Cool Air (2006)

Charlie Baxter, a struggling screenwriter, is searching for accommodation in a rundown mansion somewhere in the isolated mountains above Malibu. An expressionless and creatively bankrupt ... See full summary »

Director:

Albert Pyun

Writers:

Cynthia Curnan (adaptation), H.P. Lovecraft (short story)

Stars:

Morgan Weisser, Crystal Laws Green, Jenny Dare Paulin

Cast

Credited cast:
Morgan Weisser	...	Charles Baxter
Crystal Laws Green	...	Shockner (as Crystal Green)
Jenny Dare Paulin	...	Estella
Norbert Weisser	...	Deltoid
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Wendy Phillips	...	Mrs. Baxter

Storyline

Charlie Baxter, a struggling screenwriter, is searching for accommodation in a rundown mansion somewhere in the isolated mountains above Malibu. An expressionless and creatively bankrupt young man who rewrites exploitation sci-fi / horror scripts for a living, he takes a room in the mansion and learns of the mysterious doctor residing in the room above his own who dabbles in strange experiments. As he learns more about the circumstances of the doctor and the history of his landlady, her autistic daughter and the strange lodger across the hall, Baxter is inspired to write his long blocked "great American Screenplay". Working furiously, Baxter suffers a heart attack, and staggers up to see the doctor for treatment. He passes out immediately, but awakens a cured man. But at a terrible price. The Doctor, a strangely preserved woman named Shockner, persuades Baxter to stay until he recovers fully, and informs her "patient" of the medical condition that has forced her into a hermit's ...

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Plot Keywords:

heart attack | narrated by character | h.p. lovecraft | stroke | autism | 

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Taglines:

Horror isn't only found in the dark.

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Genres:

Horror

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for some disturbing images

Did You Know?

Trivia

At the bottom of the stairwell in the boarding house is a poster for the 9th annual "Call to the Wall" at Malibu Surfrider Beach.

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Connections

Version of Necronomicon: Book of Dead (1993)

User Reviews

Amateurish, but clearly done with love

The movie has flaws, some bigger than others, but in the end it is a decent, well acted, well written adaptation of Lovecraft's short story with the same name.

If you know Lovecraft you know how difficult it is to transform his writing into film. The 2006 adaptation does this well by translating 1923's New York to an isolated place close to L.A. in the 2000s, Dr. Munoz to a woman and adding more characters. I expected poor acting from the mainly unknown cast, but I was pleasantly surprised to see that they all did a very good job.

Unfortunately, this could not really fill the entire length of a full movie so that film feels unbearably drawn out. This could have been a really enjoyable 40 minute short, but instead it lasts for one hour and seventeen minutes of narrating slowly and the same melody playing incessantly in the background.

Bottom line: a decent adaptation of a Lovecraftian short story that is not related to the Chtulhu mythos. The element of romantic tension and the various characters that were added were refreshing and enhanced the story. Everybody played well and it felt like a filmed play. Unfortunately the movie suffers from terrible pacing and it would have benefited from a shorter cut.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

21 May 2013 (USA)

Also Known As:

Hladan Vazduh

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$1,550,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Technical Specs

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color (35 mm version) Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1