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Post by helrunar on Jan 7, 2023 1:28:25 GMT
Announced earlier today in an M. R. James Appreciation Group on social media:
Everyone, after today's kickoff call, we can proudly announce plans for The M.R. James Festival of Ghosts and Horrors - short title, The M.R. James Festival - targeting the weekend of 5-6 August 2023, and ideally to be held in King's College Cambridge, or if that isn't available, another venue in Cambridge. We envisage a one-day event with 5-6 discussion panels on James led by writers, James enthusiasts, and scholars, as well as readings, performances, and other associated events and presentations. Ideally, there'd be a tour of Jamesian locations in and around Cambridge on the second day.
This all seems quite preliminary, but I thought I'd let anyone in the UK (or elsewhere) who's interested to know the date and venue that's being considered.
The announcement is from an individual named Paul St John Mackintosh and I have no idea at all who that is.
Hel.
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Post by helrunar on Jan 18, 2023 15:48:10 GMT
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Post by jamesdoig on Feb 2, 2023 5:22:58 GMT
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Post by Shrink Proof on Feb 2, 2023 8:39:51 GMT
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Post by jamesdoig on Feb 2, 2023 19:32:40 GMT
Thanks for the link Mr Proof, and you're right on all counts. I'll have to wait for a review in the London Review of Books. |
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Post by helrunar on Mar 16, 2023 15:02:22 GMT
Ro Pardoe just announced this on an M. R. James Appreciation Group on social media:
Great news. Shadow Publishing is going to be producing a second Black Pilgrimage, a collection of my articles on M R James and other supernatural fiction. Work is well progressed with it. Publication date tba.
Just passing this excellent news along.
Hel.
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Post by dem on Mar 17, 2023 8:09:50 GMT
Ro Pardoe just announced this on an M. R. James Appreciation Group on social media: Great news. Shadow Publishing is going to be producing a second Black Pilgrimage, a collection of my articles on M R James and other supernatural fiction. Work is well progressed with it. Publication date tba.Just passing this excellent news along. Thanks for that, Steve. Glad to hear (a) that Ro is back online and (b) that there is to be a second Black Pilgrimage. Was any more said on a Subotsky-G&S connection, or did I hallucinate the entire episode? |
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Post by helrunar on Mar 17, 2023 14:17:47 GMT
Hi Dem,
That was all that was passed along. I am not actually sure that Ro IS back online because this message was posted from somebody else's Face book account, so she may have sent the post while visiting a friend somewhere.
I can't recall anything about possible Subotsky material. I can let you know if I see anything posted about that.
cheers, Hel.
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Post by Michael Connolly on Mar 17, 2023 15:22:28 GMT
Ro Pardoe just announced this on an M. R. James Appreciation Group on social media: Great news. Shadow Publishing is going to be producing a second Black Pilgrimage, a collection of my articles on M R James and other supernatural fiction. Work is well progressed with it. Publication date tba.Just passing this excellent news along. Thanks for that, Steve. Glad to hear (a) that Ro is back online and (b) that there is to be a second Black Pilgrimage. Was any more said on a Subotsky-G&S connection, or did I hallucinate the entire episode? I asked Rosemary about Milton Subotsky's interest in filming stories from Ghosts & Scholars. She said she knew nothing about it. |
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Post by dem on Mar 24, 2023 11:20:05 GMT
Thanks for that, Steve. Glad to hear (a) that Ro is back online and (b) that there is to be a second Black Pilgrimage. Was any more said on a Subotsky-G&S connection, or did I hallucinate the entire episode? I asked Rosemary about Milton Subotsky's interest in filming stories from Ghosts & Scholars. She said she knew nothing about it. In that case, it's either a figment of what passes for my "imagination," or something I picked up from Milton's friend and collaborator, the late and very great Michel Parry. Take your pick. |
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Post by Jojo Lapin X on Mar 25, 2023 21:42:41 GMT
I asked the new Bing chatbot to write a ghost story in the style of M R James, and this is what it came up with. It ends quite abruptly;
The Manuscript of Dr. Blackwood
Dr. Blackwood was a scholar of ancient languages and a collector of rare manuscripts. He had spent many years travelling across Europe and the Middle East, acquiring books and documents of great antiquity and value. He was especially interested in the occult and the supernatural, and had amassed a library of texts on magic, alchemy, astrology and demonology.
One day, he received a letter from a friend and fellow scholar, Professor Langdon, who invited him to visit him at his country house in Norfolk. Langdon had recently acquired a manuscript of great interest and rarity, and wanted to share it with Blackwood. The manuscript was written in Latin and Hebrew, and dated back to the 13th century. It was said to contain the secrets of summoning and controlling spirits, as well as the names and seals of the 72 demons of the Ars Goetia.
Blackwood was intrigued by the offer, and accepted it without hesitation. He packed his bags and took the next train to Norfolk. He arrived at Langdon's house in the evening, and was warmly greeted by his friend. Langdon led him to his study, where he showed him the manuscript. It was bound in leather, with metal clasps and a lock. Langdon opened it with a key, and revealed the pages inside. They were yellowed and stained with age, but the writing was clear and elegant. The manuscript was divided into two parts: the first part contained instructions on how to prepare for the ritual of summoning spirits, including the tools, symbols, prayers and precautions; the second part contained the names and seals of the 72 demons, along with their descriptions, powers and weaknesses.
Blackwood was fascinated by the manuscript, and asked Langdon where he had found it. Langdon told him that he had bought it from an old bookseller in London, who had claimed that it had belonged to a famous magician and alchemist of the 16th century, John Dee. Langdon said that he had not tried to perform any of the rituals in the manuscript, as he was only interested in studying it as a historical document. He said that he had heard rumors that some of the previous owners of the manuscript had met with strange and tragic fates, but he dismissed them as superstitions.
Blackwood asked Langdon if he could borrow the manuscript for a few days, as he wanted to examine it more closely and make some notes. Langdon agreed, but warned him to be careful with it, as it was very fragile and valuable. He also advised him not to attempt any of the rituals in the manuscript, as they were dangerous and unpredictable. Blackwood assured him that he would not do anything foolish, and thanked him for his generosity.
Blackwood took the manuscript to his room, where he locked it in his suitcase. He decided to wait until morning before opening it again, as he was tired from his journey. He went to bed early, but he could not sleep well. He had strange dreams of dark shadows moving in his room, whispering in his ear. He woke up several times during the night, feeling cold and uneasy.
The next morning, he got up early and opened his suitcase. He took out the manuscript and placed it on his desk. He opened it carefully, and began to read it. He was soon absorbed by its contents, forgetting everything else around him. He spent hours studying the manuscript, making notes on a separate notebook. He was especially drawn to the second part of the manuscript,
where he found the names and seals of the 72 demons.
He felt a strange curiosity and attraction towards them. He wondered what they looked like, what they could do, what they wanted. He felt a temptation to try one of the rituals in the manuscript, to see if he could summon one of them. He knew that it was risky and foolish, but he could not resist.
He chose one of the demons at random: Buer, the tenth spirit of the Ars Goetia. According to the manuscript, Buer was a great president of hell who appeared as a lion's head with five goat legs around it. He taught natural philosophy and logic, healed diseases and gave good familiars.
Blackwood decided to summon Buer using a simple ritual that required only a circle drawn on the floor with chalk,
a candle lit at each point of a pentagram inside the circle,
and Buer's seal drawn on a piece of paper.
He followed the instructions in the manuscript,
reciting the prayers and invocations aloud.
He placed Buer's seal in front of him,
and waited for something
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Post by jamesdoig on Mar 26, 2023 0:08:28 GMT
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Post by Jojo Lapin X on Mar 26, 2023 8:28:27 GMT
I am not sure what the relationship between ChatGPT and the Bing chatbot is. Anyway, Bing is much better at poetry than prose. Here is a sonnet about an important historical episode: They sailed across the ocean blue and wide To seek new lands and treasures to explore But little did they know what fate would hide In ancient ruins of a distant shore They reached the city of the gods of old Where pyramids and temples rose on high But soon they heard a sound that made them cold A screeching cry that echoed in the sky They looked above and saw with dread and fear A winged beast with claws and teeth of steel A pterodactyl swooping down to tear The flesh and bones of any Viking meal They fought with swords and axes, brave and bold But none could match the monster's might and speed They fell like flies, their blood ran hot and cold Their screams and prayers were all in vain indeed And so the legend of the Viking band Who met their doom in Teotihuacan |
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Post by helrunar on Aug 4, 2023 0:43:55 GMT
I was just looking at a contents listing for the BFI's forthcoming Ghost story for Xmas vol. 2 release, due out on 20 November according to a popular online retail site (now available for pre-order). I'm delighted to see our own Mr Johnny Mains listed as having done an audio commentary for the 1975 classic film The Ash Tree.
Offering all good wishes for Johnny's continued healing and recovery!
cheers, Hel.
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Post by andydecker on Aug 4, 2023 7:50:58 GMT
I was just looking at a contents listing for the BFI's forthcoming Ghost story for Xmas vol. 2 release, due out on 20 November according to a popular online retail site (now available for pre-order). I'm delighted to see our own Mr Johnny Mains listed as having done an audio commentary for the 1975 classic film The Ash Tree. Offering all good wishes for Johnny's continued healing and recovery! cheers, Hel. Oh, now that is interesting. Thnaks for the info. This is a reason for buying it. |
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