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HBO orders horror anthology Lovecraft Country to series - Jordan Peele & Misha Green

V

Volimar

Member
I wish they'd just take that last baby step and go from anthology to full fledged serial in the vein of Penny Dreadful.
 
S

supermetfreud

Member
jack_package_200 said:
For those who have read Lovecraft Country,
do lovecraftian-esque monsters make any kind of appearance or does the novel mainly focus on the existential cosmic horror/dread?
Click to expand...

It uses Lovecraftian window dressing to explore issues of racism, but it's more of a pulpy kind of horror anthology than proper cosmic horror.
 
I

iFirez

Member
jack_package_200 said:
For those who have read Lovecraft Country,
do lovecraftian-esque monsters make any kind of appearance or does the novel mainly focus on the existential cosmic horror/dread?
Click to expand...
The ideas of eldridtch dread is introduced fairly early on in the book but before that it unsettled you with an abrupt introduction to an outwardly racist world and something the world doesn't even seem ashamed of or know is wrong. Many of the main characters are African American and that means that when the eldridtch horror creeps in they're being attacked from all sides. There are moments we're one of the main characters relatives goes into another dimension and a blobulous creature almost eats her, there's even a super power like thread that ties the book together but it's not a super power like from the comics it's more like an eldridtch power. You also learn of a secret society, almost who remind me of the Assassins or Templars in AC; who find power in eldridtch things.
It's a super cool book with lots of awesome tales which are far more connected than most anthology pieces and I'm damn excited to see how crazy they go with the cosmic horror elements of the book.

supermetfreud said:
It uses Lovecraftian window dressing to explore issues of racism, but it's more of a pulpy kind of horror anthology than proper cosmic horror.
Click to expand...
For the most part yeah, but don't forget about the whole plot of Atticus' trying to discover his true heritage and learning of an other worldly power that may lay dormant within him. And ofcourse Hippolyta going through a portal. At times it feels like the Lovecrafian elements are more than window dressing but at others it feels like they've fallen off the window and swept under a rug, forgotten about for many many pages.

Holy shit I'm just remembering about the chapter with the potion that turns black people white... holy shit that's going to be a controversial episode for sure. I mean the book its self feels like a season of a TV show in an early Fringe, Twin Peaks kind of way - but as each episode is different they're also going to be connected. Happening at similar time periods in similar or adjacent locations, it's going to be really cool to see the book go from page to screen.
 
F

Forsaken82

Member
.JayZii said:
Sounds great in concept.

I just hope they don't go with the caricatured, over-the-top "everybody's sprouting tentacles!" version of "Lovecraftian", and go with a more subtle unsettling creepy tone.
Click to expand...

Considering it's an anthology series, they will likely cover a bunch of lovecraftian tropes. The book this is based on does.

That being said, regarding Get Out
Given Get Out's numerous Homages to Lovecraft, i am not surprised to see Peele take this project on, and it is a good sign for you that there is life beyond tentacles.
 
I

Imperial Bishop

Banned
- Jordan Peele
- Misha Green
- Lovecraft

Say no more. I'm in!

zgXR935.gif
.
 
I

iFirez

Member
Forsaken82 said:
Considering it's an anthology series, they will likely cover a bunch of lovecraftian tropes. The book this is based on does.

That being said, regarding Get Out
Given Get Out's numerous Homages to Lovecraft, i am not surprised to see Peele take this project on, and it is a good sign for you that there is life beyond tentacles.
Click to expand...
The sunken place made me instantly think of Lovecraft.
 
V

Volimar

Member
It just struck me that they're using a known racist's fantasy world to confront issues of racism. Amazing.


Raptor said:
You had me at "Lovecraft"

Ninja Edit:



wait no monsters?

:(
Click to expand...


I'm sure there will be some, but it doesn't sound like we'll be getting much in the way of cosmic horror.
 
R

Raptor

Member
Volimar said:
It just struck me that they're using a known racist's fantasy world to confront issues of racism. Amazing.





I'm sure there will be some, but it doesn't sound like we'll be getting much in the way of cosmic horror.
Click to expand...

At least a hint to some otherwordly stuff going on too hard to comprehend, oh man.
 
I

iFirez

Member
Raptor said:
You had me at "Lovecraft"

Ninja Edit:



wait no monsters?

:(
Click to expand...
It honestly depends on how closely they translate the book to screen. The book is already structured like an anthology show with an overarching thread that links it all together. Some stories are heavier with their cosmic horror narrative beats while others don't have any or only slightly allude to it.
 
H

HStallion

Now what's the next step in your master plan?
Should be interesting to see how multiple Lovecraft inspired anthology series should be received. We still don't know much about the one that's being worked on at Legendary except that its based directly on the works of Lovecraft.
 
Faynwulf

Faynwulf

Member
Hm. My feelings are divided on this. On one site it is awesome the we get some Cosmic Horror on tv.

But it's only Lovecraft Country.
A book I didn't like at all. It always felt like the author wasn't sure what kind of story he wanted to write. Somehow it felt jumbled.

I'd rather have an adaption of a Lovecraft or any more 'classic' story.
Look up 'Hounds of Tindalos'. I think the concept of those would translate very well on film.
 
I

iFirez

Member
Faynwulf said:
Hm. My feelings are divided on this. On one site it is awesome the we get some Cosmic Horror on tv.

But it's only Lovecraft Country.
A book I didn't like at all. It always felt like the author wasn't sure what kind of story he wanted to write. Somehow it felt jumbled.

I'd rather have an adaption of a Lovecraft or any more 'classic' story.
Look up 'Hounds of Tindalos'. I think the concept of those would translate very well on film.
Click to expand...
There is supposed to be a proper lovecrafian cosmic horror tv show in the works, but I can't remember the last time I heard about it.
 
R

Raptor

Member
iFirez said:
It honestly depends on how closely they translate the book to screen. The book is already structured like an anthology show with an overarching thread that links it all together. Some stories are heavier with their cosmic horror narrative beats while others don't have any or only slightly allude to it.
Click to expand...

Sounds good enough to be honest.

Im in.
 
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