The tyranist's thoughts
I've stepped up my study of Lovecraft recently and when I heard that this movie had finally been released, I jumped at the first chance I had to rent it. Lovecraft had a unique vision that makes his horror quite unlike anyone before or since. Sure there have been many derivative writers, but even they don't quite have his touch. I hadn't read the short story "Dagon" when I saw this, but I hurried and fit it in afterwards (it's very short). Unfortunately, I needn't have bothered.
A young and recent millionaire is out yachting off the coast of Spain with his girlfriend, his investor and his investor's woman. A sudden, black storm comes up and the boat is driven into some rocks forcing the young man and his girlfriend to flee for the shore for help. Well, it's a queer little town that they land in and things only become queerer the longer they stay there.
The story is really very good with nice tension maintained throughout. I was surprised that they isolated the main character so soon, but the plot carried it well and as everything unravelled it all made sense. The town they filmed this in was absolutely perfect. The script was nice, the acting was okay. The movie lived up to my expectations, which were high, and more.
This is the first movie in a long time that I've awarded an "Excessive Gore" Skull, but it deserved it. The production is very good for a mid-range budget. The effects, in fact, are exceptional with both the shambling village folk make up and the gore being very nice.
If you are even a little bit of a Lovecraft fan, you absolutely must see this movie. If you are a horror fan, there's a pretty good chance that you will enjoy it. I think you should check it out, but then I fall into the "big fan of Lovecraft" category.
Note: In spite of its title, "Dagon," the movie is based on a completely different and separate Lovecraft story, "The Shadow over Innsmouth." While both stories are entertaining, the latter makes a much better movie. I'm not sure why the name changed as it did, but if I ever meet Mr. Gordon, perhaps I'll have the chance to ask him.
Posted: August 5th, 2002

Rish's Reviews
I'm not an H.P. Lovecraft fan. He was a little too intellectual and a lot too demented for me to really dig him. But I dug this movie.
There was something very dreamlike and surreal about it, and while that usually annoys the heck out of me, it worked in this film's advantage. I was really disturbed by the inhabitants of the Spanish town, and a couple of the concepts here. I found myself thinking about it a long time (I mean, days) after seeing it.
Only slightly less wet a movie than Finding Nemo, the film takes place in a constant freezing downpour, and I don't think the main character stays out of the rain for more than ten minutes at a time.
There were a couple of moments that I feel didn't work because of the low budget, and I would like to have seen how things were envisioned in Paoli's screenplay in those spots, but even with those shortcomings, I was very impressed by this one. One thing I can't quite understand is how I could have found the film erotic. I guess they need to up my shock treatment here at the Institute.
Something really struck me in an odd, profound way on this one. It is unlike any horror film in recent memory, and for that fact alone it's worth seeing.
Posted: January 19, 2006