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Lovecraft Film Festival

Lovecraft film festTitle: Lovecraft Film Festival
Location: Warner Grand Theater, 478 West 6th Street, San Pedro, CA 90731
Link out: Click here

Description: The long-running film festival, inspired by the writing of the great science fiction and horror author H.P Lovecraft, moves from Portland, Oregon to Los Angeles, California, for a one-day event featuring numerous films and guests.

Date: Saturday, September 11, 2010 2pm-10pm

From the press release:

After fourteen successful years of sell-out crowds in Portland,
Oregon, the H.P. Lovecraft Film Festival® arises in Southern California on
Saturday, September 11, 2010 from 2pm-10pm at the classic Warner Grand
Theater in historic San Pedro.

The H.P. Lovecraft Film Festival® promotes the works of famed author H.P.
Lovecraft and similar weird tales through motion pictures by both professionals
and amateurs, current and classic. The festival was founded in 1995 by Andrew
Migliore to promote and encourage film and television adaptations of Lovecraftʼs
great works.

H.P. Lovecraft (1890-1937) is critically regarded not only as a master gothic
horror author, but also an American icon whose strange tales are now part of
academic literary studies. Stephen King calls Lovecraft “the twentieth century’s
greatest practitioner of the classic horror tale.” Lovecraft’s influence on art
and culture can be seen in the many references to his creations the
Necronomicon, a dreaded occult book whose history was so detailed that many
believed it was real, and the monstrous alien-god mythology known as the
Cthulhu Mythos.

The Los Angeles Lovecraft Film Festival will feature six of the best films that
played in Portland over the last 14 years:

  • Lovecraft: Fear of the Unknown (2008) – An award-winning documentary about H.P. Lovecraft with interviews from leading creators in the horror field: Neil Gaiman, Guillermo Del Toro (who recently announced he would begin work on his own feature adaptation of a Lovecraft story), John Carpenter, Ramsey Campbell, Peter Straub, and more. Directed by Frank H. Woodward
  • Cool Air (1999) – “Never underestimate the power of the human will.” Jack Donner (Transformers 3, Star Trek: The Original Series) stars in this powerful period adaptation of the classic Lovecraft tale about a man who will do anything to survive. Masterfully filmed in Los Angeles on a shoestring budget, directed by and also starring Bryan Moore.
  • AM 1200 (2008) – Eric Lange (Lost), John Billingsley (True Blood), and Ray Wise (Reaper, Twin Peaks) star in this taut supernatural thriller about a man on the run who flees into a far worse Hell than the one he left. A modern Lovecraftinspired tale directed by David Prior (Fight Club DVD design and bonus features).
  • During the intermission, the Astra Dance troupe will perform a routine from their upcoming Halloween show inspired by Edgar Allan Poe, one of Lovecraftʼs favorite authors and of similar style and influence.
  • The Music of Erich Zann (1980) – One of the earliest film versions of Lovecraft’s most popular stories. A boarder is drawn into the web of his mysterious old musician neighbor, who plays haunting music for an unseen audience. Directed by John Strysik (screenwriter, Stuck)
  • The Call of Cthulhu (2005) – Filmed in MythoScope, this black and white film was made as if it were produced in 1926, the year Lovecraft wrote his definitive tale about a worldwide cult bent on raising their obscene god from the depths of the ocean floor. Expertly crafted by the H.P. Lovecraft Historical Society, this is the most faithful Lovecraft story adaptation to date and winner of many awards. Directed by Andrew Leman
  • Re- Animator (1985) – This extreme 80’s horror movie spawned many filmmakers to follow in its footsteps. Starring Jeffrey Combs (Star Trek, The Frighteners) as Herbert West, a scientist obsessed with curing death. 2010 is the 25th anniversary of this outrageous horror-comedy. Directed by Stuart Gordon

CONFIRMED GUESTS:

  • Portland H.P. Lovecraft Film Festival® founder Andrew Migliore
  • All directors of the films will be attending: Stuart Gordon, Frank Woodward, Bryan Moore, David Prior, John Strysik, Andrew Leman & Sean Branney
  • Music composer Richard Band (Re-Animator, From Beyond)
  • Actor Eric Lange (AM 1200, Lost)
  • Actor Jack Donner (Cool Air, Star Trek: ToS)
  • Cast and crew from The Call of Cthulhu: Noah Wagner, Barry Lynch, Patrick O’Day, Richard Lucas, Leslie Baldwin, cinematographer David Robertson and visual effects artist Dan Novy.

Vendors carrying the finest Lovecraft-themed and related merchandise will also
be selling their wares in between screenings and during intermission.

Following the movies, there will be an after-party the nearby Whale & Ale pub
(two blocks from festival) with live jazz by Thelonious Dub.

Tickets are $25; cash only at the door