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The Whisperer in Darkness

The Whisperer in Darkness

  • Status: Released
  • 12-03-2011
  • Runtime: 104 min
  • Score: 6.5
  • Vote count: 102

Folklore professor Albert Wilmarth investigates legends of strange creatures in the most remote hills of Vermont. His enquiry reveals a terrifying glimpse of the truth that lurks behind the legends.

Matt Foyer

Albert Wilmarth

Autumn Wendel

Hannah Masterson

Stephen Blackehart

Charlie Tower

Barry Lynch

Henry Akeley

Matt Lagan

Nathaniel Ward

Paul Ita

Farmer

Andrew Leman

Charles Fort

Annie Abrams

Aviatrix

Lance J. Holt

Davis Bradbury

Joe Sofranko

George Akeley

David Pavao

Jordan Lowell

Daniel Kaemon

P. F. Noyes

Martin Wately

Walter Brown

Caspar Marsh

Will Masterson

Sean Branney

B-67

Zack Gold

Astronomer

John Jabaley

Superintendent

Sheldon Nylander

"The Call of Cthulhu" by the H.P. Lovecraft Historical Society was an absolutely sublime film. Making it a black-and-white silent film to appear as though it were made in the '20s-'30s was a stroke of genius, and the film stays very close to the source material without being boring. So when it was announced that they were doing a follow-up film, adapting Lovecraft "The Whisperer in Darkness," I was beside myself with joy to the point of being giddy. Unfortunately, "The Whisperer in Darkness" fails to live up to the high water mark left by "The Call of Cthulhu." Instead of a silent film, this one is done more in the style of a '50s black-and-white horror film. While I don't take issue with the style they chose, they still make some very odd choices that left me feeling a little cold and at times saying, "Huh?" So, where does the problem arise? I started to wonder if I remembered the original story correctly. Then realized that I had. They not only make adjustments to the story, but treat the story as only acts one and two, creating a completely original third act. While I understand the adaptation aspect of movies and am more tolerant than many seem to be because I understand that a direct one-to-one translation of most literary works to the screen would, well, suck, the change in tone in the third act is enough to give the audience whiplash. The final act goes straight into traditional horror and action that seems like something more out of the Call of Cthulhu RPG as opposed to the slow-burning weird fiction of the unknowable that Lovecraft is most well known for. This leaves us with one of the most inconsistent movies I've seen in recent memory. The tonal change is so drastic that it's clear the different parts of the film were written in two completely disparate time periods. As such, this film is kind of a let down after "The Call of Cthulhu." I strongly recommend seeing that one over "The Whisperer in Darkness" and only recommend this one for hardcore Lovecraft fans.