"Dreams in the Witch House" DVD Movie Review (Anchor Bay 2006 Issue)

"Dreams in the Witch House" DVD Movie Review - Anchor Bay 2006 Issue

PREFACE:

This is the eighth installment of movie adaptations & DVD reviews stories by H.P. Lovecraft (1890-1937).

BASIS:

The short story "The Dreams in the Witch House" by H.P. Lovecraft written in 1932. The adaptation changes certain elements to fit within the 55 minute running time & to make the story more contemporary. The original story is much grander in scope and should be read to appreciated.

PRODUCTION:

This adaptation is actually part of the "Masters of Horror" television series. "Dreams in the Witch House" was the second episode of the first season.  

The dynamic duo is back again, Director Stuart Gordon & Written by Dennis Paoli & Stuart Gordon. It is my firm belief that these two Lovecraft fans, alongside of the H.P. Lovecraft Historical Society, are the best at adapting Lovecraft's work into a coherent and filmable story.

The music for this adaptation is by Gordon's frequent collaborator, Richard Band. 

Ezra Godden (Dagon) returns to play protagonist Walter Gilman. 

The effects for all of the Masters of Horror episodes were by effects superpower KNB FX (Greg Nicotero, Howard Berger & Robert Kurtzman). 

THE STORY:


Young Miskatonic University student Walter Gilman (Ezra Godden) rents a cheap room in a very ancient house. Young Walter is studying quantum theory and needs privacy. He starts being haunted by strange dreams and is accosted by a rat with a human face (called Brown Jenkin in the short story). This rat is a familiar to a 17th century witch who has used the non-euclidean geometry of the house as an inter-dimensional gateway between worlds.

This witch requires the sacrifice of an infant. It just so happens that the young single mother next door has an infant boy....

Protagonist Walter Gilman.

Brown Jenkin terrorizes Walter while sleeping.

The Non-Euclidean doorway is open...

Neighbor Mr. Masurewicz warns Walter of his fate.

The witch forces Gilman to "sign" with his blood.

THE DVD (Anchor Bay 2006 Issue)

The DVD comes in an attractive slip case designed in-line with the other "Masters of Horror" individual releases.

Special Features:

1.77:1 Widescreen Presentation; enhanced for 16x9 TV's

Audio Commentary with Stuart Gordon & Actor Ezra Godden

Behind the Scenes: The Making of The Dreams in the Witch House

Working with a Master: Stuart Gordon

Dreams, Darkness and Damnation: AN Interview with Stuart Gordon

On Set: AN Interview with Chelah Horsdal

SFX: Meet Brown Jenkin

Stuart Gordon Bio

Still Gallery

Storyboard Gallery

DVD-Rom: Screenplay

DVD-Rom: Screensaver

DVD-Rom: "Dreams in the Witch House" by H.P. Lovecraft

No lacking in the old special features on this DVD! I really like this movie, as it has a lot of Lovecraftian references than the usual adaptation. I mean we finally get to see the Rare Books Section of Miskatonic University & the Necronomicon to boot! There's gore & blood and perhaps the saddest ending of any of the adaptations that I've seen.

I only wish that Nyarlahotep had made an appearance as he did in the short story...scary shit right there!

This, of course, is one I would recommend highly!