CAST A DEADLY SPELL
US, 1991, 96 minutes, Colour.
Fred Ward, David Warner, Julianne Moore, Clancy Brown, Alexandra Powers, Arnetia Walker, Lee Tergesen.
Directed by Martin Campbell.
This is an HBO production from the early 1990s, the precursor of so many feature films they would make over the coming decade, many of them so much more interesting, so many of them focusing on American politics, The Second Civil War, Path to War, Pentagon Papers…
The concept of this film is a combination of the Sam Spade-Philip Marlowe private eye investigation with the world of magic and horror. The setting is private eye Los Angeles but with all the inhabitants resorting to magic – except the private eye, Philip (as in Marlowe) Lovecraft as in the horror stories of HP Lovecraft. The film was directed by Martin Campbell who had directed Riley, A soft Spiders and Age of Darkness for television and was to move on to a cinema career, directing two James Bond films and to Zorro films.
Fred Ward is the typical gumshoe, not using magic, following an investigation for recovering a copy of the necromantic on for millionaire, David Warner. Julianne Moore, in a very early role, plays the femme fatale, with the villain, Clancy Brown, and being seductive because of the past relationship with Lovecraft.
There is a huge finale with a huge diabolical monster appearing and devouring the millionaire. The femme fatale also is engaged in various double crosses.
Actually, rather a lot of nonsense, but of interest for genre fans and how it uses the private eye conventions with the horror conventions.
- Tongue-in-cheek parody of private eye dramas, monster horror films, necromantic on?
- Dish and that everybody in Los Angeles use magic to achieve their ends? The consequences? Werewolves and monsters?
- The Los Angeles setting, the period, costumes and decor, the private eye office, the clubs, mansions, settings for the cult? The musical score?
- A private eye called Lovecraft? And in the context of horror? His Christian name – Philip, as in Marlowe? Not believing in magical using it? Downbeat, renting officers from the manager of the dance class? Mixing up the cards? His past relationship with Connie? Meeting Hackshaw? His commission, the book? His daughter riding the unicorn, the interaction with Lovecraft, commission, deadline, payment?
- Borden, owning the club, wanting the book, wanting power, his hold over table, doing his dirty work, Mike and the book, wanting payment, his being drowned? The relationship with Lily, Lily and the disguise, hiding? Borden dissatisfied with Tugwell and killing him? The monster present doing his will? His relationship with Connie?
- Lovecraft, his investigations, going to the new building, the landlady, information about Lili, working for Hackshaw, being fired? The relationship with Mike, the disguise, in hiding? Lovecraft tracking him down, getting the information, the monster killing Lily?
- Connie, the femme fatale, the past relationship with Lovecraft, meeting him again, seductive, the night, the revelation that she was working for Borden, wanting the book and its power, killing Borden?
- The buildup to the confrontation and the deadline, Hackshaw and the book, willing to sacrifice his daughter, a 16-year-old virgin, the moon, the eclipse, the incantations, the appearance of the vast monster, devouring Hackshaw, the daughter and the police guard, the sexual encounter, her not being a virgin, the plan thwarted?
- Lovecraft and Connie, any future?
- How effective the combination of the private eye thriller with the Lovecraft world?
