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Author Topic: 'The Whisperer in Darkness' to be screened at Calgary Film Festival in September  (Read 6260 times)

Offline Uncle Mike

  • Moderator
  • Scatterbrained Genius
  • Posts: 2595
    • Strange Aeons
Alright, I've had a week to think about it and I still hated it...now, onto why.

Let me first begin by saying that 'The Call Of Cthulhu' is (imho) one of (if not the) best Lovecraftian adaptations out there. The lack of dialogue and a non-linear story coupled with the clunky claymation effects really make this movie fantastic.
'The Whisperer' seems to be this formula working in reverse; an absolutely dreadful linear plot with a tacked on first and last 20 minutes, some of the worst written and poorly delivered dialogue I've ever heard and the effects...well they just made me mad. A combination of claymation/stopmotion and really, really awful cg, the mix will leave you wondering things like, "Why?" and "How could they!". Not to mention that the Mi-Go look different nearly each time they are rendered.

But, these aren't the real reason I disliked this flick. Here is my 'Z' list of why this movie sucked:

1. Never, ever call a movie a title of a book if you plan on changing the hell out of it. For example, making Charles Fort into a character or adding a bi-plane chase scene into you film. This will infuriate fans of the book and prove you have less sense than the guys who made 'The Curse' or 'Die Monster Die' at least they had the decency to change the title.

2. Getting your friends to act in your films is o.k. but if the director is going to do a cameo do not make him a glowing, floating, talking head. Which leads to #3...

3. Mi-Go brain canisters do not show the face of the person that the brain used to be inside...that is just silly. I guess visual cues are required to help the audience "figure it out".

4. Adding several extra characters to make the movie seem longer/more complex is a bad idea...especially if they are going to be arc types such as little girl or misguided yet brave hillbilly.

There are many more but I'll stop here with the big 4. Really, I was expecting a fantastic adaptation and got a sub-par piece of dreck. I haven't been this disappointed for a good long time and now so can you thanks to 'The Whisperer In Drekness'.
If you only listen to one thing I say this year don't see this movie.


Offline B. Basiliscus

  • Scientist
  • Posts: 360
  • Bless us and splash us, my precious!
Well, this little gem was a short that I read was shown at the H.P.L. fest.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v3gNQ2KYCb4
Hopefully it makes up for the bad Whisperer experience.  :D

Offline chrisv

  • Assistant
  • Posts: 42
    • http://chrisvmd.fotki.com
'Late Bloomer'.  Wow.  That was intense.  And funny.    I think I may have felt that way when I was his age...   :-)
Chris Vaughn
E-mail: My First Name period My Last Name at Yahoo, etc.
http://chrisvmd.fotki.com <-- Photo gallery
www.wherearemytoys.com <-- My current site (not much here)
www.punchandjewelry.com <-- My old site
Yahoo Messenger: QuarkTheGoose


Offline LidlessEye

  • Mad Scientist
  • Posts: 707
  • Recovering Cultist
No doubt it was very proficiently made from a technical perspective.  My issues lie with the adaptation, which went way further off track than it needed to.  As to the post-film Q&A, Mike and I were so shell-shocked (and frankly a bit embarrassed) that we snuck out before the lights came up.

Despite my lack of enjoyment, I think HPLHS has constructed a good Lovecraft "gateway" that will appeal to general audiences rather than just us tentacle freaks.

 

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