#I call this 'costume motif' my beloved

[koriand3r]

Willow | Spike - Clothing

“Why are you still in costume?” “Okay, still having to explain wherein this is just my outfit.”

[freshmangojuice]

In 1993, Danny John-Jules wore this iconic costume in the Red Dwarf episode 'Gunmen of the Apocalypse'

It's such a beautiful costume, I wanted to know where it came from. So I did some digging. This is what I found out... (long post)

To preface, this post is about Mexican cultural dress and design. I am not Mexican and I have no Mexican connections so my existing knowledge is very limited. So although this stuff is new to me, it might be really obvious in general. If you happen to have more insight, please share!

Firstly, there is no information about the Riviera Kid costume itself other than the fact it was thought to be too small for Danny (it was, but luckily he looks good in tight clothes), and was rented for the shoot, which means it was not the work of our beloved Howard Burden.

But whoever made it must have gotten the idea from somewhere, the costume is clearly Mexican-inspired. But do we get that sense because of Hollywood, or is it legitimate cultural dress appropriate for the time period the episode was trying to represent? WELL! Let's see!

To start with, the image below is a gorgeous mariachi suit designed by contemporary Los Angeles tailor Jorge Tello.

Note the four symmetrical faux pockets with embellishment surrounding them, and the same continuous pattern bordering the edges of the jacket as well as patches on the upper arms and going down the side of the pants. And of course the big floppy bow tie. Excepting the details in colour, fasteners, and the decoration, this is the same as the Riviera Kid in terms of shape and style. Okay so it's mariachi dress!

I also found out that this specific suit is called traje de charro and is the traditional dress for horsemen in Mexico, now worn mostly by mariachi performers but also anyone for heritage events like festivals. And its origins come from Salamanca in Spain, though the evolution has brought it a long way from the 16th century. More on that later.

To back this up there are also a lot of results for cheaper costumes that actually have similar designs to the Riviera Kid with the squiggle appliqué.

But these are recent designs, with Tello's from around 2013. Gunmen of the Apocalypse was supposed to represent the 1880s (or thereabouts), is there anything older? Where does the squiggle design actually come from? WELL! (again)

Tracing back the decades, I managed to find some strikingly similar pieces. Including this jacket made in Mexico and worn by Alice Cooper in the 1970s. Yes, the rockstar Alice Cooper.

This jacket is VERY similar to the Riviera kid, down to the four corner knot motif on the arms, the squiggles, and even the fasteners are done in the same braiding technique. Clearly this is the jacket that inspired the one worn in Red Dwarf. Or was it...?

This one was worn by the actor Guy Williams in 1958 and was likely designed by Hollywood costumer Chuck Keehne. It is exactly the same as the one from the 70s. Like, exactly the same. Which leads me to believe the Alice Cooper one was copied from this design.

However, we have to look at the context. The jacket above was made for an actor in a movie (The Sign of Zorro) in the 1950s, and if it was indeed Chuck Keehne behind it, that guy was born in Missouri. Not much there to legitimise the design as Mexican. Nor is there much to suggest historical accuracy since the movie is meant to take place in the 1820s and they looked like this in it.

(Guy Williams and Britt Lomond in The Sign of Zorro)

I can tell you right now that yes the military uniform is pretty 1820s. The details are off, but the silhouette is there, the cut of the jacket is there, the right buttons are there, the right pistol is there. We are in the 1820s. So I have reason to believe that the military uniform, for which I have many references for, is just as historically accurate as the flashy charro. Surely, right?

Eh, not quite. Because after digging some more I'm sorry to say I doubt the squiggle design and sharp cut of the jacket is as old as the 1820s. That just isn't realistic for how fashion changed over time, and I have also found things like this photograph.

Taken in the 1860s, the two men look fabulous, but the man on the left is wearing what appears to be a suit that will eventually evolve into what we see later on. The decorated legs, the length of the jacket and gap in the closure is about all the similarities I can find. So obviously 1820s is very optimistic for what we're talking about.

Which are suits like this!

These lovely ladies were photographed in Mexico c. 1918–29 and they're wearing the squiggles! The jacket of the lady on the right has vertical pockets which is so fascinating to me, but the lady on the left has exactly what I've been looking for all this time. She has the squiggles, the four pockets, the round decorated collar. It's stunning. And it's the earliest version of the design that I can confirm. All that's missing is the four cornered knots, but I'm assuming that comes in 1950s and may even be a celtic reference.

Unfortunately, that's the end of the 'I'm pretty sure this is accurate information' thread, but I've also found other vintage jackets that have been sold online.

The two on the left are listed as being from the 1940s, and the one of the right is listed as a women's matador jacket from the 1920s. How true those claims are I cannot know, their provenance is not given.

Though it would seem that the design that inspired the Riviera Kid is definitely more 20th century. And it's surprising to me how common it actually is! So although it may be a fabrication for the time period, it is very true to life for actual traditional dress and it's not completely made up!

TL;DR

The Riviera Kid costume took inspiration, along with other costume work, from actual Mexican fashion that originate no earlier than the 1910s, although those fashions can trace its roots to around the 1860s, which can trace its roots to Spain in the 1500s.

[sugar-konpeito]

by the way, if you want to find more heroes like this, they are called "local heroes", and are superheroes made by individual people or local businesses. they are basically a public service that provide education and fun, as well as promote tourism to their region (not all of them belong to a certain region, though).

the "account about taking your meds" is Ohgaman. He is very popular and is even in his own TV show called Dogengers (although his sidekick, Rookie, is the main character)

and it has three sequels, Dogengers Nice Buddy

Dogengers Highschool

and Dogengers Metropolis.

The primary villain of the show is Yabai Kamen. He's a local hero villain who started out acting as an antagonist to any local heroes that didn't have one (since most didn't, generally do to a lack of resources).

Overtime he has gotten more and more support, and his costume gets increasingly fancy and advanced. (The eyes are an LED screen and change to show his expressions, like shocked or crying.)

His thing is that he tries to be evil, but always ends up being too nice and oftentimes gets a crush on the hero he's supposed to hate. He's very nice to children, too.

He has his own rogue's gallery of minions. One of which is a non-binary robot called Maid Butler, who couldn't decide on which gendered motif to use, so they just went with both.

My favorite of the main team is probably KitaQMan. He handles public relations because he has a "bad body" and can't fight (disability icon /hj). He is beloved by everyone in the city. Even villains and criminals praise him and give him gifts, instead of fighting him.

His mysterious younger brother, KitaQMan MTL (Metal) does the fighting because he doesn't like the spotlight.

I would recommend checking out Dogengers, because it's free on YouTube. (It's kind of low quality, though. I could've sworn there was an official, HQ version🥺)

There's also a whole world of local heroes out there, with budgets both big and small, who do live shows, movies, and other events. They are so fun and I love them so much!!

Note: There's a lot of shipping potential in general, because the creators oftentimes give the heroes somewhat romantic plot lines and they pose for pictures in suggestive ways (lol). There's tons of villain/hero and rival/rival homoerotic tension, and significant portion is added on purpose (audiences love it and it brings in tourists).

ok so for those of you who don’t know, there’s this twitter account of a japanese hero mascot named dentman who went viral recently due to this tweet

but yeah he saw the tweet. and his response went viral as well (which is how i found his account)

and he just has like. hourly posts reminding you to brush your teeth

oh and his rival? his name is mr. mutans. whenever dentman posts he makes a post of his own, ofc

but THAT’S NOT ALL. literally while making this post i found a THIRD ACCOUNT that’s all about taking your meds

safe to say i’m losing my mind

anyway the point of all this was that people are ALREADY beginning to draw them ship art 😭

and the reactions are everything

I CANT ADD ANY MORE IMAGES BUT TRUST ME THIS IS SO FUNNY one of the replies said “so candy guy is into it but

toxic one-sided dentman yaoi wasn’t on my 2024 bingo card but it DEFINITELY IS NOW!

[bltngames]

The Balan Wonderworld demo came out yesterday. If you haven’t been keeping up with this, it’s a game by Yuji Naka and Naoto Ohshima, two of the original creators of Sonic the Hedgehog. A lot of that original team has gone on to do solo work outside of Sega, but this is the first time two former members of Sonic Team have gotten back together to make a new game.

If the demo is anything to go by, Balan Wonderworld (which I keep trying to type as “Balan Wonderland,” because it has a much nicer rhythm to it) is a game that lives deep in the shadow of NiGHTS into Dreams and Sonic the Hedgehog. It is very clearly trying to be an “Old School Sonic Team” experience, which it... sort of succeeds at, for better and worse.

This feels like a game they ripped straight out of 1995, warts and all, and remastered it with modern-ish graphics. I say “modern-ish” because in broad strokes, I think Balan looks pretty good. The character designs are charming, the level themes are interesting, but if you really stop and look at the game, it’s honestly pretty ugly, with simple lighting, limited detail and blurry textures.

One gets the impression maybe that’s because Balan is on everything -- Playstation, Xbox, PC, and even Switch. The gross texture work could be to squeeze the game down for Nintendo’s handheld, but apparently it runs extremely poorly there. On the PS4 Pro, it sticks pretty closely to 60fps, though there are occasionally hiccups here and there. Nothing worth fretting over, honestly.

But how does it play?

This is where the shadow of Sonic the Hedgehog looms large. Balan is designed to be simplistic to a fault: You get one button to control your character. Or, more specifically, every button on your controller will do the same thing (for the most part). This is right out of the Sonic handbook, as that game was also designed to be operable with only one button, as well.

Now, what your one button does can change. Scattered around levels are different costumes for your character to put on, and each costume has its own unique ability. The full version of Balan promises 80 different costumes, and there’s probably half a dozen in the demo. Each one serves a unique purpose, and some of them don’t even have the ability to jump. Which is fine, mostly, because you can carry a stock of three costumes with you that you can swap between sort of like the team mechanics in Sonic Heroes. Once you finish a level, those costumes get added to your dressing room, allowing you to customize a loadout of costumes at any checkpoint.

On paper, that much sounds fine. But this is where things start getting weird.

Costumes are not freely available to pick up. The jewels that hold costumes are locked with a key. This creates an obvious gameplay loop: find key, unlock costume, use costume to solve puzzle, right? Right.

Except that, at least in the demo, most keys are only a few feet away from any given costume jewel. On top of that, keys respawn. Crack open a costume jewel, grab the costume, but hang out for a little while and eventually the key will reappear. In doing this, you can stock up on keys early on in a level, smoothing out the process of acquiring new costumes as you go. I’m not sure why Balan does this. The time between key respawns is a few seconds too many -- just enough that it starts to feel tedious. But, as far as I can tell, there is no penalty for farming up a bunch of keys from the first key spawn point, either. It’s the worst of both worlds. If it was trying to be convenient, keys would spawn more quickly, but if it was trying to plan puzzles around acquiring keys, you can completely side step that by just waiting it out and hoarding keys early on.

You’ll not only want to hoard keys, but hoard costumes, as well. If you’re unlucky enough to take damage or even die while wearing a costume, it’s gone. You can build up stocks of costumes so you’ll always have spares to pull out of the dressing room, but that requires you to specifically go out of your way to get duplicates and bank them. If you don’t, you might find yourself at a puzzle that requires a specific costume that you simply don’t have anymore. When that happens, your only recourse is to backtrack in the hopes of finding a crystal that contains the costume you need, and characters in Balan aren’t exactly fast moving.

The chances of you losing a costume seem pretty low, admittedly. Balan Wonderworld doesn’t really seem like it’s aiming for anything resembling difficulty. Enemies exist, but only in very small numbers, and they’re easily dispatched. Most of the game is more about exploring the dream-like environments and playing around with the various costume abilities in order to solve basic puzzles.

You aren’t working against a clock, there isn’t a scoring system, and you usually aren’t being graded on your performance. Talking it over with some others, the vibe is that this could be a good game for young children. It requires little in terms of controller dexterity and is generous in every sense of the word.

The primary complaint against that, I guess, is that Balan Wonderworld is a weird game. Like, “Elsa and Spider-man Finger Family Youtube Video” weird. Every level is packed full of gently dancing ghosts that phase out of existence once you get too close to them. They’re all the creatures your costumes are based on, but they don’t exist as NPCs in the world for you to touch and interact with. Like I said, they’re ghosts, and they disappear the moment you get within a few feet. Those same ghosts will suddenly materialize when you touch certain checkpoints, throwing you something of parade. They interrupt the level music and everything just to play their own special celebration song. Move more than a few feet and they will fade back out of existence again, taking their special parade song with them, never to be seen for the rest of the stage.

It lends a strangely “uncanny” feeling to the game. I think the dancing characters are meant to add a sense of carefree fun, but they look like people wearing mascot suits, doing the same basic scripted routine over, and over, and over, for eternity. They don’t look like they’re having fun, they don’t appear to be choreographed to the stage’s music, and yet there they are, eternally dancing the days away. It’s kind of eerie. They were performing before you got here, and they'll keep performing after you leave.

The demo pits you against a single boss, which is notable for being someone who has the same powers you do, but combined and amped up. Seeing the same costume motifs come up in the boss as they draw from the same abilities that you have is actually a really fun idea, and the game rewards you for getting creative and swapping between costumes when you deal damage.

Balan Wonderland is a very odd game, and I’m not sure what to make of it. It took me a while to start wrapping my head around its aesthetic and vibes. It contains shades of something like Super Mario Odyssey to be sure, but it feels like it’s trying to elevate itself above that. Again, it’s a game living deep in the shadow of NiGHTS and Sonic, and in particular, it feels like it borrows NiGHTS’ penchant for putting artistic expression at the top ladder rung. Balan often feels like a very inscrutable sort of game, but in a way that seems to be reaching for some kind of greater meaning beyond simply gameplay. Everything in Balan feels like it might be conveying a message of some sort, even if it’s not immediately apparent. Its ideas do not come from a vacuum.

But here’s the deal: even though a lot of people couldn’t grok NiGHTS into Dreams, I did. I love that game to death. But with Balan Wonderworld, even I’m often left scratching my head. Despite its dead-simple gameplay, it may be just a little too high concept for its own good.

But at the end of the day, it’s not a game I hate. It’s strange, and charming, and even if it feels sort of impenetrably "artistic," at least that makes it interesting. The simple gameplay works its magic, making it an easy game to drop in to even if you don’t necessarily understand what you’re looking at.

Like, what’s the deal with the “Isle o’ Tims” between levels? It kind of has the vibe of a chao garden from Sonic Adventure, but the individual “tims” creatures don’t seem to have statistics or anything like that. You feed them so they crank a wheel, which builds a tower that helps them crank the wheel better. It turns in to a bizarre sort of perpetual motion machine. To what end? I don’t know. And what exactly is Balan himself, anyway? Some of his visual cues call to mind character designs for NiGHTS, but he appears to be a different sort of creature altogether. There’s a rather lengthy intro FMV, as you can no doubt see from the Youtube embed, but it’s more about swirling colors and hyperactive animation than conveying what’s going on or who Balan is. How much of this is even really happening, and how much of it is purely metaphysical? It’s very unclear.

I’ll be interested in seeing how the full version of Balan Wonderworld fares. I get the distinct impression that this will be another NiGHTS -- a game beloved by a core audience of hardcore fans, but shunned for being “too weird” by the populace at large.

I’m not quite sure which group I belong to yet.

[slavicafire]

Heya, I'm wondering if you had any ideas for "slavic" tattoos? I wanted kolovrat for a while but apparently it's somehow linked to the svastika and I don't want to people come after me. Also a lot of "traditional croatian tattoos" are often on women used as a purpose to prevent the kidnapping of young (Christian) women and their conversion to Islam. It sucks that so much of our tradition has been lost to christianity. :/

well, Kolovrat is not somehow linked to a swastika - it is a swastika.

plethora of old Slavic symbols are variations of a swastika: it used to be a beloved and cherished magical and protective symbol, a sign of luck, a gift to the gods. 

of course, caution is absolutely necessary when dealing with them, and if you are not knowledgeable enough about the symbolism and modern context, especially nazi and nationalistic sentiments, I would wholeheartedly recommend to leave it alone. it is a difficult and unpleasant fight and not one that everyone should burden themselves with. after all, the last thing we want is being taken for nazis or giving any power to them.

Kolovrat, which is one of the favourite symbols among nazi-rodnovery scum, is not the best idea for a tattoo. one can wear it - at least in my honest opinion - but I would not recommend inking it into the skin.

however, it is important to remember that most old slavic symbols are based on a swastika, or are variations thereof: spirals, crosses, divided circles. we should not be afraid of them - although as I mentioned before, maybe not the best idea for something as permanent as a tattoo.

your best bet is: archeological finds, folk ornaments, symbols tied to the very region you are from. symbols used by people in art and in religious practice.

(I do not know nearly enough about the traditional Croatian tattoos you mention nor their history, so I cannot comment on that, my apologies)

reach to archeological research and reach to folk art and craft.

you can see here, example of potter marks from early medieval Poland:

(by the way, I wholeheartedly recommend this book: The Archaeology of Early Medieval Poland; Discoveries—Hypotheses—Interpretations by Andrzej Buko. it is in English and available online. if you can’t find it, let me know and I’ll send you a link or a PDF)

it is just a simple and honest trust that most of our slavic symbols are based on crosses, dots, spirals, circles, stars.

my second tattoo, for example, includes a rosette - also called gwiazda, rozeta podhalańska - an old symbol appearing throughout Poland, but especially the Podhale region. I adore this symbol immensely.

if you would like to learn more about our Rozeta and see more examples, here you can find the most incredible article by Lamus Dworski. 

I insist you all do. 

and last, but not least: I have mentioned folk art and craft.

and that can be the most valuable source of inspiration, not only when it comes to rozetas carved into wood, but also... EMBROIDERY. one of the most beautiful and meaningful branches of art and craft here, and one deeply favoured by yours truly.

every Slavic - and Baltic - region has its embroidery, its floral motifs, its protective and ornamental patterns. search for those, best based on the region you love most, and you will find wonderful inspiration.

a quick google will give you many examples, and some more serious research will give you the most wonderful patterns, ideas, and resources. such ties to our past, too, and our foremothers!

folk costumes, everyday clothes, tablecloths, blankets, napkins, ręczniki, you name it.

 (Hafty Ludowe by Seweryn Udziela, I recommend it, so many beautiful examples, also can be found online)

inspiration is everywhere, and so many of our symbols and motifs have such old, old roots.

research, read, go to open air museums and ethnographic exhibitions. you'll find so so much!

I do really hope you'll find something worth inking into your skin, and you will wear it with pride and happiness.

[erickadracula]

The last good-bye

They were in one of the great halls that overlooked the beautiful garden of English roses, which recalled the times when Abraham used to live there. They were just blooming after a long, dark winter. The sun's rays were warmer and the days slightly longer.

"Why have you asked me to meet you here? , it is something unusual of you, grandfather" Willhem adored the frescoes of that room and the harmony in the decoration. High ceilings in cream color with golden motifs and pastel colors with frescoes of deities and gloriously dressed characters enjoying mass parties full of abundance, were magnificently captured. Of all the residences, this was the least somber.

The Van Helsing State was a set of four residences divided, according to their use and time of the year. The main one was where the family members lived and the other three served to guard relics, extensive libraries, art or as offices and chambers to receive ambassadors, politicians, philosophers and nobility and sometimes, royalty.

They were in the spring-summer residence, almost a month before Van Helsing officially began the Easter celebrations.

"There are less people here who can spy on us, most of the servants are in the main residence.”

Abraham had always been a cautious man, but he could not deny that with age he had also become a little paranoid.

He saw his beloved grandson, putting on his three-piece suit and using his distinctive cane as if he were a dandy. He had grown so much, he had become a faithful portrait of his father and sometimes forgets that he is not talking to his son, but to his grandson.

His platinum blonde curls, his mustache perfectly waxed, with harmonious features, he might look like an angel, if he didn’t have a scar on the eyelid of his left eye. He was a stocky man who liked extreme sports and adrenaline in its purest form.

"Grandpa, thank you for entrusting me with this mission of God. You know that I am proud to belong to this institution."

He kissed the hand of the person who had offered him so much wisdom and challenges. Abraham had raised him to be at the same level and likeness of his deceased son and Willhem had a complete devotion.

"You are my pride, I know that you will do a good job and you are willing to run any necessary risk in this mission."

His trip to Africa was not just a diplomatic visit, but a covert mission.

The Dutch ambassador of the Congo had something in his possession that was required for his mission, a map with coordinates that could give the location of the lost city of Atlantis. Inquiring for years, there were only two books that contained what appeared to be a map of that fictional place and Abraham had one of them in his possession but it was incomplete. He had bought it in one of his expeditions in an antique market. Having almost scarce information and hiring secret investigators, he could find the location of the other map several decades later.

"How can we know that we can trust him?”

They were very troubled months, there were many social nonconformities and were difficult times where there was no certainty of anything or anyone. There was also much fear of the monsters, and in some regions, there were rumors that they were causing unfortunate massacres and events.

"We just know, he owes me many favors. And he was the only one who found the person who had this. "

He pointed to the book with worn leather cover that had as its title a series of indecipherable characters.

"When we have this in our power, it is when you say we will embark?" Showing some displeasure at having to depend on others to carry out things, maybe he was not entirely brilliant but he was a man of action.

"Yes, as you know I do not know how many years it will take us, it could be hundreds, but it will be necessary to kill the monsters and especially with Dra ..." Putting his hands together and making faces of displeasure when trying to pronounce that name.

"With Dracula. Are you saying that there is no chance that I would beat him in a close-quarter battle? What are the chances of beating him with this object? "

Abraham loved to see the disposition of his beloved boy.

"If the legends are true, he would perish without any problem. It's something so powerful that it wiped out an entire city. "

That vision was really terrifying and grandiose, Willhem felt like his body was filled with an emotion too difficult to stop.

They heard a few steps and suddenly, the great doors opened wide. It was Dagmar, who entered with her elegant and provocative step, behind her came the butler as well, his face visibly agitated.

"Excuse me, I told the madam that I had to announce her before, but she did not listen.”

Van Helsing,throwing a quick glance of boredom at his grandson, quickly changed his expression to one of joy.

"Oh Daggy, my favorite ornament, how have you been? I'm glad you dignified to say goodbye to me. "

Dagmar made her entrance dressed in a white business suit, with some inspiration in the costumes of the first explorers of Africa, with a matching hat and a cascade of pearls around her stylized neck.

“Don’t come to me with hypocresies dear, but I'm always perfect and you, squeaking as usual?"

The relationship between the two of them had been at first honey on flakes, until she had discovered the true perception that he had about her, and the position that everyone handled in that house, the sun king and the other planets that surrounded him.

"I like this girl, her audacity and her lack of consideration towards elders, I like it" pointing to her while she sat next to her husband.

"Oh don’t start, you look like children. Without further ado grandfather, we will have to retire. The driver is already waiting for us to take us to the hangar. "

"You already told him my conditions, my love, that I want to be active in the missions. I no longer want to be just the companion" Stroking his shoulders as she lay her chin on one of them and watching Abraham laughingly.

“Yes, he already knows sweetheart, I think it's fair that you also take part in this"

Van Helsing hiding his annoyance, swallowed hard. "I'm glad that you're finally taking your role seriously"

"Well, we have to leave" Dagmar felt more than resentment in her heart for that antiquity as she called him in private, and it was difficult for her to contain herself "I hope he takes good care of her.”

That separation was painful, in spite of being a rather cold mother, her little one was the only being in that house to whom she could show love and of whom she felt genuinely concerned.

"You do not have to ask me, you know I would give my life for my great-granddaughter" feeling slightly assaulted by that comment.

Willhem hated being in the middle of that field of fire before two such explosive personalities, he had learned to get all of that out during in his workouts and always kept the composure.

“I did not talk about my daughter" lying to herself made her feel like she was winning some kind of battle against him. “I spoke of my mare, I already left the servants the instructions for her care" Looking at the butler who watched them silently.

Van Helsing was baffled at that clarification while she gave him a quick kiss on his cheek. He hated being approached too much, except by his grandson.

Leaving him a red lipstick mark, she just smiled as she saw the surprised face of her husband. It was her little revenge.

"You already know that I detest these unnecessary expressions of affection" he said while cleaning the place where he had been kissed without realizing that he was getting even more stained.

"At least you did not say it was Judas' kiss. Is it because of the connections my family has with royalty.” She straightened her hat and took her purse, “or because my grandfather was a great friend of yours? Oh yes, thanks to him you could work for the queen, I had forgotten. "

Going to the exit, and stopping just before to make him, with a cynical pose, a farewell signal before disappearing in the hall.

Once again the two alone, returning the sight towards one another, felt that whatever happened in that trip would be the last thing.

"Dear boy, take great care of yourself" somehow he felt a great weight in letting him go and he couldn’t explain it. "I'll wait for your return."

"Please do not take it the wrong way, do not listen to Dagmar, and please take good care of our daughter. If something would happen to us, I know she would not be in better hands" embracing what was left of him.

"Don’t say nonsense boy, the next time we see each other, it will be to embark, and to finally conclude our legacy" he took his hands and shook them tightly.

That was just another mission of the day-to-day life he carried out in the name of Abraham, he was used to being his spokesman and being the public image of the family. Even if there were risks, he would be willing to take them.

Taking his cane and heading for the exit decisively, he stopped short when he heard his ancestor with a loud voice telling him.

"The Van Helsing honor you and you honor them."

[betweenthetimeandsound]

Three Minutes to Eternity: My ESC 250 (#110-101)

(Also known as, the last set of songs before my top 100! Afterward, the write-ups will expand, and each song will have their own gif set of varying sizes. So less songs will appear in each section)

#110: Ani Lorak -- Shady Lady (Ukraine 2008)

“I've just turned one more page I belong to the stage Baby, don't call me baby”

Surprisingly, for such a beloved song, I didn't really get it at first. I came off of one listening believing it was just another pop song. It took a few watches of Ani's performance for everything to fall into place.

There’s so much sass in Shady Lady; the production to the lyrics click together to tell of a woman who not only leaves her lover, but seeks to become even greater than them. The mix of drum machine and strings add to this thumping dance number; I never fail in getting endeared with those head nods.

Ani sells with gusto, and the use of light boxes are incredible. She becomes an absolute superstar on stage, and has equal parts presence and vocals. No wonder a lot of people though this deserved to win.

Personal ranking: 4th/43 Actual ranking: 2nd/25 GF in Belgrade

#109: Knez -- Adio (Montenegro 2015)

“Još te ne dam maglama sa planina Još te ne dam vodama iz dubina A ti kažeš pusti me, živ mi bio Zaboravu predaj me, sad adio”

“I still don’t give you to the mists of the mountains I still don’t give you to the depths of the water And you ask me to let you go, forever To let you sink into oblivion and say goodbye”

The most recent of Zeljko’s compositions stands just as solid on its own, with its own melancholic string intro and beautiful soundscape. From the opening notes, you know of the story that is to come, which the lyrics painfully convey through beautiful images of rosemary, flowers, the sea and sky.

Not only that, but the build is absolutely graceful, with the key changes working effectively to build to a tragic crescendo. The staging plays well with this, going from a serene night to a bright red dawn. Despite the energy given out through the clapping and the eagle dance, Knez and his backing vocalists still convey the pain of leaving.

And if you look closely, you can find his daughter, Kszenija, amongst them. Six years later she would end up representing Serbia in this year's contest, albeit going "Loco loco" with her bandmates!

Personal ranking: 5th/40 Actual ranking: 13th/27 GF in Vienna

#108: Aliona Moon -- O mie (Moldova 2013)

“Între soare și ploi se nasc mii de culori Dar noi vedem doar nori”

“Between sun and rain, thousands of colours are born But we only see clouds”

Moldova is usually known for their wacky, fun performances, but O mie shows they could slow down a bit without losing their quirks. Even the songwriter, Pasha Peferny, takes a hard turn from his cute 2012 entry, Lautar (which you should still check out, by the way!)

The beautiful lyrics really stand out, which show equal parts whimsy and light. I like the use of colors and nature to convey the ambiguity and loss at the end of a relationship. While meant to be sent in English, it's good they went for Romanian in the end--it's a beautiful language, and we have a dirth of good Romanian-language songs in Eurovision (please, more of them!).

While the staging was a bit messy at times, especially with multiple dancers helping Aliona in telling, the song still shines through with Aliona’s sweet vocals and beautiful melody. Also, it took a while for me to note how her glowing dress arose at the bridge, haha.

Personal ranking: 4th/39 Actual ranking: =11th/26 GF in Malmo

#107: Nina Sublatti -- Warrior (Georgia 2015)

“I’m a warrior, isolated World gonna get up and see!”

While the lyrics are a bit simplistic (especially with the random , Warrior is badassery personified. The instrumentation (refined in Sweden) amplifies the intensity of the song and its message; the opening drums gives way to a dark pop soundscape with equal parts starkness and power.

Nina maintains a resolute stance--not only in the studio cut, but also in the live performance. The dark costuming transforms her into a modern-day warrior of sorts, and the LED imagery enhances the intensity. Notably, the GF performance featured a malfunctioning smoke machine; the smoke obscured NIna and we couldn't see her for a few shots. Doesn't take away from the rest of the performance, which shows her in a much clearer light.

Also, she did mention the song was dedicated to the Georgian people--not only to become strong women, but also against the Russian occupation in the north. Intriguing political message, my friend.

Personal ranking: 4th/40 Actual ranking: 11th/27 GF in Vienna

#106: Loïc Nottet - Rhythm Inside (Belgium 2015)

“Be you enemy or lover? We are put here to discover...”

(One minor thing about this is how Loic kind of reminds me of Julian Quintart from Abnormal Summit--not only because of their backgrounds, but how the former is dressed. haha)

Rhythm Inside is very cool, albeit timed art pop piece really showed Belgium’s strengths in the mid 2010s. The song is minimalistic and slick, with an ambiguous message detailing the processes of life. While really cool, sometimes it can rub me off because of how cold it can become. Art pop is great, but it has to engage too.

The performance is just as refined, if a bit odd, and Loic announces himself to Europe with his skills in music and choreography. He and his backing vocalists create a pointed performance which is equally minimalist and yet fills up the stage. Very modern and cool.

Beyond the contest, Loic has had a good music career, and I've actually followed a few of his songs. Check out 29 especially; the way he sings it is so heartwrenching.

Personal ranking: 3rd/40 Actual ranking: 4th/27 GF in Vienna

#105: Pernilla Karlsson -- När Jag Blundar (Finland 2012)

“Som en sjö utan vatten, som en lykta utan ljus Ett liv utan färger, det är inte du Nå’n man ser då man blundar, som en ängel framför Nå’n som hjälper en och flyga då man glömt hur man gör”

“Like a sea without water, like a lantern without light A life without colours – that’s not you Someone you see when you close your eyes, like an angel before you Someone who helps you to fly when you’ve forgotten how to”

Nar jag blundar is notable for being the only song sung in Swedish since the language rule was dropped (because Finland has a Swedish-speaking minority there). It's a pity because Swedish is a beautiful language to sing in, with its accents and how it flows in music.

Beyond that, Pernilla’s song for her mother is so tender, with poetic lyrics and a sweet charm about it. The images used in there, assuring how her mother is so special and how she's the best, really touches my heart (hi mom, I love you!) and adds a sense of innocence in it.

The staging also adds to the grace; despite Pernilla's initial hesitation, it grows into a beautiful package with a nice orange-turquoise contrast and a pretty use of the wind machine in the first chorus. While I do understand how it might have not stood out, it's definitely one of the least deserved NQs of all-time.

(Also, Finland was the only Nordic to NQ that year?! That's a shame...)

Personal ranking: 3rd/42 Actual ranking: DNQ -- 12th in the first semi-final in Baku

#104: Hadise -- Dum Tek Tek (Turkey 2009)

"Angel, I wake up And live my dreams endlessly"

Definitely one of the more notable ethno-bops in the late 2000s, Dum Tek Tek is known for its simple structure, but good use of drums and guitar really lift this piece up. It's a bit more produced than what was offered earlier in the decade, but still holds its own.

The frequent "dum tek tek" in the refrain is quite curious; for a while I thought it actually meant something, but it turned out to be a heartbeat. Still a fun way to put it, though!

The staging is quite well done; I liked the choreography and how Hadise played with the camera. However, her backing vocalists had to help her quite a bit in the singing, because she fell ill during contest week and it showed in the vocals. The fourth place might be a bit over-the-top, but it's still enjoyable.

Personal ranking: 7th/42 Actual ranking: 4th/25 GF in Moscow

#103: Paula Seling & Ovi - Playing With Fire (Romania 2010)

“You and I could try to stop – uh boy, till you drop If we get together now, we'll burn this place down!”

A (tapping at the top of the piano): You certainly look nice tonight. B: Thanks; but I got the skirt from a friend and I need to make sure nothing spills on it.

(At that moment, A twirls around and puts his hand on B's shoulder. She stiffens before relaxing and places her fingers gingerly on A's wrist. A sudden beat)

B: I thought I told you that I needed to keep the skirt clean! A: Then why did you want to dress up like that tonight? (Beat) B: Well I wanted to go out later to a bar? A: In this climate? (sighs) B: Don't tell me you have something else in mind...

If Eurovision decides to do a jukebox musical, then Playing with Fire has to be one of the main songs in it. There's so much tension between the duo; one could make a bunch of plot points ranging from illicit affairs to a first crush and everything else in between. And then it all explodes.

On stage, the chemistry between Paula and Ovi is absolutely infectious. This adds to this dramatic bop, with flirtatious lyrics that are simultaneously fun and witty; they tease and shout at the same time. The instrumentation is dramatic (though it took me a while to appreciate the transition between the verses and the chorus), and I love the piano motif that persists throughout. Paula’s high note is fantastic; it can pierce through the transparent piano and through the stage itself. Such a dynamic duo!

Personal ranking: 3rd/39 Actual ranking: 3rd/25 GF in Oslo

#102: Koza Mostra feat. Agathon Iakovidis -- Alcohol is Free (Greece 2013)

“Μεσοπέλαγα φανάρι Ρε μας πήρανε χαμπάρι Ποιος το πήγε το σπιτάκι μου μακριά, μακριά;”

“There’s a lantern in the middle of the sea Dude, we were found out Who took my little house far away, far away?”

If you remember my commentary under Opa! (#207), the Greek economic crisis impacted the country significantly. At the time of this entry, there were different negotiations about how to handle Greece's debt; when that fell through, it looked like Greece was going to leave the European Union. By the time the 2013 contest ended, the Greek public TV station, ERT, shut down for two years.

Alcohol is Free tries to describe this chaos through a number of metaphors, ranging from mermaids to whisky and everything else in between. The exclamation mark to Greece’s golden era not only has silly lyrics, but also mixes their usual ethnic sound (with rebetiko) with ska to create a very vibrant concoction. It’s a definite spark of energy whether it’s just to brighten up a day or running around with actual alcohol! (though this blog does not condone underage drinking, driving under the influence, or pressuring people to drink alcohol. Be responsible.)

Personal ranking: 3rd/39 Actual ranking: 6th/26 GF in Malmo

#101: Anouk -- Birds (Netherlands 2013)

“If being myself is what I do wrong, then I don’t want to be right...”

When Anouk volunteered as tribute to represent the Netherlands, she was coming off after eight years of non-qualifications and with quite a bit of pressure. Birds was a little bit different from her regular discography (which I should really do a deep-dive on), and people thought it wouldn't work. Well, here's why it did.

The lyric is very hard-hitting, in terms of substance and how dark it is. I don't know exactly what Birds discusses about, but it ranges from just another relationship to suicide. I’m particularly intrigued by the dark nature of this song; the harp flourishes really toe the line in dreaminess--is it a dream, or a nightmare? However, I find it a bit cold sometimes.

Thanks to her experience, Anouk sells this really well on stage, with her soft, relaxed composure and the bird graphics creating a calm atmosphere. The flag-waving, which is a deriment towards other songs (including one coming up in the top 100), actually works towards keeping that serene nature, despite the dark undertones. And the bridge gives me all the chills; I can't help but sing along to that part.

The result? The Netherlands' first qualification and a route through which, after six years, they finally won again.

Personal ranking: 2nd/39 Actual ranking: 9th/26 GF in Malmo

[funkypoacher]

Kinktober Day 1

“Aphrodisiacs”

Ship: Solas/Ori; Fandom: Dragon Age

The night was a warm one. He opened the door. She said, “I was just thinking about you,” to which Solas smiled.

Back kept straight, hands clasped behind, and feet called forward by her sweet confession, the man sauntered confidently towards where the she sat. Amidst the superfluous expense poured like rivulet silver, Orilya was almost lost. Not one example of extravagance was overlooked as the Inquisitor’s quarters exemplified the over-blown expression of opulence – at least, to some deluded man’s heart. A bed frame of molded gold; marble floors forgotten under stretches of silken tapestries woven with nature motifs: ostentatious displays such as this were meant to inspire dread rather than impress, and indeed they met their goal for Solas was afraid. He was very afraid of the appetites of the Orlesian elite. They found sweetness in starving their servants while consuming taffeta window-curtains like confection. They gorged on samite petticoats or stockings while the poor put their children in reappropriated sacking. While surrounded by a million brass mirrors so that they might better see the beautiful debauchery in which they binged, these powdered nobles metaphorically mirrored the world which had been locked away for all that they cost.

In the middle of this noisy luxury –rather amateurish when compared to the Evanuris’ tastes– was Ori, sitting like the jewel-like middle of a flower from whence the petals unfold. Soft and unassuming, and dressed down to only an over-sized shirt that fit her like a shift, she stood out for her simplicity and her spirit. And her mind. And her smile. Which was, at the moment, beaming.

Before her was a broad platter topped with varying vibrant fruit. In the excess of consumption, the woman’s mouth had tinged. As Ori smiled in her wide, animated way, it became clear that this colouring had not been confined to her lips alone: her teeth and tongue were blood-red, too. It was almost garish – and certainly charming.

Solas chuckled.

“Were you not taught that eating in bed is the behavior of beasts?”

It was difficult for him to affect such a lofty tone. And Ori snorted at the attempt. Flashing a wicked, gory grin, her head lolled skeptically to the side. Then, under the pretense of cleaning fruit juice from her finger, she puckered her lips around the tip of her pointer-digit, took it to the back of her throat, and, easing it out, letting it go with a loud pop.

“Really? Because I’m fairly sure all you ever do in bed is eat.”

His lover’s laugh was insidious. He rebutted in the only way he could: an even smile which darkened to something ravenous. While settling on the edge of the bed and sinking deep for the goose-down it was made of, Solas off-handedly considered how Ori’s bare legs –inviting him from beneath them hem of her shirt– kindled his mattress-based appetite. Then he wondered, even more casually, if that shirt was his.

The Inquisitor nodded at the food. She took more to her mouth.

“So. There’s fruit, and chocolate –melty chocolate– plus chilies, which is wild. They’re not too hot, though. Oh, and champagne. Which I drank most of. It gets less wretched after the first few glasses. The chilies, though, they are so— you’ve got to put them in the chocolate. I cannot believe how good it is. I’ve eaten… Well, it’s safe to say I’ve eaten more than I should have, at this point.”

Her description was accented by swallows and slurps as she gluttonously munched on watermelon cut into garish little hearts, pomegranate pearls, and rich, red strawberries nearly the colour of wine.

“It came from Celene,” Ori added, lips busying with a splash of water to wash it down.

“And Briala, ostensibly,” guessed Solas, all the while gathering chocolate with a slice of watermelon.

The Inquisitor settled with a sigh and a wriggle against the pillow-stack. According to her crooked look Solas had not touched upon the half of it, and Ori motioned towards a card of periwinkle parchment placed on the bed-side table. “Oh yeah. Take a look.”

While placing the watermelon to his lips, Solas glanced over Celene’s elegant script penned in a twinkling, golden ink. It read,

Ham of despair and acrimonious stag are quite fashionable for a soirée, but what you have done for me and mine requires a new palate altogether. Accept these morsels flavored of amour and passion, and may its fruits taste ever sweeter.

                                        ~Celene and Briala~

Solas swallowed the melon. After reevaluating the Empress’s words, he immediately ate more.

”See? They’re even signing things as a couple.” Ori’s hazel-stare watched him and shone. “Is that… alright? Briala is still one of us. It could be used as blackmail at some point. Don’t you think?”

“Perhaps,” Solas shrugged, picking up some pomegranate. “Should they part as brutally as before.”

The fruit was extraordinary: a rich, raw, souring sweetness with a bit of a bitter follow-up which was much enjoyed. Audibly smacking his lips in approval, the man’s mouth then began to profusely water, which Solas thought to remedy with eating more. Taking a dozen of the glistening pomegranate pearls to his mouth, he noted Ori scrutinizing him with her head tilted, eyes steady, and mouth slackened to the point of showing off her little, red tongue. He almost had to ask as soon as he finished with chewing.

“Ah.” Solas feigned a modest look. “Am I to assume my lips have stained?”

She nodded languidly. The day’s long hours finally seemed to be having an effect, for Ori had now quieted, she was blinking her rounded, shining eyes more often, and her breathing came harder, catching thick in her throat. Swallowing hard around a sigh, she motioned towards his hands –“fingers, too,” – and fell deeper into her pillows.

It took Solas less than a second to stop caring about his loose-fitting, tight-collared, Orlesian-cut costume of light blue damask accented by ivory and mauve. They weren’t his colours. Nor did he like the style. But, while he didn’t care for the clothes, he did not want to smear reds all about Ori’s sheets, so he licked the few dribbling, wine-toned droplets dripping down his hands. There were no napkins – by design, in all probability, considering the appreciative, insinuating note.

“Lovely,” Solas approved. The last of the pomegranate he soon popped in his mouth.

Although simply a token –a reflex of etiquette really, and hardly a reflection of her true gratitude– Celene had outdone herself. The platter had more life and exuberance of taste than all the marinated meats or complicated creams usually served at table. It hit every kind of taste bud and left it distinctly gratified. To say nothing of the company, of course, which was superb.

Still reclined upon a dozen damask pillows, Ori watched him eat. Shoulder-length hair of mousy, silken brown framed her wide face in shadows, outlining its every aspect and making them more specifically beautiful. Her short, delicate, perpetual pout blazed in the dimmed candlelight for all the berry juice that now acted like a cosmetic. It drew the curves of her lips right into a picture of what they could be doing: sipping spirits while negotiating with nobles; sneering sourly at the kitchen staff’s treatment; contorting in the sweetest agony while screaming inarticulates that perfectly described her complete abandon while Solas was buried hot and hard inside.

She’d had her fill she’d been filled to brimming and was now simply content satisfied; utterly satiated to just see him relish in a delicious meal.

Solas was sweating. Bad. Particularly at the collar. Clearing his throat, the man let the sudden, hazy lust clear from his head before trading a happy look with his beloved.

“Try the chilies,” suggested Ori. She was very tired now, and it left her voice trance-like.

Doing as she’d needingly begged asked, Solas could not truthfully say they were his favorite fare. The spice was nicely accented by the bitter chocolate, but the new, sharp, without-warning sweat he developed couldn’t be forgiven because he was already sweating terribly. Although a few buttons were let, it did not help his breathing. Solas felt suffocated: by the stifling heat of the chilies, his constricting clothes, and, most of all, Ori’s very naked legs bending at the knee, folding up, and then falling apart just enough to suggest the smallest glimpse of her…

Ah. The air clouded thickly with her woman’s aroma.

“I believe the fruit is starting to have an effect,” Solas noted hazily as he vaguely recalled something about it tasting ever sweeter. His mind immediately moved on to the idea of shoving his fingers between Ori’s legs until she squelched and squeezed around him.

Ori spoke without acknowledgement. “Still got chocolate on your hands.”

Solas’ previous theory that she wasn’t sleepy –just deliriously horny– found glorious affirmation. As soon as he started laving over his messy fingers, the Inquisitor’s gaze exploded. All of Ori’s face fell to expressionless distraction in her desire except those eyes; those burning, ardent eyes, which were pretty much pleading that he keep fucking going. Clearly she was boiling inside just as badly as he. As the pace of her breathing quickened, Solas made sure to crawlingly lick and lap in the crook where his fingers met. It was a sensitive spot; it did as much for him physically –little quick tickles firing towards his cock– as it did for her to just watch his tongue work, never mind the innuendo; the insinuation. My face buried between your legs until you break, vhenan: I beg for it. Within a few more mouthy strokes, Ori made a sad little cry, parted her legs farther, and her fingers found their own sodden mischief.

She threw her head back with elated gratification. Growling, Solas stood away from the bed, began hastily undressing, and watched the Inquisitor finger-fuck herself.

“The… the fruit was… Um— So…”

Panting, Ori played furiously at her clit in those rapid, tight circles that sent her careening towards an end, but still she retained her stubbornness and quaintly tried to speak. The sounds of her stroking through her own slick were heard poignantly and perfectly as her folds slapped wetly together. “So the fruit was laced, or what?”

Solas chuckled while finishing up with his shirt. Wriggling out of the sleeves, letting it flutter to the floor, he then turned to the adversary of his belt. “There is certain cuisine that will inspire sexual appetite. Fruit, nuts; a variety of vegetables. But this may simply be the suggestion of Celene’s note. “Solas stepped out of his pants and dove towards her. “Or that we are both easy.”

Ori giggled joyously as Solas, without preamble, dove for her. Flippantly tossing her legs farther apart, he came to a thorough hilt, and groaned for her soft, milking grip that cradled him in soaking euphoria and poured hot silver to fire through his veins. Finding the rush of his body only incensed, however –and hearing Ori mewling so pitifully beneath– he gave into solid, body-jarring pounding until he felt the boil within his stomach want to burst just as badly as his balls.

Thrusting along in uneven, violent, writhing tandem, Ori came quick with a holler that left her face beautifully contorted. Her cunt convulsed and clamped down as her hands grabbed around his back, pulling him closer and signaling that he was allowed to cum. Gasping and heaving far more than audibly, Solas followed up with his own orgasm which was short and bright and ended with him sweating and quietly laughing.

For all the relaxing inaction he was seeing while in Halamshiral, it was well that they were screwing so often or else Solas’ legs and back would have been aching. Instead, he felt slightly light-limbed, but waited to go again once Ori had caught her breath. In the interim, they both lay far apart, the huge bed accommodating more than enough room for each

“It was the fruit,” Ori insisted as soon as her jaw could make more than her familiar gasping purrs. “Definitely the fruit. We are not easy.”

After a skeptical snort, Solas affirmed her declaration with a slightly more affable “yes.” His hand crawled over and across the sheets, and his fingers twined and entangled with hers. “It was the fruit, vhenan.”

[live4thestars]

Entry #001

From the Sometimes Diary of a Part Time Filmmaker

It’s been a minute, for sure, since I started writing about my own life. I love to constantly surround myself in the worlds of my screen plays, but sometimes I feel like my life isn’t worth much retelling. 

I used to be one of those people who kept a Journal every day. All through High school and some college I was a faithful daily chronicler. But then I ran into some depression and that kind of soured up my drive for the journal. After coming through it, I just haven’t gotten back into the swing of things. 

So, while my computer renders one of my videography projects, I have discovered a lot of thoughts about movies that need to be expressed.

Thus, I have decided to keep a Film Journal here on Tumblr and give my thoughts on new movies that I see. Who knows how often this will happen, but sometimes this girl just needs to get it out of her system. 

Today’s movie of choice: 

Before we start, I just need to warn everyone that I am about to compare the ever loving crap out of this movie and the latest Disney live action version. Spoiler alert: was not impressed with Disney. Sorry if that shows, but I have my reasons. 

La Belle et la Bete, released in 2014, was recently added to Netflix. All I have to say is God Bless Netflix, which gives me access to foreign films that I would otherwise have NO CLUE about. Director Christophe Gans also wrote this adaptation of the beloved fairy tale, and I have to admit he did a STELLAR JOB of it. Below, I’m going to give each category a score out of 10 to help illustrate the quality of this picture.

Cinematography: 9/10

The camera work is phenomenal. After having spent my college years as a lighting technician for a television studio, I’m a bit of a sucker for good dramatic lighting. And this movie delivered in SPADES! They played a lot with the Magic Mirror motif making it more of a window than a reflection. 

Acting: 7/10

Love Lea Seydoux’s sassy and brave Belle, and I felt that the performers of Belle’s family members were delightful, if a bit “Adverb Descriptive word” (especially her brothers). But in a fairytale like this, it’s completely allowed. 

Production Design: 10/10 would see again

STOP READING THIS RIGHT NOW AND JUST WATCH THE TRAILER FOR THIS MOVIE.  It’s flippin’ gorgeous to look at.

Think Baz Lurhman style opulence and add a touch of Disney’s Into the Woods and you’ve got this aesthetic. The amount of detail put into each set piece is exquisite, and I don’t use that word unless it is warranted. 

Costume Design:  10/10 would wear again

I’M DYING OVER HERE! When I get into my Disney beef later, I will be referring to the costumes a wee bit. But look at how stunningly crafted these dresses are? And the Beast’s ensemble is so royal you’re afraid it’ll rain rubies if he brushes up against the wall.

Visual FX: 7/10

Not the greatest CGI animals I’ve ever seen, but definitely not the worst. What shortcomings I noticed were absolutely forgivable when they would cut to the next shots involving their wonderfully decorated sets. The final “battle” at the end didn’t end up as cheesy as I thought it would be considering the amount of CG used.

Orchestral Score: 7/10

Beautifully serene, creepy, and mysterious at the same time. However, I did recognize a few phrases here and there. Not that I could place where I’d heard them before, but some of it was derivative of something. Let me know if you have figured it out. It’s starting to taunt me. 

Why I loved this adaptation

I’m absolute trash for the story of Beauty and the Beast. It’s been my favorite animated movie since before I can remember. I’ve read so many retellings; some of them very well done and most of them steaming piles of crap trying to capitalize on Beauty and the Beast popularity. 

Each time I have experienced a new medium for my beloved fairy tale, I’m excited to see what they will add. What kinds of shading and depth can you give to this tale? 

This film blew my socks off in that regard. They retold the story with characters and plot points that I had never seen used before. I’ve read books in which Belle is an only child, the youngest daughter, but never have I seen her portrayed as part of a large family. It almost seemed that she had “ugly step sisters” (even though neither of the sisters were Ugly nor Step-) who created wonderful foils to her elder brothers. A dysfunctional family, yes, and seemingly real dynamics too. 

They added the dichotomy of Vice and Virtue in order to set up the final problem. Instead of a “Gaston” type villain who wants to keep Belle, or the internal struggle of Belle choosing to leave her family after seeing them again; the struggle comes from the vices of Belle’s family coming back to bite them. 

Ok, now comes the part where I kind of rant. You’ve been warned. 

Here are the top reasons I liked La Belle et la Bete more than Disney’s live action version. 

#3 The story was more thought out and the characters’ actions made sense.

One of the nitpicks I had with Disney’s rendition was the lack of logic in their characters. The Live Action Cinderella provided some context for each characters’ actions and motivations, even the Evil Stepmother who never gets any love. I had hoped with the new one, Disney would take this opportunity to improve upon or even just supply some basic motivation that followed some logic. I am thinking specifically of the character of Belle’s father and his seemingly arbitrary choices. All under the guise of being... forgetful? Spaced out? Belle’s father in La Belle et la Bete was forced into his wrong decisions, unable to find another way. 

#2 They actually did something new instead of rehashing the old.

Like I mentioned before, the way they introduced Belle as the youngest of a large family was refreshing. That she would be happier in a country existence after the luxury of city living was delightful character element that spoke to her intelligence instead of just having her nose in a book all day. Don’t get me wrong, that is one of my favorite aspects about Belle since I am a fellow bookworm. Yet, it was a nice change from the trope since there are many viewers who maybe do not pride their intelligence on their book knowledge. It made her intelligent both emotionally and intellectually. Her little sassy comments in the face of certain danger made me laugh at the brass balls this girl had. While watching Disney’s, I was so VERY disappointed that the story stuck so closely to the animated version (literally lifting 75% of the lines straight from the animated film) that I almost felt bored. Don’t get me wrong, it was still a beauty to look at, thus entertaining, but I felt like Ariel saying, “I want more!!!” 

#1 with a bullet BELLE’S DRESSES.

Ok, not even just the dresses but the costumes in La Belle et la Bete had so much detail, care, and passion pumped into them. The first dresses we see Belle’s sisters, Anne and Clotilde, wearing are high fop fashion. Through the whole movie I was amazed by the sleeves. THE SLEEVES, PEOPLE! Who is fascinated by sleeves when there are so many other things to soak in? This girl right here. My issue with Disney’s version was that the costumes were fabulous... to a point. I’m a stickler for costume design rules: if you have an aesthetic you need to stick to it, otherwise they just don’t make sense. Disney suffered from a little costume schizophrenia. For example, the beginning scene had me FLABBERGASTED to see all those women and men in period French Rococo style. Even the Prince’s face painting was on point with some of those crazy masquerade parties you know the French aristocracy put on. Then we see Belle’s first costume and it’s a wonderful country bumpkin ensemble with plenty of color to call back to the animated movie. So far so good, Gaston and Lefou are looking great with their military style waistcoat and jacket outfits. I had a little trouble at first with the Beast’s costume because is was CGI and it’s really hard to animate fabric moving against a body in a seamless way. I was able to forgive that after a while though, I suppose I got used to it and moved on. BUT THEN WHAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE THE COSTUME TO END ALL COSTUMES CAME ON SCREEN AND BEGAN TO ANNOY THE EVERY LOVING CRAP OUT OF ME! Belle’s “Pat of Butter” yellow Prom dress. There’s the Beast wearing a lovely blue waistcoat and brocade jacket complete with knee length knickers and buckled shoes. And Belle showed up in a prom dress from my high school dance. They threw “period” out the window and picked an atrocious color that was way too bright and washed out the Beast’s costume. It makes me VERY ANGRY when there is a period film and the costumes don’t stick to their aesthetic. 

But in La Belle et la Bete, when they pick an aesthetic they stick to it like shine on silk. While not necessarily “period” correct, they used many elements of court dress and embellished accordingly to match the rest of the film’s components. It just MADE SENSE. 

Alright, I say all that to say: Go watch this film, it is a delight for the eyes and imagination. You won’t regret the time spent in this beautiful fairy tale world. 

That’s all for now! 

[caveartfair]

The Wild, Expansive World of Maurice Sendak’s Opera Sets

Maurice Sendak, Diorama of Moishe scrim and flower proscenium (Where the Wild Things Are), 1979-1983. © The Maurice Sendak Foundation. Courtesy of The Morgan Library & Museum, bequest of Maurice Sendak. Photo by Graham Haber.

Maurice Sendak liked to say that he didn’t write for children; rather, he just wrote. “I do not believe I’ve ever written a children’s book, I don’t know how,” he said in a 2011 interview with the Tate, at age 82. He did, however, have a great reverence for children; he believed in the particular bits of knowledge that they alone possess. “The magic of childhood is the strangeness of childhood,” he said in the same interview, “the uniqueness that makes [children] see things that other people don’t see.”

Sendak often told the story of a young girl who witnessed the towers collapse on September 11th, then told her father that she had seen butterflies falling from them as they came down. Later, she admitted that she had lied to her parents so as not to upset them—she knew they weren’t butterflies, but people. The instinct to shield oneself from suffering by layering it with absurdity and beauty is often unique to children, but was Sendak’s most acute gift of all.

This sensibility is perhaps most apparent in the illustrator’s lesser-known career as an opera set and costume designer, as opera is an art in which all action is at once supremely beautiful and inextricably heartbreaking. Sendak designed about a dozen operas in his lifetime, and a show of nearly 150 objects, drawings, and paintings from them will be on view at the Morgan Library in New York from June 14th to October 6th.

Maurice Sendak, Study for Wild Things costume, with notes (Where the Wild Things Are), 1979. © The Maurice Sendak Foundation. Courtesy ofThe Morgan Library & Museum, bequest of Maurice Sendak. Photo by Janny Chiu.

By 1981, at age 53, Sendak was working on the sets of four different operas. His first two had been produced the previous year: A one-act adaptation of his beloved 1963 book Where the Wild Things Are began its run at the Theatre de la Monnaie in Brussels in November and, two weeks earlier, his design for Mozart’s The Magic Flute, led by director Frank Corsaro, debuted at Houston Grand Opera in Texas.

One highlight at the Morgan is a watercolor and graphite study for the costume of Moishe, the beast from Where the Wild Things Are who was an avatar for Sendak himself. In the drawing, a young boy wears the costume, with Sendak’s hand-written notes detailing requirements like “Eyes must move!” (Early versions of these costumes were unsuccessful; performers reported being unable to breathe while wearing them, and one Wild Thing even fell off the stage due to a lack of peripheral vision.) Another treat is a depiction of the backdrop for the finale of The Magic Flute. In it, animals, mystical and otherwise, crowd the scene as the composition is split in half between night and day, a rainbow bridging the two.

Maurice Sendak, Design for Temple of the Sun, finale II (The Magic Flute), 1979-1980. © The Maurice Sendak Foundation. Courtesy ofThe Morgan Library & Museum, bequest of Maurice Sendak. Photo by Graham S. Haber.

Corsaro, who was already an established opera director at the time, admired Sendak’s range of ability, particularly after seeing his Brother’s Grimm illustrations. The Magic Flute was the perfect beginning to their professional relationship: It’s an opera that offsets vaudevillian absurdity and allegory with heavy, substantial undercurrents; and Sendak, unbeknownst to Corsaro at the time, was what one might call a Mozart super-fan. (Decades later, on PBS’s American Masters, he referred to Mozart as “a god I could really respect.”)

While Mozart reigned supreme for Sendak, he had strong associations with various composers. In a 1966 interview, he said he always worked with music playing. “All composers have different colors, as all artists do, and I pick up the right color from either Haydn or Mozart or Wagner while I’m working,” he explained. “And very often I will switch recordings endlessly until I get the right color or the right note or the right sound.”

Maurice Sendak, Design for show scrim (The Magic Flute), 1979-1980. © The Maurice Sendak Foundation. Courtesy of The Morgan Library & Museum, bequest of Maurice Sendak. Photo by Janny Chiu.

In 1981, Sendak published Outside Over There, one of the only books he would publish during this period in which he was so dedicated to set design. It’s a dark story about a little girl named Ida whose infant sister is stolen by ladder-wielding goblins. Ida eventually distracts the goblins by playing her horn and saves her sister.

Maurice Sendak, Storyboard (The Love for Three Oranges), 1981-1982. © The Maurice Sendak Foundation, The Morgan Library & Museum, bequest of Maurice Sendak, 2013. Photo by Janny Chiu.

Maurice Sendak, Design for March curtain, Act II (The Love for Three Oranges), 1981. © The Maurice Sendak Foundation. Courtesy of The Morgan Library & Museum, bequest of Maurice Sendak. Photo by Janny Chiu.

Maurice Sendak, Storyboard (Where the Wild Things Are), 1979. © The Maurice Sendak Foundation. Courtesy of The Morgan Library & Museum, bequest of Maurice Sendak. Photo by Janny Chiu.

Maurice Sendak, Design for show curtain (The Love for Three Oranges), 1981. © The Maurice Sendak Foundation. Courtesy of The Morgan Library & Museum, bequest of Maurice Sendak. Photo by Janny Chiu.

Maurice Sendak, Scene design for Clara's bedroom (Nutcracker), 1982-1983. © The Maurice Sendak Foundation. Courtesy of The Morgan Library & Museum, bequest of Maurice Sendak. Photo by Janny Chiu.

Maurice Sendak, Fantasy Sketch (Mozart, Der Schauspieldirektor) , 1987. © The Maurice Sendak Foundation. Collection of the Maurice Sendak Foundation. Digital image courtesy of The Morgan Library & Museum. Photo by Graham S. Haber.

Sendak’s love for opera is deeply baked into Outside Over There, a book explicitly about the power of music; just as Tamino in The Magic Flute overcomes adversity by playing his flute, so does Ida play her horn. Sendak once said that when he wrote the book he was trying to write “an opera with pictures,” and Mozart even makes a cameo in it—Ida and her baby sister pass him composing in his cottage as they return home. (Mozart’s likeness also appears on a hot air balloon in The Magic Flute and on a bust above a cabinet in a set design for The Nutcracker.)

Maurice Sendak, Design for battle scene, Act I (Nutcracker), 1982-1983. © The Maurice Sendak Foundation. Courtesy of The Morgan Library & Museum, bequest of Maurice SendakPhoto by Janny Chiu.

Mortality, too, is a presence in Sendak’s work, and one which cast inescapable shadow over him from a young age. On the very day of his Bar Mitzvah, in 1941, he found out that the entire father’s side of his family had been killed overseas in concentration camps. That trauma stuck with him and shines new light on his celebrated book, Into the Night Kitchen (1970), a tale in which the protagonist’s goal is to escape from an oven.

Sendak was also a sickly child, near-terminally so. In Where the Wild Things Are, which he conceived of while sitting shiva, it’s speculated that the white pajamas the protagonist Max wears reference an all-white outfit that Sendak’s grandmother once dressed him in as a young boy—she hoped that the Angel of Death would spare his life if he already looked like an angel. Max’s pajamas in turn went on to heavily inspire Sendak’s costumes in Cunning Little Vixen (1981), an opera he did with Corsaro, the plot of which takes place in a world of gaiety, with anthropomorphic foxes and badgers, all while leaning heavily into the rhythms of life and death. In a study on view at the Morgan, the vixen expounds a speech with her finger pointed up and her hand on her hip, recalling Max’s posture with uncanny likeness.

Maurice Sendak, Costume study for Fox Golden-Stripe (The Cunning Little Vixen), 1981. © The Maurice Sendak Foundation. Courtesy of The Morgan Library & Museum, bequest of Maurice Sendak. Photo by Janny Chiu.

Among the motifs that overlap between Sendak’s books and set designs are symbols of nature. Sendak illustrated Where the Wild Things Are, a book centered around rich greenery, from his windowless studio in New York City, adding longing to the lushness of his scenes. Likewise, the trees in his set designs are rendered with such vigor and care, that they become the focal point of countless works in the Morgan show. When Sendak illustrated Randall-Jarrell’s book The Bat-Poet, the artist’s long-time friend, playwright Tony Kushner said of it, “I think, for Maurice, those drawings were just an excuse for him to draw beautiful trees.”

In fact, one of the first things Sendak did after finding success was move to suburban Connecticut, in a house surrounded by trees, where he remained from 1972 until his death. In an interview with Terry Gross of NPR in 2011, he spoke to the beauty of his home, and what it meant for him as he aged. “I’m not unhappy about becoming old. I’m not unhappy about what must be […] [I look] out my window in my studio and I see my trees and my beautiful, beautiful maples that are hundreds of years old,” he said. “And you see, I can see how beautiful they are. I can take time to see how beautiful they are. It is a blessing to get old. It is a blessing to find the time to do the things, to read the books, to listen to the music.”

Maurice Sendak, Study for stage set #10 (Where the Wild Things Are), 1979-1983. © The Maurice Sendak Foundation. Courtesy of The Morgan Library & Museum, bequest of Maurice Sendak. Photo by Janny Chiu.

When Sendak was hospitalized the next year, a trip from which he would not return, Kushner brought him a copy of the opera La Cinesi to listen to. La Cinesi had been written for Empress Maria Theresa, and Sendak loved it so much that he insisted the nurses refer to him as Your Royal Highness Princess Amalia, the name of one of the empress’ daughters. And that’s how it ended, humor and sadness all mixed up in the same aria.

from Artsy News

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Artist Spotlight: BxS

🎨🎨🎨🎨🎨🎨🎨🎨🎨 Happy Monday everyone! Today we’re featuring BxS:

🎨 Introduce yourselves!

Hello! We are “BxS”! This is the 2nd time we are joining this big event!! You will see super cute & cool Japanese animation/cartoon motif special handmade bag for ALL Cool Otaku friends that is called “ Cos-Bag” (Costume Play Bag), and one motif drawing called “Ota-Nature-Art”. Please find your “Beloved one” and we’re looking forward to seeing you at future events!

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Kimetsu no Yaiba (Demon Slayer)!

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Original Unique Handmade

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I love the anime costumes, but I am not brave enough to put on costumes. However, iif it is in the form of a bag, I can enjoy it; hence I created the "Cos-bag".

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I have been very into is since I experienced a woodburning workshop at a craftshop. Woodburning is, as you may know, drawing and burning directly on the surface of the wood. This is so that the art will not fade quickly and will last longer. The meaning behind this is “I am happy to be with your loved for a long time.” Although woodburning tools are very hot to hold in order to burn my drawing, it is very much worth it!

🎨 Look out for BxS at future local events!  

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