Otherwise known as: The (can't be asked) Review.
Digital VS Traditional Art: Choose Your Pick! - Zahra Faisal AS
You think your life is hard? I’m on the bridge of digital and traditional art. Accidentally drawing your lineart on the sketch layer is a nightmare, and realising that there’s no undo button in real life is equally frustrating! However, most people believe that digital art is not real art, and that traditional art is the norm. To counter this stigma, let me walk you through how these two forms of art are similar, yet so different.
Digital art is a form of art which makes use of digital softwares on any gadget. Be it any device; an iPhone, iPad, your laptop, a screen tablet, digital art can be created with just a stroke of your finger, or your best friend, the stylus! Some drawing softwares are free, like Medibang and IbisPaint X, while others are paid like Procreate, Clip Studio Paint X etc.
In every drawing software, you are provided with the necessities to begin your art journey; a colour wheel, perspective tools, canvas settings, layers, clipping masks, blending modes and so much more. However, even being provided with all of these tools, people believe that digital art is easy. No, it’s not. Just like traditional art, a lot of time and effort is put into creating a digital art piece and with the existence of art blocks; We can feel an invisible force stopping us from drawing. On the bright side, one can make a living off of digital art as well through opening commissions or through YouTube. There are many channels based on digital art comprising SpeedPaints and tutorials which take hours to create! Still-life can also be made digitally! It’s awesome, right?
Sadly, there is a truth behind as to why some individuals have decided to become a digital artist. As kids, most of us would beg our parents to purchase us those really cool Copic markers or Arteza Brush pens. We’re hit with two sudden realisations: we can’t find them and even abroad, those things are expensive. This is where the ‘transition phase’ comes in: switching over to digital.
Have you ever walked in a store and the first thought that crossed your mind was that if the store has an art section? Yes! Every artist can relate to that. Rushing to the art section and purchasing a new sketchbook feels like a self-accomplishment. There are categories within traditional art, a form we’re all familiar with; sculpture, painting, sketching. This kind of art is passed down through generations which comes with values, cultural practices, and belief systems embedded in this art form.
As kids, all of us grabbed the nearest piece of paper and scribbled over it with absolutely no care in the world. Drawing our suns in the corner of the page and making green zigzag patterns was something so peculiar, yet so enjoyable. Growing up, most kids dropped drawing while others took it as a hobby or side hustle. Sometimes, I even catch myself drawing doodles in my notebook when I grow bored or can’t focus in class. Furthermore, I purchased a sketchbook every time we went to the store and if I were to stack them, I could make a tall mountain out of them.
We also gain information from them, like paintings from the Mughal era which gives us an insight on the lives of the Mughal Emperors. Just like that, even archeologists were able to decipher life in Ancient Egypt through Egyptian art and crafts. However, not all traditional art is historic. Famous artists like Vincent Van Gogh had a passion for art and is best known for his famous paintings like the Starry Night and The Yellow House. Personally, I enjoy doing still life because I get to test out different shading techniques like hatching, smudging etc. Just like digital art, an artist can make a living out of creating traditional artworks. Most artists prefer traditional art because they believe that traditional artworks aren’t easily reproduced and find it as a source of relaxation (same is the case for digital art!) On the other hand, they also don’t have to worry about drawing on the same layer, nor worry about their eyesight becoming poorer the longer they stare and work on a screen. Traditional artists are open to a variety of tools they can use in their artworks, varying from graphite pencils to copic markers (only a few art programs have all these brushes available!)
Be it pencil & paper or a canvas, one can express their creativity through their strokes and the overall mood of the drawing. One can walk through an art museum and marvel over all the paintings placed on the museum walls, allowing them to ponder over what hidden meanings can be unravelled. Similarly, traditional artists also take commissions and sell their paintings for a living (thus explaining their piles of canvas in the dark corner of their studio.)
It’s by practice and patience that one gets better over time. We may not be the best at art, but what’s important to remember is to have fun and see where your creativity takes you. You never know, you could even become the next Pablo Picasso!
The Child - Zainab Aquil Tariq IG-2
Planet 1: Vulcan-9
A metal cube, no taller than five feet sat next to Orion’s throne. The torch light reflected off of its surface, etched with intricate designs and hieroglyphs, in all directions.
“You are to deliver this to the planet Macabre-12 before their new year celebration in 7 earth days. I have informed your companions as I will now inform you, do not under any circumstance open the shipment.” he ordered. “Is that understood?”
“Yes, Your Highness. May I ask you who is to accompany me on this journey, Your Highness?” I questioned the Vulcan King.
“Urman will guide you to them. He speaks the language of the earthlings as do your companions. Take her away, Urman.” The order was directed at a servant who stood mirror opposite to the “shipment” on the other side of Orion's throne. He led me through tall metallic doors and without a word started on a long journey through endless corridors.
The long walk gave me time to think. The Vulcanians were forgers. Earth relied heavily upon Vulcanian resources after depleting our own. That's why I was here, to help in some form, repay our overwhelming debt. Why it entailed moving a large metal cube halfway across the galaxy, I had yet to understand.
My thoughts were brought to an abrupt halt as we reached a sudden clearing. The room resembled a greenhouse, but the panels were geometrical and the room was obviously much cooler than the vast sand planes that seemed to stretch perpetually in every direction outside the windows. A tall and bulky man, with skin that resembled sandpaper ,dressed in black armour stood in the corner of the room. Next to him was a woman around my age, short, lean and elegant. Her skin was pastel purple and she wore obviously new silver armour, without a dent or scratch.
“Hello I am Zadia of Atheria-13.” said the woman.
“And I am Ute,” said a man in the corner, “of Veridian Oasis.” he added as a second thought.
Planet 2: Sylestia Prime
“Ouch”.
Even through the protective eye shields, my vision was blinded. I exited the ship after Ute, Zadia followed behind. I had always heard that Sylestia Prime was insanely bright but never fully understood exactly how bad it was. Soon my eyes began to water so I closed my eyes to try and adjust to the brightness slowly.
As my vision adjusted I was faced with a marvellous landscape. Our landing pad was on a hill overlooking an enormous city shining with a million lights. The people of Sylestia used to live on a planet incredibly close to their star, and had thus evolved to receive energy photochemically. However, when their planet’s orbit was threatened by a rogue planet, they relocated to the nearest planet in the nearest solar-system. The artificial lights are all that keep the bright-red skinned race alive.
“Vvelcome to Sylestia Prrrime, please state the purrpose of your vvisit.” spoke a middle aged woman with what I assumed was a sylestian accent. She wore the distinct bright blue uniform of the STRA (Space Travel Regulation Authority). Urman had warned us not to reveal the purpose of our mission.
“Tourism.” I lied, almost too quickly.
She looked at us all up and down, not buying our story. “All three of you? From different systems?” she said, questioning us.
“We met at a college fair,” decided Ute. “o-on my planet, Veridian Oasis?”
Despite the dubiousness of this claim, the woman let us go, eyeing us as we walked to get some fuel. We decided to split up Zadia and I raided the first store we found while Ute refilled the ship.
“Something is off about that woman, I don't think she believed us.” I said
“Aurea, maybe, if you hurry up we can leave faster. Nothing will happen. ” Zadia complained. Deciding to let it go, I ran to catch up with her.
That was a mistake.
We couldn't find Ute so we decided to check back at the ship. It was surrounded. Sylestian STRA officers had opened the back of our ship, revealing the Vulcanian cube. Slowly we creeped up to the officers, hiding behind other ships parked in the lott. Suddenly there was a scream followed by panicked conversation in an unintelligible language. It took us a second to realize, they found us.
We ran as fast as possible, slipping through the gaps between the officers. Zadia ran to the stairs of the ship, distracting the officers while I ran towards the open end with shipment. Almost instantly, I was knocked to the ground.It was the same woman who interviewed us.
Somehow the cube wobbled and hummed. Taking the moment of surprise to my advantage I twisted her ankle with my hands and threw her to the floor. I ran into the ship and shut the back door.
The ship instantly rose into the air, while I stood in almost darkness staring at the metal cube. What was inside it that could be so precious that it attracted that much trouble.
Planet 3: Macabre-12
Macabre-12 was only a day away from Sylestia Prime; however, it seemed that the STRA knew our destination. Almost every possible route was littered with STRA ships. Instead we spent almost twice the amount of time frantically flying through one of the only unsupervised routes.
Macabre-12 seemed to be the polar opposite of Sylestia Prime. The planet was the last in its solar system and shrouded in darkness. Even the side facing the sun was dimly light, resembling the way the moon shines in the night sky on earth.
Black robed individuals approached the ship almost as soon as it landed. The skin on their faces was pale white and translucent enough to see the veins of blue blood circling underneath. The first person to approach us wore a golden belt, with a v-shaped dip in the front.
His first words were “You are incredibly laate!”. He spoke in a deep fierce voice. “Haand over ze child immediately.”
“The child…what child? Said Ute, “ we don't have any child with us.”
“Zo not mezz with me! Ze child! Ze saacrifice! Give it you fools! We aare aalmost out of time!” screeched the man in the belt.
With this he signalled to the men behind him, who began to approach the back of the ship. With a plan based on nothing but fleeting glances at one another, we jumped into action. Ute ran to the controls of the ship and prepared to take off. Zadia and I ran to the back, securing the doors and we took off.
Episode 1: Lone Ranger - Sarim Channa AS
The hustle and bustle of the dimly lit tavern, filled to the brim with patrons of all kinds, every kind of fantastical creature from every corner of the earth. That was to be expected of the most famous tavern in the capital of the Empire, yet among those wildly fascinating beings, there was one creature that stood out the most. A woman, an elf with gray skin and hair like snow, wearing a cloaked ranger's outfit, green like the forests the elves were associated with, drinking herself to death as she spoke with a rather soft voice to the man in front of her.
"What can you tell me about Vaeril, old man?" She asked, in a rather polite tone unbefitting someone as intimidating as her, but as the unrelenting, ectastic shouts of the men around them turned into ones of anger as brawls broke out, the man in question, seemingly in his elder years with a full beard of white hair, wearing the ragged clothes of lower society, oozing a wisdom far beyond his peers, answered the elf. "Ah…the witch. I suppose you're looking for him. I can tell you what I know, and I know better than these folks around us - buffoons; all of them. I can tell you indeed, I'm curious - how do I benefit from this?"
The greed of men, regardless of age and ambition, is certainly something the elf knew about, and such a tight-lipped person would only open their trap once they saw a glimpse of the almighty metal that governed the empire and its society- gold- and the elf knew that far too well, her intuition made apparent as her hand had already reached her coin purse before the elder man uttered another word, taking two of those divine coins out, she placed them in front of him and watched as the mortal human was all but mesmerized by the incentive she gave him, and all the words previously unspoken began to slowly be revealed as he gave her the information she so desired.
"That is what one likes to see. Vaeril, Vaeril, Vaeril. A mysterious figure, he is. Some call him a prophet, his magic a gift from the gods. Some shun him, calling his arts a curse for all. That's how the story goes, anyway. Not one soul has seen the witch for a century, nor has anyone tried to look for him, save for you. He's long dead, as far as anyone cares. The last story I heard about him, from my own old man, was that he died being hunted down by the Inquisition in the Squamae Range. Those knights always had to have the last laugh. Alas, I do not know what you seek to accomplish trying to chase a ghost." He said, sighing, as if he knew the plight of the elf. By the way he spoke, one would imagine he knew the man personally, which was far from the truth. The truth that he let on, at least.
With the new information guiding her path, the woman made her way to the outside of the tavern, deeming that the ancient man had divulged all the information she needed and wanted to know. She dodged a punch aimed at another, the bloody, brutal brawl still raging on as the buffoons battled their brawn with the bunch. She weaved through the tables and the creatures, eventually finding herself out of the stifling, suffocating tavern and out in the streets of Ethis. The capital of the Aurvelian Empire, known as the Hollow to people like the elf. It was a sprawling utopia of magic and machinations of every kind, but it was a hollow shell of what it portrayed. It was unforgiving for people of lower society, and ones it had deemed threats. The city was alive, and for such a living creature, beings like the elf were a parasite, waiting to be removed.
Walking through the wide streets paved with stone and flanked on either side by trees and buildings of varying heights maintaining constant beauty, wagons and horses walking through the center as people of all kinds walked at the sides. Magic was certainly not uncommon in this city, finding a magician, however, was. The elf trudged on, worries none save for her mentality. Her thoughts were the most dangerous threat to her, whispering in her ears. She still walked on. It seemed like she had been walking for ages, passing by the same tavern several times. Perhaps she had- she never knew when her mind played tricks on her. For her, everything was a blur, however, before she knew it, she was back at the inn.
Getting out of her ranger's outfit and into something more comfortable as the sun went down, its warm, golden embrace fading into a darker, colder blue, she sat down on the bed. Another day had passed, and another restless night would soon follow. How many times has she woken up with a cold sweat in the night? Too many to count. That would not stop her from trying to rest, though.
The last thing she remembered was the whispering in her ears, growing louder, before cutting to a black void, completely quiet bar the occasional whispers that pierced the silence. Her bed was relatively soft, stark contrast to where she woke. A cold, hard ground. A monster again. She spoke, but the words were not her own.
"You should not be here." Her mouth uttered, against her will. It all disappeared once more, waking up in the bed in a cold sweat. Another restless night it is, she mused.
The Truman Show: A Rant - Erina Bilal AS
Recently, out of boredom and the need to procrastinate more than usual during the so-called “spring break” given to us by our oh-so-generous school (it’s not even spring yet), I decided to watch the 1998 film, The Truman Show. Now, I usually forget everything about a movie the minute the credits start rolling but this time seemed to be different because I could not stop thinking about it so buckle up, sit back, relax, and let me waste your precious time with this rant featuring a striking film starring the one and only, Jim Carrey. Obviously, there are spoilers up ahead so be warned just in case you’d like to experience the film for yourself.
For those who don’t want to sit through 103 minutes of paranoia, The Truman Show is a comedy-drama following the story of an insurance salesman named Truman Burbank (played by Jim Carrey), who discovers that he is the star of a reality television show that has been broadcast live for his entire life. Slowly, through unlikely coincidences and malfunctions on the set, he realizes that his entire "real" life, including his job, his wife, his neighbors, and even his best friend, is part of a massive television production created solely for the audience. Finally, he manages to prove the artificiality of his world by reaching the barrier that keeps him enclosed within his world and leaves through an exit door.
Having looked at a summary, I wanted to talk about a number of things concerning the film. Firstly, I believe that when discussing several underlying themes and ideas at once, many films appear to become a disorienting, spineless mess of things. However, The Truman Show seems to break this stereotype and does an amazing job containing a myriad of themes while being coherent and actually funny. This film generally discusses the search for truth, the power of media, commercialism, and reality and illusion, rebellion, breaking societal norms, among many others, but more on these later.
If we look at the cinematography and the more technical aspects of the film, they don’t seem to be too extraordinary or unlike anything anybody has ever seen before but it can definitely be argued that some of the ways the producers chose to make this film were quite impressive for the time, and help expand on the themes present in the film itself. A really interesting aspect of this movie is the color. Throughout the film, my eyes were bombarded— blinded— by bright, over-saturated tones of reds, yellows, and greens. The perfect little 1990s suburban community is packed to the brim with these colors as well, the houses, cars, and patches of greenery all containing them. Truman’s wife, Meryl, is another testament to these colors, having bright blonde hair and a striking shade of red lipstick. All of Truman’s outfits, throughout the movie, appear to be very childish and colorful as well, such as the red sweater and yellow tie he wears going to work, and the mint-green button-down with a yellow sweater in the opening scene, which portrays his unawareness of the world around him, his naivety and the artificialness of his constructed world. Contrastingly, on his first meeting with Sylvia, a woman who tries to expose the reality of his world to him, Truman is seen to be wearing darker colors. The most obvious exception from the bright colors is at the very end of the film, however, as Truman sets out to find the truth. In the scene, he triumphantly wears all black (a black turtleneck and black pants) and the scene itself contains darker colors such as shades of blue. The aggressive reds and yellows, as mentioned before, show us his artificial, prison-of-a-world, as well as Truman’s naivety, whereas darker and more earthy colors portray his discovery and coming to terms with reality, his triumph and escape, and testify to his disillusionment.
Next, most of the shots used in the movie are taken from hidden cameras placed all over Truman’s world; from cameras placed inside Truman’s clothes, his buttons, traffic lights, telephone booths, and surveillance cameras, these shots are a clear invasion of privacy and the audience, as well as our own viewing experience, is based on this invasion of privacy, for it wouldn’t have been possible without it. Such shots are very effective in making the camera an essential story-telling element in the film itself, as it details the lengths the producers were willing to go to entertain the audience, even if it meant employing immoral and unethical practices. Additionally, many shots in the film were advertisements slipped into the audience’s viewing experience— in fact, there were moments in the film where the cast around Truman went into explicit detail about a specific product to promote on the show (undoubtedly leaving Truman very confused)— which highlights how Truman’s entire life seemed to be nothing but a means to earn money by the producers.
Furthermore, Carrey’s performance in comedic, rather animated roles contrasts such a dark film. Though it appears to be very light-hearted, comedic, and downright silly, Jim Carrey’s acting in more serious scenes such as the one where his best friend clarified he would never lie to Truman and how Truman implicitly realizes his friend was being hypocritical, was top-notch as well. In another pivotal moment in the movie— when Truman finally confirms his world is fake— Carrey does an excellent job portraying the absolute shock, horror, betrayal, and how he clings onto the belief he was merely paranoid up until the last moment, and anger and depression as he beats his hands on the wall in frustration. Overall, another banger by the silly man himself, and I really hope he gets cast in more serious roles if he doesn’t eventually decide to retire.
Watching Truman go about his daily life determined to discover reality, we are watching through the hidden cameras of the world, based on this huge invasion of privacy as I previously mentioned. We are not supposed to be seeing him like this, and from the beginning, we know it is wrong for Truman to be involved in this. Yet, we continue to watch and we enjoy it. After all, we chose to watch this movie after reading the synopsis we found online, didn’t we? Really, we are watching what most of the audience watching ‘The Truman Show’ on television is currently seeing so that makes us the audience. According to some thread I found on Reddit, The Truman Show is an extremely manipulative movie. Throughout the film, we cheer for Truman, and remain on his side the entire time, rooting for him to escape the world. He’s the star of the show and because we root for the star of the show we momentarily forget that his misfortune is our entertainment. We are drawn into the ‘The Truman Show’. It captures us just as well as the audience in the film itself. Our manipulation is especially clear when we see the producers of the show deliberately choosing out shots, and the heartfelt music in some scenes of the show. This is when we become self-aware; we condemn the orchestrators of the show for their immorality and manipulation, angry that the audience feeds into the show. But we are being hypocritical, as every time the sad music plays, every time we see Truman struggle, we root for his struggle, we feed into the manipulation by the producers, and we are no more clever or self-aware than the audience in the film.
All of that said, this movie seems to be forcing us to consider how we consume entertainment and are constantly manipulated by it; the advertisements, the emotional responses to heartfelt music and shots, the indulgence in something possible through only immorality and invasion of privacy. All things of these things, while condemning consciously, all of us eat up subconsciously. Another idea discussed was “humanity preferring the cage”, referring to Truman’s literal imprisonment in his artificial world as well as the more metaphorical state of being blissfully unaware of his world. The film forces us to consider whether we prefer the cold, harsh reality of the real world over the more safer, bearable, false one. The film ends with "The Truman Show" coming to a finale after 30 years, as Truman exits his false world through a pitch-black doorway (an unusual metaphor for new beginnings, compared to the light at the end of the tunnel we are used to) and two men who have been watching intently all along turning to each other and saying, "Ehh, what else is on?". This line resonated with me, as we, as the audience desire to see what happens next. We wish to see what happens to Truman after he escapes, and what his life would be like if he hadn’t been forced for entertainment purposes. This is heavily paradoxical, however, as you would still cheer for Truman, wanting him to be free, yet, you still want every move of his to be put up on the screen for you to see. As a viewer, you realize that you've been successfully manipulated by the producers, and are feeding off what they give the audience. It’s somewhat like a sacrifice, really. Ultimately, if we, as the viewer, want what’s best for Truman, we have to give up our entertainment and let him go.
Finally, as we conclude this nerdy rant, perhaps The Truman Show warns us to remain aware of the dangers of the media, telling us to condemn our comfortable escapism through entertainment and ignorance, telling us to march through the pitch-black doorway into the real world. Or maybe I overanalyzed and this movie is for nothing but to entertain.
Articles of the Past!
Thalassophobia & Water in Gaming - Erina Bilal AS
An incredible observation I made was that water is all around us. The indispensability of water is an undeniable fact, evident both in our existence as a species and in the survival of every living organism we know of. The whole human experience depends on water, in fact, has been shaped by it over the time we have been here on this planet; through our proximity to it over centuries, it is safe to say water has a deep-rooted significance in our small human brains. It's no surprise then, that humans would want to utilize, feature, or comment on this liquid through the various means of expression they have come up with– art, music, literature, religion, books, movies, films, and now video games.
Video games are the pinnacle of human expression. They combine every form of art we know of into one collective, digital, otherworldly experience whether it is music, storytelling, visual art, level design, background design, 3D graphics, or coding, video games have it all. Water, without a doubt, is special in video games. Name one video game genre that doesn’t feature water as a setting, landscape, or even just an asset to make it look pretty. I bet 100 rupees on this, no joke, look for me if you do manage to think of something.
Take the example of the game, Sea of Thieves. If we leave the game’s toxicity aside and focus on the build of the game itself, I personally believe it has one of the absolute best water of all time. The water is just so magically serene and powerful, with beautiful stylized waves rising up and down, the light hitting the peaks with just the right intensity, and the colors– it’s all simply scrumptious. Water graphics have been consistently evolving since video games were created, from simply the color blue to more color variation and simple 2D animations to simulate waves, and finally to 3D graphics, with textured meshes that ripple and undulate oh-so realistically. In this day and age, water and oceans truly look mesmerizing in video games. I remember once when I was playing Red Dead Redemption 2, I came upon this mission about fishing. You have to understand that this game was designed to be an action-filled Western shooting game, so a mission involving fishing was immediately a bummer when I discovered what it was about. Nevertheless, half-heartedly, determined to finish the game I spent 27 whole dollars on, I continued with the mission and was surprised to find myself just staring at the enchantingly hyper-realistic sea for a whole 10 minutes, simply watching, admiring the reflections of the sun and the relaxing waves, doing the most boring activity known to mankind– fishing. It was truly a calming, very human(?) experience.
Another example of the enigmatic beauty of water in video games is from the indie game Hollow Knight. In an area of the game called the City of Tears, rain constantly pours down from the sky. The music (I seriously recommend checking out the Hollow Knight OST, especially the track City of Tears) and this rain really hits the heart with this heavy sense of melancholy and loneliness, while also being incredibly beautiful to listen to and explore at the same time. It heavily contrasts the other areas of the game, where you have to constantly be on the lookout for enemies, whereas here, even with enemies present, you find yourself in this weird state of being completely intoxicated by the area; so much so, that if sirens were real, this is what it would feel like to be entranced by one. This constant rain and the music accurately fit the lore of the game, building the atmosphere of the once lively and bustling capital turned old, rundown and sad. It's just tragic, really. Rain is a beautiful force of nature, but it can also be a sign of disaster, such as with flooding. It’s this contrast that sets this part of the game aside for me.
On the flip side, we take a look at games like Iron Lung, BioShock, SOMA, and Subnautica, which perfectly explore the oppressive fear that water can cause. Of course, the fear of the deep is an understandable, primal fear birthed from the fear of the unknown that humans have evolved. I don’t have thalassophobia (the phobia of water) or anything, but who looks at a fathomless, dark void, unexplored by mankind and home to nightmarish creatures science has yet to explain, and feels irrepressible glee at the mere thought of such a thing? Yeah, I didn’t think so. The first time I played Subnautica (a survival game where you are stranded on an oceanic planet), let me just tell you, I quit the game less than halfway through the main campaign. Priding myself on being a fearless sigma male, that was the closest I have been to actively being scared by a video game. Your sensors beeping, informing the lonely little you of the leviathan class lifeforms in the area, asking you whether what you were doing in-game was worth it, and then, the sudden chilling roar heard from somewhere behind. Chills. Also, I didn’t have the patience to grind for so much material, which is also why I quit.
Additionally, I believe that this terror of the deep sea is perfectly encapsulated by the game Iron Lung. In this game, you play as an escaped convict exploring an ocean of blood in a primitive submarine known as the Iron Lung. With the windows of the submarine welded shut for security measures and your only navigation system being a primitive radar that pings whenever you near an obstacle, the unawareness of where you are leading the submarine sets you on edge. In the beginning, all is normal, until the radar begins to ping even when you are not near a wall. It is only with an old camera on the exterior of the sub, that takes an uncomfortably long time to process the image, that you can take a glimpse of what’s outside. You see unnatural structures resembling pipes, skeletons of chilling beasts, and then finally, a disturbing creature that disappears once you attempt to capture another image. As you continue, there is this new sense of claustrophobia that worsens as you experience technical difficulties in-game such as electrical fires. The reason I believe this game accurately depicts what thalassophobia feels like, is due to its minimalistic gameplay, leaving most of what the player experiences up to their imagination which is much, much worse than directly showing you what abominations lurk within the sea.
Not only is water peaceful and calming, or a powerful, fear-inducing entity, but many games use massive fronts of water as borders for the end of the map or a hazard. Water is probably the most logical way to block off access to an area, because we, as humans, are not sea creatures and instinctively know that our home turf is back on the land and not under the sea (sorry, Sebastian, sometimes it's just not better down where it’s wetter). In some video games, a curious player may wander over to where they see a body of water, touching it only to find out they immediately die by either dissolving or drowning, or are just launched back to land upon contact– there is really no in-between. In others, the player may gain access to an item that allows them to explore the depths, which is extremely rewarding, almost as if you have unlocked a whole new world.
Water, a powerful force of nature, is often depicted as one– something the player or the characters around them can harness. A great example is the Pokémon video game series, which has an entire Pokémon type dedicated to water alone for use in battles against other Pokémon. In some games, you use water-based spells, enchants, and effects, and even kill enemies using water itself. Water is everything, now that I think about it. It can solve all your problems. Got bad skin? Drink some water. Wanna lose weight? Drink water. Got a mild headache? Drink more water. Tired of someone you know? Drown’em.
This earth juice is so simple, yet so important, and so versatile. Who knew an inorganic compound named H₂O, would influence us puny humans in ways we would never have imagined? Concluding this brain fart, I believe water holds a little too much power in shaping our virtual worlds. It enchants us with its beauty, allows us to explore its depths when it is not realistically possible or feasible, provides us with rollercoasters of emotions, leaves us terrified, peeing our pants in its dark, lonesome wake, and then makes us fall back in love with its ethereality. With everything that such a versatile, overlooked part of the human experience is capable of, I think that sometimes, it's appropriate to stop for a moment and admire the beauty of the water in Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom.
This a̶r̶t̶i̶c̶l̶e̶ rant was not sponsored by Nestlé.
Arcane: Unravelling A Masterpiece - Sarim Channa AS
I was laying on my bed, scrolling through shows to sate my boredom one fateful day, when I stumbled upon a certain show I had been putting off for a while – Arcane, that show that had yet to take the world by storm as it was still sleeping on its potential. Thinking I had nothing better to watch, and having low expectations when I first started, I clicked on the first episode- unbeknownst to me, I was falling into a rabbit hole filled with magic, mystique, mania and mourning- falling into the world of one of the greatest animated shows I have seen in recent times. Yes I am biased, shush, I love the show.
In the vibrant realm of animated storytelling, "Arcane" emerges as a titan that transcends the boundaries of conventional narratives told in animated stories. This little analysis of mine seeks to unravel the intricacies and brilliance of the series, delving into its visual artistry, profound thematic explorations, and the masterful characterizations that captivate audiences from the first frame to the last. From the gleaming towers of perfect Piltover to the depths of dystopian Zaun’s grimy streets, "Arcane" weaves a captivating tapestry of telling a story that not only immerses viewers in the world of the show but also elevates the standards of animated series to new heights. To put this into perspective, Piltover is Islamabad, Zaun would be Lahore due to all the ridiculous pollution.
The visual spectacle of "Arcane" is nothing short of breathtaking. Each frame is a meticulous work of art, architectured to be considered a recent animation masterpiece, from the soaring architecture of Piltover to the gritty, industrial landscapes of Zaun. The attention to detail, coupled with a distinctive, engaging animation style that compliments the narrative using a variety of techniques with its use or contrasting, bright pop art among others, creates a visual language that communicates the stark contrast between the two city-states. Piltover's opulence, characterised by gleaming spires and technological marvels, stands in stark contrast to the grime-covered alleys and makeshift structures of Zaun. This visual juxtaposition serves as a powerful metaphor for the societal divide explored throughout the series. The privileged elite stand in the Sun, while the disenfranchised stay in the shadow that their better counterparts cast.
At the heart of "Arcane" lies a narrative that transcends the traditional boundaries of animated storytelling. The series delves into profound themes such as oppression, the clash between progress and tradition, and the complex nature of human relationships. The opening episodes, particularly the tragic events in the Undercity, serve as a poignant catalyst for the characters' journeys. Vi and Powder's dynamic sets the stage for the emotional depth and complexity that characterises their evolving relationship throughout the series, dealing with an ever changing political landscape, their own ideals, beliefs and wants- as well as their shared trauma that they learn to deal with in different ways, much like real siblings- it is the perfect set-up for mania and magic shenanigans later on in the series. This nuanced exploration of character relationships adds layers to the storytelling, as not only does the story have a good setting, it is made clear that it is going to be great watch from how they interact in the very first episode- leaving both gamers and the general audience alike wanting to continue watching to find out more, which is the one time both communities have agreed on something wholeheartedly, “Arcane” does a great job at immersing anyone into its world.
Of course, no series is called a masterpiece without characters with personality, and the character development in "Arcane" is nothing short of remarkable. Vi, with her strength and determination, becomes a symbol of resistance against oppression. Her journey from the streets of Zaun to the upper echelons of Piltover mirrors the overarching themes of societal disparity and the pursuit of progress. Powder's transformation into Jinx, fueled by trauma and external forces, as well as her caring yet very concerning relationship with her adoptive father, Silco- come on, I wasn't the only one who was worried they'd be romantically interested in each other in a weird, toxic way- showcases the series' commitment to exploring the darker facets of human nature. The complexity of characters like Viktor, the Piltover scientist from the Undercity with a limp and the more reasonable of the pair of Jayce and him, becomes torn between technological advancement and preserving tradition, adding further depth to the narrative. Even minor characters like Ekko, and Heimerdinger contribute to the richness of the ensemble, each bringing a unique perspective to the overarching story, in a way that feels neither repetitive nor cliche, but rather, a breath of fresh air- all of these characters feel…human, having their own impact on the story and their own motivations that drive them, rather than being there just to pad up the story.
One of the standout achievements of "Arcane" is its ability to tackle profound themes with nuance and depth. The socio-political commentary embedded in the narrative serves as a thought-provoking reflection of our own world. The series doesn't shy away from addressing the ethical implications of progress, the consequences of unchecked ambition, and the blurred lines between heroism and villainy. The fictional universe of Arcane becomes a mirror reflecting the complexities of the human condition, inviting viewers to ponder the implications of societal structures, technological advancements, and individual choices.
One character arc that deserves special attention, where greed and manipulation take centre stage is that of Jinx. Her descent into madness becomes a chilling commentary on the corrosive effects of trauma influenced by external forces, left unchecked until she became downright maniacal. Scenes depicting her unravelling psyche are both haunting and mesmerising, showcasing the series' commitment to exploring the darker corners of the human mind.
The theme of guilt and trauma and most importantly, ambition, is embodied in characters like Silco, whose past choices cast a long, inescapable shadow on the present. His internal struggles and the weight of his decisions add layers to the narrative, where he does everything that he does ultimately for the people of Zaun, even if his methods of standing against Piltover are morally wrong- in his eyes, they are necessary measures, challenging viewers to confront the moral complexities inherent in the choices we make, yet it is also made clear that is not all there is to him, as he also clearly cares about Jinx, caring for her in his own way by disregarding her behaviour when she messes up or even kills, telling her “You're perfect just the way you are.” And genuinely worrying about her if something went wrong, which only fuelled her psychosis and disregard for the emotions and lives of other people, yet also made her cling onto Silco as he was the only one to value her, in her eyes. This eventually leads to Jinx becoming more unhinged, as her adoptive father and his plans are endangered, especially with the reintroduction of Vi and Ekko into her life amid the riots in Act 2 and Act 3, which eventually leads us to the final climax of the series- which I am refusing to spoil for anyone here.
Speaking of Silco doing what has to be done, in "Arcane," there is a certain theme that arises frequently, of what should be done versus what has to be done, which forms a compelling undercurrent, notably embodied by characters like Caitlyn, who navigates the complexities of justice and societal expectations, not wanting to adhere to the corruption that the police force experiences and holding up her own beliefs amid her pursuit of justice and the protection of citizens. Vi, on the other hand, grapples with ideals, showcasing the sacrifices demanded by the path of righteousness, however flawed she may be, she does what she thinks is right, following her own bent yet correct path in its own way.
Speaking of women exploring their own morality in the series, Arcane introduces Councilwoman Mel as a fascinating addition to this thematic exploration. Unlike Vi and Caitlyn, Mel employs a different set of skills, manipulating situations and individuals, particularly her relationship with Jayce, with cunning intellect and persuasive charm, using wit and intellect over everything else. This challenges stereotypical portrayals of strong, independent women, as Mel embraces her femininity as a tool of influence, subverting expectations and highlighting the multifaceted nature of empowered women in Piltover.
In the conflict between ideals and pragmatism, doing what should be done against what has to be done, Mel becomes a character who embodies the notion that achieving one's goals sometimes requires a strategic and less conventional approach, becoming Jayce’s supporter and being the puppet master that helps him become the leader of the Council, replacing Heimerdinger, she adds power to Jayce’s argument of progress against Heimerdinger’s supposed superstition, with the little man blind to whatever was transpiring right under his nose- after all, how could he look under that smashing moustache, adding complexity to the series' exploration of societal expectations and the guile required to be successful in the pursuit of power, blurring the line between what has to be done and what should be done in the eyes of her own character, she also sheds light on the fact that any method one uses in the pursuit of power is simply a means to an end, nothing more, nothing less.
Through Mel's role, "Arcane" encourages viewers to question prejudiced notions of strength and independence, showcasing a nuanced perspective on female empowerment in a world driven by ideals and pragmatism, a world where Mel fits in like the final piece of a puzzle. At least she stopped Jayce from killing himself- which, let's be honest, plenty of us wanted.
Furthermore, as the narrative unfolds, "Arcane" masterfully builds suspense and maintains a palpable sense of tension. The pacing is expertly crafted, allowing for moments of quiet introspection amidst the adrenaline-fueled sequences. The musical score further enhances the emotional resonance of the story, underscoring pivotal moments with a haunting beauty. The climactic scenes, particularly those leading to the climax of the first act, where the series really hooks in the watcher, showcase the series' ability to deliver narrative twists that are both unexpected and emotionally resonant, leaving you thirsty for more as you delve deeper into the landscape of Piltover and the Undercity in it's colossal, dark shadow.
In conclusion, "Arcane" is a triumph in the realm of animated storytelling. Its ability to seamlessly blend stunning visuals with a rich narrative, coupled with its exploration of profound themes, masterful use of music during critical scenes, well-written characters, especially females, who usually are underwhelmingly insignificant or overwhelming to the point of annoyance, as well as the moral ambiguity it presents for each of its characters in the world it has presented, cements its place as a masterpiece in contemporary animation. The series not only entertains but also invites audiences to reflect on the complexities of the human condition and the choices that shape our destinies. "Arcane" is more than a show; it's an immersive experience that lingers in the mind, a testament to the storytelling potential within the animated medium. In a world of countless narratives, "Arcane" stands tall as a beacon of innovation and artistic achievement, leaving the world to wait for the second season dropping next year in November 2024.
If you haven't already, please go watch it, it is a very good show, and it is something I cannot recommend enough. Arcane also has the only intro that I dare not skip. There are also so many, many points I could've talked about but it would make this article much much longer and we don't want that so here you have it.
Is Modern Art Real Art? - Adeena Shahzad IG-1
There was a time when masterpieces like the “Girl in the Pearl Earrings” and “Mona Lisa” were being painted, capturing the true beauty of the human species. There was a time when beautiful geometric patterns were plastered into Mosques, lining the walls and ceilings with kaleidoscopic designs. Now, the time of colorful squares being sold for millions of dollars has arrived, specifically, modern expressionism.
After the invention of photography, there wasn’t a need for documentation or picture perfect paintings, and everything started to fade into conceptualism. Most fields go from simple to complex, but art reached its complexity peak and is now falling into simplicity.
While modern art enthusiasts argue that these “blobs of color” are artistic expressions, and deserve to be called art, many argue otherwise. Although it is entirely possible for these random shapes and drips to hold some kind of meaning or emotion, for many it evokes nothing.
Paintings often tell stories, like the Fallen Angel tells the tale of Satan as he was cast out of heaven for causing a rebellion against his God, depicting him as a tragic hero. A truly devastating story, evoking a sense of pity or sympathy. If not a story being told, some sort of emotion was usually portrayed through these works of art, whether it being anger, sorrow, joy, or any other. These paintings made people feel. Through the Old Guitarist by Pablo Picasso, loneliness, the aging process and life’s challenges are beautifully expressed, creating strong emotional ties to the painting. But why does this matter?
Emotion and story, essentially the souls of art. Souls that don’t exist in modern art.
To bring it down, modern art is color. Some find it visually stimulating, to look at appealing hues placed next to each other, creating visual aesthetics. However, it is nothing more than eye candy, and only the best modern art pieces will receive this compliment. Other pieces will scream at you, with bright colors that make your eyes bleed. And some don’t even have interesting color schemes, just random colors that put together.
But why do artists care so much? Why do art critics refuse to refer to this as art?
We’ve all seen artists begging for commissions on their socials. We’ve all seen artists trying to advertise their art as best as they can, whether it's professional advertisements or reels with Steve Lacy audios. Gallery artists keep going, rejection after rejection, dreaming of the day their art is put up in an exhibition or auctioned. All these artists work tirelessly, sleepless nights perfecting their pieces. Meanwhile, modern artists have no need to refine their skill, as painting like a six year old comes off as “aesthetic” and is immediately flocked to. Modern art is something anyone can do, hence the appeal. During the renaissance era, to be an artist meant you had to go through training from already established artists, academies, and perfecting the skill. Now, anyone can be an artist if they own some paint and a brush.
But isn’t that good? Everyone can have the joy of being able to create art.
Millions. Millions of dollars. No.5 by Jackson Pollock was sold for $140 million. No.6 by Mark Rothko was sold for $186 million. Millions of dollars are being blown off on blocks and lines of color. The commodification of modern art has reached a high, with the rich trading such pieces like Pokemon cards, except Pokemon is actually art.
Through such commodification and freedom of expression, anyone can make a pretty penny just by putting up such paintings. This creates a drop in appreciation for actual artists who spent years refining their skills. Although 56% of people do not believe that modern expressionism is art, rich investors do, and the common man is not the one spending millions of dollars on these pieces. So, at the end of the day, lines and shapes are worth more than stories and emotions.
“Argue with a wall.” — a common phrase used to disrespect and bring down arguments, stating that the other side has no interest in debating.
Argue with a wall, modern art is not art.
Tribute to Jeff Buckley's Grace - Zahara Shae AS
Jeff Buckley's birthday happened recently on November 17th, and reminded me and many of his other listeners of the piece of art that is his album, Grace.
Grace came out in August of 1994, and is his only officially released album. During Buckley’s lifetime, it gained little traction. However, after his passing in 1997 (just three years after the initial release), it has been recognized as one of the greatest albums of all time. Everything from the vocals and lyrics to the very music itself; Grace is not merely just an album, it is a story that resonates with anyone that has the pleasure of listening to it, it fills the listener with a profound, intense sense of melancholy and heartache. Grace is the epitome of yearning, loss, existential contemplation, and despair; in short, conveys feelings that everyone recognizes but can't quite put into words, and I can’t think of anything that better represents these unrecognised emotions than this album.
In an interview with Jessica Hundley, six months before his death, Buckley related, “My favourite kind of music is the stuff that stops time. You put something on to sit there and let an experience go through you…It's a very scary thing to illustrate. To look at yourself clearly through a song. It's true of all art, all mediums, but for some reason music has a direct line straight into people.” This sentiment is reflected in Buckley's own music, where his soulful and emotionally charged performances create a timeless and introspective connection with the listener.
Buckley’s main inspiration for Grace, and the reason why he moved to New York (where he produced the album) was Rebecca Moore, a fellow musician, who he was in a relationship with from 1991 to 1993. Moore was Buckley's muse for the album, and he would not have been prompted to record it without her presence in his life. He was also in a relationship with Elizabeth Fraser, a member of gothic rock band Cocteau Twins. The two collaborated on an unreleased duet, hence it is speculated that the two influenced each other: both Buckley and Cocteau Twins have a similar delicate and ethereal mood to their music.
The album's title track, “Grace”, uses a jangly guitar riff as a background for Buckley’s iconic vocals - one minute intense, the next fragile and broken. The tender quality of his voice creates a feeling of existentialism and emotional weight, and the unique melody reflects his lovers’ mixed feelings on death and how he believes that true love makes up for the pain of having to face one’s own mortality.
Next, my personal all time favourite, “Lover, You Should’ve Come Over”, is a love letter that explores the tragedy of longing and vulnerability. It describes a feeling that is for the most part ignored: the terrifying idea of being known, of being vulnerable, of being exposed, of being at the mercy of someone else, all things which are necessary in order to be loved. Buckley took the fear and hurt that comes with love, and transformed it into something hauntingly magnificent. His lyrics are heartbreakingly beautiful, and his voice has a pain in it that is intensely palpable; it never fails to make the listener feel the feelings that Buckley felt. It is a song that never grows old, and is so raw and haunting that even those who don’t like this genre of music can appreciate the pure emotion in Buckley’s voice. His unapologetic and untamed expression is what makes this song so unique and stirring.
The fourth single released, “Eternal Life”, stands out from the others from the album, and is a testament to Buckley’s versatility as an artist. It focuses on more aggressive and bold tunes that contrast with the gentle, delicate mood the rest of the album conveys. As the name suggests, this song explores the inherent human desire for more than earthliness and mortality; something transcendent, otherworldly, and how this belief that they will never die makes people think that their immoral actions are excusable. The fierce, metal music signifies urgency, and frustration, with the rawness of Buckley’s vocals coaxing the listener to not get consumed with the materialism of the world, and forget that there really is no such thing as “Eternal Life”.
“So Real”, the fifth track on the album, is a reflection of a former love. The warm music at the beginning signifies the fondness Buckley associates with those memories. As the song progresses, it gets more powerful, portraying melancholy and nostalgia for the romance he once experienced. The repetition of “That was so real” is Buckley recalling memories of this relationship, and represents how emotions, when you are feeling them, are incredibly intense and feel unforgettable. However, once the moment passes they become distant and fade away. Also, the verse “And I couldn’t awake from the nightmare, that sucked me in and pulled me under” is especially striking, considering the singer's fear of bodies of water, and that he lost his life due to drowning.
The evocative closing track for the album, “Dream Brother” draws clear inspiration from one of Buckley’s influences, Thom Yorke of Radiohead. This highlights his musical range, as he was able to combine his usual ethereal tone with Yorke’s distinct falsetto. As the song progresses, the music gets more hurried and intense, matching the lyrics, as Buckley urges the listener to not give in to self-destruction, to not “be like the one who made me so old”, and “left behind his name”, a reference to his father Tim Buckley, who abandoned his family. Knowing Buckley’s personal experience with loss makes this song all the more powerful, as he wrote it for one of his friends who wanted to leave his pregnant girlfriend, just as Tim did to Buckley’s mother. Understanding the depths of self-hatred, Buckley empathised with the struggles of his friend, and witnessing their eventual surrender to those feelings filled him with a sense of loss and grief, a sentiment encapsulated in the song's title, symbolising Buckley's emotional connection as he refers to his friend as "Brother".
Among the notable admirers was the iconic David Bowie, who included Grace in a list of albums he would choose to accompany him on a hypothetical desert island. This endorsement by Bowie, a legend in his own right, spoke volumes about the album's artistic merit and lasting impact.
David Bowie, the iconic English musician, lauded Grace and called it “the album he would take with him on a desert island”. Besides that, Grace also grew in popularity in mainstream media, with Q magazine voting it as the 75th greatest album of all time in 1988. Even the Rolling Stone awarded Buckley’s cover of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” at No.259 on their list of the 500 greatest songs of all time.
My words don’t give this album any justice. No one explains it better than the man himself, who said in a 1994 interview, “It[music]’s always seemed to me to be one of the direct descendants of the thing in the universe that’s making everything work. It’s like the direct child of life, of what being “people” is all about. It’s incredibly human but it touches things that are around us anyway. It’s hard to explain. It gets into your blood.”, and I think anybody who has given this album a listen can agree that these words are especially true for his music.
It is incredibly unfortunate that the world lost such an extraordinary artist so soon. It is rare to find a singer capable of touching the hearts of their listeners as he did.
He is the tear that hangs inside our souls forever.
Rest in peace, king.
The History of Horror - Khadeja Chishtie AS
Throughout the history of man, ghosts have been depicted and spoken about, in abundance and in various ways. A king or queen, an ancestor, a lost lover, a child, animals, a bright iridescent light. The detached spirit that still lingers in the world long after the person has passed away themselves. When you think about the essence of a standard ‘campfire story’ in today’s day and age, a ghost story would come to majority people’s minds.
Ghosts have appeared in fiction since as early as the 5th Century BC, in the trilogy of Greek tragedies, Oresteia. Later then, described “as a vapour, gibbering and whining into the earth” in Homer’s Odyssey and Iliad, in the 8th Century BC, ghosts were described to be harmless and non bothersome. In Mesopotamia, dating back as early as 5000 years ago, the people believed in the concept of a ‘gidim’, which is essentially the same thing as a ghost. These gidim would usually abode in the underworld realm but were also believed to be able to infiltrate the mortal world. The 9th Century Arabian Nights also has a handful of references to haunted locations in its stories.
The Romans also played quite a major role in the spread of ghost stories (our real Roman Empire, perhaps?); Plautus’ Mostellaria is known to be one of the earliest depictions of a haunted location, the title literally being translated to English from Latin as “The Ghost”. Roman lawyer and author, Pliny the Younger also describes a ghost haunting Athens, imprisoned in chains – a trait that becomes common in future ghost and horror works. Additionally, the revival of tragedy in the Renaissance theatre, influencing notable playwrights like Shakespeare, greatly, was credited to Seneca, a Roman author, whose works featured ghosts and spirits quite often.
Stories of real-life hauntings have also been told since way back when. Our first report of a poltergeist – a noisy apparition/ghost that causes physical disturbances – haunting a location comes from a German farmhouse, in 856 A.D. However, it was not until from the 15th and 16th centuries onwards that these stories became more prominent and widely talked about. One of which was the Flying Dutchman, a ghost ship seen to be spotted sailing the seven seas (which also makes appearances and major influences in lots of modern media including a David Bowie song, the Japanese anime and manga series, One Piece, the video game, Kingdom Hearts III, and even an Uncle Scrooge comic. Furthermore, apart from modern media, it also played a major role in 15th and 16th century border ballads).
The coming of the Renaissance also revived interest in necromancy and the occult, as well as the emergence of common appearances of ghosts and supernatural in theatre. I find it also pretty interesting to note that the infamous legend of Bloody Mary comes from the Renaissance era; it refers to the daughter of Henry VIII, Mary Tudor who gained the nickname ‘Bloody Mary’ and died during this era. Stories and sightings of Anne Boleyn’s ghost, who was also related to Henry VIII, being, specifically, his second wife, began during the 16th century as she was seen around the Tower of London, her place of execution, interestingly, and other various places in Kent. Perhaps, this was due to the fact that there was a large spike in the amount of executions during this era but it is certain that the Renaissance had an influential impact on ghost and paranormal stories.
The high interest in the supernatural that arose during the Renaissance era also influenced what is coined by scholars as an era known as “The Golden Age of Ghost Story”, which is said to be between the 1830s and the beginning of World War I. Literary scholar Jack Sullivan said that this era was influenced by the works such as those of Edgar Allen Poe and Sheridan Le Fanu’s. It is in this time period that ‘classic’ ghost, horror and supernatural stories were produced such as Charles Dickens’ novella, A Christmas Carol and Robin Louis Stevenson’s A Curious Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, as well as Gothic literature. Le Fanu’s In A Glass Darkly and The Purcell Papers are also considered to be mediums for ghost fiction. It’s also believed that there was freedom in producing ghost and supernatural literature; authors who are now considered to create ‘serious’ literature like Rudyard Kipling and Oscar Wilde, back then, would produce such stories.
The coming of the 1890s and 1900s also saw a rise in the appearances of supernatural spirits and ghosts on the big screen. The first silent short film containing supernatural entities and ghosts was released in 1896, by the name of Haunted Castle. Furthemore, the works of authors such as Dickens and Shakespeare were adapted into films, including their ghost stories like the previously mentioned A Christmas Carol and Macbeth, respectively. The release of the 1937 movie Topper, based on the book of the same name, also established the ‘traditional American cinema ghost’ and inaugurated a whole new film genre. From the 1970s onwards, ghost stories were incorporated into television with a mix of different genres such as romance (causing the production of movies such as the 1990 Ghost and the 1993 Heart and Souls) and comedy (producing movies with household names like 1984’s Ghostbusters and 1990’s Casper).
In addition to this, the concept of ghost hunting and paranormal research also primarily began in the 19th century, with the establishment of societies such as the Society for Psychical Research. With people deliberately going out and hunting for ghosts and supernatural entities since then, a lot of noteworthy cases appeared throughout the world that inspired and impacted fiction and works we have today. Perhaps, arguably, the most influential is the 1976 Amityville Horror case that was conducted by Ed and Lorraine Warren, after George and Katy Lutz claimed that their new house was haunted and tormented by vicious spirits. This case was later the inspiration and namesake for the Amityville Horror series and the aforementioned paranormal investigators were additionally, also the inspiration for the Conjuring movies. In today’s day, paranormal hunting is done on a large scale, especially with specifically designed products for this exact purpose. Many haunted and possessed locations also conduct haunted tours, such as the infamous Queen Mary ocean liner.
One of my personal favourite fun facts is that ghost stories have not only had a significant impact on literature and television but even on music. This is where the concept of hauntology comes into play. Hauntology refers to a set of ideas pertaining to the return or persistence of elements, akin to a ghost, from a social or cultural standpoint. This was first established in 1993 by Jacques Deirrda and has since then been incorporated in fields such as anthropology, philosophy, visual arts, and as mentioned before, music. Having a whole genre dedicated to this concept, the musical genre of hauntology refers to music that evokes nostalgia and memories of the past and ‘cultural memory’ – the memories that haunt you like a ghost. This musical genre is commonly associated with British culture and became commonly used and referred to during the 2000s. Many famous musical subgenres and microgenres that a large audience listen to, surprisingly, stem from hauntology such as vaporwave, lo-fi, chillwave, psychedelic hypnagogic pop, and bedroom pop.
Even if you don’t believe in the existence of ghosts, there is no doubt in the fact that ghost stories seem to influence quite a major part of our modern-day world media. From the music we listen to, to the books and films we consume, and the stories you hear on sleepovers, paranormal activity and supernatural entities are everywhere.
Putting it bluntly, you could perhaps say that they haunt all of our lives.