1. My parents are in town visiting, so my schedule (such as it is) is thrown off, hence another Saturday Flotsam

2. I didn’t have a lot of chance to get into the Halloween spirit this year, between work and other matters. I did get a chance to revisit Hammer Films’ Horror of Dracula, starring Christopher Lee as the Count, Peter Cushing as Van Helsing, and Michael Gough as Holmwood. Naturally, it’s a cracking good time; quick-paced, but not rushed, anchored by character-defining performances by both Lee and Cushing. Lee in particular is notable simply for the achievement of escaping the shadow of Bela Lugosi.

3. Something that stood out to me this time was how absolutely gorgeous the art direction is, especially the strong, rich colors: black for Dracula, red for Van Helsing and Harker (the vampire hunters), Greens for the Holmwoods, etc. And those great sets, especially Dracula’s castle.

4. The Hammer films really solidified the gothic horror ‘style’ that was pioneered by the original Universal films, but with the addition of a faster pace and more action, violence, and sex to accompany the scares. This is especially seen in the revised Van Helsing; from an elderly scientist in the book and the original film, he is now an active, forceful man in his prime, able to fight Dracula mano-a-mano. I do love the ‘duel of wills’ scene from the 1931 film, but there’s no denying this version has greater potential to expand. The Hammer films really were the pioneers of the classic ‘vampire hunter’ tropes: the scientist-adventurer armed with volumes of ancient lore, a bundle of stakes, and a crucifix scouting about ancient tombs and castles in search of the undead. There’s something immensely satisfying about seeing these things in their natural habit.

Also, while the original ends on one of the most notorious anti-climaxes in film history, this one has a spectacular climatic duel between Van Helsing and Dracula.

5. There really need to be more ‘corporate horror’ stories. I don’t mean horror stories where the evil corporation is a stock bad guy because we’re too lazy to come up with anything better, I mean more horror stores based around the actual experience of corporate life.

6. Yesterday was All Saints’ Day, of course, and today is All Souls’; the days of commemorating those gone before us. I ordinarily would have more to say about that, but I’m afraid I’m tossing this off in a bit of a hurry, so I can only note it in nodding passing and urge you to say prayers for the poor souls in purgatory.

7. And because I have nothing better to offer at the moment, here’s some Mozart: