Lovecraft: Fear of the Unknown

Aficionados of cult author H.P. Lovecraft will find noteworthy company in Frank H. Woodward's skillful documentary, in which authors Ramsey Campbell, Neil Gaiman, Caitlin Kiernan, and Peter Straub, together with filmmakers John Carpenter, Guillermo Del Toro, and Stuart Gordon, express their admiration for his writing and acknowledge his influence on their own work. Their comments, along with others from genre specialists, help inform this biography of Lovecraft that brings together stills and artwork inspired by his stories, as well as excerpts from his letters (read by Robin Atkin Downes, who also narrates), to paint a portrait of a strange, reclusive, xenophobic man whose creepy tales were largely unappreciated during his lifetime. Lovecraft: Fear of the Unknown also presents a largely chronological assessment of the author's output, from the early imitative stories to his opaque last works, remarking on their strange content and idiosyncratic style while also emphasizing their enormous impact on the fantasy genre (as well as describing how devotees strove to promote his posthumous celebrity). Whether or not one appreciates the eerie Cthulhu Mythos universe that Lovecraft constructed around the figures of the so-called Old Ones, his influence is undeniable, and the film offers an admirable introduction to his personal and professional life. DVD/Blu-ray extras include extended interviews and a gallery of paintings inspired by the writer's work. Recommended. Aud: C, P. (F. Swietek)