Interestingly the vampire has always been an aristocratic monster, but James Siruela taste for this creature came from other areas, those of his publishing. It was early 90's when he prepared an anthology of stories for which he had to know the vampire literature in depth. Shortly follower of fashion, his attraction to these beings as related literary, rather, with the character you have of modern myth. According to criteria of aesthetic quality and thematic originality Atalanta now extends this anthology that runs the vampire in all its variants. The stories are added Derleth, Aickman and Matheson.
QUESTION .- Where does your interest in vampires? Why do you think you are so hot?
ANSWER .- In 1992 I prepared an anthology of vampire after reading many stories of the topic. Juan Perucho had requested that prolong the issue, and he could not because of their commitments and the time it took. So, as he had to read much about it and the subject had caught me, I decided to take care of it, which made me want more documents. Actually I do not follow fads. I've never been interested. The vampire is more than a fad. It is a modern myth, and as such a strong comeback in five years. This anthology has over 18 years. Amazingly, throughout this time I've seen sprout through Coppola's film, the novels of Anne Rice, etc., Etc.
Q. - What criteria continued to add new texts?
R. - Quality criteria of aesthetics and thematic originality. Anthologies often tend to be very monotonous, and I tried to show the myth in all its variations, both thematic and genre, so there are stories, a short novel or novella, poetry and even a fragment of a soap opera. I have tried to show the evolution of myth, from the romantic and aristocratic figures of the nineteenth century to the intrusions terrifying more contemporary ambiguous evil presence, which is becoming more psychological.
Q. - Can you highlight some features of the authors and stories added? And in general, what you think is more literary weight?
R. - Derleth's story introduces a new variant, that of a monstrous figure we only know its irresistible magnetism, and how to deliver their victims to her, and the tragic effects on them. Matheson's tale, the legendary author of I Am Legend
and The Incredible Shrinking Man history - has an interest in that, even though the vampire is perfectly in contemporary life through a troubled child and morbid, the mythic and mysterious aura of the vampire who achieves its splendor, for example, in the first chapters of Dracula at the end of the story breaks. I think the more delicate and rounded story literally is Robert Aickman entitled
Pages diary of a young (online reading
here), which won a major award in his time. In this story a young woman who travels to Italy with his parents during the nineteenth century, we will explain in his diary, without realizing it, about the harmful psychological consequences has been a chance encounter he had with a vampire after a party, but nothing here is said explicitly, that is becoming more perverse.
(
Click here to read The wind-blown snow of August Derleth)
MC The Cultural World June 14, 2010 ***
