What did Chas have for lunch? Well, courtesy of the GUARDIAN g2(Thurs. 16.09.10) I believe I’ve identified the tasty morsel. I quote: “Fly agaric, the classic “toadstool” of children’s books, its large red cap flecked with white, its bulbous-based white stem ringed with scales. Rarely fatal to humans but causes hallucinations, sickness and occasionally comas.”
see also: It's Continental.
Noo ye ken.
We used to call them "Magic Mushrooms". We used to eat them all the time but I don't ever remember them being as large as the one Pherber has.
shareMagic mushrooms are small and white (psilocybin). I would not advise eating the red and white ones - they are toxic.
shareI read a recent publication that theorizes that the Amanita Muscaria (red and white capped fly agaric) was rarely eaten by humans and when done so quickly fell from repeat. It was almost always the psilocybin.
The Amanita was just prettier for representation of magic throughout history.
Amanita has all sorts of associations with magic and sorcery. It was ingested by Siberian shamen, who would filter the toxins thru their own bodies; tribe members would then drink the shaman's urine to get not quite as high =p
Also, the book 'The Sacred Mushroom and the Cross' by John Allegro, which alleges that early Christianity was actually a sex & mushroom cult based on the ingestion of the Amanita, came out in 1970. Perhaps a bit late to have influenced the film, but the theories in it may have been in the air in London as so much else was - who knows?
This. A modern book, I haven't read is "Soma", which covers the same ideas. I've researched a bit of the associated stuff, but you are correct. Also referenced in "Alice in Wonderland" and other movies. There are some who also think Santa Claus and flying reindeer and other parable/religious elements are rooted and represented by the red/white schroom. Sounds as plausible as anything else. Christmas being a pagan holiday. Jesus real birthday being IXXI or 911=Sept, 11. This confirmed in occult symbolism
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