DOCSLIB.ORG

Quatermass Introduction

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Quatermass Introduction THE VERGE OF SOMETHING UGLY? HYBRIDITY, NATION AND INVASION ANXIETY: A CRITICAL RE- APPRAISAL OF THE 1950s QUATERMASS FILMS A thesis submitted to the University of Manchester for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Faculty of Humanities 2013 CHRISTOPHER A AULD SCHOOL OF ARTS, LANGUAGES AND CULTURES LIST OF CONTENTS Introduction 7 Chapter One: Literature Review 33 Chapter Two: Quatermass Adaptation 83 Chapter Three: Quatermass and National Identity 144 Chapter Four: Quatermass and the Uncanny 193 Conclusion 234 References 249 Final Word Count: 79045 2 ABSTRACT The project investigates the 1950s Quatermass films (The Quatermass Experiment [1955], Quatermass II [1957] produced by Hammer, within their production contexts. Despite the assertion that Hammer horror productions were ‘initiated by the enormous commercial success’ (Hutchings, 1993: 25) of the Quatermass films, they have not been afforded the critical recognition they merit. Reassessment of the cultural importance of the Quatermass phenomenon is needed. This study addresses critical discourses on British film and the fantastic. As part of addressing the neglect within current scholarship of the Quatermass films, the privileging of the realist aesthetic within film criticism is discussed as part of the context for this neglect. While there has been increased interest in horror and science fiction in more recent writings and hitherto neglected films have been re-discovered, the Quatermass films have not enjoyed comparable critical space. My study goes on to illustrate this gap in the literature on Quatermass, which this study redresses. An underlying theme throughout the thesis is hybridity. Moving from discussion of how the hybrid text might cause difficulties for critical discourse that seeks finite definitions of film categories and an emphasis on realism within the film text, I address the hybrid within the production contexts and thematic content of the Quatermass films. How does the British/American co-production inform the films and contemporaneous responses to them? How is the hybrid configured within the text; as something troubling, to be feared, or is the response more complex with the potential for more positive readings? Discussion of the hybrid is combined with the fantastic and the uncanny, the emphasis being on the subversive potential of these modes and how they have potential to de- stabilise the “real”, and, by extension, dominant ideologies. How might hybridity, the fantastic and the uncanny problematise concepts of identity and “nation”? Concepts of “nation” and “national identity” will be emphasised as contested categories, contingent and inherently hybrid. How are these questions of identity mapped out within and through the Quatermass films and beyond? 3 DECLARATION I hereby declare that no portion of the work referred to in the thesis has been submitted in support of an application for another degree or qualification of this or any other university or other institute of learning. COPYRIGHT STATEMENT i. The author of this thesis (including any appendices and/or schedules to this thesis) owns certain copyright or related right in it (the “Copyright”) and s/he has given The University of Manchester certain rights to use such Copyright, including for administration purposes. ii. Copies of this thesis, either in full or in extracts and whether in hard or electronic copy, may be made only in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 (as amended) and regulations issued under it or, where appropriate, in accordance with licensing agreements which the University has from time to time. This page must form part of any such copies made. iii. The ownership of certain Copyright, patents, designs, trade marks and other intellectual property (the “Intellectual Property”) and any reproductions of copyright works in the thesis, for example graphs and tables (“Reproductions”), which may be described in this thesis, may not be owned by the author and may be owned by third parties. Such Intellectual Property and Reproductions cannot and must not be made available for use without the prior permission of the owner(s) of the relevant Intellectual Property and/or Reproductions. iv. Further information on the conditions under which disclosure, publication and commercialisation of this thesis, the Copyright and any Intellectual Property and/or Reproductions described in it may take place is available in the University 4 IP Policy (see http://documents.manchester.ac.uk/DocInfo.aspx?DocID=47), in any relevant Thesis restriction declarations deposited in the University Library’s regulations (see http://www.manchester.ac.uk/library/aboutus/regulations) and in The University’s policy on Presentation of Theses. 5 DEDICATION To my partner, Mike Pacey, whose love, support and patience made it possible for me to complete this work. ACKNOWLEDGMENT I would like to thanks the following for their support through my studies for this PhD submission: My supervisor, Dr. David Butler for his guidance and support throughout the working process The University of Manchester for providing me with teaching experience, which helped fund the research process Edge Hill University for also providing me with regular, continuous teaching throughout the whole period of research and writing The BBC Written Archives Centre at Caversham, for their help and support in accessing the Quatermass files during my research The BFI Library, for their help and support locating essential primary sources during my research 6 Introduction Picture a scene as told by David Pirie (1973, revised 2008) in his groundbreaking study on English Gothic cinema, A Heritage of Horror. A young couple, somewhere in the south of England, possibly the Home Counties, are frolicking in the fields and embracing on a nearby haystack. This simpering and bloodless scene, as Pirie puts it, is rudely interrupted by sonic and kinetic chaos caused by the abrupt descent of an unidentified rocket from the sky, with the couple dashing for cover as the rocket crashes into the earth. The whole scene combines a rural, “bucolic” moment with the intervention of the technological; the shock of the new, indeed. This is, of course, the opening sequence of The Quatermass Experiment (Val Guest, 1955), adapted by Hammer from the highly successful BBC television series The Quatermass Experiment (1953). For Pirie, ‘the beginning of a quiet cinematic revolution’ comes from this fairly humble beginning (1973: 28). But, why is it so resonant; what is significant about Quatermass and where might a discussion of it sit within present discourses? One reason might be that it is, as Pirie suggests, ‘possibly the earliest film to be adapted from television’, the new mass medium (ibid). Pirie’s remark here suggests that The Quatermass Experiment, along with the second film Hammer produced adapted from a BBC original of the same name, Quatermass II (Val Guest, 1957), pioneered the industrial practice of adaptation from television to film. Another significant aspect to The Quatermass Experiment was the fact that, according to Pirie and other writers such as Adam Jezard (1995) and Jonathan Rigby (2000), the success of the film began the cycle of Gothic horror films by which Hammer is probably best known (ibid). Pirie states that the impact of Quatermass on the production of horror cinema was immediate. Hammer, the production company for all 7 three Quatermass films was suffering at the box office during the period prior to production of The Quatermass Experiment. At their ‘lowest ebb’ (Pirie, 1973: 28) in 1955, Hammer was in weak financial condition due to poor box office returns and a mediocre production and reception could have been disastrous for the company. While some later critical voices have concurred with Pirie’s view, such as Howard Maxford in Film Review (2004: 64), others, such as Mike Murphy, suggest that the importance of The Quatermass Experiment in changing the fortunes of Hammer has been overstated by critics (1994: 21). Despite the apparent difference of opinion here, Murphy does concede that the film marked the beginning of a new cycle of production for Hammer (ibid). The impact of the film in terms of production, then, suggests it and the other Quatermass films are worthy of critical consideration. Yet despite the significance of the films, there has been sparse scholarly attention paid to The Quatermass Experiment, Quatermass II and Quatermass and the Pit (Roy Ward Baker, 1968). Hammer was ultimately redeemed by the unprecedented financial success of The Quatermass Experiment, which broke box office records in both Britain and the U.S.A. (Pirie, 1973: 28). Clearly realising the potential of the commercial impact of the film, Hammer overturned their 1956 production schedule in order to concentrate on horror production, thus beginning an association with the genre with which they have become subsequently synonymous. Indeed, The Quatermass Experiment provided Hammer with their first major box office hit and is regarded by critics as a forerunner of the following Gothic cycle. This indicates a film of some significance to British cinema culture in and beyond the 1950s (Hutchings, 1999: 36). The original BBC television series, written by Nigel Kneale and directed by Rudolph Cartier on which all three films were based (The Quatermass Experiment [1953], Quatermass II [1955] and Quatermass and the Pit 8 [1958-9]) were similarly significant in that they were enormously popular with British television audiences (Maxford, 2004: 65). The Quatermass phenomenon, then, needs to be appreciated as a cultural text of some importance, and while the focus of this study is the cinematic adaptations, both the films and the television versions are addressed due to their shared narratives and thematic concerns, as well as their differences where the films depart from the originals and what these differences might reveal about the intentions of the filmmakers in terms of prospective audiences and spectatorship. One of the central arguments in this study is that the concept of hybridity is crucial to understanding the distinctiveness, impact and significance of the Quatermass films.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Film Club Sky 328 Newsletter Freesat 306 FEB/MAR 2021 Virgin 445
    Freeview 81 Film Club Sky 328 newsletter Freesat 306 FEB/MAR 2021 Virgin 445 You can always call us V 0808 178 8212 Or 01923 290555 Dear Supporters of Film and TV History, It’s been really heart-warming to read all your lovely letters and emails of support about what Talking Pictures TV has meant to you during lockdown, it means so very much to us here in the projectionist’s box, thank you. So nice to feel we have helped so many of you in some small way. Spring is on the horizon, thank goodness, and hopefully better times ahead for us all! This month we are delighted to release the charming filmThe Angel Who Pawned Her Harp, the perfect tonic, starring Felix Aylmer & Diane Cilento, beautifully restored, with optional subtitles plus London locations in and around Islington such as Upper Street, Liverpool Road and the Regent’s Canal. We also have music from The Shadows, dearly missed Peter Vaughan’s brilliant book; the John Betjeman Collection for lovers of English architecture, a special DVD sale from our friends at Strawberry, British Pathé’s 1950 A Year to Remember, a special price on our box set of Together and the crossword is back! Also a brilliant book and CD set for fans of Skiffle and – (drum roll) – The Talking Pictures TV Limited Edition Baseball Cap is finally here – hand made in England! And much, much more. Talking Pictures TV continues to bring you brilliant premieres including our new Saturday Morning Pictures, 9am to 12 midday every Saturday. Other films to look forward to this month include Theirs is the Glory, 21 Days with Vivien Leigh & Laurence Olivier, Anthony Asquith’s Fanny By Gaslight, The Spanish Gardener with Dirk Bogarde, Nijinsky with Alan Bates, Woman Hater with Stewart Granger and Edwige Feuillère,Traveller’s Joy with Googie Withers, The Colour of Money with Paul Newman and Tom Cruise and Dangerous Davies, The Last Detective with Bernard Cribbins.
    [Show full text]
  • Master Class with George R.R. Martin: Selected Filmography 1 The
    Master Class with George R.R. Martin: Selected Filmography The Higher Learning staff curate digital resource packages to complement and offer further context to the topics and themes discussed during the various Higher Learning events held at TIFF Bell Lightbox. These filmographies, bibliographies, and additional resources include works directly related to guest speakers’ work and careers, and provide additional inspirations and topics to consider; these materials are meant to serve as a jumping-off point for further research. Please refer to the event video to see how topics and themes relate to the Higher Learning event. Films and Television Series mentioned or discussed during the master class Game of Thrones (2011-2013). 2 seasons, 20 episodes. Creators: David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, U.S.A. Airs on HBO. Production Co.: HBO / Television 360 / Grok! Studio / Generator Entertainment / Bighead Littlehead / Embassy Films. The Twilight Zone (1959-1964). 5 seasons, 156 episodes. Creator: Rod Sterling, U.S.A. Originally aired on CBS. Production Co.: Cayuga Productions / CBS. Captain Video and His Video Rangers (1949-1955). 7 seasons, number of episodes unknown. Creator: James Caddiga, U.S.A. Originally aired on DuMont Television Network. Production Co.: DuMont Television Network. Rocky Jones, Space Ranger (1954). 2 seasons, 39 episodes. Creator: Roland D. Reed, U.S.A. Originally aired on DuMont Television Network. Production Co.: Roland Reed Productions / Space Ranger Enterprises. Tom Corbett, Space Cadet (1950-1955). 4 seasons, number of episodes unknown. Creator: unknown, U.S.A. Originally aired on CBS (1950), ABC (1951-1952), DuMont Television Network (1953-1954), and NBC (1954-1955).
    [Show full text]
  • BEHP 0719 T RENÉE GLYNNE Transcript British Entertainment History Project – Interview No
    BEHP 0719 T RENÉE GLYNNE Transcript British Entertainment History Project – Interview No. 719 26th January 2018 INTERVIEWEE – RENÉE ALMA GLYNNE INTERVIEWER – DARROL BLAKE Transcriber – Linda Hall-Shaw DARROL BLAKE: So, can you tell me your name and where you were born and when. RENÉE GLYNNE: I am Renée Alma Glynne, nee Renée Galler. I was born in Hackney in 1926 which was the year of The General Strike, of very nice parents, whose parents were living in Russia at the time of the pogroms and left in, say, 1890, something like that. Went from there, accidentally, to New York – I think they were meant to come here. They stayed in New York and then they did come to London and respectively had my parents. So sometimes I think I am Russian, but I grew up absolutely being an English child with no foreign languages around me or anything foreign. (TIME 01.09) DARROL BLAKE: And where was that? RENÉE GLYNNE: It began … I was born in Hackney overlooking Victoria Park. Very beautiful. Went down the drain later and is now up the drain. DARROL BLAKE: Did you have any ambitions when you were a young girl? Did you always want to go into the film business? RENÉE GLYNNE: Entertainment business, behind stage. I really wanted to be, probably, in the wardrobe of theatre or an ASM [Assistant Stage Manager]. And I knew that it was going to be theatre and I hadn’t really … I went to cinemas and saw films, but I never yearned to do movies. DARROL BLAKE: Was that in your family at all? (TIME 02.00) RENÉE GLYNNE: My two uncles were in very well-known bands.
    [Show full text]
  • After Fantastika Programme
    #afterfantastika Visit: www.fantastikajournal.com After Fantastika July 6/7th, Lancaster University, UK Schedule Friday 6th 8.45 – 9.30 Registration (Management School Lecture Theatre 11/12) 9.30 – 10.50 Panels 1A & 1B 11.00 – 12.20 Panels 2A, 2B & 2C 12.30 – 1.30 Lunch 1.30 – 2.45 Keynote – Caroline Edwards 3.00 – 4.20 Panels 3A & 3B 4.30 – 6.00 Panels 4A & 4B Saturday 7th 10.30 – 12.00 Panels 5A & 5B 12.00 – 1.00 Lunch 1.00 – 2.15 Keynote – Andrew Tate 2.30 – 3.45 Panels 6A, 6B & 6C 4.00 – 5.00 Roundtable 5.00 Closing Remarks Acknowledgements Thank you to everyone who has helped contribute to either the journal or conference since they began, we massively appreciate your continued support and enthusiasm. We would especially like to thank the Department of English and Creative Writing for their backing – in particular Andrew Tate, Brian Baker, Catherine Spooner and Sara Wasson for their assistance in promoting and supporting these events. A huge thank you to all of our volunteers, chairs, and helpers without which these conferences would not be able to run as smoothly as they always have. Lastly, the biggest thanks of all must go to Chuckie Palmer-Patel who, although sadly not attending the conference in-person, has undoubtedly been an integral part of bringing together such a vibrant and engaging community – while we are all very sad that she cannot be here physically, you can catch her digital presence in panel 6B – technology willing! Thank you Kerry Dodd and Chuckie Palmer-Patel Conference Organisers #afterfantastika Visit: www.fantastikajournal.com
    [Show full text]
  • Film Club Sky 328 Newsletter Freesat 306 MAY/JUNE 2020 Virgin 445
    Freeview 81 Film Club Sky 328 newsletter Freesat 306 MAY/JUNE 2020 Virgin 445 Dear Supporters of Film and TV History, Hoping as usual that you are all safe and well in these troubled times. Our cinema doors are still well and truly open, I’m pleased to say, the channel has been transmitting 24 hours a day 7 days a week on air with a number of premières for you all and orders have been posted out to you all every day as normal. It’s looking like a difficult few months ahead with lack of advertising on the channel, as you all know it’s the adverts that help us pay for the channel to be transmitted to you all for free and without them it’s very difficult. But we are confident we can get over the next few months. All we ask is that you keep on spreading the word about the channel in any way you can. Our audiences are strong with 4 million viewers per week , but it’s spreading the word that’s going to help us get over this. Can you believe it Talking Pictures TV is FIVE Years Old later this month?! There’s some very interesting selections in this months newsletter. Firstly, a terrific deal on The Humphrey Jennings Collections – one of Britain’s greatest filmmakers. I know lots of you have enjoyed the shorts from the Imperial War Museum archive that we have brought to Talking Pictures and a selection of these can be found on these DVD collections.
    [Show full text]
  • Of Treason, God and Testicles
    Of Treason, God and Testicles Of Treason, God and Testicles Political Masculinities in British and American Films of the Early Cold War By Kathleen Starck Of Treason, God and Testicles: Political Masculinities in British and American Films of the Early Cold War By Kathleen Starck This book first published 2016 Cambridge Scholars Publishing Lady Stephenson Library, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE6 2PA, UK British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library Copyright © 2016 by Kathleen Starck All rights for this book reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the copyright owner. ISBN (10): 1-4438-8918-0 ISBN (13): 978-1-4438-8918-6 For Gregor and Kalle—my two favourite men TABLE OF CONTENTS Acknowledgements .................................................................................... ix Chapter One ................................................................................................. 1 Introduction Chapter Two ................................................................................................ 5 Between Freedom and Totalitarianism: British and American Cinema and the Early Cold War British or American? .............................................................................. 5 Cold War Allies ....................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Shail, Robert, British Film Directors
    BRITISH FILM DIRECTORS INTERNATIONAL FILM DIRECTOrs Series Editor: Robert Shail This series of reference guides covers the key film directors of a particular nation or continent. Each volume introduces the work of 100 contemporary and historically important figures, with entries arranged in alphabetical order as an A–Z. The Introduction to each volume sets out the existing context in relation to the study of the national cinema in question, and the place of the film director within the given production/cultural context. Each entry includes both a select bibliography and a complete filmography, and an index of film titles is provided for easy cross-referencing. BRITISH FILM DIRECTORS A CRITI Robert Shail British national cinema has produced an exceptional track record of innovative, ca creative and internationally recognised filmmakers, amongst them Alfred Hitchcock, Michael Powell and David Lean. This tradition continues today with L GUIDE the work of directors as diverse as Neil Jordan, Stephen Frears, Mike Leigh and Ken Loach. This concise, authoritative volume analyses critically the work of 100 British directors, from the innovators of the silent period to contemporary auteurs. An introduction places the individual entries in context and examines the role and status of the director within British film production. Balancing academic rigour ROBE with accessibility, British Film Directors provides an indispensable reference source for film students at all levels, as well as for the general cinema enthusiast. R Key Features T SHAIL • A complete list of each director’s British feature films • Suggested further reading on each filmmaker • A comprehensive career overview, including biographical information and an assessment of the director’s current critical standing Robert Shail is a Lecturer in Film Studies at the University of Wales Lampeter.
    [Show full text]
  • Book Reviews.5
    Page 58 BOOK REVIEWS “Satan, Thou Art Outdone!” The Pan Book of Horror Stories , Herbert van Thal (ed.), with a new foreword by Johnny Mains (London: Pan Books, 2010) What does it take to truly horrify? What particular qualities do readers look for when they choose a book of horror tales over a book of ghost stories, supernatural thrillers or gothic mysteries? What distinguishes a really horrific story from a tale with the power simply to scare or disturb in a world where one person’s fears and phobias are another person’s ideas of fun? These were questions that the legendary editor Herbert van Thal and publisher Clarence Paget confronted when, in 1957, they began conspiring to put together their first ever collection of horror stories. The result of their shadowy labours, The Pan Book of Horror Stories , was an immediate success and became the premiere volume in a series of collections which were published annually and which appeared, almost without interruption, for the next thirty years. During its lifetime, The Pan Book of Horror Stories became a literary institution as each year, van Thal and Paget did their best to assemble an even more sensational selection of horrifying tales. Many of the most celebrated names in contemporary horror, including Richard Matheson, Robert Bloch and Stephen King, made early appearances between the covers of these anthologies and the cycle proved massively influential on successive waves of horror writers, filmmakers and aficionados. All the same, there are generations of horror fans who have never known the peculiar, queasy pleasure of opening up one of these collections late at night and savouring the creepy imaginings that lie within.
    [Show full text]
  • Bryan Kneale Bryan Kneale Ra
    BRYAN KNEALE BRYAN KNEALE RA Foreword by Brian Catling and essays by Andrew Lambirth, Jon Wood and Judith LeGrove PANGOLIN LONDON CONTENTS FOREWORD Another Brimful of Grace by Brian Catling 7 CHAPTER 1 The Opening Years by Andrew Lambirth 23 CHAPTER 2 First published in 2018 by Pangolin London Pangolin London, 90 York Way, London N1 9AG Productive Tensions by Jon Wood 55 E: [email protected] www.pangolinlondon.com ISBN 978-0-9956213-8-1 CHAPTER 3 All rights reserved. Except for the purpose of review, no part of this book may be reproduced, sorted in a Seeing Anew by Judith LeGrove 87 retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior permission of the publishers. Pangolin London © All rights reserved Set in Gill Sans Light BIOGRAPHY 130 Designed by Pangolin London Printed in the UK by Healeys Printers INDEX 134 (ABOVE) ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 136 Bryan Kneale, c.1950s (INSIDE COVER) Bryan Kneale with Catalyst Catalyst 1964, Steel Unique Height: 215 cm 4 5 FOREWORD ANOTHER BRIMFUL OF GRACE “BOAYL NAGH VEL AGGLE CHA VEL GRAYSE” BY BRIAN CATLING Since the first draft of this enthusiasm for Bryan’s that is as telling as a storm and as monumental as work, which I had the privilege to write a couple a runic glyph. And makes yet another lens to look of years ago, a whole new wealth of paintings back on a lifetime of distinctively original work. have been made, and it is in their illumination that Notwithstanding, it would be irreverent I keep some of the core material about the life to discuss these works without acknowledging of Bryan Kneale’s extraordinary talent.
    [Show full text]
  • Unseen Horrors: the Unmade Films of Hammer
    Unseen Horrors: The Unmade Films of Hammer Thesis submitted by Kieran Foster In partial fulfilment of the requirements for the award of Doctor of Philosophy De Montfort University, March 2019 Abstract This doctoral thesis is an industrial study of Hammer Film Productions, focusing specifically on the period of 1955-2000, and foregrounding the company’s unmade projects as primary case studies throughout. It represents a significant academic intervention by being the first sustained industry study to primarily utilise unmade projects. The study uses these projects to examine the evolving production strategies of Hammer throughout this period, and to demonstrate the methodological benefits of utilising unmade case studies in production histories. Chapter 1 introduces the study, and sets out the scope, context and structure of the work. Chapter 2 reviews the relevant literature, considering unmade films relation to studies in adaptation, screenwriting, directing and producing, as well as existing works on Hammer Films. Chapter 3 begins the chronological study of Hammer, with the company attempting to capitalise on recent successes in the mid-1950s with three ambitious projects that ultimately failed to make it into production – Milton Subotsky’s Frankenstein, the would-be television series Tales of Frankenstein and Richard Matheson’s The Night Creatures. Chapter 4 examines Hammer’s attempt to revitalise one of its most reliable franchises – Dracula, in response to declining American interest in the company. Notably, with a project entitled Kali Devil Bride of Dracula. Chapter 5 examines the unmade project Nessie, and how it demonstrates Hammer’s shift in production strategy in the late 1970s, as it moved away from a reliance on American finance and towards a more internationalised, piece-meal approach to funding.
    [Show full text]
  • Univerzita Palackého V Olomouci Filozofická Fakulta Katedra Anglistiky a Amerikanistiky Hana Zámečníčková the Metamorphos
    Univerzita Palackého v Olomouci Filozofická fakulta Katedra anglistiky a amerikanistiky Hana Zámečníčková The Metamorphosis of the Character of Count Dracula during the Century Bakalářská práce Studijní obor: anglická filologie Vedoucí práce: PhDr. Libor Práger, Ph.D Olomouc 2013 Prohlašuji, že jsem tuto bakalářskou práci vypracovala samostatně a uvedla úplný seznam citované a použité literatury. V Olomouci dne ............................. .................................. Table of contents: 1 Introduction.......................................................................................................................1 1.1 Dracula as a subject of study.................................................................................2 2 Dracula in the novel..........................................................................................................6 2.1 The visual appearance of Count Dracula...............................................................6 2.2 Dracula's Personality.............................................................................................7 2.3 Dracula as a supernatural being.............................................................................8 2.4 Dracula as a metaphor..........................................................................................11 3 Dracula emerges on screen.............................................................................................15 3.1 Dracula in the 1920s............................................................................................15
    [Show full text]
  • Reflected Shadows: Folklore and the Gothic ABSTRACTS
    Reflected Shadows: Folklore and the Gothic ABSTRACTS Dr Gail-Nina Anderson (Independent Scholar) [email protected] Dracula’s Cape: Visual Synecdoche and the Culture of Costume. In 1939 Robert Bloch wrote a story called ‘The Cloak’ which took to its extreme a fashion statement already well established in popular culture – vampires wear cloaks. This illustrated paper explores the development of this motif, which, far from having roots in the original vampire lore of Eastern Europe, demonstrates a complex combination of assumptions about vampires that has been created and fed by the fictional representations in literature and film.While the motif relates most immediately to perceptions of class, demonic identity and the supernatural, it also functions within the pattern of nostalgic reference that defines the vampire in modern folklore and popular culture. The cloak belongs to that Gothic hot-spot, the 1890s, but also to Bela Lugosi, to modern Goth culture and to that contemporary paradigm of ready-fit monsters, the Halloween costume shop, taking it, and its vampiric associations, from aristocratic attire to disposable disguise. Biography: Dr Gail-Nina Anderson is a freelance lecturer who runs daytime courses aimed at enquiring adult audiences and delivers a programme of public talks for Newcastle’s Literary and Philosophical Library. She is also a regular speaker at the Folklore Society ‘Legends’ weekends, and in 2013 delivered the annual Katharine Briggs Lecture at the Warburg Institute, on the topic of Fine Art and Folklore. She specialises in the myth-making elements of the Pre-Raphaelite movement and the development of Gothic motifs in popular culture.
    [Show full text]