Month: February 2021

Hello my children,

This week, my superiors have informed me that you students are entitled to a day of “free thought and relaxation”, and I must admit I found that to be absurd when placed in the context of us magicians. We are spirits bound to the continuous and intense study of the world around us, and to rupture one’s focus could mean that some day along the line a vital piece of information could result in your untimely demise, body flaily lifeless in the jaws of some mutated toad which sinks into the pond with your name never to be uttered again.

However, as you have come all this way to attend my office hours, then it’s the very least I can do to cover a topic of relative levity.

I find that I am repeating myself in these lectures, but it is true that one must hear something many times over until information finds its place into your head: fey are creatures of great allure with ill intent hidden beneath their visage of seduction. At its most basic form, fey are a light which engulfs us moral folk in passion and scaring flame.

With this I of course am referring to the pixie. These creatures thrive on ignorance, so I see your education as a sworn duty of mine. You will find in your travels that less educated folk hold a deep fondness for the enchanted magical nature of the unknown.

Pixies are significantly smaller than fairies or sprites, being able to fit into the palm of your hand quite snugly. Rarely does one get to see the true figure of a pixie, but I assure you that from what you might expect you will be either horrified or truly disappointed. Their mouths are lined with many, many rows of teeth, and they find their sustenance from sucking the blood of travelers who make their way unknowingly through enchanted groves. The imprints will last months and months as the toxins of the fairy slowly infect the mind and entice you to return even after you’ve made your way hundreds of miles out of its vicinity.

Again, fey are tied to their natural environments, and they prefer to confront victims in packs in order to overwhelm them. Travelers are most easily deceived at night. Pixies will take on the appearance of a dancing light in the distance, forming paths of flame deeper and deeper through the trees until their victim has found their way into their doom. It is currently unknown what immediately happens to the victim as they are being tortured and warped by pixie magic, however, I have seen first hand the soulless, contorted faces of the curious ignorant folk now standing solemnly as warning signs. 

I have a hard time sympathizing with such victims. You think that as soon as you notice the common giant mushroom and strange movement in your peripheral vision that you would realize your mistake and that you must turn around at once. It’s a matter of that essential field experience and understanding when your curiosity has gotten you over your head. I know for certain that I have been close many times, but it is the unique ability of us best magicians to be able to rescue ourselves from our own hubris.

Children, please enjoy yourselves and enjoy the sunlight while you still can, for the day may come soon where you are lured into the darkness with no promise of returning.

Until next time,

-The Magician

David Cronenberg is a filmmaker who knows exactly what he’s doing. He draws in the audience with his signature brand of body horror, then hits them with increasingly relevant social commentary. The cult classic Videodrome is a prime example of his approach. 

Originally a box-office bomb, it’s gained a following due to its incredible special effects, dark themes, and oddball style. Categorized as science fiction horror, the film demands much more from the audience than one might expect from its genre. The story takes bizarre, surreal twists and turns, so it’s another one of those films that relies on the audience recognizing clues. 

The main character, television executive Max Renn (James Woods), is constantly on the search for the most shocking show he can find to boost viewership. He isn’t opposed to violence, real or imagined. He’s also perfectly comfortable with showing adult content. When he stumbles upon a transmission of “Videodrome”, a show that consists exclusively of hyper-realistic torture, he makes it his mission to seek out the source of the show. The addition of a sadomasochistic damsel in distress (Debbie Harry), a chillingly familiar corporate villain (Leslie Carlson), and the daughter of a technological prophet of doom (Sonja Smits) add complexity to the discomfort.

As soon as Max is subjected to “Videodrome”, he unknowingly becomes complicit in a plot to permanently change the psyche of the public. Slave to the will of “Videodrome”, he becomes programmable in both a metaphorical and a very literal sense. He only realizes the danger he and Nicki Brand (Debbie Harry) are in when it’s too late. Slowly succumbing to constant hallucinations and the influence of various puppet masters, both Max and the audience begin to lose sight of what is real and what is imagined.

Videodrome asks how far we’re willing to go for the sake of entertainment. It disgusted me not only due to the gore, but also because it’s more relevant now than ever. The two key recurring themes of the film are desensitization and media control. Since Videodrome’s release in 1983, these concepts have only become more central to daily life. In the digital age, anyone has access to the darkest parts of life; simply open an incognito browser and the world is your grim, terrifying oyster. 

It takes advantage of everything it can with an R rating. It’s grotesque, dreamlike — actually, more like nightmarish– and needs a second watch to fully appreciate. The nearly $6 million budget was one of the largest he’s ever had for a film, and it shows in all the effects he was able to pull off. Universal saw the success of his 1981 film Scanners and decided to take a chance, but unfortunately this didn’t end up benefiting them. 

Videodrome has slowly but surely gained a fanbase, and I couldn’t be more pleased. Whether you’re intrigued by its message or just in it for the carnage, please give Cronenberg’s dystopian prophecy a chance.

“Death to Videodrome! Long live the new flesh!”

Skateboarder, model, musician, actress, community organizer–modern renaissance woman Briana King does it all. She’s known for making skateboarding more accessible to all, especially beginner female skaters. Her backstory is unique: she grew up in east LA, booked a one way ticket to Australia when she was 18, and was scouted as a model. After issues with her visa, she flew back to the States and settled in New York. She then started skateboarding and cultivating an empowering community of women and LGBTQ skaters. Notably, she runs display.only, which hosts girl skate sessions in large cities and posts educational skateboarding videos.

Skateboarding is notorious for dominated by young white men (some of whom who are misogynistic), and exclusive. For many young women or queer skaters, entering the skatepark or even just skating around is intimidating for the fear of judgment from others. Beginner skaters, especially girls, are often prone to hate comments and overall negativity from gatekeepers. While skateboarding is becoming much more diverse and welcoming than it was before, Briana King works to further promote inclusivity and enjoyment of skating for everyone. Through skateboarding meetups and even a nationwide tour, King has developed a large following of fans eager to skate. By encouraging young skaters to have fun and get back up, she promotes a supportive and growing community of womxn skaters.

To Briana King, skateboarding and community building is a lifestyle. In an interview with Jenkem Magazine, King explains that “I never had homies who I felt comfortable being myself around, so I was like, ‘I’m going to keep skating forever because this is where I feel the most comfortable, the most open, the most happy.’ So even if the meetups weren’t my job, or brought me income, this is my life and what showed me how I’m supposed to feel and what I was searching for my whole life.” During a global pandemic, hobbies like skateboarding have become even more important.

If you’re a skater or just interested in skateboarding, fashion, and inclusivity, follow Briana King here. Maybe even pick up a sweet Simpsons-inspired skateboard deck while you’re at it.

I think the poem does a good job of summarizing it, but I’ll just reiterate it here to make sure I cover all the beats. So, up until about 8th grade, I really enjoyed reading books. So much so that I would often carry 3 or 4 free reading books with me while I was at school (I don’t know why, I hardly ever had time to read them). I don’t think my attachment to virtual media was the sole reason for my break from casual reading, but it was certainly one of the biggest. It was just a lot more convenient, and a lot more attention-grabbing, to hop on Instagram or Snapchat instead of getting invested in another book.

The triplet in the poem describes my feelings towards this period when I hardly read anything at all. Of course, I’m a saddened by it. I’m sure it would have been much more valuable for me to have read American classics instead of scrolling through the explore page. However, it was just how I was. I didn’t enjoy reading nearly as much as before. If I had purposefully stopped reading so I could be cool, then I’d be upset. But it wasn’t that, it was natural and I feel I should respect that.

Especially since I knew I’d always come back around to reading. I recently deleted my Instagram and Youtube accounts, which means that I had virtually three more hours everyday to get things done. I filled in this time with music and podcasts (technically from my phone), playing the ukuleles, writing, watching valuable media, and mostly playing lots and lots of sudoku and chess (also still from my phone.) Most recently, I’ve decided that I’m going to finish this book I started over the summer, Revolutionary Road (wow it’s depressing!!)

After such a long break, the refreshingness of just reading page after page is astonishing. It gives my eyes a much needed rest, and it’s an escape. It’s cliche, but the thing about books taking you to another world. You take shape as an observer to this reality, hidden underneath the words you read. Plus some of them are damn enjoyable to read, whether from their artistry or from humor, they really do bring me back.

Was there something you did as a kid that you wished you never dropped? Something to think about. Maybe soon you can try it out and, who knows, your younger self may have been onto something. Until next time.

Jonah J. Sobczak

-jonahso