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.

H.P. LOVECRAFT (MINI) FILM FESTIVAL

To top off LOVECRAFTIANA week I thought presenting a few Lovecraftian-inspired short films might be in order. Included are stop motion and animated films that, in many ways, capture the atmosphere of a Lovecraft story better than live action. What do you think?









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LOVECRAFTIANA (PORTAL FIVE)

Hollywod special effects man Paul Blaisdell and his pal, Bob Burns, are revered by the legions of monster movie fans out there. Bob, of course, is still alive and possesses one of the largest collections of monster movie memorabilia imaginable. Entire books have been published on his collection that, in my estimation, is second only to Forry's Horde. Blaisdell was the "man in the rubber suit", as well as prop guy for numerous Atom Age B-Movies like THE SHE CREATURE and IT CONQUERED THE WORLD.

Beginning in 1962, they produced seven issues of FANTASTIC MONSTERS OF THE FILMS, a popular collectible for monster magazine fans. Intended as a showcase and "how-to" of Paul's special effects work, it evolved into a monster movie 'zine like others on the newsstands of the day. What was distinctive about FMOTF was its use of color and large, two-page spreads of photos that were not seen in the competition. Unfortunately, they had teamed up with an unscrupulous publisher who eventually ran off with not only their money, but a lot of their collectible film stills as well.

Coverage of the Poe-titled and Lovecraft-inspired THE HAUNTED PALACE was in Issue #6.

LOVECRAFTIANA (FOURTH PORTAL)

I mentioned that H.P. Lovecraft's influence reaches far and wide. While not necessarily ubiquitous, he generally ends up sooner or later with a nod in many monster magazines. This article is from DEEP RED #3.

Author Dennis Daniel's frame of reference for Lovecraft begins rather late in the game with the film RE-ANIMATOR. However, he does the best thing someone who is interested in H.P. Lovecraft for the first time can do . . . pick up three Arkham House editions of his fictional works.

Daniel writes conversationally and enthusiastically about Lovecraft in this article. He also gets it right when he states that the oft-referred term "Cthulhu Mythos" was coined after his death. All-in-all a nice little introduction to Grandpa.

LOVECRAFTIANA (THIRD PORTAL)



Occasionlly one could see Lovecraft-derived film photos in FAMOUS MONSTERS OF FILMLAND. This one for DIE! MONSTER, DIE!, starring Boris Karloff and Nick Adams, is from Issue #36 (Dec. 1965). Looks like a denizen of Matango Island, doesn't he?

LOVECRAFTIANA (SECOND PORTAL)

In CASTLE OF FRANKENSTEIN #18 (Gothic Castle, 1972), H.P. Norton offers a "caco-daemoniacal" essay on Lovecraft and his films. And, to those of you who still hold on to the belief that Editor Calvin Beck was "above" using Forryisms, I direct your attention to the intro at the top of the first page.

LOVECRAFTIANA (FIRST PORTAL)

Having been an active member of the H.P. LOVECRAFT AMATEUR PRESS ASSOCIATION for a few years, as well as participating in the dialogue with its varied and distinguished 35-plus membership affectionately known as THE ESOTERIC ORDER OF DAGON, I have to say that the Olde Gentleman has a lot going for him these days. I don't believe there is, at present, a greater group of people at the genius loci of Lovecraftian scholarship. Moderated by prolific horror historian S.T. Joshi, his leadership has spurred on the continuing reasearch of this most interesting of literary personalities.

Lovecraft did not leave much in the way of his fiction writing. It is nearly all found in fan 'zines and pulp magazines of the 1920's and 1930's. However, he wrote thousands of pages of letters to such correspondents as Robert E. Howard, Clark Ashton Smith, and Robert Bloch. His letters are where one can find a little of what made this "Rhode Island Recluse" tick. Still, his legacy of horror -- or weird fiction as he called it -- is not only timeless, but dynamic. At the present time, it is safe to say that Lovecraft is today singularly influential from that group of "classic era" horror authors, surpassing even that of Poe.

Lovecraftian influence can be seen everywhere in literature and pop culture. Oddly enough, despite attempts at cannonizing him along with other literary greats, he remains largely a cult figure. Everybody seems to recognize the name, but not everyone can say they've actually read his writing.

When it comes to films, it's even a greater stretch. Who can say they realize that a film such as THE HAUNTED PALACE, while an obvious Poe title, was based more on a Lovecraft story (with a superb Charles Beaumont script)? The running and only half-joking phrase that's used by critics and fans is "Lovecraft, The Unfilmable" -- partly due to the fact that the true impact of his writing lends more towards the cerebral than visual.

Nevertheless, a handful of feature films and numerous short films have managed to capture the general essence of Lovecraft's "cosmic horror". In Issue #43 (Sept. 1975) of THE MONSTER TIMES, this theme is expounded upon.

Welcome to the First Portal of LOVECRAFTIANA WEEK here at MONSTER MAGAZINE WORLD. I'll be posting various articles about movies based on Lovecraft's works, along with one or two biographical articles that include discussion of his influence on horror cinema. Enjoy!