RoR: Forum

Post 0

Tuesday, April 17, 2007 - 9:53am

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For those who missed the movie, the formerly corporeal Grady "corrected" his family when he chopped them into little bits before killing himself with a gun. Per the central character:

Mr. Grady. You were the caretaker here. I recognize ya. I saw your picture in the newspapers. You, uh, chopped your wife and daughters up into little bits. And then you blew your brains out.

The ghost responds:

That's strange, sir. I don't have any recollection of that at all.

Something about the very dark humor of this quote and the related exchange -- its outlandish understatement -- tickles me every time I hear it.

(Edited by Luke Setzer on 4/17, 10:01am)

Post 1

Tuesday, April 17, 2007 - 5:39pm

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What, in the name of God, would possess you to post this quote, on this site, and within one day of the worst shooting massacre in modern American history?

I couldn't see posting this in either Banter or Dissent, and would suggest perhaps black humor, although we have enough need for that category as we do for a forum on slasher flicks.

This quote, in the contexts of the Objectivist concepts of selectivity, volition, and value, makes me shudder.

Post 2

Tuesday, April 17, 2007 - 7:17pm

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Actually, Ted, the massacre did not even cross my mind when I posted this. I have actually spent very little time or energy even focusing on it.

Perhaps I need a good talking to, if you don't mind my saying so. Perhaps a bit more.

I see you would like to do your duty and "correct" me, sir. Nevertheless, I see room in life for black humor, if you don't mind my saying so, sir.

Post 3

Wednesday, April 18, 2007 - 6:35pm

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Luke,

While this is indeed black, it really pushes the envelope on what constitutes "humor". Unless, however, you define "humor" as a mindset which other people person could, with much personal shame and nervous, identify with.

I find myself confused, however, on one point: you found the cartoon of Ayn Rand I previously posted to be disturbing and sinister, yet this quote is, to some measure, enjoyable to you?

Post 4

Thursday, April 19, 2007 - 5:33am

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Well, Jeremy, that was Ayn Rand, after all -- and observe the diverse responses to that posting which I found quite intriguing.

I consider this quote more along the lines of The Addams Family type of black humor though obviously King wrote horror and not humor. Just this vision of this little caretaker trilling his r's with his British accent -- "I corrrrrrrrrrrected them. I corrrrrrrrrrrected her." -- smacks of something that one of the Addams family might say. I remember an episode of the old television series with Uncle Fester brandishing a battle axe and saying, "I haven't used this since the tax man came to visit!" I take that to mean that Fester corrrrrrrrrrrected the unwelcome visitor. The movies follow this style with antics such as Wednesday and Pugsley trying in various ways to corrrrrrrrrrrect their new infant brother Pubert in Addams Family Values.

(Edited by Luke Setzer on 4/19, 5:51am)