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Cinematic
Hauntings, edited by Gary J. and Susan Svehla (Midnight Marquee Press;
320 pages; $20.00)
The editors
claim "ghost films have been too often overlooked by film historians and
critics." They intend to fill that gap in "the subtle side of horror"
with this book. And it does, more so than not.
Cinematic
Hauntings contains 16 essays by different writers, each devoted to
one of the following films: Blithe
Spirit, Carnival
of Souls, The
Changeling, Curse
of the Demon, The Haunting, High
Plains Drifter, The
Innocents, Lady
in White, Legend
of Hell House, Nomads, Outward
Bound, Portrait
of Jennie, Scrooge (the 1951 version, later retitled A Christmas Carol), The
Shining, Supernatural,
and The
Uninvited. Because I accept the editors' premise -- the relative
scarcity of text analyzing ghostly horror films -- I question some selections.
If ghosts
are spirits of deceased humans (or animals?) not all these films belong
here. Some are a stretch. Is Carnival
of Souls about a soul trapped between life and death, or a retelling
of "An Occurrence At Owl Creek Bridge?" That can be good, demonstrating
the resilient diversity of horror. But stretch a definition too far
and the word loses meaning. Any way you slice it, Blithe
Spirit is a comedy, and Curse
of the Demon contains no ghosts.
Randy
Palmer, who wrote the essay on the latter, anticipates this objection,
writing: "Initially it may not seem that Curse
of the Demon has a place in a book devoted to a study of cinematic
hauntings, but in fact the film journeys beyond the metaphysical borders
separating the physical and spiritual worlds, and many of its elements
fit neatly into the category." He characterizes the film's shape-shifting
cat, orb of fire, and demon as "ghostly manifestations of evil."
Well,
no. These supernatural manifestations are not ghosts, even if they
do look "ghostly." That said, Palmer's essay provides an excellent
production history of both film and source material (Montague R. James's
story, Casting
the Runes), a detailed plot synopsis, and insightful commentary.
This format
is followed by the other essays -- production and distribution history,
synopsis, commentary -- with varying degrees of emphasis. I'm glad The
Changeling is represented. Although little known, after The
Haunting it's arguably the most effectively atmospheric English-language
ghost film ever made. But instead of the 1951 Scrooge,
I wish Tom Johnson had covered the
1970 version (which he dismisses). In its original release, I
recall Scrooge ending up (temporarily) in Hell. That scene was later
dropped (perhaps because it wasn't in Dickens's version) but I'd like to
have learned its history.
Some entries
need and deserve attention. Curse
of the Demon deserves but does not need. I can understand not
including Ghost (a romantic fantasy), but I wish Curse
of the Demon and Blithe
Spirit had been dropped in favor of Ghost
Story and The
Fog, both fitting candidates.
Caveats
aside, Cinematic
Hauntings is an attractive and informative trade paperback, generously
illustrated with 115 stills, posters, lobby cards, and backstage photos. All entries include crew and cast lists. Two include endnotes. If the subject matter interests you, you'll want this book.
Review copyright by Thomas
M. Sipos
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