Summary
One 24-year-oldLovecraftianmovie has not aged too well, suggesting it needs a worthy remake. Although Lovecraftian horror can be a vast term that could accommodate several horror movies, it is often driven by a set of rules that define its unique atmosphere and themes. Typically, cosmicism or Lovecraftian horror revolves around humanity’s struggle against intangible, otherworldly beings that serve as reminders of the insignificance of human life in the vastness of the universe.
The human characters in Lovecraftian narratives either find themselves losing their minds after accessing forbidden knowledge or end up morally bankrupting themselves to the point of no redemption. In literature,HP Lovecraft’s storiesalso leave much to a reader’s imagination, making it extremely challenging for filmmakers to traverse it to the audiovisual storytelling medium. Still, many movies attempt to capture cosmicism, even though the result is not always successful. A 24-year-old film did the same, and, unfortunately, it has not stood the test of time.
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The work of legendary horror writer H.P. Lovecraft is notoriously difficult to translate to the big screen, here are the best adaptations.
Junji Ito’s Uzumaki Deserves A New Live-Action Adaptation
Uzumaki’s 24-Year-Old Adaptation Has Not Aged Well
Junji Ito’sUzumakimanga presents a series of interconnected tales that unfold in the fictional city of Kurouzu. What initially seems like a quaint location turns into pure nightmare fuel when its citizens are plagued by a supernatural curse that manifests in the form of bizarre and twisted spirals. With each new chapter, the manga gets more and more grotesque as the curse’s influence deepens. Unsurprisingly, Ito has often cited HP Lovecraft’s work as the inspiration forUzumaki. In a conversation with 78 magazine (viaweb.archive), he even quoted:
“Lovecraft’s expressionism with regard to atmosphere greatly inspires my creative impulse.”
In 2000, director Higuchinsky adapted Junji Ito’sUzumakifor the big screen. Although the film received a mixed set of reviews from critics when it premiered and was also compared with 1998’sRingu, many followers of Ito’s works now consider it a product of its time. However, despite having several elements that madeclassic J-Horror moviesincredibly immersive and scary, theUzumakimovie has not stood the test of time. Its VFX is outdated,which makes even its creepy spiral moments seem a little too cartoonish. Owing to this, the Lovecraftian manga deserves a new live-action adaptation.
I’m Excited for the Uzumaki Anime, but the Episode Count Has Me Worried
The long-awaited adaptation of Junji Ito’s Uzumaki is almost here, yet the short episode count creates worries about its quality.
A New Live-Action Uzumaki Movie Could Benefit From The Anime’s Hype
The Anime Is Already Destined To Succeed
The interest in Junji Ito’sUzumaki is presently at an all-time high because its highly-anticipated anime adaptation is about to be released on June 14, 2025. Although accurately adapting Junji Ito’s work is no easy feat, and many anime shows in the past have failed to recreate the terrors of his art in the audiovisual medium, the upcomingUzumakianime seems incredibly promising. It not only adopts the original manga’s black-and-white color palette buteven its animation seems disturbingly fluid in the teasers and trailers.
Anime is not usually considered the ideal storytelling medium for horror, but it looks like the upcomingUzumakiadaptation is about to change that perception. What makes it even more exciting is that its music composition has been done by Colin Stetson, whose loopy saxophone tunes have previously been featured in highly acclaimedhorror movies likeHereditary,The Menu, andColor Out of Space. The anime’s success almost seems guaranteed, anda new live-action movie adaptation of the Junji Ito manga could leverage this momentum.
How A New Uzumaki Movie Can Improve Upon The 2000 Film
It Can Have Better VFX & More Cohesive Storytelling
Since the 2000 movie’s visuals seem downright gimmicky by today’s standards, the new live-action film would undoubtedly benefit from the monumental advances in VFX. Apart from that, the new film must also honor the underlying human elements in the original Junji Ito manga. Instead of merely walking through a series of grotesque body horror visuals,the manga introduces psychological elements that revolve around social, moral, and societal collapse in the face of uncertainty.Lovecraftianhorror is not always supposed to make sense, but theUzumakilive-action remake could elevate itself by including a thoughtful integration of the manga’s deeper themes.
Uzumaki
Uzumaki is a Japanese horror film directed by Higuchinsky, set in a small town plagued by a mysterious obsession with spirals. Starring Eriko Hatsune and Fhi Fan, the movie follows two teenagers as they encounter increasingly bizarre and terrifying events stemming from the town’s unnatural fixation. Adapted from Junji Ito’s manga of the same name, Uzumaki explores psychological horror through its unique visual and narrative style.
