Isegoria

In A Sociologist’s Journey into the American Heart of Darkness, Kevin Christopher of the Skeptical Inquirer reviews American Exorcism: Expelling Demons in the Land of Plenty:

Cuneo begins his book with a poignant and timely lamentation of the modern Catholic priesthood: “The past three decades haven’t been particularly kind to the Catholic priesthood. One would be hard-pressed to find another profession that has fallen harder or further from grace in so short a period of time.” He notes the dramatic thinning of the ranks beginning in the 1960s and 70s, the frantic scramble to find relevance in the modern world, and the endless sexual scandals. The image of the Catholic priest, writes Cuneo, “has more often been the priest as pious fraud, the priest as philanderer, the priest as yesterday’s man — equivocating, beleaguered, and thoroughly redundant.”

In one exceptional area, however, the priest remains a cultural hero. “That area,” writes Cuneo, “is exorcism, and it is the priest-as-exorcist that has somehow managed, in defiance of all odds, to retain a heroic grip on the popular American imagination.” Modern Catholic liberals had hoped that exorcism would be relegated to Church history along with the other medieval trappings and customs. What such Catholics never anticipated, according to Cuneo, was the modern media’s role in breathing new life into the ancient rite of exorcism.

In the first four chapters Cuneo deftly sketches out the sundry sources of the exorcism renewal. He begins with the well-know pop Ursprung: William Peter Blatty’s 1971 novel, The Exorcist, and the 1973 film of the same title that it inspired. He characterizes Blatty’s work as massive structure of fantasy resting on a flimsy foundation of a priest’s 1949 diary account of the possession of a young boy in Mount Ranier, Maryland.

I can still remember renting The Exorcist — somehow I’d never seen it — and watching an interview with Blatty where he explained that he wrote The Exorcist as, more or less, a work of pro-Catholic propaganda. I almost spit out my drink. The true horror comes in realizing that it worked.

Geeks may know that Batman’s nemeses ended up in the Arkham Asylum for the Criminally Insane. True geeks know that Arkham Asylum was named after the Arkham Sanitarium in the works of influential horror author, H.P. Lovecraft. Über-geeks know that Arkham Sanitarium was based on the Danvers State Hospital in Danvers, Massachusetts (formerly Salem Village). From Danvers Asylum for the Criminally Insane:

Before long I was pretty nearly a devotee, and would listen for hours like a schoolboy to art theories and philosophic speculations wild enough to qualify him for the Danvers asylum. (“Pickman’s Model”)

I’ve heard personally of more’n one business or government man that’s disappeared there, and there’s loose talk of one who went crazy and is out at Danvers now. (“The Shadow Over Innsmouth”)

The first two NecronomiCons, a convention devoted to the Cthulhu Mythos and H.P. Lovecraft, took place at the Sheraton Tara Resort, about a mile north of the hospital. The eerie, Gothic towers of the hospital can be seen from the hotel. Michael Ramseur has written a lengthy article titled Danvers State Hospital: A Perverted Holy Place? which explores the history of this site.

(Kudos to Kent for out-geeking me with this bit of trivia.)

Dennis Drabelle opens his review of Aldous Huxley: An English Intellectual with the story of Huxley’s death:

Aldous Huxley died while tripping on acid. On Nov. 22, 1963 (the day President Kennedy was assassinated), mortally ill with cancer, unable to speak, he wrote out a request for an injection of LSD, a drug he had taken several times before. His doctor consented. Huxley’s second wife administered the injection and, two hours later, a second one. In keeping with the principles of The Tibetan Book of the Dead, she encouraged him to let go. When it was time, he did.

While reading that MTV is updating Wuthering Heights, I had to ask myself, just what does “wuthering” mean anyway? Merriam-Webster OnLine provides an answer:

Main Entry: wuth·er
Pronunciation: ‘w&-[th]&r
Function: intransitive verb
Etymology: alteration of whither to rush, bluster, hurl
Date: circa 1825
dialect English: to blow with a dull roaring sound

OK, this is too much fun: the Action Film Trailer Generator. Some samples:

In a cursed kingdom of madness, in an age of hopelessness, a dancer combats terrorism.

In a godless universe, in a time of danger, a secretary and a spy quest for hope and oppose lawlessness.

In a lost universe, in an era of sin, an armorer and a bounty hunter battle terrorism.

In an infernal world, four acrobats and a tomb-robber seek a mystic artifact.

In an ominous empire, in a time of wonder, six assassins quest for love and fight terrorism.

This headline caused a serious double-take: Bridget Fonda to Wed Danny Elfman. Here’s what it says:

Bridget Fonda won’t be a single white female much longer — she’s engaged to film composer Danny Elfman.

It will be the first marriage for the 39-year-old star of such films as “Single White Female” and “A Simple Plan,” and the second for Elfman, the former Oingo Boingo lead singer, People magazine reported in its March 24 issue.

Fonda has been recovering from a back injury she suffered when her car went over an embankment last month on rain-slicked Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu, Calif.

The actress is part of a performing dynasty that includes father Peter Fonda, aunt Jane Fonda, and the late Henry Fonda, who was her grandfather.

Elfman, 49, is best known for his work on such Tim Burton films as “Batman,” “Beetlejuice” “Pee-wee’s Big Adventure” and “Sleepy Hollow.” He also composed the theme song for the Fox series “The Simpsons.”

No pictures of Danny Elfman — just lots of pictures of Bridget with Dwight Yoakam. Inappropriate, maybe?

Book Magazine presents its list of America’s Biggest Readers, and, frankly, these people scare me:

An obsessively omnivorous polymath, a speed-reading insomniac, an incomparably prolific reviewer and just some regular folks — here are our favorite people who read more than you do.

Take this description of Jules Arens, for example:

“I would read instead of play at recess,” she recalls. “And I had two little brothers I didn’t like, so I read instead of being tormented.”Eventually, she says, “I was tired of trying to pick stuff out, so I decided to start at the beginning.” For the last five years, she’s been reading her way alphabetically through the fiction department of the public library in Columbus, Nebraska, where she works as a veterinarian.

From ‘Idol’ Contestant Faces Assault Charge:

An Ohio man booted off the Fox talent show “American Idol” in January has been charged with assault in a bar fight that resulted in a man’s death.

Jaered N. Andrews, 24, of Austintown, Ohio, is charged with simple assault for allegedly punching a man in the face Nov. 16 at the Blue Ribbon Grille in Farrell, about 60 miles northwest of Pittsburgh, near the Ohio state line.

Thomas E. Blakeley, 39, of Sharpsville, died when he fell and hit his head on the sidewalk after being punched, authorities said.
[...]
He remains free after posting $5,000 bond and could get up to a year in prison if he’s convicted.

Mercer County District Attorney James Epstein said more serious charges aren’t warranted because Andrews didn’t intend to kill Blakeley.

A terrible situation…but a perfect opportunity to cover a certain Elvis tune…