My parents got me a copy of H.P. Lovecraft Goes to the Movies.
It's been fun reading it, even if I had read many of the stories previously. As I finish the stories, I'm taking advantage Nexflix and finding the movies. I just finished The Colour out of Space, and am watching the movie based off it, Die Monster, Die! as I type. May I simply say that the fastest way to kill a good, creeping horror story is to add a romance subplot. In the case it's more of a framing device, and while I haven't gotten far, I have a feeling it's also being used as way to get the audience's empathy. I'm not big into romance, I feel they take away from a story. In the original story, a man sent to aid in the building of a reservoir, upon seeing the blight no one dares talk about, and his human curiosity is what makes him want to learn more. And thus, the horrors are unveiled. It's simple, but it works. I feel like using a romance just...weakens it. It makes it more of a "Big, strong man, comes in to save the day, and save the poor little female", rather than a universal story. It becomes less about the daunting horror from beyond the stars, and more about if they make it out okay. Weaker story, weaker horror, and what little horror there is just relies on jump scares and dramatic music, as opposed to the slow daunting horror that builds with in the real tales of Lovecraft. I feel like this more of a continuation of the tale, rather than a rehashing, and there by wins big bonus points.Which...are instantly lost on account of the main, male protagonist being a blonde haired, New York accented American, come to visit his British (implied) girlfriend. And on the topic of her, she's so stereotypical, it hurts. There are sentient plants, mutated Muppet, and in the end RADIATION is what dun it.
I'm not asking for a perfect rehashing, but a slightly less....stereotyped story would be nice.
But, hey, it was the 60's.


Also: Thankskilling. Watch it. Now. Provided you're in the company of people who don't mind an evil turkey that swears a lot, and an opening with a half naked pilgrim.