DANDY GRIFFITH
I was surprised and pleased to see the article on Charles B. Griffith [VW 141:14]. Before I read it, I was a little apprehensive that it might be a standard “and then he wrote...” piece, a list of Griffith’s films with a few quotes from the dialogue. Instead, it turned out to be a warm and in- tensely personal reminiscence of this guy who was so impor- tant in the establishing of Roger Corman’s reputation. Much bet- ter and more useful than what I was expecting.
One small correction: in ATTACK OF THE CRAB MON- STERS, the mind-devouring crabs don’t have “the ability to make portions of their island stronghold appear and disappear at will.” They blow up portions of the island (offscreen) using dynamite taken from the equip- ment of the people trapped on the island with the crabs. I can see why Justin Humphreys might make this mistake: thrifty Corman couldn’t show us actual explosions; his slim budget prevented it.
Bill Warren Los Angeles CA
OUR PLEASURE
The review of Peter Delpeut’s DIVA DOLOROSA [VW 141:5] was a revelation. I had never heard of this fascinating work of experimental cinema and I immediately ordered the disc. I would like to take a shot at explaining one point from the review. While horror cinema took decades to develop in Italy, there may be a reason why these early silent films resonate with our viewings of that later genre. Turin, where most of the films used by Delpeut were made, was the home of the early Italian cin- ema. During that time it was also
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Other epistolary moments from HOUDINI, GRAVE ROBBERS, VACATION OF TERROR and THE MAN WHO COULD CHEAT DEATH.
French Symbolism (a movement whose heroes were the infamous Edgar Allan Poe and the scan- dalous Charles Baudelaire). These Italian poets were known to write poesia crepuscolare, which, translated literally, means “twilight poetry.” They reveled in morbid themes; the very same Nino Oxilia mentioned in your review concluded a poem with the memorable line: “Let me drink the smoking lava!” Like Romero’s greater Pitts- burgh of the 70’s, there is a rea- son why Dario Argento was drawn to shoot many of his fin- est horror films in Turin: it is dif- ficult to walk its long boulevards, dim arcades, and cobbled alleys without remembering that it was there, after all, that Friedrich Nietzsche finally lost his mind. What I want to say is this: your review reminded me that I read VW because it dedicates time and care to reviewing films that might otherwise be lost, ignored or both. In a sense, VW is a literary compliment to Delpeut’s recovery of those silent gems. Thank you for drawing my attention to it. Henry Veggian Chapel Hill NY
THERE’S GOOD, AND THEN THERE’S EVA
I always enjoy Kim Newman’s WATCHDOG stuff, but I couldn’t let the Wodehousian dryness of “Eva von Slut (possibly a stage name)” pass without congratulat- ing him on its splendor. Made me laugh out loud, mate.
Peter Atkins Los Angeles CA
a very French city (it still is) and much of its culture of the pe- riod—and in particular many of its great poets—were influenced by the decadent themes of
Kim has been contributing to VW voluminously and heroically of late, and it’s my pleasure to see his efforts recognized with three out of five letters this month!
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