Librarian as nightmare

One image I keep seeing, in different forms, is the librarian as nightmare.

Certain reel librarian characterizations, I believe, can transcend their stereotypes and become something more — a pop culture representation we can recognize, consciously or not. Film is an excellent medium for this; as the librarian becomes a literal image, the significance of that image can become strongly linked in our brains to deeper meanings. One image I keep seeing, in different forms, is the librarian as nightmare. Or maybe it’s the influence of Halloween. You decide.

Take, for example, the Spinster Librarian that Mary (Donna Reed) becomes in It’s a Wonderful Life (1946). As I’ve said before, it’s amazing how much this 30-second scene haunts the reel librarian image!

Mary as the Spinster Librarian in the second half of ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ (1946). This screenshot from the film is in the public domain.

The second half of the film explores how the town and certain characters’ lives would have changed if George Bailey (James Stewart) had never been born. Mary becomes a drawn, reclusive, and unattractive old maid who works in the library, and her failure to recognize her husband finally sends George over the edge and causes him to beg for his life back. She is literally the last straw for George, but she also acts as the last straw for US, the audience. In this frightening vision of a town without George, the horrible realization that Mary becomes (gasp!) a Spinster Librarian rings the final death gong for the nightmarish hell we have witnessed on screen. We want, as much as George, to escape from Pottersville and return to Bedford Falls. In the first half of the film, Mary represents the virtuous mother, but in the second half, she represents a nightmare — a cinematic journey of opposites and extremes. In her reincarnation as the Spinster Librarian, Mary reinforces the horrifying twist of reality that we seem to have no control over our lives.

There is also a significant sub-genre of horror films featuring librarians. Why? Personally, I suspect a deeper link to the obsession over the idea of control, or fear of losing control in our lives — and librarianship is a perfect profession to play off of that. It’s true, librarianship is inextricably linked to the ideals of organization (or control, if you’re feeling cynical). As a librarian, I see patterns of organization everywhere. It would be tempting indeed to extend that organizational tendency and tip it over the edge into obsession — or even insanity — to create cinematic drama and tension. Horror films are ripe for showcasing the librarian-turned-nightmare. Let’s look at some, shall we?

Chainsaw Sally (2004) features a “a calm librarian by day, and a brutal serial killer by night” — a nightmare come to life. In this case of extremes, it’s the librarian side of Sally — the “timid and harmless” side — that is the costume; the nightmare she becomes at night has become her true self. It seems her killer tendencies stem from traumatic childhood experiences, and her desperate attempts to exert control over her life manifest in both areas of her life, the librarian and serial killer.

The TV movie Wilderness (1996) treads familiar ground, but presents a twist on the librarian-as-nightmare image. “Mild-mannered librarian” Alice turns into a different kind of nightmare every month — a werewolf! Her daily life as librarian represents her obsession over control. Her secret life where she “is free to satiate her most personal and sometimes shocking desires” represents the wild break and loss of that controlling obsession.

Although a librarian is NOT the main character — thank goodness — in The Killing Kind (1973), the librarian in that film fantasizes about nightmares — or as she calls them “hallucinations, they’re so real.” One of her hallucinations includes a rape fantasy, a secret for which she immediately feels shame for sharing. Her sexual repression is represented in the seemingly constrictive binds of her profession. I’m not personally agreeing with that view, merely calling ’em as I see ’em.

The plotline in All About Evil (2010) may ring familiar: A “mousey librarian” discovers her inner serial killer — in this case, after she inherits a movie house. The obsession over control rears again; in the high-pressure situation of saving the family business, she resorts to churning our her own brand of “snuff films” of her own killings. Naturally, as according to a DVD Verdict review, she also “chastis[es] an indie film audience to do things like keep quiet and silence their cell phones.” Once a librarian, always a librarian!

Hopefully, these librarian characters will not haunt YOUR nightmares… Happy Halloween!

Sources used:

All About Evil. Dir. Joshua Grannell. Perf. Natasha Lyonne, Jack Donner, Julie Caitlin Brown. Backlash Films, 2010.
Chainsaw Sally. Dir. Jimmyo Burril. Perf. April Monique Burril, Mark Redfield, Alec Joseph. Shock-O-Rama Cinema, 2004.
It’s a Wonderful Life. Dir. Frank Capra. Perf. James Stewart, Donna Reed, Lionel Barrymore, Thomas Mitchell, Henry Travers. RKO, 1946.
The Killing Kind. Dir. Curtis Harrington. Perf. John Savage, Ann Sothern, Ruth Roman, Luana Anders, Cindy Williams. Media Cinema Group, 1973.
Wilderness (TV miniseries). Dir. Ben Bolt Perf. Amanda Ooms, Gemma Jones, Michael Kitchen. UK, 1996.

‘Killer Movie,’ scary librarian

“You two have to leave. NOW.”

It’s almost Halloween! I’ve been thinking about costumes, and if I were to dress up as a librarian, who would I pick? Who would YOU pick? One librarian I will NOT dress up as is the librarian in Killer Movie (2008).

Screenshot of the librarian from 'Killer Movie' (2008) — Scary movie indeed. Screenshot of the librarian from ‘Killer Movie’ (2008)

Yikes.

In this film, a reality TV shoot at a small town in North Dakota turns into a murder game for a crazed-yet-cunning killer. I caught this film on my cable’s on demand list, and the movie, which was shot in 21 days, was better than I was thinking it would be. Faint praise. I was thinking it was going to be like those Date Movie parodies, but the movie seemed like it wanted to play it straight. It has elements of black humor (“What greater truth is there than reality? Even when it’s scripted”), and it borrows heavily from the Scream movies, especially in the characters and basic plot points — and the Scream movies themselves gleefully borrowed from the (cheesy) tradition of modern horror films. But everyone in the film seems like they’re acting in a different movie from each other. Paul Wesley, as TV director Jake Tanner, plays his role totally straight and serious, like he does on The Vampire Diaries; Cyia Batten, who plays the TV show’s producer, is way over-the-top; and Kaley Cuoco as spoiled actress Blanca Champion wanders through like she’s doing her best Anna Faris-as-Britney. She fits in the movie as well as her miniskirts and shorts fit in with the freezing temps.

Mary Murphy plays the aforementioned Librarian — her official title in the credits — in a cameo about 24 minutes into the film. Before the library scene, Jake proclaims that “something’s off here,” helping to set up a feeling of unease and suspicion. His production assistant then shows him some newspaper articles on microfilm in the school library. In this one-minute-long scene, she finds the time to diss the school library and the town in one go:

“I’m dying to Google these people. I don’t know if you’ve tried yet, but it’s impossible to get on the internet up here. I’ve tried the dial-up like 30 times, only I get knocked off after 10 seconds.”

After discussing the newspaper articles about several deaths in the area and how they don’t think the most recent death was an accident, they look up from the microfilm reader because of the school librarian’s sudden appearance. There is a long pan to the librarian in the distance:

View of a scary librarian. Screenshot from 'Killer Movie' (2008) — View of a scary librarian. Screenshot from ‘Killer Movie’ (2008)

The librarian does not engage in conversation. She simply gives them a long glare and spits out her one line:

“You two have to leave. NOW.”

At her close-up, my husband and I both recoiled in horror. Score one for the friendly school librarian!

In this character introduction, she is a black, shadowy figure. She looks more like a nun — or a crow — in her long black layers, glasses hanging from a lanyard, black-streaked-with-grey hair pulled back. She is holding a couple of books in her arms, hands clutching her other arm. In the close-up, we see her hands and face only — her pale face with her sour, forbidding expression stands out. Her body is pretty shapeless in her long skirt, turtleneck, and cardigan.

We don’t get to see much of the school library. There is an aisle of dark blue carpet inbetween two rows of bookcases, plus a bookcase seen behind the librarian. The dark woods of the bookcases and walls add to the foreboding feel of the horror movie set-up. The books are not that neatly shelved, but not overly messy, either. We see no signs of any students using the library — and with a school librarian like that, who would?!

There are quite a few cameos in the film, and this one has that touch of black humor when you compare this reel librarian’s image with Mary Murphy herself (seen below). In real life, she is a dancer and choreographer, lending her expertise as a judge on the popular (and addictive) reality TV show So You Think You Can Dance. She is quite dynamic and loud and sparkly on the show, a total opposite from this crow of a reel librarian. Her cameo in this film might also be a clever play on her “Queen of Scream” nickname — if you’ve ever watched the show, you know about her trademark holler!

So what’s the point of this library scene? I think it adds to the “lost in rural America” feel of the small town, as the main characters won’t be able to rely on technology to seek help. The librarian’s appearance and behavior definitely contribute to the creepy mood of the town and backlog of suspicious deaths. With the long camera pans in the scene, we also get the sense of someone (the killer?) watching others. This is a camera trick used throughout the film, as in a scene later on in a convenience store, where we get a long pan down the grocery aisles and see a flash of the killer walking by. This subtly mirrors the visual introduction of the librarian. The school librarian also serves as a possible suspect. As the victims piled up — and they do, believe me — I shouted out several times, “Is it the librarian? There’s almost no one left!” Is she the killer? Hmmm….

So as the main function of this librarian is to contribute to the atmosphere, she serves the primary role of an Information Provider. But the director still can’t help but to resort to the physical characteristics of the Spinster Librarian! So if a librarian is going to be onscreen for a short time, the trend is to go for the stereotypical image.

I’ve written a lot for such a small role. Quite a(n unfortunately) memorable impression for a reel librarian onscreen for 4 seconds!

Sources used:

Killer Movie. Dir. Jeff Fisher. Perf. Paul Wesley, Kaley Cuoco, Jason London, Leighton Meester. Peace Arch Home Entertainment, 2008.

Mistaken identity in ‘Spellbound’

A step backward for (real) librarians

How should a woman react when she is mistaken for a Spinster Librarian? To her credit, Dr. Constance Petersen, played by the beautiful Ingrid Bergman, takes it in good humor. The moment does inject a bit of comedy (although at the expense of librarians!) in the otherwise suspenseful and dramatic film, Spellbound (1945).

*SPOILER ALERT*

In this Hitchcock classic — which features a stunning dream sequence designed by Salvador Dali — Dr. Petersen (Bergman) realizes that the mental hospital’s new director, Dr. Edwardes (Peck), is an imposter and suffers from paranoid amnesia. They go on the run to find out what happened to the real Dr. Edwardes.

Gregory Peck and Ingrid Bergman in 'Spellbound' (1945); image is in the public domain — Gregory Peck and Ingrid Bergman in ‘Spellbound’ (1945); image is in the public domain

While Bergman waits for Peck in a hotel lobby — remember, they are on the run, so recognition would be disastrous — she comes under the scrutiny of the house detective. He tries to guess her occupation, and by her conservative appearance (dark and conservative suit & hat), he guesses either schoolteacher or librarian! She is mistaken for a Spinster Librarian. A success for her character, as her real identity and occupation are safe, but alas, a step backward for (real) librarians.

Sources used:

Spellbound. Dir. Alfred Hitchcock. Perf. Ingrid Bergman, Gregory Peck, Leo G. Carroll, Michael Chekhov. Selznick International, 1945.

‘It’s a wonderful’… stereotype?

“You’re not going to like it, George. She’s an old maid. She’s just about to close up the library!”

It’s a wonderful movie, truly. It’s a Wonderful Life. One of my personal favorites, actually. And a personal favorite for many, especially as a TV staple at Christmas, thanks to its lapsed copyright in 1974 (although that was successfully challenged in 1993). The director, Frank Capra, is in top form, as is James Stewart, who displays devastating depth as George Bailey, an ordinary man who aches to be extraordinary. Both deservedly earned Oscar nominations, out of 5 total, including Best Picture.

In the film’s nightmarish second half, George gets a rare second chance to see how life would have been without his presence — a concept that’s been seen time and time again, but it still feels fresh and raw every time I rewatch this movie. And I still find tears in my eyes toward the end when everyone chips in to save good ol’ George Bailey, and when James Stewart whispers, “Attaboy, Clarence” and winks after the bell rings on the Christmas tree. Oh, who am I kidding?! I’m tearing up right now even typing about it!

But…. how do you solve a problem like Mary?

Mary is George’s wife and one true love, played with intelligence and warmth by Donna Reed. We see lots of her in the film’s first half, through childhood adventures and young adulthood until George finally realizes he’s in love with her. Throughout these scenes, she is quite lovely and open and trusting and displays a great sense of humor. She is his equal in every way. And she MUST be believable as his one true love in order for the second half of the film to work, because what she becomes is the straw that finally breaks George. Throughout the nightmare he witnesses in the second half — his brother dying, his mother withdrawing into a bitter old woman — it is the scene with his wife that finally gets to him, that breaks him.

And what does Mary become if George is out of the picture? A Spinster Librarian! Sigh.

Her scene as the Spinster Librarian is only about 30 seconds long, but that image continues to haunt librarians. Just look at the physical before-and-after:

Screenshot of Mary (Donna Reed) in 'It's a Wonderful Life' (1946) — Mary in the first half of ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ (1946). This screenshot from the film is in the public domain.

Mary as the Spinster Librarian in 'It's a Wonderful Life' (1946) — Mary as the Spinster Librarian in the second half of ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ (1946). This screenshot from the film is in the public domain.

In the first half, she looks lovely, with a modern hairstyle and stylish, flattering clothing. But without George, she suddenly loses her sense of style?! Glasses, sensible clothes, hat, hair pulled back, gloves, no makeup. She is so covered up, almost hiding, with the hat and the gloves and the buttoned-up clothes. This image is the stereotypical prototype for all Spinster Librarians. This does make sense, as the Spinster Librarian is one of the character types that heavily rely on stereotypical visual cues: the severe hairstyle, glasses, and prim clothing.

But worse than that is the change in Mary’s personality. In the first half, she is warm and funny and sweet. In the second half, she has become shy, furtive, non-trusting, and scared of men. A typical Spinster Librarian, right? (Sigh.) Mary clutches her purse, and finally screams and faints when he declares her to be his wife.

Clarence telegraphs the change in Mary: “You’re not going to like it, George. She’s an old maid. She’s just about to close up the library!”

“Clarence…Where’s Mary?” video, uploaded by plurp7, is licensed under a Standard YouTube license

What’s so disturbing about this scene — again, only about 30 seconds long! — is the uncomfortable undertones of this scene (at least for librarians). That without men in our lives, the ultimate nightmare for women is… to become “old maid” librarians?! That if we get married, we are spared from this oh-so-terrible fate? Again, sigh.

I know this scene is taken to extremes for the sake of the plot. George is near breaking point, and he needs a shock to get him to appreciate life again. And Mary becoming an “old maid” highlights the point that they are each other’s true loves — that without the other, they are not truly whole. Plot-wise, this scene makes sense. But emotionally, as a librarian, it is hard to swallow.

So this movie will continue to be a personal favorite — but a personal favorite with an asterisk.