While best known to genre fans for Curse of The Crimson Altar, Vernon Sewell had a persistent interest in hauntings that led him to remake the same play as four different films. The play is L’Angoisse by Celia de Vilyars and Pierre Mills, and seems to have been a late Grand Guignol piece but I’ve…
Tag: occult
CFP Divination, Witchcraft & the Occult: PCA Boston 2027
Call for PresentationsDivination, Witchcraft & the Occult *SPECIAL TOPIC*Popular Culture Association National Conference24-7 March 2027, Boston MA The broad interest in divination, witchcraft, and the occult has been part of popular culture for centuries. Scholars’ discomfort with the topic is often palpable: they tend to focus on intersections that feel more legitimate, e.g. legal ramifications…
Mystic Lodge Fracas: 1P RPG
I am happy to announce my very first one-page Role Playing Game (or at least my first attempt at one): MYSTIC LODGE FRACAS. ‘Tis the season for one page RPGs at Itchio, where my first ever game now languishes (BE SURREAL, which needs some little fixes I think). All this obsessing about tarot led me…
L’Affaire des Poisons (1955)
Content caution for apparently genuine harm of toads, alas. Alas, despite an early appearance by the Tarot deck Marseille there is no more sign of them, but there is pin-sticking magic and black masses, oh yeah. This seems surprisingly dark for the time and in such a lush production. Well, partly: costumes and sets for…
TABI Tarot MidWinter Conference
Excitement builds for the TABI Midwinter Tarot Conference: what a great line-up of speakers — and I’m not just saying that because I’m one of them! I’m looking forward to seeing a lot of different approaches to the cards and the theories behind them, as well as having a chance to talk about an overlooked…
Occult Humanities 2025
OCCULT HUMANITIES 2025 I’m always eager to attend this event which combines great speakers, art, and a variety of vendors — as well as the usual NYC attractions: a bit of art with Stephanie and a chance to catch up with Katja (not to mention a couple of quite good restaurants!). It was a relatively…
Sound & Vision: Cunning Folk Magazine
The new issue of Cunning Folk Magazine is out and includes a piece by me on medieval magic and sound as well as a wide range of fascinating work by other folks that will doubtless charm and inspire you. As usual: we are really in a golden age of beautiful little magazines that bring together…
Occulture
How to describe the phantasmagoria of experiences that was Occulture? It may take a couple posts. Long story short: I’m really glad I went. I was very happy with the responses to my talk and met lots of people who were excited to talk all things Leonora Carrington. And yes, the good news is my…
Irreverent Tarot 14: The Painted Caravan
This episode offers a flip through the rare mid-20th century tarot guide, The Painted Caravan by Basil Ivan Rákóczi (1908-1979). Although born in England, he was inspired by his mother Charlotte May Dobby’s Irish heritage and his father Ivan’s Hungarian history, including claiming his parents were married according to ‘Gypsy’ traditions. However, he grew up…
By the Hand of Sabazios!
The Hand of Sabazios! This ritual relic pops up here in there in archaeology from Asia through Europe. A cult which began in Asia Minor, Sabazios was quickly appropriated by the Greeks and then Romans, often appearing beside Hermes and Pan. These bronze hands were probably used in both altar niches and processions, where they…