Historian’s commentary misses the mark on “Mad Monster Party”
Back in October I picked up a copy of Mad Monster Party produced by Rankin/Bass on Blu-ray to add to my Halloween movie collection. I finally got around to watching it, and the Special Features, which included some commentary by Rick Goldschmidt, credited as a Rankin/Bass historian. Some of his trivia and insights were interesting, […]
Newsweek: The CIA and ESP
Newsweek for November 20, 2015, has a cover story on the CIA and its research into paranormal activity. The essay, “Paranormal Activity: CIA Dimension,” looks at the work of Edwin May, and his work in studying remote viewing for various U.S. government agencies for use in intelligence gathering. An excerpt: “Twenty years ago this month, […]
Call for Papers: Promises of Monsters
Promises of Monsters 28-29th of April 2016 University of Stavanger, Norway Confirmed keynote speakers: Professor Margrit Shildrick (Linköping University, Sweden) Assistant Professor Surekha Davies (Western Connecticut State University, US) Monsters are back, or perhaps they never went away. They haunt popular culture and social media. They lurk as images of dread and terror in politics, […]
Lecture on horror and religion at University of the Pacific
Next Wednesday, November 11, I will present a guest lecture at University of the Pacific in Stockton, California. I was invited by Professor Alan Lenzi to present on “Religion and Transcendence in Horror and Science Fiction.” My presentation will involve a PowerPoint that incorporates film clips and commentary, not only on Abrahamic religions, but also […]
“Dracula and Philosophy” review
I have a brief review of Dracula and Philosophy: Dying to Know (Open Court, 2015), edited by Nicolas Michaud and Janelle Pötzsch at The Englewood Review of Books, currently as a feature review. It can be read here.
RUE MORGUE and the Ouija Board
Each year I look forward to the Halloween issue of RUE MORGUE magazine. This year’s was a real treat given its cover story “Spirits, Demons, Superstition: 125 Years of the Ouija Board.” There are several elements included in their coverage, including an overview, “Take Me to the Other Side” by April Snellings that also includes […]
“I ain’t afraid of no ghosts”
The other day I watched Disney’s animated cartoon, Lonesome Ghosts (1937). I caught a line in it I hadn’t noticed before. Each of the main characters has their encounter with a ghost, from Mickey to Donald to Goofy. In connection with Goofy’s spectral encounter he says, “I ain’t afraid of no ghosts.” In light of […]
Titles of Interest: The Art of Horror
The Art of Horror: An Illustrated History (Applause Theatre & Cinema Books; Ill edition, 2015) Stephen Jones, editor Amazingly, there has never been a book quite like The Art of Horror a celebration of frightful images, compiled and presented by some of the genre’s most respected names. While acknowledging the beginnings of horror-related art in […]
Extraordinary Tales animation coming to a theater near you
Extraordinary Tales, a new animated horror piece of animation is coming to theaters and On Demand on October 23, right in time for Halloween. As reported by Blumhouse.com: Directed by former Disney animator Raul Garcia, TALES adapts Poe’s classics “The Tell-Tale Heart,” “The Pit and the Pendulum,” “The Fall of the House of Usher,” “The […]
