I'm pleased that you used the Arbus photo to open your writing. As you likely know, it comes from a series she did at an institution for the mentally and physically handicapped. After seeing a huge retrospective of her work some years ago I realized I couldn't stand it, except for this series. Why? Because she didn't have to find the freak in her subjects. These people were utterly innocent and without guile. Their freakishness, if one were to use the word, was their essential selves. And the Halloween photos from the series are the best of the best. In all of Arbus' other work I find her seeking out the freak in her subject, even if that is a pre-teen girl in an upper East Side apartment. I find it contrived and, when there are a large group of the photos exhibited together, I find it too obvious and a cheap shot at that... As for kids and Halloween, I totally agree that we were lucky to have been there in our time and I feel sorry for kids today. They are missing out. But I expect kidnappings and razor blades in candy apples have changed the landscape.
Perhaps synchronistically, I just the other night watched Criterion's restoration of Vampyr, and words fail me right now. Of this nightmares are made!
So uncanny to see it in your list this morning. Great call.
I'm pleased that you used the Arbus photo to open your writing. As you likely know, it comes from a series she did at an institution for the mentally and physically handicapped. After seeing a huge retrospective of her work some years ago I realized I couldn't stand it, except for this series. Why? Because she didn't have to find the freak in her subjects. These people were utterly innocent and without guile. Their freakishness, if one were to use the word, was their essential selves. And the Halloween photos from the series are the best of the best. In all of Arbus' other work I find her seeking out the freak in her subject, even if that is a pre-teen girl in an upper East Side apartment. I find it contrived and, when there are a large group of the photos exhibited together, I find it too obvious and a cheap shot at that... As for kids and Halloween, I totally agree that we were lucky to have been there in our time and I feel sorry for kids today. They are missing out. But I expect kidnappings and razor blades in candy apples have changed the landscape.
TCM is having their Christopher Lee, Peter Cushing festival. It's as horrific as I can manage cause I am a scaredy cat lady
I’m on it!!!! Thanks.
Great movies!