I am planning a new campaign for the New Year.  Before I pitch it to my players, I want to get some opinions and maybe suggestions on the idea.

The Pitch:  H. P. Lovecraft's stories, as produced by Hammer Film Productions of the 60's and 70's.

A "what if..." suggestion that Hammer has made H.P.L. books into movies to compete with Amicus' Poe movies (of which one was actually H. P. Lovecraft anyway).

The scenarios will be (very unfaithful) revisions of the original stories, with the players adopting mostly pre-generated roles that they can personalize.

Considerations:
-It is worth noting that almost all my players are familiar with Lovecraft's stories and Call of Cthulhu.

-The system is a homebrew one I have used in the past, but close enough to BRP in most cases.

-This is less ponderous cosmic horror and more gothic dread and gore, with jump scares and bright red blood.  This is Hammer after all...

The Rats In The Walls is the first scenario I have in mind.

Of course, given most of my players have read it, plenty of changes will be made.  Mostly the inclusion of The Lurking Fear's plot, since subterranean degenerate cannibals feature in both, have similar cursed family backgrounds and suit the make-up effects Hammer might have used at the time.

So while the set-up and player roles are quite specific, the adventure ought to still have some surprises as they investigate, explore and fend of the deformed albino freaks living in the grotto cavern-city beneath Exham Priory.

Anyone tried anything like this before or have any suggestions?  Any Lovecraft fans who can suggest ways to alter or combine other stories in ways that will yield interesting scenarios?

My first thought is something bringing Herbert West, Frankenstein, The Whisperer In Darkness and Plague of The Zombies all into a mixing bowl... as an excuse to have lots of  brain transplants and reanimated corpses. Demented anatomist under bizarre alien influences creating a zombie horde to work for the Mi Go in the mines of Cornwall.

Maybe mix Vampire Circus with Shadow Over Innsmouth to get a travelling carnival full of bizarre ichthyoid/batrachian mutants, who steal babies/women for some mysterious purpose (can Innsmouth girls pull off the Hammer sexy-vampire look? 'yoouu and meee fishmouth girrrl...'). Add in something to do with the ancient curse on the local nobles... a long lost cousin showing up to collect an inheritance (somehow Boris Karloff shows up in there too... maybe as an old wizard trying to take over the mind of the young relative ala The Thing On The Doorstep).

The Horror Express and Five Million Years to Earth are fairly Lovecraftish as well.

I thought from the subject you were talking about M.C. Hammer, but yes, Hammer films makes much more sense.

Hmm...

"LOVECRAFT'S DAUGHTERS - Starring CHRISTOPHER LEE - A Hammer Production"

I like it!

You may wish to check out the 1970s version of the Dunwich Horror, which is pretty Hammer-tastic.

Quote from: Simlasa;612552My first thought is something bringing Herbert West, Frankenstein, The Whisperer In Darkness and Plague of The Zombies all into a mixing bowl...

Maybe mix Vampire Circus with Shadow Over Innsmouth to get a travelling carnival full of bizarre ichthyoid/batrachian mutants, who steal babies/women for some mysterious purpose (can Innsmouth girls pull off the Hammer sexy-vampire look? 'yoouu and meee fishmouth girrrl...'). Add in something to do with the ancient curse on the local nobles... a long lost cousin showing up to collect an inheritance (somehow Boris Karloff shows up in there too... maybe as an old wizard trying to take over the mind of the young relative ala The Thing On The Doorstep).

A travelling Innsmouth circus/kidnapping ring is good!  An interesting way to draw the players to Innsmouth to stage a rescue, then use The Shadow Over Innsmouth's dramatic escape.

As much as using H.West and the Mi-goo appeals to me, I think they are ones I'd more likely keep distinct from one another.  After all, Re-Animator has already done well for movies...  And even Whisperer in Darkness got a pretty good one thanks to the HPLHS.

Quote from: Warthur;612571You may wish to check out the 1970s version of the Dunwich Horror, which is pretty Hammer-tastic.

it is indeed!  And is probably the closest film adaptation to what I'm on about.

Quote from: thedungeondelver;612568Hmm...

"LOVECRAFT'S DAUGHTERS - Starring CHRISTOPHER LEE - A Hammer Production"

I like it!

I do hope that my players will include Hammer's stable of actors, something I had considered when coming up with the various roles the players can choose from.  For The Rats in the Walls I had:

Ralph Bates as the Baron De La Poer nephew Alfred Delapore
Shane Briant as the nervous psychic investigator Tobey Thornton
Oliver Reed as Edward Norrys
Veronica Carlson as Alfred's fiance
and of course Christopher Lee as Dr. Trask, local physician and friend to the Baron.

Quote from: JeremyR;612556I thought from the subject you were talking about M.C. Hammer, but yes, Hammer films makes much more sense.

Likewise, visions of Shoggoths wearing Hammer pants who were too legit to quit.

Personally I would start with "Blood Brothers 1 & 2" as a reference. Lot's of hammerism tongue in check in those books.

http://www.rpg.net/reviews/archive/10/10942.phtml

Sheer genius. I predict not a lot of work will be necessary. Use Hammer imagery (e.g. foreboding, decadent mansions in the dusky countryside) and substitute vampires and werewolves for appropriate Lovecraftiana. Characters in the vein of Herbert West, Erich Zann and Richard Upton Pickman should make great antagonists for this sort of game. The Colour Out of Space would make an awesome Hammer movie. Scratch that, just about every Lovecraft tale ever would make an awesome Hammer movie, up to and including the Dreamlands stuff.

And I heartily second the Blood Brothers recommendation. Maybe not a must-read, but definitely a fun read.

I thought you meant Hammer as in the cop, in the TV series Sledge Hammer. I would play that!

"Trust me - I know what I'm doing!"

But honestly, Simon, this "Hammer-style Lovecraft" sounds like an excellent idea for your next S&W Whitebox variant...

Blood Brothers is one of the few Call of Cthulhu books I don't have.  Sounds like something to look into.