Anna Gawrilow and her intrepid crew of artists have created a wonderful stop-motion adaptation of one of Lovecraft's creepiest tales. While not a direct adaptation (this Zann plays the piano, not the violin), the horror is still intact. This version implies a more intimate relationship between Zann and the horror outside his window, and the ending can be interpreted in figurative as well as literal terms.

Clocking in at 8 minutes, this version relies entirely on action to relate the plot. This approach makes the film (which was made in Germany) universally understandable. The moody lighting and amazing sets all help to create a wonderful atmosphere. Add to this the inherent creepiness of stop-motion animation and you have an excellent Lovecraft adaptation.

The short film is available on a PAL region 0 DVD along with a "making of" featurette (in