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The Resurrected
The first thing you think of when it comes to a Lovecraft movie is Re-Animator. But there is one horrid little gem that many may have missed, and that is The Resurrected. The Resurrected is based off a short story by Lovecraft called The Case of Charles Dexter Ward. And while it moves the story to a modern setting, it stays true to the creepy that is Lovecraft.
Made back in the early 90’s and released to VHS (remember those?) The Resurrected stars John Terry (who I know as Hawk The Slayer but everyone now thinks of as “Jack’s Dad” from Lost) as private detective John March who is hired by a pretty blonde named Claire Ward (Jane Sibbett) to find out just what the hell her husband is doing now that he’s moved out of their mansion. Seems hubby is now focused on making stinky smells and gross things that ooze out of his far less glam new digs.
Once John starts investigating he discovers some REALLY nasty stuff about good old Chuck Ward and the things he’s been up to. It seems that Charles (played by the Chris Sarandon of Fright Night fame) has decided to ditch his normal routine of cosmetics chemistry and is going right for the black magic and bringing back the dead job. Charles’s experiments are not pretty (you’d think that he could use some of that cosmetics stuff on them at least) and when they wake up, they wake up hungry. Plus there’s that not so pleasant aroma that they give off that’s causing Chuck’s neighbors to be pissed.
Eventually John figures out that Charles’s new found enthusiasm for dead things is thanks to his ancestor with whom he shares not only the glee for stinky corpses but also his face (they look just alike). Said ancestor was a mean bastard of a warlock and Chuck brings him back to life (with said hunger pains for human flesh in tow) and is now working with him to defeat death, at least that’s Chuck’s reason. Of course, hungry warlocks can’t be trusted and things go badly for Charles (who’s apparently not in charge) and it’s up to John to stop it.
Good actors and a creepy script add up to a great movie. It’s directed by the man responsible for Alien’s screenplay, Dan O’Bannon. This is O’Bannon’s second film to date he has directed other than the classic 80’s zombiefest Return of the Living Dead. The movie’s got great atmosphere and some still disturbing special effects. Sarandon does a great job as both Ward and his ancestor Joeseph Curwen (who REALLY needs to see a dentist). These ingredients mesh together to make one of the best Lovecraft adaptations I’ve seen.
A little trivia tidbit: This is the 2nd time for Sarandon to act opposite one of the cast of Herman’s Head. Jane Sibbett starred opposite William Ragsdale (Charlie Brewster from Fright Night) on the Fox series. The Resurrected is now available on DVD.
—Jessica Dwyer
