The Fantastic in Art & Fiction
The Fantastic in Art & Fiction is an online visual library of the fantastic, the marvelous, and the supernatural sponsored by Cornell University’s Institute for Digital Collections. The striking imagery from Cornell’s vast collection of rare books and manuscripts includes hundreds of selections from the medieval period through the early twentieth century.
Bestiary, danse macabre, the grotesque, and freaks, monsters, and prodigies are among the themes explored in the collection. The above woodblock illustration, cataloged under the heading “Angels & Demons,” was digitized from a rare 1926 edition of La Vie Execrable de Guillemette Babin, Sorciere by Maurice Garçon.
Creepy M-Pop Video Made From 16,000 Digital Photos
Yunyu is a young musician who makes “morbid pop,” which I suppose is different from Gothic rock in some way we older folks can’t comprehend. Her music is less morbid and more creepy, as in, she’s the girl you’re afraid is going to be standing across the street staring at you when you open your drapes.
She’s got a video for her piece “Lenore’s Song” which was made using only a Canon EOS 5D digital camera. The results are creepy, but not as creepy as the idea of people taking that many pictures. Obsessive? You be the judge:
Gives you chills, doesn’t it. Her homepage is here, check her out.
Intricate Wood Case Mod
This intricate wood PC case mod was carved by talented Ukrainian woodworker Valery Zhuk. He calls the piece “Virgilius” after Dante’s Virgil.
The first time I saw this case, I was awestruck by the spectacular artistry. I don’t know if Zhuk sells his case mods, but I’m sure I’m not the only one coveting them right now.
View more of his astonishingly beautiful work at ModNews.
via Gizmo Watch
Vincent
I’ve been remiss by not posting this, the pinnacle of Fiendish Delightfulness, earlier. Tim Burton’s 1982 stop motion homage to Vincent Price fandom, which was narrated by the legendary actor himself, is as entertaining today as it was when it was first created and thanks to the YouTube (and the obsessive ‘tubers whose life’s work seems to be uploading every film strip ever created) this classic can be enjoyed by all:
He reminds me of me at that age, with my head full of Hammer Horror and a mother who took me to the local double feature every Saturday where ten year old Vincent Price films were paired with some Christopher Lee movie or another. Halcyon days my friends, halcyon days.
There’s a little Vincent Malloy in all of us though, isn’t there?
Fightin’ Words From Clive Barker to Roth and Zombie
Eli Roth and Rob Zombie are probably curled up in little balls weeping right now (maybe separately, maybe together, I’m not sure), and Clive Barker, the renaissance man of horror, is the reason why. Check out this quote from Barker:
I don’t want horror to become what Eli Roth does and what Rob Zombie does because that would be highly detrimental to the genre.
Read all of this new interview with Clive Barker at Bloody Disgusting.
9 Handmade Gifts for the Zombie Lover
If lately you’ve been wondering what to buy for the zombie aficionado who has everything, here are nine suggestions found on Etsy. Most are under $20:
1. Glow in the dark mummy zombie doll
This dangly-eyed zombie mummy comes gift wrapped in bandages.
2. Zombie cozy
From Sparrow Design Works
It may not be terribly utilitarian with only enough room for a paperback book maybe a cell phone or a pack of cigarettes, but that doesn’t make this zombie cozy any less desirable. I like the artists’ idea of using it as packaging for another gift. It’s just a tad too small to fit my new Asus Eee subnotebook, but I might be tempted into ordering a custom cozy.
3. Zombie girl crochet pattern
From The Ole Attic Chest
Unfortunately, this zombie doll is actually just a PDF crochet pattern, but if you search Etsy every once in a while, you’ll find someone selling the finished product. Or you could take the less fiendishly delightful route and dig out your mom’s old crochet needles …
From Kill Taupe
Every refrigerator needs an oversized zombie bunny.
A zombified take on the classic pinup. 2007 seems to be the year of the zombie pinup - the First Annual Flashback Weekend Zombie Pinups Pageant took place in July, and another one has already been scheduled for next summer.
From Natty Stuffs (who also makes zombie kitties)
This is how Dorothy might have turned out if the house had fallen on her instead of on the Wicked Witch of the East. There’s got to be a Wizard of Oz/Night of the Living Dead mashup out there somewhere - anyone?
7. Zombiepus
From RightBrainThinker
Speaking of mashups, this crocheted octopus doll is sort of zombie meets Cthulhu (if Cthulhu had six stumpy little tentacles.)
8. “In Case of Zombie Bite” t-shirt
From Angry Johnny
In case of fire: stop, drop, and roll. In case of zombie bite: Cut! Cauterize! Contain! Angry Johnny - if you’re listening, make this into a poster-sized print.
9. Zombie plague holiday cards
From Tina Seamonster
If you’re giving the gift of zombie, you’ll need appropriate holiday cards. And nothing captures the holiday spirit like reminding loved ones of the impending zombie plague.