HP Lovecraft: The Ultimate Horror at the Mountains of Madness 

Quinn you have a hell of a talent for storytelling and the voice to match it.

I love how humans are horrified by the Elder Things beyond the initial mountain range, yet there’s something beyond an even bigger mountain range that horrifies the Elder Things.

A Shogoth goes into a bar and says. "Yog Sothoth, sent me. I am one of his spawn!" The Bartender flips a tentacle across the bar and sez "Jeez! Cthulu'D, Me!"

I felt so bad for the starfish creatures. Imagine awakening after eons only to discover your entire civilization is gone and the biomechanical mindless slaves have taken over. Truly alone. Even more lost in the universe than we are.

I think my favourite/most creepy part about the implications of the Mountains of Madness is that humans are basically an escaped and largely botched scientific experiment.

_"The oldest and strongest emotion is fear, and the oldest and strongest fear is the fear of the unknown."_ *~ H.P. Lovecraft*

The movie "Prometheus" constantly reminded me of this book while I was first watching it. The plots are similar: exploration of mysterious ruins awakens something ancient and more advanced than humans, which then results in Shakespearean deaths of everyone. And the settings are similar: in particular I remember there were weird murals in one of the Prometheus scenes that reminded me so much of Lovecraft's description of the murals in this story.

It sucks that Guellermo Del Toro's movie based on this story got shelved

I read all 22 Dune books, spent 400+ hours on asoiaf lore, started reading Lovecraft.. mindblown by mountains of madness and THEN i found your channel... i cannot believe you like and take the time to make great videos about everything i cherish damn .. what a luxury you are

Never thought or wanted to read: HP Lovecraft (too weird & creepy) Dune (wasn’t finished!) ASOIAF (WAY too dense & also NOT DONE!) Till I started watching your vids Mind opened

"At the Mountains of Madness" is my favourite Lovecraft's story and your analysis was perfect, you totally got the heart of the story. The part of it I find more tragical is the discovery that human kind is nothing but a creation of the Elder Things. But I just love the misteries and darkness of this novel, I keep wondering what there could be beyond the Mountains of the East. Kudos to you for making this video.

The "final horror" Danforth saw was the Nameless Mist, according of one of Lovecraft's letters, although what exactly the significance of that entity to the story or the scenario other than it was just scary isn't really clarified as it never was really elaborated on. The true fridge horror of the story, though, that isn't exactly explicit but after stepping away from the story and thinking for a moment about what they saw on the expedition, is the suggestion that rather than simply killing them, the Shoggoths had assumed the forms of the Elder Things and were perpetuating their society long after the original builder of that city were long dead. It's pretty chilling to think about, as the story encourages the comparison between humans and the elder things, a far future where all of human civilization is not inherited so much as imitated by monsters created by our own hand with no real understanding of what it is they're making. And it just freaks me out because of the creep factor, imagine the kind of intense existential fear that could invoke to posit such a perverse and blasphemous idea to someone who DIDN'T think civilization was in itself the ultimate evil.

The story is outstanding and was well ahead of its time. The ultimate horror was that mankind found proof of just how unimportant we really are. Childhood ending in an belief destroying moment. In Lovecraft's world the best we can hope for from the cosmos and its gods is indifference.

For a second I thought you were holding a pipe at the beginning. Wouldn't be a bad addition, just saying.

Hey Quinn, do you like the work of H.R. Giger. He has cited Lovecraft as one of his influences, and you can clearly tell just by looking at his artwork in his book Necronomicon(1977).

In his house at R’lyeh dead CTHULHU waits dreaming... That which is not dead which can eternally lie, And with strange aeons even death may die. H.P. Lovecraft

SCP Foundation: Yeah we got a call?

In a way, Lovecraft predated the Ancient Alien theory by decades. And I think Lovecraft's philosophy offers humanity an important lesson in humility.

This was great. At the Mountains of Madness. Say have you checked out “A Colder War” by Charles Stross? I kinda see as a spiritual sequel to At the Mountains of Madness.

I've always suspected that MoM is the inspiration for the horror aspect of the Halo games. Either way, it's my favorite Lovecraft story.

Its refreshing to see a younger generation embrace the older masters and the very books that dwarf today's attempts at sci-fi and horror.... Herbert, Asimov, Antony, Lovecraft.... Magnificent.

The best part of the mountains of madness is where we only gather new information through radio transmission. The fact that even our character is unable to act and is only in a passive state is somehow very haunting.

Oh yeah boys let's get some lovecraft in our veins-

My favorite Lovecraft story is still "the festival". It was the first story of him I heard as a reading and it blew me away. Since that day, I'm a fan of all his work.

Which monster does one fear more: the one seen or the one unseen? Always amazing, sir. Thank you.

Love the video's man I love when you talk about Dune you actually got me interested in reading the series I'm halfway through Heretics of Dune right now and I love all the books thus far hope the 2020 movie is good keep up the great work.

To quote Ross Scott: “We were wrong. We are *Not* the Masters of the Universe.”

You need a talent agent. You"re so unique, a nerd with suace lol

Quinn, thank you for properly introducing me to Lovecraft through GRRM. I've come to realise that HP Lovecraft is in fact one of the most important contributors to our modern culture ever, and possibly understood our world better most. Keep up the amazing work

Yess, I loved At the Mountains of Madness

I got hooked on your Dune videos and now you throw some Lovecraft out there? Doesn't matter what time it is, I'm watching this video at least twice. Thanks for doing what you do and best wishes.

But humanity did invent something that was more powerful than the Great Old Ones and the Outer Gods...anime.

Mountains of Madness was actually the story that dragged me into the whole Lovecraft thing. I stumbled over some artwork depicting the Dornier Airplane from the expedition as a Dornier Wal (Whale). This is an aircraft that’s just beyond fascinating for me, so I read the book and was completely astonished.

I while back I read Lovecraft's 'Supernatural Horror in Literature'. Was an interesting read, especially when I didn't even realise it was BY Lovecraft, I just picked it up from a book store as they were having an inventory sale. Contained a lot of old horror titles I found interesting and added to my reading list.

👍🏻 Yeah, was another clever ending by Lovecraft 👍🏻

_Do you read Sutter Cane?_

I've always been into Lovecraft but you've gotten me into it ten fold.

I was listening to horror babble's reading of this when your vid came up.

If Lovecraft has a magnum opus, At The Mountains of Madness is it.

That reference to Lot’s wife was brilliant. I read a short story called “Details” in a book dedicated to Lovecraft that still freaks me out.

I have a love-hate relationship with Lovecraft. I respect the guy for creating Cosmic Horror, which definitely one of the best horror subgenres, but at the same time he was able to come up with this through his racist/xenophobic views. Before you guys try to label me an SJW, yes, he was a man of his time but that doesn't excuse it. Lovecraft fans should stop getting in their feelings when people bring up his racist beliefs. You can be a fan of work and still denounce his views.

Great effort and knowledge put into this video. I'm jealous! I subscribed, and hoping for more Lovecraft content.

Awesome video, where did those illustrations come from? I've been reading The New annotated Lovecraft, my personal favorite story he wrote is The color out of space (the recent film with Nicholas Cage is awesome and gives me hope that someone can and will make a decent adaptation of at the mountains of madness.)

Fantastic video Qinn!! As a huge fan of Lovcraft and yours...thank you for focusing on the story itself and not the other nonsense that most creators tend to obsessed over and cover in this day and age when it comes to Lovecraft!👍👍

This story is so unsettling that it gave me a nightmare when I first read it.

Well done, sir. I've been a decades-long Lovecraft fan, and I really appreciate your insights. Lovecraft had that rare ability to inspire horror and dread by what he did not say in his tales.

For me the scariest part of Mountains of Madness was not so much the eldritch ooga-booga itself, but the notion that advanced spacefaring race of great knowledge and power - the kind that can even bring Cthulu to the negotiation table - may last for billion years but will degenerate as time goes on, gradually losing both knowledge and motivation. And the fact that in the end they were blotted out by their own mindless servitors is purely incidental, the downward trend was obvious long before that. What chance do human have in such a universe, by comparison?

If the "Elder Things" were so advanced, why did they write on the walls? To quote the character Dr. Sarah Chambers from the episode "Racing the Night" of the series "Babylon 5, Crusade," "I put my books on a shelf, I don't make them into a shelf," (or as I remember it.)

Reading through Lovecraft's works and recently finished "At the Mountains of Madness". I liked the short story, and this was longer than most. But I read it and was sucked in. They find the horror and are chased out by it, barely escaping. I felt bad for the dogs that were killed during the expedition. The Necronomicon and the backstory behind it is fascinating. The tie-ins to middle eastern culture and characters are very interesting. Good explanation of the story and characters.

This was the first Lovecraft story I read and loved it! I continued to explore the Lovecraftian universe, mostly reading, film adaptations, and fellow fans. I greatly appreciate your videos and your detailed and insightful take on sci-fi! I wish you all the best in the new year!

Hey Quinn, i like your videos about SciFi and Fantasy Literature! You bring it on the point and talk no bullshit, like others may do. You analyze very well. Gave me some good reading suggestions. Thx for uploading!

At the Mountains of Madness is a story I reread every few years. One of my all-time favorites. Great video, buddy!

Maybe Danforth say that the evil that destroyed everything was..... man *cue Twilight Zone music*

Thanks for turning people on to lovecraft. When you consider how long ago he wrote these stories and that his work is better than most of modern horror it's quite incredible. I can understand why modern film directors shy away from tackling lovecraft material. It would have to be very special or it would just not do the original stories any justice, but I agree if anyone could it would be del toro. Another thing is that reading lovecraft and learning his way of describing things really increases your vocabulary and makes you think about how to write in a flow that takes you away with it. Such a shame because if he was born in the 1950s he would've been a superstar. Anyway the least we can do is keep his work in the public frame of reference so awesome job mate.

Recently, when I was on vacation in the UK, I began to read and finish At the Mountains of Madness (**Spoiler below**) My favourite part was when William Dyer - the narrator - empathized with the The Elder Things near the end, when he and Danforth discovered the headless corpses of the Elder Things. Beings that, after waking up from their hibernation, may have panicked as they only remembered their ancient city during the flourishing days around 30 million years ago. Witnessing how their fellow comrades were dissected by Lake and confronted with humanity and their companion (the dogs). Initial shock, which might triggered their survival instinct and led them to kill Lake's crew, was followed by their curiosity (which is why they started to dissect them afterwards). When they fled back into their city, they might have sought refuge and an explanation - only to be killed by their former slaves, the shoggoth who roams now in the remains of this once great city. Possibly dying a similar death - fear, confusion and horror - as their human counterparts did back in the camp.

At the Mountains of madness is probably his best work.

I really wish Guillermo made his movie, at this point I hope someone would just make it.

Tekeli-li! Tekeli-li!

Given what has transpired in Antarctica in the past few years (politicians, Pope, and celebrities visiting ??? down there) you have to wonder if HPL knew something, or it was just a lucky guess about what is down there.

Oh shit. This is actually terrifying. I might look into the necronomicon actually. Btw your new intro is poppin off man

Very beautiful your video that enters in the H.P. Lovecraft spirit very well. Thank you very much!

I gotta say I read the book and it’s some seriously advanced reading. It’s a short story but it took me so long to get through this one having to re read many pages over again to get what happened. My first explanation of the elder beings was a mind fuck. So thanks for really putting all this into better context. I was still confused on a lot of stuff and you cleared that up professionally well!

I'd love for Guillermo del Toro to make a movie version of this, but I DON'T want Tom Cruise to be in it. I suggest Ron Perlman and Idris Elba.

I listened to the auto book. Horrifying but fantastic at the same time. It's probably the best book, or story that Lovecraft created that should be made into a film. There's been so many cosmic horror movies made, but so many of them aren't really all that good. Every writer that trys to copy the work of Lovecraft either mess the point of cosmic horror, or just show to much. Of course there's also "The Call of Cuthulue" which could made into film too but i think a lot of people would love to see The "Mountains of Madness" a little more. Love your stuff by the way. Think you could do some 40k? Just a suggestion and Dune is the grandaddy of sci-fi😁.

The story functions more like an info dump & path way into Lovecrafts Lore, the story itself is badly written and fails to work as a story on its own merits. It wasn't scarey for one & relied on heavy info dumps grounded in implausible scenarios; how can a 3-dimensional sculpture convey the history of the Elder Things in such prescient detail?

I’ve been re-reading H P Lovecraft in the last few weeks! The casual racism is nauseating, but when he’s good, he’s a very good horror writer.

It's sad that this was going to be made in to motion picture by Guillermo del Toro, but fell through, because he couldn't get the backing he needed to move forward with the project. It would make a powerful film and it would be epic, if done right. Go cheap it will most likely suck. Go big and it would pull in the money. Not all stories need romance or to end happy, because not all do.

One of Lovecrafts best. Have you ever seen the hplhs's adaptation of the Call of Cthulhu? its done in silent film style and its pretty good

Recently we've had the latest photos from the Webb telescope showing distant galaxies. Timley as I just finished reading Mountains of madness Is it weird that instead of feeling a fear of insignificance at the great vastness of space and humanities existence in this universe, instead I almost find comfort in it that nothing actually matters with my extremely diminutive, minute place in this universe except for my decisions really only impact on those closest to me? I still love to look at the stars and photos from the telescopes and wonder what is actually out there. literally infinite possibilities. Love the channel btw. Subbed :)

I believe the mountains behind the mountains of madness were a focal point to another dimension, and that dimension was evil. It was because of those mountains that the shoggoths were inspired to rebel against their masters the old ones. When Danforth looks back and screams, he screams the same thing the shoggoth they encountered was screaming.

Hey quin have you read hitchhikers guide to the galaxy i like to call it cosmic horror comedy because its able to combine the writings of hp lovecraft and Monty Python so beautifuly just like men in black.

There was a cross genre scene in A Golconda Story where Lovecraftian ideas played a part in Act Two.

awesome vid, you're awesome bro, keep up the fantastic work, I love Lovecraft and loved every second of this

"Allow me to explain." You're so funny. 😄

I wonder what Lovecraft would’ve made of Martin particularly as they wrote in quite different genre …

"You have always been here." - Kosh

Id love to see a lovecraft movie where danforth is just constantly sobbing about the truth, while the other guy is annoyed and couldn’t care less. Which then results in danforth going, “okay look if you’re gonna be that way. Im going home.”

Anyone watch Color out of Space with Nick Cage? It was pretty rad.

Is this city and R’lyeh the same or separate? R’lyeh was underwater, but still. They got a lot in common.

Well done Quinn, this is one of my favorite Lovecraft stories and you do a great job summing it up. Keep up your great work.

I yearn to learn of secrets that no living man can teach. I know that they lie down below, just out of our reach. Hidden behind the formal, in the realm of the paranormal. Beneath the thin veneer, that's kept in place by mortal's fear. There dwell the mysteries that I so long to know. I believe when I unravel them my soul shall surely grow.

Just saw one of your videos for the first time. OUTSTANDING!

I’ve really started to get into Lovecraft. Very dense difficult reading but the ideas are very great and terrifying that I think about at night

Allow yourself to move past your vanity, your concept of a human being, understand that this is all true in real life, we do come from strange rampant beings, it is just the perceived size of them that fooled you

I love HE does not describe the horror ... True imagination

amazing video covering one of the few touching points I've had with Lovecraft's novels as of yet

It was frankly draggy af, but the atmosphere of desolation was there for sure. Not one of my all-time favourites (that one goes to Reanimator) but it was one of HPL's defining works.

I know that "The Thing" was based off of "Who Goes there" But I like to think the inspiration style wise for John Carpenters The Thing took a lot from this story.

I like the intro Quinn.

Enjoyed your video. Good graphics; music: and your voice and delivery.

Loving the Lovecraft, you have a way with storytelling sir

FYI recent satellite and aerial photographs and ground penetrating radar have revealed artificial structures beneath the ice of Antarctic--remains have to have been made at a time before the continent was covered with ice, before the existence of modern man. Lovecraft is proven right again.

this came out just at the right time

That is my favorite Lovecraft story too. I also love the CoC RPG module that makes you play what happens to this second expedition.

Oh, I do love me some Lovecraft. The Rats in the Walls was the story that hooked me when I was 9...been on a search for his complete works along with all his collaborations ever since.

Only just discovered this wonderful channel. An amazing talent for storytelling even just explaining other authors story's. Fantastic.

What I find completed hilarious is how many little minds and general wing nuts actually believe that the Necronomicon is real.

Great! I would like more video analysis of Lovecraft works ;)

The mountains of Madness is my favorite HP Lovecraft story well there's a lot yes we'll take the cake

Awesome presentation. Sounds like a good read. An alternative presentation of how life came to be. And in the vast universe, how can someone so easily discard it?