This is probably the most faithful adaptation of H.P. Lovecraft's short story "The Thing on the Doorstep" yet produced. Director Eric Morgret had made an earlier short of the story and returns with some of the same cast of that film for this full length feature. The film was made on a very small budget but comes across as being a real labour of love by the film makers.
Lovecraft's story has been transported into the modern era, and has undergone some modernisation. Kerry Young has done a very good job of adapting the original story and I feel the modernisations are not too intrusive.
In this version of the story Dan Upton (J.D. Lloyd) is an academic at Miskatonic University whose star pupil Edward Derby (Erick J. Robertson) surprisingly begins dating the beautiful but mysterious Asenath Waite (Angela M. Grillo). The pair marry only months after first meeting but Upton notices that Derby is a changed man. Dropping out of college life and exhibiting some strange behaviour. What he doesn't know is that Waite has planted esoteric ideas and images into her husbands mind as a way of preparing the way for her to magically exchange minds with him - ultimately as a precursor to her unleashing the horrifying power of The Great Old Ones.
One of the most contentious elements introduced into the film are the sex scenes between Edward and Asenath. I think that it will be a matter of personal taste as to whether viewers feel these scenes are an unnecessary addition to the story. Personally, I felt they were not intrusive and actually added to a modern retelling of the story. Lovecraft would never have included such material in one of his stories but I think many modern audiences would speculate about the mind swapping implications for the newlywed Derby's.
Strange Aeons is not without it's problems, there are some annoying issues with the sound quality throughout the film. Some of the actors give very average performances - in particular Robertson in one of the three central roles is far from impressive. However, the biggest problem with the film is that a short story has been extended into a one hour plus feature. There are some moments that feel padded out and slow. The film's opening has been altered and lacks the punch of Lovecraft's opening.
That said there are many things to like about Morgret's film. Angela Grillo gives an excellent performance as Asenath Waite. J.D. Lloyd is good in a very exposition heavy role. Jerry Lloyd steals ever scene he is in as the mentally unbalanced Robert Black. Some excellent locations around Washington state have been used to good effect. There is a genuine atmosphere of creeping horror building throughout the film - which is greatly enhanced by Richard Temple's musical score. Whichever poor production assistant had to sit and draw esoteric symbols and diagrams all over the walls of a padded cell, and then the windows of a house and then someone's body deserves a medal. There are some good effects used in the film, in particular the bleached out almost blindingly white room used as a background when Ephraim Waite (Peter Anthony Holden) appears.
So, overall I would say that Strange Aeons is a very good adaptation of one of Lovecraft's lesser short stories. It will undoubtedly be too slow, and maybe too amateurish for some, but personally I thought it was one of the best Lovecraft inspired films I have seen in recent years.
Lovecraft's story has been transported into the modern era, and has undergone some modernisation. Kerry Young has done a very good job of adapting the original story and I feel the modernisations are not too intrusive.
In this version of the story Dan Upton (J.D. Lloyd) is an academic at Miskatonic University whose star pupil Edward Derby (Erick J. Robertson) surprisingly begins dating the beautiful but mysterious Asenath Waite (Angela M. Grillo). The pair marry only months after first meeting but Upton notices that Derby is a changed man. Dropping out of college life and exhibiting some strange behaviour. What he doesn't know is that Waite has planted esoteric ideas and images into her husbands mind as a way of preparing the way for her to magically exchange minds with him - ultimately as a precursor to her unleashing the horrifying power of The Great Old Ones.
One of the most contentious elements introduced into the film are the sex scenes between Edward and Asenath. I think that it will be a matter of personal taste as to whether viewers feel these scenes are an unnecessary addition to the story. Personally, I felt they were not intrusive and actually added to a modern retelling of the story. Lovecraft would never have included such material in one of his stories but I think many modern audiences would speculate about the mind swapping implications for the newlywed Derby's.
Strange Aeons is not without it's problems, there are some annoying issues with the sound quality throughout the film. Some of the actors give very average performances - in particular Robertson in one of the three central roles is far from impressive. However, the biggest problem with the film is that a short story has been extended into a one hour plus feature. There are some moments that feel padded out and slow. The film's opening has been altered and lacks the punch of Lovecraft's opening.
That said there are many things to like about Morgret's film. Angela Grillo gives an excellent performance as Asenath Waite. J.D. Lloyd is good in a very exposition heavy role. Jerry Lloyd steals ever scene he is in as the mentally unbalanced Robert Black. Some excellent locations around Washington state have been used to good effect. There is a genuine atmosphere of creeping horror building throughout the film - which is greatly enhanced by Richard Temple's musical score. Whichever poor production assistant had to sit and draw esoteric symbols and diagrams all over the walls of a padded cell, and then the windows of a house and then someone's body deserves a medal. There are some good effects used in the film, in particular the bleached out almost blindingly white room used as a background when Ephraim Waite (Peter Anthony Holden) appears.
So, overall I would say that Strange Aeons is a very good adaptation of one of Lovecraft's lesser short stories. It will undoubtedly be too slow, and maybe too amateurish for some, but personally I thought it was one of the best Lovecraft inspired films I have seen in recent years.