Necronomicón: The Book of Hell (2018)

Movie review

“El peor de los miedos, es el miedo a lo desconocido”
– H.P. Lovecraft

H.P. Lovecraft’s extensive life work has inspired filmmakers for decades. New 2018 movie Necrónomicon dives deep into this world and delivers artistic and true Lovecraftian movie.

Movie focuses on the most important book in Cthulhu Mythos. As you might know, according to the mythos, one of the few existing copies of the Necronomicon is held at the library of the University of Buenos Aires. Movie centers librarian Luis Abramovich who is sent to salvage books from library’s flooded basement. Luis has no idea what the basement holds… and soon he is in a fight against cosmic forces of darkness.

“Los muertos hablan pero mienten, los muertos son el ojo de la cerradura, y el libro… es la llave.”

I had the pleasure to see Necronomicón at Night Visions 2018 festival in Helsinki. I was quite stunned by the movie. I liked how the movie was about a book and I loved the bookish settings: University library of Buenos Aires, a bookstore, the basement of the library … well, basically there were books everywhere. The movie is very visual and artistic and it does not toy that much with digital effects. Moreover, I felt like it was very true to Lovecraft, it wasn’t scary and it left a lot to your imagination and there was a sense of mystery and ambiguousness to it. You never knew what exactly would happen. And I believe that was also what the director wanted to say because the greatest fear is indeed the fear of the unknown.

 Necronomicon takes place in Buenos Aires. It is a beautiful city and the architecture of the city is fascinating and after seeing this I really want to visit the city and Argentina. No wonder Lovecraft was fond of it.I guess some parts of the movie were a bit repetitive and then I didn’t like some particular effects or scenes in the movie but I found it good.
3/5 stars

I also had the great opportunity to interview the director of the movie Marcelo Schapces and interview will be published later on elsewhere. Schapces gifted me this amazing book, art from the book was also used in the movie. I have included a picture gallery for you below. Enjoy and go see the movie.

& trailer

Tips:
1.All you Lovecraft lovers out there, go watch this and let me know what you thought! 
2. I think it’s a perfect horror movie for book lovers. It’s not really frightening and it leaves a lot up to your imagination. And it has a ton of books.
3. Good movie for Buenos Aires fans and if you want to watch some foreign movies.
4. If you’re in Helsinki, there are still tickets for Sunday’s night show.

Any thoughts about this trailer and movie? How do you like the visual art?

Picture sources: Movie poster from IMDb, Pictures from the movie from Night Visions press bank, copy of Necrónomicon gifted to me by the director of the movie. Thank you so much! Art work  of the book is by Aldo Requena.