Journal Post #7 (Dr. Masters)

I'm interested in the choosing of Venice as the site for this story. On the one hand, Venice typically seems connotative of romance, an atmosphere of love and passion--what with the gondola rides, wine, and music. In that regard, then, Laura and John travel to Venice in attempts to mend and restore their relationship (after tragedy)--although, arguably, this registers as a type of repression. On the other, however, Venice--especially within "Don't Look Now"--proves a sublime space, a site for the uncanny; one that allows for and exercises repression. What's more, a carnal element also situates itself within this setting/story.

In doing some quick research I found information on the annual Carnival of Venice festival: it's Mardis Gras--ending with Lent, the day before Ash Wednesday. Thus, the whole trope of masquerade and performativity/performance theory becomes critical in the analysis of this story and how Italy functions as a site. 

Obviously, Venice as a site works perfectly for the story, then. Although I'm not entirely sure what to do with the twin sisters--other than point out the fact that the psychic sister only further reiterates and underscores Venice as a type of liminal sphere--wherein the supernatural is/becomes obtainable.

*Italy connotes a certain kind of culture--but it's also not First World
*dark/serpentine/constricted alleyways--all looking alike
*romance
*carnal
*masquerade
*Carnival
*performativity
*debauchery
*gothic horror (Fred Botting's gothic theory)
*transgression/transgressive
*visceral gothic
*unconscious
*anxieties
*projection
*uncanny & supernatural & repression
*occult thriller

**So is the "little thick-set woman dwarf" a 'moretta muta' figure? "Don't Look Now" film adaptation originally called morretta muta ?
And what's up with 'the Madonna' having "a magic quality" about her?