"From Beyond" on MonstersHD (yesterday, crap!)

[miker]

I don't know if anyone remembers From Beyond, a 1986 horror movie that was my gentle introduction to the Lovecraftian mythos. Rogue pineal glands and S&M, how could anything top this movie?!

Dammit, a DVD must be along soon!

Watch the trailer, clicky!

[eidde]

'From Beyond' is a cracking movie.
One of my faves of the type.
I used to play Call Of Cthulhu (Lovecraftian role playing game) once or twice and watching this film, you can just see them (if you choose to) failing their sanity and skill rolls, until all mayhem mounts up.
That aside the concept takes a Lovecraft idea and repackages it (in a very un-Lovecraftian way) into a modern (but now probably dated) horror film.
splat-tastic endings!

[miker]

I agree, gothic horror it aint. I've always leaned toward science fiction type stuff anyhow, I used to play the West End Games Star Wars RPG in my wasted youf. Only recently gave up all my rule and sourcebooks to one of my nephews who is carrying the torch for Star Wars obsession.

Nearest I ever got to playing Cthulhu was prolly the "Alone in the Dark" PC games, was the main character Dexter in that?

[eidde]

I guess you mean Charles Dexter-Ward - one character who turned up a few times in Lovecrafts stories.

I just had a thought - if you are penning a Cthulhu based filmscript, you should certainly be consulting the Call of Cthulhu Rule books on the Mythos. (if you arent already) They are brimming full of heaps of good stuff, all neatly and concisely compiled together - and in a way that inspires stories and ideas.

<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ June 12, 2006 08:15 AM: Message edited by: eidde ]</font>

[miker]

Well, it's Cthulhu inspired certainly, but the dimensional aspect has more to do with From Beyond than any strict Lovecraftian lore. Which is why I thought it pretty funky to see From Beyond resurrected.

Dexter-Ward, yes indeed. He was in The Resurrected too, the flick directed by Dan O'Bannon?

[eidde]

Just thinking out loud - if you wanted to appeal to Lovecraft fans, then being moderatly true to the mythos is essential. And anyway its all good stuff so why not!

Probably - A generic Lovecraftian investigator!

Read: "The Case of Charles Dexter Ward" - Lovecrafts only effort at writing a novel (as far as I know) - as opposed to a short story. Quite painful to read if I remember right.

He also shows up in:
"The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath"
and
"The Dunwich Horror"
I think.