We went to see a free preview of the movie Cthulhu yesterday.  It’s a new take on the classic by H.P. Lovecraft, set in a small town on the Oregon coast.   Written by Seattle local Grant Cogswell, it was shot in Seattle and Astoria, Oregon with a number of not so well know local actors.  There are some interesting deviations from the Lovecraft classic.  Of course, the setting is Oregon which is quite different than Lovecraft’s original take.  It’s set in current times.  And the most striking change, especially in this day and age, is the protagonist, Russ.  He’s gay.  The movie opens with Russ looking out the window of his Pike Place apartment after reading a letter announcing his mothers death.  A young ‘club boy’ lays in his bed, and upon hearing of Russ’s loss, simply gives him a ‘that sucks’ followed by a request for $20. Russ returns to his hometown in Oregon, where he renews his relationship with his childhood friend, which moves from strong friendship to something more.
Anyway, the cinematography, makeup, and acting at the beginning of the film were rough, to say the least.  The film was cheap and grainy, you could see the purple eyeshadow on Russ, an attempt to make him look emotionally distraught, and the dialog was simply not believable. However, once Russ travels to his Oregon hometown, things fall into place.  The graininess adds to the mystery and horror of the film, and Russ brings his character to life. It’s worth seeing, if you have access to one of the small independent theaters where it’ll be shown.