Terrors from Beyond

H.P. Lovecraft’s Dark Influence on Horror Cinema and Culture.

©RLJ Entertainment

“The oldest and strongest emotion of mankind is fear, and the oldest and strongest kind of fear is fear of the unknown.”
— The Call of Cthulhu, H.P. Lovecraft (1928)

Cosmic horror, a subgenre of horror fiction, has gained significant popularity in recent decades. Originally popularized by American author H.P. Lovecraft, it remained relatively obscure during his lifetime, only gaining traction after his death in 1937. Today, the genre is often synonymous with the term “Lovecraftian” horror.

Stories in cosmic horror typically center on the strange, unknowable, and indescribable. Here, human protagonists — if we can call them that — are dwarfed by their encounters with unfathomable terrors from beyond, their sole hope being survival with their minds somewhat intact.

Many of Lovecraft’s tales hinge on themes of hubris and greed — whether for wealth or forbidden knowledge — and elements of cosmic horror often appear in unexpected places. For example, in J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings, Gandalf issues a chilling warning about Moria, hinting at “Nameless Things” dwelling far beneath the mountains. These ancient beings, older than time itself, gnaw at the earth’s roots, echoing Lovecraft’s fascination with vast, unknowable horrors.