Cast a Deadly Spell



Cast a Deadly Spell is a 1991 horror/noir movie made for HBO. It was directed by Martin Campbell and written by Joseph Dougherty.

It's 1948. The plot follows Hardboiled Detective Harry Phillip Lovecraft, in a fictional universe where magic is real, monsters and mythical beasts stalk the back alleys, zombies are used as cheap labor, and everyone, except Lovecraft, uses magic every day. Yet, cars, telephones and other modern technology also exist in this world. There's some implication that magic only recently gained widespread use for whatever reason. Lovecraft is hired to recover the Necronomicon, stolen by persons unknown -- although their motives probably aren't: the book contains the rituals needed to awaken and summon the Outer Gods. Complicating Lovecraft's investigation is his former partner, now a crime boss, who is also looking for the book.

A sequel, Witch Hunt, was released by HBO in 1994; Dennis Hopper replaced Fred Ward as Lovecraft.

Cast a Deadly Spell provides examples of the following tropes:
"Connie Stone: Dammit, Phil, everybody's gotta compromise!
 * All Myths Are True: Everything from Unicorns to Yog Sothoth.
 * Award Bait Song: "Why Do I Lie?" by Darlene Koldenhoven.
 * Badass in A Nice Suit: The bad guys all wear such nice suits...
 * Blank Book: The fake Necronomicon.
 * Brown Note: Tugwell writes one up in an attempt to assassinate Lovecraft.
 * Bury Your Gays:
 * Campbell Country
 * The Chanteuse: When we first see Connie Stone, she's singing a song in Harry Bordon's nightclub. Here's a video of the scene.
 * Chekhov's Gunman: Detective Grimaldi's romantic interest for Olivia eventually becomes useful when she is, but is then refused when
 * Chewing the Scenery: Hackshaw
 * Diesel Punk
 * The Dragon: Tugwell, to Bordon.
 * Dungeon Punk
 * Eldritch Abomination
 * Evil Former Friend: Bordon used to be Lovecraft's partner when they were on the police force.
 * Evil Is Not a Toy
 * Groin Attack: To a gargoyle. And it works!
 * Hardboiled Detective
 * Hollywood Voodoo
 * Hot Witch: Hypolita Kropotkin
 * Just Desserts:
 * Lovecraft On Film
 * Minor Crime Reveals Major Plot
 * Nice Hat: This being the '40s, most everyone wears nice hats.
 * Occult Detective: Somewhat subverted in his refusing to use magic.
 * One Steve Limit: Averted. Both Lovecraft and Bordon have the same first same, Harry, but Lovecraft prefers to go by his middle name, Phil, relegating his first name to merely an initial on both his business cards and office door.
 * Our Demons Are Different: And man, are they ugly.
 * Our Gargoyles Rock: Hackshaw employs one.
 * Our Vampires Are Different: Mostly they hang out in West Hollywoood.
 * Our Werewolves Are Different: They're the reason Da Chief hates full moons.
 * Our Zombies Are Different: Strictly Type V's here.
 * Paper Master: Tugwell
 * Perp Sweating: Lieutenant Bradbury does this to Lovecraft when he won't cooperate with him.
 * Save the Villain:
 * Scary Black Man: Being a zombie makes it even worse.
 * Screw the Money, I Have Rules: Insert the word "magic" in there somewhere as well, and you have Lovecraft in a nutshell.

Lovecraft: That's what I keep hearing.

Connie: And what makes you so special?

Lovecraft: What makes me special is I'm my own man. When I started out I said there were things I'd do and things I wouldn't do. A lot of guys start out like that, and a lot of them sell out along the way. But the more who fall, the easier it gets. "See, look, everybody compromises, everybody cheats, everybody uses magic." So they empty their ideals out of their pockets and get down to the job of sticking it to their neighbors before they stick it to them, because that's that way it's done. To all of which I say nuts. My collar may be a little frayed, and maybe I need a shoeshine. But nobody's got a mortgage on my soul. I own it. Free and clear."


 * Searching the Stalls: As Mickey is trying to escape Tugwell in the train station, he goes into the bathroom and tries to hide in the last stall. Tugwell uses a magic spell that lights a fiery trail to him and blows him out of the stall.
 * Shout-Out
 * Lovecraft calls a gargoyle "Lon Chaney."
 * Also, Lovecraft's former police chief is named Bradbury.
 * And Harry Phillip Lovecraft himself is named after a certain horror writer whose influences can be detected in this story.
 * Smug Snake: Bordon and, since their plan horribly fails at the end.
 * So You Want to Write an Urban Fantasy
 * Spanner in The Works
 * Too Spicy for Yog-Sothoth
 * Un-Sorcerer
 * Urban Fantasy
 * Utility Magic
 * Virgin Power: Olivia uses her "power" to hunt Unicorns.
 * Virgin Sacrifice
 * Wholesome Crossdresser:
 * You Have Failed Me: