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Remembering Stuart Gordon with 5 Essential Lovecraft Adaptations

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Stuart Gordon Lovecraft

Horror fans around the globe are mourning the loss of Stuart Gordon. A writer, director, and playwright, Gordon quietly and steadfastly walked to the beat of his own drum.

On Twitter this morning, Don Coscarelli (Phantasm) said:

From his earliest days in filmmaking, Gordon sought to master what so few have been able to successfully do in adapting the works of H.P. Lovecraft to the screen. The author’s work, filled with creatures whose mere presence can drive men mad, is strikingly visual and yet nearly impossible to fully realize on screen.

That did not stop Gordon, however. He loved these stories, and they deserved to be on film.

With that in mind, I thought it would be a good time to look at five of his more interesting adaptations of Lovecraft’s work. I will also include where to stream these films in case there are entries you’ve never seen before or if you’d like to revisit them.

Re-Animator (1985): Streaming on Shudder and Showtime; Available to Rent on Amazon, Google Play, and AppleTV

Let’s start at the beginning, shall we?

While Gordon had previously directed a made-for-TV film titled Bleacher Bums, Re-Animator–based on Lovecraft’s “Herbert West, Re-Animator”– was his first big screen venture.

The film starred Jeffrey Combs as Dr. Herbert West, a man obsessed with overcoming death, who goes to terrifying and sometimes hysterical lengths to prove his theories true. There are things in this film you have to see to believe, and it works so well thanks to Gordon’s direction and the complete commitment of Combs in the title role.

The film also starred horror legend Barbara Crampton (Body Double). Both she and Combs would work with Gordon many more times in the course of their careers. Gordon was used to working with a company of players in the theater and he brought that same idea to his film work.

From Beyond (1986): Streaming on PlutoTV; Available to rent on Vudu and Amazon.

Gordon, Combs, and Crampton reunited a year later for From Beyond, based on Lovecraft’s story by the same name.

Dr. Edward Pretorius (Ted Sorel) and Dr. Crawford Tillinghast (Combs) create a device called the Resonator whose sole purpose is to stimulate the pineal gland in order to open up the sixth sense. After a terrifying experiment with the device in which Pretorius loses his life, Tillinghast is sent to a mental institution and put under the care of Dr. Katherine McMichaels (Crampton).

Soon Tillinghast and McMichaels find themselves in a fight for survival with terrifying creatures that could mean not only their deaths, but the destruction of the world as we know it.

Castle Freak (1995): Streaming on Shudder and Tubi; Available to rent on AppleTV and Amazon

Combs and Crampton return in this tale as John and Susan Reilly, an American couple who, along with their blind daughter (Jessica Dollarhide), travel to Italy after inheriting a castle there. Unbeknownst to them, a deformed creature lurks in the castle’s depths and when it is accidentally set free, it begins to viciously murder locals leading the authorities to suspect John.

The film is loosely based on Lovecraft’s “The Outsiders” and came into being after Gordon saw a poster in Charles Band’s office. Band reportedly told Gordon he could develop the property so long as there was a castle and a freak in the story since they already had a poster made up for a film which did not yet exist.

Dagon (2001): Available to rent on Vudu, AppleTV, Amazon, and Google Play

I can’t tell you how much I love Dagon which is just as well because I can’t tell you why I love Dagon. All I can tell you is that it’s a guilty pleasure I have returned to time and again.

Based on Lovecraft’s “Dagon” and “The Shadow Over Innsmouth,” Dagon centers on a young businessman named Paul (Ezra Godden) who, along with his girlfriend, Barbara (Raquel Merono), is washed ashore in a strange village after a boating accident off the coast of Spain.

The couple are soon on the run for their lives as the village’s strange inhabitants emerge after sunset. I don’t want to give too much more away, but the film delivers one shock after another as Paul discovers the village’s history which leads to terrifying possibilities about his own future.

Masters of Horror: Dreams in the Witch House (2005): Streaming on Tubi, Vudu, Vidmark, and The Roku Channel; Available to rent on Fandango Now and Amazon

Stuart Gordon was a natural choice for Mick Garris when he began to assemble directors for the Masters of Horror television series, and for his first entry, the director returned to Lovecraft and Ezra Godden.

Based on Lovecraft’s story by the same name, Dreams in the Witch House finds Walter (Godden), a graduate student, renting a room in an old house to work on his thesis. He soon discovers, however, that the house is more sinister than it seems. An ancient entity lives there, and it is hell bent on forcing Walter to sacrifice a neighbor’s baby.

Gordon pulled out all the stops in this hour-long film. It will make you uneasy and queasy by the time the credits roll.

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New Poster Reveal For Nicolas Cage’s Survival Creature Feature ‘Arcadian’ [Trailer]

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Nicolas Cage Arcadian

In the latest cinematic venture featuring Nicolas Cage, Arcadian emerges as a compelling creature feature, teeming with suspense, horror, and emotional depth. RLJE Films has recently released a series of new images and a captivating poster, offering audiences a glimpse into the eerie and thrilling world of “Arcadian”. Scheduled to hit theaters on April 12, 2024, the film will later be available on Shudder and AMC+, ensuring a wide audience can experience its gripping narrative.

Arcadian Movie Trailer

The Motion Picture Association (MPA) has given this film an “R” rating for its “bloody images,” hinting at the visceral and intense experience awaiting viewers. The film draws inspiration from acclaimed horror benchmarks like “A Quiet Place,” weaving a post-apocalyptic tale of a father and his two sons navigating a desolate world. Following a catastrophic event that depopulates the planet, the family faces the dual challenge of surviving their dystopian environment and eluding mysterious nocturnal creatures.

Joining Nicolas Cage in this harrowing journey are Jaeden Martell, known for his role in “IT” (2017), Maxwell Jenkins from “Lost in Space,” and Sadie Soverall, featured in “Fate: The Winx Saga.” Directed by Ben Brewer (“The Trust”) and penned by Mike Nilon (“Braven”), “Arcadian” promises a unique blend of poignant storytelling and electrifying survival horror.

Maxwell Jenkins, Nicolas Cage, and Jaeden Martell 

Critics have already begun to praise “Arcadian” for its imaginative monster designs and exhilarating action sequences, with one review from Bloody Disgusting highlighting the film’s balance between emotional coming-of-age elements and heart-pounding horror. Despite sharing thematic elements with similar genre films, “Arcadian” sets itself apart through its creative approach and action-driven plot, promising a cinematic experience filled with mystery, suspense, and relentless thrills.

Arcadian Official Movie Poster

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‘Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey 3’ Is a Go with Enhanced Budget and New Characters

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Winnie the Pooh 3

Wow, they’re churning things out fast! The upcoming sequel “Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey 3” is officially moving forward, promising an expanded narrative with a larger budget and the introduction of beloved characters from A.A. Milne’s original tales. As confirmed by Variety, the third installment in the horror franchise will welcome Rabbit, the heffalumps, and the woozles into its dark and twisted narrative.

This sequel is a part of an ambitious cinematic universe that reimagines children’s stories as horror tales. Alongside “Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey” and its first sequel, the universe includes films such as “Peter Pan’s Neverland Nightmare”, “Bambi: The Reckoning,” and “Pinocchio Unstrung”. These movies are set to converge in the crossover event “Poohniverse: Monsters Assemble,” slated for a 2025 release.

Winnie the Pooh Poohniverse

The creation of these films was made possible when A.A. Milne’s 1926 children’s book “Winnie-the-Pooh” entered the public domain last year, allowing filmmakers to explore these cherished characters in unprecedented ways. Director Rhys Frake-Waterfield and producer Scott Jeffrey Chambers, of Jagged Edge Productions, have led the charge in this innovative endeavor.

The inclusion of Rabbit, heffalumps, and woozles in the upcoming sequel introduces a new layer to the franchise. In Milne’s original stories, heffalumps are imagined creatures resembling elephants, while woozles are known for their weasel-like characteristics and a penchant for stealing honey. Their roles in the narrative remain to be seen, but their addition promises to enrich the horror universe with deeper connections to the source material.

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How to Watch ‘Late Night with the Devil’ from Home: Dates and Platforms

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Late Night With The Devil

For fans eager to dive into one of this year’s most talked-about horror films from the comfort of their own home, “Late Night with the Devil” will be available for streaming exclusively on Shudder starting April 19, 2024. This announcement has been highly anticipated following the film’s successful theatrical release by IFC Films, which saw it earning rave reviews and a record-breaking opening weekend for the distributor.

“Late Night with the Devil” emerges as a standout horror film, captivating audiences and critics alike, with Stephen King himself offering high praise for the 1977-set film. Starring David Dastmalchian, the movie unfolds on Halloween night during a live late-night talk show broadcast that disastrously unleashes evil across the nation. This found footage-style film not only delivers scares but also authentically captures the aesthetic of the 1970s, drawing viewers into its nightmarish scenario.

David Dastmalchian in Late Night with the Devil

The film’s initial box office success, opening to $2.8 million in 1,034 theaters, underscores its wide appeal and marks the highest opening weekend for an IFC Films release. Critically acclaimed, “Late Night with the Devil” boasts a 96% positive rating on Rotten Tomatoes from 135 reviews, with the consensus praising it for rejuvenating the possession horror genre and showcasing David Dastmalchian’s exceptional performance.

Rotten Tomatoes score as of 3/28/2024

Simon Rother of iHorror.com encapsulates the film’s allure, emphasizing its immersive quality that transports viewers back to the 1970s, making them feel as if they are part of the eerie “Night Owls” Halloween broadcast. Rother lauds the film for its meticulously crafted script and the emotional and shocking journey it takes viewers on, stating, “This whole experience will have viewers of the Cairnes brothers’ film glued to their screen… The script, from beginning to end, is neatly sewn together with an ending that’ll have jaws on the floor.” You can read the full review here.

Rother further encourages audiences to watch the film, highlighting its multifaceted appeal: “Whenever it is made available to you, you must attempt to view the Cairnes Brothers’ latest project as it will make you laugh, it will creep you out, it will amaze you, and it might even strike an emotional cord.”

Set to stream on Shudder on April 19, 2024, “Late Night with the Devil” offers a compelling blend of horror, history, and heart. This film is not just a must-watch for horror aficionados but for anyone looking to be thoroughly entertained and moved by a cinematic experience that redefines the boundaries of its genre.

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