Restoration of 1975's The Whisperer in Darkness

Type: 
Film
Location: 
Columbus Theatre - 270 Broadway, Providence RI
Date and time: 
Sunday, August 22, 2021 - 1:00pm

The first fan film based on a story of H. P. Lovecraft was made in 1975 by author David C. Smith (the series of Oron novels, as well as the Red Sonja novels, like Endithor's Daughter), with permission from August Derleth, and starring author J. Vernon Shea as Henry Akeley in The Whisperer in Darkness. This exclusive screening will give you an inside look at the film, and the restoration process from original 8mm film. 

 

The Whisperer in Darkness (1975)

World Premiere
Directed by
David C. Smith
starring
J. Vernon Shea, David Clement, Ron Koloskee, Barry Meshel
26 mins
 | 1975
 | United States
 | English
 w/English subtitles

As far as we can tell, this is the first ever fan adaptation of one of H. P. Lovecraft's stories, and was made only 12 years after the very first studio adaptation, with an 8mm camera, a few friends, including author J. Vernon Shea, and a lot of passion. Restored from the original 8mm reels by Brian Callahan at Arkham Bazaar/Sigh Co. Graphics, this is the first time in decades that this film has been played on the big screen and the first time ever that this restored version has been shown.

"The Whisperer in Darkness" is strongly based on Lovecraft's story of one man's battle with strange creatures in the Vermont woods, and the Folklorist who wouldn't believe, until it was too late.

Owner: 
H. P. Lovecraft Film Festival – Providence, RI