The Whisperer in Darkness (2011)

☆ ☆ ☆

The Whisperer in Darkness (2011) – S. Branney

Another adaptation of an H. P. Lovecraft short story from the H. P. L. Historical Society, following their short silent version of “Call of Cthulhu”.  Again, you can see the loving care that has gone into the production, fashioned in the spirit of the Universal horror films of the 1930s (when Lovecraft was still alive; he died in ’37 at age 46).  Having read this story earlier this year, I can attest to the fact that this is a very faithful rendition – to a point:  after the first hour, the screenwriters have concocted their own conclusion to the story which actually ends at a fully horrifying point, leaving readers to draw their own conclusions about what happens next).  Basically, we follow a sceptical professor as he travels to Vermont to meet with a local who claims to have seen flying crab-like creatures from outer space.  Initially afraid, this man now has changed his mind to suggest that his new alien friends actually come in peace.  But do they really? Much of the spookiness of the story remains intact and the stylized production works well but things do seem to drag – this would have been tighter as a short (as with the previous HPLHS effort).  Let’s hope they have the chance to make some more films!