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How could I let this go by? According to the fiction of "Horror Hotel," that 1960 classic film (known in England, where it was made, as "The City Of The Dead") this is the day when Elizabeth Selwyn (brilliantly played by Patricia Jessel) was condemned by her village as a witch, and set aflame--but not before she made a pact with Lucifer that carried on down through the generations.
A pivotal day, indeed. And, just like with other condemned witches, like Elly Kedward the "Blair Witch" of fame, about a year after Selwyn's death, those who condemned her, and/or their children, were taken away by death, mysteriously. And there were some who claimed to have cited Elizabeth herself, during this time period.
Things got really fun in the rock n' roll era of the early Sixties, when Liz glammed up, rechristened herself Mrs. Newless (which is sort of Selwyn spelled backward!) and began running the Raven's Inn, the vacation spot Nan Barlow went to, when she met her tragic fate, which, had she bedded her boy friend, Bill Maitland, would not have happened, as she would not have been a virgin, and the witches needed a virgin to sacrifice! They have it real tough, now, which is why you do not hear so much about disappearances of young girls in Whitewood, Massachusetts, as you used to.
A couple of other things. Although the inhabitants of Whitewood tend to be inbred, some do venture out. Witness Alan Driscoll, (Christopher Lee) who ends up teaching at a college not far from the site, in order to recruit young victims. And how about the Dudleys, in "The Haunting," from 1963? That Mrs. Dudley ("There is no one here to help you. At night. In the dark.") belies a cheery persona, which confirms she is from Whitewood, and, in this film, her husband was played by none other than Valentine Dyall, who plays Selwyn's accomplice/lover Jethro Keane, in the 1960 film.
Yes, some people get about in Whitewood. Not many, but some!
Here, it is!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Like the women say, "Burn the witch!" I have a couple on my list, darlings, I would like to torch!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
2 comments:
You have no idea how much I admire you for noting every single calendar date that remotely relates to "Horror Hotel." It holds a special place in my heart as the very first horror film I can remember viewing as a very small child, when my mother woke me a couple hours after putting me down for the evening to watch it with her on TV (because she didn't like to watch spooky movies by herself).
I couldn't have been more than four or five years old, so the unique eeriness of "Horror Hotel" made quite a lasting impression on my toddler mind. It also set a personal high water mark for eerie atmosphere that has rarely been matched since. Except perhaps by that other dual-title Brit classic "Burn, Witch, Burn" aka "Night Of The Eagle" (what is it with the Brits that they insist on the most pedestrian uninspiring titles for their most interesting thrillers? Seriously, "Night Of The Eagle"? "City Of The Dead"? WTF?)
Any friend of Elizabeth Selwyn and Jethro is a friend to me also.
One of my former coworkers, a true Anglophile, actually knew Valentine Dyall, who played Jethro.
I can't imagine seeing this at a young age. Was it traumatic. I avoided the film for years because of its trashy title. When I actually saw the film for the first time, in my teens, I was blown away! It was like if "Citizen Kane" had been given the title "Newspaper Guy."
How about the editing of the knife going into Nan, and the birthday cake being cut? Brilliant!
At the next party, we will have to make sure the cake is cut just as carefully!
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