Edgar Allen metformin hydrochloride 1000 mg Poe may be the master of the macabre to some, but H.P. Lovecraft is the high priest of horror to the attendees of the 2nd annual H.P. Lovecraft Film Festival – Los Angeles last weekend, September 16th and 17th. Organized by Lovecraftian lore lover Aaron Vanek with the support of the H.P. Lovecraft Historical Society, this event was a do-not-miss for dedicated fans.
Just ask Andrew Doss, of Atlanta, who left his family (with their blessing) to fly in for the event this weekend. “It was my birthday present to myself,” he told me. He’s an avid fan, but can’t seem to find anyone around his area who shares his passion. The festival was his opportunity to mingle with like-minded fanboys and fangirls. Some of them arrived in costume. Some of them were better at quoting Lovecraft than holding a conversation. All of them were in for a great time.
The best way to experience this festival was definitely as a VIP weekend pass holder. A reception for these most devoted enthusiasts was held from 5-7pm at the Grand Vision Foundation Annex, an easy walk from the Warner Grand Theater, where all screenings were held. The reception had something for everyone.
If food and drink were your party priorities, there was a small collection of delicious passed appetizers and a bruschetta bar from Small Pleasures Catering, as well as hosted bar courtesy of Bowen’s Whiskey (which, incidentally, I’d highly recommend to those who like whiskey – it was quite smooth and tasty with none of the infamous morning-after effects).
If art was more your style, there was a wonderful slideshow of pieces created by various artists including Paul Allender (who made my personal favorite, called “Cthulhu Rising”), Mike Dubisch, and Murray Groat, as well as a delightful yet frightening youth collection. It did make one wonder if it’s healthy for young people to be exposed to Lovecraft’s world enough to be drawing interpretations of Cthulhu, but that’s a separate topic.
For those intrigued by Lovecraft cinema, there was a fantastic display of miniatures, props, and costumes from the Lovecraft Historical Society’s first film, A Whisperer in Darkness, which is circulating select film festivals now and has an anticipated DVD and BlueRay release sometime this fall. Select cast and crew were available to chat with as well.
And last but not least, for those who like free goodies above all else, specially packed swag bags were handed out at the door. Included inside were a copy of the newspaper “Daily Lurker”, aka the festival program, a free miniature bottle of Bowen’s Whiskey, festival poster, raffle tickets for festival souvenirs, and miscellaneous other goodies. VIP guests could not have felt more appreciated or taken care of.
At the end of the reception, VIPs were invited into the beautiful Warner Grand Theater lobby for an early chance to pick up any souvenirs they wanted from the numerous vendors. They had clever shirts, stylish old hats, themed shot glasses – all the usual souvenir stuff, Lovecraft-style.
After all the VIPs had taken their seats, and regular ticket holders had shuffled in, the film festival portion commenced. Aaron Vanek graciously thanked everyone who had a hand in bringing the festival to life, noting the community especially for all the support it offered him. He also showed video of the “Howie” award presentation to Roger Corman, who brought the first Lovecraft adaptation to the big screen with 1963’s The Haunted Palace, starring Vincent Price. In his acceptance speech, Corman called Lovecraft the “most important writer of the 20th century who carried on the legacy” of Edgar Allen Poe. Coming from a man with such respect for Poe’s work, that is high praise indeed.
As to the films screened during the festival, it is beyond the scope of this article to review them. However, it can be said that they are very well chosen, and some of the more exclusive experiences (such as the new 35mm print of the 1933 Berkeley Square) were well worth the time and minimal cost to attend. A word of caution, however, that the older films of Friday night often drew more laughter from the crowd than frightened gasps, so the screenings were not well suited to those looking to get absorbed in what was onscreen. It should also be noted that there was a good deal of noise in the lobby that some viewers found distracting.
After the screenings on Friday, attendees were invited to gather at the Whale & Ale Pub nearby to discuss and continue getting to know one another.
The Saturday schedule boasted a reading and literary discussion from renowned Lovecraft authors at a local bookstore in the afternoon, followed by screenings of more recent films based on Lovecraft’s work, including HBO’s original movie Cast a Deadly Spell and the Lovecraft Society’s A Whisperer in Darkness, both of which offered a question and answer panel afterward. In addition, a collection of eight short films submitted for the competition portion were shown, and it was announced that “Static Aeons” by Gib Patterson and “Edgar Allen Poe’s The Raven” by Chistopher Saphire and Don Thiel III tied for first place.
To round out the experience, after the final screening on Saturday all ticket holders got to enter the Grand Vision Foundation Annex for a public reception with cash bar.
My exposure to Lovecraft before this film festival was minimal – I was aware of a few of the stories, had seen a few films, played a few games. After meeting some of the other festival-goers I know that my exposure is still minimal, and probably always will be in comparison to theirs. But that’s okay. The greatest thing about the H.P. Lovecraft Film Festival – Los Angeles is that it is a great place for these devoted fans to get together and share their enthusiasm. The energy of the organizers, the perfect location, and the genuine interest and passion of the attendees make this an unrivaled experience for anyone with a hint of curiosity about Lovecraft’s work.
