Page 2, The Loafer • October 28, 2014
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October 28, 2014 • The Loafer, Page 3
Volume 28 Issue #47
Publisher - Bill Williams • Editor/Graphic Arts Director - Don Sprinkle • Office Manager - Luci Tate Cover Design - Bill May Advertising - Dave Carter, Terry Patterson Contributing Staff - Jim Kelly, Andy Ross, Ken Silvers, Mark Marquette, Jessica Gilliam Published by Tree Street Media, LLC., P.O. Box 3238, Johnson City, TN 37602 Phone: 423/283-4324 FAX - 423/283-4369 www.theloaferonline.com • info@theloaferonline.com e-mail: editorial@theloaferonline.com (editorial) adcopy@theloaferonline.com (advertising) All advertisements are accepted and published by the publisher upon the representation that the agency and/or advertiser is authorized to publish the entire contents and subject matter thereof.The agency and/or advertiser will indemnify and save the publisher harmless from any loss of expense resulting from claims or suits based upon contents of any advertisement,including claims or suits for defamation,libel,right of privacy,plagiarism,and copyright infringement.
Page 4, The Loafer • October 28, 2014
Scary Stories at Fort Watauga Scary Stories at Fort Watauga is soon to be upon us! On Thursday, October 30th at 7:30 pm, the walls of the historic recreation of the fort will be alive with tales of haints and happenings of days gone by. An annual event not to be missed, Scary Stories is set inside the fort, creating a unique atmosphere for an evening of spooky tales geared to the entire family. We are excited to welcome three exceptional storytellers to the fort this year; C. Keith Young, and the Front Porch Storytellers - Mary Jane Kennedy, and Chad Bogart. Each of these talented tellers is sure to bring a smile to your face and a chill to your spine! C. Keith Young, Raconteur, has performed as the featured storyteller/emcee for the Virginia Highlands Festival, First Night Kingsport, Kingsport Funfest Showtime, Fayetteville Christmas Past Festival, Erwin Strawberry Festival, the Stone Soup Festival (South Carolina), Elizabethton’s Covered Bridge Celebration, Roan Mountain State Park Miller Homestead Days, Sycamore Shoals State Park, plus numerous appearances at Tellabrations and Jonesborough Days. His work as a storyteller, emcee, humorist and professional musician spans more than three decades. He serves the area as director of Off Campus Programs and Services for Northeast State and interim director for the Bristol Campus. The Front Porch Storytellers de-
veloped and co-founded by Mary Jane Kennedy, Sherri Hyder and Chad Bogart is actively presenting storytelling programs throughout the area and in Elizabethton. Be sure to check out their Historic Ghost Walks in downtown Elizabethton! They have been telling stories together for five years at many schools, civic functions, senior homes and organizations throughout the Mountain Empire. Mary Jane Kennedy spent 30 years teaching in Orlando. She has a background in music, voice over, historical research and storytelling. She is the Co-Founder of The Overmountain Singers, The Homespun Storytellers and The
Front Porch Storytellers. She has been actively performing in the area for the last nine years both in music and storytelling. Chad Bogart comes from a long line of storytellers. His abilities are enhanced by a background in music, living history, and historical interpretation. Chad’s interest in scary stories stemmed from family ghost tales told by his Grandmother, and are a favorite among his listeners. Bring a lawn chair or a blanket and make it a point to mark your calendar now for an exciting evening with family and friends! For more information call: (423) 543-5808
Backyard Terrors & Dinosaur Park The only dinosaur park in the area is located in Bluff City and it is hosting its seasonal Funhouse Haunted event. The Backyard Terrors Dinosaur Park runs entirely on visitor’s generous donations. The Funhouse Haunted Attraction is open now through Nov. 1 from 7:00 p.m. to midnight (rain or shine). Admission is a 10.00 donation that will benefit the Dinosaur Park. Proceeds from the haunted house will help organizers improve the Dinosaur Park for kids. The Funhouse Haunted is located at 4390 Bluff City Highway, Bluff City, TN 37618. The Backyard Terrors and Dinosaur Park is located at 1065 Walnut Grove Road, Bluff City, TN 37618. Both are within minutes of each other.
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‘Creature Feature’
Movie Night @ Jonesborough Library Thursday, October 30, 6:30 p.m.
Join us for our spook-tacular, but not too scary, evening of fun!
Get in the Halloween spirit and join us at the Jonesborough Library on October 30th at 6:30 p.m. for our ‘Creature Feature’. We will be showing a black & white science fiction movie from 1954. Scientists drug and capture the creature, who becomes enamored with the head scientist’s female assistant. The lonely creature, “a living amphibious missing link,” escapes and kidnaps the object of his affection. The chief scientist then launches a crusade to rescue his assistant and cast the ominous creature back to the depths from where he came. Our show time features free soft drinks, Halloween candy, and popcorn. ‘Creature Feature’ Movie Night is a free event sponsored by the Friends of the Washington County Library. For more information, please call the Jonesborough Library at 753-1800.
Hands On! is hosting its 3rd annual BOO!SEUM event which will include games, treats, science experiments, crafts, and more! Stop by anytime between 5:00 and 7:00 pm. Be sure to wear your most festive costume and bring your own trick-or-treat bag! Admission to BOO!SEUM is FREE for members, and $2 per person ages 3 and up for non-members. (***Please note this event contains small parts that may not suitable for children under 3 years of age and may also contain traces of nuts, soy, and chocolate. While supplies last.) If you have any questions on this or other programs, please call (423) 434-HAND
The annual Halloween Festival at Carver Recreation Center, 322 W. Watauga Ave., is set for Saturday, Nov. 1 from 6-9 p.m. This event is open to all ages and will include a variety of Halloween fun and games. Admission is: $1 for children in costume, $2 for children not in costume, and $3 for adults. Game tickets are 50 cents each. Prizes will be awarded for best costume in three age groups. For more information, please call Carver Rec at 461-8830.
BOO!Seum - a Halloween Event to be held at Hands On! Museum
Carver Rec Halloween Festival
Have an event coming up? Email a press release and photos to:
editorial@theloaferonline.com
Page 6, The Loafer • October 28, 2014
Believe in Bristol to host 10th Annual
“From the Top Down” Loft Tour!
On Saturday, November 1, 2014 from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm, Believe in Bristol will host the 10th Annual From The Top Down Loft Tour in Historic Downtown Bristol. In honor of the 10th anniversary, Believe in Bristol is celebrating with a little birthday party; each loft tour ticket purchased will put you in the drawing for fun giveaways and everyone gets to enjoy a birthday cupcake! The Bristol Historical Association will also be participating by hosting an exhibit of historic pictures all based in downtown Bristol. Each loft has its own unique style and history. Bristolians and visitors alike enjoy strolling up
and down State Street and getting a feel for downtown living. The downtown dwellers are their own community, hosting events and participating in a neighborhood watch program. Believe in Bristol works on changing the lofts for viewing annually so it’s never the same tour year after year. Pick your tickets up on Saturday, November 1st, starting at noon at the Believe in Bristol office located at 36 Moore Street, Bristol, VA or call in advance and put your name on the will-call list. Tickets are $12 in advance and $15 day of event.
Go at your own pace with the self-guided brochure and be sure to wear your walking shoes! “We are so excited to show off these multi-use properties. The rehabilitation and design work is amazing! We truly appreciate the loft dwellers allowing us to show off their homes.” stated Christina Blevins, Executive Director for Believe in Bristol. For questions and ticket information, please call 276-644-9700 or visit believeinbristol.org. A special thank you to our Sponsors for 2014: Along Came Mary - Mary Jane Miller, Ann & John Tickle, Appalachian Region – Antique Automobile Club of America, Bank of Tennessee, Be.Ella, Benjamin Walls Gallery, Birthplace of Country Music, Blackbird Bakery, BlakleyMitchell, Bob & Ellen Mueller, Brenda & John Fincher, Bristol Herald Courier, Charles & Stephanie Earhart, Clyde & Susan Long, Commonwealth Coal Corp., Cranberry Lane, Dent K. Burk Associates, Dr. & Mrs. Bennett Cowan Jr., Dr. and Mrs. Jim Geiger, Dr. Michael D. Rowell, Edward Jones Investments – Robert Hollo, Rob Simis, Brad Baker, Greg Fahn, First Bank of Virginia, First Tennessee Foundation, Frizzell Foundation, Jack & Anne Southerland, John & Karen Vann, Kerr-Bowell Inc. – Joe & Pam Kerr, Kil’n Time Pottery, MedExpress, Merrill-Lynch, Motel 6 – Mr. Neal Gopal, Nationwide Insurance – Brian Lewis, One of a Kind Gallery, Renasant Bank, Robin & Margaret Feierabend, Ruth King, Serendipity, Spiegler Blevins & Co., Spike & Lisa Tickle, Stateline Bar & Grille, Studio 6, The Boxwood, The Homer A. and Ida S. Jones Charitable Trust, The Williams Company, Tom & Barbara Smith, Tom & Carolyn Hanlon, Wells Fargo Foundation.
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Symphony of the Mountains presents
Music to Refresh Your Spirit
With A Special Presentation by the Exception Orchestra Project The currents of a swift moving river; the rhythmic lapping of waves on the side of a boat; the babbling of a small brook. These evocative images are reflected in the music to be performed at the upcoming “Mary B. Martin eXceptional Sounds” concert at the Toy F. Reid Eastman Employee Center on Sunday, November 2 at 3pm. Each piece to be performed has been carefully selected to represent a different embodiment of water. The famous Smetana movement “The Moldau” was written to evoke the sounds of one of Bohemia’s great rivers, the Vltava. It starts from the two small springs and runs through the unification into a single current. The music guides you through woods and meadows until the river majestically vanishes into the distance. The shimmering strings in Dvorak’s “Carnival Overture” along with the splashy, bold sounds bursting from an infectious rhythmic structure typify excitement. This music creates the strong sense of humor and fun that is characteristic of a carnival along a waterfront. The final piece, “Open Waters,” was written especially for the eXceptional Orchestra program. Noting a lack of inclusive art programs for children with and without disabilities, program creator Kim Kredich approached composer Stephan Prock to create a musical piece that would integrate a wide range of performance ability levels in one work. Prock accepted the challenge. “The concept seemed obvious once we started,” says Prock. “I began to see the possibilities; now I’m surprised that nobody thought of it before.” The eXceptional Orchestra Project starts with Art workshops, which are the process leading up to the concert. The workshops aren’t purely rehearsal, because the concert isn’t the ultimate goal. The public performance is an extra celebration of our program that embraces diversity, incorporates
individuality and places the bar neither too high nor too low, but in reach of all; each to his or her own ability. Amanda was a member of the eXceptional Orchestra project in Oak Ridge several years ago when she was eleven. At the time, she was attending public school where she was taught basic things like dressing herself or fitting coins through a slot. Motor skill work dominated Amanda’s academic curriculum. Some doctors diagnosed Amanda as autistic while others weren’t so sure. During the program, Amanda’s mother said, “Amanda leads such a regimented, schedule-oriented life. She’s not interested in doing
much more than the things she does regularly. A program like [the eXceptional Orchestra] gets her to try new things. At school, they teach her motor skills. At home, she has a set routine with mom and dad. But the eXceptional Orchestra exposes her to art, music, and dance, while allowing her to participate in each at her own level of ability.” Tickets to this powerful, familyfriendly concert are only $30 and, as always, children and students are admitted free. To purchase tickets, visit our website at www. SymphonyoftheMountains.org or call our box office at (423) 3928423.
Page 8, The Loafer • October 28, 2014
Hoots ‘N’ Haints Family Festival at the Southwest Virginia Museum Offers An Evening of Fun & Games for Trick-or-Treaters on Halloween Night
The Southwest Virginia Museum Histori- Southwest Virginia Museum Historical cal State Park will present the annual Hoots State Park at 276-523-1322 or visit www.vir‘N’ Haints Family Festival on Friday, Octo- giniastateparks.gov. ber 31 from 5-8 p.m. Trick-or-treaters (and their families) are invited to the museum’s grounds for an evening of fun activities and games. If you dare, take a stroll through the “Haunted Moat” and see what waits in the shadows. For a bit of bouncy fun, enter the inflatable “Ghost Train” or climb aboard Wet Willy’s inflatable “Pirate Ship.” Before leaving, visit the tent for some ghoulish fun, games, and the gypsy fortune teller. Prizes will be awarded for game winners as well as participants. Admission to events at the Hoots ‘N’ Haints Family Festival is free. All children 12 and under will receive enough free tickets to play every game. For more information, please call the
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Going On
World’s foremost Beckett interpreter to read, talk at ETSU Barry McGovern played the king’s adviser in Braveheart, the luggage salesman in Joe Versus the Volcano, McGuire in Far and Away and a dying man on Game of Thrones. On stage, he portrayed Frank Hardy in Brian Friel’s Faith Healer, Walter Franz in Arthur Miller’s The Price, George Aaranow in Glengarry Glen Ross and has given public readings of the works of James Joyce. He has directed numerous stage productions and even written musicals. Yet despite McGovern’s diverse stage and screen credits, he will be forever connected with the works of fellow Irishman Samuel Beckett – with due reason. “One of Ireland’s finest actors,” McGovern first performed Endgame in college in Dublin and before long, had played Lucky, Estragon and Vladimir in differing productions of Waiting for Godot. He now has portrayed the role of Vladimir more than any other living actor. In addition, in 1985, McGovern collaborated to create a one-man show, I’ll Go On, based on three Beckett novels, and he has performed that and his newer oneman Beckett show, Watt, at venues the world-round. He has also played in Endgame professionally in four different productions, and
in Happy Days and Krapp’s Last Tape. On Monday, Nov. 3, “the foremost lecturer and interpreter” of Beckett’s work will bring his expertise and experience to ETSU for a reading of the Nobel Prize winner’s poetry and prose. The reading and talk will begin at 7 p.m. in ETSU’s Ball Hall Auditorium, room 127, with refreshments to follow in Slocumb Galleries. Earlier in the day, McGovern will share his insights on Beckett with ETSU Literature and Language and Theatre and Dance students. Known for his dark humor, abstractions and stream of consciousness to express the human condition, Beckett’s plays, especially Waiting for Godot, became prime examples of absurdist theater and the “absurd” determination to survive in a hopeless world. “Beckett’s a unique writer, and not everyone’s cup of tea, to be sure,” McGovern said in a Huffington Post interview. “There are those who love him, and those who hate him. I look forward to bringing his work to those who have misconceptions about him. It’s a great thrill.” McGovern’s selections for the ETSU reading were made, he said, to show the variety of Beckett’s
writing – which includes plays, novels, poetry, one film, television scripts and scores of letters – “and hopefully to entertain people.” Beckett is Dr. Katherine Weiss’ cup of tea and McGovern’s visit, her project. Weiss, now chair of ETSU’s Department of Literature and Language, focused her doctoral work on Beckett, and while in Europe researching the prolific 20th century writer, she saw McGovern perform. “I first saw Barry McGovern perform at the Gate Theatre in Dublin while I was studying there … and he was cast as Vladimir in Waiting for Godot,” Weiss says. “It was a magnificent production. Since then – that was 1996, I believe – I’ve seen him perform live. I’ve seen videos of him. I’ve known of his work for a long time and I’ve admired his work for a long time.” The consummate Irish actor’s performances, especially of Beckett works and his Beckett-based one-man shows, have been ebullient, dubbing his portrayals “electrifying,” “mesmerizing” and “genius.” His renowned one-man show, I’ll Go On, first performed in 1985 at the Gate Theatre in Dublin, has been praised on both continents.
“McGovern has been performing this show for almost 30 years, but it seems lived at each performance, not merely acted, and that’s why it still feels fresh and raw and bloody,” said reviewer Lyn Garner in The Guardian in 2013. “It’s
a grueling 90 minutes for him and us, but there is something hypnotic about it, too, as McGovern illuminates Beckett’s dark vision.” So, when Lois More Overbeck,
Going On ..
continued on page 18
Page 10, The Loafer • October 28, 2014
Grammy winning legend
Marty Stuart
to perform at the Paramount
Five time Grammy winning country music legend, with roots to Bristol is coming back to share with homefolk his authentic and unique voice from the stage of the Paramount Theatre. Marty Stuart, who is considered one of the greatest entertainers of our time, will be performing one night only on Saturday, November 1, at 7:30PM. Born in a small town in Philadelphia, Mississippi, Stuart caught the music bug early, displaying prodigious talent on every stringed instrument he picked up. At an age when most kids are running bases in little league, 13year old Stuart was logging crosscountry interstate miles as a mandolinist with the legendary Lester Flatt’s road band. In his twenties, Stuart toured with Johnny Cash, and also played with other legends such as Bill Monroe, Jerry
Lee Lewis and Carl Perkins. By the late 1980’s Stuart was a solo artist, rising faster than mercury in the heat of a hillbilly fever. His hits include Arlene, Hillbilly Rock, Little Things and Tempted, along with his duet with Travis Tritt titled, This One is Gonna Hurt. “We are extremely proud to be a part of this legend’s concert. He is one of the most genuine artists I have ever had the pleasure to work with. He played Viking Hall with Travis Tritt once and I came away so impressed by his musical style and talent but also by his genius,” said Darlene Cole, Deputy Director of Community Relations. Tickets for the concert on sale now at the Paramount Box Office or on-line at etix.com. For more information contact Darlene Cole at 423-764-4171 or email dcole@ bristoltn.org.
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Annual Clothesline Project at Mars Hill University
Mars Hill University’s Annual Clothesline Project will be held October 30, 2014, from 10 am – 2 pm in front of Pittman Dining Hall. The Clothesline project began in 1990 in Massachussetts when a small group of women wanted to find a way to educate people about and recognize the pervasive problem of domestic violence. This event visibly promotes awareness by hanging decorated tshirts on a clothesline. Each t-shirt represents an individual who has experienced some type of domestic violence. Besides promoting awareness, the Clothesline Project serves as source of healing for those who have been directly affected by violence. Persons who have been impacted by violence decorate a shirt which is hung on clotheslines set up on campus. Event Coordinator Liz Anderson, assistant professor of social work, said: “The hundreds of tshirts hanging side-by-side speak
to the vast prevalence of violence in every day culture. Creating a shirt gives women and those impacted by violence a voice and an opportunity to break through the silence and serves to provide a step towards healing.” The Mars Hill University Clothesline Project is planned and promoted by the Women’s Studies Program. All are welcome to stop by and see this powerful visual recognition of the victims of violence. Since 1990, the Clothesline Project has spread worldwide. For more information, see: www. clotheslineproject.org. Mars Hill University is a premier private, liberal arts institution offering over 30 baccalaureate degrees and one graduate degree in elementary education. Founded in 1856 by Baptist families of the region, the campus is located just 20 minutes north of Asheville in the mountains of western North Carolina.www.mhu.edu.
Family Movie Matinee
Gray Library • Saturday, November 1, 10:00 a.m. Jonesborough Library • Saturday, November 8, 2:00 p.m. Join us at the Gray Library on Saturday, November 1 at 10:00 a.m., or at the Jonesborough Library on Saturday, November 8 at 2:00 p.m. for our Family Movie Matinee. Our feature this month is a 1967 animated musical film inspired by Rudyard Kipling’s “Mowgli” story.This free event is sponsored by The Friends of the Library. Free popcorn, candy and drinks will be served. For more information, please call the Gray Library at 423-477-1550, or the Jonesborough Library at 423-753-1800.
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ETSU Bluegrass Pride, Celtic bands to perform in Song of the Mountains
East Tennessee State University’s Bluegrass Pride Band and Celtic Band will be among performers in the Song of the Mountains concert series on Saturday, Nov. 1, at the Lincoln Theatre in Marion, Va. These two bands from Bluegrass, Old Time and Country Music Studies in ETSU’s Department of Appalachian Studies, directed by Daniel Boner and Jane MacMor-
ran, respectively, will be joined by the Mountain Music Ambassadors from Morehead (Ky.) State University, led by Raymond McLain, a former faculty member of the ETSU program. Other performers include the Blue Ridge Entertainers from Johnson City, a duo that includes ETSU graduate student Kris Truelsen and fellow musician Coleman Akin; Bad Ridge from Southwest Virginia; and Lone-
some Meadow, a family band comprised of three siblings and their father from Westerville, Ohio. Song of the Mountains is a nationally syndicated concert series, which is now in its 10th year. Concerts in the series are hosted by Tim White and taped for broadcast on more than 120 public television outlets throughout the United States. “The ETSU Bluegrass Pride Band performed on the very first Song of the Mountains episode back in 2005, and Nov. 1 will mark the third episode on which they have appeared at the Lincoln Theatre,” said Boner, associate professor and director of Bluegrass, Old Time and Country Music Studies. “Additionally, performing for the first time on Song of the Mountains is our ETSU Celtic Band. Celtic music is quickly becoming one of the fastest growing areas of Bluegrass, Old Time and Country Music at ETSU.
“Kris Truelsen earned his B.A. degree in Bluegrass, Old Time and Country Music Studies at ETSU,” Boner continued, “and he will soon add to his credentials a master’s degree in Appalachian Studies. It is fulfilling to see hardworking students like Kris pursuing their passion for this music.” The concert series is underwritten by the town of Marion, Va.; the
Ellis Family Foundation, including the General Francis Marion Hotel; Bank of Marion; Morehead State University; Emory and Henry College, Emory, Va.; and Blue Ridge Country 98.1 WBRF Radio, Galax, Va. Reserved seating tickets for the 7 p.m. show are $25 each and available at www.songofthemountains. org or by calling 276-783-6093.
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October 28, 2014 • The Loafer, Page 13
Joe Tennis speaks
at Washington County Public Library Rails and trails abound across the Commonwealth and every location has a story. In Joe Tennis’ newest book he shares those stories and more. On Sunday, Nov. 2, 3 p.m., local author and photographer Joe Tennis presents a slide show showcasing his recent book, “Virginia Rail Trails: Crossing the Commonwealth,” at the Washington County Public Library in Abingdon. The event is sponsored by the Friends of the Washington County Public Library as part of their Sunday with Friends series. Tennis also speaks at the Damascus branch library, Thursday, Nov. 6 at 6 p.m. The book features stories of rails and trails, historic photos, color images and maps. It’s also a guide to places where you can walk or bike or ride a horse - from the Huckleberry to the New River, High Bridge, Virginia Creeper and
the Dick & Willie. Tennis includes trackside tales of the Civil War and points the way to waterfalls and wild woods with chapters ranging from the Eastern Shore to the Cumberland Gap. Tennis has written thousands of articles for newspapers and magazines about places from California to Florida. But he has become best known as an expert on the history, folklore, and natural history of Virginia, Tennessee and North Carolina. His first book, 2004’s “Southwest Virginia Crossroads,” remains a definitive guide to the 17 counties southwest of Roanoke. The book is now in its fifth printing and features photos, maps, history, legends, and rare anecdotes collected over years of painstaking research. The author’s 2007 “Beach to Bluegrass” inspired Virginia tourism leaders to create the “Beaches
to Bluegrass Trail,” linking Virginia Beach with The Crooked Road region of Southwest Virginia, all along the U.S. Highway 58 corridor, the same path followed by “Beach to Bluegrass.” Tennis has also become known for his popular ghost tale books - “The Marble and Other Ghost Tales of Tennessee and Virginia” and “Haunts of Virginia’s Blue Ridge Highlands.” Both are in their third printings, and he has delighted thousands of adults and children with his tales of a smoking ghost in Honaker, Va., and the eerie Mountain Lake, among others. The author’s hour-long talk and slide show is free and open to the public and includes a book signing. Call (276) 676-6222 for more information.
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Comet Brushes Mars A once-in-a-lifetime event two weeks ago had the astronomy community on alert as an armada of spacecraft cameras on Earth and Mars witnessed something that might not happen again for hundreds of years. Comet Siding Springs flew by Mars last Sunday, Oct. 19th just 80,000 miles from the surface where two NASA rovers snapped photos like tourists. The data is still being downloaded and scientific papers will take months to be published, but the amazing celestial encounter between a planet and a comet has the astronomical community buzzing. Planetary scientists can’t predict an event like this new comet’s close shave with Mars. It’s one of those lucky times, and modern man is ready for it. The last time there was such a cosmic collision was with Jupiter by 21 pieces of Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 in 1994, watched from the backyards of Earth and analyzed by dozens of spacecraft. How lucky we are to live in the Space Age and witness these cosmic events! There was concern that supersonic debris streaming off Comet Siding Springs might cripple one of the four satellites from three countries orbiting Mars. They kept constant watch with camera and an array of scientific instruments. The Red Planet is about 155 million miles away from Earth and easily visible in our night skies for a few hours after sunset in the south constellation Sagittarius. At the closest approach of Comet Siding Springs, two of NASA’s orbiters had their orbits adjusted months ago so they were on the other side to allow the planet to block the debris particles that might damage vital equipment. Passing Mars at 126,000 miles an hour on its way back out to
the depths of the Solar System, streaming comet particles at that speed could rip through any of the orbiting satellites. Also at risk were India’s first interplanetary mission, MOM, and European Space Agency’s Express orbiter. MOM was also on the other side, while Mars Express did bravely face the comet while taking detailed images and science data. All the orbiters survived in perfect health. The two NASA rovers, 11-year die hard Opportunity and twoyear veteran Curiosity were insulated by Mars’ thin atmosphere that burned up the comet debris as meteors. They were merely photo snapping tourists—and oh, what pictures they have to share! When a comet-hunting telescope at the Australian Siding Springs Observatory discovered this comet in January 2013, initial orbital calculations had it striking Mars! This comet has come from the reservoir of trillions in the Oort Cloud surrounding the Solar System, three times as far as Pluto. Maybe traveling for millions of years, after watching it for a few months, the comet’s refined orbital path had it barely missing the fourth planet from the Sun. The excitement might be over as Comet Siding Springs heads back out to deep space, probably never to come back to the inner Solar System. But its memory will be long-lived as planetary scientists will spend many years pouring over the data from all the observations. Mars, Earth and all the planets might have been hit by million s of comets in the early formation of our Solar System. That’s one theory where Earth’s water came from, seeded by millions of comets smashing into the primordial globe. The data from more than a dozen spacecraft and ground-based
observatories will be analyzed for years to come, and our understanding of how comets work will be greatly enhanced. Working overtime were NASA’s Sun-watching spacecraft, STEREO and SOHO, and NASA space observatories Kepler, Swift, Spitzer, Chandra and the Hubble. The world’s largest telescopes on Mauna Kea, Hawaii and other’s around the world were also watching. We are about to learn a lot more about comets when the ESA spacecraft Rosetta, now orbiting Comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko (Comet C-G), releases a clothes washer-sized vehicle named Philae for an attempted landing on Nov. 12. Astronomers want to under-
stand comets because they are the left-overs from the creation of the Solar System around 5 billion years ago. They are the pristine evidence of how everything evolved into today, including the possibility of providing the building blocks of life. Some comets are “periodic” like the most famous one, Halley’s, which is in a 76-year orbit around the Sun and has been seen for at least five visits into the inner Solar System. There are also dozens of comets that orbit the Sun much closer and take 5-20 years in their highly elliptical paths—and Comet Siding Springs is one of those. The Rosetta mission now orbiting Comet C-G has been on a 10-year mission chasing it, and the
culmination of the mission will be the landing of Philae on the surface. If successful the lander will fasten itself with harpoonlike wires fired into the surface to keep it there. Otherwise the small spacecraft might drift off the comet, as the gravity is to low that a 100-pound person would weigh less than 5 pounds if standing on the comet. If Philae fails, the orbiting Rosetta will still be beside Comet C-G as it gets closer to the Sun and loops around the Sun in August 2015. Watching a comet come alive as it heats up and outgases ice and rock will be a first, and the dynamics will certainly be full of surprises. Just like the surprise of Comet Siding Springs buzzing the Red Planet. That’s why astronomy is an evolving science, based on the laws of physics but filled with unexpected events that help space scientists understand how we got here and where we are going. Hop along for the ride by reading the Stargazer, and you’ll begin to realize that science fact is stranger than science fiction could ever imagine!
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Celestial events in the skies for the week of Oct. 28 - Nov. 3, 2014, as compiled for The Loafer by Mark D. Marquette. Halloween Week—and the last days of Daylight Saving Time— will have the Moon in the evening sky waxing from a fat crescent to First Quarter to gibbous phase. This is a great time to explore our celestial neighbor with a any telescope or even binoculars. Moon maps are available in library books, and of course the Internet. Everything you’ll see has a name, and it’s fun to begin learning some of them. Don’t forget…change your clock back one hour when you go to bed Saturday night.
Tues. Oct. 28
The Moon and Mars team up tonight in the constellation Sagittarius. The beautiful crescent Moon, 235,000 miles away will be high above red Mars, which is 155 million miles away.
Wed. Oct. 29
Wake up early this week and look east at 6:40 am until twilight after 7 am and watch planet Mercury rise above the eastern horizon with bright star Arcturus to the planet’s far left. The pair is in a parallel line with the horizon for a couple days before dawn, and then Mercury begins its journey back to the other side of the Sun.
Thurs. Oct. 30
The First Quarter Moon is in the faint but large constellation Capricornus the Sea Goat. The line between day and night is called the “terminator,” and it is near here that the shadows reveal the best details of lunar craters and mountain ranges.
Fri. Oct. 31
Halloween night will have trickor-treaters bathed in some moonlight, and our Moon will be setting around midnight after releasing the werewolves and vampires into the night. Today the Sun entered the constellation Libra the Scales.
Sat. Nov. 1
Stargaze with the amateur astronomers at Bays Mt. Park tonight during the “StarWatch” program that begins at 7 pm. The free stargaze is at the Observatory, but if cloudy, a short program will be
in the planetarium.
Sun. Nov. 2
Fall back is the axiom to remember when you turn your clock back for a 25-hour day today and the beginning of Eastern Standard Time. You’ll notice the hour difference when it’s dark at 6:30 pm and you want to get ready for bed! Me? I’ll enjoy the early darkness for stargazing.
Mon. Nov. 3
On this 1957 date in space history, the Soviet Union launched
Sputnik 2 with the first living creature to orbit Earth; a mixed bred dog named Laika. It was only the second space flight ever—basketball-sized Sputnik 1 was launched a month before—and the one-ton vehicle with pressurized capsule was an amazing accomplishment. Unfortunately, Laika was doomed to die in orbit as “Muttnik 2” had no reentry capability. The heroic dog succumbed when the life support system broke down after one day in space.
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Going On .. continued from page 9 one of the editors of the three volumes of The Letters of Samuel Beckett contacted Weiss, asking if ETSU would be interested in hosting a Beckett reading by McGovern, the Beckett scholar gave a resounding, “Yes!” With the sponsorship of Mary B. Martin School of the Arts, ETSU will be on a circuit tour of readings and talks, along with Emory University, Georgia State University, University of Georgia and the South Atlantic Modern Language Association conference. While the impression people have about Beckett is that he is very depressing, Weiss says, “When I have had students look at Beckett’s manuscripts and his letters, they are all so surprised at how earthy his humor is in terms of the scatological jokes and sometimes toilet humor. They think of this man as being on a pedestal, as this great thinker, but then they see his jokes which they might have said to a friend …” It’s also a privilege to have “a master” of theater on campus, says Division of Theatre & Dance Head Pat Cronin, a stage, screen and TV actor himself. “Not only is he a first-rate, world-class actor, but he is first and foremost a master of acting Beckett,” Cronin says. “It is an amazing opportunity to have him here with us and to have him share his gifts with our students.”
“There is a darkness in Beckett’s world but artists such as McGovern are the light-bringers, and it will be a joy for him to be with and work with our students in both English and in Theatre/Dance.” Life is sometimes discouraging, McGovern says, but Beckett offers humor and glimmer of hope in the darkest times. “The subject matter may be depressing and dark, as is the world we live in (open a newspaper or turn on the television), but the way Beckett writes is beautiful,” the actor says. “It’s not the ‘what,’ it’s the ‘how’ that matters.” Beckett’s writing, he says, is also timeless. “He’s talking about the great things of existence …” McGovern said in an interview for the 2013 Edinburgh International Festival. “He’s a universal writer for all times. He’s one of the greats, like Dante and Shakespeare. He will last forever.” McGovern’s visit to the U.S. is with the support of the Consulate General of Ireland in Atlanta. For information about the ETSU Mary B. Martin School of the Arts, call 423-439-TKTS (8587) or visit www.etsu.edu/martin. Please “Like” ETSU Mary B. Martin School of the Arts on Facebook and follow it on Twitter and Instagram @ArtsAtETSU.
Arts Array presents “Cold in July” The Arts Array Film Series presented by Virginia Highlands Community College is in its 44th year. All films are presented at the Abingdon Cinemall on Mondays and Tuesdays at 4 p.m. and again at 7:30 pm. Cold in July (November 3 and 4) A split-second decision can change a life. While investigating noises in his house one steamy Texas night in 1989, Richard Dane puts a bullet in the brain of a low-life burglar, Freddy Russell. Although he’s hailed as a small-town hero, Dane soon finds himself fearing for his family’s safety when Freddy’s ex-con father, Ben, rolls into town, hell-bent on revenge. However, not all is as it seems.
Directed with a level of realism rarely seen in modern films. The Arts Array Film Series is part of the comprehensive cultural outreach program of Virginia Highlands Community College. The series is co-sponsored by the Abingdon Cinemall, the Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center, Emory& Henry College, and King University. Admission to the films is free for the faculties and students at the supporting institutions. Members of the general community may attend for $7.75. For a brochure on the series or more information, please contact Tommy Bryant at 276739-2451 or email him at tbryant@vhcc.edu.
Folk Soul Revival and Annabelle’s Curse to perform at the Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center
Folk Soul Revival and Annabelle’s Curse, two popular bands from Southwest Virginia, will perform in concert on November 1 at the Higher Education Center in Abingdon. Tickets for the concert, which begins at 7:30 p.m., are $15 plus tax. A cash bar will also be available. Folk Soul Revival is an Americana band
with a unique blend of country, roots and rock. Annabelle’s Curse produces dynamic and explosive music that deals with powerful themes of the human condition. Both groups have a strong fan base. For more information, call (276) 619-4317. To purchase tickets online, visit http:// www.etix.com.
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Canadian Family Band plays for Jonesborough Contra!
The Historic Jonesborough Dance Society will host the next contra dance of the season on Saturday November 1, 2014 at the Jonesborough Visitors Center, 117 Boone Street at 7:30 PM. The O’Schraves from Ontario, Canada will play Canadian traditional tunes while Tom Colwell and Myra Hirschberg will do the calling. Admission is $7, $5 for HJDS members and $5 for full time students. A special family package for members is now offered for a total of $15. Parents and all of their own children under age 18 can gain admission for one price. The O’Schraves (the O’Gorman/ Schryer/Lefebvre family) brings you entertainment that is joyous, skillful, inspiring, and fun. Two of Canada’s finest traditional musicians – Julie Schryer on piano, and Pat O’Gorman on bagpipes, Irish flute and tin whistle – are more than ably assisted by the younger members of the family, Benoit Schryer Lefebvre, 19, (2011 and 2012 winner of the 18 and under Pembroke Fiddle Contest) on
fiddle, tin whistle and vocals; Zach Schryer Lefebvre, 22, on his own handmade guitar as well as cello, tin whistle, piano and vocals; and Áine Schryer O’Gorman, 11, (2012 winner of the 9 and under Pembroke Fiddle Contest) on fiddle, step dancing, tin whistle and vocals. The callers will teach a class for beginners at 7:00 PM and the dance will run from 7:30-10:30 PM with a waltz and Klondike Bar break at 9:00 PM. Come to dance or come to listen. No partner is necessary. It is customary at contra dances to change partners after each dance. As always, our dances are smoke, alcohol and fragrance free. Families, students and singles are welcome. All dances are taught by the caller. No previous dance experience is necessary. For more information, contact David Wiley at 423-534-8879, or email david@historicjonesboroughdancesociety.org. Also visit the Historic Jonesborough Dance Society on FACEBOOK.
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Wayne Henderson & Friends with Jeff Little at Carter Family Fold Saturday, November 1st, 2014, at 7:30 p.m. the Carter Family Fold in Hiltons, Virginia, will present a concert by an old time band Wayne Henderson and Friends. Performing with Wayne will be Jeff Little, piano player extraordinaire. Concert admission is $10 for adults, $1 for children 6 to 11, under age 6 free. Wayne Henderson’s top-notch finger-picking is a source of great pleasure and pride to his friends, family, and neighbors in Grayson County, Virginia. His guitar playing has also been enjoyed at Carnegie Hall, in three national tours of Masters of the Steel-String Guitar, and in seven nations in Asia. In addition to his reputation as a guitarist, Henderson is a luthier
of great renown. He is a recipient of a 1995 National Heritage Award presented by the National Endowment for the Arts. He produces about twenty instruments a year, mostly guitars; he is almost as well-known for the mandolins he has made. Doc Watson owned a Henderson mandolin. Some of Henderson’s instruments are intricately decorated, but they are most respected for their volume, tone, and resonance. Blues guitarist John Cephas said that Wayne Henderson “is probably the most masterful guitar maker in this whole United States.” There is a waiting list for Henderson’s guitars made up of the “famous (and not-so-famous).” He built a custom guitar for Eric Clapton. Above and beyond his great talents as a musician and instrument maker, Wayne Henderson is
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Henderson .. continued from previous page known as a “friend to everyone” and shares his talents and knowledge unselfishly. Hotshot rockabilly pianist Jeff Little comes from Boone, North Carolina, in the heart of the Blue Ridge, where he grew up surrounded by music. Jeff began to play piano at age five. His family owned a music store, and musicians of all persuasions dropped by to play a few tunes with the kid, which helps account for Jeff’s mastery of a range of styles. But Jeff’s critical influence was Appalachian singer and guitarist Doc Watson, a neighbor and close family friend. His uncompromising approach helped shape Jeff’s approach to music. Known as a keeper of deep Appalachian traditions, Watson was a rockabilly guitarist when he began visiting Little’s Music Store in Boone to play a few tunes with his young friend. Today Jeff Little is still conversant with a range of music, but finds his greatest joy in performing two styles that were hot when he was growing up in the music store – rockabilly and traditional Appalachian music. An astounding per-
former in the rockabilly genre, he obviously owes some inspiration to Jerry Lee Lewis. “Oh sure, you had to know some Jerry Lee when I was coming up. His tunes would buy you a burger; you didn’t have to live on peanuts. But even back then I never did get to thinking I was Jerry Lee. I kept a lot of me in my music.” Jeff Little’s approach to the music of his native Blue Ridge is based upon the traditional dance of the area and a regional piano style. Made famous by Al Hopkins of The Bucklebusters on 1920s Brunswik recordings, the piano style was also performed by Woodie Blevins and others. Hopkins lived at Gap Creek, between the ancestral homes of Doc’s and Jeff’s families. But there is also an echo of more contemporary mountain tradition in Jeff’s performance. His lead solos, much influenced by the flat-pick guitar tradition, are breathtaking in their speed, precision and clarity. They tell that he learned much from Doc Watson. Rounding out Wayne’s group of friends accompanying him will
be Helen White on fiddle and guitar, Greg Cornett on banjo and vocals, and Herb Key on bass. For one of the best nights of old time music you can imagine, don’t miss Wayne Henderson and Friends with Jeff Little. Be sure to bring along your dancing shoes – and your friends! Partial funding for programs at the center is provided by the Virginia Commission for the Arts the National Endowment for the Arts. For recorded information on shows coming up at the Fold, call 276-386-6054. The Fold is on Facebook – page Carter Fold – and Twitter – Twitter @carterfoldinfo.
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Hollywood has always had a love affair with movies about World War II, and rightly so. Throughout the years filmmakers have presented every type of film set during the conflict ranging from “Schinder’s List” to “Pearl Harbor”. The latest cinematic effort is “Fury”, starring Brad Pitt. The story takes place during the final month of the European Theater of the war, with Pitt starring as Don “Wardaddy” Collier, the commander of a M4A3E8 Sherman tank named Fury. What really peaked my interest in the film was the fact my Dad drove such a tank during the war, so I felt a personal connection to the subject matter. Collier commands one of the tanks making a final push into Nazi Germany, and is leading a group of men with much conviction and bravado. The group of men in the tank are gunner Boyd Swan (Shia LeBeouf), loader Grady Travis (Jon Bernthal), driver Trini Garcia (Michael Pena), and new crew member Norman Ellison (Logan Lerman).
Ellison is actually a typist for the Army, has no experience driving a tank, but is thrust into action after one of Collier’s crew is killed in battle. As one would expect, the existing crew has a difficult time dealing with the newcomer, and are always on his back about something. The tension between Norman and the rest of the crew continues until they actually are once again in battle. During their latest mission, Collier has been teaching Norman to be the best solider he can be, and the character looses his innocence in a hurry after he is a first hand witness to the horrors of war. The most thrilling moments of the film are when a group of Sherman tanks take on a superior German tank, the capturing of a German town, and a final showdown between the tank commanded by Collier and a large group of Waffen-SS soldiers. The film features many emotional peaks, and the final stand against the SS soldiers is the defining moment for both Collier and Norman. The battle scenes
are exciting and very well staged, leaving viewers feeling very much involved in the proceedings. The only fault I found with the film is the graphic violence. I know the filmmakers are striving for as much realism as possible, but perhaps a bit less of visual carnage would have opened up the film to a wider audience. Despite the aforementioned slight flaw, the film makes for a great salute to those who battled in the tanks. Concerning the actors, they were all in top form, and Pitt gives an Oscar worthy performance. Meanwhile, Lerman nearly steals every scene he is in as the innocent “fish out of water” character, and manages to be on equal footing with Pitt, proving he is an actor to be reckoned with. With wonderful cinematography, top notch acting, and an excellent story-line, “Fury” is a great addition to the many excellent World War II movies released over the years. (Rated R) A-
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That Time I Nearly Rolled a U-Haul Down a Hill I could see the headline rolling across my mind as I drove a 24 foot long U-Haul truck through a narrow up hill road in the rain. Ideally, the headline would say “Beloved Writer Dies in Blaze of Glory, Thousands of Secret Lovers Revealed in Aftermath.” However, the reality of the situation is that the headline would say “Local Idiot Dies in Truck Incident, Was Wearing Spongebob Underwear.” As those thoughts went through my mind, I too thought of the other outcome, should I prove successful in this venture. At least, I would be thanked. At most, I would be thanked, and given an Applebees gift card. The reason as to why I found myself behind the wheel of a behe-
moth U-Haul truck is that my Aunt and her husband were moving into a new house, and they needed help. I consider myself a very competent and rather good driver, but the idea of driving a truck that is partially to blame for the ice caps melting, isn’t something that thrills me. Initially, I wouldn’t have to worry about the U-Haul, I was on box duty. I showed up at my Aunt’s old house the day of the move, and we loaded the back of my Honda Pilot up with as much as we could stuff into it with two rows folded down. The amount of time it takes to get from my Aunt’s old house to her new house is a drive of around 40
minutes. The road which my Aunt’s new home is situated on is a little bit strange, shaped like a short Y you have to pull immediately off the main road onto this side street, then sharply to the left. This eventually forks off to the left again, onto a road that is VERY narrow, with just enough room for one vehicle. If you met another person on this road, it would be a stand off as to which one would back up to let the other through. One benefit of being on this out of the way road is the view. The narrow road rests above a moderately steep hill that overlooks part of the town with the mountains in full
view. Right below you can see an office building or two, a grocery store, and a McDonald’s. Despite the call for rain that day, when I pulled onto the narrow path, the sun was out, and it was a particularly striking day to pause and admire the view, which I did. I went along the road and into the driveway of my Aunt’s new house. My Aunt and her husband followed soon in the U-Haul. Between unloading the U-Haul, and unloading my Honda, it took about three hours to finish it all. In the middle of it, Auntie told me it would need at least one more trip to get it all moved. My Aunt very much wanted to finish as soon as
possible, but there was still the lingering threat of rain the air. When we finished, it was still sunny and not looking like rain was eminent, so we agreed to go back to the old house and load up again while the getting was good. At the old house my car was once again loaded down with boxes, we were in the middle of getting the UHaul packed full—with help from their neighbors at the old place— when we noticed the sun began to quickly fade away. A downpour was upon us. A rush set in to get the U-Haul loaded as quickly as
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possible. In that rush, my Aunt’s husband slipped and fell on the ramp trying to load a dresser onto the truck. His foot was twisted, he could walk, just ever so. Driving a 24 foot U-Haul truck in the rain? Not so much. This, my friends, is how I came to find myself behind the wheel of a 24 foot U-Haul truck in the rain. My Aunt and her husband followed in my car, and I made the journey up the highway praying like I had never prayed before, enjoying the heightened sense of dread and anxiety that being be-
hind the wheel of a 24 foot truck for the first time in my life brings. As I made my way up the interstate in the behemoth, with part of my aunt’s possessions in the back, I began to relax and a sense of confidence built up inside me. “Yeah. I AM driving this truck!” I thought as I felt good and mainly and all that other crap some ad agency would have you believe. I was doing fine with the truck till I got to that odd Y shaped road. I carefully pulled onto it, the first fork, and then slowly made my way over to the narrow road that forks
off. I began to make my way on the narrow path, trying to not look at the steep hill, the rain, the dark sky, and focus my best on getting to the drive way. Right as I made it to where I had stopped earlier to admire the view, a large, dual wheeled, pick up truck came into view, coming right for me. One of us would have to move for the other one, and the pick up truck driver didn’t flinch. The pick up truck began to inch closer to me. In this stand off it was becoming clear I would have to move. Rain flying all around me, I slowly be-
gan to back up, trying my damnedest not to hit anything, anyone, or send myself flying down into the McDonald’s below. I imagined a 1940s police detective walking up to my body and remarking “he died as he lived, with his mouth full of french fries.” I was doing fine, till the truck began to get aggressively closer to me. That’s when I cut the wheel slightly wrong, I felt the back left end of the truck go off the road. I froze, and pondered my death. Right as I froze, I noticed I was back enough for the truck to angrily drive around me, which it did as
Mad scientists! Blood! Bugs! Ghosts!
the driver shot the bird in my general direction. I can’t imagine why I got the finger, perhaps the pick up truck driver had a traumatic childhood experience involving U-Haul trucks? Regrouped, I drove the truck to the driveway of my Aunt’s new home, parked it, and we finished the move. I was proud of myself, and thankful that my Aunt’s husband was willing to drive the truck back to whence it came the following day. So if you need helping moving, um, call someone else. See you next week.
With all of those, plus fog and a fossil site full of bones, visitors won’t know what to expect while being led by a sinister tour guide through the first Haunted Tours offered by the East Tennessee State University and General Shale Natural History Museum and Visitor Center at the Gray Fossil Site. The Haunted Tours will include everything loved by haunted house enthusiasts, such as ghosts, jump-scares and dark mazes, but with a “mad scientist and paleontology” theme. There will be lots of surprises and well-timed scares along the way as visitors wind their way through the twisted hallways and thick, ominous atmosphere. The tours will provide an interactive experience that is suggested for older children and adults only. Each tour will take approximately 45 minutes and will go through the museum building and outdoors on the fossil site. Haunted Tours will be offered from 7-11 p.m. on Oct. 31. Admission is $10 for the general public and $5 for ETSU students with ID. The ETSU and General Shale Natural History Museum and Gray Fossil Site continually showcases the 5-million-year-old Gray Fossil Site and its unique ecosystem. Visitors are invited to observe live excavations, which will continue through October. There are also special events held at the Museum, such as the monthly “Lunchtime Lecture Series,” “Fossil and Artifact ID Nights” every other month, and numerous ongoing youth programs. The museum is open Tuesday through Saturday from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. and is located 1.8 miles off Exit 13 on Interstate 26. For more information, call (866) 202-6223 or visit the museum atwww.etsu.edu/naturalhistorymuseum. For disability accommodations, call the ETSU Office of Disability Services at (423) 439-8346.
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Halloween Horrors 2014, Part Four:
The Horrors of Identity Although things might be completely different by the time you read this—and in the world of pop culture things are always changing—actress Renee Zellweger created quite a stir when she appeared last week at the ElleWomen in Hollywood Awards Show. For those watching the awards, it became immediately apparent that the actress who appeared on the runway only bore a very slight resemblance to the actress with which we are so familiar. After looking at the pictures that flooded the Internet the day after the awards I have to agree that something a little uncanny (to borrow a Freudian term) is going on here. According to Zellweger (or someone or something we are asked to believe is the famous actress), she appears the way she does because her life became very peaceful after she became involved with her new boyfriend, Doyle Bramhall. According to Zellweger, “I took on a schedule that is not realistically sustainable and didn’t allow for taking care of myself. Rather than stopping to recalibrate, I kept running until I was depleted and made bad choices about how to conceal the exhaustion. I was aware of the chaos and finally chose different things.” So, there we have it—despite the fact that she looks like a different person (and she swears she didn’t have any plastic surgery), Zellweger looks different because she is more rested and happier than at any other time of her life. Sounds like the making of a horror movie, or a series of horror movies, doesn’t it? The mystery surrounding the “new” Renee Zellweger fits nicely into a central horror movie theme—namely, the horror of identity. In one way or the other, most horror films (and literature) ask us to reflect on the question of how we can be certain of the identities of those around us or even ourselves. A good example is the
Wolfman, a staple of horror stories ever since its first appearance in the world’s oldest written story, the Babylonian Epic of Gilgamesh. Enkidu, Gilgamesh’s companion, is half-man, half-best and the perfect complement to Gilgamesh’s part-man, part-God identity. This mixed identity appears in many horror films, including the original “The Wolf Man” (1941), “Cat People” (1942), “Psycho” (1960, with Norman Bates as Mother’s best friend), “American Psycho” (2000, presenting a deadly and confusing amalgam of stock-broker-by-day, serial-killer-by-night), and wholesome family fare like “The Stepfather” (1987 and 2009 remake) and “Mr. Brooks” (2007). Films like these are couched in Freudian terms, exploring the very fluid and very thin boundaries that barely separate the id, ego, and superego. In contemporary terms, zombie epics like “Night Of The Living Dead” (1968) and “The Walking Dead” (2010-present) remind us that our human identities can very easily be transformed into our zombie alter egos once we die. Hopefully, Renee Zellweger hasn’t fallen prey to this kind of fate. Modern zombie stories are really identity stories, and even the older zombie incarnations like “The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari” (1920), “White Zombie” (1932), and “I Walked With A Zombie” (1943) that portray the unfortunate victims not as reanimated corpses but as living humans who are under the spell of a controlling master figure also raise some disturbing questions about who we really are. Concerns about identity were paramount during the Cold War era of the 1950s and 1960s, when movies like “Invasion Of The Body Snatchers” (1956, and several remakes, most notably “The Faculty” in 1998) and “I Married A Monster From Outer Space” (1958, remade as “The Astronaut’s Wife” in 1999) chilled us with visions of
monstrous beings housed inside the familiar personas of our family members and acquaintances. These images were drawn from real life as countless “normal” people were accused of being Communist agents (shades of the 17th century Salem Witchcraft trials, which were used as proxies for 1950s-era Communist “witch hunts” by Arthur Miller in his 1953 play, which was later made into a 1996 movie). When the specter of feminism replaced the fear of Communism in the 1970s, the identity theme was most memorably presented in “The Stepford Wives” (1975, remade in 2004), a movie about the subjugation of women based on the novel by Ira Levin, author of “Rosemary’s Baby.” The movie version of “Rosemary’s Baby” (1968, remade as a TV mini-series this year) is also a prime example of identity crisis as the pregnant Rosemary Woodhouse comes to the realization that her husband and her next door neighbors are not quite who they seem to be. “Rosemary’s Baby” can also be viewed as a revisioning of Val Lewton’s now-classic but largely forgotten 1943 film
“The Seventh Victim.” Sometimes entire villages suffer from an identity crisis, as witnessed in the still-chilling and unnerving 1974 film “The Wicker Man” (with the inevitable remake starring Nicholas Cage appearing in 2006). In this movie, Sergeant Howie falls prey to the residents of a village who reveal themselves to be very unsavory enemies rather than trusted friends. A similar predicament is presented in the 1967-68 TV series “The Prisoner” (which, you guessed it, was remade, in 2009). And in John Boorman’s now-iconic American classic, “Deliverance” (1972, no remake in sight as of this writing), the stunning beauty of the natural world conceals an underbelly teeming with human vermin in the guise of banjo-playing hillbillies; this movie very cleverly made us fear the newly-emerging environmental movement more than the banjo-playing hillbillies. One horror movie is named after the subject of this week’s column. James Mangold’s 2003 movie, “Identity,” belongs to the “Motel Hell” genre, a subject of one of my columns last year, and stars John
Cusack and Ray Liotta in a sordid little tale about strangers who find themselves stranded at a seedy and “Bates-like” motel in Nevada. One-by-one the motel’s guests are murdered in various unsavory ways, thereby triggering a night filled with panic, ineptitude, and over-the-top acting. I won’t spoil the ending if you’ve never seen it. Needless to say, there are countless other movies that pursue this theme into a maze of twist endings and plot surprises. I will leave you to seek out your own identity horrors. And I hope by the time you read this the Renee Zellweger mystery will be solved. Otherwise, she might become the subject of a made-for-cable movie. I am sorry to see this year’s “Halloween Horrors” series come to a close, but I will resume my weekly forays down the convoluted avenues of pop culture on November 4. On that evening I invite you to join me as we welcome the Brock-McGuire Band to Northeast State Community College for an evening of Celtic music straight from Ireland.
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