Episode 61: Evil and Ecstasy: On 'The Silence of the Lambs'
Weird Studies4 Joulu 2019

Episode 61: Evil and Ecstasy: On 'The Silence of the Lambs'

The Welsh writer Arthur Machen defined good and evil as "ecstasies." Each one is a "withdrawal from the common life." On this view, any artistic investigation into the nature of good and evil can't remain safely ensconced our modern, common-life construal of thinigs. It must become fantastic and incorporate aspects of "nature" that feel "supernatural" from a modern standpoint. Jonathan Demme's screen adaptation of The Silence of the Lambs is a powerful example. The film oscillates undecidably between a straightforward crime story and a work of supernatural horror. In this episode, JF and Phil cast Hannibal Lecter and Clarice Starling as figures in a myth that pits the individual against the institution, the singular against the type, and the forces of light against the forces of darkness. REFERENCES Jonathan Demme (dir.), The Silence of the Lambs Thomas Harris, The Silence of the Lambs (original novel) Carl Jung on the doctrine of Privatio Boni Johann Sebastian Bach, The Goldberg Variations William Gibson, Pattern Recognition Rolling Stones, "Sympathy for the Devil" Howard Shore, Canadian composer Arthur Machen, The White People Weird Studies, episode 3: Ecstasy, Sin, and "The White People" Machen, The White People Machen, Hieroglyphics: A Note Upon Ecstasy in Literature Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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Episode 219 – Composing the Cosmos, with Meredith Rigby

Episode 219 – Composing the Cosmos, with Meredith Rigby

In this episode, JF and Phil are joined by their beloved assistant and invaluable collaborator Meredith Rigby (formerly Meredith Michael) to discuss her recently completed doctoral dissertation, Compo...

23 Syys 1h 25min

Episode 218 — A Mighty Matter of Legend: On J.R.R. Tolkien's 'The Two Towers'

Episode 218 — A Mighty Matter of Legend: On J.R.R. Tolkien's 'The Two Towers'

Having taken up the first part of J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings in episode 207, Phil and JF turn to part two, The Two Towers. Together, they peel back the husk of familiarity to reveal the st...

9 Syys 1h 14min

Mid-Hiatus Bonus: A Door in the Fourth Wall

Mid-Hiatus Bonus: A Door in the Fourth Wall

Episode 218 will drop at the end of our summer break on September 9, 2026. Today, enjoy this recent audio extra, originally released for members of the Weird Studies Patreon. In the intro, JF announce...

26 Elo 45min

Episode 217 – Books, Spirits, and Hysteria, with Asti Hustvedt

Episode 217 – Books, Spirits, and Hysteria, with Asti Hustvedt

Researcher Asti Hustvedt joins Phil and JF to discuss a talk she gave at the Lily Dale Symposium this year entitled "Bibliophantoms." The question: What does it mean to "get lost" in a book? Asti's an...

5 Elo 1h 17min

Episode 216 – Artworks Are People Too

Episode 216 – Artworks Are People Too

"Now and then, a mysterious life and potency will flicker out of an artwork and confront you." So began "Artworks Are People Too," a talk Phil presented at the Diverse Intelligences Summer Institute e...

22 Heinä 1h 34min

Special Episode: Make Art!

Special Episode: Make Art!

Owing to circumstances preventing us from releasing a new show this week, we are offering you one from the archives. This episode was originally released on our Patreon in March 2026. In it, we discus...

8 Heinä 41min

Episode 215 – Where No One Can Hear You Scream: On Ridley Scott's 'Alien'

Episode 215 – Where No One Can Hear You Scream: On Ridley Scott's 'Alien'

In this episode, JF and Phil discuss Ridley Scott's 1979 sci-fi/horror blockbuster Alien. Together, they wipe off the patina of familiarity that beclouds the film, restoring it to its original weirdne...

24 Kesä 1h 29min

Episode 214 – Fortune's Fools: On Gordon White's Philosophy of Fortune-Telling

Episode 214 – Fortune's Fools: On Gordon White's Philosophy of Fortune-Telling

It was with heavy hearts that Phil and JF learned of Gordon White's passing. Gordon was a force to be reckoned with: as an author and podcaster on all things occult, he offered unique perspectives and...

10 Kesä 1h 15min

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