Welcome to our inaugural episode of Cosmic Valley Girl: The Mediumship is the Message.
Cosmic Valley Girl investigates how media and pop culture portrays the unportrayable — namely the esoteric, the mystical, the miraculous — and how these collective attempts at “capturing” the unknown shape the way we experience them ourselves.
As we wander through pop culture departure points in each episode, we’ll identify the (sometimes) obscured mystical references sprinkled throughout our favorite books, movies, and TV shows.
For our first season, we’ll explore the concept of ghosts and hauntings and how both are portrayed throughout pop culture and art.
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Rebecca: Haunted By The Ghost of a Memory
In this episode we examine the enduring impact of Alfred Hitchcock's 1940 film Rebecca and its less enduring (in fact, very forgettable) 2020 Netflix remake starring Armie Hammer.
We delves into Daphne du Maurier's original novel, exploring themes of ghostly presences, psychological hauntings, and the dynamics of femininity and masculinity.
Rebecca considers other gothic stories, including Shirley Jackson's novels, and debate which cursed object from Rebecca merits a spot on their haunted shelf of pop culture.
We scuba dive into understanding the ghostly nature of cultural references and their ripple effects through modern cinema and literature.
00:00 Introduction and Double Homework
00:18 Comparing the 1940 and 2020 Versions of Rebecca
01:45 Astrology and Armie Hammer
03:22 Cursed Objects in Rebecca
08:37 YouTube Commentary and Public Reception
13:48 Daphne du Maurier's Life and Inspirations
16:52 Themes and Character Analysis
34:41 Exploring Femininity in the 1940s
36:20 Astrological Insights: The Movie and the Novel
37:58 The Duality of Characters and Themes
38:25 The Fiery and Earthy Elements in the Novel
39:01 Uranus in Taurus: Historical and Modern Impacts
45:24 The Psychological and Ghostly Presence of Rebecca
53:59 Modern References and Cultural Influence
01:00:05 The Gothic Tradition and Its Evolution
01:08:58 Final Thoughts and Conclusion
Cursed Object Pop Culture Shelf
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