Synergy Magazine

Raro Video Italy

The Road to L is a highly imaginative exploration of the mythos of H.P Lovecraft. The tile has a double meaning and refers both to the road to Lovecraft and to mythical location in Italy where Lovecraft supposed travelled in 1926 and learned about the old Gods. The story works primarily as a first person pseudo documentary focusing on the discovery of a travel journal dated 1926 which is believed to shed light on an unknown period in the life of H.P Lovecraft. While it was believed he never travelled outside America, the manuscript suggests he travelled to Italy and there found a small settlement on which he based his Shadow over Innismouth.

This is a very creative film which slowly develops from a documentary into something far more frightening and sinister. It starts as a film about making a documentary and then slowly begins to create a mood of tension and dread. The township seems suspicious; there is a strange religious sect which meets each year and local who refuse to discuss their traditions. There are also underground tunnels which lead under the town. This last feature really begins to up the tension, at first there is an anti-climax with a hamster, but then they find the bodies of dead gutted fish and strange markings in the tunnel and realize something is very wrong. The use of handheld camera work, limited lighting and the strained interpersonal relations between the members of the crew - all add to a slow increase in suspense and tension.

The breakthrough comes as they learn about the Filo Tales, local legends which seem connected to the stories of H.P Lovecraft. It also seems that a contact they have been referred to, Andrea Roberta, made a similar connection and vanished in strange circumstances in 1997 some years before. As the story unfolds they hear rumours of UFOS, aliens and strange creatures, these are presented (as is the whole film) with excerpts from Lovecraft’s tales and occasional graphically illustrated aspects of his mythos.

As they go to explore an uncharted section of the local region, they find the same abandoned houses mentioned in Lovecraft’s tale and things begin to get strange. There is weird music coming out of nowhere and a sense of menace in the environment. As their investigations continue and their guide refuses to help any longer, they become lost and in the darkness and night find what they are looking for...Innismouth and its occupants...

This is a truly ingenious way of adapting Lovecraft’s tale. By transplanting it to Italy and connecting it to local myths and legends, the tales becomes entwined with all sorts of strange local customs, myths and tales. On a minimum budget with a resourceful use of handheld camera work, editing, and very occasional special effects, a mood is created which is brooding and ominous. The soundtrack is superb and creates a real feeling of threat and menace, it drives the film into some truly dark territory.

Road to L is a highly successful film on so many levels, it creates true horror with so little, has excellent character development, an fascinating plot and creates a mood which will haunt you for a long time after watching it.