Film Review: The Dunwich Horror

Synopsis: 'The Dunwich Horror', directed by Daniel Haller is a fun bit of 70's psychidelic horror. Like the Lovecraft story of the same name, we begin in Miskatonic University in Arkham, Massachussetts. A warlock named Wilbur Whately is visiting the library hoping to borrow the Necronomicon, a dread, ancient tome that supposedly contains instructions on how to 'bring over' the 'Old Ones' -- a race of supernatural beings that once ruled the Earth.

Wilbur (Dean Stockwell) is from Dunwich, a remote town located deep in the countryside. His great grandfather was also a warlock, and was hanged by the locals for trying to sacrifice a young girl on a satanic altar. His family worships the 'Old Ones' and Wilbur lives in a creepy old house with a doddering grandfather.

Dee Myers is Nancy, who works at the library and against the wishes of her more sensible female co-worker allows Wilbur to read the evil book. Wilbur is upset, naturally, when Professor Armitage (Ed Begley) demands he give him back the book. Despite knowing Wilbur's family background, Armitage is delighted to meet a Whately. "Oh, you're Lizzie Borden's sister - wow, what a delight!"

Right from the start we see that Nancy is smitten with the very weird Wilbur, who comes across as very cynical, pompous and aloof - exactly what most women want in a man, right? At one point he says something along the lines that all humanity is pathetic and fearful, while sharing drinks with Nancy's friends in a bar. Soon after everyone but Nancy and Wilbur have left, driven away by Wilbur's charm. He replies, "I'm sorry I've put a dampener on the evening... it's just that I loathe pomposity."

By all rights, Nancy should not be attracted to Wilbur, but he's using magic of some kind, which is implied by intense closeups of Wilbur's oily T-zone. So when he misses his bus, Nancy offers to drive him home. Once there there, her car promptly stops working so she spends the weekend. While in Wilbur's house she is freaked out Wilbur's creepy grandfather, who carries around what looks like a Native American-style flyswatter. At night she has weird nightmares of being accosted by naked hippies. It's all shot in a 'freak-out' psychadelic style, with a fisheye lens, creepy electronic sounds, while Nancy looks around in a confusing way.