By MICHAEL GINGOLD
A lesser-known work by the eldritch author has now been brought to the screen.
Dream Apex Pictures gave RUE MORGUE the scoop that fright veteran Tony Todd is part of the cast of CELEPHAÏS, based on H.P. Lovecraft’s tale of the same title. Directed by Michael Neel (DRIVE-IN HORRORSHOW) and produced by Joe Lemieux from a script by the two of them, it stars Chuck Schwager, Silvia Graziano, Jasper Neel, Jude Kalaora, Kris Salvi, Cieara O’Brien and Tony Todd (pictured below with, left to right, sound engineer Uri Gelman, Neel and Lemieux). According to the official synopsis, the movie “is about a boy who has the most wonderful dream when he is 7, and then spends 66 miserable years desperately trying to find it again, to escape his mundane and depressing life. CELEPHAÏS belongs to Lovecraft’s lesser-known Dream-Cycle stories, which take place in the Dreamlands: a magical place of dark fantasy that is more whimsical and free-flowing than Lovecraft’s other world, but still has the horror and mythology that he’s known for.”
In a statement to RM, Neel and Lemieux tell us, “The story is seven pages, and the film is 34 minutes. We felt it was important to honor the story and make it as long as it needed to be, so we decided not to embellish it to feature length. There simply isn’t enough in the source material to fill a feature; CELEPHAÏS is simple, and we wanted to keep it that way. We are huge Lovecraft fans, and have adapted CELEPHAÏS as accurately as possible. We also incorporated elements from Lovecraft’s other work, including some deep Easter eggs for fellow Lovecraft and Dream-Cycle fans, and have kept all details under strict secrecy, because we want audiences to experience them for the first time when they see the film.
“Working with Tony was a real treat,” they continue. “Michael saw CANDYMAN when he was 17, and the film left a huge impression on him and remains one of his favorites to this day. Joe has a personal reason for his love of Tony’s performance in “The Visitor” episode of STAR TREK: DEEP SPACE NINE: Joe lost his father when he was a boy, and connects with Tony’s character’s second chance at meeting his dad. So working with Tony at VooDoo Doll Productions’ studio was an exciting opportunity to create with someone whom we both admire. It was one of the highlights of our careers, and we can’t wait for everyone to see what Tony’s wonderful voice brought to life. The character is better than we ever imagined.”
Also part of the team are Nick Flanagan and Jeff O’Brien (GOD OF VAMPIRES, DRIVE-IN HORRORSHOW), who created the practical makeup effects, “using latex, puppetry and lots of fake blood. We did the visual effects practically as well, with miniatures, lighting and camera tricks. We wanted to give the film a timeless quality, so with the exception of digital compositing, there is nothing in this film that couldn’t have been done 100 years ago.”
As the duo are based in New England, they feel a particular connection to Lovecraft, “and we filmed on location to capture the look and feel of his world: places like the Blackstone River, where he would take walks and meditate, and Massachusetts’ North Shore, the inspiration for THE SHADOW OVER INNSMOUTH. This dark, creepy and magical atmosphere seeped into our movie, adding something special and unique.” CELEPHAÏS will also have its world premiere in the region, playing April 15 at The Massachusetts Independent Film Festival, where it is nominated for Outstanding Achievement in Long Short, Genre Short and Short Direction.
“We can’t wait to unleash our film on the horror community, especially fellow Lovecraft fans,” the duo conclude. “We made this for us. See you in the Dreamlands!”
