This week ECHG writer Adam Holtzapfel takes us back to 1970 and Hollywood’s take on Lovecraft with The Dunwich Horror.

 

 

Based on Lovecraft’s story this Roger Corman produced film can feel a little long and dated at times, but for us that grew up during the error of video stores and horror matinees on TV this is a film near and dear to most fan.

 

The story starts off with viewers seeing a woman writhing in pain during childbirth. We then skip to current times at Miskatonic University where we see Dr. Armitage (Ed Begley) finish a lecture on local history and the Necronomicon. 

 

 

 

 

Dr. Armitage hands the coveted book to his student Nancy (Sandra Dee) to return to the library. She’s approached by the uncanny Wilbur Whateley (Dean Stockwell). Wilbur is eager to see the ancient text, which Nancy allows due to his hypnotic gaze.

 

Next we see them traveling to the Whateley estate and we’re introduced to old Whateley (Wilbur’s grandfather). Nancy is given tea with more hypnotics included. The next day Elizabeth and Dr. Armitage are concerned as the Necronomicon is missing and they track Nancy down. When they find her she states she decided to spend the weekend with Wilbur.

 

Now we have Dr. Armitage and Elizabeth investigating the Whateley clan as something runs amok in Dunwich. Viewers are treated to dated fx, which even in the 70’s seemed a little corny, but it’s a Corman film so it’s exactly fitting. Scenes that look like someone took a hallucinogenic and an ending that fits the bill.

 

While this isn’t a movie I’d grab first to watch, it’s one I like to have as a palette cleanser, a good throw back to the days of filmmakers doing whatever they wanted and it getting released vs the machine that Hollywood has become with horror today.