there is a robert aickman story called "the visiting star" that seems to me one of the more straightforward, perhaps even ordinary of his tales. good, as most of aickman is, but not especially mysterious or satisfying. i have read it only once before, and have not particularly been compelled to go back to it - he's written many finer stories - but last night i turned up a brief essay on aickman's sympathy towards leni rieifenstahl, and the influence of riefenstahl's film das blaue licht on aickman's story. i've never seen the fim, but having now seen stills and read various synopses, i went back to read the story this morning, and found i enjoyed it very much. the gazelle-like face is surely an oblique reference to junta's climbing, and the impromptu gallery of photos in the theatre foyer recalls not only the photos sent to aickman, but also the frame of the film - the repeated encounters with the portraits of junta. i won't send it around, but it is also a better story than i had creditted it with being, and i feel quite different about it. i shall rent the film.