The Premature Burial.
Antoine Wiertz (1854)The story of Count Dracula as many of us know it was created by Bram Stoker, an Irishman, in 1897. But most of the action takes place in England, from the moment the Transylvanian vampire arrives on a shipwrecked vessel in Whitby, North Yorkshire, with plans to make his lair in the spookily named Carfax estate, west of the river in London.
But Dracula wasn’t the first vampire in English literature, let alone the first to stalk England. The vampire first made its way into English literature in John Polidori’s 1819 short story “The Vampyre”. Polidori’s vampire, Lord Ruthven, is inspired by a thinly disguised portrait of the predatory English poet, Lord Byron, in Lady Caroline Lamb’s novel Glenarvon (1816). So the first fictional vampire was actually a satanic English Lord. It is nearly 200 years since this Romantic/Byronic archetype for a vampire emerged – but what do we know about English belief in vampires outside of fiction? New research at the University of Hertfordshire has uncovered and reappraised a number of vampire myths – and they are not all confined to the realms of fiction. The Croglin Vampire reputedly first appeared in Cumberland to a Miss Fisher in the 1750s. Its story is retold by Dr Augustus Hare, a clergyman, in his Memorials of a Quiet Life in 1871. According to this legend, the vampire scratches at the window before disappearing into an ancient vault. The vault is later discovered to be full of coffins that have been broken open and their contents, horribly mangled and distorted, are scattered over the floor. One coffin only remains intact, but the lid has been loosened. There, shrivelled and mummified – but quite intact – lies the Croglin Vampire. Elsewhere in Cumbria, the natives of Renwick, were once known as “bats” due to the monstrous creature that is said to have flown out of the foundations of a rebuilt church there in 1733. The existence of vampire bats, which sucked blood wouldn’t be confirmed until 1832, when Charles Darwin sketched one feeding off a horse on his voyage to South America in The Beagle. The creature in Renwick has been referred to as a “cockatrice” – a mythical creature with a serpent’s head and tail and the feet and wings of a cockerel – by Cumbrian County History. But it’s the myth of the vampire bat that has prevailed in the surrounding villages and is recorded in conversations in local archives and journals What picture emerges then in this history of the English vampire? The Croglin Vampire has never been verified – but it has an afterlife in the 20th century, appearing as The British Vampire in 1977 in an anthology of horror by Daniel Farson, who turns out to be Stoker’s great-grandnephew.
The Nightmare.John Henry Fuseli (1781)Nightmare in Buckinghamshire
But there is one case that has no connection to fiction, the little-known Buckinghamshire Vampire, recorded by William of Newburgh in the 12th century. Historical records show that St Hugh, the Bishop of Lincoln, was called upon to deal with the terrifying revenant and learned to his astonishment, after contacting other theologians, that similar attacks had happened elsewhere in England. St Hugh was told that no peace would be had until the corpse was dug up and burned, but it was decided that an absolution – a declaration of forgiveness, by the church, absolving one from sin – would be a more seemly way to disable the vampire. When the tomb was opened the body was found to have not decomposed. The absolution was laid inside on the corpse’s chest by the Archdeacon and the vampire was never again seen wandering from his grave. The Buckinghamshire revenant did not have a “vampire” burial – but such practices are evidence of a longstanding belief in vampires in Britain. Astonishingly, the medieval remains of the what are thought to be the first English vampires have been found in the Yorkshire village of Wharram Percy. The bones of over 100 “vampire” corpses have now been uncovered buried deep in village pits. The bones were excavated more than half a century ago and date back to before the 14th century. They were at first thought to be the result of cannibalism during a famine or a massacre in the village but on further inspection in 2017 the burned and broken skeletons were linked instead to deliberate mutilations perpetrated to prevent the dead returning to harm the living – beliefs common in folklore at the time.
‘Vampire graves’ have been found at the abandoned village of Wharram Percy in Yorkshire.Paul Allison via Alchemipedia, (CC BY)Vile bodies The inhabitants of Wharram Percy showed widespread belief in the undead returning as revenants or reanimated corpses and so fought back against the risk of vampire attacks by deliberately mutilating their own dead, burning bones and dismembering corpses, including those of women, children and teenagers, in an attempt to stave off what they believed could be a plague of vampires. This once flourishing village was completely deserted in the aftermath. Just recently at an ancient Roman site in Italy the severed skull of a ten-year-old child was discovered with a large rock inserted in the mouth to prevent biting and bloodsucking. Then skull belongs to a suspected 15th-century revenant which they are calling locally the “Vampire of Lugano”.
There has been a wealth of other stories from the UK and other parts of Western Europe – but, despite this, thanks to the Dracula legend, most people still assume such practises and beliefs belong to remote parts of Eastern Europe. But our research is continuing to examine “vampire burials” in the UK and is making connections to local myths and their legacy in English literature, many years before the Byronic fiend Count Dracula arrived in Yorkshire carrying his own supply of Transylvanian soil.
The original motion picture Soundtrack to the Best Horror Feature New York City International Film Festival, "Face Of Evil" (F.O.E.), is now available on all music platforms, including iTunes, Spotify, Napster, Google Play, Amazon, Tidal, Deezer, Traxsource, iHeartRadio, 7Digital, Medianet, Pandora, Shazam.
The soundtrack captures the true essence of the thriller/horror movie in an incredible hybrid of different music types, ranging from Electronica Ambient/Progressive/Downtempo/Industrial/Dubstep to Rock, Pop, Trip-Hop and Hip-Hop, with artists like Gram Rabbit, Kid Hustle, Raven Hughes and filmmaker/composer Vito Dinatolo.
⏩ F.O.E. (Face Of Evil) has raised consensus around the country for its very topical issues. The film is about a war vet with PTSD who returns home and sees demons...
"It's about our fears, of epidemics, terrorism, big brother, of each other... It's about a scapegoat in a devious system... What happens in the mind of the executioner during a shooting rampage? Spoiler alert!" says one man band filmmaker Vito Dinatolo.
The cast includes up and coming talents like Jamie Bernadette, Janet Roth, Scott Baxter, Chad Bishop, Bryan Howard, Charmane Star.
"Face Of Evil" (F.O.E.)
More About F.O.E. (Face Of Evil): (Warning! Spoiler Alert!)
Breaking News! War vet with PTSD shoots among the crowd!… Maybe he saw enemies, monsters… It’s about real life. It’s about F.O.E. This is not another shootout zombie flick. It’s about the inner journey of a person on the run from his demons, real or not, from an unknown enemy, who may attack anywhere, anytime. Perhaps it’s the story of a victim, a brainwashed pawn, a scapegoat in a devious system, or perhaps it’s just the story of an unwilling executioner. As fear confuses and deforms reality, Jay meets surreal characters and learns bits of truth on his way to salvation, or perhaps to damnation. The movie touches contemporary issues, like mysterious epidemics, terrorism paranoia, vets PTSD, mass shootings, big brother conspiracy and more. It’s a contemporary tale of realistic madness. Yet, it never loses its focus on entertaining, which is why we watch movies, after all.
"Face Of Evil" (F.O.E.)
F.O.E. is a V-Movie production and is distributed worldwide by Gravitas Ventures on VOD and DVD. The Soundtrack is distributed by Awal. All links to film and music platforms can be found on the film's official web page The main links to F.O.E. Soundtrack are also on Awal's page
Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald in ScreenX
CJ 4DPLEX announced today that one of the year's most anticipated films, Warner Bros. Pictures' "Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald", will be released in ScreenX, bringing the Wizarding World to the big screen for the first time ever in the immersive, one-of-a-kind format. The all-new adventure comes to ScreenX theaters worldwide beginning November 16.
"Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald" is the third film in a multi-picture agreement between Warner Bros. Pictures and CJ 4DPLEX, following the globally successful ScreenX engagements of the blockbusters The Meg and The Nun.
The ScreenX slate continues in December with the much-anticipated undersea epic Aquaman, followed by the first solo feature of fan-favorite Shazam! in April 2019.
ScreenX is the world's first multi-projection theatre technology that allows a 270-degree panoramic movie watching experience. ScreenX allows the audience to go beyond the frame of the traditional movie screen, utilizing a proprietary system to expand the center screen image to the side walls, surrounding audiences with imagery and providing a sense of being inside the movie.
"We are thrilled to bring the ScreenX experience to 'Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald' through our partnership with Warner Bros. Pictures," stated CJ 4DPLEX. "We are certain the expansive, 270-degree screen will immerse audiences in the Wizarding World as never before and deliver all the magic, mystery and adventure this much-anticipated epic has to offer."
Thomas Molter, EVP of International Distribution, Warner Bros. Pictures, added, "We're excited to continue our relationship with CJ 4DPLEX on this new 'Fantastic Beasts' adventure. The Wizarding World has always been a thrilling destination for fans, but this will be their first opportunity to experience this magical universe with the full immersion of ScreenX."
"Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald" - Teaser Poster (Via Harry Potter Wiki)
About Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald:
Warner Bros. Pictures' "Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald" is the second of five all new adventures in the Wizarding World created by J.K. Rowling.
At the end of the first film, the powerful Dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald (Johnny Depp) was captured by MACUSA (Magical Congress of the United States of America), with the help of Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne).
But, making good on his threat, Grindelwald escaped custody and has set about gathering followers, most unsuspecting of his true agenda: to raise pure-blood wizards up to rule over all non-magical beings.
The film features an ensemble cast led by Eddie Redmayne, Katherine Waterston, Dan Fogler, Alison Sudol, Ezra Miller, with Jude Law and Johnny Depp. The cast also includes, Zoe Kravitz, Callum Turner, Claudia Kim, William Nadylam, Kevin Guthrie, Carmen Ejogo, and Poppy Corby-Tuech.
"Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald" is directed by David Yates, from a screenplay by J.K. Rowling. The film is produced by David Heyman, J.K. Rowling, Steve Kloves and Lionel Wigram.
Warner Bros. Pictures presents a Heyday Films Production, a David Yates film, "Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald," to be distributed worldwide in 2D, 3D, 4D, Dolby Cinema and ScreenX in select theatres and IMAX by Warner Bros. Pictures.
When looking for "extraterrestrial" on the search engine Google images, dozens of illustrations are proposed. The human imagination has not been stingy throughout the last century to give a thousand shapes to these mysterious invaders from another world. Sometimes large, sometimes tiny, sometimes with three eyes, sometimes one, these visitors, whether peaceful or aggressive, are very different from each other. Their description could fill an entire book of "exozoology," as once were the reasoned collections of the different varieties of the living that naturalist amateurs could meet. As diverse as these figures are, one point is striking in its constancy: most of our "space brothers" are bald. Whether ET, the little gray or the Annunaki, as the experts sometimes call them, these visitors do not have a hair on their skulls. Is this really a coincidence?
Most stories about extraterrestrial life describe civilizations above ours (which explains why they have the technological means to visit us). What may well be at work here is a certain representation of the theory of evolution. Indeed, the implicit hypothesis that supports the physical description of these beings is that, far ahead of us, they would represent, in a way, our future biological development. Often endowed with skull disproportionate to their bodies, these extraordinary beings obscurely constitute the ultimate stage of our future.
In 1982, the extraterrestrials were already bald. (Allociné)
Thus the hair, this cousin of the body hair, is undoubtedly seen as an ersatz animal that does not suit a higher consciousness. In addition, the hair and body hair, which may have been useful in times when men were suffering from the rigors of temperature, would be doomed, the function creating the organ, to disappear slowly to reveal the power of a cortex whose fate would be to become ever larger. This vision of biological evolution - should we be surprised? - does not respect much of the orthodoxy of Darwinian theory. Indeed, it has rather frankly Lamarckian accents. Jean-Baptiste de Monet, Knight of Lamarck, considered with Darwin that the species were not immutable, but his theory, unlike that of Darwin, admitted that beings evolved according to the laws of a mysterious vital force, contained in all life, which guided biological evolution. The emblematic example of this theory is the idea that giraffes have long necks because the life force has lengthened them, their food being on the treetops. This acquired adaptation then became innate. The natural environment would have an influence here, which can not be explained otherwise than by the intervention of a metaphysical hypothesis: the vital force, on the biological structuring of beings. This acquired adaptation then became innate. The natural environment would have an influence here, which can not be explained otherwise than by the intervention of a metaphysical hypothesis: the vital force, on the biological structuring of beings. This acquired adaptation then became innate. The natural environment would have an influence here, which can not be explained otherwise than by the intervention of a metaphysical hypothesis: the vital force, on the biological structuring of beings.
Darwin, on the other hand, conceived of the evolution of species as the consequence of a natural process of selection which allows the survival of the best adapted individuals. In other words, individuals do not adapt biologically to their environment: if they survive, it is because they are, by chance, genetic combinations, better adapted than others. In this theory, giraffes did not suddenly see their necks growing, but chance has made some have longer necks than others. They had more facilities to feed themselves, and therefore to reproduce. Gradually, or suddenly depending on the case, the most adapted species saw its genotype spread, while the other saw it go out.
If we return to our extraterrestrials, this representation of higher beings statistically devoid of hair appears to betray the Lamarckian imagination of those who conceived them. To put it bluntly, it would be a remarkable miracle if all these brothers of space had evolved in the same way towards baldness. Of course, extraordinary coincidences sometimes occur. But in this particular case, perhaps it would be wiser, and in any case more parsimonious intellectually, to take seriously the idea that these descriptions are mere human inventions that would betray the bad conception that we usually have of the theory of evolution.
About Today's Contributor:
Gérald Bronner, Professor of Cognitive Sociology, Paris Diderot University - USPC
"Cabinet of Social Curiosities" - Front Cover
Gérald Bronner is the author of "Cabinet of Social Curiosities", from which this text is an excerpt. The book was published by PUF / Humensis in September 2018.
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license.
(Translated from French to English for LoupDargent.info by Loup Dargent.)
Dolph Lundgren leads the action in Volvo Construction Equipment’s Pump It Up - a new film showcasing the ultimate in excavator endurance
Revealing the toughness, versatility and intelligent engineering behind Volvo CE's full range of excavators, the film tests the limits of heavy equipment during an exhilarating and entertaining army bootcamp, led by drill instructor Dolph Lundgren. The 80s powerhouse behind films including Rocky IV, Universal SoldierandThe Expendablesdrives the action in a cinematic display of man against machine.
In the film – a comic nod to the action movies that Dolph Lundgren is renowned for – a line-up of Volvo excavators weighing between 1.5 to 95 tons are put through their paces in an exhausting assault course.
During a series of extraordinary stunts, the machines are seen pulling Dolph Lundgren atop a huge concrete block across an unknown desert location, flipping gigantic tires across a muddy track and taking part in what is thought to be the world's first ever excavator pull-up – fulfilling the film's final message that they really are 'excavators for any challenge'.
All of this is set to the iconic beat of the 1989 hit song 'Pump up the Jam' by Belgian music group Technotronic.
Dolph Lundgren
Bill Law, Senior Vice President of Corporate Communications at Volvo CE, said: "This is a good demonstration of the flexibility and strength of our excavators, from the small to the mighty. The result is a feel-good mini movie with Hollywood impact. Some of these stunts are a little out of the ordinary, but we wanted to be daring and set ourselves a challenge to push them further. Our excavators work hard every day at construction sites all over the world, something that requires precisely that power and stamina, together with skilled operators behind the wheel."
Dolph Lundgren has starred in major Hollywood productions for more than 30 years and is currently enjoying a surge in popularity thanks to leading roles in new Hollywood blockbusters Creed II and Aquaman, both out later this year. With a background in engineering and a scholarship to the renowned US university MIT, he is well matched against the brains and brawn of Volvo's excavator range.
He said: "This job was probably the most unusual role I've ever taken on. It was fascinating to see Volvo's excavators and its skilled operators performing all the various physical exercises - with absolutely no movie stunts involved. Honestly, I didn't think it was even possible. Being born in Sweden, I have a long relationship with this classic Swedish brand. As a young boy, I rode in the back of my dad's Volvo. To me, Volvo represents some great Scandinavian values, like clean design, excellent quality and a true care for the environment. I'm really pleased to get this opportunity for us to work together."
This campaign highlights the ability of Volvo excavators to deliver optimum power and performance for almost any task. While pull-ups and tire flips are not everyday activities, these stunts are entirely authentic and were carried out by professionals in a safe and closed environment. In the real world Volvo's range of machines can be relied on for everything from site preparation, trenching and excavation to demolition, truck loading and pipe laying.
Top Misleading Job Titles (Image via FitSmallBusiness.com)
Smutter. Key Hanger. Chick Sexer. You might expect to see these on t-shirts in a mall, but these are actual job titles – and not what you think.
With the right training, you too can be a Digital Overlord, a Comb Capper, or even a Batman (bat ears not included). Or if you skew to the more bizarre: A Bunghole Borer, Scrum Master, or a Back-end Specialist -- these jobs exist. But don't take their titles literally.
FitSmallBusiness.com, the digital business publication, decided to help set things straight for the confused job seeker. The publication scoured the web and broke down some of the most confusing and entertaining job titles that are not what they appear.
⏩ These Are The Top 17 Most Misleading Job Titles:
1)Expert Upsetter ($11.76 per hour for laborer position to $30.32 per hour for a process engineer role.)
"Expert Upsetter" (Image via FitSmallBusiness.com)
No, this isn't a job for those who like to create drama – this position is for someone who sets up and operates a closed-die forging metal machine.
2) Bunghole Borer($30,814 to $49,738 per year.)
Bunghole Borer (Image via FitSmallBusiness.com)
It sounds pretty crude, but this position is for someone who sets up and operates a boring machine (to bore holes in wooden parts – what else?).
3) Evangelist ($44,957 to $83,528 per year.)
"Evangelist" (Image via FitSmallBusiness.com)
Yeah, not a preacher. This position is actually slapped on for a lot of titles from sales and marketing titles to human resource jobs. A community evangelist, for example, is someone who advocates for a company brand.
4)Smutter($18,040 to $32,000 per year.)
"Smutter" (Image via FitSmallBusiness.com)
Not a position for a role in a porn movie, this title is responsible for tending the grain machines that clean up things like dirt, smut and rust from grain after it's been harvested. Feel a little embarrassed now?
5) Chick Sexer(Up to $60,000 per year.)
"Chick Sexer" (Image via FitSmallBusiness.com)
The only "sex" that factors into this job involves distinguishing the sex of the chicken and other hatchlings right after they're hatched. Believe it or not, it's getting more and more difficult to find quality sexers since the best chicken sexers only boast a 95 percent accuracy rate.
6) Key Hanger(An average of$27,689 per year.)
"Key Hanger" (Image via FitSmallBusiness.com)
Wouldn't it be nice to take this job at face value? This title is reserved for those who hold the key to a retail establishment. More succinctly, the key hanger is a store manager or assistant manager who holds one of three keys to a store. Feel a little silly?
7) Penetration Tester(Up to $112,141 per year.)
"Penetration Tester" (Image via FitSmallBusiness.com)
Giggles aside, this job title involves testing a computer system, network or web application to identify any vulnerability from hackers. This position is also referred to as "ethical hacker."
8) Combat Advisor($15.11 per hour, to $100.00 per hour.)
"Combat Advisor" (Image via FitSmallBusiness.com)
Not a military position, this job title refers to a video game designer who specializes in creating virtual combat sequences.
9) Erection Engineer($32,877 to $74,927 per year.)
"Erection Engineer" (Image via FitSmallBusiness.com)
This person oversees everything that goes into erecting major infrastructure and skyscrapers. They handle budgetary concerns, time management, supply cycles and safety compliance.
10) Scrum Master($82,000 to $120,500 per year.)
"Scrum Master" (Image via FitSmallBusiness.com)
Sounds dirty, but in this role, you would be facilitating team management structures by allowing groups to self-organize and stay agile.
11) Back-end Specialist(An average of$42,153 per year.)
"Back-end Specialist" (Image via FitSmallBusiness.com)
This can refer to one of many job positions in departments ranging from web design to marketing.
12) Batman($24,000 to $57,000 per year.)
"Batman" (Image via FitSmallBusiness.com)
Put away your costume, this position has nothing to do with fighting crime. A batman is a historical term for a personal aide to a commissioned officer – like a valet. The modern term is usually a personal assistant.
13) Specialty Artist(Between $15.19 and $20.27 per hour.)
"Specialty Artist" (Image via FitSmallBusiness.com)
While all artists usually think of themselves as special, this job title refers to makeup artists. Specifically, this position is available through Ulta, the beauty store chain, and is limited to cosmetic artists with experience relating to M A C cosmetics. Other beauty stores offer similar positions under slightly different titles like Beauty Advisor.
14) Digital Overlord(An average salary of$73,975 per year.)
"Digital Overlord" (Image via FitSmallBusiness.com)
Not a video game character, this is a job title used by companies who are searching for an experienced, qualified website manager.
15) Records Distribution Professional(An average of $37,355 per year.)
"Records Distribution Professional" (Image via FitSmallBusiness.com)
Sounds fancy, but this is an ultra descriptive term for an office mail clerk.
16) Comb Capper (From $10,400 to $72,000 per year.)
"Comb Capper" (Image via FitSmallBusiness.com)
You don't work in a hair salon for this job. This position works with bees and honeycombs. A comb capper cuts the caps from commercial honeycombs, breaks the comb seals with a scraper, and lifts the honeycomb frames before placing them in the honey extractor.
17) Tonsorial Artist(An average salary of $27,808 per year, with some earning more than $47,000 with tips.)
"Tonsorial Artist" (Image via FitSmallBusiness.com)
Having nothing to do with tonsils, the tonsorial artist is a fancy name for a barber or hair stylist.
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