Episode 178: A Warning to the Curious
Added 2020-03-17 15:40:25 +0000 UTChttps://blasphemoustomes.com/2020/03/17/a-warning-to-the-curious/
While we’ve wrapped up our discussion of ghosts, we haven’t quite left the spectral world behind yet. Or maybe it refuses to leave us alone. Once these spectres set their sights on you, they can prove vexingly dogged. We’re going to keep away from any Martello towers, just to be safe.
This episode explores M R James’ classic English ghost story, “A Warning to the Curious”. England has an enduring love for ghost stories, and James is the towering figure in the field. We spend some time talking about the man himself and how his work has retained its appeal. Then we go digging for treasure in one of his best-known tales, looking for inspiration for our Call of Cthulhu games. We’re sure everything will be fine.
Links
Things we mention in this episode include:
- M R James
- Whistle and I’ll Come to You (1968)
- A Ghost Story for Christmas (BBC TV series)
- A View From a Hill
- Number 13
- Whistle and I’ll Come to You (2010)
- The Tractate Middoth
- Martin’s ClosThe man himself
- Aldeburgh in Suffolk
- Martello towers
- “A Warning to the Curious” read by Michael Horden
- Redacted dates in fiction
- A Podcast to the Curious
- “The Stalls of Barchester Cathedral”
- “The Treasure of Abbott Thomas”
- The Coat of Arms of East Anglia
- Rendlesham crown
- The BBC Adaptation of “A Warning to the Curious”
- Church grims
- Black dogs
- Bungay black dog
- The boots
- The Babadook
- Hounds of Tindalos
- Ten Candles
- A Ghost Story for Christmas playlist
- No Diggin’ Here
- Folk Horror: Hours Dreadful and Things Strange by Adam Scovell
- Our folk horror episode
- “Three Crowns” by The Triple Tree from their album, Ghosts
- The Lost Crown video game
- “An Amaranthine Desire” from Nameless Horrors
- Dunwich in Suffolk
News
Ain’t Slayed Nobody
Paul recommends Ain’t Slayed Nobody, a relatively new Call of Cthulhu actual play podcast focusing on Down Darker Trails. They are up to three episodes now and may branch out into other Cthulhu settings in subsequent shows.
One Cut of the Dead on Tear Them Apart
Our good friends Evan Dorkin and Paul Yellovich at the Tear Them Apart podcast recently released an episode about the marvellous Japanese horror film, One Cut of the Dead. You should seek this out even if you have no interest in found-footage or zombie films (especially if you don’t). It is full of surprises and pure joy. You should also go into it with as foreknowledge as possible of what you are about to see. And then you should listen to the Tear Them Apart episode about it.
Voluminous: The Letters of H P Lovecraft
And we have yet another newish podcast to recommend: Voluminous. Our good friends at the H P Lovecraft Historical Society are discussing Lovecraft’s copious correspondence, with each episode focusing on a single letter. And, as Paul mentions, who could be a better choice to present such a podcast?
Comments
Two unrelated comments on this episode- firstly Mark Gatiss' finest MR James related work was, in my view, the wonderful Crooked House. This, while not being directly a James story, captured the feel of his work far better than either direct adaptation he's made Secondly I'm surprised no one flagged what I've always considered one of the most interesting aspects of James' creepiness- his emphasis on touch and smell in his descriptions. Something that's definitely worth porting across to gaming...
jules lawrence
2020-03-20 09:20:44 +0000 UTCThanks for your comments Steve. Interesting stuff. Glad you enjoyed it!
The Good Friends of Jackson Elias
2020-03-18 00:41:10 +0000 UTCI'd like to think I ran at least one of those games? - Paul
The Good Friends of Jackson Elias
2020-03-18 00:40:25 +0000 UTCA very enjoyable episode.
Steve
2020-03-17 23:25:46 +0000 UTCAt Continuum, I once played seven games of Cthulhu in all of which my characters died or went mad. Good times. The one shot is a great vehicle for this kind of thrill.
Steve
2020-03-17 23:16:46 +0000 UTCIt doesn't sound like the sea has come in to me. I think the ghost stuffed things into his mouth, whilst he was still alive, breaking his teeth, until Paxton dies.
Steve
2020-03-17 23:13:23 +0000 UTCIt's interesting that he calls Chambers horrid and nasty given the plump pink or thin hairy things which haunt own his stories.
Steve
2020-03-17 22:38:54 +0000 UTCHPL may have liked MRJ but it certainly wasn't reciprocated and he didn't like Chambers either. http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~pardos/ArchiveMRJLetter.html
Steve
2020-03-17 22:36:08 +0000 UTC
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