Search - The H.P. Lovecraft Collection, Vol. 3: Out of Mind on DVD

Brilliantly Woven Experience

Brian Pawlowski | Palo Alto, CA | 12/22/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Highly recommended to HP Lovecraft fans. Christopher Heyerdahl plays HP Lovecraft in this wonderfully folded in on itself story within a story, dream within a dream within a dream. The best moments to me are those of Heyerdahl doing monologues in a remarkable impersonation of Lovecraft himself.

The story springs from the monologue by Lovecraft in his beliefs and motivations and then zooms to the future where Randolph Carter comes into his inheritance - the Necronomicon. And then starts flipping in time from there into a pre-history to the modern segments.

But that oversimplifies the constant folding of the story line and characters as they themselves start to meet and try to unravel who is dreaming who."

A Wonderful Cthulhu Mythos Adventure

W. H. Pugmire | Sesqua Valley | 09/15/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Christopher Heyerdahl, who has gone on to work on various series for the Sci-Fi channel, gives here a brilliant performance as H. P. Lovecraft. His opening segment, filmed in black & white as if it were lost footage from the 1930's, shews Lovecraft seated before a large radio microphone. It is a hypnotic illusion -- one wou'd swear that this IS Lovecraft speaking into the camera. During these interview segments, the text spoken is taken directly from Lovecraft's letters and essays. Some years ago, Mr. Heyerdahl was a guest at the H. P. Lovecraft Film Festival, held in Portland at the Hollywood Theatre -- and he stood on stage reading one of Lovecraft's essays "as" Lovecraft. Despite the growth of hair and beard, the performance was magical, and one could dream that this was indeed the Master standing before us on stage. Absolutely wonderful. The film deals with aspects on Lovecraft's life, and there is a separate story line in the tradition of the Cthulhu Mythos. Both stories are brilliantly combined at the conclusion. Interwoven are cinematic tidbits of Lovecraft's tales as plot elements, such as "The Case of Charles Dexter Ward" and "The Statement of Randolph Carter."

This fantastic DVD also includes bonus features, including: an amazing cinematic rendition of "The Music of Erich Zann" by John Strysik; Aaron Vanek's superb shorts "The Outsider" and "Necronomicon;" an interview with the world's leading Lovecraft scholar and editor, S. T. Joshi ; two audio commentaries on OUT OF MIND with star Heyerdahl and director Raymond Saint-Jean; and a delightful eight page booklet on H. P. Lovecraft and the films contained in this DVD. This is a must-have for all Lovecraftians and fans of ye Cthulhu Mythos!!"

Fantastic!!

S. Powell | 02/15/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Out of Mind is one of those stories that really puts HPL in a new light. The scenes with Christopher Heyerdahl are worth the price of the DVD alone!
Aaron Vaneks "The Outsider" is a good take on that classic story and "The Music of Erich Zann" puts that story in an interesting perspective.

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