Phantasmagoria is a point-and-click adventure game designed by Roberta Williams for MS-DOS and Microsoft Windows. Released by Sierra On-Line on August 24, 1995, it tells the story of Adrienne Delaney (Victoria Morsell), a writer who moves into a remote mansion and finds herself terrorized by supernatural forces. Made at the peak of popularity for interactive movie games, Phantasmagoria features live-action footage. It was based on Williams's 550-page script, about four times the length of an average Hollywood screenplay, and cost $4.5 million to develop. Peter Maris directed a cast of 25 actors, all performing in front of a blue screen. The musical score includes neo-Gregorian chant performed by a 135-voice choir. Phantasmagoria became one of the best-selling games of 1995. It received mixed reviews, earning praise for its graphics and suspenseful tone, but criticism for its slow pacing and easy puzzles. The game drew controversy, particularly due to a rape scene. Some retailers declined to carry it, religious organizations and politicians condemned it, and it was refused classification altogether in Australia.

Read more: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phantasmagoria_%28video_game%29

_______________________________ Today's selected anniversaries:

1812:

Peninsular War: Seeing that his army was in danger of being cut off, French commander Jean-de-Dieu Soult retreated from Cádiz, ending a 30-month siege. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_C%C3%A1diz

1892:

Goodison Park (pictured in 2006) in Liverpool, England, one of the world's first purpose-built football grounds, opened. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goodison_Park

1941:

Adolf Hitler ordered the suspension of the T4 euthanasia program of the mentally ill and disabled, although killings continued in secret for the remainder of the war. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aktion_T4

1992:

Hurricane Andrew made landfall in South Florida, the third most intense Category 5 system to hit the United States during the 20th century. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurricane_Andrew

_____________________________ Wiktionary's word of the day:

rain fire and brimstone: (transitive, idiomatic) To send horror or destruction. https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/rain_fire_and_brimstone

___________________________ Wikiquote quote of the day:

I don't believe it's possible to be neutral. The world is already moving in certain directions, and to be neutral, to be passive in a situation like that, is to collaborate with whatever is going on. And I, as a teacher, do not want to be a collaborator with whatever is happening in the world. I want myself, as a teacher, and I want you, as students, to intercede with whatever is happening in the world.   --Howard Zinn https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Howard_Zinn