It is fanciful, to be sure, with factual inaccuracies, but I really enjoyed the narration and the visuals, which are superior. I love the stamp idea. So all in all, an excellent video. And it just gets better and better as you watch it. Highly recommended.
It is titled “Tragedy in Fall River,” by Stephen Rumbaugh, Narration by Gillian Marsham Hill.
Hot off the PearTree Press!
Lizzie Borden: Girl Detective by Richard Behrens
Introducing Miss Lizzie Borden of Fall River, Massachusetts, a most excellent girl detective and the most remarkable young woman ever to take on the criminal underworld in late 19th century New England.
Many years before her infamous arrest and trial for the murders of her father and stepmother, Lizzie Borden pursued a career as a private consulting detective and wrestled unflinchingly with a crooked spiritualist, a corrupt and murderous textile tycoon, a secret society of conspiratorial anarchists, lustful and psychotic sporting boys, a crazed and vengeful mutineer, an industrial saboteur, and a dangerously map cap mathematics professor—none of whom are ever exactly what they seem to be.
In these five early tales of mystery and adventure, Lizzie Borden is joined by her stubborn and stingy father Andrew; her jealous and weak-chinned sister Emma; her trusted companion Homer Thesinger the Boy Inventor; and the melancholy French scion Andre De Camp. Together, they explore Fall River’s dark side through a landscape that is industrial, Victorian, and distinctly American.
You have met Lizzie Borden before! But never like this!
About the author:
Richard Behrens is a contributor to The Hatchet: A Journal of Lizzie Borden and Victorian Studies and a founding editor of The Trenton Review. His writings on literature and science fiction have been published in The Journal of Advancing Technology and on TheModernWord.com. A native New Yorker, now living in New England, Richard is working on several more Lizzie Borden, Girl Detective mysteries.
Only $14.95! Order yours today here.
Last year, the Warner Robins Little Theatre in Warner Rogers, GA, produced a new play about Lizzie Borden, titled “Murder Americana: The People vs. Lizzie Borden.”
From the images of the production, one can see an amazing set and wonderful costumes and lighting. The show “looks” wonderful. I hope it was well received and enjoyed packed houses!
Please read the history of the WRLT here.
Here is a synopsis of their show from their site:
They have post a large collection of images from their production at this link.
It happens a lot—people writing about the Borden murders of 1892 (note the date) and getting it wrong. Not just partly wrong, but terribly wrong. Another case popped up today at Associated content.
I cannot begin to dissect the errors here, for not only are there factual mistakes, but the narrative is supremely disjointed. It ping-pongs around in time and thought, making the reading of the piece quite grueling.
So how does this happen? One theory is that writers Google Lizzie Borden and take the most sensational pieces and repeat misconceptions and errors. They do not understand that most of what they read on the internet is incorrect. They don’t source their facts, or know how to authenticate a site’s credentials. So they end up repeating someone else’s bad research.
Another reason why there might be so many incorrect web postings is that instead of doing any research at all, some writers make stuff up! Seriously! I have written some web authors asking for sources, politely, because I am always open to new research, and if they have made some discovery about the history of the case or of Lizzie herself, I am interested. Either I don’t get a response from the author/editor or they reply and tell me to go pound sand. It is difficult to suggest to authors that they have problems with their work. One has to be incredibly tactful and polite so as not to come off as arrogant or mean. I strive to be nice in my suggestions and when I ask for sources. Unfortunately, a lot of people don’t take kindly to criticism. Instead, they would rather their work be wrong. I guess.
I took graduate level courses in research methodologies and principles in English, History, and Theatre for my Ph.D. I publish and edit The Hatchet: A Journal of Lizzie Borden and Victorian Studies, now in its seventh year of publication. I am fairly confident in my expertise in the area of research. So when I see such badly done non-fiction essays on a topic I happen to be an authority on, I feel peevish.
This blog is not about trashing anyone. But it is about correcting the record. And for what it is worth, you should not believe everything you read. You should check your sources. Confirm facts for yourself. Question authority. And check the bona fides of the author. Just a thought.
An interview with actor Corbin Bernsen (of LA LAW fame) was just posted on Fangoria.com. In it, Bernsen talks about his part as Dr. Fredricks in the new horror flick “Lizzie the Movie.”
Here is a link to the film’s official website.
Besides Bernsen, the film also sports Gary Busey as the Old Man.
Synopsis:
On August 4th, 1892, Andrew Jackson Borden and Abby Durfee Borden were brutally murdered with an old household hatchet. The blows of the murder weapon were so violent and numerous that their faces and skulls were unrecognizably disfigured. Although acquitted, it is common knowledge that the daughter, Lizzie Borden, is responsible for this savage evil act.
The present day Lizzy Allen suffers from an extreme case of childhood amnesia which not only lays dark her childhood memories but also her relationship or lack there of, of her parents themselves.When Lizzie discovers the news of her father’s death she inherits the house she once lived in…and therefore a new place to live.
But as she begins to settle in she starts to get a glimpse of her childhood memories along with clues as to what really happened in the Borden household in 1892. We follow Lizzy’s journey as she attempts to distinguish between the two and strives to reach her own sanity and happiness while doing so.
Monsterquest, a History Channel series, did an investigation into the Lizzie Borden house in 2008. It has recently been added to YouTube in several segments. Here it is for your viewing pleasure.
There are a few recent news items about the Spindle City that deserves space here on this blog about Lizzie Borden and her city.
New Navy ship named after Fall River, Mass.
March 25, 2010
FALL RIVER, Mass. –A new U.S. Navy ship is being named for the seafaring Massachusetts city of Fall River.
Navy Secretary Ray Mabus joined Gov. Deval Patrick for the ceremony Thursday honoring the Fall River, which will be the Navy’s fourth Joint High Speed Vessel for transporting troops, equipment and supplies.
Mabus said the ship embodies the patriotic spirit of Fall River and the thousands of its residents who have served in the armed services.
It’s not the first time a ship has been named after the city.
The first, the USS Fall River, was a cruiser commissioned in 1945 and used largely on training missions. The tip of the bow of that now decommissioned ship is on display at Battleship Cove in Fall River.
MUFON Case # 22457
Event Date: 02/20/2010 09:39
City: Fall River
Region: Massachusetts
Shape: Disc
Duration: 00:05:00
Distance: Over one mile
Location: City
Terrain: River
Visibility: Clear
Summary: Shot photo of UFO in distance while taking photos of Coast Guard helicopter.Report:
On February 20, 2010, at 9:39 AM, my toddler son and I were walking on the boardwalk at Fall River Heritage State Park, Fall River MA. We saw a US Coast Guard helicopter fly directly overhead very low to the ground along the edge of the Taunton River, heading north. Because my son loves helicopters, I took my digital camera out and started photographing it.As I was shooting photos, the helicopter turned west and accelerated quickly across the river toward Somerset, MA. I saw an object in the distance, moving at a steady speed in a northbound direction. One of my photos captured this object. At first, although I did notice it, I didn’t pay it much attention, assuming it might be a plane departing TF Green Airport in Providence RI. The object continued to fly in a northerly direction until it was out of sight past the treeline along the river.
However, when I uploaded the photos to my computer, I looked at the one of this object and noticed that it doesn’t appear to have wings or a tail section. I showed my wife and several friends, and all agreed that although the object is difficult to see clearly due to its distance, it does not in fact appear to have wings or a tail.
The first attached photo is the original unedited photo. I was standing on the aforementioned State Park boardwalk, facing west. The second photo is cropped and zoomed to show the helicopter and object relative to each other.
See how much fun it is to live in Fall River?
When I was growing up, my favorite kinds of book to read were mysteries and ghost stories. I adored stories that made me quiver and quake, and as I got older that attraction extended to “true” accounts of hauntings and the paranormal. I will never forget reading the classic “The Demonologist: The True Story of Ed and Lorraine Warren” by Gerald Brittle. It was and is the scariest book I have ever read.
Reading stories of possession, hauntings, poltergeist activities, and phone calls from the dead is all about using your imagination to augment the words on the page. It is true that what your imagination creates when reading is far more vivid than anything that can be shown on video or in photographs.
For those who love reading books about things that go bump in the night, writers Maureen Wood and Ron Kolek have penned a paranormal look at several historical cases, including the Lizzie Borden story.
The new wave towards debunking and scientifically explaining supernatural phenomenon, while also presenting a medium’s view of the same events, can be seen on almost every “ghost hunting” show on TV. There are literally a dozen such TV series in production, on cable channels such as SciFy, Travel Channel, History Channel, and Animal Planet.
I watch them all, but with a healthy dose of skepticism. It seems that each has a unique team of investigators, and the personalities of the leaders of these shows makes for some exciting sit-in-the-dark-and-be-scared moments. They seem to debunk just enough of the claims to make you think they are serious about what they are doing, that they are not staging any of the noises or flying coins and stones. And watching the “evidence” that is gathered is always the coolest part as we get to see and hear their findings.
A friend of mine, who has been around ghosthunters for decades tells me it is mostly all bunk. A few hunters of the supernatural have been whistleblowing of late, revealing the “truth” of the ghost investigations and how rigged they actually are.
Even though I know this, I still watch, but now I find myself being much more critical. And that is a good thing. I judge a show by its production value, how exciting it is created, how credible it feels, and how they each present their findings. While I don’t “believe” in any of it, I get to have fun pretending it is real.
To see just how many paranormal shows there are, check out the wikipedia page on “Paranormal TV.”
Here is a review of the book mentioned above:
From the Amazon.com site:
From Publishers Weekly
With a gaggle of friends and equipment in tow, Wood (the medium) and Kolek (the scientist) explore allegedly haunted New England houses, restaurants, and historical sites. Kolek, the founder of the New England Ghost Project, offers scientific explanations and observations regarding the realm of the unknown while Wood flexes her ability to channel the deceased, who appear in the form of ghosts and poltergeists. The duo turn up their fair share of spooky phenomena, including phantom infant cries, vanishing knickknacks and ghostly apparitions. More intense encounters include an apparent exorcism in which a woman and her dog are tortured by a poltergeist. Though the pair do a commendable job balancing the spooky goings-on with rational explanations and a healthy measure of doubt, it’s difficult to believe this will convince a skeptic. Still, the partners maintain a breezy excitement throughout, and the episodic nature of each chapter makes for great serial before-bed reading. Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.“The perfect combination for a paranormal investigation.”
David Wells, Most HauntedA unique collection of episodes from the case files of the New England Ghost Project
Journey into a world of the unexplained and the unknown, a world where what you can’t see captivates all your attention. A trance medium and a paranormal scientist team up in this spellbinding collection of 17 supernatural mysteries, a mere sampling of the spooky episodes in their vast ghost hunting case files.
Former skeptic Ron Kolek, with his infrared camera and EMF meter, and fifth-generation psychic Maureen Wood, with her sixth sense and pendulum, have become experts in investigating ghosts, whether they’re helping the descendant of an accused witch, checking out the spirits of Lizzie Borden’s slain parents, or assisting a monk with an exorcism. Their unique partnership adds a new dimension, and their adventures will test the senses and challenge everyday thinking…and just might make you believe in the paranormal.
My friend Don Hammontree, singer, photographer, video artist, has posted one of his songs from his new CD “Brutalist School”—titled Quequechan. He has created a music video incorporating his photographs of Fall River, many of which you might recognize.
It is a really fine song. Take a listen.
The second video from Don Hammontree’s latest CD “Brutalist School” (download it at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/hammontree3 or at iTunes), “Quequechan” is the singer/songwriter’s tribute to Fall River, Massachusetts, his home of more than 11 years. Most of the photographs of the city shown in the video were taken by Hammontree, an avid photographer.
Fall River, a city of around 90,000 people that sits on the Massachusetts/Rhode Island border an hour south of Boston. In its heyday, it was one of the largest textile manufacturing centers in the world. Famous Fall River-ites include suspected axe murderess Lizzie Borden, master chef Emeril Lagasse, news host George Stephanopoulos, former Boston Celtic Chris Herren, and Washington Post columnist E.J. Dionne.
A native of Peoria, Ill., Don Hammontree is a singer/songwriter, writer and photographer. “Brutalist School” is his third CD, following “Mount Hope Days” (2003) and “The Mumbai EP” (2005). He is also the author of the self-published novel “Baptized in Formaldehyde,” a day-in-the-life, coming-of-age, sex-drugs-and-rock-and-roll story for the whole family.
A busy performer, Hammontree has played throughout the American Northeast, Midwest and South, as well as in Poland and Ukraine. For his latest shows, please consult
http://www.myspace.com/donhammontree
Don Hammontree is also on Facebook, as well.
I have to say I watch this web-only show. I keep up with each episode and find it fresh and interesting. 30 Odd Minutes is the brainchild of Jeff Belanger. He is interested in all things paranormal and has created a great informal interview show that is well worth watching. His cohorts and coworkers include Matt Moniz, Rob Bailey, Andrew Lake, Andy White, and Sarah Samways. Check out their bios here, and don’t forget to mouse over the pictures for a laff.
30 Odd Minutes has produced a show on the Lizzie Borden house.
Here is their description:
Episode 27 – “Live” from Lizzie Borden’s
In Episode 27 we come to you “Live” from the haunted Lizzie Borden house in Fall River, Massachusetts. Okay, not totally “live” because we filmed the episode about a week before it aired. Nobody does a documentary like the 30 Odd Minutes crew! And Lizzie Borden is no different. Just like our studio show we do the whole thing live, straight-through, in one take. You get a tour of the house, learn about some of the history, hear from the manager, Lee Ann, and learn from our special guests: EVP specialist, Mike Markowicz, and the host of Spooky Southcoast Radio, Tim Weisberg. You just don’t know what will happen during this show. Do we uncover evidence of the paranormal or just a prank? Tune in to find out! If the truth is out there… 30 Odd Minutes will find it… but only by sheer accident.
Enjoy!
Bloody Rare Books has had a placeholder for a long while where their Lizzie Borden Collection was one day supposed to go. Well that day has finally arrived and I am happy to say that the site is spectacular!
With research and writing by Richard Behrens, of “Lizzie Borden: Girl Detective” and GardenBay Films (which produces the Lizzie Mini films), this section of the rare book store site is jam-packed with Lizzie info, including a most excellent retelling of the trial of Lizzie Borden.
Bloody Rare indicates that their Lizzie Borden inventory will be uploaded soon. I can’t wait!
Gwen, in her blog Things in My Head, has posted 5 questions that she would like to ask Lizzie Borden. Her post inspired me to add my five questions. Perhaps you have questions as well?
Here are her questions:
1) Let’s get the obvious one out of the way. Did you do it? Did Emma do it? People have written books supporting you both did it or you did or just Emma did it.
2) Did you know someone turned the house on Second Street into a bed and breakfast? People pay over $200 for a night even in Bridget’s old room.
3) Where you and Nance O’Neil girlfriends? Or just friends?
4) Did your father have things to do with you or Emma? There is definitely a something is very wrong vibe there.
5) Why did Emma move out after all those years together? Did she confront you about Nance O’Neil and your theater friends? Just couldn’t stand the sight of each other anymore?
My questions are:
1) Why did you stay in Fall River after your acquittal?
2) Did you burgle your own house on June 24, 1891?
3) Did you celebrate birthdays and holidays like Christmas in your home as you were growing up?
4) Were you a kleptomaniac?
5) After Emma moved out, did you communicate with her again ever, either in person, by telephone, or letter?
Some students at Waltham High School (MA) have put together a short video on the Lizzie Borden case. It is a straight retelling of the story, with a strong emphasis on Lizzie’s probable guilt.
The students cite their sources at the end of the show, but get many of the facts of the case incorrect. Can you spot their mistakes? Comment on your findings below.
For anyone interested in Victorian clothing, gifts, cards, furniture, and jewelry: The Victorian Trading Company. The catalog is first rate and fun to peruse. It is available for you to download as well.
They also offer free E-Greetings that you can send to your pals.
Our great good friend and Literary Hatchet contributor, Ada Jill Schneider, will be offering a Valentines Day poetry reading.
You can read some of Ada’s poetry in the FREE issues of the Literary Hatchet. Check it out!
| S | M | T | W | T | F | S |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| « Aug | ||||||
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |||
| 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 |
| 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 |
| 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 |
| 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | ||
