I'm a fan of John Carpenter's anyway, but I really belief that this is one the best Lovecraftian movies ever made.  It seems that director's always screw up his stuff.  I don't if it's the psychology that gets off or the special effects, or lack there of when it comes to early film attempts at his work...whatever the reason, most of them get off on the wrong track somewhere in along the track.  This one does not!!  Of course, this being a Carpenter film, he has to put his musical stamp on it in some form; and that would be the film's main theme.  Below is a cool music video/film compilation put to Carpenter's composition.