Breaking news! The long-lost 1916 film starring William Gillette as Sherlock Holmes has been found and will be restored! Here's the full scoop. Now back to our previously scheduled Halloween countdown...
Is it me, or is there something particularly creepy about vintage photos of people of the past in Halloween costume?
I highly recommend the book Haunted Air: Anonymous Halloween Photos from c.1875-1955 by Ossian Brown, which collects some of the best of these disturbing-yet-compelling pictures. (As I recall, this work first appeared on my radar thanks to suggestions from some of you! So thank you!) You can see a gallery of photos and quotes from the book here at BoingBoing.
"All the clocks had stopped. A void out of time. And here they are - looking out and holding themselves still - holding still at that point where two worlds join - the familiar - and the other."
— David Lynch, Introduction, Haunted Air
"These are pictures of the dead: family portraits, mementoes of the treasured, the held-dear-in-heart, now unrecognisable, other."
— Geoff Cox, Afterword, Haunted Air
Is it me, or is there something particularly creepy about vintage photos of people of the past in Halloween costume?
I highly recommend the book Haunted Air: Anonymous Halloween Photos from c.1875-1955 by Ossian Brown, which collects some of the best of these disturbing-yet-compelling pictures. (As I recall, this work first appeared on my radar thanks to suggestions from some of you! So thank you!) You can see a gallery of photos and quotes from the book here at BoingBoing.
"All the clocks had stopped. A void out of time. And here they are - looking out and holding themselves still - holding still at that point where two worlds join - the familiar - and the other."
— David Lynch, Introduction, Haunted Air
"These are pictures of the dead: family portraits, mementoes of the treasured, the held-dear-in-heart, now unrecognisable, other."
— Geoff Cox, Afterword, Haunted Air
- Current Music:"Halloween," Dropkick Murphys
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Comments
Edited at 2014-10-02 11:35 am (UTC)
My favorite is a witch I once knew whose make-up was a sight to behold :)
I'm sure I have no idea what you're talking about. No, none at all. *makes shifty eyes and stifles a cackle*
By the way, have I recommended Oculus to you? It's a new horror movie, and we really liked it. It's available streaming, and it stars Katee Sakhoff from Longmire.
Edited at 2014-10-02 02:59 pm (UTC)
Edited at 2014-10-03 12:15 pm (UTC)
Nope, it's not just you at all. There is something extra creepy about older photos with folk in Halloween costume.
*shivers with you*
Edited at 2014-10-02 03:02 pm (UTC)
Well played, you. Well played.
Edited at 2014-10-02 03:03 pm (UTC)
Edited at 2014-10-03 12:34 pm (UTC)
Edited at 2014-10-03 12:35 pm (UTC)
Another Kickstarter worth supporting is Kronocalypse. It's a time-travel mash-up RPG setting where cavemen, wizards, sky pirates, and cyborgs unite to save time itself. It's less than twenty-four hours until it ends and still has a few hundred bucks to go.
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/matthewjhanson/kronocalypse-savage-worlds-time-travel
Thanks so much for sharing the news on Kronocalypse, too. I'm glad to see it made its goal!
Edited at 2014-10-03 08:48 pm (UTC)
Edited at 2014-10-03 10:18 am (UTC)
Personally, I would recommend the TV series with Jeremy Brett as Holmes. With the exception of the episodes written by T.R. Bowen, they are among the most faithful adaptations.
Edited at 2014-10-03 04:45 pm (UTC)
I'm super excited about this lost film being found, because William Gillette was the actor best known for playing Sherlock while Arthur Conan Doyle was still alive (and, in fact, they corresponded). His performance helped shape public perceptions of the character for all time. It's a bit of history I can't wait to see. :)
BTW, the Holmesian film that most influenced the creators of Sherlock is The Secret Life of Sherlock Holmes, which is well worth watching.
Edited at 2014-10-03 08:53 pm (UTC)