FAQ

For the most part the plot is nearly identical to that of the original short story, with only a few minor changes:

-The original story was presented as "Found Among the Papers of the Late Francis Wayland Thurston, of Boston". No reference to his death is made in the film.

-Much like the original story, the film ends with the narrator concluding that his newfound knowledge means that he is likely doomed to meet his own end very soon and thus join Professor Angell and Gustaf Johansen (and Legrasse in the film version). However, in the film the narrator is committed to a psychiatric ward (something not explicitly referred to in the short story). The movie also adds to the bleak tone of the ending with the implication that the narrator's psychiatrist will begin reading his account and following the same path.

-The film also mentions Legrasse to have died by the time of the narrator's investigation. This does not happen in the original short story (in which the narrator actually talks to Legrasse about his raid). However his death is not shown and only referred to.

-In the film, Alert is found abandoned at sea and taken by the crew of the Emma after the latter ship starts taking on water. In the original short story, Emma is attacked by the crew of Alert (implied to be cultists), and the crewmen are forced to fight for control over it as their own ship is lost in the ensuing conflict.

-In the original story, Captain Collins and the first mate of Emma were said to have been killed in the fight for Alert, leaving Johansen in charge when they reach R'lyeh. Since the battle does not happen in the film, Collins remains in command when they reach R'lyeh and instead dies while running away from Cthulhu.