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Wavelength, v. 1, issue 3, Fall 1941
31858063099622_011
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11 [some ink stains on left side of page] dismally, despite the star's strenuous efforts. His wicked chortles are sometimes echoed by impolite snickers from the audience. The dated metaphysics which furnish dubious motivation for the story might be overlooked had Director Victor Fleming and his scriptists seen fit do emphasize the dramatic aspect of the story. They could not choose between a confused spiritual conflict which takes place within the doctor and a plain narrative of the outlandish adventures which resulted therefrom. The picture is magnificently staged, and registers powerfully when-ever the hero sips his mystic potion, switches his face and wanders into the London night in search o[f] illicit fun. Too much of the two hours required for the unreeling is taken up by the explanations which do not explain and misunderstandings which might have been dissipa[t]ed by a bit of common sense. Miss Bergman turns in a competent performance as the unprincipled bar maid who lures Jekyll to his doom; and she is mightily attractive, in a discreetly dissoluteway. The notable supporting cast has little to do except furnish background for the star and has two lights-o'-love. Despite obvious efforts to meet the demands of the morality code, "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" skir[ts?] [rest of sentence underlined] am[a]zingly close to frontiers which have been closed to picture-makers for some time. Two Freudian dream sequences are full of sym[b]olism which might well startle some of the [c]ensors who passed on them and that scene which culminates in the grape-smearing has something of the imp[a]ct of a case history from Krafft-Ebing. Sadism in this degree seldom finds expression on the screen. With all its faults, the photoplay has elements which may well at-tract sizables audiences throughout the country, particularly has it an interest for science-fictionists, fan and author alike. It is in fact a major curiosity. [line break] -----:------:----- [title and author name centered] BIRTH OF A FAN Art Widner, Jr. To write of [underlined] how I became a fan would be a mere patter-story and one that is as old as the first science fiction fan ever to be born. It was, like so many present-day fans, by way of fairy tales . . .Oz books . . . Jungle Book . . .Just So Stories . . .Verne . . .Burroughs . . . Poe . . . Wells . . .and finally one of the early "Big Three" pro mags. Then: Interest in reader's letters . . . fanmags . . .personal meetings . . . Doomed . . . For some strange reason the editor wants the exact date of my birth--September 16, 1917 ( Send all presents to Box 122, Bryantville, Mass.) . Ye ed desires "pertinent" facts about myself, and also [underlined] why I became a fan. We will go into the latter in a minute as soon as I can get me out of the way. As to the former, I hope the few sidelights rendered above will suffice to discharge my obligations in that direction. I went to Philadelphia, Pa., to be born since I wished to be near my Mother at such a trying time. I went to school in Baltimore, Syracuse, N.Y., and all points east finally finishing most of my education in Quincy, Mass. The teachers were all very happy when I graduated. I know I should not be so nastily suspicious, but I think they wanted to get rid of me. In the last year of high, I began to have a little ( very little) mon-ey now and then from a newspaper route, so I started buying stf. mags. Previous to that time I was a newstand termite who, no doubt, infested
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11 [some ink stains on left side of page] dismally, despite the star's strenuous efforts. His wicked chortles are sometimes echoed by impolite snickers from the audience. The dated metaphysics which furnish dubious motivation for the story might be overlooked had Director Victor Fleming and his scriptists seen fit do emphasize the dramatic aspect of the story. They could not choose between a confused spiritual conflict which takes place within the doctor and a plain narrative of the outlandish adventures which resulted therefrom. The picture is magnificently staged, and registers powerfully when-ever the hero sips his mystic potion, switches his face and wanders into the London night in search o[f] illicit fun. Too much of the two hours required for the unreeling is taken up by the explanations which do not explain and misunderstandings which might have been dissipa[t]ed by a bit of common sense. Miss Bergman turns in a competent performance as the unprincipled bar maid who lures Jekyll to his doom; and she is mightily attractive, in a discreetly dissoluteway. The notable supporting cast has little to do except furnish background for the star and has two lights-o'-love. Despite obvious efforts to meet the demands of the morality code, "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" skir[ts?] [rest of sentence underlined] am[a]zingly close to frontiers which have been closed to picture-makers for some time. Two Freudian dream sequences are full of sym[b]olism which might well startle some of the [c]ensors who passed on them and that scene which culminates in the grape-smearing has something of the imp[a]ct of a case history from Krafft-Ebing. Sadism in this degree seldom finds expression on the screen. With all its faults, the photoplay has elements which may well at-tract sizables audiences throughout the country, particularly has it an interest for science-fictionists, fan and author alike. It is in fact a major curiosity. [line break] -----:------:----- [title and author name centered] BIRTH OF A FAN Art Widner, Jr. To write of [underlined] how I became a fan would be a mere patter-story and one that is as old as the first science fiction fan ever to be born. It was, like so many present-day fans, by way of fairy tales . . .Oz books . . . Jungle Book . . .Just So Stories . . .Verne . . .Burroughs . . . Poe . . . Wells . . .and finally one of the early "Big Three" pro mags. Then: Interest in reader's letters . . . fanmags . . .personal meetings . . . Doomed . . . For some strange reason the editor wants the exact date of my birth--September 16, 1917 ( Send all presents to Box 122, Bryantville, Mass.) . Ye ed desires "pertinent" facts about myself, and also [underlined] why I became a fan. We will go into the latter in a minute as soon as I can get me out of the way. As to the former, I hope the few sidelights rendered above will suffice to discharge my obligations in that direction. I went to Philadelphia, Pa., to be born since I wished to be near my Mother at such a trying time. I went to school in Baltimore, Syracuse, N.Y., and all points east finally finishing most of my education in Quincy, Mass. The teachers were all very happy when I graduated. I know I should not be so nastily suspicious, but I think they wanted to get rid of me. In the last year of high, I began to have a little ( very little) mon-ey now and then from a newspaper route, so I started buying stf. mags. Previous to that time I was a newstand termite who, no doubt, infested
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