Director Joe Lynch (Wrong Turn 2, Mayhem) has teamed up with screenwriter Dennis Paoli – who has contributed to the screenplays for some of the most popular H.P. Lovecraft adaptations ever made; Re-Animator, From Beyond, Castle Freak, Dagon, Masters of Horror: Dreams in the Witch-House – and producer Barbara Crampton (who was in Re-Animator, From Beyond, and Castle Freak) for the new Lovecraft adaptation Suitable Flesh. Crampton also has an acting role in the film, which will have its premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival this June… and in a video promo for the festival, there’s a quick glimpse of Crampton in Suitable Flesh! You can check it out in the Twitter embed at the bottom of this article.
Described as an “erotic body-swapping horror”, this adaptation of The Thing on the Doorstep stars Heather Graham (Boogie Nights) and Judah Lewis (The Babysitter). Graham plays a psychiatrist who becomes obsessed with a young client with multiple personalities.
Bruce Davison (X-Men), Johnathon Schaech (That Thing You Do!), and Graham Skipper (The Mind’s Eye) are also in the cast. Skipper appears alongside Crampton in the very short clip from Suitable Flesh that’s featured in the Tribeca promo.
Crampton produced the film alongside Bob Portal, Inderpal Singh, and Joe Wicker for Amp, in association with Eyevox Entertainment. Brian Yuzna, who produced Re-Animator, From Beyond, and Dagon (and directed the Re-Animator sequels) is on board as executive producer, as are Eyevox’s Rick Moore, Amp’s James Norrir and Nina Kolokouri, and Lynch. Amp is handling worldwide sales – and Crampton is the Vice President of Production and Development at Amp.
Crampton provided the following statement: “We’ve been so fortunate to work with top talent both behind and in front of the camera on our recent films. At Amp it’s about developing not only memorable, thought-provoking material for an audience, but also fresh and unusual enough to attract the very best creative collaborators. I was ecstatic when first the formidable Joe Lynch, then Heather Graham signed on – her natural charm is always in evidence, but we get to see a different untapped side of her abilities here. I’ve been thrilled to be invited to join seasoned pros at Amp, and we are only getting started.“
Lynch added: “When I read Dennis Paoli’s adaptation of the story, I felt like there was a fantastic opportunity to update and subvert Lovecraft’s often old-fashioned sensibilities in a way that felt modern, relevant and even dangerous, with a pinch of 90’s neo-noir and a dash of eroticism to spice up the stew. Working with Amp and such a fantastic cast – including Heather, Judah, Barbara, Bruce and Johnathon – we’re so excited that this sexy, funny, scary film isn’t just a modernized love letter to Lovecraft, but the kind of provocatively entertaining “sin-ema” I believe audiences are salivating for!“
Re-Animator, From Beyond, Castle Freak, Dagon, and Masters of Horror: Dreams in the Witch-House were directed by Stuart Gordon, who passed away in 2020. It’s cool to see Crampton, Paoli, and Yuzna continuing on with this Lovecraft series he started. I actually find it to be a bit heartwarming.
Are you interested in Suitable Flesh? Let us know by leaving a comment below. Here’s the Tribeca promo with the blink-and-miss-it clip of Crampton and Skipper: