Just who is this Cthulhu guy anyway?

PurpleTentacle

GPO
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That's what I was wondering, having seen and heard references to him ranging from a Metallica song to the User-friendly comic strip. I did some googling and found an online version of "Call of Cthulhu" on some web site. I read it, but I wasn't terribly impressed. It was a nice story and it does sort of make you wonder about your nightmares, but it just wasn't very scary. In your opinions, do the other Cthulhu stories get better or worse? Should I spend the time looking for and reading them?
 
No other mythos has been so widely written about, than the Cthulhu mythos...from Stephen King to Robert Bloch, almost every fantasy/horror writer has something based in it...and no, they aren't meant to be frightening, more of just "uneasy"...a little more refined sense of horror, although some of the stories from the 20's do have laughable grammar...ah well...
 
I still can't say 'cthulhu' without spitting everywhere. How's it pronounced anyway? Thooloo? Thoolhoo? K-spit-splutter(German gutteral sound)-hoolhoo? Why couldn't they have just called him Pig or something?
 
Alot of Lovecraft's writings weren't exactly horrific by today's standards, but the man also lived just after the turn of the last century. Language was different, inventions we take for granted today were "sci-fi" to people back then and people were easier to take fright due to a lack of horror flicks with advanced special effects about. Make no mistake though, Lovecraft is the definitive father of the macabre and horror would not be the same without his influence. He took suspense, the supernatural, thrillers and general horror then added a twist to create some of the most original, disturbing, breathtaking and utterly, grotesquely, brilliantly dark displays of literature of his day.

Some interesting facts about him is that he barely made a cent from his works (most was through the publishing of short stories to horror and sci-fi type pop culture magazines at the time, a bit of a trend back then) and they would have remained unknown if it wasn't for his collegues publishing them after his early death - he never published one of his own books. He also predominantly corrosponded with people through letters rather than conversation. He loved to take the piss out of his peers by telling each of them a different way on how to pronounce cthulu properly, that is why there is so much confusion to date as to how it is properly pronounced. Personally I think the only person who could really tell you it's proper pronounciation is Howard Phillip Lovecraft himself. I plan to ask him once I cross the barrier to where dark things do dwell.
 
cthulhu77 said:
they aren't meant to be frightening, more of just "uneasy"...a little more refined sense of horror

Yeah, I'll give him that. It turns out my library has a book with a small collection of Lovecrafts writings including the "The Shadow over Innsmouth." Assuming it's no 900 page epic, I'll give it a shot.
 
*grumbles*
I knew those fluffy cuddly fuzzy plush creatures were up to no good.... Nobody believes me when i say i can hear them muttering. I can see them moving... just at the edge of my vision... when i turn around they pretend... oh they do, i'm telling you! where's my flamethrower?!
Oooh nice jacket!
The sleeves are a bit long aren't they?
No!
Wait!
The world must be warned!!!

FHTAGN!

TPOTH
 
A guy I know is trying to compile a definitive list of sotires that deal with the Chtulhu mythos which might be handy for people wanting to play catch up:

http://lovecraft.cjb.net/

but also if he has missed anything feel free to let him know so he can keep improving the list.

Emps
 
I don't know about that one; Cthulhu is vaguely humanoid of body, but not in some adonis-fashion. I always pictured him being shaped kind of similar to the late Chris Farley in body...
 
still I have one question on my head, can I pronouce it as "coo (as in cool)low-who"
And that story about Coo-Low-Who and the plushies were tuly disturbing..I always imagined that Coo-low-who resembles a octo on a humans head or something....
 
chrono_war01 said:
still I have one question on my head, can I pronouce it as "coo (as in cool)low-who"
And that story about Coo-Low-Who and the plushies were tuly disturbing..I always imagined that Coo-low-who resembles a octo on a humans head or something....

With big webbed paws and feet, like a taloned frog, plus two stunted batlike wings sticking out between his shoulders! Don't picture him in your head, Chrono, whatever you do! He's bad! If you think about him too much, he'll be able to find you when he wakes up! Waitamin- I think I hear something outside - sort of a slopping sound, really - oh dear Lord! He's HERE! THE TENTACLE AT THE WINDOW-
 

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