English Goes Berserk (Something Else)

I only just noticed that something's up with the font sizes down in the English post. I can't fix it! It won't let me! Oh, well. I promise to finish that essay soon, don't worry.

You know, I used to own Porky Pig's Haunted Holiday, many years ago. I just stopped to realise that some minutes ago.

It's a sad thing to lose imagination, but it's evidently something which affects all of us as we grow older. I can imagine that the game would be cast aside as some mindless, simple, lacklustre title (I'd undoubtedly share similar views if I still could play it). Nonetheless - and this isn't nostalgia talking (a consignment which I'd say gets used a bit too much to describe this kind of thing) - I vividly recall being genuinely enchanted by it when I was younger by the complete etherealness of it. Laughable, since it's nothing more than a licensing title churned out to make some money (presumably).

Yet, regardless, it captivated me somehow. At least the first level, seemed to transcend description in the sheer, pleasant mystery and mellow ghostliness. Another feature was the random weather - sometimes snow, sometimes something else. I never questioned what Porky Pig was actually in this forest for, or how, or why.

Light flickered down through the tall trees on the eerie glades, and all was mystery and intrigue.

The greatest touch was the fact that I can't remember actually encountering any ghosts or spiritful enemies - something which just emboldened the mystery of the game.

The music was subtle and equally thought-provoking.

It wasn't 'weird', 'disturbing', 'frightening', or even 'spooky'. It was something beyond that.

It's actually something I can't make anyone understand, since the earlier descriptions of this game are wholly correct: anyone would play it, point out its flaws and walk away again.

Nonetheless, in my mind, regardless of the real truths of the game's development, plot, purpose, or indeed anything else, the fact remains that Porky's mysterious forest will always be there. On some plane, it is an inexplicable mystery.

Imagination turns real-life truths into ventures and musings which are impossible in reality; worlds and thoughts exist which simply can't be echoed in anything else. It's a kind of lack of care or understanding for reality, and an acceptance of whatever you label something to be to be what it is. With imagination, there's a whole world in that forest.

A childhood quality (which I had, at least. Maybe it isn't everyone) is that strange habit of devising your entire world and background for things. As far as your concerned, there is no official word or explanation for anything. For a video game, there is no plot. It's just what you think it is, so there. And when you think something, the thing feels so much larger, and greater
, and complex than it could ever actually be in reality. (I've got many memories of this, anyway.)
That stupid forest is nothing more than a bunch of colours. But... well... strange, really.

I remember being fascinated by innocent ghostliness (something which early Disney cartoons got right down to a tee in my mind) in that it was permeated by a mist of obscurity, pleasantness, curiously heart-felt sadness, and inexplicable...ness. Which is why I've had enough of trying to describe it.

The reason all this sounds so odd (and nostalgic, though really, it isn't) is that, as I said before, I honestly can't convey my thoughts on this game (or at least the forest) in any logical way. I can even now perceive what I once thought it to be - indescribable. And that's how it will stay.

.... FOREVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Seriously, that forest... ah, forget it. I wish you could understand.

By the by, Rob's got an idea for a 'by the people, for the people' blog. Go ask him about it.  ¶ 10:10 pm