Absolutely the best documentary I have ever seen on the horror and fantasy writer Howard Philips Lovecraft (1890-1937). Lovecraft is known for his "Cuthulu Mythos" stories which were published in pulp magazines in the 1920's and 30's. Over the years, he's gained a large cult following. Many people rank him up there with Edgar Allen Poe as a master of American literature.
The documentary follows a loose, but entertaining format. The biographer S.T. Joshi explains the particular childhood of Lovecraft at the turn of the century and how this effecting his view of the world. Many authors who cite Lovecraft as a major influence are also given their chance to talk about him. There's even a visit to the annual HP Lovecraft film festival which features the latest adaptations of his works.
The film does have its faults. There's a rather poor attempt to recreate an old black-and-white film interview of a professor from one of his books. We also get to see the painful attempt to show a real "Lovecraftian" cult who tries to summon up one of the elder gods with a Blair Witch conclusion.
Best of all is a talk with the author Neil Gaiman who describes Lovecraft's view of the universe as "We're all screwed."
Worth seeing if you get the opportunity.
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