Larry Tuxbury

December 1, 2004

Mr. Pinkwater,

While I was recently re-reading “The Hoboken Chicken Emergency,” I noticed that you included an illustration of the giant chicken looking out the window of a tall building.

It reminded me of what I think may have been a scene from the original “Nosferatu” film, where we see Count Orlock standing at the window from the outside of a large building, looking out at his next victim’s house.

Do you remember if that was the inspiration for your illustration?

First, there are two extant editions of Hoboken Chicken Emergency, one illustrated by me, and a better one, illustrated by my wife, Jill. Both of us have seen and enjoyed Nosferatu. There is no saying but what there may have been an unconcious reference to the shot in the film--but, speaking for myself, there was no intention. I'm guessing Jill didn't have it in mind either. Do you find many parallels and references to that movie in modern works of art?