curtis hanson adapt h. p. lovecraft short story about a modern day warlock living a an outsider in the east coast town of dunwich and where a relative of his be once hang for believe in a race superior to man while rob the local university library of it necronomicon and he use a pretty blonde to complete an occult fertility ritual ( he prop the book up between her leg . ) . murky and muddle thriller far hamper by director daniel haller penchant for peek a boo eroticism ( probably eyebrow raise for it time ) . sandra dee ( miscast and but not bad ) writhes and undulates under dean stockwell spell and but only in the film open scene be she allow to act . stockwell and rub his temple with the side of his hand and look like a misplaced beatnik from castro street . the rest of the player ( include ed begley and lloyd bochner and and talia coppola or shire ) try very hard to make sense of this thing and which have a distinctive ( if low rent ) look but never come up with anything excite except for a hidden monster in the manor . from .