Mouldy and Shadowy and Full of Dim Rumours

Flying Squid Terrify Divers

noreply@blogger.com (David) — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 07:35:00 +0000

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One-man Poe Play 'Nevermore' Opening

noreply@blogger.com (David) — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 21:52:00 +0000

Jeffrey Combs and Stuart Gordon, along with writer Dennis Paoli, have turned Edgar Allen Poe's life into a stage play. According to Gordon:

...people are going to be uncomfortable with it. When Nevermore starts off, audiences might be expecting a show like Hal Holbrook doing Mark Twain Tonight. And then that expectation goes haywire.

Nevermore: An Evening With Edgar Allen Poe runs from July 10 to August 2 at the Steve Allen Theater.

New Comic: The Strange High House in the Mist

noreply@blogger.com (David) — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 14:04:00 +0000

Jason Thompson, the talented chap behind the pictures-and-words versions of The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath and Clark Ashton Smith's Hyperborea, has now turned his hand to Lovecraft's The Strange High House in the Mist. Check it out here.

Via Paul of Cthulhu.

Lovecraft via The Movies

noreply@blogger.com (David) — Tue, 12 May 2009 12:32:00 +0000

Thanks to Grim Reviews and Denis Klotz, I'm on a Mythos machinima mission. So far, I'm only really turning up a few shorts made with Lionhead's The Movies, which is interesting for a couple of reasons. First, I would have thought Lovecraft would be a fertile ground for short fantasy films, and second, I always rated The Movies as mostly terrible either as a game or machinima tool.

Still, there's some fun to be had. Here's a selection:

The Hound

The Terrible Old Man

Dagon

The Shadow Over Innsmouth

The Thing on the Doorstep

The Music of Erich Zann

Lovecraft and Houdini

noreply@blogger.com (David) — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 12:19:00 +0000

There are a few things interesting about that image on the right. First, it's part of a handwritten dissertation on astrology that was written by Lovecraft. Second, it has Houdini's signature on it. Third, the entire set of papers just got auctioned off on eBay for US$5,355.00.

More on Houdini, Lovecraft, and astrology here.

Link (via Paul of Cthulhu).

Reaching out across time and space

noreply@blogger.com (David) — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 07:24:00 +0000

Seems that NASA spotted a space hand. They want us to believe a star exploded, resulting in an expanding gas cloud that just resembles a hand. Good one, NASA. You almost had me.

Keeping Cthulhu close

noreply@blogger.com (David) — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 02:01:00 +0000

Madelyn Smoak's steampunked Cthulhu chain is:

...another transmogrification of the little Etsy Octo into the less cuddly Cthulhu! In this version the wings are represented by the "flaming" brass leaves he is riveted to. Above his head there is a safety pinion from an antique, but non-functioning pocket watch. There is a beautiful pattern engraved on the safety pinion along with the words "17 jewels". Hanging from the tentacles are fishing gear connectors. The cthulhu has received a rosy patina with golden highlights. His wingspan is about 5 1/2" and the whole centerpiece measures almost 4" from the top of the safety pinion to the bottom of the gear dangle. A 14" vintage gold tone chain supports the cthulhu.

It is also rather good. Check out the MadArt profile on Etsy for more of Madelyn's work.

Huge: Lovecraft, Ron Howard, Terrifying

noreply@blogger.com (David) — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 01:03:00 +0000

It's difficult to articulate how I feel about this, so I'll just give you the facts. The Strange Adventures of H.P. Lovecraft is being made into a movie. Ron Howard will be involved. There is a possibility that the good name of Lovecraft will be tarnished. There is also a possibility that it will not be. A betting man would not put money on the latter.

Link.

Should the Necronomicon be taught in school?

noreply@blogger.com (David) — Sun, 08 Mar 2009 06:36:00 +0000

I say yes. So does Charles West, member of the Arkham school board.

"The controversial school board member reportedly interrupted a heated discussion about adding fresh fruit to school lunches in order to bring his motion to the table. With the aid of a flip chart, West laid out his six-point plan for increased madness, which included field trips to the medieval metaphysics department at Miskatonic University, instruction in the incantations of Yog-Sothoth, and a walkathon sponsored by local businesses to raise money for the freshman basketball program."

Atlantis Definitely Not Found

noreply@blogger.com (David) — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 01:46:00 +0000

Google denies this image has anything to do with Atlantis. That's because Atlantis is a myth.

But there are other underwater cities. Oh yes.

Link. Or get the latest version of Google Earth and punch in these co-ordinates: 31 15'15.53N, 24 15'30.53W. Or just check it out on Google Maps.

Outrageous: No Lovecraft in Guardian's top 1000 novels

noreply@blogger.com (David) — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 22:47:00 +0000

I have a lot of questions as to why Lovecraft and co. were overlooked by the Guardian in its top 1000 piece. Was it because Lovecraft didn't write novels? Well, he did write novellas (At the Mountain of Madness) and the list does include other novellas.

And what about Robert E Howard? We have Edgar Rice Burroughs on the list (and deservedly so), but not the man who created Conan? Granted, Howard didn't write anything approaching a novel, but the Conan chronicles -- widely available in single volume editions -- should surely qualify. And what about Lord Dunsany? He may seem obscure, but good old Dunsany, so often overlooked in the past, should be on any respectable SF list.

If I'm right, and I'm quite sure I am, then the only conclusion I can draw from these oversights is that this list just isn't respectable.

Shame, Guardian. May your noisome soul twist eternally in the Great One's bowels.

Mysterious Stonehenge Found in Lake Michigan

noreply@blogger.com (David) — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 07:54:00 +0000

First, we had those pyramids in Wisconsin's Rock Lake, now there's a 'Stonehenge' beneath the surface of Lake Michigan. All we have now are some speculative sonar scans, so I'll reserve judgment until we send scuba divers down there and they return to the surface with their minds erased and speaking the language of the Deep.

Link to BLDGBLOG (via @houseinrlyeh).

Lovecraft Game Comp Winners

noreply@blogger.com (David) — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 00:28:00 +0000

TIGSource has just, well 5 days ago, announced the top games from its Commonplace Book Competition. All games in the competition must somehow relate to the notes in Lovecraft's commonplace book, and TIGSource received an impressive 35 entries.

The games, or at least all the ones I tried, are fairly straightforward typical arcade/platform games, which is odd in itself -- most Lovecraft-inspired games are heavy on narrative and tend to be adventure games of some sort. But they're all fun, and they collectively demonstrate the myriad ways that Lovecraft's works -- even if they're ideas scribbled into a book -- can leak out into the world.

Here's a short list of the top ten (full results here):

1. Verge, by Kyle Pulver
2. From Primordial Egg, by Fifth
3. Eversion, by Zaratustra
4. This Cursed Rock, by deadeye
5. Lost in Eldritch, by Bob le Moche
6. My Entry, by cactus
7. Herbert West in ‘Carrion Re-animating!’, by captainbinky
8. The Clatter of the Keys, by Pishtaco
9. The Lake, by agj
10. Doorror, by Pencerkoff

For mine, I'd say Carrion Re-animating is the best of the bunch, but the mob has spoken.

Grab the official torrent of all games here, or you can pick and choose here.

And if you want more games relating to HPL's commonplace book, the Illuminated Lantern has been running a similar project for a while.

Nyarlathotep Comic

noreply@blogger.com (David) — Thu, 25 Dec 2008 23:34:00 +0000

Artist Chuck BB's Nyarlathotep comic is out now. Chuck is adept at combining the weird with a pop surrealist style, so be sure to check it out. If that's enough to get you moving, maybe his own exuberant pitch will sell it:

"My Nyarlathotep Book written by H.P. Mutha-effin Lovecraft dropped in comic shops today! That's Christmas eve! So if you need a last minute stocking stuffer maybe you can go out and grab it. I recieved a copy and It's real swell looking. My first Hardcover, yay! Have a Happy Holiday(s) and I'll see ya in the new year!"

Link.

A Mouldy and Shadowy Christmas

noreply@blogger.com (David) — Thu, 25 Dec 2008 00:44:00 +0000

Merry Christmas and happy new year everyone. (Castro's first new year's resolution for 2009: increase the post count.)

Image via Laughing Squid.

Cyaegha Number 2 Out Now

noreply@blogger.com (David) — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 10:03:00 +0000

Graeme Phillips's Lovecraft journal, Cyaegha, has hit number 2. For a handful of pounds, you get the following:

Front Cover: Toren Atkinson - 'Rampage'.
[Reprinted from The 1997 Cyber Cthulhu Calendar]
1. Contents.
2. Introduction.
3. Eddy C. Bertin - 'The Creation of Eyurid' (Essay).
5. Tais Teng - 'Eyurid: A Lovecraftian Portfolio' (Art Portfolio).
[Reprinted from Eyurid: A Lovecraftian Portfolio, Dunwich House 1980]
18. Tais Teng and Eddy C. Bertin - 'Eyurid' (Fiction).
[Reprinted from Eyurid: A Lovecraftian Portfolio, Dunwich House 1980]
26. An Interview with Toren Atkinson.
31. A Discography of The Darkest of the Hillside Thickets.
33. Zine Guide - The Pnakotic Series.
41. Wade German - 'Surviving Cyäegha' (Poem).

Link (via The Cimmerian).

Reading Cthulhu Together

noreply@blogger.com (David) — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 09:41:00 +0000

BookGlutton is a kind of collaborative online reading site with a simple idea: you select a book to read, and on either side of the page are a chat room and an annotation notepad that let leave messages, ask questions, or interact with people reading the book. Presumably, BookGlutton will support e-readers in the future (if not, then it probably doesn't have much of a future), but in the meantime, it's mostly suited for notebooks and desktops.

I just uploaded the Call of Cthulhu -- check it out for yourself here.

Expedition to the Mountains of Madness

noreply@blogger.com (David) — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 10:21:00 +0000

The BBC reports that researchers are preparing for what could be the 'last great' antarctic expedition. The journey will take team to the heart of continent, where they will survey a vast buried moutain range. Dr Ferraccioli from the British Antarctic Survey says:

"This region is a complete enigma. It's in the middle of the continent. Most mountain ranges are on the edges of continents, and we really can't understand what these mountains are doing in the centre."

Such naivety.

"...but at this time and place, with those dark, unknown mountain peaks soaring stupendously ahead, that anomalous elder-world discovery in our minds, and the pall of probable disaster enveloping the greater part of our expedition, we all seemed to find in it a taint of latent malignity and infinitely evil portent." - At the Mountains of Madness

Night of the Cephalopods

noreply@blogger.com (David) — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 07:45:00 +0000

This is a fantastic little number from Spooky Squid Games. On the surface, it's a pretty ordinary isometric action game, but what makes it special is the dynamic narration that describes your gradual loss of sanity as the game progresses. From the official site:

Throughout the game your status, the actions you take and the locations you explore are narrated back to you in the style of classic horror master H.P. Lovecraft with full high quality voice acting.

To get a sense of how the narration works, check out the slightly spoilery video, or just go and download the damn thing.

Re-Animator, the Younger

noreply@blogger.com (David) — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 10:09:00 +0000

A few days ago, Bloody Disgusting dropped a tasty bit of news about an upcoming TV series based on Lovecraft's Herbert West—Reanimator. Apparently, Transition Entertainment is putting together a pilot for a sci-fi series that depicts "a teenage Dr. Frankenstein" as he dabbles with raising the dead.

B-D has now dropped a few more hints, thanks to a courtesy call from writer William Butler:

"This project in no way is connected to/or like the original classic movie [RE-ANIMATOR], which we respect and honor with all of our being, but rather a growing narrative inspired by all of HP Lovecraft's early works as well as new science fiction elements." (emphasis added)

Presumably, the series will draw from all areas of the Mythos, rather than just Reanimator, and perhaps from other sci-fi realms. It could be a stroke of genius, or it could be an unimaginably terrifying abomination.

Link (via JustPressPlay).

Lovecraft on Stage

noreply@blogger.com (David) — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 09:22:00 +0000

Now here's something we (unfortunately) don't see everyday: A stage play based on a Lovecraft story. Specifically, we're talking about WildClaw Theatre's adaptation of The Dreams in the Witch House, which runs from now until 21 December at Chicago's Athenaeum Studio. Tickets are a cool US$20, so if you live in or near Chicago, there's no reason why you shouldn't head along.

Link (via Ghost Radio).

Lovecraft Spotting: Fallout 3

noreply@blogger.com (David) — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 11:40:00 +0000

Fallout 3 players: Spend some time at the Dunwich Building, which you can find in the southwest corner of the map.

Spoiler: As told through a series of personal audio logs, a poor soul, seeking refuge in the building, discovers a 'book', written by a certain Arab, which eventually turns him... well, you know the rest.

If it weren't for the ghouls trying to tear you to shreds, it wouldn't be particularly scary -- in fact, it would have been creepier if Bethesda had ditched the ghouls altogether. Still, the obelisk that the ghouls were (presumably) worshiping is pretty neat.

(Sadly, the Necronomicon isn't in the building -- or if it is, I couldn't find it).

More Mountains of Madness Madness

noreply@blogger.com (David) — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 23:34:00 +0000

Guillermo Del Toro has been shooting his mouth off about his forthcoming adaptation of At the Mountains of Madness. When Del Toro signed up with Paramount to work on The Hobbit, the status of AtMoM was uncertain, but it seems the deal has turned out to be quite fortuitous for the project. Del Toro speaks to Fear.net:

"Part of the arrangement with Universal – in being essentially there for now until 2017 – part of the arrangement was they would finance research and development for Mountains of Madness. And we are doing it."

And how's the R&D going? According to Del Toro, Lovecraft didn't take into consideration the limitations modern CG technology when he described AtMoM's Shoggoths and Elder Things:

"If you talk about shape-shifting to the degree that these creatures do, then you're talking about, essentially – if you're using traditional tools – you're going to need to generate 30, 40 models fully rendered per creature. That's A, limiting and B, incredibly expensive."

Apparently, like Peter Jackson did with Lord of the Rings, Del Toro will need to create original technology to handle the modelling (which he says will be called 'The Howard'). I admire directors that adapt technology to their vision, rather than the other way around, but I also think there are clever ways to represent the Mythos bestiary without resorting to CG. Case in point: the HP Lovecraft Historical Society's spectacular radio play.

Online Card Game: The Necronomicon

noreply@blogger.com (David) — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 23:01:00 +0000

And yet another free game from (or of) the Mythos has hit the wires. The Necronomicon, by Games of Cthulhu, is a straightforward dueling card game, based around the seemingly standard gameplay tropes you'd expect in a Lovecraftian game (e.g., spells, insanity, taints, and so on). Check it out on Kongregate, or download it direct from Games of Cthulhu.

Link (via the Cthulhu Room.)

New Lovecraft MMO: Cthulhu Returns

noreply@blogger.com (David) — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 20:35:00 +0000

There's a new MMO on the block going by the name Cthulhu Returns. Apparently, it's wall-to-wall Lovecraft -- the game boasts that you'll find every location mentioned in the Lovecraft canon somewhere in the game -- and completely free.

It's not the first Cthulhu MMO, what with CthulhuMud and Cthulhu Nation having been around for some time, but it seems to hit all the right notes, despite the cutesy J-RPG graphics:

Cultists are not for the faint of heart, and have some notable differences from regular professions. They can be attacked by anyone, are treated as criminals by police, and are ignored by some shopkeepers. Keep searching, or ask a Cultist player...if they aren't busy trying to kill you. The Cultist profession master is hidden, and cultists can be very secretive.

More information here, and you can download the open beta here.