Dagon (2001)

As I sat trying to decide what to watch today, it dawned on me that today was H.P. Lovecraft’s birthday. With that in mind, I decided to venture into his vast realm and check out Dagon.

Plot/ Based on a short story by H.P. Lovecraft, the undisputed master of the macabre, Dagon tells the story of Paul Marsh, a young man who discovers that the truth will not set him free instead it condemns him to a waking nightmare of unrelenting horror. A boating accident off the coast of Spain sends Paul and his girlfriend Barbara to the decrepit fishing village of Imboca looking for help. As night falls, people start to disappear and things not quite human start to appear. Paul finds himself pursued by the entire town. Running for his life, he uncovers Imboca's dark secret: that they pray to Dagon, a monstrous god of the sea. And Dagon's unholy offspring are freakish half-human creatures on the loose in Imboca.

This is one of my favorite Stuart Gordon adaptations of Lovecraft. The feel of the movie is solid, with a great plot that builds tension throughout. In fact, this is one of the first flicks that I feel truly captures the surreal atmosphere that permeates through all of his writings.  One of the things that I find outstanding is the fact that the majority of the horror and suspense relies more on fear of the unknown than gore. Yes, there are some flaws, but those are pretty minor. In the end, this is a flick that is entertaining on many levels and should be checked out, especially by fans of Lovecraft!