Not Stomping Ants

One of the criticisms levelled at "The Call of Cthulhu" is that Cthulhu isn't the immense threat that fans claim: after all, he was defeated in 1925 by someone driving a boat into his head so would be no match for modern weapons. However, while it is certainly true The Alert ended his pursuit by …

Thee Most Aweful Livelyness

One of the most common descriptions applied to the works of H.P. Lovecraft—especially by those seeking to refute the claim he was recounting ancient secrets—is that the magic is advanced science, that the gods are only powerful aliens. However, Herbert West: Reanimator shows, something survives death so the Mythos has some species of afterlife. Ironically, …

Lovingly Crafted Fictions?

H.P. Lovecraft at all times presented as a rationalist (albeit potentially drawing upon now-discredited science), and described his creations in terms of a universe with principles we could not understand populated with beings that are alien rather than divine. So—barring a deep and sustained deceit—he didn’t believe he was writing about occult truths in the …

Caterwinning

This struck me as a slightly different take on Lovecraftian audio books: a female narrator reading in modern voice. https://youtu.be/A6hBiue2q-o One of the biggest barriers to immersion I experience listening to audio versions of Lovecraft stories is Vincent-Pricing; while I love the performances of Vincent Price and can see the similarity in archaisms, the slightly …

Anent The Most Lively Fuzziness

Last night, while attempting to pet Jasper as he demanded without having my arm closer than he allowed it, I was struck with a great revelation: Lovecraft's portrayal of the Elder Things as five-sided, pseudo-vegetable, barrels concealed their true forms. Both Jasper and Una frequently demand fusses while simultaneously complaining should I move my body …

Twelve Rules for Life in an Uncaring Cosmos

All who bear the burden of unholy knowledge know that Yog-Sothoth, the gate and the key, is perceived in congruence, and that the reasoned half of the mind is our protection from horrific truths. Thus, when I encountered a headline about a forthcoming Lovecraftian project and read the producer not as Jordan Peele but as …

Beneath a Three-Lobed Eye

Events reminded me of a recent discussion I had on whether Nyarlathotep might really destroy humanity and how he might do it. Unsurprisingly, my thoughts drew upon nuances of meaning: specifically, what one means by “Nyarlathotep” and “destroy”. Of all the Old Ones and other vast beings of Lovecraft's stories, Nyarlathotep is one of the …

Lovecraftian Yule

This year, we are celebrating the festive season at home. While Jasper and Una have settled well after the move, my wife and I decided it was probably still too early to suddenly disappeared for several days and have a stranger started invade the house a couple of times a day to lurk near the …

The Black Sea of Experience

Proving once more that psychogeographers and chaos magicians might be onto something, the chance collision of pedestrian-crossing etiquette and computer gaming has summoned forth before me a dread irony: the human mind inconsistently correlates the meaning Lovecraft's work, and that results in a lack of mercy. A couple of days ago, a friend shared an …

Hack or Heirophant?

Happy Birthday to Lovecraft. To celebrate, have a rather fine short film that echoes "From Beyond" without pastiching it. https://vimeo.com/joewhite/thebrainhack I feel Lovecraft would approve. The steady build of nothing being inexplicable followed by a sharp rise to a reveal fits his common story shape. Found footage is the 21st Century's version of a box …