Frameline 32 Dispatch. 1.

Writer Grant Cogswell introduced Cthulhu (site) last night alongside director Dan Gildark at the Castro Theater with news that the film, based on HP Lovecraft's short story "The Shadow over Innsmouth," is heading straight to the editors for a re-cut. "You are the last audience to see this, the original cut of the film, so if you feel like a scene is dragging, just remember, we're about to tighten it up." Gogswell went on to add that the film isn't "just a gay film." An odd comment to make to a Frameline 32 audience; yes, Grant, gay films are people films, too.

It was perhaps not surprising then that the protagonist Russ Marsh (Jason Cottle) has to cope with cliché familial homophobia from his purple-jumpsuit clad father, the Reverend Marsh (Dennis Kleinsmith), who snidely asks, "How's the gay life treating you?" About as well as that Tinky Winky outfit is treating you, we wanted Russ to retort.

Other unsophisticated attempts to explore nuances of gay sexuality also brought peals of laughter from the audience. Notably when Russ and his childhood buddy Mike (Scott Patrick Green) spend a night of passion, the audience is treated with shots of their hands in blue-tint pressed against the sheets in a rather unconvincing - and conservative - sexual montage.

Tori Spelling (Kiss the Bride, Scary Movie 2) plays Dannie's nympho pal Susan. Spelling's charisma does liven up the film, in spite of poor lighting and sound in many of her scenes. Still, one can't quite believe that her character, a vampish sexual predator who works "at the seal lion caves," is meant to be taken seriously.

The final destination for this not-just-a-gay-movie could well be cult status alongside The Evil Dead and Plan 9 From Outer Space, only perhaps with a smaller cult. Indeed, the film is not unremarkable, nor bland, though the look is often inconsistent, leaving one viewer wondering aloud, "Have they finished processing the film?" Perhaps one of the best - and most Ed Wood-ish - scenes has Russ driving the convenience store clerk home and an object very much like a ghostly tumbleweed floats in front of the car, inexplicably terrifying them both. When Russ goes out to investigate, the girl, out of nowhere, breaks into top-volume screaming hysterics. As the camera cuts in tight on her glam make-up, we catch an expression - not of terror or even fear, but of self-satisfaction, a sort of a flirtatious sideways glance - at us. Unfortunately, the editors will most likely try to find a serious horror flick in Cthulhu, rather than work to draw out its authentic camp.

- Monica Peck

Earlier: Grant Cogswell recently told the long, sad yet sadly entertaining tale of Cthulhu's making in the Stranger, where Annie Wagner checked in on the crew back in 2005.

KZA interviewed Cogswell and Gildark almost exactly one year ago.

Posted by dwhudson at June 23, 2008 4:30 AM