WEBVTT - The Monstrefact: Lady Dimitrescu

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<v Speaker 1>Welcome to Stuff to Blow Your Mind, a production of

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<v Speaker 1>My Heart Radio. Hi, my name is Robert Lamb and

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<v Speaker 1>this is the Monster Fact, a short form series from

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<v Speaker 1>Stuff to Blow Your Mind, focusing in on mythical creatures, ideas,

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<v Speaker 1>and monsters in time. In Capcom Survival horror video game

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<v Speaker 1>Resident Evil Village, the character Ethan Winters finds himself beset

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<v Speaker 1>by werewolves, vambires, and other creatures of darkness in an

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<v Speaker 1>unnamed Eastern European rural location. Particular village is governed by

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<v Speaker 1>four lords, but the most impressive of these strange rulers

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<v Speaker 1>is Lady Dimitrescu of Castle Demitrescu. Her lordship might otherwise

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<v Speaker 1>be mistaken for any other Gothic fim fatal figure, resplendent

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<v Speaker 1>with classic vampiric qualities and a stylish ensemble, but she

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<v Speaker 1>also stands well over nine feet tall, and it's forced

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<v Speaker 1>to duck as she moves through doorways in her otherwise

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<v Speaker 1>high ceilinged castle. While she often employs brute giant strength

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<v Speaker 1>and dispatching her enemies, she can also manifest scimitar like

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<v Speaker 1>claws to cut them limb from limb. She is arrogant

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<v Speaker 1>and vain but also highly protective of her three vampiric daughters.

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<v Speaker 1>The character has proven highly popular, quickly joining the likes

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<v Speaker 1>of pyramid Head and Nemesis in the pantheon of great

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<v Speaker 1>memorable horror video game monsters. And dissecting the influences that

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<v Speaker 1>brought this character together, we of course have to give

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<v Speaker 1>a proper nod to both Dracula and Countess Elizabeth Bathory.

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<v Speaker 1>But many commentators have also pointed to the modern Japanese

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<v Speaker 1>yuri or yokai known as Miss eight foot Tall or

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<v Speaker 1>has Haku Sama, who has depicted in a wide brimmed hat,

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<v Speaker 1>much like the Lady Demitrescu. According to haik Issuhani in

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<v Speaker 1>a two thousand eighteen thesis paper titled Mythology Marches to

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<v Speaker 1>Modernity Yokai in contemporary Japan, this spirit seems to have

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<v Speaker 1>originated in a Japanese internet forum in two thousand and eight. However,

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<v Speaker 1>the author stresses that Hasaku Sama's origins might actually extend

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<v Speaker 1>back much further, to an older yokai named taka Onwa

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<v Speaker 1>literally Tall Woman, briefly mentioned in the Illustrated Night Parade

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<v Speaker 1>of a Hundred Demons published in seventeen seventies. Six. However,

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<v Speaker 1>the idea of a fearsome giant Tests is far older

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<v Speaker 1>than any of these examples. Some variations of the Irish

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<v Speaker 1>and Scottish winter Hag and deity uh Kieligak are described

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<v Speaker 1>as a giant test and she is credited with kidnapping

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<v Speaker 1>this pirit of summer. Other legendary hags are also given

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<v Speaker 1>giant proportions from time to time, including the Baba Yaga.

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<v Speaker 1>There's also Zunuqua of the quack Utel people of British Columbia,

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<v Speaker 1>who hunts the children of man. Multiple giant tests is

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<v Speaker 1>of varying temperaments can be found in Norse mythology, and

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<v Speaker 1>these are often described as beautiful to behold and in

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<v Speaker 1>Hindu traditions, the demon giant tests Putana attempts to kill

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<v Speaker 1>the infant Krishna by taking on a human appearance and

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<v Speaker 1>breastfeeding him poisoned milk. Baby Krishna, however, turns the tables

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<v Speaker 1>on the demon by draining her of all her milk

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<v Speaker 1>and her life essence. Suffice to say, Lady Demitrescu is

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<v Speaker 1>but the latest in a long line of intriguing fictional

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<v Speaker 1>giantesses employed to express varying ideas about feminine power. Her

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<v Speaker 1>ancestors run the gamut of hags, demons, heroes, and goddesses.

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<v Speaker 1>Tune in for additional episodes of The Monster Fact each week.

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<v Speaker 1>As always, you can email us at contact at stuff

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<v Speaker 1>to Blow your Mind dot com. Stuff to Blow Your

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