Herbert West: Re-Animator (2017) — A review

22nd April, 2020.

Yes: it’s officially official.

I’ve had some time to myself, tonight.

Mind you, with the Lockdown being what it is, in the UK?

Who hasn’t … ?

At any rate, I decided to try and watch the recent Italian version of H. P. Lovecraft’s Herbert West – Reanimator.

Called Herbert West: Reanimator.

I’ve wasted my money.

~≈¥≈~

Herbert West: Re-Animator shows Dr. Herbert West: a man who loses his talented daughter, Eleanor, in a car crash.

Only to try and revive her with multiple variations of a special serum designed to bring back someone from the dead.

Only being successful at the last attempt.

Many years later?

Many years later, Eleanor is a talented violinist … … 

Who goes on a murderous rampage.

Frankly?

That’s where I switched off.

~≈¥≈~

It has to be said, sometimes, the film of the book can be a wonderful thing.

Really, it can.

I’ve seen two versions of The Color Out of Space, for example: both of which are good films, both of which are true to the source text.

The David Lynch version of Dune … ?   Was truer to the novel than the unmade Jodorowsky version, which radically changed the ending.

Jackson’s take on The Lord of The Rings?   Is possibly the text book example of how to make a good film out of the book, and stay true to what’s on the page.

And — even whilst it strayed from the book in places — Bladerunner, Ridley Scott’s version of Do Android’s Dream of Electric Sheep could point at the text and justify everything on screen.

This version of Lovecraft’s tale?

This version of Herbert West: Re-Animator really has nothing to do with Lovecraft’s original tale: and is miles away from the 1985 Jeffrey Combs version.

And is something I found slow, badly paced, and with a plot that seemed to get lost in the jumping flashbacks and narration.

To the point where I gave up watching, half way through.

Do us both a favour.

Avoid this film.

Herbert West: Re-Animator (2017).
☆☆☆☆