“No literary complaint is more frequent and general than that of the infipidity of Modern Poetry. While the votary of fcience is continually gratified with new objects opening to his view, the lover of poetry is wearied and difgufted with a perpetual repetition of the fame images, clad in almoft the fame language.”

 Aikin viewed disgust or dissonance as a vehicle for cultural change.

Reference

John Aikin, An Essay on the Application of Natural History to Poetry, 1777

A cold and calculating scientist an agent of the “east”, aided by corrupt local law enforcement plots to turn the population of the United States into Zombies by releasing a chemical agent into the air or water supply.

A group of teenagers captured after visiting the Island retreat of Doctor Myra the eastern scientist eventually save the day.

The gorilla in the poster is at first a zombie but then after drinking an antidote returns to its ‘natural’ state (violent) and aids the teenagers by attacking the villains.

The motif of female  abduction used extensively in movies and advertising of the period is an ancient theme. An early medieval arrival on the shores of Europe.  It had firmly attached itself to simians by the late 17th century. Traditionally it is used to identify an animal in a non-natural state i.e a cultural using creature. in a natural state and subject to natural law animals do not keep captives. The late 17th century and the 1950’s and 60’s are moments of high inflection in regard to the history of this concept.

The zombie in contrast has not proved as stable, recently undergoing alteration and an explosion in popularity. Here it is a thing of mind with its victims depicted in a hypnotic state. It is however the central theme of the film.

England, 1660: Of A Civil War

Strange and true newes from Glocester, or, A perfect relation of the wonderful, and miraculous power of God shewed for injustice, at Fairford; where an innumerable company of froggs and toads (on a sudden) over-spread the ground, orchards and houses of the lord of the town, and a justice near adjacent: and how they divided themselves into two distinct Bodies, and orderly made up to the house of the said justice; some climbing up the walls, and into the windows and chambers: and afterwards how strangely and unexpectedly they vanisht away to the admiration of all. Also a great and terrible earth-quake, which spoyld several houses, towns and castles. The raining of blood, and hail-stones of a pound and a half weight, a great part of a forrest being burnt up with fire from heaven.

Reference

Anonymous, Strange and True Newes From Glocester, 1660

“I think, too, the remarks of Giraldus are very convincing, when, attempting to prove his remarkable aerial germ theory, or the bacterial embryology of his specimen, he points out most cogently that if it had been engendered by Irish mud “they would have been found more frequently and in greater  numbers, both before and after the time mentioned”

Reference

W.F. De V. Kane, ‘Is the Frog a Native of Ireland’?, ‘The Irish Naturalist, Vol.2, No.4 (apr., 1893), pp. 95-98

Chapter XXIV: Of a frog lately found in Ireland.

“Nevertheless, a frog was found, within my time, in the grassy meadows near Waterford and brought to court alive before Robert Poer, who was at that time warden there, and many others, both English and Irish. And when numbers of both nations and particularly the Irish had beheld it with great astonishment, at last Duvenold, king of Ossory, a man of sense among his people, and faithful, who happened to be present, beating his head, and having deep grief at heart, spoke thus:- “That reptile is the bearer of doleful news to Ireland.” And uttering a sort of prognostic, he further said, that it portended, without doubt, the coming of the English, their threatened conquest, and the subjugation of his nation. No man, however, will venture to suppose that this reptile was ever born here.”

Reference

T, Foster (trans.), T. Wright (eds.), Giraldus Cambrensis: The Topography of Ireland, Cambridge, Ontario, 2000

A Doctor Defying

Science Cautions….

A Women Defying Society’s Conventions….

“oh every-time you touch me I go out of my mind”

Racing To A Destiny

That Defies Belief

“The Brain That Wouldn’t Die”

“Her brain kept alive by experimental science. By a man who’s abnormal passions  inspired him to try the impossible.  His mad ambitions and desires threaten every woman possessing an attractive body. Girls who’s measurements make them beauty contest participants. Professional figure models, such as this. All are prey to his distorted desire.”

You’ll Only Believe It

When You See It

The Brain That Wouldn’t Die