A Lovecraftian cinematographic festival

Lord Bassington-Bassington is proud to present a recap of this weekend’s film festival here at Bassington Manor, dedicated to the master of weird fiction, H.P. Lovecraft.

A Lovecraftian film festival is not a new concept, the H.P. Lovecraft Film Festival in Portland, Oregon has been running for a few years now. But we dare say that this Saturday’s event here at the Manor represents a first in Norwegian history.

The festival, which, it is hoped, will become a more or less regular event, is named the Little Storping in-the-Swuff Howard Phillips Lovecraft, Lewis Theobald III and Sundry Mythos Writers Cinematographic Festival (and Open Absinthe Bar). But, to be quite honest, we here at Bassington Manor simply refer to it as The Festival. This is not only a very Lovecraftian title, as “The Festival” was one of Lovecraft’s most interesting short stories, but also especially appropriate, since Yule (or Christmas, to those of you who are followers of Christ) is approaching and “The Festival” was Lovecraft’s Christmas story. Even if it was a rather unusual Christmas story.

The powers-that-be had provided a fog that swept Little Storping in-the-Swuff in a thick veil of grey, which set the mood perfectly. Participant prepared for the program of Lovecraftian cinema by reinforcing themselves with helpings of American Chop Suey, a New England dish from a recipe kindly provided by Rhode Island-based folk singer Allysen Callery, who had the recipe from her grandmother. A grandmother whose family had come over to New England on the Mayflower. Which surely makes her a full-blooded New Englander!

Suitably slime-green drinks were provided by fraulein Frost and her absinthe tower, purchased at the H.R. Giger museum in Switzerland. Which of course makes for another exciting Lovecraft reference, as Mr. Giger has been heavily influenced by the Gentleman of Providence.



The evening opened with a Shorts Program of short films and trailers, all retrieved from the world wide Interweb.

An animated adaptation of Lovecraft’s “The Terrible Old Man” kicked off the evening’s cinematic program. Followed by the trailer for upcoming Swedish Lovecraftian chiller Fyren (Keeper of the Light), which seems very promising.

The film Lord Bassington-Bassington is probably the most excited about seeing is the upcoming adaptation of “The Whisperer in Darkness”, by the same people who made the excellent silent version of “the Call of Cthulhu” a few years ago. They have since taken the daring step into talkies, and seem to be handling this newfangled technology quite well.

The theologically enlightening The Adventures of Lil’ Cthulhu has already become a Lovecraftian classic. As has the first episiode of Calls For Cthulhu.

While the film about Chuck & Dexter's Super Fun Kick Ass Cult, the comedy SpookySpookyScaryScary, will probably be a hit at next year’s festival.

The main feature was Cthulhu. It'a film that is easy to have severe prejudices against, as one would have against any film with Tori Spelling on the roster, but Cthulhu is actually surprisingly decent and does a good job at capturing a Lovecraftian atmosphere.



A small interlude was provided by a claymation adapatation of “From Beyond”, before the night concluded with a showing of the Stuart Gordon-directed TV adaptation of “Dreams in the Witch-House”.



While Swede Mr. Pär Boström was named the official festival composer – more about this eminent gentleman tomorrow.

The program committee here at Bassington Manor would like to thank those that helped and participated, and like to express our hope that such cinematographic gatherings can become a regularly recurring event, and that we will be able to open our doors for another Little Storping in-the-Swuff Howard Phillips Lovecraft, Lewis Theobald III and Sundry Mythos Writers Cinematographic Festival (and Open Absinthe Bar) early next year.



The program committee hard at work selecting the evening’s cinematographic entertainment.