So, Universal won’t let Guillermo del Toro make At the Mountains of Madness, but you can’t keep a Lovecraftian down: del Toro game (with THQ and Volition Inc.) inSANE has moved forward has a “Lovecraftian” quality to it. Little is none aboutthe game except that it is supposed to be scary but (according to Geeks of Doom del Toro shared more in a recent chat with MTV: it’s to be a huge, sandbox-style game, and is is still a couple of years away from launch.

Quoting del Toro: “We’ve been designing the creatures, which are obscenely fun and unique….It’s Lovecraftian, it’s really weird, but it’s Lovecraftian in a very sick way…”

Here’s a promo trailer for the game:

“I Was a Teenage Beehive” was written by William Markly O’Neal, a previous contributor to Weird Tales (2007). The video and its soundtrack were created by Gregory Bossert. It’ll give you a real buzz!

[Direct link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I0mVXggFgf0

A Wellington, New Zealand library patron recently returned a copy of The Dunwich Horror and Others by H. P. Lovecraft 23 years past due. The original due date was February 12, 1988.

If the 80 cent per day fine was applied to The Dunwich Horror and Others, the borrower would owe $6851.20, but the Wellington system considers items overdue by 28 days or more “as long-term overdue” and a maximum of $NZ 22.40 (about $19.06 in US dollars) is incurred.

The library does not offer amnesty days for the free return of books. Wellington Libraries manager Jane Hill explained, “We have found in the past that books returned are largely very old and not ones we want.”

However, if the book is indeed the one pictured here from the news account, the library may want to check the copyright page. If it is a first edition as originally published in 1963 by Arkham House in an edition of 3,133 copies, it might be worth more than $20. Since one assumes it is marred by library stamps and markings and there’s no indication of the book’s condition, it probably isn’t worth a great deal. Still, with the dust jacket intact and in fair condition, it might bring in a few bucks more if sold.

If you are a subscriber, you’ve probably already received the latest issue (#358). (See? You should subscribe already!)

But we can now officially announce that it is also available for sale online in print and epub formats. Just click the links in the box to the left and you’ll soon be reading some “hellishly” great fiction. Editor Ann discovered she’d selected several stories that featured Hell, demons, and the like was was more than happy to take WT to Hell. There’s also features on Angry Robot Books, weird cinema, Carrie Ann Baade (the cover artist), and weird haute couture; “Lost in Lovecraft” visits Boston.

Don’t miss it!

On September 16 and 17, 2011, the H.P. Lovecraft Film Festival® returns to the historic Warner Grand Theatre in San Pedro for its second year. Sponsored by Bowen’s Spirits, this film festival celebrates the works of famed American science fiction and horror writer H.P. Lovecraft through screenings of cinematic adaptations of his work by professional and amateur filmmakers from around the world.

This year’s festival will feature legendary film icon Roger Corman, who will receive the “Howie” award for his contributions to Lovecraft cinema. There will also be a short film contest that will be judged by celebrated filmmaker Guillermo Del Toro (Hellboy, Pan’s Labryinth). In addition to the films there will be literary discussions and readings by Lovecraft-inspired authors Cody Goodfellow, Jenna Pitman, Micheal Shea, Ted E. Grau, Michael Tice and screenwriter C. Courtney Joyner.

The festival marks the 80th anniversary of the Warner Grand Theatre and The H.P. Lovecraft Film Festival® has partnered with the Grand Vision Foundation to preserve and promote the historic theater. It is also the 80th anniversary of the publication of Lovecraft’s story “The Whisperer in Darkness” in Weird Tales magazine. In celebration, the H.P. Lovecraft Historical Society is planning a special exhibit of the props, miniatures, set pieces and costumes from their first feature film The Whisperer In Darkness as well as a special screening of the film which will close out the 2011 festival.
Films include:
The Haunted Palace (1963) – Directed by Roger Corman and starring Vincent Price, this is the first Lovecraft adaptation to appear on the silver screen. It is based on Lovecraft’s short story “The Case of Charles Dexter Ward.” Following the film will be a Q&A with film legend Roger Corman.
Berkeley Square (1933) – A rare screening of a film that Lovecraft watched four times and inspired him to write “The Shadow Out of Time.”
Cast A Deadly Spell (1991) – (20th Anniversary screening) An HBO original movie that takes place in neo-noir Los Angeles featuring Fred Ward as H.P. Lovecraft, who is hired to investigate a mysterious missing book. Screenwriter Joseph Dougherty will host a Q&A after the film.
La Sombra Prohibidia (The Forbidden Shadow) (2010) – This Spanish film is the second part of The Valdemar Legacy directed by Jose Luis Aleman. This is an action film with cameos from Lovecraft and one of his most famous creations, the Great Cthulhu.
The Whisperer in Darkness (2011) – The first feature film from the H.P. Lovecraft Historical Society, The Whisperer in Darkness follows folklore professor Albert Wilmarth as he investigates legends of strange creatures in the remote hills of Vermont. Filmed in the style of classic 1930s horror films such as Frankenstein, Dracula and King Kong, The Whisperer in Darkness returns audiences to the golden age of movies for a thrilling adventure of supernatural horror.
This festival is presented courtesy of the H.P. Lovecraft Film Festival® and Lurker Films (www.lurkerfilms.com).

More information available at: http://www.hplfilmfestival.com