In The South Of Madness

WHY A FRESH TAKE ON CLASSIC LITERATURE IS WHAT’S NEEDED NOW – LOVECRAFT COUNTRY REINVENTS THE HORROR OF TWO AUTHORS AND THE REAL WORLD

- TARA BENNETT AND ADAM TANSWELL

THE CONUNDRUM OF HOW to deal with controversial artists is having a moment right now. Plenty of contemporary creative figures whose misdeeds are coming to light are getting their reckonings in the glare of the zeitgeist. But what about those who, in the past, made seminal works, and whose deeply racist, homophobic, and/or fascist ideologies have come to light in the ensuing years? How do we separate a love for the art from the artist?

HP Lovecraft is a prime example. The 20th century American author brought the Cthulhu Mythos into existence and is considered one of the most influential writers of supernatural horror fiction. But he also was a deeply troubled misanthrope, and an unrepentant racist. What do we do regarding that overshadowing legacy today? If you’re Misha Green, the writer, showrunner and executive producer of HBO’s new horror series Lovecraft Country, you take the opportunity to address that history and reframe it into something new and, perhaps, even more resonant.

As a writer on Heroes and Sons Of Anarchy, Green was well-versed in the power of genre, pulp and horror. But she wasn’t an admirer of all things Cthulhu. “I read Lovecraft. I didn’t love it,” Green candidly admits to SFX, during a break from post-production on the series.

“I wasn’t as crazy as the Lovecraft fans are crazy [about him]. I was also aware of his history, which kind of sours it for me. I was aware of the HP Lovecraft Award, and should we really be vaulting this person to this acclaim? But the stories are good. You can’t take that away.”