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Alyson Dunlop's Blog

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Alyson Dunlop's Blog

Monthly Archives: June 2013

The Raven: Black Bird of Ill Omen

21 Friday Jun 2013

Posted by Alyson Dunlop Shanes in Uncategorized

≈ 5 Comments

Tags

Aesclepius, Aglauros, Athena, Athens, birds, Cecrops, Celtic, cemetery, Chiron, Christopher Lee, Coronis, corpses, crow, darkness, death, Edgar Allan Poe, Erichthonius, fertility, Goddess, Hades, healing, Herse, Horror, Lenore, light, maere, mara, Metamorphoses, Minerva, Morrigan, mythology, nepenthe, nightmare, omen, Pallas, Pandrosos, phantom, Phoebus, Pluto, raven, snake, sun, supernatural, The Raven and The Crow, tombstone, Underworld, Vulcan, wisdom

raven-bird-night-moon-wallpaper_563194724

*Honestly.  I’m astounded I even have to add this disclaimer.  However, certain parties seem to think that this article entices hatred of ravens.  If they had read it properly they’d have realised it was intended to inform readers of the mythology attached to these birds.   It is not in any way supposed to be what I personally think about them.  I love ravens.  They’re great. Very intelligent.  Happy?

The raven, a bird from the crow family, has long been considered a bird of ill omen.  From ancient texts through to modern times, writers have often associated these creatures with death and the supernatural.  It is thought one main reason for this is that ravens are carrion birds.  This means they eat the decaying flesh of corpses, usually animals, but they were also connected to battles in mythology – it is likely fallen soldiers were fed upon too.   They are associated with The Morrigan, Celtic war goddess, whose name may derive from the old English word maere (the word survives in nightmare).  Her name is often translated as “phantom queen”.  Take a walk around any cemetery and you are guaranteed to find a crow or raven hopping about or perched upon a tombstone.  They sense death is nearby…

In Ovid’s Metamorphoses, there is a tale called The Raven and The Crow.  It is about a raven who was once a white bird, but whose “chattering tongue” was his downfall.  Coronis, beloved of Phoebus the sun god, has been unfaithful to him.  As the raven is on his way to tell Phoebus, he meets a crow who warns him he might be better just to keep his beak shut.  The crow tells the raven that she was once in a similar situation, and had been turned first into a crow, when she was saved by Pallas (Athena, goddess of wisdom), but then banished by her after telling tales.  The raven ignores the crow’s warnings and carries on to tell Phoebus about his beloved’s infidelity.  Phoebus immediately shoots Coronis through the heart with his arrow, but immediately regrets it.  As she dies, she tells him that she carries their child, and they will now die together.  Before Coronis is burned on the funeral pyre, Phoebus snatches his son from her womb and carries him off to Chiron, the centaur and tutor of many Greek heroes.  Even though the raven had been truthful, nevertheless Phoebus turns him black and banishes him from all the breeds of birds that are white.

The crow tells the raven two attempted rape stories, the first is skimmed over when the crow simply states that “once upon a time a baby, Erichthonius, was born without a mother.”  In fact, this was the attempted rape of Minerva (Gr. Athena) by Vulcan (Gr. Hephaestus), whereby his seed falls on the ground and Erichthonius (“very earthy”) is born.  The names of Cecrops’ three unmarried daughters are Pandrosos, Herse and Aglauros.  Their names mean “bedewed”, “dew” and “clearwater”, which reflect the connection to fertility.  The snake that is seen is a reference to the earth-cults.  Erichthonius was worshipped in this guise at Athens (Kenney 1998).  Interestingly, the son that is born from the murdered Coronus, is Aesclepius, god of healing and medicine, whose emblem is also a snake.

Indulge my ravings….  This seems to me to be, not just a tale of caution about keeping schtum, but also a story explaining the landscape, possibly of the areas in and around Athens.  “Born without a mother”, so hardly likely to be animal.  Erichthonius’ name means literally “very earthy”, so possibly not even plant, simply the earth itself and how it lies on the land.  He was conceived when Vulcan (god of volcanoes) erupted (!) on Minerva (whose Greek name is Athena, symbolic of many things including the city of Athens).  She wiped his seed on the ground (i.e. the surrounding land).  This  sounds to me like an erupting volcano has carved the Athenian landscape. Aglauros aka “Clearwater” is the only one to sneak a look at the “earth”, which could indicate a river(s) or stream(s) in the area.  Volcanic eruptions cause the land to become more fertile and draw in migrants.  In this case, the migrants who moved into the area were earth cults, whose totems were snakes.  They also, more than likely, brought knowledge of medicine.

Furthermore, all four elements are mentioned in this tale: earth (Erichthonius), fire (funeral pyre where Aesclepius is snatched before his mother is cremated; Phoebus Apollo also represents the sun, a symbol of fire), water (Cecrops’ daughters) and air (the birds).

If you disagree, or know more, please do comment at the end of this blog!  I would love to hear your opinions.

I recorded a reading of The Raven and The Crow for you.

One of my favourite poems is The Raven by Edgar Allan Poe.  It’s a delight to both read and listen to, so I’ve included both the poem itself and a reading by Christopher Lee (who else?!  I couldn’t resist that voice!):

Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary,
Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore–
While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping,
As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door.
“‘Tis some visiter,” I muttered, “tapping at my chamber door–
Only this and nothing more.”

Ah, distinctly I remember it was in the bleak December,
And each separate dying ember wrought its ghost upon the floor.
Eagerly I wished the morrow;–vainly I had sought to borrow
From my books surcease of sorrow–sorrow for the lost Lenore–
For the rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name Lenore–
Nameless here for evermore.

And the silken sad uncertain rustling of each purple curtain
Thrilled me–filled me with fantastic terrors never felt before;
So that now, to still the beating of my heart, I stood repeating
“‘Tis some visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door–
Some late visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door;
This it is and nothing more.”

Presently my soul grew stronger; hesitating then no longer,
“Sir,” said I, “or Madam, truly your forgiveness I implore;
But the fact is I was napping, and so gently you came rapping,
And so faintly you came tapping, tapping at my chamber door,
That I scarce was sure I heard you”–here I opened wide the door–
Darkness there and nothing more.

Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there wondering, fearing,
Doubting, dreaming dreams no mortals ever dared to dream before;
But the silence was unbroken, and the stillness gave no token,
And the only word there spoken was the whispered word, “Lenore?”
This I whispered, and an echo murmured back the word, “Lenore!”–
Merely this and nothing more.

Back into the chamber turning, all my soul within me burning,
Soon again I heard a tapping something louder than before.
“Surely,” said I, “surely that is something at my window lattice;
Let me see, then, what thereat is and this mystery explore–
Let my heart be still a moment and this mystery explore;–
‘Tis the wind and nothing more.

Open here I flung the shutter, when, with many a flirt and flutter,
In there stepped a stately Raven of the saintly days of yore.
Not the least obeisance made he; not a minute stopped or stayed he,
But, with mien of lord or lady, perched above my chamber door–
Perched upon a bust of Pallas just above my chamber door–
Perched, and sat, and nothing more.

Then the ebony bird beguiling my sad fancy into smiling,
By the grave and stern decorum of the countenance it wore,
“Though thy crest be shorn and shaven, thou,” I said, “art sure no craven,
Ghastly grim and ancient Raven wandering from the Nightly shore–
Tell me what thy lordly name is on the Night’s Plutonian shore!”
Quoth the Raven, “Nevermore.”

Much I marvelled this ungainly fowl to hear discourse so plainly,
Though its answer little meaning–little relevancy bore;
For we cannot help agreeing that no living human being
Ever yet was blessed with seeing bird above his chamber door–
Bird or beast upon the sculptured bust above his chamber door,
With such name as “Nevermore.”

But the Raven, sitting lonely on that placid bust, spoke only
That one word, as if its soul in that one word he did outpour
Nothing farther then he uttered; not a feather then he fluttered–
Till I scarcely more than muttered: “Other friends have flown before–
On the morrow he will leave me, as my Hopes have flown before.”
Then the bird said “Nevermore.”

Startled at the stillness broken by reply so aptly spoken,
“Doubtless,” said I, “what it utters is its only stock and store,
Caught from some unhappy master whom unmerciful Disaster
Followed fast and followed faster till his songs one burden bore–
Till the dirges of his Hope that melancholy burden bore
Of ‘Never–nevermore.'”

But the Raven still beguiling all my sad soul into smiling,
Straight I wheeled a cushioned seat in front of bird and bust and door;
Then, upon the velvet sinking, I betook myself to linking
Fancy unto fancy, thinking what this ominous bird of yore–
What this grim, ungainly, ghastly, gaunt, and ominous bird of yore
Meant in croaking “Nevermore.”

This I sat engaged in guessing, but no syllable expressing
To the fowl whose fiery eyes now burned into my bosom’s core;
This and more I sat divining, with my head at ease reclining
On the cushion’s velvet lining that the lamp-light gloated o’er,
But whose velvet violet lining with the lamp-light gloating o’er
She shall press, ah, nevermore!

Then, methought, the air grew denser, perfumed from an unseen censer
Swung by Seraphim whose foot-falls tinkled on the tufted floor.
“Wretch,” I cried, “thy God hath lent thee–by these angels he hath sent thee
Respite–respite and nepenthe from thy memories of Lenore!
Quaff, oh quaff this kind nepenthe and forget this lost Lenore!”
Quoth the Raven, “Nevermore.”

“Prophet!” said I, “thing of evil!–prophet still, if bird or devil!–
Whether Tempter sent, or whether tempest tossed thee here ashore,
Desolate, yet all undaunted, on this desert land enchanted–
On this home by Horror haunted–tell me truly, I implore–
Is there–is there balm in Gilead?–tell me–tell me, I implore!”
Quoth the Raven, “Nevermore.”

“Prophet!” said I, “thing of evil!–prophet still, if bird or devil!
By that Heaven that bends above us–by that God we both adore–
Tell this soul with sorrow laden if, within the distant Aidenn,
It shall clasp a sainted maiden whom the angels name Lenore–
Clasp a rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name Lenore.”
Quoth the Raven, “Nevermore.”

“Be that word our sign of parting, bird or fiend!” I shrieked, upstarting–
“Get thee back into the tempest and the Night’s Plutonian shore!
Leave no black plume as a token of that lie thy soul has spoken!
Leave my loneliness unbroken!–quit the bust above my door!
Take thy beak from out my heart, and take thy form from off my door!”
Quoth the Raven, “Nevermore.”

And the Raven, never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting
On the pallid bust of Pallas just above my chamber door;
And his eyes have all the seeming of a demon’s that is dreaming
And the lamp-light o’er him streaming throws his shadows on the floor;
And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor
Shall be lifted–nevermore!

Here is a reading by Christopher Lee:

Lenore is the main focus of the poem, the beloved of the narrator and apparently now no longer living since only the angels know her name now.  Poe uses alliteration throughout the poem.  The first time Lenore is mentioned he describes her as “rare and radiant”.  According to all sources I could find, Lenore literally means “light” or “torch”.  Lenore, therefore, is not simply a beloved woman, she is symbolic of all that is bright, his guiding light in life.  She is more than mortal.  She is an ideal.

This is contrasted by the image of the raven.  The bird appears to be almost a part of the darkness of the night from which he emerges.  Initially, the raven is asked what his name is and replies “Nevermore”, much to the amusement of the enquirer.  However, the more the raven says this the horrified man begins to feel like it is a prophecy. As the narrator asks for the birds “lordly” name he may well be regarding the bird as the “king of the night” himself.  Certainly, as the poem continues, the narrator feels ever more threatened by this night visitor.

“Night’s Plutonian shore”, is a wonderful three word description, as it sets a scene and tells us all we need to know!  The action is taking place at night: darkness and night often symbolising mystery, danger and frightening powers.  Plutonian is a reference to the Roman god of the Underworld, Pluto (Gr. Hades), and all the associations that go along with that: death, darkness, decay.  Shore could be a metaphor of the night as an ocean washing up at his chamber door.  He describes each night as being a “Nightly shore” in the previous line.  Perhaps the narrator sees himself as residing on or near a shore.

 The narrator assumes the bird will leave him at daybreak, but the bird again answers him “Nevermore”.  As the speaker ponders on this, the memory of Lenore comes back.  The idea of nepenthe comes to him, as he imagines the room filling with perfume.  In the Odyssey, Homer describes this mythological drink as a potion that takes away all grief and sadness.  However, as the bird keeps assuring the narrator that “Nevermore” will he be free from grief, he descends into madness and hopelessness.

The reference to Pallas is another name for Athena, goddess of wisdom, the symbol of the ideal woman.  Perhaps this raven speaks the dark truth, the only knowledge he possesses, like that of the raven in the previous poem.  It is of little comfort to our narrator, whose soul is lost forever in the shadow of the raven….

Until next week.  Your friend, A.D.

References

Ovid, The Raven and The Crow in “Metamorphoses” (c.1-8 CE) (trans. Melville, A. D.; notes and intro. Kenney, E. J. 1998 Oxford Uni Press)

 Rosalind Clark (1990) The Great Queens: Irish Goddesses from the Morrígan to Cathleen Ní Houlihan (Irish Literary Studies, Book 34)

http://www.shmoop.com/the-raven/symbolism-imagery.html

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Star-Crossed Vampire Lovers: Dracula as a Damned Eros

14 Friday Jun 2013

Posted by Alyson Dunlop Shanes in Uncategorized

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

Anthony Hopkins, Aphrodite, Atropos, Baal, Beelzebub, Blood, Bram Stoker, Carfax Abbey, classics, Clotho, Cupid, Demeter, Dr Seward, Dracula, Eros, Francis Ford Coppola, Gary Oldman, Greece, Horror, Jonathan Harker, Keanu Reeves, Lachesis, Lucy, Mina Harker, Mina Murray, Renfield, Richard E Grant, Sadie Frost, Sex, symbolism, The Fates, The Wyrd Sisters, Tom Waits, Transylvania, Van Helsing, Venus, Vlad Tepes, Vlad the Impaler, Winona Ryder, wolf

This contains spoilers!  Watch the movie first!

Click to view.

Click to view.

The 1992 film Bram Stoker’s Dracula, directed by Francis Ford Coppola, is a completely different take on the story of the monstrous Transylvanian count.  It is more than just a love story, and as I began to study classics almost ten years later I realised there was a deeper meaning to the tale.  The vampire had actually been portrayed as a fallen Eros, damned by God and His “mad men”.

hqdefaultThe movie starts as no other film about Dracula starts, with the Count in human form.  Here he is the real historical character we know Dracula to be based on, Vlad Tepes, Prince of Wallachia.  He goes into battle, leaving his beloved wife Elisabeta.  Whilst in battle, Elisabeta receives false word that her husband has been killed.  Devastated, she commits suicide.  On his return, Dracula is told by the priest (played by Anthony Hopkins who will later be his adversary, Van Helsing) that his wife is damned because she took her own life.  Dracula, enraged that the God he is fighting for should turn against him by condemning the woman he loves, renounces Him.  He then damns himself by drinking the blood from the cross he has stabbed with his sword.  Straight away, we know that the reason Dracula has willingly condemned himself to be damned is for the love of a woman, also damned.

   Four centuries later, in 1897, we find ourselves in London at the Carfax Lunatic Asylum and are introduced to Renfield, one of the patients.  He is talking to his “Master”, saying he has made preparations for his arrival, before eating a fly and thanking his invisible Master for his generosity.  In Nods to the Old Gods, I mention Beelzebub, a Semitic deity.  His name in Arabic was thought to mean Lord of the Flies, although this is probably a derogatory corruption of his true name Lord of the High Place (Heaven) or “High Lord”.  He is also called Ba’al, meaning “Lord” or “Master”.  He is primarily a sun god, and god of fertility.  If damned, as He was – like many other pagan gods were – surely Ba’al would be condemned never to walk in sunlight and all acts of fertility, such as sex and sexual love, would also be condemned as impure lust by opposing forces (i.e. early Christians).

  In the next scene, Renfield’s boss explains to Jonathon that Renfield has “lost his greedy mind”.  Beelzebub was condemned to be a Prince of Hell, his sin being that of gluttony, which ties in with Dracula’s insatiable appetite for feeding on human blood, and also perhaps with Renfield’s gluttony for flies.

  Dracula first appears as a supernatural being shortly after we are first introduced to our two protagonists, Mina and Jonathan, a couple very much in love who want to marry.  They are prevented from doing so until Jonathan has first visited Dracula.  Vampires and couples in love are often a motif of many Dracula stories.  The two things seem to be inextricably linked.  In Bram Stoker’s Dracula, the count finds a picture of Mina and immediately recognises her as the reincarnation of his beloved Elisabeta.

   Unlike any other Dracula story, Oldman catches us off-guard and talks of something no other Dracula has ever talked about.  He says: “The luckiest man who walks on this earth is the one who finds true love.”  He then induces our sympathy by beginning to cry whilst telling Jonathan that he was married once, but his wife died.

   As the story continues, other characters are introduced: the flirtatious, sexually knowledgeable and free-speaking Lucy is balanced with the virginal and sexually naïve Mina.  Lucy’s suitors, each one more in love with her than the other, are Quincy P Morris, Dr Jack Seward and Arthur Holmwood.  It is whilst watching Lucy flirting with all three men that Mina becomes aware of Dracula, an allegory of her sexual stirrings.

   Back at the asylum, Renfield accuses Dr Seward of being “love sick” (thought to be a real disease in ancient Greece!), whilst in Dracula’s castle, Jonathan is seduced by three female vampires.  They are described in Bram Stoker’s novel as Dracula’s three brides.  Collectively they are referred to as “sisters” and at one point “weird sisters”.  This is an interesting point.  The weird sisters appear also in Shakespeare’s Macbeth as witches, but originally these were the Wyrd Sisters, or Fates.  Here, The Fates therefore exist in order to determine Jonathan’s destiny.  Clotho, the spinner, who spins the thread of life; Lachesis, who chooses our lot in life, and how long that life will be; and Atropos, who cuts the thread of life with her shears.  In the film they are enjoying a sexual orgy with Jonathan, deciding his fate as they seduce him with their beauty and charm.

   Meanwhile, the Dracula-as-sexual-urges allegory appears again, as Dracula watches the girls playing and kissing in the maze during a storm.  Shortly afterwards Dracula lands in England and immediately entices a somnambulistic Lucy into the garden in order to seduce her.  Lucy is wearing a flowing red dress, the same colour as the old count’s coat at the castle.  The colour red seems to be a recurring motif of the film, perhaps symbolising its most usually associate emotion, passion and, of course, blood.  In this scene, where Mina finds Dracula in the form of a beast, feeding on Lucy whilst enjoying her almost sexually as well, Dracula causes Mina to forget seeing him in such a state.

 tumblr_m7fkooW9to1ryusq6o1_1280Soon after, fresh from feasting on the crew of the Demeter (incidentally, the ancient Greek mother goddess of the grain and fertility) and Lucy, Dracula appears as a young man walking through the streets of London.  He is now dashing enough to let Mina see him in princely form.  They go to the cinematograph, where Dracula seduces Mina.  Here, a wild wolf is used as a symbol of his wild passion, which he tames as he tames the wolf, in order that Mina is safe from his carnal desires.

    The next scene introduces us to Professor Abraham Van Helsing, as he gives a lecture on the problem of syphilis in Victorian society.  He points out that venereal diseases literally means the diseases of Venus, Roman goddess of love, which is a reference to their “divine origins”.  Venus is the mother of Cupid, the Roman god of love.  Eros is the Greek equivalent of Cupid, whilst Aphrodite is the Greek equivalent of Venus.

WINONA RYDER, GARY OLDMANAs Lucy lies gravely ill and dying, Mina is swept off her feet by her prince, and we see that the vampire does indeed have more than one side to him.  He gives Mina absinth to drink, which he describes as the “aphrodisiac of the soul”.  An important line, as I’ll point out soon.  Dracula, in this guise of Eros, and Mina, in the guise of Psyche (“the soul”), fall in love with each other all over again, whilst reminiscing about their sad parting.  However, when Jonathan, having escaped the castle, sends word that he is safe and wishes for Mina to join him to be married, Mina puts a stop to her clandestine trysts with Dracula.  She sails for Romania, still feeling he is with her, speaking to her in her thoughts.  She broods over the fact that, being single and enjoying the company of her sensual prince, she felt more alive than she ever had before.  Now, without him, about to marry Jonathan, she feels confused and lost.

   At this point, Van Helsing realises he is dealing with Dracula, one of the undead, and warns Morris to guard Lucy lest she become a “bitch of the Devil” and “a whore of darkness”.  He tells Morris that Lucy is not just a random victim, but a wanton follower.  She is “the Devil’s concubine”.  Lucy is the whore to Mina’s virgin.

   As Mina marries Jonathan, the enraged Dracula condemns her best friend Lucy to become a vampire, and an eternity of craving human blood.  He is the power or force of nature that no “foolish spells” can stop.  The men watch as Lucy, now an undead nocturnal creature who has evolved into a maternal killer of children (see my blog article Margaret Thatcher meets Medea for more on the image of the monstrous mother in film), carries a toddler into her lair presumably for devouring.  She is repelled by the cross, and defeated.

   The men know they must kill Dracula, and make their way to his resting place in Carfax Abbey, whilst Mina takes refuge in Dr Seward’s quarters in the asylum next door.  Whilst the men destroy and sterilise the boxes with his home soil in it, where the vampire must sleep, Dracula takes refuge with Mina.  He escapes unseen.  As a shape-shifter, Dracula can take on the form of several animals or mist.  He is clearly an ethereal being.

   Dracula visits Mina as she sleeps.  This scene conveys two things.  Initially it is the iconic incubus night demon who visits a sleeping woman in order to have sex with her (the succubus being the female equivalent who visits sleeping men).  This is thought by some to be a manifestation of the disturbed mind, and is linked to suppressed sexuality.  Dracula by Bram Stoker is itself linked to the suppression of women’s sexuality, especially in Victorian society when the story takes place.  This bedroom scene is also evocative of the Eros and Psyche story, which concerns the overcoming of obstacles to love that stand between the psyche (“soul” or “breath of life”) and Eros/Cupid (love and desire).  Initially Eros marries Psyche but, though a good and gentle lover, he does not allow her to see him.  He flees when she goes against this rule and looks upon his true nature.  The jealous goddess of love, Aphrodite, sets Psyche some tasks.  After she accomplishes the tasks, Psyche is thus purified through suffering and is now prepared to enjoy eternal happiness.  With the help of Zeus, she is reunited with her husband, Eros.

gary-oldman-top-11-draculaWhen, at last, Mina sees Dracula as he really is – a non-living being – she asks what he is.  His reply: “I am nothing.  Lifeless, soul-less, hated and feared.  I am dead to all the world…  I am the monster the breathing men would kill.  I am Dracula.”  Of these two lovers, Mina is the only one with a soul, and now she has seen her true love as he is.  She is devastated, realising he is the murderer of her friend Lucy, and therefore of flirtation and freedom.  Nevertheless, in spite of his true nature and in spite of herself, Mina finds she still loves this particular monster.  Her only desire is to become his partner in eternal life.  Even at this point, Dracula attempts to stop Mina from becoming “cursed for all eternity” because he loves her too much to condemn her.  The choice to be cursed is entirely Mina’s as she insists on drinking his blood: what would normally be perceived as an unholy communion, were it not for the fact that we understand these two to be true soul mates completely in love with one another.  The question should be, why is this love deemed evil by God (or His followers)?

   Christianity has always played a role in this story.  The men attempt to ward Dracula off by wielding crosses, one of the things that supposedly repel him.  He has been damned because he renounced the Christian God at the start of the story.  Nevertheless, he seems more empowered now, with the love of Mina, and manages to set fire to the cross Van Helsing is holding, saying “Look what your God has done to me.”  Again, following one of the most important scenes of this movie, this is one of the most important lines.  It is God, and His followers, that Dracula blames for turning him from a prince into a monster.  As any scholar of Christianity knows, as the new religion took over, everything of an erotic nature was condemned.  As Van Helsing himself says towards the end: “We’ve all become God’s mad men.”

draculaFinally, it is then up to Mina to give Dracula peace, piercing his heart and reuniting him once more with his soul in heaven.  Through her trials and suffering, Mina is at last blessed by God.  She is both the Virgin and the Magdalene, as well as Psyche.  Eros, in this 20th century story, has at last found His way into Paradise.  So too, possibly has The Magdalene, if that is who Mina is supposed to represent towards the end of the story.  Certainly Dracula takes on an almost Christ-like appearance as he ascends to Heaven and is reunited with God, and Mina must always be his counterpart.  This might seem a slightly complicated point, but it seems that Eros (erotic love) has been purified and is now innocent and pure enough to enter into Paradise.  Mina, in her vampiric state, is wanton and lustful.  At one point, she seduces and kisses Van Helsing.  In recent years, it has been widely agreed by religious scholars that Mary Magdalene was misidentified (possibly deliberately) as a prostitute.  However, there is no evidence of this.  Bram-Stoker-s-Dracula-bram-stokers-dracula-10793936-1024-576If Dracula as Eros has now become the epitomy of pure love (Christ), his lover Mina/Psyche/Magdalene has the mark of shame removed from her forehead and is also purified once more i.e. after many years of being falsely represented by the Church, we know now that The Magdalene was not a promiscuous “sinner” (not, I hasten to add, that I believe prostitution is a sin).  I *think* that might be the point of the ending…..

Until next week.  As always, your friend, A.D.

P.S. Remember you can sign up to have “Hex in the City” delivered direct to your email inbox via the link on the left of this page.

Sources:

http://www.greekmythology.com/Other_Gods/The_Fates/the_fates.html

My Guilty Pleasures of Horror: The Monsters I Love to Love

07 Friday Jun 2013

Posted by Alyson Dunlop Shanes in Uncategorized

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

Anthony Hopkins, Betty White, Bill Pullman, Brad Dourif, Bram Stoker, Brendan Gleeson, Bridget Fonda, cult films, Damien Karass, Dracula, Ellen Burstyn, Exorcist, Gary Oldman, George C Scott, giant worms, Halloween, Horror, Jason Miller, Kevin Bacon, Lake Placid, Linda Blair, Max Von Sydow, Merrin, Oliver Platt, Regan, religious horror, Renfield, science fiction, Tom Waits, Tremors, Van Helsing, William Friedkin, William Peter Blatty

placid2

I’ve seen these films so many times I could practically recite their scripts!  Yet, often they get slated by critics for one reason or another.  We all have our guilty pleasures, so I thought this week I would share mine with you.  Comment and tell me what your guilty pleasures are (in film that is!  Naughty!).

Lake Placid (1999)

Click to view

Click to view

What’s not to love about Lake Placid?  It’s hilarious and scary all in the same movie.  Critics often say that it doesn’t know what it’s trying to be, whether horror or comedy.  It has been claimed that the actors haven’t a clue how to say their lines or react because they don’t know if they should be humorous or scared.  Rubbish!  They know fine well that it’s supposed to be a comedy horror.  There are a couple of bits that’ll have you jumping out your seat, but overall it’s a highly entertaining and funny film. 

The movie is about a 30-foot man-eating crocodile in New England.  The opening credits are very Jaws-like, as is the opening scene.  In fact, there are several scenes that are reminiscent of the shark movie.  It’s definitely a nod to Spielberg.   It’s set in Maine, which is possibly a nod to Stephen King as well.

There are also an abundance of great one-liners from Oliver Platt, Brendan Gleeson (Argh!  I didn’t recognise him as Hamish from Braveheart until today!) and a foul-mouthed Betty White.

Lake Placid is definitely one of my top guilty pleasures.  I don’t care what anyone says!  It’s a cracker.

Tremors (1990)

Click to view.

Click to view.

I haven’t seen this on TV for a few years.  Mind you, I don’t have a TV!  Nevertheless, every time I saw this was on, I just had to tune in and watch.  It’s the kind of film that’s normally on around 1am, and you can just zone out and watch without thinking too much.  There’s a lot of humour in it and a chance to see a young Kevin Bacon dressed as a cowboy.  My favourite part is the pole-vaulting scene! 

This film is a science fiction horror comedy, which has a lot of humour and has emerged as a cult classic.  Despite not being successful at the box office, Tremors has continued to appeal to many and became a hit through TV, video and internet viewers.

Tremors is about giant underground worms.  If you’ve not seen it, that probably doesn’t sound hugely appealing, but trust me and check it out!

Exorcist (1973)

Click to view.

Click to view.

I remember a few years ago, when I was setting out to do a post graduate in film and television studies.  We were asked to write down what we considered to be the best film of all time.  This is such a difficult thing to do.  I pondered on the problem for hours.  It very much depends on your experience of movies, and whether or not you’ve been shown what is considered to be a “quality” movie, by supposed experts.  You also have to take into consideration that not everyone likes every genre.  There were so many great films I had yet to see: Metropolis, Citizen Kane etc.  Besides, there are all sorts of things to consider such as when a film is set and the impact it has on the audience of that time.  The Exorcist had a huge impact on its original audience in 1973.   I also have a fair bit of respect for both the writer, William Peter Blatty and the director, William Friedkin (the nutter!), having also watched the making of the film.  On a small budget, he used many original ideas for special FX and sound.

Still, I was left with one of my classmates responses ringing in my ears: “Brave choice….”.   Diplomatic code for “Are you mental by any chance?” There are, of course, better.   I agree.  By today’s standard The Exorcist is by no means top of the range, but I still think it’s one of the best and original films made.  I never tire of watching it.  Years later it still provides timeless entertainment of human fears of the unknown, and epitomises the good vs evil/religious horror sub- genre.

Exorcist III (1990)

Click to view.

Click to view.

Conveniently missing out the Exorcist II (don’t!), I also loved Exorcist III – some pretty spooky stuff going on.  I’ve already mentioned it in a previous blog, so won’t elaborate too much.  Despite, George C Scott getting nominated for a Golden Raspberry Award for worst actor – for shame! – Exorcist III still managed to achieve quite a lot of success.  William Peter Blatty won a Saturn Award from the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films (USA) for Best Writing.  It also received nominations for Best Supporting Actor (Brad Dourif, as always, was incredible – if my current book ever gets made into a movie I have a part just crying out for him to play!) and Best Horror Film.  Such a shame the disappointing first sequel deterred people from going to see it.  It’s definitely one to watch, if you’re a fan of the original.

Halloween (1978)

laurie-strode_786x11742

Click to view.

Halloween, like all good slashers, is set at a celebratory time of year.  In this case, Hallowe’en – originally Samhain, the pagan feast of the (not particularly evil) dead.  In Christian times the festival became known as Hallowe’en and children would dress up to scare away evil spirits.  In any case, it’s associated with death.

Then we have an almost supernatural-like serial killer, with superhuman strength, who seems to appear and disappear in an instant, killing anyone who has too much sex, smokes or drinks booze.

This is definitely one of my favourite guilty pleasures!

Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992)

Click to view.

Click to view.

I’m going to be dedicating a blog to this film as it’s actually a HUGE guilty pleasure of mine! 

Bram Stoker’s Dracula stands out for me primarily due to the acting of Gary Oldman, Tom Waits and Anthony Hopkins.  The three are all great in their own eccentric way:  Oldman, as Count Dracula, Tom Waits as Renfield and Hopkins as Van Helsing.  I also love the dark, dream-like quality that runs throughout the film.  It’s another movie I never tire of watching.  Francis Ford Coppola used various subtexts and folkloric symbolism, which won me over instantly.   I see something different in it every time I watch.

Until next week, feel free to love what you love.

Remember to leave a comment below and tell me your favourite guilty pleasure!

Your friend, A.D.

Six Feet Under

06 Thursday Jun 2013

Posted by Alyson Dunlop Shanes in Uncategorized

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

666, graveyard, hell, Horror, six feet under, Underworld

Horror film, written, filmed, edited and sound all done within TWO days. Total cost, nothing, using one phone camera, free trial software and expenses were either part of normal travel or foot and bike were used. Four in the cast AND crew….Bruce Biddulph, Alyson Dunlop, Paul Dunlop, Andy Gourlay.

Filmed for the Short Cuts to Hell 666 Horror Channel Competition.

I think we did rather well! What do you think?

We’re looking for a sponsor, production company or agent who can help us produce the slasher horror film I’ve written.  Please get in touch if you want to help!  Email: glasgowlabyrinth@gmail.com

A.D.

Beautiful Blogger Awards

05 Wednesday Jun 2013

Posted by Alyson Dunlop Shanes in Uncategorized

≈ 4 Comments

I received an email from a fellow blogger and friend.  She has very kindly nominated me for a beautiful blogger award!!  Thank you so much Norma Roy!!!

Picture

The award works as follows:
The Rules:

  1. Copy and paste the Beautiful Blogger Award in your post.
  2. Thank the person that nominated you and link back to their blog.
  3. Tell 7 things about yourself.
  4. Nominate 7 fellow Bloggers, tell them by posting a comment on their Blog*.

So, here are seven things about me:

1. I was born in Burns’ country, Ayr, on the west coast of Scotland.

2. I came to Glasgow to go to drama college.

3. In 1995, at the age of 23, I had a kidney transplant.  My mum donated.  I’m currently waiting for a new one again as they last an average of 15 years, so that’ll be 18 years in November!  Well past its sell-buy date!

4. I have a degree in classics from the University of Glasgow.

5. I have a post graduate certificate in film and television studies

6. I am a fully trained cognitive-behavioural hypnotherapist.  My favourite subject in hypnotherapy is phobias.  Feel the fear, and do it anyway!  I have another website dedicated to therapy called Achilles Healing Hypnotherapy.   I am starting a degree in psychology this year.

7. I love travel, and have been to Singapore and Canada.  I particularly love Greece and Italy, though.  In 2004, I spent a month travelling round both as I had a travel requirement for my degree in my junior honours year.

My seven wonderful nominees (in no particular order) are:

1. Norma Roy

2. ‘John Watson’

3. Dickson Telfer

4. Jean Rafferty

5. Margaret Hiley

6. Radio of Horror

7. Michelle L Hynes

Follow me!

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Alyson Dunlop

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