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Post by Michael Connolly on Oct 9, 2020 11:27:22 GMT
I only heard about this new film version of Carmilla yesterday. Apparently it is a "reimagining" that de-emphasises vampirism, which is very evident from its trailer: www.youtube.com/watch?v=QwcB11TDaL0I've watched it ten times!
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Post by helrunar on Oct 9, 2020 14:32:17 GMT
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Post by andydecker on Oct 9, 2020 19:49:55 GMT
This looks nice.
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Post by Jojo Lapin X on Oct 9, 2020 20:15:02 GMT
It looks much too genteel. Le Fanu's story is brutal, lurid stuff.
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Post by fritzmaitland on Oct 11, 2020 19:37:37 GMT
Green Tea I'd not read this before and it's a stunner to open the volume with. Reverend Jennings meddles in things that man (and especially vicars) should leave alone and finds himself being haunted by a demon in the form of a monkey that keeps whispering to him to do terrible things. A horrible bloody ending rounds off this brisk little opener. 11th of Shocktober. After the Crowley Comedy Capers of yesterday, I thought I'd better get back on track, so went for Green Tea by J. Sheridan Le Fanu, basically on the grounds it has possibly the silliest title of any ghost/horror story I could think of. It were mostly great. Framed as the journals of Dr Hesselius, who is asked to look into the case of a Reverend Jennings who has begun acting strangely. He's unable to get through his services and appears haunted by something. It doesn't take long for the German doc to obtain the reverend's confidence, and so begin a number of deliciously spooky happenings and settings, that unfortunately for the vicar end in horrible (and bloody ) tragedy. There's a tacked on conclusion that seems absolutely nuts but it's pleasantly (dare I say it?) Jamesian? PS a bit of casual 'research' afterward reveals further layers if you're familiar with the work of Swedenborg and Victorian fear of Darwinian theory. Allegedly.
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Post by Jojo Lapin X on Oct 11, 2020 19:55:30 GMT
it has possibly the silliest title of any ghost/horror story I could think of Why is it silly? I have always thought it is a great title. Would you perhaps have preferred "The Creepy Monkey," the original, more direct working title?
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Post by Dr Strange on Oct 11, 2020 20:41:12 GMT
After Carmilla, Green Tea is by some way my favourite of Le Fanu's stories. It reminds me also of Jekyll and Hyde, though I don't know if there's anything to suggest that Stevenson had read it or anything else by Le Fanu. Green Tea is also clearly the inspiration for the Evil Monkey that lives in Chris's closet in Family Guy:
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Post by fritzmaitland on Oct 12, 2020 8:11:21 GMT
It's just my simplistic way of looking at things. I'm still trying to work out if the copious amounts of green tea guzzled by the Rev was an actual hallucinogenic. The title certainly doesn't give much away, unlike many of the other stories I've been reading. Perry in Seraglio doesn't give anything away, but retains a hint of mystery. Green Tea sounds like the start of a shopping list.
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Post by fritzmaitland on Oct 12, 2020 8:15:55 GMT
After Carmilla, Green Tea is by some way my favourite of Le Fanu's stories. It reminds me also of Jekyll and Hyde, though I don't know if there's anything to suggest that Stevenson had read it or anything else by Le Fanu. You mean the Rev's changing personality? I quite like the suggestion that he's being corrupted by Swedenborg. Hesselius noticing him in the mirror is a great 'jump shock'. It reminded me of M R James. The first manifestation (red dots!) on the horse drawn omnibus reminded me of a vision in Casting The Runes.
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Post by Dr Strange on Oct 12, 2020 9:12:02 GMT
After Carmilla, Green Tea is by some way my favourite of Le Fanu's stories. It reminds me also of Jekyll and Hyde, though I don't know if there's anything to suggest that Stevenson had read it or anything else by Le Fanu. You mean the Rev's changing personality? Yes - and the possibility that the monkey reflects some aspect of his personality that had always been there, though previously hidden and kept under control. I'm still trying to work out if the copious amounts of green tea guzzled by the Rev was an actual hallucinogenic. Apparently, at the time of writing, there were scare stories going around that green tea imported from China was being adulterated with all sorts of things.
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Post by Jojo Lapin X on Oct 12, 2020 17:07:20 GMT
I'm still trying to work out if the copious amounts of green tea guzzled by the Rev was an actual hallucinogenic. I am drinking green tea as we speak. Wow---all those colors! Many I have never seen before.
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Post by Dr Strange on Oct 12, 2020 17:21:50 GMT
Wow---all those colors! Many I have never seen before. It is the time of year for it.
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Post by fritzmaitland on Oct 12, 2020 19:48:09 GMT
I'm still trying to work out if the copious amounts of green tea guzzled by the Rev was an actual hallucinogenic. I am drinking green tea as we speak. Wow---all those colors! Many I have never seen before. That's almost a Sisters Of Mercy quote, and reminds me of an old Spitting Image sketch where John Major took acid and saw (ahem) 50 shades of grey.
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Post by Jojo Lapin X on Oct 12, 2020 19:55:57 GMT
That's almost a Sisters Of Mercy quote Is it? Which song?
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Post by fritzmaitland on Oct 12, 2020 19:58:01 GMT
That's almost a Sisters Of Mercy quote Is it? Which song? Vision Thing (from the Heavy Metal years)
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