Posted January 10, 2009 Headless horse mennnn or zombies, they tend to have heads working minus bodies (would ghosts not come under that?) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 10, 2009 Well its the head working independently, rather than the body carrying on working. In the film (and in some ancient Japanese story I found in a Kwaidan collection) the heads are sepearted and can move, talk etc still. The body just lays there. To the best of my recollection dismemberment tends to result in the body still moving, but the head not doing much. And as far as ghosts im going to have to get super specific because every culture has ghost stories. But each culture also have ones which are unique to the culture, which is what I need to focus on. This is the annoying thing. Im worried I'll argue "x exists in Japanese folklore but not Western" and my lecturer being an apparent moderatly-prominant figure in folkore (or at least has written books and his name appears in some articles) will just go "yes it does!" Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 10, 2009 I wondering, what of films? 8 legged freaks for example for really big spiders. or is it legend stuff? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 10, 2009 Primarily legends but films can be bought into it (as obviously they will be in the general knowledge of the viewers). Basically I must pick out a Japanese folklore thing from the film, and find some western comparisson. Ideally folklore, legends, myths, fables (all basically the same thing but hey) but if need be from popular film, books etc. Something the general public would know (hence why I gave Wizard of Oz as an example earlier). In the case of the spiders. I'm sure I could find many 'giant spider' stories (particularly b-horror films) but they're destructive, Kamaji was just grouchy but still helped Sen in the end. Plus had a human (Dr Robotnik-lookalike) head. (although considering according to folklore you shouldn't kill a spider for it will bring bad luck...would be interesting if any giant spider films dealt with this...but I doubt they do) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 10, 2009 In the case of the spiders. I'm sure I could find many 'giant spider' stories (particularly b-horror films) but they're destructive, Kamaji was just grouchy but still helped Sen in the end. Plus had a human (Dr Robotnik-lookalike) head. (although considering according to folklore you shouldn't kill a spider for it will bring bad luck...would be interesting if any giant spider films dealt with this...but I doubt they do) It's not exactly folklore, but the treatment of the giant spider things in Harry Potter (I think it was book 2) is ever so slightly more consistent with the characterisation of Kamaji. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 10, 2009 Mind elaborating on that a bit more? I gave up on HP early on. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 10, 2009 In Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, the second book, the giant spider, Aragog, and the other big spiders living in the Forbidden Forest are not particularly evil. They're as intelligent as humans and tell Harry and Ron the things they know about the monster that has been terrorising the school. As Hagrid is the one who saved Aragog, he and his family won't eat Hagrid, but as Aragog puts it himself: "I can't deny my children food when it walks right into our home. Goodbye, friends of Hagrid." So, yeah, this is an example of a more human-like spider that isn't necessarily evil. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 10, 2009 Thanks. but if I've got it right it doesn't feature any physical human qualities, just emotional human qualities yes? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 10, 2009 Thanks. but if I've got it right it doesn't feature any physical human qualities, just emotional human qualities yes? Yup, right. And I appreciate you simply linking to the picture, as I am arachnophobic. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 10, 2009 Yup, right. And I appreciate you simply linking to the picture, as I am arachnophobic. Does that picture bother you? I mean it's not exactly realistic. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 10, 2009 Does that picture bother you? I mean it's not exactly realistic. Alot of phobias aren't very logical, so I'm not surprised. Has narnia been mentioned? There's a ton of fairy tale creatures in that, that all act similar to humans... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 10, 2009 Does that picture bother you? I mean it's not exactly realistic. I didn't look at it. But you're right, realism has something to say about it, as Aragog in the film is probably one of the few large spiders I can look at relatively easy without problems. The other spiders in the film are more realistic, making it worse, but they still bother me less than normal big spiders. My theory is that the whole concept of so ridiculously many spiders of such ridiculous sizes are breaking the point of believability, even for a completely irrational feeling like phobic fear. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 10, 2009 Alot of phobias aren't very logical, so I'm not surprised. I'm not saying that phobias aren't logical. I'm just surprised that the picture would trigger his phobia. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 10, 2009 But its not human acting creatures I want. Its a half human half spider thing I want. Like this fella: Ain't he friendly looking? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 10, 2009 I didn't look at it. But you're right, realism has something to say about it, as Aragog in the film is probably one of the few large spiders I can look at relatively easy without problems. The other spiders in the film are more realistic, making it worse, but they still bother me less than normal big spiders. My theory is that the whole concept of so ridiculously many spiders of such ridiculous sizes are breaking the point of believability, even for a completely irrational feeling like phobic fear. So it's more the thoughts that it provokes rather than the picture itself? Just wondering anyway. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 10, 2009 But its not human acting creatures I want. Its a half human half spider thing I want. Like this fella: Ain't he friendly looking? Centuars..there's loads in narnia... Mermaids also. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 10, 2009 I actually just looked at the picture. It does give me the creeps to a certain extent - more than I actually remembered. But yes, since the fear is irrational, it's actually not the spider itself as much as the thought about it. You could compare it to Plato's allegory of the cave: It's not the phenomenon "spider" that provokes my fear (as I have no problem with very small spiders - in fact, they fascinate me), it's the idea "spider". Other arachnid or otherwise spider-like creatures like crabs, scorpions, and harvestmen also provokes my phobia to an extent. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 10, 2009 Centuars..there's loads in narnia... Mermaids also. But specifically spiders. Spider-man if you will, but less human :p. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 10, 2009 But specifically spiders. Spider-man if you will, but less human :p. Ahh. ^_^, I'll go looking. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 10, 2009 But specifically spiders. Spider-man if you will, but less human :p. This guy; http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=eog1hXOfntc (no it's not a rick roll) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 10, 2009 Thanks. But don't put in too much effort. I've looked through JSTOR and I'll check the Motif Index of Mind Sodomy on Monday. If nothing can be found that'll also be fine, I can make a point out of that. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 10, 2009 Spider-man turned into man-spider in the days of old if thats helpful (the cartoon featured a spider in spidermans costume) the comic had him with 8 limbs. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 10, 2009 Spider-man turned into man-spider in the days of old if thats helpful (the cartoon featured a spider in spidermans costume) the comic had him with 8 limbs. It's happened every so often since then too. - When he teamed up with Sync from Generation X against Plant Man - That big storyline where The Queen turned him into a literal massive spider, before he gave birth to himself (...) all over again, and with internal web-shooters. - That other storyline a few years back, IIRC. (Or was it the same one?) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 10, 2009 Spider-man turned into man-spider in the days of old if thats helpful (the cartoon featured a spider in spidermans costume) the comic had him with 8 limbs. I was going to pointa that too. Its in the cartoon. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 10, 2009 Surely all this is moving more and more into the modern realms, I thought it was supposed to be folklore and legend type stuff? Things from days of old! Though I can't offer anything on the man-spider thing, I just think of Burnt Face Man. Or maybe the story of Arachne, or whatever that greek thing was. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
