MonsterTalk #019 - Cthulhu Rises

[DoctorAtlantis]

That is not dead which can eternal lie And with strange aeons even death may die.

—H.P. Lovecraft,
The Call of Cthulhu

(The official show notes has pictures)

The literary work of Howard Phillips Lovecraft is dark and macabre. It casts a long shadow in American Literature, influencing such writers as Rod Serling, Steven King, Bob Howard, Robert Bloch, and many others. In his stories he wove a tapestry of mad alien gods and unspeakable horrors and the insignificance of man. And of a mountainous evil that sleeps in the ocean, worshipped by mad cults and known only as … Cthulhu.

In this episode


Robert M. Price, a noted Lovecraft scholar, discusses:
[*]The life of H.P. Lovecraft
[*]The history of the Cthulhu Mythos
[*]Lovecraft’s philosophy, religious beliefs and racism
[*]The cultural impact of Lovecraft’s work

We then interview biologist PZ Myers about Cthulhu’s biological inspiration, discussing the weird alien biology and physiology of cephalopods.

PZ Myers
Links of interest

More on PZ Myers’ favorite monster
Robert M. Price’s interview of ST Joshi on Point of Inquiry
Quirks and Quarks on the evolution of Cephalopod pseudopods: http://www.cbc.ca/quirks/archives/09-10/qq-2010-05-29.html


Music
Monstertalk Theme: Monster
by Peach Stealing Monkeys
Intro Music: Death by 1000psi

Robert W. Price
Interstitial Music: Goblin Dreams A.R. Morgan
Outro Music: Hey There Cthulhu by The Eben Brooks Band and used by special permission.

[busterggi]

I miss those NecronomiCons held in Providence RI & Beverly MA!

If you can, get Bob Price to give you a transcript of the Cthulhu Prayer Breakfast sermon from N2 in '95 - best honest look at religion evah!

[DoctorAtlantis]

I miss those NecronomiCons held in Providence RI & Beverly MA!

If you can, get Bob Price to give you a transcript of the Cthulhu Prayer Breakfast sermon from N2 in '95 - best honest look at religion evah!

Were you there?  I envy you.  This would've been right up my alley.

[Durnett]

Help! Robert Price was going too fast! Can you post a bibliography of the influences and contemporaries of Lovecraft? I know Poe, but I'm not familiar with the other authors that were mentioned.

[DoctorAtlantis]

Help! Robert Price was going too fast! Can you post a bibliography of the influences and contemporaries of Lovecraft? I know Poe, but I'm not familiar with the other authors that were mentioned.

Lord Dusany
Arthur Machen
E A Poe
E. R. Burroughs

Barnes & Noble publishes a book called HP Lovecraft's Book of Horrors which contains many tales Lovecraft cited as influential as well.
http://www.amazon.com/H-P-Lovecrafts-Book-Horror-H-P-Lovecraft/dp/1854872311

Hope that helps!

[Durnett]

Thanks! I was having trouble with Machen. For some reason he kept mackin'.

[Skulleigh]

I wanted to say I really enjoyed the last two episodes, and that this one in particular has me interested in finally reading Lovecraft. I've actually never read any of it, but have heard a lot about it since it influences so much other work.

An anecdote regarding the Necronomicon paperback - back in the mid-nineties, I worked in a bookstore. We filed the Necronomicon in the fiction section, but had to do near daily battle with the freaks who thought it was real and kept taking it upon themselves to move it to the Occult section. For the most part though, I suppose there's not much difference in either set of shelves.

[spookyparadigm]

So was this inspired by my Bloop suggestion? (I haven't listened yet)

viewtopic.php?f=82&t=12631

Speaking of biology, the latest post on my Miskatonic Museum (similar philosophy to Monster Talk, using the fun to explore the science and history) blog might be of interest, regarding the transition from sea to land

http://miskatonicmuseum.blogspot.com/

[busterggi]

So was this inspired by my Bloop suggestion? (I haven't listened yet)

viewtopic.php?f=82&t=12631

Speaking of biology, the latest post on my Miskatonic Museum (similar philosophy to Monster Talk, using the fun to explore the science and history) blog might be of interest, regarding the transition from sea to land

http://miskatonicmuseum.blogspot.com/

Thanks for what looks to be an interesting blog!

[DoctorAtlantis]

So was this inspired by my Bloop suggestion? (I haven't listened yet)

No, but we're having Dr. Darren Naish on soon, and I thought he might be a good person to talk about the bloop.

[busterggi]

So was this inspired by my Bloop suggestion? (I haven't listened yet)

No, but we're having Dr. Darren Naish on soon, and I thought he might be a good person to talk about the bloop.

No matter what he talks about it will be good, loved his blog long before it switched to SB.

[ShawnM]

Near the end of the interview, you talk about movies that you liked based upon H.P. Lovecraft and mentioned several.

However, my wife and I both immediately said "Cast a Deadly Spell".  While not quite Lovecraftian, I think that it is a good homage.  The main character is named Phil Lovecraft, there's a bar named "The Dunwich Room" and there's even an appearance by Yog-Sothoth near the end.

If you ever see it in the bargain bin at your local video store, I'd suggest picking it up.  

[DoctorAtlantis]

I loved "Cast a Deadly Spell" - but if I remember correctly wasn't it a made-for-cable film starring Fred Ward?  It did follow those themes pretty well; I got a kick out of it.

[ShawnM]

Yep, that's the one.  It was made for HBO, but I was able to pick up a VHS copy of it for $1 when the local video store went out of business a couple of months ago.  Yes, I do still have a VHS player...
There was a sequel made starring Dennis Hopper that wasn't nearly as much fun.