H.P. LOVECRAFT IN A MEN'S MAGAZINE?

I never thought I'd see the day. My curiosity got the best of me when I came across this digital copy of the UK skin magazine, MAYFAIR from 1970, so I thought I'd take a quick peek--you know--just to look at the articles. Hardly a few pages in, I stopped, and not just a little surprised: here was H.P. Lovecraft's story, "From Beyond"! Interest in HPL was enjoying a new resurgence at the time, but still, to have one of his stories published in a men's magazine? It truly boggles the mind.

Written in 1920, "From Beyond" was first published in the fan magazine, THE FANTASY FAN #10 (June 1934), and has since been anthologized many times, as is the rest of his fiction. It is not recognized as one of this best tales, but it's his first to elaborate on the recurring theme of his characters discovering a world outside our own five senses and the resulting interaction with it. You might know it better as cosmic horror.

The first page of HPL's original manuscript.

After the story itself, it is best known for Stuart Gordon's film adaptation from 1986. And here it is, over a half-a-century later, in a men's magazine.

A very unusual Lovecraft artifact, to be sure.

The accompanying illustration is by George Underwood. Underwood is a British artist and musician, who played in two different bands with his high school friend, David Bowie. Underwood famously punched Bowie in the eye in a fight over a girl which left Bowie with permanent sight problems. Nevertheless, they remained life-long friends.

Underwood gave up on a music career and went to art school, In the 1970s he designed album covers for Bowie (THE RISE AND FALL OF ZIGGY STARDUST AND THE SPIDERS FROM MARS, HUNKY DORY) , T-Rex, Procol Harum, and Mott the Hoople among others. He also illustrated hundreds of book covers.

Okay, since you might be wondering, here's the cover.

SCARY CHRISTMAS!

Happy Horrordays! Have a cool Yule with a ghoul!

Hope you remembered to clean the fireplace.

Mamie has a message for you, too!

A MODERN DAY H.P. LOVECRAFT AD

Advertising has always contained some form of suggestive content to sell their product. As a matter of fact, a book titled "Subliminal Seduction" by Wilson Bryan Key was published way back in 1973 that claimed advertising back then used hidden, sexual imagery to manipulate the consumers' subconscious to influence purchasing behavior. While some of the photos he presented as evidence were as unlikely as finding an image of Jesus on a cereal box, after reading it, I agreed with his overall assertion of suggestiveness and innuendo.

Can you find the phallic symbol in this image?

While thumbing through an issue of MARQUEE, a 1970's Canadian film magazine, I came across a full-page ad that instantly struck me after seeing the name of the company. Of course, my perverse mind spun into its usual humor by association mode, but I think you'll find it easy to follow my twisted train of thought.

Here's the original ad from a company that looked like the Toronto version of Frederick's of Hollywood:

And with that in mind, I reworked the ad and applied the idea into one that advertises books by H.P. Lovecraft.

I don't know about you, but after finishing this I felt compelled to run down to my local Barnes & Noble!

THROUGH THE MISTS OF . . . WHAT?

Just recently, I've had another fiction piece accepted, this time from LOVECRAFTIANA, THE MAGAZINE OF ELDRITCH HORROR, a quarterly publication of Rogue Planet Press featuring stories, articles, poetry and artwork on Cthulhu Mythos/H.P. Lovecraft themes and available as a print magazine and Kindle from Amazon. It won't see print until 2027, but it was previously published and it's currently hard to find paying markets that will accept these types of manuscripts.

"Through the Mists of Xzigtarph" started life many years ago as "The Demon-Thing" in a first draft. I have had major periods of inspiration from H.P. Lovecraft and his circle of weird fiction writers several times over the years and this was during the first.

Some years later I revised it and included it in the anthology, MORE FUNGI FROM YUGGOTH, published in 2000 by my small press imprint, L'Image Studios/Pentagram Publications. Again, recently I revised it still again and it was accepted in its present form.

My sister, who is a multi-media artist, would sometimes supply illustrations for my 'zine LOVECRAFT'S WEIRD MYSTERIES. The image below was inspired by "Xzigtarph".

Here are the opening paragraphs of "Through the Mists of Xzigtarph":

ONLY AN OPIUM DEN could reveal such astonishing visions and only a lotus-eater could dream of such unspeakable delusions; but I have seen them and was neither drugged nor hallucinating. They were real, I tell you, and I have the soul-haunted memories to prove it. A warning to all: beware of lands beyond the realm of earthly consciousness.

Trust in me, these words are not from the pen of some delirious lunatic; I am completely sane, and you must believe me—if you do, then you must also believe the incredible story I am about to relate and take heed. If you do not, then call me just one more madman in the universe.

The demon-thing came through my open window on a warm, balmy summer evening just a few short months ago. I had had a particularly strenuous day at work in the employ of the Occult Research Institute in Moonridge Heights; a small, insular town protectively nestled in a dense woodland well off the main interstate highway just a few miles outside of Arkham proper. My job was to examine heaps of dusty, archaic manuscripts and locate any references to a certain Da'agu, who ostensibly held the loftiest position in the pantheon of a group of—so I thought at the time—extinct, god-like beings allegedly existing in a mist-hidden realm outside earth's time and space called Xzigtarph.

After an exceptionally demanding day, I returned home exhausted. I prepared a meager bachelor’s dinner for myself of Friend’s baked beans and Crown Pilot crackers then went to my study for a brandy, after which I quickly dozed off. I awoke and found the brandy glass only half-empty and my pipe long burned out. I summoned the wherewithal to rise from my chair and retire for the evening.

I slept fitfully, tossing and turning in my small bed. It was unseasonably warm that night and I had opened my window to allow fresh air to circulate in the room. Suddenly, I felt a slight, almost unnoticeable breeze pass over my perspiring brow, followed by a foetid odor akin to rotten meat permeating my surroundings. I opened my eyes it was then that I saw the demon-thing hovering before me in a form that was only vaguely human. . .

To read the original version of this story as it appeared in MORE FUNGI FROM YUGGOTH, go HERE.

IS LOVECRAFT STILL UNFILMABLE?

Word is out that another H.P. Lovecraft adaptation is in production. Set in the present, Chad Ferrin is directing the re-telling of "Beyond The Wall of Sleep", now prefaced with the ominous word, "Unspeakable". The question is, after it is released will we speak much about it?

Edward Furlong of TERMINATOR 2 stars, along with ex-porn actress Ginger Lynn and floozie Bai Ling.

Here's the 4-1-1 from BloodyDisgusting.com:

Edward Furlong helped save humanity in Terminator 2: Judgment Day, and now he has to do it again in Unspeakable: Beyond the Wall of Sleep.

Based on H.P. Lovecraft‘s 1919 short story “Beyond the Wall of Sleep,” the cosmic horror film hits VOD on March 4 from Breaking Glass Pictures.

It’s the third Lovecraft adaptation from writer-director Chad Ferrin, following 2020’s The Deep Ones and 2024’s The Old Ones.

Renowned oneirologist Ambrose London is summoned to Arkham Asylum to investigate a bizarre split-personality case involving a patient seemingly possessed by a 122-year-old colonial peasant. What begins as a psychological study soon descends into unimaginable terror when London’s Dream Machine unleashes an alien life form intent on world annihilation.

Bai Ling (The Crow), Ginger Lynn (The Devil’s Rejects), Robert Miano (Donnie Brasco), Lew Temple (The Devil’s Rejects), Steve Railsback (Lifeforce), and Cyril O’Reilly (Porky’s) round out the cast.

“Thrilled to have Unspeakable: Beyond the Wall of Sleep, the final film in my Lovecraft trilogy, in the hands of Breaking Glass Pictures,” said Ferrin. “I know this boundary-pushing, gonzo film will get the passionate release it deserves from them.”

The film features practical effects by Joe Castro (Campfire Tales, Iron Sky: The Coming Race).

“Beyond the Wall of Sleep” was previously adapted into a 2006 movie featuring Tom Savini.

HAMMER NEWS + FICTION BONUS!

Exciting news from the horror film company that refuses to die. Word just got out that now in production from Hammer Films is the cosmic horror of ITHAQUA. The original story was written by noted horror and science-fiction author August Derleth originally published in the pulp 'zine, STRANGE TALES (see below). The tale of the Wendigo-like creature is associated with H.P. Lovecraft's so-called "Cthulhu Mythos", a term that Derleth himself coined in order to "Christianize" the pantheon of gods and monsters of the Lovecraft universe. Oftentimes dismissed by Lovecraft scholars because of the attempt at bringing order to the chaotic nature of the Great Old Ones, Elder Gods and other otherworldly entities, the term nevertheless still persists and is still frequently used today.

‘Ithaqua’ – For the First Time in 60 Years, Hammer Films Unleashes a Brand New Monster

By John Squires | February 10, 2025 | Bloodydisgusting.com

 The legendary brand Hammer Films is plotting a return with a brand new slate of movies under the ownership of British theater producer John Gore, the new team aiming to “celebrate and preserve the unmatched legacy of Hammer and to usher in a new era of storytelling.” For the first time in 60 years, on that note, Hammer is unleashing a brand new movie monster!

The brand announced on Instagram over the weekend that director and producer Casey Walker will soon unleash Ithaqua, which is set in the brutal wilderness of 1800s Canada.

Hammer Films previews, “the fur trade is in decline and a remote outpost is starving. A mercenary fights to unite the survivors against the cold, the hunger… and something far worse.

“This is horror as it was meant to be: terrifying and utterly unforgettable,” teases Hammer.

Now in production, Ithaqua will feature a cast of notable actors including Luke Hemsworth, Kevin Durand, Michael Pitt, Craig Lauzon, and Leenah Robinson.

More Hammer news: I just received an email from Wayne and Steve from Peveril Publishing announcing the sixth in their Hammer Scrapbook series, this one on the studio's four Mummy films. If it's like any of their others, this is a don't miss book as they squeeze every fact and photo they can from these movies. I've got mine ordered. It's about $70 USD for the price of the book and shipping across the pond.

From the publisher:

Welcome to our sixth Hammer Scrapbook, this time celebrating Hammer’s four Mummy films; The Mummy (1959), The Curse of the Mummy’s Tomb (1964), The Mummy’s Shroud (1966) and Blood from the Mummy’s Tomb (1971). Each film is brought to life with hundreds of rare images, FOH stills, lobby cards, posters, press cuttings, script pages, schedules, call sheets, Censor documents, letters, set designs, make-up designs and other ephemera. Includes a 100 page day by day production diary of the making of Hammer’s cursed Blood from the Mummy’s Tomb using daily progress reports, extracts from Valerie Leon’s annotated script and loads of rare images. 368 sumptuous full colour pages and limited to only 800 signed copies. A much anticipated volume – grab it as soon as you can.

Order HERE.

Sample pages:

BONUS!

"The Thing That Walked on the Wind" by August Derleth from STRANGE TALES (Vol. 3, No. 1, January 1933):

But wait, that's not all! Recently released is this fantastic figure from Star Ace, depicting a scene from Hammer's HORROR OF FRANKENSTEIN.

Here's the 4-1-1:

Frankenstein Horror of Frankenstein 1970 Creature 1/6 Scale Deluxe Figure

Suggested retail price: $379.99

The Horror of Frankenstein is a 1970 British horror film by Hammer Film Productions that is both a semi-parody and semi-remake of the 1957 film The Curse of Frankenstein, of Hammer's Frankenstein series. It was produced and directed by Jimmy Sangster, starring Ralph Bates, Kate O'Mara, Veronica Carlson and David Prowse as the monster. It was the only film in the Frankenstein series which did not star Peter Cushing. The original music score was composed by Malcolm Williamson.

The monster is played by the late actor and strongman, David Prowse, who went on to even greater fame when he played Darth Vader in the original STAR WARS trilogy.

Features:

• 1/6 scale body (approximately 32 cm tall) with over 30 points of articulation.

• Fully realized authentic likeness of The Creature in the movie “Horror of Frankenstein” (1970). The portrait is specially hand painted and features detailed skin texture and accurate facial expression.