"The Call of Cthulhu" by the H.P. Lovecraft Historical Society was an absolutely sublime film. Making it a black-and-white silent film to appear as though it were made in the '20s-'30s was a stroke of genius, and the film stays very close to the source material without being boring. So when it was announced that they were doing a follow-up film, adapting Lovecraft "The Whisperer in Darkness," I was beside myself with joy to the point of being giddy.
Unfortunately, "The Whisperer in Darkness" fails to live up to the high water mark left by "The Call of Cthulhu." Instead of a silent film, this one is done more in the style of a '50s black-and-white horror film. While I don't take issue with the style they chose, they still make some very odd choices that left me feeling a little cold and at times saying, "Huh?"
So, where does the problem arise? I started to wonder if I remembered the original story correctly. Then realized that I had. They not only make adjustments to the story, but treat the story as only acts one and two, creating a completely original third act. While I understand the adaptation aspect of movies and am more tolerant than many seem to be because I understand that a direct one-to-one translation of most literary works to the screen would, well, suck, the change in tone in the third act is enough to give the audience whiplash. The final act goes straight into traditional horror and action that seems like something more out of the Call of Cthulhu RPG as opposed to the slow-burning weird fiction of the unknowable that Lovecraft is most well known for.
This leaves us with one of the most inconsistent movies I've seen in recent memory. The tonal change is so drastic that it's clear the different parts of the film were written in two completely disparate time periods. As such, this film is kind of a let down after "The Call of Cthulhu." I strongly recommend seeing that one over "The Whisperer in Darkness" and only recommend this one for hardcore Lovecraft fans.
Some of the acting falls far short, but all in all it was a good adaptation and a decent film. Definitely one to watch for die-hard Lovecraft fans.
Thoroughly well done Lovecraft tale. Highly enjoyable. HPLHS and Mythoscope did it again!
Shout by Carlos TeranBlockedParent2015-06-02T05:55:25Z
Excellent film, better in overall quality than "The Call Of Cthulhu" (practice makes perfect). The acting in TWID falls within what's expected from a period movie (with a few high and lows), and I'm glad that Matt Foyer was able to hold the whole film together with his performance, and that the rest of the cast had some delightful surprises, like Autumn Wendel stealing all her scenes, and delivering the emotional rollercoaster for the newcomer. For those not familiar with the original story, it's very different from this adaptation. Lovecraft was a master in creating settings, but not so much in beginnings and endings. After reading it, some 20 years ago, I was amazed how fresh it felt in this adaptation, and that it's as relevant as ever. Let's hope there's more productions from HPLHS coming our way in our future. Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn...