THE SIGNAL from David Katznelson
"The guilty think all talk is of themselves."--Geoffrey Chaucer
Yes, it is election season and it just feels heavy. And, with young people around, it’s also Halloween week…and that is big stuff around here. It’s probably Asher’s favorite eve and despite no being able to trick or treat we are gearing up for some great celebration (which really translates to lots of candy and 24-7 costume wearing the whole week long). It’s nice having a short Darth Vader walking around the house…in fact Asher recorded his Fall piano recital in full-Vader garb while playing the theme to the Flintstones
I have no problem admitting that I have been showing the kids Horror films for years already. This year we took it to another level, watching a bunch of William Castle films, the classic Universal monster movies and spent the early hours of last Sunday morning digging into Carnival Of Souls (maybe I will tell the story of meeting the main ghoul from that film later in the week).
The conversation that made me the most proud took place during the scene where the character of Mary was leaving town after the initial car accident. Kaya thought the car scene was remenicent of when Marion Crane was leaving town in PSYCHO. Asher (who is still too young for PSYCHO) thought it reminded him of the car scene in THE HOUSE ON HAUNTED HILL until Kaya corrected him saying he was thinking of the final car scene in THE HAUNTING when Nell drives the car into the tree. He enthusiastically agreed.
Some might say I am a bad parent for showing my kids these films and let me say for the record that Barbara is NOT promoting the Horror. I think I am setting them up for a good life ahead. They have never had bad dreams from these films. The only time Asher has ever had a bad dream from something he watched was from one of the new, crappy Scooby Doo cartoons.
“The Spectacle Can Never Be Trauma”: Nia DaCosta and Taika Waititi on Exorcism Through Art
To have Taika Waititi interview Nia DaCosta about art sounds like it would be fascinating, and it really is.
The Free Will and Testament of Robert Wyatt
Seers, Spiritualists, and the Spirit World: The experiments of Frederick Hockley
The Library Of Congress is highlighting its Frederick Hockley collection with a call-out to people who are interested in helping transcribe the hundreds of pages that have not been looked at yet. It has been 200 years since Hockley dove deep into spirit invocation through the use of crystals. And it is through the pages at the Library that were influential in bringing about The Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn—a famous occult-focused secret society in London.
The Return: "Futura 2020" Sees the Legend's First Solo Show in NYC in 30 Years
The Clash turned me on to Futura 2020 when I was an early teen….and his new stuff looks great. Good to have him back.
