No, not just for the number of emails in my inbox (although that is horrifyingly substantial!) but because I begin the summer intensive course on horror film. First feature today: "Bride of Frankenstein"! Isn't this a lovely photo of Lanchester?! Along with a lot of the Universals I'll have a few other things to show the early era, but with only twelve class periods altogether to convey the whole of horror film history, there are going to be holes. Massive holes! There it is.
More later -- Kalamazoo wrap-up, upcoming events, but at present haste precludes verbosity!
17 comments:
Oh! This sounds like an interesting class... Hope you share more about it.
Keeping fingers crossed, but next year I'm hoping to be able to run a module on cult & exploitation cinema. Think my little darlings are ready for the Director's Cut of Pink Flamingos?
The class sounds really cool. Hope your busy schedule doesn't make you feel too snowed.
Elizabeth
http://mysterywritingismurder.blogspot.com/
Thanks for the votes of confidence, everyone! Yes, Mikel -- I think you should assume they are ready for the director's cut and the full-on filth!
Yes, my schedule is madness, self-inflicted. Three weeks of horror, a reading on the 30th and departure June 1 for a month in Britain. But after today, it should be more relaxed. I had planned to get some things done while at the conference over the weekend and did NOTHING! Well, did see friends and papers and went to meetings, but no writing.
Sounds like a fun and fascinating class!!
Elle Parker
http://elleparkerbooks.blogspot.com/
Sounds like and intensive but fun class. Is your next book going to be in that genre?
Jane Kennedy Sutton
http://janekennedysutton.blogspot.com/
Wow, you really are taking on a lot all at once. Hope you manage to juggle all these balls and do well with all of them.
The class sounds interesting, but yes, lots huge holes. Still, if the classes are well organized, then you can cover a lot of territory in a dozen or so classes.
alan chin
writer, Island Song
http:alanchinwriter.blogspot.com
Don't forget The Turn of the Screw. Slow, steady, and methodical, it plods towards the horrible end.
I may be out of cellphone contact for the next 12 days. I will respond to posts as I am able.
Great pic from a classic horror film. That is a lot to cover in short time - have fun! Hope to read more posts about it!
NA Sharpe
http://nasharpe.blogspot.com
Gotta love the hair on Ms. Lanchester!
Re: Frankenstein film--I used to be a Tour Guide at Universal Studios (I gave the tour in German) and we had tons of material to learn as part of our talk during the tour (I had to translate it into German).
I mention this because your horror film class reminded me of my Frankenstein info:
1) the studio was so afraid of anyone seeing Boris Karloff in his Frankenstein makeup, they made him wear a paper bag on his head when he wasn't on the set;
2) they had ambulances stationed outside the theatre for the movie preview because they were afraid of women fainting, etc.
Looking forward to hearing more about your class.
Jina
http://tinyurl.com/BerlinSexDiary
I totally freak out with horror, both films and books. Just one genre I can't write.
In Quest of Theta Magic
It will be an intensive three weeks! We ran through early films rather quickly, but I will be sacrificing much along the way.
Jina, those are great stories. I showed the students the "warning" at the start of Frankenstein before we watched Bride and explained how much effect this film had in 1931.
Of course we had to watch a few clips from Young Frankenstein just to see how faithfully they adapted the movies.
Oh, and Jane -- I do write a lot of horror, in fact my first published story was horror and won the Clive Barker Lord of Illusions short story contest. Clive chose it himself and wrote me a very beautiful and encouraging letter that I treasure.
I would have LOVED to take this class back in my student days. Heck, I could have supplied at least a half dozen horror movie books. :-)
Wow. and you're also gonna write, blog, promote, and run your daily life as well? Makes me dizxing thinking about it.
Galen
http://www.galenkindley.com
I've found I can watch the older horror films, but not newer ones. The same with books. Are you a fan of the written genre?
Patricia
http://patriciastoltey.com
Patricia, yes I am a fan of the lit, from early Gothics to modern creepers. Among my favourite authors: Clive Barker, Ramsey Campbell, Shirley Jackson, Storm Constantine, MR James, Wilkie Collins (and many more).
Dana, would love to have a student like you!
Galen, I always seem to live in a mad whirl -- until I'm on vacation and then I'm lazy as the day is long.
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