Hirai Taro - The Japanese Edgar A. Poe

[GOLLUM]

Hi there.

Another author that's come across my desk, wondring if any of you horror gurus know of this writer?

His real name is Hirai Taro but went under the pseudoymn of Edogawa Rampo (Japanese version of Edgar Allan Poe) and lived from 1894 - 1965.

Anyways, he's most famously known in Japan as the Father of mystery/suspense writing in that country but also penned some of the first Japanese horror tales to appear in translation gaining him the title of the "Japanase Poe".

I'm currently reading a collection of some of his tales. Whilst he's been compared to Poe, he's not in that class IMO but some of his stories are quite good.

So far I've read The Human Chair (not pure horror but that of an unhinged mind that secretes itself within the folds of an armchair in order to feel his obsession =women), The Caterpillar (unsettling stuff, a wife cares for her husband soldier who has lost all his limbs, hearing and the ability to talk trangressing from initial carer to ultimate sadist) and Hell Of Mirrors (a man's obsession with optical devices leads him along dangerous pathways and murder, a touch of the macabre in this one with echoes of Lovecraft).

Comments again anyone?...

 

[littlemissattitude]

I've never heard of him before. But the nasty little morbid part of me that loves Clive Barker (and, of course, the great Poe) will definitely be seeking out some of his work. I'm intrigued.

 

[GOLLUM]

Yes well, I'd never heard of him either until this recently appeared in my inbox.

As I said, his writing isn't in the class of a Poe for me but still a decent read all the same. I don't know how easy it is to get hold of his stuff, I saw a free text version of Hells Mirror on the Net, so might post that.

 

[ravenus]

The themes you've talkd about sound quite interesting. It'd be great if you could get a hold of that free text version and post it.

 

[GOLLUM]

Unfortunately that free text link is no longer avaiable and the cache is no longer accesible, don't you just love those broken links GRRR....

However all is not lost as I also noticed a new Japaense film came out this year 2005 called Rampo Noir with English subtitles that features a number of Edogawa Rampo stories. It is available on DVD from Horizon Entertainment, a Vancouver company that seem to specialise in part on the horror genre.

Following is a link with details on 4 short films based on his writings including Caterpillar and Mirror Hell (Hell Of Mirrors) with a synopses of each.

http://www.twitchfilm.net/archives/003796.html

 

[Jay]

Edogawa Rampo was certainly a fan of horror and Poe (obviously as noted by his pen name), but his affection for Poe was based on Poe's mystery novels mostly (most know his August Dupin was the inspiration behind Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes). Rampo was regarded as the quinessential Japanese mystery writer not so much a horror writer (although the element is certainly there - and certainly he has practiced in the craft). Rampo is best known for Kogoro Akechi, a detective character - and various spin-offs from those stories.

A bit off-topic, but I was recently talking about how mysteries (particularly westernized) don't translate well for Japanese. The societies are so different that certain elements that are fixtures in western murder mysteries (see Christie, Stout) simply cannot happen. Elements like changing identities by simply moving to the next town simply doesn't work. Unknown Marriages etc, were impossible. Late Trains? Don't happen. In western society we are like that's why the time discrepancy a late train! After all trains are always late! Not in Japan. Being untimely is not a characteristic of Japanese society - and timing and the manipulation of it is a big factor in many mysteries. I don't why but my mother and I were talkign about this last month or so.

Try murdering someone without anyone knowing in a neighborhood where houses had paper doors!

 

[GOLLUM]

Edogawa Rampo was certainly a fan of horror and Poe (obviously as noted by his pen name), but his affection for Poe was based on Poe's mystery novels mostly (most know his August Dupin was the inspiration behind Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes). Rampo was regarded as the quinessential Japanese mystery writer not so much a horror writer (although the element is certainly there - and certainly he has practiced in the craft). Rampo is best known for Kogoro Akechi, a detective character - and various spin-offs from those stories.

Yes I was aware that he was best known for his mystery novels and not his horror per se and of the detective Kogoro Akechi as I've read some of these now and of Poe's well known August Dupin but I didn't make the direct connection b/w them being more for the mystery aspect rather than the horror, so thanks for clarifying that, I've learned something new now...

EDIT: Actually I recently got hold of a copy of Richard Christain Matheson's Dystopia, which is basically an omnibus edition of his short stories including "horror" short stories or at least some 60 of them. He is a son of the more famous Richard Matheson Snr. Do you know anything more of this author or read any of his work, I enjoyed the stories I've so far read but not many seem to be aware of him??...

I've posted a thread on it further down in this section.

 

[BAYLOR]

Ive never heard of this author, But he sounds interesting. A good reason to revive this thread .