A fascinating history for the film obsessive in your life. While being focused on the development of synching sound to image in movies, it is also a decent history of the studio system. If you’re already interested in the morbid, melancholic, and macabre, then there will be some old friends here. I found the biggest … Continue reading Marginalia #13
Not necessarily about Twin Peaks, but about what the show has meant to fans, specifically women who have experienced trauma. I was a little disappointed at first, since I expected more of an analysis of the show, but I realized that I wasn’t the intended audience. I still got a lot from it. Plenty of … Continue reading Marginalia #12
I love reissues of classics, even though I don’t buy a lot of them. At one point, realizing I had over 13 copies of 1984 and limited space led me to getting rid of most of them. Anyway, I like “The Willows”, but haven’t been made a superfan of Blackwood yet. He sets fantastic moods, … Continue reading Marginalia #11
I feel like I read too many surveys or books that cover a range of topics. This one is certainly an antidote to that. A fascinating, academic look at ilanot (something like Maps of God or Trees of Life) from around 1300 to the initial era of printing. Besides captivating art, this book is an … Continue reading Marginalia #10
I’ve been rereading some classic horror including Sheridan Le Fanu’s Carmilla and Stoker’s Lair of the White Worm. Le Fanu is the better writer and sets up a lot for Stoker’s Dracula almost three decades later. These and M. R. James’s ghost stories have filled up my October reading. Kyua (Cure, 1997) is part of … Continue reading Marginalia #9
I’ve been rereading M.R. James’s stories. He’s most associated with ghost stories and quiet horror, but as an influence on Lovecraft there are plenty of creepy crawlies for those kinds of fans. I get why they seem archaic to some contemporary readers. Jacobi’s readings are perfect in the audiobooks. Puppets and animation in a serious … Continue reading Marginalia #8
Artaud’s manifestos on the Theater of Cruelty. Certainly transferable to other art forms. I read this 20+ years ago after discovering various early-20th Century avant-garde manifestos. Worth a reread with fresh eyes and more experience. Holbein’s paintings are favorites and I’ve always wanted to track these down. Functions like a Memento Mori Tarot. Le danse … Continue reading Marginalia #7
This was repeatedly recommended to me, so I finally read it. Very practical if you’re open to it. If anything, it may help refine your current processes. I tend to set goals that are too general and even though I know tracking is important, I often stop doing it. Here’s to making that a habit. … Continue reading Marginalia #6
More interesting and insightful than I thought it was going to be. Australian folk horror from the early 80s. A precursor to Hereditary, maybe? Genuinely bad, but possibly fun for those with a penchant and the patience for horror on a low budget in the 80s. Takes on apartment horror/possession. Some hilarious dialogue hilariously delivered. … Continue reading Marginalia #5
Stephen McClurg 