Author: Andrew Migliore & John Strysik
Category: book
Company/Publisher: Armitage House
Line: non-fiction
Cost: $19.95/£12.95
Page Count: 200
ISBN: 1-887797-15-7
Capsule Review by Pookie on 08/06/00. Genre tags: Modern day Historical Horror

From the outset, Lurker in the Lobby, an exploration of films, television and video based or influenced by the writings of H. P. Lovecraft, is a handsome tome. Armitage House has done a sterling job with this 208-page book. The black and white contents are clearly laid out, with a nice selection of photographs and movie posters appropriate to each film. This is surrounded by a colour cover, the frontispiece by Roger Raup depicting Lovecraft in a cinema lobby as some nameless explodes behind the concession stand. Inside the front and back covers can be found more stills and posters, but these are in colour.

Inside, authors Migliore and Strysik examine over fifty movies, television shows and film and video shorts. These begin with the first Lovecraft adaptation, Roger Corman's The Haunted Place and proceed in chronological order through the highs, lows and invariably film-ending conflagration of all films Lovecraftian. This includes more modern well-known films such as Re-Animator and From Beyond, the last entry being 1997's Bleeders. Each entry contains a detailed retelling of the plot, examines how faithful it is to its source and adds in a little commentary. This is done with a light and humorous tone to pleasing effect, though this is to the cost of the criticism for each film, which is too perhaps a little too light to some tastes.

Accompanying numerous entries are interviews with the film's makers. These include Roger Corman for The Haunted Palace and The Dunwich Horror; John Carpenter for The Fog, The Thing and In The Mouth Of Madness; and Jeffrey Combs, Stuart Gordon and Brian Yuzna for Re-Animator, From Beyond and others. Each interviewee not only discusses their films, but their thoughts about the works of Lovecraft. These form an interesting counterpoint to the author's own commentary on their films.

The section devoted to television is slight due to the dearth of Lovecraft within that medium, but the following section is devoted to shorts made by professionals and students. The individual behind the each project essays these, the authors of The Lurker In The Lobby declining to add any commentary to these films, although they praise the makers for their efforts. The book is rounded out with appendices interviewing artist Bernie Wrightson for his work on Stuart Gordon's planned, but never made Shadow Over Innsmouth and showcasing his excellent sketches for this project.

The Lurker In The Lobby is an excellent book in its coverage of the Lovecraftian inspired film. It should prove of invaluable aid to the dedicated Lovecraft fan and film collector alike. The book's only failing is the weakness of its criticism for the films made in Hollywood, and whilst this may turn what could have been an excellent critical reference on Lovecraft in the visual media into the equivalent of a coffee table book on Lovecraft film, The Lurker In The Lobby is nevertheless a superb coffee table book on Lovecraft film.

Style: 3 (Average)
Substance: 3 (Average)