When this world feels oppressive, mean or cruel (gee, what's that like?) it's tempting to imagine another world to which we could escape. Stories like Coraline and James and the Giant Peach mirror those fantasies in a magical, and sometimes grotesque, way, and allow us to envision what could be. There's the good: Giant insects that demonstrate real friendship, a wise cat guide...And there's the bad: A narcissistic spider witch of Romanian lore who traps her prey using their deepest desires, for example. Come along with us as we explore the mythology and legends behind the women of Coraline and James and the Giant Peach, and imagine what could be behind the portal in your own hidden worlds.
SFX/Music by Zapsplat.com
Links
https://www.ranker.com/list/coraline-beldam/erin-cody
https://www.mythicalcreaturesguide.com/beldan/
https://weirdfictionreview.com/2011/11/creepy-classic-lucy-cliffords-the-new-mother/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neil_Gaiman
https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-the-uncanny-valley-4846247
https://www.learnreligions.com/are-voodoo-dolls-real-95807
https://scaquarium.org/luck-lady-bug/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Insects_in_mythology#Symbols,_amulets_and_omens
https://www.terriwindling.com/blog/2019/08/cats.html
https://basepaws.com/blogs/news/meowgical-mythology-of-cats
https://bnr.bg/en/post/101218868/mice-in-folklore-beliefs-and-traditions
https://science.howstuffworks.com/science-vs-myth/unexplained-phenomena/water-dowsing.htm