Although the first years of film and its early pioneers present a fascinating and occasionally bizarre history suited to a much longer post, today I thought we’d simply focus on two short and deliciously outlandish movies from the dawn of… Read More ›
History (Haunted and Otherwise)
In a Smile of Peculiar Meaning: Edgar Allan Poe’s “Berenice”
In 1835, the Southern Literary Messenger published a short story so shocking, so graphic and ghastly, that outraged letters poured into the office of editor Thomas W. White. Written by a relatively unknown Edgar Allan Poe, the story, Berenice, tells of Egaeus, a young man of family and… Read More ›
It Is the Hour of Departure: Turn-of-the-Century Ghost Rides
From ancient times, people have seen spirits at play in the flickering of light and shadow. With the advancement of technology during the European Renaissance, scholars leaned to harness these dancing apparitions through the power of projection. By the late 1700’s, enterprising entertainers were creating magic… Read More ›