Dagon (2001)

A boating accident runs a young man and woman ashore in a decrepit Spanish fishing town which they discover is in the grips of an ancient sea god and its monstrous half human offspring.

Director:

Stuart Gordon

Writers:

H.P. Lovecraft (short stories "Dagon" and "The Shadow Over Innsmouth"), Dennis Paoli (screenplay)

Stars:

Ezra Godden, Francisco Rabal, Raquel Meroño

3 wins & 5 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Ezra Godden	...	Paul Marsh
Francisco Rabal	...	Ezequiel
Raquel Meroño	...	Bárbara
Macarena Gómez	...	Uxía Cambarro
Brendan Price	...	Howard
Birgit Bofarull	...	Vicki
Uxía Blanco	...	Madre Ezequiel / Ezequiel's Mother
Ferran Lahoz	...	Sacerdote / Priest
Joan Minguell	...	Xavier Cambarro
Alfredo Villa	...	Capitán Orfeo Cambarro / Captain Orpheus Cambarro
José Lifante	...	Recepcionista Hotel / Desk Clerk
Javier Sandoval	...	Padre Ezequiel / Ezequiel's Father
Victor Barreira	...	Ezequiel Joven / Young Ezequiel
Fernando Gil	...	Sacerdote Católico / Catholic Priest
Jorge Luis Pérez	...	Chico / Boy

Storyline

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...

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Plot Keywords:

h.p. lovecraft | tentacle | female nudity | galicia | cephalopod | 

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Genres:

Fantasy | Horror | Mystery | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for strong violence/gore, sexuality/nudity and language

Details

Official Sites:

Fantastic Factory Official Fantastic Factory Site

Country:

Spain

Language:

English Gallegan Spanish

Release Date:

31 October 2001 (Spain)

Also Known As:

H.P. Lovecraft's Dagon

Filming Locations:

Combarro, Pontevedra, Galicia, Spain

Box Office

Budget:

€4,200,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Castelao Producciones, Estudios Picasso, Fantastic Factory (Filmax)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

95 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Paul's shirt in the film indicates he is an alumnus of Miskatonic University, an institution that features prominently in H.P. Lovecraft's stories and one of the settings in Re-Animator, the first Lovecraft adaptation by director Stuart Gordon, producer Brian Yuzna and writer Dennis Paoli.

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Goofs

Near the beginning when Paul and Barbara are trying to get to the village in an inflatable raft, Barbara is clearly on the right side and Paul is on the left, mounting his oar. At about 16:38 the scene cuts and they are on opposite sides.

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Quotes

Uxía Cambarro: I still have human feelings.

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Connections

Referenced in The Eldritch Influence: The Life, Vision, and Phenomenon of H.P. Lovecraft (2003)

User Reviews

A treat for Lovecraft fans

Dagon was the first horror movie I've seen in a few years that both had a good plot and kept me on the edge of my seat. After reading most of H.P. Lovecraft's short stories on which this movie was based, I can safely say that this is the only movie based on Lovecraft that is true to the atmosphere and plot structure of his stories. The special effects are not overdone and there is minimal (and yet effective) "splatter," unlike the movie "Necronomicon," which is also based on Lovecraft. The horror and suspense of the movie relies on xenophobia, fear of the strange and unknown, and this plays into the movie's surprise ending where the hero must question his own path.

I'd also like to add that this movie was filmed in a coastal village in Galicia, Spain, and the scenery is both realistic and haunting.

All in all, this movie should be a pleasure to both fans of H.P. Lovecraft and the horror genre.