CAST A DEADLY SPELL (1991) (film review by Evelyn C. Leeper)

[Philip De Parto]

The following commentary is reprinted with permission from

THE MT VOID
04/17/26 -- Vol. 44, No. 42, Whole Number 2428

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CAST A DEADLY SPELL (1991) (film review by Evelyn C. Leeper)

CAST A DEADLY SPELL is an H. P.
Lovecraft / Raymond Chandler pastiche. It's convenient that
Lovecraft's middle name really was Philip, because the detective
named H. P. Lovecraft can be called "Phil" (after Philip Marlowe).
And it has Fred Ward, who is always good.

The basic plot is that the "Old Ones" of the author Lovecraft are
real, and in late 1940s Los Angeles someone is trying to summon
them. Everyone uses magic, except private eye Lovecraft, because
he wants to "own his own soul" (a line straight out of Raymond
Chandler: "Until you guys own your own souls you don't own mine"
from THE HIGH WINDOW).

The only problem is what to watch following this. The obvious
choice would be its sequel, WITCH HUNT, but that's not very good.
Probably CABIN IN THE WOODS will do.

(The Region 1 DVD I got on eBay for CAST A DEADLY SPELL has no UPC
code and fairly minimal information on the cover, as well as
having only a trailer for extras, and no subtitles or closer
captioning. My suspicion is that it is not entirely legit. There
are, however, many copies of a Region 2 DVD apparently dubbed in
Spanish, which strikes me as odd, and does me no good. The trailer
on my DVD was very fuzzy, which had me worried, but the actual
film was quite clear and sharp.)

Released on HBO 07 September 1991.

Film Credits:
<https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0101550/reference>

What others are saying:
<https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/cast_a_deadly_spell>