JoeB131
Lovecraft's original story is only about nine pages. This movie pads it out into a hour and half of boredom, unnecessary characters and a gender switch of the protagonist. (Lovecraft had almost no female characters in his stories.) It looks like everyone involved in this film was related, and it kind of looks like one of those awful fan films you see on YouTube without the good CGI. Of course, the movie is made a bit worse by the fact that we know now that "Science doesn't work like that", and they try to add a supernatural element that Lovecraft didn't bother with. (Supernatural elements and C'Thulhu being in his future.) We also see creepy scenes of a narrator hitting on an an autistic girl. The dialog is just dreadful when they try to add onto Lovecraft's original narrative.
Edgar Allan Pooh
. . . H.P. Lovecraft's short story "Cool Air" is totally plagiarized from Edgar Allan Poe's tale entitled "The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar." Lacking the budget for period costumes, this 2006 Picturization of COOL AIR brings the yarn to the present and pads it out with every trick known to Cinemakind. Allegedly clocking in at "78 minutes," that already puny length includes a drawn-out 6 minutes, 13 seconds of opening credits and a snail's crawling 7 minutes, 41 seconds of closing credits. When you subtract 13 minutes, 54 seconds of credits from a 77-minute, 43-second running time, you're left with a mere 63 minutes, 49 seconds of movie. This is bad enough, but every shot in this film seems to be repeated ten times, with most of the dialog echoed again and again. A skilled editor easily could condense what's presented in the way of a story here to ten minutes or less. For viewers who NEED something about 80 minutes long as a sleep aid, I'd suggest skipping COOL AIR. Get one of those burning yule log DVD's instead. This will provide a better plot, superior special effects, and more natural acting than does COOL AIR. Plus, you'll probably sleep better!
martinejohanna
The story in itself is good, but the script lacks any tension build up. Mostly because the acting is very animated and unrealistic. Just like the very, very bad voice over (voice overs in Horror movies do not work) The soundtrack makes the whole thing even worse, like a low quality 80's soft porn movie. There is not a flinch of tension, terror or horror in it. Even a 3th year old would be bored. Also the house interior lacks character just like the actors. No interesting camera angles, no special lighting effects. It is very bland. With the location, so much more could have been done. Because the exterior of the house does work. The whole does not do justice to the original story, Hopefully someone will make a good adaption more in the line of insidious.
morris-chase24
The original Lovecraft tale was set in a period when there was so much left to the readers imagination and life experiences were much more inside the head than experienced in reality. The world of the mind Lovecraft so exquisitely created has rarely if ever been duplicated in films of his works. With Cool Air we have maybe the very best adaptation ever because it doesn't attempt to show us what we fear or manipulate us with shocks or sounds. Instead this movie pulls the viewer into his or her imagination. And that is where we experience Lovecraft's sad, morbid tale of how far we will go to hold onto life or lives. The film makes your skin crawl and I found myself actually forgetting to breath. You hold everything so tightly and its almost unbearable tense, yet very moving. You really feel Lovecraft here and not some crazy "interpetation". Bravo to the writer for being a conduit for Lovecraft's world and actors for making you forget that these are performances. They create an almost documentary feel to the characters so you really believe in every moment. Not to be missed if you love Lovecraft!
AD
