H. P. Lovecraft's Dreams in the Witch House is the second episode of the first season of Masters of Horror

Masters of Horror

Masters of Horror is an informal social group of international film writers and directors specializing in horror movies and an American television series created by director Mick Garris for the Showtime cable network.- Origin :...

, directed by Stuart Gordon

Stuart Gordon

After the University of Wisconsin demanded future theatrical productions by Screw Theater be overseen by a University Professor, Gordon cut his University ties to form Broom Street Theater. Its first production, the new translation of the risque Lysistrata, premiered in May 1969. Gordon is...

. It is adapted from the short story "The Dreams in the Witch House

The Dreams in the Witch House

"The Dreams in the Witch House" is a short story by H. P. Lovecraft, part of the Cthulhu Mythos genre of horror fiction. Written in January/February 1932, it was first published in the July 1933 issue of Weird Tales.-Inspiration:...

" by American horror author H. P. Lovecraft

H. P. Lovecraft

Howard Phillips Lovecraft --often credited as H.P. Lovecraft — was an American author of horror, fantasy and science fiction, especially the subgenre known as weird fiction....

. It originally aired in North America

North America

North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...

 on November 4, 2005.

Plot

The university student Walter Gilman moves to a very cheap room in an old boarding house. He becomes close to Frances Elwood, his next door neighbor, and her baby son Danny after saving them from a huge rat. While studying for his thesis, Walter listens to noises in the first floor, and finds the tenant Masurewicz praying and hitting his head on a chair. The old man advises him about a rat with a man's face and a witch that would be after him, and offers a crucifix for his protection. Walter ignores the advice, and has nightmares along the night. When Frances asks Walter to be the babysitter of Danny for a couple of hours, Walter is lured by the witch, who pretends to be Frances, and he is marked on his back.

Cast

• Ezra Godden as Walter Gilman
• Jay Brazeau
  Jay Brazeau
  Jay Brazeau is a notable Canadian actor and voice actor. He was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.-Career:His credits include voicing Richard Condie's Oscar-nominated animated short La Salla. He also appeared in two of the first season episodes of Highlander: The Series in 1992...
  
   as Mr. Dombrowski
• Campbell Lane
  Campbell Lane
  Campbell Lane is a Canadian actor who primarily does work in Vancouver. He has appeared in many television shows produced there, and has done some voice acting for anime as well.- Television Roles :...
  
   as Masurewicz
• Chelah Horsdal
  Chelah Horsdal
  Chelah Horsdal is a Canadian actress and model.-Life and career:She grew up in the Kitsilano neighbourhood of Vancouver with her mother, Lindsay. Her father is the folk singer Valdy...
  
   as Frances Elwood

DVD and Blu-ray

The DVD was released by Anchor Bay Entertainment

Anchor Bay Entertainment

Anchor Bay Entertainment is a U.S. based home entertainment and production company and is a division of Starz Media, which is a unit of Starz, LLC. It was previously owned by IDT Entertainment until 2006 when IDT was purchased by Starz Media. Anchor Bay markets and sells feature films, series,...

 on March 28, 2006. The episode was the second episode as well as the second to be released on DVD. The episode appears on the first volume of the Blu-ray compilation of the series.

Adapting Lovecraft

The television adaptation significantly truncates the plot of Lovecraft's 1933 short story. It also sets the story in contemporary times, updating small details while remaining relatively faithful to the original plot. For example, whereas in the Lovecraft story the protagonist is a student of quantum mechanics

Quantum mechanics

Quantum mechanics, also known as quantum physics or quantum theory, is a branch of physics providing a mathematical description of much of the dual particle-like and wave-like behavior and interactions of energy and matter. It departs from classical mechanics primarily at the atomic and subatomic...

, in the television adaption he studies string theory

String theory

String theory is an active research framework in particle physics that attempts to reconcile quantum mechanics and general relativity. It is a contender for a theory of everything , a manner of describing the known fundamental forces and matter in a mathematically complete system...

. The TV adaptation features the rat-like creature with a human face, Brown Jenkin, from Lovecraft's original tale., and also the witch Keziah Mason. In a nod to Lovecraft's original inspiration for Miskatonic University

Miskatonic University

Miskatonic University is a fictional university located in Arkham; a fictitious town which is said to exist in Essex County, Massachusetts. It is named after the Miskatonic River . After first appearing in the H. P...

, the protagonist of the television adaptation wears a Miskatonic University

Miskatonic University

Miskatonic University is a fictional university located in Arkham; a fictitious town which is said to exist in Essex County, Massachusetts. It is named after the Miskatonic River . After first appearing in the H. P...

 t-shirt featuring a design based on the seal of Brown University

Brown University

Brown University is a private, Ivy League university located in Providence, Rhode Island, United States. Founded in 1764 prior to American independence from the British Empire as the College in the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations early in the reign of King George III ,...

.

External links

• Review for Dreams in the Witch-House television episode at Dread Central