Dark Adventure Radio Theatre: At the Mountains of Madness brings Lovecraft's tale to life as it might have been adapted for radio during his lifetime. In the style of The War of the Worlds and The Shadow, Dark Adventure Ra... more »dio Theatre dramatizes HPL's story with a cast of professional actors, exciting sound effects and original music by Troy Sterling Nies (composer for The Call of Cthulhu). Relive the excitement of 1930s radio with one of HP Lovecraft's most exciting and fascinating stories: At the Mountains of Madness. A 1930s geologic expedition ventures into the unknown wastes of Antarctica. There part of the expedition suffers a horrendous fate. The survivors set out to discover what happened and find a vast city buried in the ice which pre-dates mankind. As they explore the fantastical ruins the scholars discover that the city's terrifying builder's may still be there.« less
Dark Adventure Radio Theatre: At the Mountains of Madness brings Lovecraft's tale to life as it might have been adapted for radio during his lifetime. In the style of The War of the Worlds and The Shadow, Dark Adventure Radio Theatre dramatizes HPL's story with a cast of professional actors, exciting sound effects and original music by Troy Sterling Nies (composer for The Call of Cthulhu). Relive the excitement of 1930s radio with one of HP Lovecraft's most exciting and fascinating stories: At the Mountains of Madness. A 1930s geologic expedition ventures into the unknown wastes of Antarctica. There part of the expedition suffers a horrendous fate. The survivors set out to discover what happened and find a vast city buried in the ice which pre-dates mankind. As they explore the fantastical ruins the scholars discover that the city's terrifying builder's may still be there.
CD Reviews
Ah, Those Thrilling Days Of Yesteryear....
RJDiogenes | Boston, MA | 03/27/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"The world needs more people like the guys at the HP Lovecraft Historical Society.
First, they produced a movie adaptation of Lovecraft's classic CALL OF CTHULHU. And did they do the obvious, and update the tale to the 21st century, film it in living color, with photorealistic CGI effects and self-consciously edgy modern characters? Nope. They did it right, as a picture-perfect impersonation of a silent film contemporaneous with the publication of the original story.
Now, they've followed that up with an adaptation of Lovecraft's AT THE MOUNTAINS OF MADNESS. Not a silent movie this time, but a radio play in the classic style of LIGHTS OUT or SUSPENSE (complete with commercials!). See, these guys know what I know: That cineplex- and ratings-driven fashion have not made artistry and style obsolete. If you know it, too; if you love good, old-fashioned urbane horror; if you love the timeless ambiance of a radio dramatization (played in the dark); if you want a Lovecraft adaptation that's appropriate to the life and times of the man himself, then do yourself a favor and buy this CD. You'll get well over an hour of Lovecraftian goodness and you won't be disappointed.
I just wish more people had this much respect for the style and artistry of the past."
Lovecraft meets modern OTR
J. W. Zorn | Chehalis, WA | 09/21/2008
(5 out of 5 stars)
"As a lifelong fan of both H.P. Lovecraft and the genre of Old Time Radio plays (especially Suspense, X Minus One, and Quiet Please), this modern retro radio play-style adaptation of 'Mountains of Madness' is a real gem.
Capturing the feel of the old radio plays perfectly, the H.P. Lovecraft Historical Society delivers a dramatic, suspenseful version of one of the master's greatest achievements in sci-fi horror. There are moments (like when the characters are on an aeroplane) that the dialog is hard to hear, but that's perfectly in keeping with the OTR feel.
Even the charmingly tongue-in-cheek 'advertisement' for the bogus Fleurs-de-Lys brand of cigarettes is a hoot. It's all about attention to detail, and what old radio play ever had no annoying advertising?
Excellent voice performances, terrific sound effects, and a solid adherence to Lovecraft's story make this a must-add to any Lovecraft fan's collection. An added bonus are the inserts for the CD, which include a newspaper cutting from the Arkham Advertiser, photos of the City of the Elder Things, and a page from Danforth's sketchbook.
The HPLHS has also released a 'Dark Adventure Theatre' adaptation of 'The Dunwich Horror'."
Voices in the dark
William Timothy Lukeman | 08/21/2008
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Now this is how it should be done!
Adapting the stories of HP Lovecraft to other media has always been a thankless & mostly futile task. But the creators of this adaptation have succeeded wonderfully, because they had the sense to recreate the times & atmosphere in which Lovecraft wrote, setting his tale in context.
How?
By recreating the glory days of radio drama, right down to the static & commercials & slightly over-the-top acting style of the 1930s. You can practically hear the vacuum tubes warming up when you put this CD on to play! The attention to detail & authenticity is truly astounding, from beginning to end. You'll swear that you're listening to something contemporary with Orson Welles' famed "War of the Worlds" broadcast.
At the same time, they don't focus so much on details that they lose sight of the story. Everything is in service to Lovecraft's vision of an ancient, titanic city in frozen waste of the Antarctic mountains, created by weird alien beings & their monstrous servants, now long dead ... or are they? The hapless expedition of mere mortal men will discover the horrifying truth before long!
So settle down in a cozy chair, turn the lights down low, and enter the theater of the imagination. But be prepared for some chills! For both horror & classic radio fans, this is a treat. Highly recommended!
"
The Mountains of Madness whisper in your ear!
Richard P. Marsden | 06/29/2008
(5 out of 5 stars)
"The stories of HP Lovecraft still haunt us years after his death and despite the fact he is still relagated to general obscurity. Ask your average person who he is, and you'll likely get no response. When I was younger, in my teens, it was popular to read his works. They were a taste of the wierd and horrible and it was chic to know names such as Cthuhlu and make references to Miskatonic University or the writings of certain mad arabs.
Years later I went back to his work and found it all the more thrilling and horrific. My younger mind couldn't pick up the subtle terror of the unknown that I believe Lovecraft mastered.
When I discovered one of his greatest works and one of his view 'novels' had been turned into a Radio Drama, I leapt at the chance. This is not just a 'reading' of the Mountains of Madness, it is an honest to goodness radio drama done in the style of the 1930's when radio was king and cigarettes were just darn good for ya! The voice acting, music and sound effects work to take the Mountains of Madness to where modern film could not go. The radio drama leaves much for the listener to imagine, the same as the written work. While film often destroys imagination by 'showing' you horror, the radio drama simply guides you into your own nightmareish visions.
Is the radio drama perfect? No. The beginning is a bit repetative with a series of 'World Wide News' stories which set the backdrop of the tale. A listener might get a bit frustrated hearing the morse code and musical jingle of the radio station over and over. However, once Professor Dyer begins his tale in earnest, listeners are left with the frozen wastes of Antarctica, the wonder of a forotten city, and the horror of what truly happened to Professor Lake.
What lies beyond the Mountains of Madness await and I strongly reccomend you let Dark Adventure Radio take you there!"
Track Listings (6) - Disc #1