The Lovecraft Geek Podcast 20-001

In Weird Realism: Lovecraft and Philosophy, Graham Harman argues that Lovecraft's description of the Elder Things is intended to be nearly impossible to visualize. But hasn’t it been done by various artists? Do you know if H.P. ever said something explicit about Poe's influence on him? Perhaps a "Nodens Cycle" book is impossible due to the lack of material, but I wondered if you could help me flesh out his development as a Mythos entity and as a product of Lovecraft's thought-process. Of all ocean gods in human mythology, why would Lovecraft emphasize Nodens in two stories? Was Lovecraft merely honoring Machen by using that name? And why do you suppose Nodens is connected with the Night-gaunts? Two arguments for using Antarctica as the setting for a film version of At the Mountains of Madness. I was wondering if you could discuss John Carpenter's 1982 film "The Thing"? What are your overall thoughts on it, and can you comment on the Lovecraftian elements of the plot, setting, ending etc. Also, what are your thoughts on the prequel film (if you've seen it), also titled "The Thing" (2011).   If HPL lived today, after the discovery of extra-solar habitable planets, would he have changed his belief that there are no alien races out there? Why did HPL, once a fan of Burroughs, turn away from him? Have you ever had a chance to read through HPL's letters? If so did you ever find anything in them that surprised you or altered your basic assumptions and views of the man?