There's no structure in this post. I thought I'd just free associate on the subject of Halloween, which is just days away. It's one of my favorite holidays. It's not only about pumpkins and ghosts, it's also about Freud and fairy tales, weird technology, murders, age, sex, culture, thrills, magic, senseless loss, mardi-gras, the cuteness of children, pageantry, fear of the dark, incongruities and luck. It's the only day of the year devoted exclusively to imagination.
How do you like the robot above? It's funny and menacing, awe-inspiring and primal...just like Halloween itself.
Above, Kevin McCarthy from "Invasion of the Body Snatchers." What he's just seen has apparently brought him to the edge of madness.
Above, a terrific pulp cover by Ward. Only moments before the scene might have been tranquil, but something has set in motion utter chaos. What a reminder of how uncertain life is!
Talk about tranquility...nothing is more calm than the patient, slow moving attempt of a medium to contact the spirit world. The spirits have to be cajoled into talking to us.
Strangeness is such a part of human life. Did you ever think how downright odd it is that every 12 hours we're carried around to the other side of the Earth?
It's cold there (above), and dark. Dangerous, too. Everybody goes inside and locks their doors.
Only the desperate (above) venture out.
Inside our houses we sleep and have bizarre dreams (above) where we can fly and walk through walls. If we're lucky, we'll stay in that state until...
...until morning comes (above) and we're back to the sunny side again...
...but it won't last.
BTW: the terrific robot picture is from a site called "Mechanical Bride of the Uncanny."
I've had similar feelings about that night and day thing too.
ReplyDeleteVery thought provoking.
"There's no structure in this post. I thought I'd just free associate on the subject of Halloween, which is just days away."
ReplyDeleteJORGE HERE! IT BETTER NOT BE BORING!
Halloween is way more fascinating and dark than I thought. Usually, when I think about the holiday, I keep thinking about all those trick-or-treaters begging for candy every year in silly, funny costumes, although I've known about its Pagan roots for years (apparently Christmas was originally a Pagan holiday as well. Did you know about that, Eddie?). I've never stopped to think about the real meaning of Halloween this year, and your post really has shed light on it.
ReplyDeleteHere's a pic I thought you may enjoy:
ReplyDeletehttp://joelbrinkerhoff.blogspot.com/2010/10/pumpkin-queen.html
I love posts like this. I feel the same way about halloween. Since I was young I've always known there's more to halloween than dressing up and candy. It's all about superstition, fear, weirdness and the unknown. Thanks, Uncle Eddie!
ReplyDeleteJoel: Holy Mackerel! Nice photo! Do you mind if I use it here!?
ReplyDeleteLovely rumination. Yes, all that's Halloween...
ReplyDeleteI think I've walked up the Paris steps in the Brassai photo.
Wow, I would be flattered if you used the picture. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteJoel: Thanks!!
ReplyDeleteJenny: Yeah, they're in Montemarre (spelled right?). I almost didn't use the steps picture because it was beautiful and upbeat rather than scary, but I thought descending stairs might be a great symbol for the netherworld.
Jorge: "Better not be boring?" Haw! That brings back memories of earlier blog encounters. It also reminds me of the "Where's the beef" ad campaign. You should go into advertising.
I was thinking of majoring in marketing or accounting, actually.
ReplyDeleteI love to hear Eddie riff on a theme.
ReplyDeleteRoberto:
Easter is named for a pagan goddess, too. Here she is under her German name, Ostara:
http://cubbi.org/tmp/lj/Ostara_by_Johannes_Gehrts.jpg
Note the flying Peter Cottontail.