The Cthulhu Mythos Convention August 20-22, 1999 Providence, Rhode Island at the
Marriott
Guests of Honor
Guest of Honor: |
Fred Chappell |
Special Guest: |
W. Paul Ganley |
Artist Guest of Honor: |
Jason C. Eckhardt |
Convention Committee Members
David Hammann, Franklin Hummel, Friday Jones, Marc A. Michaud, Charles D. Morgan, and Joan C.
Stanley.
Program Participants
Greg Agostini; Dr. Timo Airaksinen; James Anderson; Peter Cannon; Robert Cappelletto; Michael
Cisco; Don D’Ammassa; Les Daniels; Scott Dexter; Stefan Dziemianowicz; Bruce Gehweiler; David
S. Hammann; Daniel Harms; C.J. Henderson; Chris Jarocha-Ernst; Friday Jones; S.T. Joshi; Robert H.
Knox; Geoff Leatham; Robert McLaughlin; Brian McNaughton; Marc A. Michaud; Will Murray; Robert M.
Price; Joseph Pulver, Sr.; Philip C. Robinson; Esther Rochon; Christopher Russo; Darrell
Schweitzer; John Stanley; Christophe Thill; Jason B. Thompson; Jody Trout; John Tynes; Aaron Vanek;
Bob Waugh; and Corey Whitworth.
Commentaries
Programming Schedule
Friday, August 20, 1999
- 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM – Exhibit at the John Hay Library
- Brown University’s John Hay Library, 20 Prospect St., will have an exhibit of
Mythos-related items on display. [Stanley (Librarian)]
- 1:00 PM to 6:00 PM – Dealers’-Artists’ Room (Sessions)
Afternoon |
- 3:00 PM to 6:00 PM – Walking Tour # 1 with Jason Eckhardt (Meet in
Lobby)
- Artist Guest of Honor Jason Eckhardt leads a walking tour of Lovecraftian sites
on College Hill. [Eckhardt (Guide)]
|
Time |
Bounty |
Republic-Defiance (A/V Room) |
Lincoln |
Resolution |
Washington |
12:00 N
| |
The Lurker in the Lobby A
collection of great Lovecraft short films. Includes The Music of Erich Zann, The
Outsider by Aaron Vanek, The Necronomicon, McLaren, The Outsider by
Andrew Hooks, From Beyond, The Hound, Cthulhu Wore Tennis Shoes, and 2
music videos from The Darkest of the Hillside Thickets, “Worship Me Like a God” and
“Colour Me Green.” (90 min.) |
|
|
|
|
12:30 PM
|
1:00 PM
| Why I Write Mythos Fiction Three
authors explain why they use the Mythos in some of their fiction. [Murray, McNaughton
(Moderator), Pulver] |
|
1:30 PM
| The Maze (1953) Directed by
William Cameron Menzies. After inheriting a fabulous estate, a young husband abandons his
wife and shuts himself away in it, and she is determined to find out what has happened. While
not directly inspired by Lovecraft, this fascinating film offers more Lovecraftian mood than
many more recent efforts to come from Hollywood. Stars Richard Carlson, Veronica Hurst. (80
min.) |
|
2:00 PM
| Gaming: “D.C. Noir” CoC
Game Investigators find themselves caught between differing and powerful factions
in 50s Cold War Washington D.C. [Hammann (Keeper)] |
|
|
2:30 PM
|
3:00 PM
| Reading by Brian McNaughton A
reading by Brian McNaughton, the author of The Throne of Bones.
[McNaughton] |
|
Dark City (1997) Directed by Alex
Proyas. A man awakens in a mysterious twilight city, trying to remember who he is. But the
more he uncovers, the less he knows about his real self. An eerie science-fiction film with
some very cool Lovecraftian touches. Stars Rufus Sewell, William Hurt, Jennifer Connelly.
(100 min.) |
|
Lovecraft as a Fictional
Character A discussion of the use of H.P. Lovecraft as a character in stories and
novels. [Cannon, Chappell, Price (Moderator)] |
|
3:30 PM
|
4:00 PM
| |
The Origins of The King in
Yellow A presentation of what might have been the original inspirations for Robert
Chambers’ fictional play. [Thill] |
|
|
4:30 PM
|
5:00 PM
| Reading by Joseph Pulver, Sr. A
reading by the author of the novel Nightmare’s Disciple.
[Pulver] |
|
The Haunted Palace
(1963) Directed by Roger Corman. Charles Dexter Ward returns to the New England
town that his ancestor, Joseph Curwen, laid under a curse as he was burned to death. Stars
Vincent Price and Lon Chaney, Jr. Based on The Case of Charles Dexter Ward by H.P.
Lovecraft. (87 min.) |
|
|
In Memory: James Turner of Arkham
House A look at the contributions of the late James Turner, editor for Arkham
House. [Cannon, Ganley (Moderator), Joshi] |
|
5:30 PM
|
6:00 PM
| |
|
|
Evening |
- 8:00 PM to 10:00 PM – Reception for NecronomiCon Attendees (Courtyard)
- Happy Birthday, HPL! Meet our Guests and Participants for free coffee and a cash
bar. No autographs please. Held in the Grand Ballroom if bad weather. [Chappell, Eckhardt,
Ganley, and all participants]
|
Time |
Constitution |
Republic-Defiance (A/V Room) |
Grand Ballroom |
Resolution |
Washington |
6:30 PM
| |
Babylon 5: Thirdspace
(1998) Space travel is made possible by shifting into another dimension. However,
it now seems that the other dimension is inhabited! Feature-length TV movie based on the
television series. (90 min.) |
|
|
|
|
7:00 PM
|
7:30 PM
|
8:00 PM
| The Sect (1991) Directed by
Michele Soavi. A young woman finds herself mysteriously involved—or even
connected—with a cult that worships Yog-Sothoth, in this creepy Lovecraft-flavored tale.
Stars Kelly Curtis, Herbert Lom. Also known as The Devil’s Daughter. (112
min.). |
|
8:30 PM
|
9:00 PM
|
9:30 PM
|
10:00 PM
| Gaming: “Powerful Spirits II” CoC
Game Investigators uncover Mythos secrets hidden within Hawaiian mythology in the
1920s. (4 hours) [Leatham (Keeper)] |
|
Army of Darkness (1991) Directed
by Sam Raimi. An amiable dolt ends up transported in time to medieval Europe where he must
fight an army of the living dead! Few horror films have paid such devotion to the
Necronomicon and the legendary difficulties of pronouncing its magic phrases. Stars
Bruce Campbell. (95 min.) |
|
Reading by Fred Chappell A
reading by our Guest of Honor, Fred Chappell. [Chappell] |
|
Gaming: “The Nest” CoC
Game Horrors in present-day Kosovo. (4 hours) [Thompson
(Keeper)] |
|
Godzilla as a Metaphor for Cosmic
Indifference Just how Lovecraftian is Godzilla? [Daniels, Knox
(Moderator)] |
|
10:30 PM
|
11:00 PM
| |
|
11:30 PM
|
Saturday, August 21, 1999
- 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM – Dealers’-Artists’ Room (Sessions)
Morning |
- 9:00 AM to 12:00 N – Walking Tour #2 with Chris Jarocha-Ernst (Meet in
Lobby)
- Author of The Cthulhu Mythos Bibliography, Chris Jarocha-Ernst leads a
walking tour of College Hill and its Lovecraftian sites. [Jarocha-Ernst (Guide)]
- 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM – Bus Trip to H.P. Lovecraft’s Gravesite #1
(Meet at Main Entry)
- First bus trip to Swan Point Cemetery, where Lovecraft is buried.
Please go to the Registration Desk for further information and tickets.
- 11:00 AM to 12:00 N – Bus Trip to H.P. Lovecraft’s Gravesite #2 (Meet
at Main Entry)
- Second bus trip to Swan Point Cemetery, where Lovecraft is buried.
Please go to the Registration Desk for further information and tickets.
- 12:00 N to 1:00 PM – Bus Trip to H.P. Lovecraft’s Gravesite #3 (Meet
at Main Entry)
- Third bus trip to Swan Point Cemetery, where Lovecraft is buried.
Please go to the Registration Desk for further information and tickets.
|
Time |
Bounty |
Republic-Defiance (A/V Room) |
Enterprise |
Lincoln |
Reprisal-Britannia |
Resolution |
Smithfield |
Washington |
9:00 AM
| |
The Real Ghostbusters: “Collect Call of
Cthulhu” and “Russian About” An animated version of the Cthulhu
Mythos? Why not? Saturday morning cartoons for the Lovecraft crowd. Trivia note:
“Russian About” was written by J. Michael Straczynski, who went on to create
“Babylon 5.” (60 min.) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
9:30 AM
|
10:00 AM
| Reading by Michael Cisco The
author of the novel The Divinity Student reads his own work.
[Cisco] |
|
“The Inhumanoids” (1986;
animated) Pilot for a cartoon series by the G.I. Joe/Transformers team.
Lovecraft-for-kids meets Godzilla-type giant monsters . . . researchers
wearing robot suits explore underground and fight giant immortal monsters with the assistance
of these alien races who just happened to be hiding out on the planet for the last million
years. (90 min.) |
|
Gaming: More Tips for CoC Keepers and
Players An open discussion for all “Call of Cthulhu” players on how to
improve playing and experiencing the game. [Hammann] |
|
The Independent Mythos Film Is
the last, best hope for Lovecraft and the Mythos the independent film-maker? [Cappelletto,
Jones (Moderator), Russo, Vanek] |
|
23 Years of Necronomicon Press: Past,
Present, Future A look at one of the oldest of Lovecraftian publishers.
[Eckhardt, Joshi, Michaud (Moderator)] |
|
10:30 AM
|
11:00 AM
| |
Eerie Nights at the Peabody Essex
Museum A discussion of the Peabody Essex Museum in Salem, Massachusetts and its
Eerie Nights festival. [Museum Staff] |
|
Lovecraft and the French A look
at how Lovecraft and his writings are seen by the French, from both sides of the Atlantic.
[Rochon, Thill (Moderator)] |
|
Gaming: Mythos Card Gamimg
Demonstration A “How-To” demonstration of the card game Mythos
and a warm-up session for the afternoon competition. [Robinson] |
|
|
New Mythos Legends: the Book, the
Panel A look at the just released book New Mythos Legends by its publishers
and some of its contributors. [D’Ammassa, Gehweiler (Moderator),
Henderson] |
|
11:30 AM
| Suspense: “The Dunwich Horror” (1945;
audio) An unnatural birth in Dunwich leads to a more unnatural man and a most
unnatural horror! Suspense was one of radio’s best, and longest-running, mystery
programs. Whistle along with the whippoorwills—if you dare! (30
min.) |
|
12:00 N
| Reading by C.J. Henderson A
reading by the author of The Things That Are Not There (as Robert Morgan).
[Henderson] |
|
“The Rats in the Walls” (1970s;
audio) The restoration of Exham Priory raises more than old walls—it uncovers
a secret that should have stayed buried forever! A very good radio adaptation by Eric
Bauersefeld. (30 min.) |
|
Mathematics and the Mythos A
lecture by an assistant professor of Mathematics at Dartmouth College.
[Trout] |
|
|
If Lovecraft Had Lived, Part 1: The
Man What if Howard Lovecraft had not died in 1937? How might he have
changed in later decades? How might he have seen and reacted to the 50s? The 70s?
[Airaksinen, Anderson (Moderator), Joshi] |
|
|
Crypt of Cthulhu: 101 and
Counting A discussion of one of the oldest and not dead Mythos publications.
[Cannon, Dziemianowicz (Moderator), Murray, Price] |
|
12:30 PM
| Event Horizon (1997) Directed by Paul
Anderson. The crew sent to rescue the long-lost experimental spacecraft Event Horizon
have no idea where it’s been—or what it’s brought back with it. Stars
Laurence Fishburne, Sam Neill. (97 min.) |
|
Afternoon |
- 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM – Bus Trip to H.P. Lovecraft’s Gravesite #4 (Meet
at Main Entry)
- The last bus trip to Swan Point Cemetery, where Lovecraft is buried.
Please go to the Registration Desk for further information and tickets.
- 2:30 PM to 5:30 PM – Walking Tour #3 with Daniel Harms (Meet in
Lobby)
- The author of Encyclopedia Cthulhiana, Daniel Harms, leads a walking
tour of College Hill and its Lovecraftian sites. [Harms (Guide)]
|
Time |
Bounty |
Republic-Defiance (A/V Room) |
Enterprise |
Lincoln |
Reprisal-Britannia |
Resolution |
Smithfield |
Washington |
1:00 PM
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1:30 PM
|
2:00 PM
| 2:15 PM – The Case of Howard Phillips
Lovecraft (1998) Directed by Patrick Mario Bernard and Pierre Trividic. A
literary and biographic portrait of the American writer H.P. Lovecraft: follower and reformer
of gothic tradition, master of gothic literature. A French documentary (in English). (45
min.) |
|
2:30 PM
| Gaming: Cthulhu Live! Workshop A
workshop on the hows and wheres and whens of live-action Mythos roleplaying. [Agostini,
McLaughlin (Moderator)] |
|
The Worst of H.P. Lovecraft They
all have their favorite stories, but what do they think really stinks? [Cisco,
Ganley (Moderator), Henderson, McNaughton] |
|
Gaming: Mythos Card Gaming
Competition Competition play of the card game Mythos.
[Robinson] |
|
An Interview (and Signing #1) with Fred
Chappell An interview with NecronomiCon’s award-winning author and poet, Fred
Chappell. About 1 hour. Followed by a ½-hour autograph session with Mr. Chappell.
[Chappell, Dziemianowicz (Moderator)] |
|
3:00 PM
| Possession (1981) Directed by
Andrzej Zulawski. A man returns home from a trip and discovers that his wife has taken a
lover. The lover, though, is not a man but something less—or more. A very
strange, inexplicable film. Stars Sam Neill, Isabelle Adjani. Heavily cut in the US; this is
the original, opaque 127-minute European cut. In English with small Japanese
subtitles. |
|
3:30 PM
|
4:00 PM
| Reading by Darrell Schweitzer A
reading by the editor of Weird Tales. [Schweitzer] |
|
Mysteries and the Mythos How well
does the Mythos and the Mystery genre mix? [Henderson, Jarocha-Ernst (Moderator),
Pulver] |
|
If Lovecraft Had Lived, Part 2: His
Writings What if Howard Lovecraft had not died in 1937? What might he have
written? How might his writing and what he wrote about changed over later decades?
[Cannon, Dziemianowicz, Murray (Moderator), Price] |
|
|
Lovecraft Studies: Academic Criticism of
HPL A look at how academia looks at Lovecraft and his works. [Anderson, Joshi
(Moderator), Rochon, Waugh] |
|
4:30 PM
|
5:00 PM
| |
HPL & Y2K It was too good of
a title to resist. [Eckhardt, Ganley, Knox (Moderator), Trout] |
|
|
Television Horror! Why is horror
on television getting better? [D’Ammassa (Moderator), Daniels,
Henderson] |
|
Behind the Yellow Sign: Robert
Chambers A discussion of the man and the writer of The King in Yellow.
[Joshi, Pulver, Thill (Moderator)] |
|
5:30 PM
| “The Haunter of the Dark” (1970s;
audio) Adaptation of the Lovecraft tale by Erik Bauersfeld. (60
min.) |
|
|
6:00 PM
| |
|
|
Evening |
- 7:36 PM to 12:00 M – WaterFire (Downtown Providence)
- WaterFire is a
multi-media event on the Providence riverfront at Waterplace Park. It begins at sunset and
lasts until midnight. Ask at Registration Desk for directions.
|
Time |
Republic-Defiance (A/V Room) |
Enterprise |
Resolution |
Smithfield |
Washington |
6:30 PM
| Out of Mind: The Stories of H.P.
Lovecraft (1999) Directed by Raymond Saint-Jean. A “documentary” in
which H.P. Lovecraft himself tells you about his stories. Unique and excellent! Stars
Christopher Heyerdahl, Art Kitching. Created by the Canadian Bravo! Arts cable
network. (56 min.) |
|
|
|
|
|
7:00 PM
|
7:30 PM
| The NecronomiCon Mythos Film Competition
Showing We will show all of the entries in the Lovecraft Video contest, and
the filmmakers attending will be on hand to answer your questions. The showings will
culminate in the announcement of the winner! To Oblivion: Directed by Robert
Cappelletto (attending). A loose adaptation of HPL’s “Ex Oblivione.” It is
the tale of a young man, Randolph Carter, who, in dreams, finds a little of the beauty he
vainly searches for in life. With the use of a passage from the Necronomicon, he is
able to escape the desolate monotony of his life. (15 min.) The Hound:
Directed by Anthony Reed (not attending). The Hound is a simple and very direct
horror story. Two young men delve into the occult, and having found out too much, are
destroyed by it. (22 min.) Babylon Park—Frightspace: Created by
Christopher Russo (attending) and produced by Brian Roe (attending). An animated parody of
the Lovecraftian TV-movie. (40 min.) Return to Innsmouth (1999): Directed by
Aaron Vanek (attending). Hot off the film reels! Plus a trailer for Bob Fugger’s
From Beyond, Vanek’s earlier short, The Necronomicon, and
a short documentary on the making of RTI. (45 min.) |
|
8:00 PM
| Gaming: “Preacher Man” Cthulhu
Live! Game Stories of faith-healer Justin LaCroix have spread like wildfire
throughout the South! You must sight up at the Fantasy Flight Games table in the
Dealer’s Room to play. [Agostini, McLaughlin (Keepers)] |
|
Gaming: “Return of the Nibelungen”
CoC Game A 1920s adventure set in Berlin. [Hammann
(Keeper)] |
|
Readings by Robert Price and Fred
Chappell Robert Price will read Lovecraft’s “The Music of Erich
Zann,” followed by Fred Chappell’s unpublished “sequel” story “In
the rue D’auseil.” [Chappell, Price] |
|
Looking at “Pickman’s
Model” A discussion of the story by artists and writers. [Daniels,
Eckhardt, Knox, Waugh (Moderator)] |
|
8:30 PM
|
9:00 PM
| |
The Necronomicon A lecture on
what the Mad Arab wrote. [Harms] |
|
9:30 PM
|
10:00 PM
| |
10:30 PM
| The Lurker in the Lobby (various
years) A collection of Lovecraft short films. Includes The Music of Erich
Zann, The Outsider by Aaron Vanek, The Necronomicon, McLaren, The
Outsider by Andrew Hooks, From Beyond, The Hound, Cthulhu Wore Tennis
Shoes, and two music videos from The Darkest of the Hillside Thickets, “Worship Me
Like a God” and “Colour Me Green.” (90 min.) |
|
11:00 PM
|
11:30 PM
|
12:00 M
| Saturday Night Special This will be
something decidedly different. |
|
|
|
Sunday, August 22, 1999
- 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM – Dealers’-Artists’ Room (Sessions)
Morning and Afternoon |
- 10:00 AM to 12:00 N – The Cthulhu Prayer Breakfast (Grand
Ballroom)
- Our Guests of Honor will speak, the Bloch Award will be given, and Rev.
Robert Price will give a sermon, Cthulhu help us! Tickets not available at the
convention. [Chappell, Eckhardt, Ganley, Price]
|
Time |
Bounty |
Republic-Defiance (A/V Room) |
Lincoln |
Washington |
9:00 AM
| |
The Real Ghostbusters: “Collect Call of
Cthulhu” and “Russian About” An animated version of the Cthulhu
Mythos? Why not? Saturday morning cartoons for the Lovecraft crowd. Trivia note:
“Russian About” was written by J. Michael Straczynski, who went on to create
“Babylon 5.” (60 min.) |
|
|
|
9:30 AM
|
10:00 AM
| Cast a Deadly Spell
(1991) Directed by Martin Campbell. In a 1940s Los Angeles where magic really
works, private eye H.P. Lovecraft (who refuses to use magic) is hired to track down a stolen
copy of the Necronomicon. A Lovecraftian mystery tale. Stars Fred Ward, David Warner,
Julianne Moore, Clancy Brown. (93 min.) |
|
The Philosophy of Howard Phillips
Lovecraft What did HPL believe, about humanity, about life, about the universe?
An informal discussion. [Airaksinen, Joshil] |
|
10:30 AM
|
11:00 AM
| Reading by Don D’Ammassa A
reading of his own work by Science Fiction Chronicle’s reviewer.
[D’Ammassa] |
|
11:30 AM
| |
12:00 N
| |
“The Outsider” (1970s; audio) A
man feels isolated and alone in his home and goes in search of companionship. Adaptation of
the Lovecraft tale by Erik Bauersfeld. (30 min.) |
|
12:30 PM
| Forever Evil (1987) People
trapped in a remote cabin are set upon by cultists. Several Lovecraft deities’ names
are invoked, but they are always hilariously mispronounced. Stars Red Mitchell, Tracey
Huffman. (107 min.) |
|
1:00 PM
| Lovecraft’s Poetry A
discussion of HPL’s poetic writings. [Chappell, Joshi, Schweitzer
(Moderator)] |
|
1:30 PM
|
2:00 PM
| Signing #2 by Fred Chappell Our
Guest of Honor Fred Chappell will sign autographs. [Chappell] |
|
2:30 PM
| The Lurking Fear (1994) Directed
by C. Courtney Joyner. The town of Lefferts Corner is under siege by burrowing monsters who
only attack during thunderstorms; when a group of townspeople band together to destroy the
menace, they are interrupted by gangsters. Stars Ashley Lauren (Laurence), Jeffrey Combs,
Jon Finch, Blake Bailey, Jon Mantee. Based on “The Lurking Fear” by H.P.
Lovecraft. (78 min.) This will be followed by a making-of segment. |
|
3:00 PM
| |
3:30 PM
|
|