Today, I’m diving into classic vampire literature, Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho, and the quest to be left alone.
Just so you know, it’s currently midnight as I write this. Will it be incoherent or a stroke of genius? There’s also the very real possibility that it’ll be just okay. Guess that’s for you to decide.
Reply to this email and let me know what you think. I want to hear from you!
I Finally Read Carmilla, the OG Vampire Story
If you’ve ever read or seen Dracula, the Twilight series, or literally any other vampire book or movie within pop culture, you can thank Carmilla for that. The novella by Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu is widely regarded as being the original vampire story within modern vampire literature, and surprisingly, it’s also a sapphic story. I mean, does it get more wlw than this?
“Shy and strange was the look with which she quickly hid her face in my neck and hair, with tumultuous sighs that almost turned to sobs. She pressed in mine a hand that trembled; her soft cheek was glowing against my own. ‘Darling, darling,’ she murmured, ‘I live in you, and you would die for me, I love you so.’”
Given the book’s place in history, my love of gothic horror, and my appreciation for sapphic storylines, I’m shocked that it’s taken me this long to get around to reading it. I’m so glad I finally did. I can see what the hype is about, since it’s deeply atmospheric and unsettling. For being written in 1872, I was amazed by how modern and approachable it was. I’d go as far as to say that I’d even recommend this book to folks who don’t typically venture beyond contemporary fiction.
I should also note that I read the version edited by Carmen Maria Machado, which I highly recommend. Her footnotes truly felt in dialogue with the text, and I appreciated the sassy remarks she sprinkled in here and there. Now, the plot.
The novella follows our protagonist, Laura, as a stranger named Carmilla arrives at her home. Upon arriving, she seems to cast a spell on everyone she meets—she’s incredibly beautiful, sweet, and “engaging.” And yet…not everything is as it seems. As the two grow closer, Carmilla’s presence gradually becomes more menacing, resulting in a terrifying near-death experience for Laura.
Read the book for yourself to find out their fates. I think you’ll be be glad you finally did, too.
P.S. I mentioned picking this book up in a previous newsletter, which featured a haul of several other bloody books. Feel free to check it out if you’re a fellow sicko!
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The Quest To Be Left Alone
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This section is a rant of sorts, so buckle up. Now that I have less than a month left to finish writing the rough draft of my novel, ya girl wants to be left alone. Not all the time, and not by everyone, but often enough to get some serious work done. Writing is a solitary act, after all.
To break up the monotony, I typically go to the library or my favorite local coffee shop a few times a week. I had just begun establishing a routine of sorts at said coffee shop, but sadly, was harassed by the same creepy dude (a customer, not a worker) on more than one occasion recently.
I know it’s not the shop’s fault, but I’m thinking switching it up may be more conducive to my productivity. Or maybe I’ll just stay home? I’ll never understand how a woman sitting by herself, wearing sunglasses (a known visual cue that says don’t talk to me), and typing on a laptop while deep in thought communicates “please distract me from my work and make me feel as uncomfortable as possible,” but alas, here we are. The audacity!
8 Years Later…Rewatching Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho
Eight years ago, I found myself in a class centered around Alfred Hitchcock films. I had decided to take this class for my senior English literature thesis in college, which would result in me writing a paper titled something along the lines of “Are Women Witches?: The Role of the Transgressive Woman in Alfred Hitchcock Films.” If you know me, then you know that this subject matter is incredibly on brand.
Each week, we would watch a different Hitchcock film, and our professor would make us arrange our desks in a circle to discuss it after. It was also a night class, which added to the spooky ambiance. Our professor would occasionally bring us snacks to eat during the movies, too—yet another added bonus! The class quickly became the highlight of my week.
I was especially excited when we got to watch Psycho, since I had never seen it before, but knew it was touted as Hitchcock’s most well-known work. For whatever reason, I hadn’t rewatched any of his films since that class—even though I love them—until last week. I saw that the Academy Museum was showing a screening of it, so I made my way over there.
There’s so much to say about the film, which is widely regarded as the first proto-slasher film (who can forget that iconic shower scene), but one thing I noticed this time around was how funny it was. Although Norman Bates is a creepy killer, he also utters a handful of off-color remarks throughout. And the guy is obsessed with his mom. Freud would’ve loved him. It reminded me of why horror and humor often go hand in hand, and how the right balance of the two can set average horror apart from the greats.
I also really appreciated 1) how utterly useless the cops in the film are and 2) how Marion’s sister, Lila, ultimately saves the day despite being repeatedly gaslit about her concern over her sister’s disappearance. Let’s just say, art imitates life, and life imitates art.
Speaking of… Psycho is a triumph in more ways than one. Any creative can probably attest to a time when they made a bold creative choice that others didn’t quite understand. Maybe someone told them it was a bad idea, or too big of a risk. That’s exactly what Alfred Hitchcock did with this film, and there’s no denying it paid off:
“Psycho became Hitchcock’s most successful film at the time—its box-office take, $32 million, was the second best of 1960, after Spartacus. But it was made despite much resistance. Paramount, the studio that had produced several of the director’s 1950s successes, refused to bankroll it. So Hitchcock financed its budget himself, against the advice of his own producers. The film also rattled the censors who executed Hollywood’s slackening Motion Picture Production Code, also known as the Hays Code, which was in effect from 1934 to 1968.”
Who knew Hitchcock was a DIY diva… and who knows what could come from that creative idea of yours that’s been brewing?
Weird Girl of the Week: Hannah Einbinder
Hannah Einbinder is an Emmy-winning actress, comedian, and icon who’s known for being outspoken. When she won an Emmy in September of last year, she concluded her speech by saying, “Go Birds, fuck ICE and free Palestine!”
"They're trying to rob real creative people of our gifts. And you can't. And even if you try, you will never be cool. You guys suck. No one likes you. Anyone who's near you is because they crave power and access over any ethical standard. You are a loser. You will never be cool. And you probably had a rolly backpack in high school. I wanna put your head in the toilet and flush."
Hell yeah. I couldn’t agree more, and I’m excited to tune in for the final season of her show Hacks, which airs on April 9th!
That’s it for today. Want more weird?
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The Weird Girl Edit is a weekly newsletter written by Maya Rector, and it gets published every Wednesday. View past editions here. If you haven’t already, subscribe for the latest wacky musings in literature, media, and pop culture each week!