Les jeux de la comtesse Dolingen de Gratz

Après avoir écrit mon billet de dimanche dernier, j'ai appris grâce à mon frère PJ qu'il existe un film d'horreur français inspiré librement de la nouvelle de Stoker. Il s'appelle Les jeux de la comtesse Dolingen de Gratz. J'ai peu d'expérience sur les films d'horreur français, mais je crois me rappeler qu'il y en a d'excellents. Et puis comme je suis obsédé par les vieux vampires gothiques, ainsi que par l'oeuvre de Stoker, il faudrait bien que je le regarde un de ces quatre, alors que je me mets dans l'ambiance de l'Halloween. Ce sera une nouvelle quête cinématographique et macabre pour moi.

Countess Dolingen of Gratz

To celebrate Walpurgis Night, I reread, as I do every year, Dracula's Guest. One of my favourite vampire short stories, set on the fateful night. If you want to read my theory about its relationship to the novel, read my comments on this post. I thought about blogging about today's topic during the official Halloween countdown, but I have this in mind now, so why not do it now. I am already in a spooky mood in any case. So yeah, it struck me (again) reading it that there is actually one named vampire in it: Countess Dolingen of Gratz in Styria, who "sought and found death in 1801", according to her tombstone. I find it interesting for many reasons. First, because she is named, unlike the Weird Sisters/the Brides of Dracula. Then, because it is implied that the Countess Dolingen did not become a vampire after being bitten by one, but because she committed suicide. Although this may only be to hide the true cause of her death. And finally, because if Gratz means Graz in Austria, well, I have been there once. Another reason to visit it again one day. Otherwise, although we know barely anything of Countess Dolingen from her cameo in the short story, of course the fanbase and continuators invented a full biography of her. I don't care about Bram Stoker's continuators, but I might try myself on a bit of fan fiction featuring her one day, if something good comes to my mind. In any case, I hope to blog about her again come October.

Beware (and enjoy) Walpurgisnacht!

Tonight is Walpurgis Night, as you may know (especially if you have been following this blog). Walpurgis Night is like Halloween, but set at the tale end of April. It is maybe not as atmospheric (partially because it's not autumnal), but it Walpurgis Night is a reminder that you can be spooky any time of year. In my situation and I suspect more spooky minded people, it is also an important step in the long countdown to Halloween. So I will try to read some scary stories before the end of the evening. Otherwise, please beware if you go out: there's going to be ghosts, goblins, devils, witches and other scary creatures roaming around.

Un ballet endiablé

Ce soir, c'est la Nuit de Walpurgis. Je partage donc un ballet tiré du Faust de Charles Gounod. Où la Nuit de Walpurgis est mise en scène au commencement du cinquième acte. Une musique à la fois joyeuse et terrifiante.

Walpurgisnacht!

Tonight is Walpurgis Night. When devils and witches gather and ghosts roam the earth, among other spooky sinister things. Do you think it sounds like Halloween? Because that's pretty much what it is: Halloween in April. A sort of early dress rehearsal, if you will. I never celebrate it as much as I should, maybe because it lacks one crucual thing that Halloween has: autumn. However, it is an important date in my spooky season. A part of my countdown to Halloween, the very early stage of it, I tend to read a few spooky horror story or two before bedtime. And I listen to the noises outside. In case I can hear a ghost or a witch.

Walpurgisnacht!

We are the last day of April, therefore tonight is Walpurgis Night. A night where witches gather to make a Sabbath, where devils (including the Devil himself) and ghosts roam free, etc. If it sounds like Halloween, it is because it is pretty much Halloween for springtime. For me, it is a sort of countdown to the countdown to Halloween, especially since the whole month of April has been surprisingly autumnal. It reminds me that there's only six months left until the big day.

Walpurgisnacht!

We are the last day of April, which means that tonight is Walpurgis Night. Also known as Half-loween, a sort of crypto Halloween for the heart of spring, like Halloween is in the heart of autumn. More to the point, it is a spooky night for people who like me have a spooky mind, time to read a bit of horror stories and make you wait until October. It is also a time to beware: don't go out tonight, you might see ghosts, devils and of course witches. You never know, there might be a Sabbath near you. There might be one near me, in any case: where this picture had been taken, a few weeks ago. This is the ensign of a nearby village hall, which features a witch. I often share it on this blog to commemorate Walpurgis Night. I suspect that this is not merely an ensign, but a sign indicating a gathering point for the witches. It is probably very easy to spot from the air, when you are flying on a broomstick at low altitude.

Beware Walpurgisnacht!

As we are the last day of April, tonight is Walpurgis Night, a time I always mention on this blog. Because it is the Halloween of springtime and because it also marks (to me at least) the beginning of pre-countdown to the countdown to Halloween.The official countdown starts in October of course, my officious one starts in August, but truly, I spare a thought on everything spooky on Walpurgisnacht. But tonight, beware: witches, demons, ghosts and other spooky critters are supposed to be roaming. I for one might avoid the hall of a nearby village, because for some reason I suspect it might be a place of gathering. Y'know, just a hunch.

J'TE RÉSUME - Gounod/Faust

Puis que c'est la Nuit de Walpurgis aujourd'hui (enfin, ce soir), j'ai pensé partager cette vidéo de l'Opéra et ses Zouz, un canal YouTube que j'ai découvert l'année dernière et que j'aime bien, vidéo qui résume le Faust de Gounod. Quel rapport, me direz-vous? Il y a une scène complète de l'opéra qui se passe cette nuit-là, c'est en fait grâce à l'opéra que je l'ai découverte. Quant à l'opéra lui-même, c'est un de ceux post-Mozart que j'aime le plus, pour ses thèmes sombres et son atmosphère terrifiante. Sa musique fait partie dema musicographie à l'Halloween.

I bought Lovecraft Country for £6.66

The title says it all and I kid you not: I bought Lovecraft Country by Matt Ruff for the precise sum of £6.66. Actually, I do kid you, but only a little: it got cheaper than that, that said at some point it was reduced to the number of the beast and it struck me that I would have bought it at 666. I am sure it was intentional. I can't wait to read it. I started watching the TV series last year, but had to stop due to a lack of time.Anyway, I love the horror stories of H.P. Lovecraft, in spite of his racism and his antisemitism. Now I will be able to enjoy it in a work that also addresses Lovecraft's most deplorable traits. I always make sure I read some of Lovecraft's mythos, either his direct work or the work of his continuators, in my countdown to Halloween reads which I start in August. As it's going to be Walpurgis Night very soon, the countdown to the countdown to Halloween, I might start reading the novel then. Surely it is allowed to be in a spooky mood already.

Beware Walpurgis Night

As we are the last day of April, tonight is Walpurgis Night, something I celebrate on Vraie Fiction since I started this blog. It is a sort of Halloween for Springtime, one of the big dates in the year for witches' Sabbaths, ghosts and devils.Halloween is and will always be my favourite celebration of everything spooky, but Walpurgis Night is an important date nevertheless, when I can sort of start an officious countdown to it. After all, Halloween is only six months away now. As for every year, I share a picture of a witch here, the Village Hall Witch which has ben fascinating me for so long. I suspect they'll gather there tonight. It's not like they have ever been scared of pandemics in the past. This photo was taken by my wife in October 2019. It is only a part of a much larger one, which looks far more autumnal and which I will share another time, during my official countdown. Until then, keep your doors locked tonight and beware Walpurgis Night.

Walpurgisnacht

Tonight is Walpurgis Night, the night between April and May, but also a night of devilry, when ghosts, familiar spirits, demons and witches gather for a sabbath. It is one of the most important ones in the year. It is also for the spooky minded person like me, a reminder that Halloween is only half a year away. In fact, you could say that Walpurgistnacht is a sort of mini or crypto Halloween. Time to read some scary stories, or think of stories to write about this night. And to celebrate the day on this blog, I decided to share another picture of the Village Hall's Witch. I wonder if they are having a gathering there, for Walpurgis Night.

Walpurgis Night!

As it is the last day of April, tonight is Walpurgis Night, the old Pagan celebration where devils, ghosts and other critters roam the earth and witches gather in sabbath to do mischiefs. If it sounds like a Halloween for April, it's because it is exactly that. I start longing for Halloween pretty much the moment it is over, so with time Walpurgis Night has become an important part of my countdown to it: I read a few scary stories if I have time, start thinking of decorations and books to buy, etc. I cannot remember when I first heard about Walpurgisnacht, but I think it might have been in the book of the year I mentioned here, in that article about witches. They were naming the important dates in the year when witches gathered, among them the 30th of April. This is where the picture on your right was taken. She is holding her broomstick in an odd fashion, otherwise she is a properly ugly, nasty, menacing witch. And even as a cat lover, I find her black cat downright demonic looking. Beware if you see her or any of her kin tonight!

Walpurgis Night tonight

Just a quick reminder for the spooky minded person: tonight is Walpurgis Night. A time where witches, devils and ghosts gather. And yes, if it sounds like Halloween, it is because is sort of is its twin celebration. And it is also a benchmark on the yearly countdown to Halloween: it is now only six months away. So to celebrate, I am reading scary stories tonight. And to mark it on the blog, I added this picture of "Hotel Terror" from a fair we had last year. More about it here. So I encourage everyone reading this to do something to celebrate. And of course tell me about it.

Witches for the Ticklers

Tomorrow is Walpurgis Night, April's version of Halloween and one of the things that makes me bite my time and stay patient until Halloween. To celebrate it, I have started reading horror stories, something I rarely do this time of year. I have also, in a spur of the moment thing, bought some key-rings for the Ticklers that are basically witches figures. One fiery orange, one creepy green. We went downtown to the French market, there were other stands with non French products, I saw the key-rings and the two witches, we bought them. Just before we got home, we stopped at their place to give it to them. They were grateful as ever. Sometimes I wonder if we don't spoil them too much. Then again, they have the same wild imagination as I have, the same love for Halloween and they like me find time long before our favorite time of year. So I explained about Walpurgis Night (although they remembered about it) and told them the witches were sort of to celebrate it.

Walpurgis Night!

Of course I could not stay silent about it: tonight, April's last night, is Walpurgis Night. I explained it to the Ticklers today, what tonight was about. Well, what it is about for me: a sort of Halloween in April, only six months until the real Halloween happens. The mum of one of the Ticklers, a friend of ours, who is a bit of a neo-Pagan, said it was Beltane. But I prefer its more sinister and unsettling aspect that I think is incarnated in Walpurgis Night than the neo-Pagan mumbo jumbo. For me, it's about devils and ghosts showing up and witches gathering. I took this picture on Halloween night of course, and will read a scary story or two before going to bed to commemorate Walpurgis Night. In a way, this is the first date of my countdown to Halloween. So happy spooky Walpurgis Night everyone.

Walpurgis Night

Tonight is Walpurgis Night. It is April's Halloween. And today would feel like it is Halloween if only because of the cold temperature outside. If it was not for the blossoming trees and the evening falling relatively late, well, it would certainly be a perfect Halloween night. But Walpurgis Night is its sister. The name means "witches night" and thus I have decided to upload a picture of the ensign of a nearby village hall. If it looks familiar, it is because I uploaded a picture of the same place last year. I haven't discovered why they have a witch as an emblem yet. Shame on me. But I intend to find out before Halloween this year and keep you posted.

Anyway, maybe it is because there are many witches dwelling in secret in the village. In which case, it would be the right place to go to celebrate: there would be a witch's coven tonight, where they dance in circle and meet devils and maybe Satan in person. You can see that my imagination is running wild. I might read a scary story tonight to celebrate. Since I don't think there is a witch's coven to crash in.And in any case, tonight also reminds us that it is only six months until Halloween. In a way, it is the first night of its countdown.

Walpurgis Night

Tonight is the last night of April (duh!), which everybody knows. However, not many people know that the last night of April is also Walpurgis Night. Little known in the world, but duly commemorated on Vraie Fiction  I first mentioned it in 2008, then more or less forgot about it, until I reintroduced it properly in 2012. I have a soft spot for Walpurgis Night, as it is a bit like the Halloween of April. Halloween is of course my favourite holiday of the year, so a celebration that is akin to it and helps me remain patient for the six months waiting for Halloween to be here. For one night, the little sister of Halloween is here, so to speak.

I chose to accompany this post a picture taken last November, ironically enough. It shows the ensign of a nearby village hall. Why there is a witch on it, I have no idea. Nevertheless, it is beautiful and eerie, with the moon in the background. I thought to investigate and write a post about it around Halloween, but I thought the picture was so good I had to use it tonight. It is very fitting, as witches were supposed to gather on a sabbath and meet the Devil on Walpurgis Night, among other times of year. I'd love to write a horror story about that village hall ensign and/or about Walpurgis Night. Until I have the time, the inspiration, the patience and the words, enjoy tonight and maybe read a scary story to celebrate.

La ballade des cimetières

Bon, c'est le denrier jour d'avril, la Nuit de Walpurgis, et je me suis dit que Vraie Fiction devait le souligner avec une chanson une peu macabre. Je me suis dit également que l'ami Georges est toujours à propos, alors voici La ballade des cimetières. J'ai eu Brassens en tête toute la journée, allez savoir pourquoi. Bon, elle n'est pas sinistre, mais justement, le macabre n'est jamais aussi plaisamment comique qu'avec Brassens.

Walpurgis Night

This picture was taken from an image in Dracula's Castle. It represents Samuel Unimportant, a.ka. the Happy Undertaker, whom I blogged about here, turned into a... a sort of... a kind of mix between a werewolf and a demon. The name given in the book is a, or actually the, Funereal Fiend. Here is a description of the metamorphosis: "His eyes have begun to bulge, his ears extend and sharpen into points. Fangs are growing in place of the neat little pearly teeth he displayed only moments ago. Claws burst forth from his hands. His skin turns purple and his shirt rips apart to reveal a gold medallion. He throws back his head and howls like a wolf." So far, so werewolf. And the description continues: "Mr Unimportant, brutally transformed, is jumping up and down on the spot, guttural sounds emerging from his throat. His shoes burst apart to reveal huge, taloned, bright green feet. He howls again, in agony this time, as his head splits open to allow the emergence of a huge, knotted and slowly pulsating amber brain."Kill!" he chants. "Kill! Kill! Kill!"" People can help me find references to horror movies or stories in this description. I am sure the medallion means something, I have no idea what. But in any case, isn't it a very gripping, horrifying transformation scene, especially from a character that first appeared as comical?

I uploaded this picture for two reasons: 1)for the cheer pleasure of uploading a picture from the book and to quote the lovely, vivid description, that has been haunting me since childhood. and 2)it is tonight Walpurgis Night. Which is the lesser known sister of Halloween, its Springtime equivalent. Walpurgis Night has been featured in various works of fiction, including Dracula's Guest. And since Dracula's Castle is well, based on Dracula, and furthermore since a wolf is features in Dracula's Guest it is a good enough excuse to upload it on Vraie Fiction. For more about Walpurgis Night, you can read my blog post from last year. For my fellow bloggers into spooky things, remember that tonight you have something to celebrate until Halloween is near. Maybe it is confirmation bias, but I found the recent weather to be fittingly autumnal.