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The Human Centipede, Circa 1928
Update: the full review is now posted. Enjoy!
On Monday I'll post my full review of The Extraordinary Catalog of Peculiar Inventions: The Curious World of the Demoulin Brothers and Their Fraternal Lodge Prank Machines (including my interview with its author, scholar-of-the-weird Julia Suits). But to whet your appetite for that review, and freak you out just a bit before Halloween, I bring you this clip illustrating one of the inventions featured in the Extraordinary Catalog: The Human Centipede. No, not that Human Centipede. This creepy thing predates the creepy thing you're thinking about by decades:
Footage of early 20th century fraternal lodge electric shock initiation device: "Human Centipede or Nightmare," probably constructed of canvas, filled with excelsior.
Creepy enough for you? Tune in Monday for more. Trust me, some of the inventions don't involve electric shocks. A few.