Why are people afraid of ghosts? "Ooh, no, I wouldn’t want to see one! I’d be too scared"– accompanied by a tremolo of fear in the voice – is the common reaction. This puzzles me. I’d think anyone would welcome the opportunity. I’ve never heard of a ghost hurting anybody.
--Dick Cavett
Where other people see monsters, I guess I see hope.
--Fox Mulder
Mulder doesn't believe outright. He wants to believe. That sums up Mulder for me.
--Chris Carter, creator and producer of The X-Files.
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Sherman Duffy of the New York Herald once said, a newspaperman is the loneliest guy on earth. Socially he ranks somewhere between a hooker and a bartender. Spiritually he stands with Galileo, because he knows the world is round...
...not that it matters much when his editor knows it's flat.
--Carl Kolchak, hero of the 1972 made-for TV movie The Night Stalker, from which was spun off the regrettably short-lived series Kolchak: The Night Stalker.
Fox Mulder, the most confused and frustrated agent in the government.
ReplyDeleteMike, Fox Mulder was complaining about the deep state long before the Trumpists. Fortunately, the comparison ends there. Instead of the Capitol building, Mulder was more likely to storm the National Security Agency.
DeleteEven see the flashback episode where Mulder meets the Lone Gunmen for the very first time? It's before any of these characters have become conspiracy theorists, and when such a theory is proposed by an outside character, one of the Gunmen says, "Are we talking about the same government that gave us Amtrack and the Susan B. Anthony dollar?"
I'm also reminded of the Charles Nelson Reilly episode. When Reilly's character interviews a witness to a UFO landing, the witness then talks about how afterwards he was visited by these two "mysterious government agents", who turn out to be Mulder and Scully! The same episode has Mulder letting out a high-pitched squeal of delight when he sees an alien corpse.
That should be "EVER see the episode..."
DeleteA ghost might hurt if it passes through you. I wish walking under a ladder, seeing a black cut or raising an umbrella indoors scared me but none do and nor do ghosts. I rather wish I could see a ghost but my mind won't allow that.
ReplyDeleteI love the Sherman Duffy quote.
Andrew, a ghost might experience my high blood pressure if it walked through me, but otherwise, my mind won't allow it either. As for the other superstitions you mentioned, it's kind of a mechanical view of the supernatural. If I was an evil spirit, I wouldn't waste my time waiting for someone to walk under a ladder or open an umbrella indoors. Bor-ing!
DeleteI've never had a fear of ghosts. It's the living that have always scared me.
ReplyDeleteMitchell, what supernatural monster can compare to Adolf Hitler?
DeleteHi, Kirk!
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed your quotes about ghosts and monsters. I have always admired Dick Cavett for his observations about life (and the afterlife). Dick, by the way, also has the huge admiration of Late Show host Stephen Colbert. Like Cavett, I would welcome the chance to see and communicate with a ghost.
I saw the TV movie and never missed an episode of the series Kolchak: the Night Stalker. Today more than ever, a newsman or newswoman who tells people the truth is lonelier than the Maytag repairman made famous in TV commercials by comedian Jesse White:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J9nNCsq-PA8
I hope you don't mind me filing a brief reaper report to tag out of my comment. Goodbye to the diminutive actor and comedian Leslie Jordan who delighted me in recent years appearing in seasons of American Horror Story and Will & Grace. Leslie had a role in the movie The Help and many other films and TV series. Leslie had a memorable story arc and scenes with the late Betty White in episodes of Boston Legal:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_XnUKWu7r6c
Leslie crashed his car this week and died at the age of 67.
R.I.P. Leslie Jordan
"Guys and Dolls" now playing, one week only, at Shady's Place!
Enjoy the rest of your week, good buddy Kirk!
Shady, I've always liked Dick Cavett. I seem to remember telling you this before, but I'll tell you again anyway. I was too young to watch Cavett when he was on opposite Johnny Carson, but I did watch his later PBS show, and was impressed by the way he was able to conduct a genuine informative interview with a bit of standup comic shtick mixed in. And in addition to being a talk show host, Cavett was often a talk show GUEST. Once he and Carson were no longer competitors, he even did the Tonight Show! I remember on one show--I was old enough for late night television by then--Johnny introduced Cavett by saying "Here's a very talented man who once had a show opposite mine." Joan Rivers was never that fortunate.
DeleteIf you look at the bottom of the post, you'll see one of the keywords is Richard Matheson, who wrote the teleplay for The Night Stalker (based on a then-unpublished novel by Jeff Rice.) But that's not all Matheson wrote. If you have the time you might want to click on that keyword and read about a fascinating man who made major contributions to pop culture.
Large household appliances haven't changed much in appearance since 1984. I'll have to do a post on Jesse White one of these days.
Shady, I don't mind you bringing up Leslie Jordon. Just don't expect me to add to it because I have nothing to say. I watched Will and Grace maybe once. Boston Legal I watched a little bit more often, but don't remember that scene. It's great seeing Betty again, though.
Thanks for the additional reading tip, good buddy. Turns out, Richard Matheson is responsible for writing or inspiring many of my favorite movies and TV series. His sci-fi horror novel I Am Legend was an inspiration for George A. Romero's zombie trilogy that began with Night of the Living Dead in 1968. Among his written works adapted to the big screen is one of my favorite movies The Incredible Shrinking Man based on The Shrinking Man. Matheson penned 16 eps. of The Twilight Zone including "Nightmare at 20,000 Feet" starring Wm. Shatner. There's more, much more! Matheson wrote the adaptations of Edgar Allan Poe stories for Roger Corman and AIP - American International Pictures. These include House of Usher, The Pit and the Pendulum, Tales of Terror and The Raven. I have seen all four films and have the original posters for the latter three framed on my wall. Matheson also adapted his 1971 short story "Duel" as a screenplay directed by Steven Spielberg for the TV film Duel starring Dennis Weaver.
DeleteSo basically, Richard Matheson was responsible for a very high percentage of the material I watched and loved in boyhood and my teenage youth.
FYI - "Guys and Dolls" runs through Saturday, to be bumped on Sunday morning. Thanks again, good buddy!
Friday night-into-Saturday morning. I promise.
DeleteGood quotations, one and all!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Debra.
DeleteNever watched The X Files. I have never had a fear of ghosts or anything like that. I have never experienced such a thing though. I always wanted to but still not. I hear people telling stories of their experiences and that interests me. When my cats are staring at something, when clearly there is nothing there, I wonder if they see ghosts?
ReplyDeleteAnanka, maybe the dead mice have come back to haunt them.
DeleteOK, that's a bit rough, but my cat would bring back a mouse and start throwing it up in the air and catching it like a baseball. Kind of entertaining to watch, actually.