Before reading the rest of the review which will inevitably contain potential spoilers, I will suggest that Road to L is maybe best viewed with as little prior knowledge of the film’s events as possible. What I will also say is that this is essential viewing for all fans of H.P. Lovecraft.
Those who have read Lovecraft’s works will be more than familiar with the Cthulhu Mythos; tales of dark alien Gods, existing long before mankind, still slumbering in the watery depths, and of the cultists who worship them in ancient rituals, awaiting their terrible re-awakening.
Lovecraft fans will also be aware that outside his main body of work, the author frequently corresponded with other writers within his circle and often kept journals of his life. The Road to L centres around the discovery of one such journal, thought to possibly be that of Lovecraft travelling from the USA to the remote area of the Po delta, northern Italy, between May and July 1926.
It describes his on route visit to a vast library (thought to be the central library of Venice), his interest in the “supernatural” and the library’s numerous and ancient occult texts. The journal then further describes his journey along the Po delta, his experiences of seeing the local inhabitants in small isolated villages and hearing the local “filo” tales – the folklore or the Polesine region.
The Road to L is portrayed as an authentic documentary, as a film crew led by director Federico Greco and hired American actor / narrator David Purvis (Roberto Purvis), set up camp in Loreo (the ‘L’ of the film’s title) and make their way through the Po delta, supposedly following in the steps of Lovecraft’s journal and trying to uncover the mysterious findings five years earlier of a now missing Italian student Andrea Roberti, who had been writing a thesis on the “filo” tales and their connection to Lovecraft’s Cthulhan Mythos before his mysterious disappearance, his car found abandoned at the banks of the river Po.
As the crew dig deeper in their research it seems they’re trying to be misled and thrown off track. They meet locals from the region who won’t fully discuss the region’s “traditions” and folklore, or the strange goings on in the local church, what seems to be an underground network of secret tunnels and abandoned looking houses around the riverside. They interview Andrea Roberti’s mother who seems all too eager to close the investigation into her own son’s disappearance and his girlfriend who is reluctant to discuss her missing love.
Had Lovecraft stumbled upon something much more sinister and real than the mere “fantasy” of his tales? Have Federico and his crew stepped out of their depths and into something that could threaten their lives?
The Road to L is a exceedingly well made and well acted “mockumentary” in the tradition of, yet far superior to The Blair Witch Project (or Cannibal Holocaust without the gore). Fans of Lovecraft will recognise the reference points to “Shadow over Innsmouth” and “The Call of Cthulhu” amongst others, the idea being that Lovecraft’s supposed journey to and experiences in the region influenced his writing after 1926.
It is to these fans that I would primarily recommend the film, as the subtle qualities of the piece may not sink in as much with those not as exposed to Lovecraft‘s writing. In a time where so much horror seems to be focused upon excess, yet missing the narrative to support the splatter, it was really refreshing to sit down and watch a film that focused more upon suggestion and subtle atmospheric chills.
Federico Greco has created a great little film that is worthy of a much wider audience, and certainly of a much better reputation than the previously mentioned Blair Witch Project. If you get the chance, I suggest checking The Road to L out ASAP!
Available to buy from www.rarovideo.com
