Ghosts, Ghoulies And (Of Course) Pandas
It turns out that Britain really is in the grip of a UFO invasion. At least, it is according to the Torygraph (via Warren Ellis). Now, I’m pretty sure the (ahem) “quality” daily isn’t owned by Murdock. Or, for that matter, Marvel. And they’re usually pretty hostile towards the BBC. So we can rule out advertising stunts for the X-Files, Secret Invasion and Doctor Who, respectively. Strange shit is indeed afoot (or aflight), although I haven’t heard of much in the way of abductions, implantations or probings. At least, no more than usual for Cardiff on a Saturday night.
The rest of the papers are getting in on the action, too. The Guardian recently featured a ghost-busting weekend in Ludlow (Ludlow?) as a recommended activity holiday. The Indie’s ran an article on ten scary tales from folklore, and if we hop back to the Telegraph for a sec, we’ve got Civil War ghosts showing up on camera.
Man, I could eat this stuff up with a spoon. I should turn the Journal into a Paranormablog.
The Independent article is particularly interesting to me because it’s written by Jennifer Westwood and Jacqueline Simpson, who authored the absolutely indispensable book The Lore of the Land, one of the most comprehensive volumes of English folklore I’ve ever seen. It was recommended by Neil Gaiman on his site a couple of years ago, and it’s one of the best suggestions I’ve ever got from the internet. Yes, even better than instructions on how to use Mentos to blow up Diet Coke. The article includes extracts from The Penguin Book Of Ghosts, so you can bet that just jumped to the top of the buy list. Sorry, hardback collection of The Rise And Fall Of The Shi’Ar Empire.
One of my major ambitions has been to contribute to a great work of reference (stop giggling at the back, I’m being serious. You all know this site is an official nerd-haven). I’d love to tackle a book like the one above that dealt with Welsh folklore. Even though the whole lack of focus and short attention span thing may well get in the way.
The Haunting Breaks mentioned in the Guardian sound pretty cool too. Long term readers may recall a trip to Edinburgh I mentioned here last year. We actually went on one of the Edinburgh ghost tours, into one of the vaults beneath the streets. It was pretty effing scary, even for people not as easily terrified as I am.
The only problem with the tour was the vague worry that an actor would jump out on the tour group for a cheap scare. It didn’t happen, which I was glad for, because you don’t pay your money for a ghost train, you want to get creeped out by spooky stories, stone circles and dark rooms. The whole point of going is for the chance of maybe seeing a real ghost, and cheap tricks would have really soured the experience. Then I found out not long ago from a mate who lives in Edinburgh that some of the tours do have “jumpers” on them, which is seriously disappointing.
Returning to the Telegraph one more time, Archaeologists are planning on opening a long-sealed chamber beneath a Mexican pyramid. I don’t know about anyone else, but with all the weird shit above, is this a fantastic idea? I mean, I’m jumpy enough about the Large Hadron Collider as it is, but after watching The Mist, I’m somewhat concerned about the consequences of anything that may lead to tentacled insectile monstrocities roaming over the planet.
In other, lighter news, and as a palate cleanser to the end of the world as we know it, I caught Kung Fu Panda the other day. Damn, it’s a great film, way better than any of the Shreks or the Cars or the Monster Houses we’ve been plagued with recently. It may well be my favouritest CGI cartoon ever, although that may change as soon as this Friday, what with Wall-E’s arrival on these shores. And impressive CGI aside, I’d actually have rather seen the entire film done in the stylised animation form that the initial dream sequence was made with. The best thing about the movie, and I know it’s been said by many people before but it bears repeating, is that it’s a genuinely great action film, as well as being hilarious. Seriously, the bad guy’s escape from prison was absolutely riveting. Speaking of which- Lovejoy as the voice of an evil snow leopard? Who saw that one coming?
on July 18th, 2008 at 2:33 pm
Ludlow is a scary place already; now it has ghosts?!
Aiiieeeee!!!!
And you’re right about Lovejoy. The way Ian McShane has got himself a respectable post-Lovejoy career is nothing short of miraculous. Maybe Nick Berry can end his post Sunday Prime-Time Star Doldrums by starring in The Wire, or something.
on July 18th, 2008 at 2:59 pm
It’s enough of a brain-disconnect watching the English vampire hunter from long-forgotten vampire series Ultraviolet play a drug-dealing Baltimore native in The Wire as it is. I don’t think I could cope with PC Nick Rowan transferring in to deal with American ne’er-do-wells. And then getting kneecapped.
on July 18th, 2008 at 4:26 pm
Actually, I’d love to watch Nick Berry get kneecapped. Then we’ll see if he really believes in ‘Every Loser Wins’.
I’ve not forgotten about Ultraviolet. That’s the kind of stuff Channel 4 should be making these days instead of their current schedule of crimes against the eyes like Hollyoaks.
on July 31st, 2008 at 11:26 am
“Lovejoy as the voice of an evil snow leopard? Who saw that one coming?”
An evil snow-leopard..! Who saw that coming…? Far too cute
Although, given that a crane/stork seems to have given birth to a panda for that movie, perhaps best to just suspend disbelief. I bet some kiddies were asking awkward questions during family showings…
on August 1st, 2008 at 8:58 am
And as it turns out, snow-leopards are actually scared of mice.
And they never did explain the crane/panda thing did they? Probably for the best.