Thursday, January 5, 2012

The Whisperer in Darkness (2011)

Oh yeah! It has been way too long since I had a chance to enjoy a good, bad movie. Yesterday Nancy and I sat down to watch The Whisperer in Darkness (2011). This is the latest movie adaptation of an H. P. Lovecraft tale from H. P. Lovecraft Historical Society (HPLHS) and is shot using their Mythoscope™ process — a mix of vintage and modern techniques. Nancy and I love the HPLHS adaptation of The Call of Cthulhu (2005) and we have been eagerly awaiting their new film. I am a big fan of H. P. Lovecraft and his work and this movie certainly does not disappoint. Lets get to the review!

Albert Wilmarth, a mild mannered professor of folklore at legendary Miskatonic University, discovers a hitherto unknown manuscript of 19th century collection of folklore from the remote Vermont mountains.

After losing a radio debate as to whether folklore depicts actual creatures, Professor Wilmarth is approached by a mysterious stranger with evidence that these creatures may exist.


"Say! Want to see some creepy pictures?"

Soon, Wilmarth travels to the wilds of Vermont to investigate the claims of strange beings around an old farm. Oh, and maybe some creepy alien monsters as well.


"Ever see a furtive look, Professor?"

After arriving at the farm in question, Wilmarth soon employs his academic research skills to determine that something just isn't right in the Green Mountain State!


"Ever see sinister brooding, Professor?"

Now its up to Wilmarth to investigate the strange happenings...


"Whoa! That aint Santa Claus!"

...and stop an alien invasion!


"Nom, nom, nom!"

I really enjoyed this movie. The Mythoscope™ process really adds to the overall creepy mood of the film and there are a few genuinely scary moments throughout. For the most part, the actors do a great job to convey this growing dread throughout the story and I thought the overall product faithfully captured the whole demeanor of H. P. Lovecraft. There are some problems with the special effects during an airplane scene, but the rest of the film is really well done. It is not cheap but if you enjoy H. P. Lovecraft, classic horror, or black and white movies, you should go to the HPLHS website and order a copy for you library. It is well worth owning a copy.

Rating: 4.5 Bites out of 5

-Safari Bob