Cast A Deadly Spell

Cast A Deadly Spell...1991...96 minutes...rated R...starring Fred Ward, Julianne Moore, David Warner, and Clancy Brown...written by Joseph Dougherty...directed by Martin Campbell

"Cast A Deadly Spell" was a made-for-HBO movie that placed the noir-style detective story inside of a horror universe, specifically a Lovecraftian universe. The setting is 1948 Los Angeles, and everyone uses magic. Kids cast curses on cars as a form of juvenile vandalism, actual gremlins crawl inside cars and other devices, and the new thing in the construction industry is having zombies as the new labor force. The only exception to the general rule is Detective Harry "Phil" Lovecraft, who maintains a no-magic usage policy in a world growing heady with the use of mystical energy. This "peculiarity" attracts the attention of the rich Amos Hackshaw, who hires Lovecraft to track down a stolen book...the Necronomicon.

Honestly, finding a copy of this movie to watch can be a  pain and a half; but I submit to you, fearless blog reader, that this is a treasure to find and view. I will say that this selection is not a movie to take too seriously... in-jokes about horror movies in general abound, and the fusion of these two genres is...well...quirky, I'll admit it. (A reference to the previous entry: Curse of the Demon is what prompted this selection.) Also, the effects aren't the sort that will have serious horror veterans cringing at all. Still, the casting is ideal and the story moves along at a brisk pace. I actually think that the combination worked fairly well, and certainly "Cast..." is a distinct and unique creation...something that can be lacking in a genre that has been argued as being repetitive.

But find it, watch it...it's not that long of a movie and will not leave indelible scars in the psyche, unless you are the type who simply cannot stand mixing your peanut butter and your chocolate.

I give Cast A Deadly Spell 3 dogpuke ties out of 5.