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A club for the horror kids, since there are ever so many of us around. No particular era, genre, or medium. Talk about Lovecraft and Barker, Vincent Price and Tobe Hooper, or Resident Evil and F.E.A.R.
This group welcomes fantasy nerds of all kinds. Reader, writer, or watcher, we encourage you to come in and share your favorite book, artwork, movie or TV show, as well as any of your own artwork or writings.
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johnnyzombie
Hey everybody!
I host a weekly podcast called "The Fly Paper Dungeon." This week, I did a brief bio and discussion of Lovecraft. Over the next few weeks, I'm going to do a multi-episode arc that covers the Cthulhu Mythos, as written by Lovecraft.
I normally don't self-promote on here, …
I host a weekly podcast called "The Fly Paper Dungeon." This week, I did a brief bio and discussion of Lovecraft. Over the next few weeks, I'm going to do a multi-episode arc that covers the Cthulhu Mythos, as written by Lovecraft.
I normally don't self-promote on here, …
waldo_jeffers
Hi folks. Any good links to HP Lovecraft resources online?
The H.P. Lovecraft Archive has lots of stuff including Lovecraft's writings online.
There used to be a site called Dagon Bytes that had Lovecraft Resources but it may no longer exist as, having tried the link, it no longer seems …
The H.P. Lovecraft Archive has lots of stuff including Lovecraft's writings online.
There used to be a site called Dagon Bytes that had Lovecraft Resources but it may no longer exist as, having tried the link, it no longer seems …
hecklongtree
"Supernatural Horror in Literature," H.P. Lovecraft's best-known nonfiction piece, provides a good critical introduction to the literary genre.
Here, Lovecraft expresses his preference for straight horror, works whose horror effect is undiluted by levity or realism. For Lovecraft, there may be a materialistic explanation for the stories' apparently supernatural phenomena, …
Here, Lovecraft expresses his preference for straight horror, works whose horror effect is undiluted by levity or realism. For Lovecraft, there may be a materialistic explanation for the stories' apparently supernatural phenomena, …
VIEW 10 of 10 COMMENTS
sockpuppet:
The definitive bio, and a lot of serious critical work, is by S T Joshi, as published by Arkham Press. I need to find and read that, when I have time and money...
hecklongtree:
I posted this in the Lovecraft group, but, for those who may have missed it, let me recommend it here too: "Lovecraft: Fear of the Unknown."
Frank H. Woodward employs the Ken Burn's talking head approach in his 2008 Lovecraft documentary, putting a premium on the quality of the interviews. Some of the interviews are excellent, especially those with noted Lovecraft biographer S.T. Joshi.
I appreciate Woodward's decision to present a warts and all portrait of the man, but, at times, he seems to portray the man as all warts, emphasizing his nervous breakdown, his reclusiveness, his eccentricity, his xenophobia and racism.
The documentary is best when it concentrates on Lovecraft's work, influences and development as a writer. The interviews with S.T. Joshi and and Peter Straub are particularly insightful. Check out the extended interviews on the DVD extras which go into greater depth.
Frank H. Woodward employs the Ken Burn's talking head approach in his 2008 Lovecraft documentary, putting a premium on the quality of the interviews. Some of the interviews are excellent, especially those with noted Lovecraft biographer S.T. Joshi.
I appreciate Woodward's decision to present a warts and all portrait of the man, but, at times, he seems to portray the man as all warts, emphasizing his nervous breakdown, his reclusiveness, his eccentricity, his xenophobia and racism.
The documentary is best when it concentrates on Lovecraft's work, influences and development as a writer. The interviews with S.T. Joshi and and Peter Straub are particularly insightful. Check out the extended interviews on the DVD extras which go into greater depth.
VIEW 3 of 3 COMMENTS
hecklongtree:
The essay is poorly written. it seems more a set of random observations than an attempt to expound on a thesis. Nevertheless, Oates makes some keen observations.
Her description of Poe's and Lovecraft's tales as "psychic autobiography" is accurate, at least as far as Lovecraft is concerned.
"The Outsider"'s dweller in the book-lined cellar and the gigantic bookish twin from "The Dunwich Horror" come to mind. Who are they but psychic representations of Lovecraft himself? As for the accuracy of the assertion as applied to Poe, I don't know enough of Poe's life to say.
Oates was undoubtedly right, when she described Lovecraft's view of weird ficition:
"'Weird fiction' can only be a product, Lovecraft saw, of an age that has ceased to believe collectively in the supernatural while retaining the instinct to do so, in eccentric, atomized ways."
Belief in the reality of mysterious natural phenomena is also the product of this age. Indeed, as Oates' notes, Lovecraft would not have been surprised at the popular belief, from the 50s onward, in such materialistic, as opposed to supernatural, bugaboos as extraterrestrials and UFOs.
Oates' essay may need some editing and revision, but it contains some intersting and telling observations.
Her description of Poe's and Lovecraft's tales as "psychic autobiography" is accurate, at least as far as Lovecraft is concerned.
"The Outsider"'s dweller in the book-lined cellar and the gigantic bookish twin from "The Dunwich Horror" come to mind. Who are they but psychic representations of Lovecraft himself? As for the accuracy of the assertion as applied to Poe, I don't know enough of Poe's life to say.
Oates was undoubtedly right, when she described Lovecraft's view of weird ficition:
"'Weird fiction' can only be a product, Lovecraft saw, of an age that has ceased to believe collectively in the supernatural while retaining the instinct to do so, in eccentric, atomized ways."
Belief in the reality of mysterious natural phenomena is also the product of this age. Indeed, as Oates' notes, Lovecraft would not have been surprised at the popular belief, from the 50s onward, in such materialistic, as opposed to supernatural, bugaboos as extraterrestrials and UFOs.
Oates' essay may need some editing and revision, but it contains some intersting and telling observations.
lukass:
I don't know, I felt the thesis was something along the lines of "Lovecraft was the spiritual successor to Poe, in his work and the manner which his work consumed him so far that he lived the horror he wrote." I would, however, agree with you in that is can come off as poorly written since the main presumption of the thesis is that the aspects which she is trying to correlate are known and recognized in Poe and, furthermore, that they are widely accepted. Without that, it does very much seem to be random commentary on both. The structure implies this to me because it is of the form Observation about Lovecraft => correlation to Poe's life with little or no proof offered regarding its validity to Poe. Overall, very informative and many nuggets of interesting stuff in it.
/L
/L
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If you've never read it, here is a classic horror story by the late-great H.P. Lovecraft: http://www.dagonbytes.com/thelibrary/lovecraft/theshadowoverinnsmouth.htm
Howdy folks! Brand new Gothic poem by H.P. Lovecraft is now up on my YouTube channel, check it out! Please hit that Subscribe button if you haven't already, and tell all your friends!!
THE WOOD by H.P. Lovecraft
Anyone else here a fan of H.P. Lovecraft? You should check out the H.P Lovecraft Library. All the Lovecraft you could want, available online. Even if you aren't currently a fan, give one or two of them a try: I suggest At the Mountains of Madness or Herbert West: Reanimator or From Beyond if you need something shorter.
I like math. Oh, I do...
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I like math. Oh, I do...
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I found a site with H P Lovecraft on it. Perfect for cold nights wrapped up with guilt and a space heater.
http://www.dagonbytes.com/thelibrary/lovecraft/theshadowoverinnsmouth.htm
an excerpt to wet you lips.
"The Shadow Over Innsmouth
I
During the winter of 1927-28 officials of the Federal government made a strange and secret investigation of certain conditions in the ancient Massachusetts seaport of Innsmouth. The public first learned of...
Read More
http://www.dagonbytes.com/thelibrary/lovecraft/theshadowoverinnsmouth.htm
an excerpt to wet you lips.
"The Shadow Over Innsmouth
I
During the winter of 1927-28 officials of the Federal government made a strange and secret investigation of certain conditions in the ancient Massachusetts seaport of Innsmouth. The public first learned of...
Read More