Well, here’s another Lovecraft train wreck, this time served up by our friends at Brain Damage. This movie deals with an author (and lady friend) who are investigating a haunted house for a book the author is writing. While there re-accounting the house’s dark history, strange things start happening. That’s pretty much it.

This movie is basically two Lovecraft tales (“Dreams in the Witch House” and “The Music of Erich Zann“) wrapped up very loosely by a third (The Shunned House), kind of like Creepshow or something.

This movie has problems. Lovecraft’s stories need to be told, but not on a micro budget. Often, they are quite fantastical and need more than a man in a hood to convey the otherworldly and preternatural.

Why even attempt something like this unless you are trying to whore out Lovecraft’s name to get a couple sales? Besides, the Lovecraft tale “The Shunned House” is pretty standard horror fare. Create something along those lines and call it your own.

Another thing is all the switches from past to present. It got really nerve-wracking after a while and I kept losing track. All the cute camera angles were annoying as well. I felt like I was being mocked. Like retelling a Lovecraft story and doing slick camerawork makes you an artist or something.

By Brain Damage standards, the acting wasn’t bad. The special effects were poor but passing. The music was good, but the main score was overplayed and got monotonous. There was some nudity towards the end, but it was of little consequence. I should probably show this flick more leniency, but it makes me mad when Lovecraft’s work is handled so recklessly. I mean, the only part of the movie based on The Shunned House really isn’t about Lovecraft’s story at all. Why call it that? I give this 2.5 out of 10 movies that made me feel like I was in a Halloween haunted house put on by some kids up the road. Nice strobe light.