Director & writer: Raymond Saint-Jean (based on HPL's writings).
Editor: Philippe Ralet.
Cinematographer: Serge Ladouceur.
Artistic Director: Sylvain Gingras.
Costumes: Linda Brunelle.
Original Music: Gaëtan
Gravel & Serge Laforest.
Sound Designers: Simon Goulet
& Martin Rouillard.
Cast: Christopher Heyerdahl
(H. P. Lovecraft); Art Kitching (Randolph Carter); Peter Fabridge
(Harley Warren); Michael Sinelnikoff (Henry Armitage).
REVIEW:
This is a fantastic little gem of a movie. I am not sure if
people not already familiar with the works of HPL and his universe
will 'get' this 60 minutes short movie; but my guess is it will
nevertheless leave them curious as to who this mysterious writer
is. In any case I cannot see why those of us already interested
in HPL and his thoughts and fiction shouldn't clap our hands
and wish for more of this to enter the TV screen! If future
films could be like Out of Mind, we would be far better
off than most other adaptations of HPL's horror-tales.
The movie an excellent mix of
HPL's stories - with a focus on the stories about the importance
of dreams, and if there is one thing it illustrates it is that
HPL was indeed "his own most fantastic creation."
The story plot revolves around a young man from the present,
Randolph Carter, who inherits an ancient book (yeps - the Necronomicon)
from an uncle he didn't know he had. Along with the book is
a picture of HPL. As he begins reading it, the walls between
past and present, and dream and reality, seem to not only become
thin but in the end (perhaps) altogether disappear?
In this combined b/w & color
film tour de force we witness glimpses and hints of major themes
of HPL's fiction (aforementioned subjects good examples, but
specific elements from such stories as "Herbert West
- Reanimator," "The Statement
of Randolph Carter," and The Case of Charles Dexter
Ward are here as well). That, however, is not all. No, this
outstanding picture also spoils us with what must surely be
the most admirable performance: Christopher Heyerdahl's portrayal
of HPL himself.
Appearing on the screen right
at the beginning of the movie, what appears to be a b/w newsreel
from the 20s, features a somewhat stiff gentleman sitting at
a desk and speaking into a microphone - "I am essentially
a static, contemplative, and objective person; almost a hermit
in daily life, and always preferring to observe rather than
participate. My natural - and only - genuine form of imagination
is that of passive witnessing - the idea being that of a sort
of floating disembodied eye which sees all manner of marvelous
phenomena without being greatly affected by them."
As any fan and scholar of HPL knows, this is from his letters
(Selected Letters, p. 436). Watching and listening to Heyerdahl's
HPL is mesmerizing, to say the least. And it is fascinating
to notice the animation and excitement entering his features
whenever he speaks of what holds his (HPL's) interest. The highlight
in this regard was for me when speaking of his nature being
tripartite. Has one nodding, thinking "yeps - that's how
Grandpa would be, all right." The use of HPL's own words
in letters and essays is perfect. Hats off for Heyerdahl's performance!
This is of course, without question,
due to the producer and director as well. A cast well-chosen
and a script well-written makes a movie. Although certainly
not of the largest budget, this movie delivers what it promises
- a tour around the life and stories of HPL. One cannot help
but admire the result. It is fascinating, to say the least,
to follow excerpts from HPL's life and daily doings, in short
b/w sequences, and Randolph Carter's quest to find out about
his mysterious uncle from the past. and to see these two dream
of each other, ending up actually meeting - whether in dream
or reality, that is left for the viewer to wonder.
The details don't stop here,
however. The wry remark thrown in about most movie adaptations
of HPL's stories is hilarious: "I saw one of his movies
once," says Carter's friend, Blake, "It wasn't
very good. It was about hairy squids from outer space."
And to see HPL stop and look quite perplexed at the shirt Carter
is wearing with his picture on, asking "What am I doing
on your shirt?" is a scene worth its weight in gold
too.
So far Out of Mind has
only been available in video format. If you don't have it yet,
I suggest you get it as soon as possible. No HPL movie library
is complete without it. Rumor has it that a dvd edition is on
its way [Please note: Andrew Migliore will be releasing it on
DVD through Lurker
Films]. I for one am crossing my fingers.
© Henrik Harksen 2004
Website: www.lovecraft.dk
Special thanks to Henrik Harksen
for allowing me to use this review.
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