Legendary Lovecraftian lore in the limelight lavishly illuminates a literary tale appealing to lifelong loyalists and laymen alike.

H. P. Lovecraft’s Witch House is the new independent film inspired by The Dreams of the Witch House about the villainous Keziah Mason, the Miskatonic University, and the themes of the Cthulhu Mythos like the Necronomicon, Witch’s Curve, and Stonehenge’s and the Magical Nazi Castles theories.

It begins with a woman reading on commenting on an HP Lovecraft story immediately giving the film a meta feel. A woman named Alice rents a room in the attic in the infamous Hannah house seeking refuge from an abusive relationship. The homeowner (Andrea Collins) has an alcoholic, religious-obsessed brother Joe and punk rocker niece, Tommi. Alice immediately starts doing her research on the property. She explains everything while talking to her mentor about how she’s trying to prove ancient structures like Stonehenge were used for worship, living quarters or as gateways to alternate dimensions by using the geometry of the architecture.

Certain geometry shapes like pentagrams and hexagrams are used to illustrate her point. They were a symbol of epiphany too. She eventually learns of the Necronomicon, using it as a tool for research. Things turn dark quickly when has strange nightmares full of haunting abstract imagery. When the unimaginable happens, she needs to find answers fast.

Directed by Bobby Easley, the use of coloured lights and various unconventional camera angles enhances the mood of being trapped in a helpless delusion. The impressive gore is done by practical effects which I always appreciate. I also like how it’s filmed in Indiana, having on lived in Ohio it’s nice seeing the Midwest represented on screen.

Written by Bobby Easley and Ken Wallace, it’s evenly paced so there are no dull points. At just under 90 minutes, every second is used wisely so every frame matters. The interesting mystery doesn’t feel rushed either. While not all the answers are provided it plays into the classic Lovecraftian mantra of fearing the unknown. Filled with fun references, fellow fans of the legendary author will surely appreciate seeing them sprinkled in throughout.

The cast includes Portia Chellelynn as Alice, Shonda Laverty as Etta, Joe Padgett as Joe, Julie Anne Prescott as Tommi, Andrea Collins as Keziah Mason, Solon Tsangaras as Brown Jenkin and John Johnson as Satan. The performances aren’t the greatest, but they weren’t so bad to ruin the experience. I’ve seen worse acting in big-budget blockbusters.

Overall, I appreciate seeing Lovecraftian lore brought to life being familiar with it myself. It’s not the worst adaptation and I’d even argue that, given its shortcomings, H. P. Lovecraft’s Witch House isn’t a bad film. The horror aspects are jaw-droppingly well done and the gore is used creatively. Some moments are genuinely shocking. The nightmare sequences are filmed with innovative abstract imagery making them the highlight of the picture. I highly recommend this. And remember, it takes tremendous Love and care to Craft a film like this.

7 out of 10