History Film / CastADeadlySpell

* AllMythsAreTrue: Everything from {{Unicorn}}s to [[CthulhuMythos Yog Sothoth]].
* ApocalypseCult: The BigBad plans to use the [[TomeOfEldritchLore Necronomicon]] and a [[VirginPower virgin]] [[HumanSacrifice sacrifice]] to summon Yog-Sothoth and the rest of the CthulhuMythos deities, which would devastate the world.

* PerpSweating: Lieutenant Bradbury does this to Lovecraft when he won't cooperate with him.

''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 HardboiledDetective [[Creator/HPLovecraft 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.

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

* DieselPunk

* DungeonPunk

* EvilIsNotAToy

* GripingAboutGremlins: A very... [[Creator/JoeDante Dante]]-[[Film/{{Gremlins}} esque]] one makes an appearance.

* HardboiledDetective
* HollywoodVoodoo

* MinorCrimeRevealsMajorPlot

* UrbanFantasy
* UtilityMagic

* OccultDetective: Somewhat subverted in his refusing to use magic.
* OneSteveLimit: Averted. Both Lovecraft and Bordon have the same first name, 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.
* OurDemonsAreDifferent: And man, are they ugly.
* OurGargoylesRock: Hackshaw employs an animate stone gargoyle as a spy and occasional assassin.

* OurZombiesAreDifferent: Strictly Type V's here.

* RunningGag: Phil accidentally giving people Mrs. Kropotkin's business card for her dancing school rather than his own.
** Also people insulting Phil's tie.

* VirginPower: Olivia uses her "power" to hunt Unicorns.

* WholesomeCrossdresser: [[spoiler:Lilly Sirwar/Larry Willis]]

* UnSorcerer

* VirginSacrifice

** Also, Lovecraft's former police chief is named [[RayBradbury Bradbury]].

* TheChanteuse: When we first see Connie Stone, she's singing a song in Harry Bordon's nightclub. [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nCp2-fbsm2Y#t=6m55s Here's a video of the scene]].

* RunningGag: Phil accidentally giving people Mrs. Kropotkin's business card for her dancing school rather than his own
** Also people insulting Phil's tie

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

* OneSteveLimit: 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.

* ApocalypseCult: The BigBad plans to use the [[TomeOfEldritchLore Necronomicon]] and a [[VirginPower virgin]] [[HumanSacrifice sacrifice]] to summon Cthulhu and the rest of the CthulhuMythos deities, which would devastate the world.

* EldritchAbomination: Attempting to summon Cthulhu.

* RunningGag: Lovecraft accidentally giving people Mrs. Kropotkin's business card for her dancing school rather than his own business card

* PublicDomainArtifact: The Necronimicon.

** Lovecraft calls a gargoyle "LonChaney."

-->'''Lovecraft:'' What kind of world?

* OurGargoylesRock: Hackshaw employs one.

It's 1948. The plot follows HardboiledDetective [[HPLovecraft 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.

* BadassInANiceSuit: The bad guys all wear such nice suits...

* HotWitch: Hypolita Kropotkin

* OurDemonsAreDifferent: And man, are they ugly.

'''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.
* SearchingTheStalls: 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.

** And [[HPLovecraft Harry Phillip Lovecraft]] himself is named after a certain horror writer whose influences can be detected in this story.

* EldritchAbomination

* [[SoYouWantTo/WriteAnUrbanFantasy So You Want to Write an Urban Fantasy]]