I am a weirdo. I enjoy horror of all kinds. I especially enjoy Lovecraftian weirdness. I remember seeing the Reanimator some years ago, which may have been the first introduction into his works and influence that I can remember. Being a tabletop gamer, Lovecraft is a mainstay in that hobby, with games like Eldritch Horror, Arkham Horror, Mansions of Madness, Cthulhu: Death May Die, and far too many others to list. His influence in horror has stretched far and wide - look at the works and films of Guillermo Del Toro and movies like The Void and Underwater. H.P. Lovecraft has been a legend in horror and literature for the better part of a century. That doesn’t seem to be changing anytime soon.
In film is where I am referring now. Lovecraft has been hit or miss for on screen performances. Some producers and directors manage to get the hang of it while others seem to have trouble. Reanimator may be one of the most popular and well done Lovecraftian tales put to film: a story about a science student that brings the dead back to life with an injection of a mysterious serum. Underwater did an excellent job when the reveal is made, and you find out that the monsters are Deep Ones and Cthulhu himself that have been awakened by deep sea drilling. Then you have other films that tried and failed, like the Deep Ones. It just seemed to be slow and never could get out of its own way and just never really developed into anything to keep your attention.
Witch House is based on the Lovecraft short story The Dreams in the Witch House, a story about an abused woman moving into a house and renting a room. Once in the house, she starts having strange dreams. Now, as with any Lovecraft story or film, it gets strange, which is to be expected. That is where this take on his work gets things right. Part of the story involves the main character losing track between reality, dreams, and possibly even alternate realities. It can be a little confusing at times when viewing, but it accomplishes its goal extremely well. The adding in of the rats, lighting, and creepy house just make it that much stranger and fitting.
The way the film portrays the insanity that Lovecraft was so well known for is done through a lot of the blurring of dream sequences, reality, and lighting. The shifts from one to the other were almost flawless, and at times left you wondering what was going on. Not a bad thing, but it can also be a distracting effect if it isn’t something you are used to. It is, however, a good way to put his words to screen.
The issues I had with the movie were a couple things. Sometimes artistic liberties in script writing can be used to good effect. However, what you ended up with here are a few unnecessary scenes that seem like they were added for no other reason than to add gratuitous nudity for the sake of nudity. Add to that some flat acting, and you end up with something that could have been great but ultimately ends up falling a bit flat. The acting distracts from some interesting camera work and an insane story. Could this be credited to it being a low budget, almost B grade Movie? Possibly. Those are both things that are known to be a hallmark of the genre.
I always have high hopes for each new Lovecraft story on film, or perhaps something inspired by the rich mythos he penned and created with his friends. So much insanity and imagery has rarely been done well on camera. Will this scratch the itch of fans of his work? Possibly. Will it go down as one of the better adaptations or stories inspired by him? Probably not. I wanted to like it because there were things done extremely well with the filming, but the acting and artistic liberties they took just made it too distracting. Can I recommend it? Maybe to someone who likes B level horror and Lovecraft without having high expectations. It is such a shame to see so much potential lost like this. In the end, I watched it and can say that I have, but it was tough to watch and get through.
Rorshach Rating:
Mental Health Moment: At one point early in the movie, you find out that Alice has lost a baby due to abuse. I can’t speak to losing a child like that as I am a guy. However, I can speak to abuse in a relationship. It makes everyday life seem like a trudge with chains dragging behind you; leaves you feeling hopeless and helpless. We saw it come out into public view with the recent events of the Depp v Heard trial. We have our own abuses we can be put through and must deal with. Granted I never lost a finger, but I did seek out solace in the bottle instead of going to those I trusted. It was a breaking point for me. However, I got help from friends and from professionals. It didn’t make me weak. It made me human. It also taught me what I will never put up with again, which is something some people may miss. When you get out of the situation and deal with the trauma, it can make you a stronger and more aware person in the long run. There is hope and help out there if you are in that situation.
If you or someone you know is reading this right now and struggling with suicide, depression, addiction, or self-harm - please reach out. Comment, message, or tweet at us. Go to victimsandvillains.net/hope for more resources. Call the suicide lifeline at 1-800-273-8255. Text "HELP" to 741-741. There is hope & you DO have so much value and worth!
Victims and Villains is written (and produced) by Josh "Captain Nostalgia" Burkey and others, and edited by Cam Smith. Music by Mallory Johnson and others. Witch House is property of Horror Wasteland Pictures International. We do not own nor claim any rights.
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