Pickman modellje (E05)

I didn't expect that a story based on Lovecraft (which also stars Crispin Glover) would be such a mess. The screenwriter's attempt to extend the straightforward story failed, the added stuff is more awkward and boring than thrilling. There are a few great scenes, but what can I say, the weakest piece of Del Toro's cabinet so far. The first story that played on Lovecraft was much more Lovecraft than this one. (2022.11.12)

It has a slower pace, which is understandable for a short story set over a span of a few years, but once things get going towards the end, it's a classic Lovecraftian ride. And I loved the casting of both the sinister Glover and Ben Barnes, whose mustache and grey streak in his hair work perfectly as an age-makeup. (2022.12.01)

The original Lovecraft story is a different cup of tea, but the master also works with the unseen and unimaginable, which is hard to visualize. I dare say, however, that this is a very good adaptation with a solid Barnes and a disturbing Glover. The plot digressions are quite compelling and the ending is classically scary. The most compelling thing about Lovecraft is that the unsaid is always more frightening than the visualization, and that’s why his adaptations can never get a full rating. (2022.11.06)