasenna]

Sincere congratulations for this film everyone involved.

Prior to watching the film I re-read the tale and then sat back to watch.

The period-style of story telling is spot on - this is exactly what Universal would have done with this in my opinion (I collect the Universal films).

This is a very good cinematic rendition of a literary tale - the core of the story is retained while dramatic events are introduced. The "feel" is right (like the stars?).
In one way this is actually superior to the tale (hear me out) as it gives a reason why our "hero" visits Vermont with all the paraphenalia without looking like a complete idiot!
The fact we see the Mi-Go was a worry but actually is dealt with well and it they looked pretty convincing - particularly liked the organic/techno interface.
The pace is just about right - there are a couple of passages where the long pauses in dialogue show but pretty good on the whole.
Acting wise the cast seemed pretty "1930's" so if that was the intention it was very good.
I particularly like what has been done with the ending, it has a couple of twists that may surprise in quite a Lovecraftian way - no heroes here!

The love shines through on this and thanks to everyone for letting some of my nightmares be seen!

[AIEEE]

I'm pretty much on the same level as everyone else here about this. It was pretty fantastic.

One thing I've not seen anyone mention though, is the noise the Akely-Thing made. Between the laughter and the wet clicking sound whenever it moved his head, it was pretty much perfect.

[justadame]

A very good film !
I hope they cover other stories in the future.
Note to Self: Must save pennies for next film...........

[ash]

It arrived last week, through the post and my wife and I watched it last Saturday. It was fantastic. I don't usually like films that come out these days but I absolutely loved this one. It was really quite scary and to be honest I couldn't tell the backdrops and scenery were models at all. My wife dozed on and off throughout the film, which despite sounding rude is actually her bench mark for how good a film is. If she dozes it means she is relaxed and enjoying the film. She said the sound alone was spooky and unusual.
I actually enjoyed it more than the first Call of Cthulhu film and I'm going to wait until I have some good friends and a projector set up before I watch it again, very special, I'm going to savor it.
Well done HPLHS, your work just keeps getting better and better. Please keep it going.

[dredstar]

I have only one question, after receiving from Innsmouthouse this week, and watching once, so far:.....

Did the Cat survive, and where is it's credit? I think it's character name was Theodore.....

[Scarecrovv]

After a throughly impatient wait of a couple of years, I finally got my DVD copy of this and with great excitement, finally got to sit down and watch it. Sadly, coming out the other side, my overwhelming feeling is one of disappointment but I don't know why.

This feeling of dissapointment annoys the hell out of me because it's undeserved. One look at the 'making of' featurettes shows you that the people who made this film adore the source material and are very respectful of it. The production itself is top notch. From start to finish, it looks and feels and sounds like a genuine 1930's picture every bit as much as Call of Cthulhu looked like a genuine silent era movie. The lighting, the direction, the actors all feel the part. The miniature, makeup and CG work are all top-notch, especially for a low budget indie movie. The music is totally authentic and the acting is fine. It's all superb.

And yet...

I think what doesn't sit with me are the changes to the story. Even then, I understand why they were done and I agree with the reasoning and I'm not usually bothered by story changes for cinematic reasons (the Lord of the Rings movies don't bother me, neither does the graphic novel adaptation of Mountains of Madness) but it just didn't feel right. I don't think they needed to introduce Hannah. I understand why they did but I think it works just aswell without her. Also both hers and Wilmarth's demise left me feeling a little short-changed too. Allright, a happy ending would have been trite but they didn't need to die in order for it to be a downbeat ending. It all felt too pulpy with the biplane and the ritual to open the dimensional doorway.

Call of Cthulhu I can watch again and again and again. Whisperer I will watch again but not, I think as readily. None of this, however makes me any less excited to see what HPLHS do next (pleasebedunwichhorrorpleasebedunwichhorrorpleaseb edunwichhorror).

Crow

[Nadeshiko]

I held off offering my opinion because I feared that I'd be looking out my front window to see an angry crowd gathering...with the requisite pitchforks, torches, and axes. But I must reluctantly concur with Scarecrovv.

The production, the acting, the dialog, the modeling, and most of the script writing were all top notch. A brilliant success in those departments. The ending, though...

I think it was about 3/4 of the way through the film that things started to feel wrong, and I did indeed experience a considerable let-down when the credits rolled.

HPLHS did a wonderful job, and is certainly to be congratulated but, overburdened as it was with the changes to the plot and movement of the action, the story just kind of fell through at the end. Needless to say, HPLHS still has my full support, and I look forward to its future projects with great anticipation.

I should mention that I've watched and re-watched Call of Cthulhu and listened to every one of the "Dark Adventure Radio Theatre" presentations, and all of them have been spot-on.

And yes...I, too, worried about the cat.

'Desh

[ash]

Oh come on it was a great piece of film and classic 30's film noire mise en scene. Don't be so hard on them. Nevermind the story is different to the original book.
I had a great time watching it and it is a lot better than most of the pap that mainstream Hollywood drops on us from a great height these days.
I loved it. Give it another watch on a big TV with all the lights off next time and the volume cranked up, as the sound is what makes 50 percent of the picture.

[ash]

The ending made me laugh, I liked it. What Lovecraft ending doesn't fall through if we are honest. They are all pretty woolly if you think about it.

[Xipuloxx]

I think what doesn't sit with me are the changes to the story. Even then, I understand why they were done and I agree with the reasoning and I'm not usually bothered by story changes for cinematic reasons (the Lord of the Rings movies don't bother me, neither does the graphic novel adaptation of Mountains of Madness) but it just didn't feel right.

I think it was about 3/4 of the way through the film that things started to feel wrong, and I did indeed experience a considerable let-down when the credits rolled.

HPLHS did a wonderful job, and is certainly to be congratulated but, overburdened as it was with the changes to the plot and movement of the action, the story just kind of fell through at the end.

As I said back in April on this very thread:

Some purists may dislike the changes, feeling that the ending in particular is too far removed from the original story. But I felt that the gains far outweighed the losses, though of course someone who liked the original story more than I did might disagree.

I guess I was right!

Of course I understand where you're both coming from, but I have to say I greatly enjoyed the movie, and I preferred its ending to Lovecraft's (which has always seemed weak to me).

However, it's clear that the HPLHS are making these movies because they want to see good adaptations of Lovecraft out there. It seems a little churlish to complain that they're not completely true to Lovecraft when you consider how severe the changes usually made in a movie adaptation are.

Scarecrovv, you say the Lord of the Rings movies didn't bother you, but far more was changed in them, and some of it felt rather out of keeping with Tolkien to me (Legolas surfing down the stairs, anyone? Gimli being little more than a comedy beard?). And yet I enjoyed those movies too, even though I dislike some of the changes. I wonder if you'd like the movie better on a second viewing, to come to terms with the changes? I had to do that with all three LOTR movies because on first viewing they jarred too much with my memory of the books.

[Scarecrovv]

I certainly hope so. I desperately want to like it, if only because I feel the HPLHS deserve it. I will be watching it again tomorrow night with a friend (and fellow Lovecraftian) maybe it will feel less jarring on a second watch.

[Scarecrovv]

Well, we had a delightful evening of homebrew, popcorn and cosmic horror, namely a double bill of Whisperer in Darkness and De Farbe, and I have to say I enjoyed WiD a lot more on a second pass. It certainly felt much more even. De Farbe, however is definately the stronger film. Whilst Whisperer is more fun, DeFarbe is much more atmospheric and scary.

[Aklo]

Loved it! I hope they do more.

[Uryon]

I recieved Whisperer in Darkness in the mail this week. On the weekend I had 4 or 5 of my closest friends (and Lovecraft enthusiasts) around to watch the film. We all loved it. Bravo H.P. Lovecraft Society! Keep up the great work!

[justadame]

I liked the Black Pharaoh bit ! Just click around the Menu area thingy.......