Fans of HP Lovecraft are experiencing an interesting time, as the vast mythology of cosmic horrors and ancient evils from the influential writer are more present than ever in culture mainstream, with series like ‘Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities’, ‘Lovecraft Country’ or ’30 Coins’ and the news that James Wan wants to adapt ‘The Call of Cthulhu’. That’s why ‘Exegesis Lovecraft’ It has come at a key moment.
This new documentary, which has just appeared available on Amazon Prime Video, is a complete and powerful audiovisual studio that explores the life and legacy of the masterto contextualize, from his work and literary obsessions to the contradictions of his xenophobia, analyzing each stage of his life and the society of his time, which proposes a very different approach to other studies on the author, serving as a counterpoint to another great documentary on the figure of the writer, the essential ‘Lovecraft: Fear of the Unknown’ (2008).
The one, which looked at the themes, influences and legacy of Lovecraft’s stories, featured interviews with various filmmakers such as John Carpenter and Guillermo del Toro, but also with artists and game designers inspired by the Providence’s visions. But in ‘Exegesis Lovecraft’ does not stop at how his work has been adapted, reinterpreted or subverted by different genres and media, but instead focuses on the impact of his figure on the life of the director himself, Qais Pasha, a Pakistani-Canadian filmmaker, whom we follow on a trip.
lovecraft territory
As a tourism program, we visited several places that were important to Lovecraft, like his hometown of Providence, Rhode Island, where we gaze upon his grave and his childhood home; New York City, where he lived for a brief, unhappy period of time; and Quebec City, where he found inspiration for some of his stories. Along the way, Pasha interviews various experts and enthusiasts of the American’s work such as Peter Cannon, ST Joshi, Silvia Moreno-Garcia and Matt Christman.
The conversations contrast different points of view and opinions on how the author’s biography influences the style and themes of his writing. For example, it exposes how his childhood and adolescence pushed him to develop a sense of alienation and isolation from his peers and his family, shaping his vision of the world and his fascination with the unknown. The level of depth of the study makes it almost a filmed thesis and personal reflection than a popularization film, although it uses recreations, animations and illustrated credits sequences to color his theories.
Sometimes the variety of resources leaves a certain sensation of arbitrariness, but it makes his more than two-hour plunge into the author’s universe a more dynamic experience than it should be, since he also presents extracts from his letters and texts, which are contrasted the ideas put forward. Nevertheless, this is not a conventional documentary that tries to present an objective portrait and completeness of the figure, but a personal and subjective look that reflects Pasha’s own fascination, disappointment, love, hate, and curiosity for her.
The complex legacy of xenophobia
The director does not shy away from tackling the most controversial aspects of Lovecraft’s personality and worldview, such as his racism, xenophobia and misogyny, but confronts them with his own identity and experiences as an immigrant and Muslim. From there, delves into the author’s controversial views on race, religion, and society, which increasingly arouse more criticism among more or less casual fans. The work confronts all the accusations, showing those that are evident in his writing and how his own fears of immigrants defined aspects of his literary career.
The feature film recounts how Lovecraft’s points of view evolved over time and how they influenced his interpretation of other cultures and civilizations in his fiction, even giving clues about the influence on the creation of the Cthulhu Mythos, a shared universe of ancient gods, monsters, and cults that lurk beyond the veil of reality. The bottom line is that even Lovecraft’s most famous stories, such as ‘Call of Cthulhu’, ‘The Shadow Beyond Time’ and ‘At the Mountains of Madness’, reflect his personal fears, obsessions and quirks.
His frankness and maturity when it comes to contextualizing, make ‘Exegesis Lovecraft’ a convincing look at the complex legacy of the author who knows how to separate the impact and influence of works on culture and modern media from questions about the relationship between art and ideology, and how we can face the work of an artist as flawed as he is brilliant. The presence of contradictions in his most controversial opinions and the historical exposure of the collective mentality of his specific time help to understand the great mystery of the coexistence of various antithetical realities that time judges unequally, without exculpating its harmful root.
In Espinof | ‘Lovecraft Territory’: 13 series and movies to see if you liked HBO’s horror production