I returned to Second Life just in time for the 7th annual LoveFest, one of the virtual world’s literary events. LoveFest celebrates the work of American horror writer H.P. Lovecraft. The 10-day festival takes place around 20 August, the day Lovecraft was born.
Howard Phillips Lovecraft (August 20, 1890 – March 15, 1937) was virtually unknown during his life and died in poverty. He achieved posthumous fame and is held as one of the most significant 20th-century authors in his genre.
I have not read Lovecraft’s work. I have to admit that I’ve held biases against certain genres, and horror is one of them (along with science fiction, fantasy, and romance). I’m getting better, I promise, and I’ve added his works to my Goodreads reading list. Even though I haven’t read Lovecraft, being interested in literature in general, I’m familiar with him as a literary figure. Lovecraft’s work has influenced Stephen King, Alan Moore, Neil Gaiman, Jorge Luis Borges, John Carpenter, H.R. Giger, Guillermo del Toro and many others. Events like LoveFest give us the opportunity not only to learn more about the writer’s life and work, but also to see it brought to life visually, and that’s always a fun thing to experience with genre fiction. A great thing about Second Life is that you don’t just watch it; you’re in it.
LoveFest takes place in Arkham, a sim (simulated environment) that replicates the fictional Massachusetts town where Lovecraft sets many of his stories. LoveFest features live music events, readings of Lovecraft’s work, vintage horror movies at the town’s cinema, roleplay workshops, a treasure hunt, and shopping.
Shopping at LoveFest
If you’re not familiar with Lovecraft, you might be asking, “What’s with all the tentacles?” Great question. One of Lovecraft’s most enduring creations is Cthulhu, a gigantic cosmic entity described by the writer as “A monster of vaguely anthropoid outline, but with an octopus-like head whose face was a mass of feelers, a scaly, rubbery-looking body, prodigious claws on hind and fore feet, and long, narrow wings behind.”
Despite being a frightening, malevolent figure, Cthulhu is worshipped by cultists, and he enjoys lasting fame in pop culture. Cthulhu references appear in movies, television shows, music, tabletop games, video games, and written works of fiction.
At the movies
Wandering through Arkham during LoveFest, I came upon the cinema and popped in to see what was playing. I watched a strange and fascinating film called Witchcraft Through the Ages.
Witchcraft Through the Ages is the 1968 abbreviated version of a 1922 Swedish-Danish silent film titled Häxan written and directed by Benjamin Christensen. It is dramatically narrated by Beat writer William S. Burroughs and features an eclectic jazz score.
Based partly on Christensen’s study of the 15th century witch-hunting guide, Malleus Maleficarum, the film is a study of how superstition and the misunderstanding of medical conditions may have led to the hysteria of the witch-hunts. It’s a documentary, but has been referred to as a horror film due to its dramatic depictions of medieval beliefs about Satan and witchcraft. In its day, the film was banned and censored in the U.S. and other countries for graphic depictions of torture, nudity, and sexual perversion.
You can find Witchcraft Through the Ages and the original Häxan on YouTube. If you’re a student of historical understandings of witchcraft, I recommend it.
Arkham Sanitarium
Among the LoveFest activities was a visit the Arkham Sanitarium to meet one particular patient and discover what drove the fellow insane. It’s a reference to Lovecraft’s short story, “The Thing on the Doorstep”.
LoveFest 2018 was a great event. The sim looked beautiful (and creepy). I went to one live music event, which was fun. The merchandise that designers made exclusively for the event was creative and delightfully strange. There were a lot of people there during my visit, which was nice to see. Second Life has solid writers communities, avid readers, and undoubtedly many horror fans, and it was nice to see them turn out for it.
For more information about LoveFest, visit the event website.
