The Uncanny Can

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The first inkling I had that things were not as I thought they were was just yesterday when I was reading an article somewhere that used the word "producer" in relation to Guillermo Del Toro's attachment to that Haunted Mansion movie he announced he was doing at ComiCon. I'd thought he'd named it as his next directing vehicle, which I found vaguely disappointing. I mean, I figured Guillermo could at the very least wring some interesting creatures and good set-pieces from an inevitably-PG-13-at-worst Disney movie, but overall it wasn't what I wanted from him. What I wanted from him is what he's born to bring us, which is big HP Lovecraft monster mash. I, like many people, have been clamoring for it for ages now. And well whaddya know, that is what we are getting! Via AICN:

Guillermo Del Toro To Direct AT THE MOUNTAINS OF MADNESS In 3-D For Universal! James Cameron To Produce!

The Elder Things are ready for their close up.

Michael Fleming of Deadline New York is reporting that Guillermo del Toro's next film will be his long-awaited adaptation of H.P. Lovecraft's "At the Mountains of Madness" - with James Cameron joining Don Murphy and Susan Montford as producers. And it's going to be shot in 3-D. I first heard this was a possibility last week at Comic Con, but when del Toro's DON'T BE AFRAID OF THE DARK panel came and went without an announcement, I figured there was still work to be done with regards to securing the necessary financing from Universal.

Interestingly, Fleming's article avoids any mention of budget or rating, both of which are integral to properly transferring Lovecraft's short story to the big screen. My understanding is that the film will be big (probably with a budget in the neighborhood of $100 million), but I've got nothing reliable as to whether it will be an R or PG-13 rating. I know Guillermo has always dreamed about doing AT THE MOUNTAINS OF MADNESS as an R-rated tentpole horror film in the tradition of THE THING or THE EXORCIST; it's my hope that Cameron's involvement will persuade Universal to give del Toro free, terrifying rein on a movie I believe he was born to make. Please don't hold this guy back.

Now I guess it's time I actually read At the Mountains of Madness then, right? I've been putting it off for ages, just waiting for this announcement to spur me on. Lovecraft in general is somebody I haven't read enough of, so maybe I'll make the next couple of months my Lovecraft months. After Mountains, any recs? I've read a bunch of his short stories but it's been quite awhile and I can't really remember which ones... I am acqauinted with Cthulhu though. We go way back! We were roommates at Choate.
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