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The Restless Dead
By Chris Friend
In folklore, the vampire is a very different type of being than the ultra-cool ghouls
of modern literature and film. The vampire of folklore was usually the reanimated
corpse of some one who died prematurely or in a state of sin. Suicide,
excommunication, as well as black magic were all considered causes for the
creation of a vampire. Such unclean dead were considered susceptible to
possession by evil spirits that would make them return to prey on the living.
The dead was also believed to be quite jealous of the living and would act out
vengence on them. The Hindu Churel was a vampiric woman who had died in
childbirth. The Churel would suck the essence of young men, but especially
enjoyed eating the livers and hearts of young children. Such grisly meals were
likley caused by her jealousy of the children who survived birth. The Hebrew
foklore, Lilith was the first wife of Adam. When she proclaimed her liberation, she
was tossed out of Eden. She became so jealous of the children of Adam and Eve
that she began preying on them, preferring girls. Langsuir is a Malayan vampire
who also died in childbirth and rises to wreck revenge on the living.
To prevent the deceased from becoming such a revenant, glass beads are put
in her mouth, needles in her hands and eggs in her armpits. Sometimes it was
the ghosts of unbaptized babies that were thought susceptible to coming back as
vampires. Having been cheated of life, those who died prematurely were
considered a likley candidate for vampirism. The ancient Babylonian Ekimmu and
Utukku were just such ghosts of those who died too soon. The Ekimmu came
back as a Banshee like ghosts who would wail outside the home of a person
about to die.
Some of these restless dead style vampires do not drink blood so much as carry
death and disease with them. Such modern practices such as bringing food to a
funeral and even trick or treating started out as ways of feeding such restless
corpses who might rise and either curse or prey on the living. In many ancient
cultures, food was frequently placed in graves to keep the dead pacified. Even
the practice of placing headstones on graves came from an earlier parctice of
weighing down the corpse to keep it from rising and preying on the living. Thus
many of our modern practices involving death and the dearly departed are relics
of earlier beliefs related to vampires and other restless dead.
Even the wholesome practices of putting out cookies and milk for Santa can be
traced to the modern ancient practice of leaving offerings to the ancestral dead
during the Celtic Festival of Samhain (Pronouced SOW-unn). Again such rituals
were dsigned to keep the ancestral spirits from doing harm to the living. And from
these odd beliefs and practices comes our modern vampire.
By Chris Friend
In folklore, the vampire is a very different type of being than the ultra-cool ghouls
of modern literature and film. The vampire of folklore was usually the reanimated
corpse of some one who died prematurely or in a state of sin. Suicide,
excommunication, as well as black magic were all considered causes for the
creation of a vampire. Such unclean dead were considered susceptible to
possession by evil spirits that would make them return to prey on the living.
The dead was also believed to be quite jealous of the living and would act out
vengence on them. The Hindu Churel was a vampiric woman who had died in
childbirth. The Churel would suck the essence of young men, but especially
enjoyed eating the livers and hearts of young children. Such grisly meals were
likley caused by her jealousy of the children who survived birth. The Hebrew
foklore, Lilith was the first wife of Adam. When she proclaimed her liberation, she
was tossed out of Eden. She became so jealous of the children of Adam and Eve
that she began preying on them, preferring girls. Langsuir is a Malayan vampire
who also died in childbirth and rises to wreck revenge on the living.
To prevent the deceased from becoming such a revenant, glass beads are put
in her mouth, needles in her hands and eggs in her armpits. Sometimes it was
the ghosts of unbaptized babies that were thought susceptible to coming back as
vampires. Having been cheated of life, those who died prematurely were
considered a likley candidate for vampirism. The ancient Babylonian Ekimmu and
Utukku were just such ghosts of those who died too soon. The Ekimmu came
back as a Banshee like ghosts who would wail outside the home of a person
about to die.
Some of these restless dead style vampires do not drink blood so much as carry
death and disease with them. Such modern practices such as bringing food to a
funeral and even trick or treating started out as ways of feeding such restless
corpses who might rise and either curse or prey on the living. In many ancient
cultures, food was frequently placed in graves to keep the dead pacified. Even
the practice of placing headstones on graves came from an earlier parctice of
weighing down the corpse to keep it from rising and preying on the living. Thus
many of our modern practices involving death and the dearly departed are relics
of earlier beliefs related to vampires and other restless dead.
Even the wholesome practices of putting out cookies and milk for Santa can be
traced to the modern ancient practice of leaving offerings to the ancestral dead
during the Celtic Festival of Samhain (Pronouced SOW-unn). Again such rituals
were dsigned to keep the ancestral spirits from doing harm to the living. And from
these odd beliefs and practices comes our modern vampire.
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B Movie Story
by Chris Friend
Growing up a nerdy kid in a small red neck town, I found myself staying home
on many a Saturday night. And usually I spent the evening watching many a
monster movie such as The Brain That Would'nt Die as well as other low-budget
treats. And I especially had a weak spot for Hammer Studios Frankenstein films.
Much of my enthusiasm centers around Terence Fishers brilliant re-invention of
Univeral's Frankenstein. Fisher re-directed the focus from the monster and
placed on the dear Baron (Peter Cushing usually). It was Baron Frankenstein
who carried the story from film to film. Frankenstein also would have to deal with
a superstitious society that equates scienitific progress with black magic.
In one of the films Frankenstein would be torn to bits at the hands of a ignorant
mob. I especially loved Fisher's films for their vibrant color and style. We can
feel the "spirit" of the Universal, yet everything is entirely new and original at the
same time. Here the monsters were placed in large aquariums and powered by
giant roulette wheels. And Cushing with his skull like features made for a more
villianous Baron.
by Chris Friend
Growing up a nerdy kid in a small red neck town, I found myself staying home
on many a Saturday night. And usually I spent the evening watching many a
monster movie such as The Brain That Would'nt Die as well as other low-budget
treats. And I especially had a weak spot for Hammer Studios Frankenstein films.
Much of my enthusiasm centers around Terence Fishers brilliant re-invention of
Univeral's Frankenstein. Fisher re-directed the focus from the monster and
placed on the dear Baron (Peter Cushing usually). It was Baron Frankenstein
who carried the story from film to film. Frankenstein also would have to deal with
a superstitious society that equates scienitific progress with black magic.
In one of the films Frankenstein would be torn to bits at the hands of a ignorant
mob. I especially loved Fisher's films for their vibrant color and style. We can
feel the "spirit" of the Universal, yet everything is entirely new and original at the
same time. Here the monsters were placed in large aquariums and powered by
giant roulette wheels. And Cushing with his skull like features made for a more
villianous Baron.
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