Saturday, April 15, 2006

Gorey Vision: The Wicked World of Edward Gorey

The week before Edward Gorey died I happened to see an exhibit of his work at SF's cartoon museum. I've been fascinated with his drawings since I began watching PBS's Mystery! with my mom back in the early 80s. (I also have very fond memories of us practicing yoga together along with PBS when I was a toddler. Well, she practiced while I mostly did headstands.) I don't remember when I realized he wasn't actually British, but perhaps an anglophile like me. Anyway, the Morning News links to this interview with Gorey at PBS.org. Apparently he "devoured" Dracula at the tender age of five and, of course, it scared him to death. Funny how when we're feeling our most immortal we're so easily terrified by our own imagination. An excerpt from the interview:

Which MYSTERY! series seems to fit most neatly into the world of Edward Gorey?

Any of the period ones do to some extent. I suppose the Agatha Christie stuff they've done is vaguely like some of my period drawings. I very much like the Tommy and Tuppence ones, the Partners in Crime. I quite admire Joan Hickson, but she's just a little too dark for Miss Marple. I'm old enough to love Margaret Rutherford's Miss Marple, even though I know perfectly well she wasn't Christie's idea of Miss Marple.

--
Kim

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