AtD (37) p.1042 on the Syncopated Strangler, incarnation and maracas

[Mark Kohut]

"Mezzanine Perkins!", the girls practicing shocked gasps. (Remind any others of some of the 'girls' in M & D?) 

Does anyone know how far back that line, "once you've had black, etc.' goes?   

Santa Barbara, more coming up, Lew Archer's usual stomping ground and one of the noir detective tropes; dead woman shows up alive, maybe? "Laura" maybe the most famous movie using the notion?

Syncopated Strangler case. Not real, it seems, but the Eagles have a song: "The Disco Strangler--A distinctive guitar lick opens this one. The song sounds a little rhythmically confused, with the drums, guitar, bass and vocals all seemingly disjointed, but it all finally fits together. Don Henley provides the lead vocals in this song about meeting the wrong person in a nightclub."

Encarnacion means incarnation in Spanish. Seems to be a popular-enough name. (3 major league ballplayers have had it). Metaphoric for Hollywood? and certainly for Pynchon here. Misc. way-out notion: The American democratic experience has been called by some, the American Incarnation. Is Hollywood, daylit (and darkroom) fiction, what America has become, is becoming, instead of a good incarnation? 

Misc. a much later movie with echoes: "Encarnacion (or Ernie) is an aging actress (her 10 minutes of fame are over and consisted of a movie and some work as main dancer in music hall). As many old actresses; is obviously fighting against age however she is not stupid and knows her limits. She manages to survive doing commercials or publicity while looking for the occasional job in movies or TV attending premieres, keeping in touch with the industry or setting up a web page with her bio."

Maraca: One of what come in pairs, maracas..gourd with beans or such shaken in music...also, a species of tarantula. also, 60s Calif slang for boob(s)