Soon the evil spawn will awaken to clear the earth of man. The Elder Gods will destroy us all. Pray only that Cthulhu eats you first.
Have no idea what we’re talking about? Think a Cthulhu is something you order at a Mexican restaurant? Don’t worry. If Guillermo del Toro has his way, the whole world will soon be chanting from the “Necronomicon,” the director laughed, explaining to MTV News his grand vision to bring H.P. Lovecraft’s “At the Mountains of Madness” to the big-screen.
“I remember when I was a kid out of the studios came the big event horror movies, ‘The Exorcist,’ ‘Alien,’ ‘Jaws,’ ‘The Shining,’” del Toro recalled. “It is my hope that this movie will be a tentpole movie [of that sort]. It has the scope of a Shackleton epic exploration movie but it’s full of tentacled things.”
Is it ever. Originally published in 1936, Lovecraft’s “Madness” centers on a group of explorers who stumble onto an ancient city in Antarctica. There they find living creatures dubbed “Elder Things,” living embodiments of fear and madness and pure crap your pants terror (Put THAT on a poster).
But to Del Toro, what makes the story particularly alluring is the opportunity it gives him to impose some of his own inventiveness.
“It’s not hard to be faithful to Lovecraft because what is great about the novel is that it’s a compilation of really dry scientific annotations that happen to be annotating something really scary. There is no character or dramatic thread,” he insisted. “You take those document and you then create a story. If you were [just rigidly faithful] you would be doing a National Geographic special on a crew that disappeared in an exploration mission.
“I’m happy with [my script],” he continued. “I know some people would like a happier ending but I’m happy with the ending there is.”
Familiar with the story? Think Del Toro is a good match for Lovecraft? What would you like to see in “Madness’? Sound off below.
January 29th, 2008 at 4:25 pm
Too long, didn’t read.
January 29th, 2008 at 5:27 pm
This is a match made in Heaven!!
I can’t wait to see it.
January 29th, 2008 at 7:34 pm
Brilliant news! I love the story and can’t think of a better director to film it.
January 29th, 2008 at 7:48 pm
I can’t wait to see it. I believe this is the best person to do this sort of movie.
January 30th, 2008 at 5:32 am
Del Toro is the best, he and his twisted and scary mind can make the most sweet melody into a horrorific one! YAY!
January 30th, 2008 at 10:28 am
I have wanted to see this on the big screen ever since I first read it. Hopefully Del Toro can do it justice!
January 30th, 2008 at 9:05 pm
*yawn* I’ve been hearing about this project for several years now and he’s always kept putting off. I’ll think about getting excited once I see some post-production work. Come on GDT, stop talkign about it and just film it already for Cthulhu’s sake! Sheesh.
February 4th, 2008 at 2:02 am
How do you make a movie that depicts the indescribable? Lovecraft doesn’t translate to film particularly well.
February 11th, 2008 at 6:00 pm
It’s about time. However, the factual, analytical style of Lovecraft is what gives it its horror.
February 12th, 2008 at 11:00 am
This could be interesting. Most who’ve taken on Lovecraft in film have failed miserably. Let’s hope he doesn’t make their mistakes by sexing-up the movie–it doesn’t suit Lovecraft well. Ia Cthulhu!
February 28th, 2008 at 2:52 pm
I’m excited about this. I must admit that Lovecraft is hard to put to film, and even Del Toro’s take won’t satisfy Lovecraft readers 100%, but it will certainly do a great deal of justice, and also introduce Lovecraft to a generation of kids who rarely read for enjoyment anymore, and that’s whats important. That, and the fact that directors like Michael Bay or Spielburg didn’t think of doing it first. *phew!*
March 16th, 2008 at 5:25 pm
Well…I wan’t to be in this movie- favorite story- favorite director…shoosh, they don’t even have to pay me! Can’t wait to see it
March 29th, 2008 at 8:47 pm
How does his decision to do “The Hobbit” impact the timetable for this film? Personally, given the trashing Jackson gave LOTR (do I need to bring up dwarf-tossing jokes?) and his continued involvedment in “The Hobbit”, I’d rather del Toro focus on ATMOM and not “The Hobbit”.
April 23rd, 2008 at 7:34 am
gresat, just heard an audio drama and read the story, i love the Lovecrafts stories about the elders and cthulhu and i think no one better than guilmerro del toro is the best who can do it, since i saw Pans’ Labyrinth. Forget the Hobbit-Children stuff and please do the Mountain of Madness story, plase,please, please, I beg ya…^^
April 24th, 2008 at 1:44 pm
I got quite excited to know that del Toro is planning to shoot Lovecraft’s masterpiece. I’m pretty sure that he won’t betray the essence and atmosphere of the novel. I believe that he’s the best director to make the impossible come true. Can’t wait to watch!
April 24th, 2008 at 6:47 pm
At the Mountains of Madness is a true horror masterpiece, and GDT seems to have his heart in the right place. It would distress me greatly to see it handed over to a Bruckheimer, and made “marketable” by the inclusion of a bunch of crap unseen in the novella. The isolation and brutal conditions of Antarctica, coupled with an evil so ancient and powerful men’s minds and bowels turn to jelly- this is the quintessential Lovefcraft setting. My humble advice- 35 mm opposed to digital, for the correct ambience.