#Major Robert Cain

[necarion]

The number of Jewish actors playing Nazis in Hogan’s Heroes is perpetually a delight. These men must have had so much fun making the Nazis as pathetic and ridiculous as possible. The three Nazis here are all Jewish actors.

(Klemperer’s condition for remaining as Klink was that if Klink were every to be allowed to win, he would quit and never look back.)

And then I remember why they portrayed these characters with such viciousness:

The actors who played the four major German roles—Werner Klemperer (Klink),[16] John Banner (Schultz), Leon Askin (General Burkhalter), and Howard Caine (Major Hochstetter)—were all Jewish. In fact, Klemperer, Banner, and Askin had all fled the Nazis during World War II (Caine, whose birth name was Cohen, was an American). Robert Clary, a French Jew who played LeBeau, spent three years in a concentration camp (with an identity tattoo from the camp on his arm, "A-5714"); his parents and other family members were killed there. Likewise, Banner had been held in a (pre-war) concentration camp and his family was killed during the war. Askin was also in a pre-war French internment camp and his parents were killed at Treblinka. Other Jewish actors, including Harold Gould and Harold J. Stone, made multiple appearances playing German generals.

As a teenager, Klemperer, the son of conductor Otto Klemperer, fled Hitler's Germany with his family in 1933. During the show's production, he insisted that Hogan always win against his Nazi captors, or else he would not take the part of Klink. He defended his role by claiming, "I am an actor. If I can play Richard III, I can play a Nazi." Banner attempted to sum up the paradox of his role by saying, "Who can play Nazis better than us Jews?" Klemperer, Banner, Caine, Gould, and Askin had all spent the real Second World War serving in the U.S. Armed Forces—Banner[17] and Askin in the U.S. Army Air Corps, Caine in the U.S. Navy, Gould with the U.S. Army, and Klemperer in a U.S. Army Entertainment Unit. Klemperer had previously played a Nazi: in 1961 he played captured Nazi Emil Hahn in Judgment at Nuremberg, and also in 1961 starred as the title character in the serious drama Operation Eichmann, which also featured Banner in a supporting role.

[gamesception]

Sception Reads Cass Cain #38

Batgirl (2000) #18 - September 2001 Writer: Kelley Puckett Pencils: Damion Scott Inks: Robert Campanella Colors: Jason Wright

Ooh, a guest in Cass's book. Is this the first we've seen that? I think it might be. We get to see whether Tim gets a better showing in Cass's book than she's had in his.

Far more importantly, though, this issue starts with a dream sequence, one that I've referenced a few times already. I misremembered it as happening much earlier on in Cass's run, because it is so fundamental to understanding who (this version of) Cassandra is as a character.

It starts with 8 year old cass in a stealth suit (if there was one thing I think could improve this flashback, it would be if she was wearing the grown up batgirl suit all clearly too big for her, like the cover of issue 4), sneaking around the Batcave, a mischievous smirk on her face like a kid who knows they're getting away with something. She's tiny in a world too big for her as she creeps up onto a computer panel to reach the bat-cookie jar. There an expression of gleeful triumph on her face as she reaches a hand into the jar to snatch...

No, she's caught! Batman, Dick, Alfred (somehow? Has she even met Alfred?), Helena, Tim, Jean-Paul (nice nod there), they've caught her with her hand in the cookie jar neck of the man she killed. She's grown and wearing her batsuit now but she's still so small and they're so big and they're calling her a murderer while Barbara sits dejected, looking up to say 'How could you?' so hurt that Cassandra would betray them all this way, would betray her specifically, sullying the legacy of Batgirl with a murderer's bloody hands, and then the dead man speaks, and it's not the man she killed anymore, now her fingers are buried in the throat of her Father, David Cain, as he admonishes her. "Did you really think you could fool 'em forever?"

...

There's just so much happening here. The cookies - the treat, the prize she's stealing, labeled with the bat symbol? That's being Batgirl. And saving people as Batgirl is the only way she knows how to do to atone for what she did. Except she's a murderer, she deserves to be punished, not redeemed. Worse, being Batgirl is fun! It's exciting and thrilling and the best life she could possibly imagine. It's a reward, not the punishment she deserves, and deep in her traumatized and guilt-ruined inner 8 year old's bones she knows she's getting away with something she doesn't deserve.

Sooner or later her new family will catch her, they'll learn the truth, they'll realize she's not good like them, she's only pretending, really she's a murderer, and when they find out she's sure they'll all turn on her. From this we can infer that her isolation isn't just something imposed on her by Bruce, it's also something she's doing to herself, or willingly allowing Bruce to do to her. After all, the closer she gets to the others, the sooner one of them will realize that she doesn't belong. The more it will hurt when they cast her out.

And there's David Cain calling her out. David, the only one who knows her secret, who knows the real her, the murderer.

....

This is such a good look into Cassandra's character and mental space, into how she sees herself as Batgirl. How dearly she loves it and how badly she wants it and how sure she is that she doesn't deserve it and it's only a matter of time before the others find out and feel the same.

...

I would also say it's fantastic foreshadowing, because this is clearly building to a number of major reveals & confrontations, right? When Bruce finally has to admit the truth and does try to reject her, tearing their family apart in the process as Babs sticks with Cass and the rest are forced to choose sides. Or wondering how Cassandra will react when she finds out that Babs already knows, that she already knew almost the entire time, and that she doesn't care, still loves her, still is proud of her, still wants her to be Batgirl - will she feel relieved, or will she lose respect for Barbara for not holding Cass to the same impossible moral standard that she holds herself to? One could imagine a conflict of Babs vs. Bruce over whether Cassandra is worthy of the costume only with Cassandra taking Bruce's side rather than her own. And David Cain is still out there, potentially throwing the whole thing into an even deeper level of turmoil.

Sadly I can't say this is good foreshadowing, because none of that really happens. Fantastic set up, but not quite landing the follow through. But we're still in the set up part, and the set up part is so, so good, and this dream sequence is maybe the best two pages of it.

...

So yeah there is an actual story in this issue, it's not just a two page dream sequence. I've spent most of my analytical energy already so I'm not going to go in depth, but it's a cool team up story with Tim, where Tim is trying to take down a mob boss while Cass goes after an assassin the boss hired then failed to pay. It's good stuff actually, and well worth a read, but I just want to pick out a couple bits...

We get an explicit limit/exception to Cass's body-reading ability.

Just a bunch of cool art, I like this panel a lot.

We get this moment where Cass opens up a bit to Tim, who starts to connect with her in a way that he hasn't in their previous meet ups.

And it ends on this nice moment of Tim admitting he's been cold to Cassandra and apologizing, extending a hand in friendship. And it's a really nice moment, though the fact that this is coming from Batgirl's creative team makes me wonder Robin's creative team will maintain the better relationship going forward.

As for the question of Whether Tim comes off better in Cass's book than Cass did the last few times she showed up in his, I mean, obviously. What's maybe more noteworthy is that Tim is more likable in this book than even he is in his own, at least as of the last couple issues we looked at. He's thoughtful and intuitive here, self aware, capable of self reflection, capable of recognizing when he's been in the wrong and taking steps to correct himself. All in a story that still emphasizes his detective skills and tech savvy. It makes me sort of wish Tim had his own book... Unfortunately he did.

Of that run of Robin I've only ever read the few issues we've talked about in this project, most notably the two we looked at most recently, and those two especially were were pretty miserable. Not in the sense of being sad and heavy like Cass's book often is, just kind of awkward and unpleasant and mean spirited. Weird choice for a Robin title, imo, you'd figure people would be looking for something a little more light hearted out of that book, with a more likable protagonist. Then again it's really not fair of me to judge an ongoing book when I've read so little of it, so I'm just going to let it go there.

[wickedlysecret]

Something I’ve been lowkey obsessing over for the past few years has been The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992), which is quite possibly my favorite Christmas movie ever. It’s fun, it’s funny, it has cute moments, Michael Caine is absolutely the best Scrooge to ever Scrooge… I can’t sing this movie’s praises enough. I was so excited when it was included on Disney+, so I could watch it pretty much whenever the desire struck.

The thing is, there’s another Christmas Carol adaptation that I loved to watch as a child that’s also on Disney+: Mickey’s Christmas Carol (1983). It’s another retelling of the same story, and yet… it doesn’t really hit in the same way that the Muppet one does. And I can’t stop thinking about why that would be the case. What do the Muppets do in their adaptation that Mickey and his friends don’t do in theirs?

If you haven’t figured it out by now, I’m going to sit here and compare and contrast these adaptations, with pictures and quotes. This is gonna be one of those “In this essay I will” posts, except the essay actually follows under a cut. After all, I’m nothing if not a former English major with weird hyperfixations.

I broke down the places where the differences are strongest into four parts: The Spirits/Ghosts of Christmas Whatever; the inclusion of a comedic Narrator character; the simple fact that the Muppets are Actors in their own right; and the entire “Christmas Future” part of the story.

1. The Spirits. 

For the Muppets, new characters have been created for the roles. These characters were only ever used for these roles, and we never see them again in other Muppet productions, save for Jacob (and Robert) Marley, as played by Statler and Waldorf, whom I’ll talk about at another point.

These new characters make much of the dialogue work, as well, with much of their exchanges with Scrooge at least sounding, if not actually being exactly as written in the original Christmas Carol. The supernatural look of the little ghosty Spirit of Christmas Past helps to sell the whole picture when they say lines like, “A touch of my hand, and you shall fly.” The jolly, bumbly, ginger-haired-Santa lookalike Spirit of Christmas Present is personable and friendly, even able to make a mean and grumpy man like Scrooge joke and laugh with joy. And the Spirit of Christmas Yet to Come is faceless, imposing, and silent. They communicate through pointing, or a guiding hand, and they chill both Scrooge and the audience without saying a single word, merely showing Scrooge the future that awaits him.

Disney, perhaps understandably, made use of some of their existing Intellectual Properties (IPs) instead of creating new characters to serve as the Spirits. Jiminy Cricket is our Ghost of Christmas Past; The Giant (from Mickey and the Beanstalk) makes a surprising return to the screen as the Ghost of Christmas Present; and finally, in a jarring reveal which I could argue was made only for the purpose of having yet another IP make an appearance, Pete fills the role of the Ghost of Christmas Future. These are characters with personalities that the audience already presumably knows, and while they are able to fill their roles to a degree, they also come with baggage, for lack of a better term. They struggle to keep a balance of their original personalities, while also donning the personalities of their Christmas Carol roles.

Jiminy attempts to give sage advice to Ebenezer Scrooge (McDuck), in the same manner as he had with Pinnochio, but a stern little cricket lecturing an old man duck just doesn’t feel right. And the giant is also bumbling, sure, but more than that, he’s just… stupider than the Muppet Spirit. Caine’s Scrooge even remarks “You’re a little absentminded, spirit,” to which the Muppet Spirit of Christmas Present replies, “No, I’m a large absentminded spirit!” The giant’s version of the Spirit is just your run-of-the-mill comedic relief idiot. As for Pete’s ghost, he’s silent and somewhat imposing for almost the entire Christmas Future segment, until he removes his hood and scares Scrooge into his empty grave with some mean remark. And the mean remark is truly what ruins Pete as the Spirit of Christmas Future; this Spirit isn’t mean, but rather delivering harsh truths. The purpose of the Spirit of Christmas Future is to really drive home to Scrooge that, if he doesn’t change his ways, this is the unfortunate future that awaits him. It’s the future itself that’s supposed to scare Scrooge, not the Spirit delivering the message.

In essence, by not only using existing IPs for the Spirits in the story, but miscasting the Spirits with IPs that don’t work for their roles, Mickey’s Christmas Carol confuses the whole message that A Christmas Carol is supposed to convey.

Finally, as I mentioned, I want to talk about our Marleys. In The Muppet Christmas Carol, Marley is the only spirit for whom they’ve used an existing character–or, rather, characters. They’ve cast the grumpy old men, Statler and Waldorf, as Jacob and Robert Marley. They have a silly song they sing to Scrooge, which still manages to terrorize the man, and to be fair, the spirits of Scrooge’s old business partners are warning him of something terrible coming for him: more ghosts. We’re still early in the story at this point, so the Muppets wouldn’t be taking their big guns out yet, so imparting a scary warning in the form of a light and fun musical number is… well, it’s very on brand.

Meanwhile in Mickey’s, we have Goofy as Jacob Marley. I’ll talk more about this casting choice later, but the short of it is: why? Goofy’s not a mean OR selfish guy at all, and I can’t understand this role placement for him. He’s very stern with Scrooge, and it’s hard to take him seriously at all, and to top it all off he falls down the stairs at the end of his scene, with his trademark “Yaaaaah-hoo-hoo-hoo-eeeeeeee” shout and all. It doesn’t fit the character they’re trying to have him portray.

2. The comedic benefits of a Narrator Character. 

In the beginning of The Muppet Christmas Carol, the audience is introduced to Gonzo and Rizzo on the streets of the British Muppet City.

“Welcome to the Muppet Christmas Carol! I am here to tell the story!” “And I am here for the food!” “My name is Charles Dickens.” “And my name is Rizzo the Rat! Hey, wait a second…”

Gonzo and Rizzo, from this point forward, are the audience’s guide throughout the story of A Christmas Carol, there to explain, buffer, and offer comedic relief. They break the fourth wall, talking about and to the audience, and referring to any children who might be watching.

“Whoa, that’s scary stuff. Hey, should we be worried about the kids in the audience?” “Nah, that’s alright, this is culture.”

Gonzo and Rizzo carry a lot, and I mean a lot of the comedic moments within The Muppet Christmas Carol, leaving the story’s characters to portray the story, without strange interruptions from within. Well, for the most part. There are moments where comedy comes from within the story.

“If you please, Mr. Scrooge? It’s gotten colder… and the bookkeeping staff would like to have an extra shovelful of coal for the fire.” “We can’t do the bookkeeping.” “Yeah, all of our pens have turned to ink-cicles!” “Our assets are frozen!” “How would the bookkeepers like to be suddenly… UNEMPLOYED?!” “HEAT WAVE! This is my island in the sun!”

There are also moments where Gonzo Dickens and Rizzo interact with characters in the story, breaking the fourth wall further for more comedy.

“It is the American way!” “Sam! [Unintelligible whispering]” “Ah. It is the British way!” “Good.”

And of course there are moments where the characters’ existing personalities do come forward through their acting, such as when Miss Piggy, as Emily Crachit, calls Kermit (Bob Crachit) “Crachie”, in a play on her nickname for Kermit, “Kermie”.

The thing to note about all of these moments of comedy, is that none of them interrupt the story for the sake of a joke, or a catchphrase. The story continues without a hitch.

It also means that, when Gonzo Dickens and Rizzo leave at the beginning of Scrooge’s time with the Ghost of Christmas Future, they take just about every chance at joyful comedy with them. The audience knows their absence means things are about to get serious.

Without a similar character to bear some of the comedic weight, it all rests on the shoulders of the characters in Mickey’s Christmas Carol’s story. There’s plenty of jokes and humor, of course, but most of it is slapstick-ish, and typical of a cartoon; for example, Scrooge asking about Crachit’s daily pay, recalling it to be two shillings, only for Crachit to interrupt that it’s two shillings and a ha'penny–a raise that originated three years ago, when Crachit started doing Scrooge’s laundry. The jump into Christmas Future doesn’t have a smooth transition, leaving the audience rather jarred at the sudden change in tone; in particular, when Pete’s embodiment of the Spirit suddenly starts speaking, where previously he’d been silent.

3. The Muppets Are Actors. 

In every Muppet production, one of the things that makes the entire experience work is that nobody in the canon recognizes the Muppets as anything other than the characters they’re portraying. Nobody looks at Kermit and goes, ‘Why is there a talking frog made of felt here?’ That’s exactly the way someone should act with the Muppets, and, according to an interview with Brian Henson, that was Michael Caine’s intention from the very beginning when he was asked to play Scrooge.

"When I met Michael Caine to talk about playing Scrooge, one of the first things he said was: “I’m going to play this movie like I’m working with the Royal Shakespeare Company. I will never wink, I will never do anything Muppety. I am going to play Scrooge as if it is an utterly dramatic role and there are no puppets around me.”

The fact that the illustrious actor understood the assignment from the beginning, without even being told, works wonders for this movie. Caine said in an interview with GQ that, before The Muppet Christmas Carol, he’d never done a movie that a child, like his then-seven-year-old daughter, could see; this was his motivation in choosing the role. He then went on to discuss how one is meant to act with the Muppets.

Interviewer: When you’re talking to Kermit, where do you look? Do you look him in the eye? Caine: Yes. You look him straight in the eye. It’s like talking to a real actor. And the guy is just down below, buried in the floor.

This is a man with a great respect for and understanding of the Muppets, their work, and of course their puppeteers. When asked who is more famous, himself or Kermit, Caine replies that of course Kermit is the more famous, as he should be.

Caine: Oh Kermit is much more famous, because he’s known by children as well as all adults. And I’m known by many, many, many adults, but he’s known by all adults. And then I’m known by few children, but he’s known by every child.

(As a side note, this is a delightful interview with Michael Caine, and he’s just as pleased with and delighted by The Muppet Christmas Carol as the rest of us.)

In contrast with Mickey’s Christmas Carol, the casting for the Mickey Mouse & Friends characters into their Christmas Carol roles feels like it was done without much consideration or thought, beyond the logic of ‘Mickey Should Be Bob Crachit, Donald Should Be Scrooge’s Nephew, Of Course Scrooge McDuck Should Be Ebenezer Scrooge’, and so on.

For example, the part of Jacob Marley is played by Goofy. Marley’s character, or rather his ghost, is one that exists as Scrooge’s warning, both of his night to come and what awaits him if he doesn’t change his ways. Marley was just about as bad as Scrooge in life, hence all his chains weighing his spirit down, formed from his wicked deeds against his fellow man. He even warns Scrooge that he also wears such a chain.

The problem here is that Goofy Goof doesn’t have a single mean bone in his tall, lanky body. He’s a dogman that would never covet money like a miser, would never be cruel to others because he doesn’t deem them worth his time. So, why was he cast as Marley? It’s a confusing decision.

Another example lies with Mickey Mouse as Bob Crachit. Logically, I can understand the casting choice; Mickey is to Disney as Kermit is to the Muppets. Both made the same decision to cast their Big Name Character as the second lead in A Christmas Carol. However, the two portrayals go in very different directions, particularly in the Christmas Future segment. I’ll dig into this particular example in more detail in a bit, but in essence, it feels more like the Disney characters were plugged into their roles for the story, without much consideration for how their personalities would work with that of the characters they’d be portraying. The Muppets were matched with characters to portray, but it feels like careful thought was put into how each character would act and work as their Christmas Carol role.

4. The Entire “Ghost of Christmas Future” Chapter. 

I’ve referred to this part of the story, and the ways in which the Muppets and Disney handled it, several times so far, and this is because I believe that this is where the biggest differences lie, and where the Muppet adaptation truly outshines Disney’s.

First, the Spirit themselves. The Muppets created an entirely new, imposing, shadowy-cloaked Muppet specifically for this role, rather than casting a known Muppet as the Spirit. This Muppet never speaks, and has no face, and only communicates in gestures. It looms over the third act of the story, showing Ebenezer Scrooge what awaits him in this future, without words, instead letting the scenes speak for themselves. The Spirit is silent, but Scrooge understands what it’s telling him, asking questions and paraphrasing the messages he receives as the Spirit guides him through the scenes. And although the Spirit’s appearance is terrifying, that’s not the part that ultimately chills Scrooge to the core; instead, the future that awaits Scrooge (and Tiny Tim), should he continue down his path of cruelty and greed, is what prompts Scrooge to tearfully beg for forgiveness and a chance to prove that he can make things right.

Then, in Mickey’s Christmas Carol, the basic bones of the tale are there: an imposing, silent, hooded figure shows Scrooge glimpses of his possible future. But before this third act is over, the Spirit reveals its face and speaks: it’s not just a Spirit, but Pete. Nasty, mean, cigar-smoking Peg-Leg Pete. And he dumps Scrooge into his own grave to be consumed by flames until he awakens from his dream. Certainly, Scrooge has been shaken by the visions of an awful future, but he’s also been sent to hell by a mean, angry cat. Ultimately, this takes away from the big message of the Spirit of Christmas Yet to Come’s chapter: that we should change because we choose to, not because we’ve been scared into it.

Second, the sharing of Tiny Tim’s fate. In both the Muppet version and in Disney’s version, the audience and Scrooge have both been told that, if things don’t change, Tiny Tim’s going to die. Now that we’re being shown the future, Scrooge needs to go and check on the Crachit family, to see if this loss has come to pass.

In the Muppet Version, Scrooge approaches the home with relieved excitement, remembering the home of his employee as the warm and happy one he’d caught a glimpse of thanks to the Spirit of Christmas Present. However, Scrooge notices the silence of the house, and instantly knows something has changed. He peeks into the window and watches as Mrs. Crachit cries as she cooks Christmas dinner. Then, he learns that indeed, Tim has passed away. We watch the grieving family convene for dinner, and talk of loss; although they try to encourage each other, it’s clear that the loss of Tim has cut them so deep, they might never truly recover.

The fact that someone can watch this entire emotional scene performed by the Muppets and, somehow, not lose any suspension of disbelief, speaks of the incredible talent involved in the making of this scene; the puppeteers, the voice actors, the editors, the filmographers. 

In comparison, the scene we get in Disney’s version is short, and stiff. What we get is a panning view of a graveyard, and a closeup of Mickey Mouse crying while holding onto Tiny Tim’s crutch, before he sets it against the boy’s gravestone. The audience watches Mickey Mouse cry over his dead son before the movie continues.

It sounds sad when said aloud, but watching it happen doesn’t carry much emotion. It just feels awkward, almost forced. It feels like the people who decided that Mickey Mouse should be Bob Crachit finally had the consequences of their actions catch up to them, and they suddenly realized what they were going to have to put the company’s mascot through… and then they had no idea how to do it. The entire scene feels haphazard and strange; it’s upsetting to watch, but not in the way it should be. Instead of being sad about Tiny Tim, I’m just bummed they made me watch Mickey Mouse cry like that.

And here’s the thing: neither of these scenes have been performed by human actors. One has been played by puppets, the other has been animated. The fact that the Muppets, who, in order to show emotion have to move their head a certain way or have the felt of their faces scrunched, do a better job performing the scene than the one that is animated, in which people could make the characters make any face they wanted, speaks volumes.

Perhaps it’s because, while Kermit will always be Kermit, and Mickey will always be Mickey, it all draws back to the fact that the Muppets are actors. Kermit has played so many other roles in other Muppet movies. But Mickey Mouse? He’s almost always Mickey Mouse. Using him in a different role is difficult when he’s never been anything other than himself.

...

I’ve spent some time trying to think how to wrap up this ridiculous essay I chose to write for fun, because while this isn’t an assignment and doesn’t require a conclusion, it also feels wrong to just end it there. I suppose I can say again, that the Muppet Christmas Carol is my very favorite Christmas movie, and I love watching it over and over again. I love it so much that I’ve literally written an essay explaining why it’s good. And it’s not like I hate Mickey’s Christmas Carol; I grew up watching that movie just as much as the Muppet one. It’s just that… the Muppet version hits different, you feel me? The story moves in a different way, treats humor differently, and even treats the audience differently. I’m by no means an expert on film, and I certainly don’t expect everyone to agree with my opinions about this movie. In the end, these are just two child-targeted adaptations of a classic Christmas tale, and I’m just an ADHD girl who got way too invested in a passing thought. The different feelings evoked in me by the two different movies about the same story fascinated me, and I decided I’d try to analyze them and share my thoughts. If you made it this far, thanks for reading!

[robertseanleonardthinker]

i know that someday i'll be fine. i know that it's gonna take time.

photography blog | house oc roleplay blog | ao3 | last fm

my name is cain/matthew (feel free to call me any nicknames, too!). i use it/its and he/him pronouns + am comfortable with any neorponouns. I'm 18 years old and a college student (majoring in wildlife biology!)

i am genderqueer, transmasc, bisexual, and somewhere on the aromantic spectrum. i started testosterone on 28/10/2023

i'm kind of in between hyperfixations/big interests rn, so this blog is more just personal stuff at the moment. i sometimes post about robert sean leonard and house md. my favorite movie is the boys next door (1996) and i'm always up to talk about it!

other interests of mine that show up here from time to time are: daredevil, quantum leap, wildlife (especially birds), photography, music, and writing.

musically, i enjoy: badflower, jack kays, grandson, wafia, superet, idkhbtfm, godsmack, shinedown, fall out boy, dreamers, and lincoln. also old panic at the disco, but i cannot stand br*ndon ur*e

i am audhd, have dyscalculia, and live with mental illness. i occasionally post about this and my time in inpatient treatment. i usually avoid triggering topics, but please let me know if you'd like anything tagged!

and finally, my dms and ask box are open, and you can tag me in tag games. however, i am supremely shitty at responding. please know that if it takes me a while to reply, it is not personal! i love all my mutuals, i just have trouble talking. it's hard sometimes.

blinkies below! (FLASH WARNING!)

[maximumwobblerbanditdonut]

Have you seen 'A Bridge Too Far? 🎬

In the reel, you can see a legendary scene from the famous 1977 film 'A Bridge Too Far'. This film is about Operation Market Garden, which started exactly 80 years ago today. The Allies planned to cross the German border via the Netherlands so that the war could be ended in 1944. For this, all bridges across the Dutch rivers had to fall intact into Allied hands. It would be a combined air and land operation of British, American, Canadian and Polish troops. The air operation was known under the codename “Market” and the land operation under the name “Garden”.

A Bridge Too Far is a historical war film that was directed by Richard Attenborough and was released in 1977. It stars a big ensemble cast including Sean Connery, Ryan O'Neal, Michael Caine, Paul Maxwell, Dirk Bogarde, Edward Fox, Gene Hackman, Anthony Hopkins, Sir Laurence Olivier, Robert Redford and many other renowned actors. The film is based on Operation Market Garden, an unsuccessful attempt by the Allied forces to seize control of key bridges in Nazi-occupied Holland, and is adapted from Cornelius Ryan's book of the same name.

General James M. Gavin, left, (RYAN O'NEAL) confers with Lt. Col. "Joe" Vandeleur (MICHAEL CAINE), commander of the Irish Guards tank unit, about the desperate plight of the British 1st Airborne soldiers in the Arnhem sector, isolated and vastly outnumbered by German forces on the ground in Joseph E. Levine's "A Bridge Too Far", a United Artists release.

Behind the scenes on A BRIDGE TOO FAR (1977)

Sean Connery with Ryan O'Neal and Gene Hackman on the set of A Bridge Too Far (1977).

In this photo we see (from left to right) Paul Maxwell as the American Major General Maxwell Taylor, Sir Sean Connery as Major General Roy E Urquhart, Sir Dirk Bogarde as Lieutenant General Sir Frederick Browning, Edward Fox as Lieutenant General Sir Brian Horrocks, Ryan O'Neal as Major General James Gavin and Gene Hackman as the Polish Major General Stanislaw Sosabowski.

Sean Connery as Major General Robert Urquhart in the film 'A Bridge Too Far' (1977) in this World War Il epic, here is photographed on set with the real General Urquhart (both Scots 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿) who also served as a military consultant for the film.

#RichardAttenborough #DirkBogarde #Bridge #SeanConnery #Film #Movie #WW2 #actors #PaulMaxwell #EdwardFox #MichaelCaine #MajorGeneralRoyEUrquhart #AnthonyHopkins #GeneHackman #OperationMarketGarden #80thAnniversary #abridgetoofarfilm #1977 #SirLaurence Olivier #RobertRedford #Arnhem #CorneliusRyan #book #GeneralUrquhart #Scots

The true story of the greatest battle of World War II and the basis of the 1977 film of the same name, directed by Richard Attenborough.

The Battle of Arnhem, one of the most dramatic battles of World War II, was as daring as it was ill-fated. It cost the Allies nearly twice as many casualties as D-Day.

This is the whole compelling story, told through the vast cast of characters involved. From Dutch civilians to British and American strategists, its scope and ambition is unparalleled, superbly recreating the terror and suspense, the heroism and tragedy of this epic operation.

'I know of no other work of literature of World War II as moving, as awesome and as accurate in its portrayal of human courage.' - General James A Gavin

‘A Bridge Too Far’ is available to watch and stream, download, and buy on demand at Amazon Prime, Apple TV, Amazon, and Google Play online.

Posted 23rd September 2024

[denimbex1986]

'Christopher Nolan has a knack for wrangling impressive ensemble casts for his films, but he really outdid himself with his 3-hour historical epic Oppenheimer. Even if the World War II biopic didn’t include the frequent Nolan collaborator Michael Caine, the stacked ensemble is filled with a terrific ensemble of veteran Hollywood stars, Academy Award-winning performers, underrated character actors, relative unknowns, and a few former box office titans that have seemingly disappeared over the last decade or so. It wasn’t that long ago that Josh Hartnett was the marquee lead of films like Lucky Number Slevin and Black Hawk Down, but his star power has seemingly evaporated, as some actors can only maintain the same level of success for so long. However, Hartnett has always been a more interesting and complicated actor than the roles that he was given at the beginning of his career. Hartnett isn’t just in the middle of a major comeback; he basically steals Oppenheimer with one of the most nuanced supporting performances.

Why Is 'Oppenheimer's Ernest Lawrence So Important?

Oppenheimer is told in non-chronological order, in what has become a hallmark of nearly all of Nolan’s films. While Hartnett doesn’t play a significant role in the black-and-white sections that show the confirmation hearings for Lewis Strauss (Robert Downey Jr.), he is instrumental within the main storyline focused on J. Robert Oppenheimer’s (Cillian Murphy) studies at the University of California in Berkeley, where he first conceived of much of the technology that ended up becoming critical within the Manhattan Project. The sequences in Berkeley aren’t just where Oppenheimer unlocks part of his genius, but also where he falls in love with his second wife Kitty (Emily Blunt), and makes a community of friends for the first time. It is during this period that he works hand-in-hand with Hartnett’s depiction of Ernest Lawrence; having an outsider’s perspective on Oppenheimer’s work was necessary for this sequence to function.

Ernest Lawrence was an incredibly influential figure in Oppenheimer’s life. While he’s not someone that Oppenheimer often looks up to and idolizes like Neils Bohr (Kenneth Branagh) or Albert Einstein (Tom Conti), Lawrence represents the sort of man that Oppenheimer could never really become. Hartnett depicts Lawrence as a man of great importance, intelligence, and class that also has a relatively normal social life and shows an ability to adjust to the stresses within his life. Lawrence encourages Oppenheimer to find a balance within his work, but it becomes obvious that it’s not possible for someone with his capacity for genius. It creates an odd tension between them; Lawrence feels both resentful and sympathetic for his friend. Oppenheimer’s inability to simply “turn off” his brain and focus on something other than his work may end up making him more historically important than Lawrence, but it negates any sense of accomplishment or happiness he may feel.

Josh Hartnett does some really outstanding subtle work with his performance, as there’s an interesting dichotomy to Lawrence’s feelings about Oppenheimer. He’s not resentful, as he and Oppenheimer are able to get along and share much in common due to their shared experience in nuclear research. Lawrence is someone who can communicate with Oppenheimer on an intellectual level about the groundbreaking studies that are being done, but he’s not capable of reaching the same next-level conclusions. Lawrence is well-educated and knows what he’s talking about, but also acknowledges that it’s not his name that the world will remember. It was almost a bit of reflective acting on Hartnett’s part as if he was acknowledging that he was no longer the same star who had led Pearl Harbor to its box-office success two decades prior.

Ernest Lawrence Is Important to the Politics of 'Oppenheimer'

Christopher Nolan isn’t necessarily known as a “political filmmaker,” but while his films aren’t necessarily as overt as the work of directors like Oliver Stone or Spike Lee, there are strong anti-war, anti-escalation themes in The Dark Knight, Dunkirk, and Tenet. Oppenheimer is definitely Nolan’s most overtly political work to date, and Lawrence is instrumental in unpacking the film’s complex understanding (and criticism) of the decisions that Oppenheimer made on behalf of his country during his lifetime. At first, Oppenheimer’s relationship with Jean Tatlock (Florence Pugh) is nothing more than a passionate romantic affair, but it's Lawrence who explains the danger that being involved with the socialist political movement at the time that they are in. Lawrence has his personal feelings about the rising Communist movement, but he worries that Oppenheimer’s mind could be distracted when he’s working on studies that could literally change the way that mankind observes the world.

The political differences between Lawrence and Oppenheimer are fascinating, and Hartnett does a great job of showing Lawrence’s conviction in his belief and handling the dense political dialogue. It’s fascinating that Lawrence’s political beliefs aren’t delved into that deeply other than his expressed desire to keep all discussions about the socialist movement out of the classroom. Lawrence tells Oppenheimer that he considered himself a patriot, but he also wants the University to be an institute of science, and not a hangout spot for a potentially dangerous movement to begin. He and Oppenheimer begin to grow further apart as a result of this, but they still share a mutual understanding of which events transcend their own personal beliefs. Both men react with the same surprise and fear when news of Adolf Hitler’s invasion of Poland breaks.

Josh Hartnett does a great job of showing Lawrence’s empathy for Oppenheimer. While he understands that a traditional celebration isn’t necessarily something that Oppenheimer would enjoy, there’s a friendliness between the two men that continues after General Leslie Groves (Matt Damon) whisks him away to work on the Manhattan Project. Lawrence refuses to report incriminating evidence on Oppenheimer during the government’s investigation, and the two are able to shake hands at the end of the film. That’s more than Oppenheimer can say about Edward Teller (Benny Safdie), whose pro-nuclear beliefs created too much of a divide between them.

Josh Hartnett is in the midst of a much-needed comeback, and it’s great to see that Oppenheimer gave him such a nuanced role to execute. While it may have taken a while for him to finally get the chance to work with Nolan, his performance is one that is essential to show what made Oppenheimer tick on both an intellectual and personal level.'

[floridaboiler]

52 years ago today, April 4, 1971, the final episode of Hogan's Heroes aired. It ran for 168 episodes from September 17, 1965, to April 4, 1971, on the CBS network. Bob Crane starred as Colonel Robert E. Hogan, coordinating an international crew of Allied prisoners running a Special Operations group from the camp. Werner Klemperer played Colonel Wilhelm Klink, the incompetent commandant of the camp, and John Banner was the inept sergeant-of-the-guard, Hans Schultz.

Hogan's Heroes won two Emmy Awards out of twelve nominations. Both wins were for Werner Klemperer as Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Comedy, in 1968 and 1969. Klemperer received nominations in the same category in 1966, 1967 and 1970. The series' other nominations were for Outstanding Comedy Series in 1966, 1967 and 1968; Bob Crane for Outstanding Continued Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Comedy Series in 1966 and 1967; Nita Talbot for Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Comedy in 1968; and Gordon Avil for cinematography in 1968.In December 2005, the series was listed at number 100 as part of the "Top 100 Most Unexpected Moments in TV History" by TV Guide and TV Land. The show was described as an "unlikely POW camp comedy.

Hogan's Heroes was filmed in two locations. Indoor sets were housed at Desilu Studios, later renamed as Paramount Studios for Season Four and then Cinema General Studios for Seasons Five and Six. Outdoor scenes were filmed on the 40 Acres Backlot. 40 Acres was in Culver City, in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. The studios for indoor scenes were both located in Hollywood, CA. Undoubtedly, one of the most original and curious aspects was to create the effect that there was always a snowy winter, something unusual in warm Southern California, but normal in the German winter. The actors had to wear warm clothes and frequently act like they were cold, even though it was warm for much of the year and usually hot during summer.

Although it was never snowing on the film set and the weather was apparently sunny, there was snow on the ground and building roofs, and frost on the windows. The set designers created the illusion of snow two ways: the snow during the first several seasons was made out of salt. By the fourth season, the show’s producers found a more permanent solution and lower cost, using white paint to give the illusion of snow. By the sixth and final season – with a smaller budget – most of the snow shown on the set was made out of paint.

After the series ended in 1971, the set remained standing until it was destroyed in 1974 while the final scene of Ilsa, She Wolf of the SS was filmed

The actors who played the four major German roles—Werner Klemperer (Klink), John Banner (Schultz), Leon Askin (General Burkhalter), and Howard Caine (Major Hochstetter)—were all Jewish. Furthermore, Klemperer, Banner, and Askin had all fled the Nazis during World War II (Caine, whose birth name was Cohen, was an American). Further, Robert Clary, a French Jew who played LeBeau, spent three years in a concentration camp (with an identity tattoo from the camp on his arm, "A-5714"); his parents and other family members were killed there. Likewise, Banner had been held in a (pre-war) concentration camp and his family was killed during the war. Askin was also in a pre-war French internment camp and his parents were killed at Treblinka. Other Jewish actors, including Harold Gould and Harold J. Stone, made multiple appearances playing German generals.

As a teenager, Klemperer, the son of conductor Otto Klemperer, fled Hitler's Germany with his family in 1933. During the show's production, he insisted that Hogan always win against his Nazi captors, or else he would not take the part of Klink. He defended his role by claiming, "I am an actor. If I can play Richard III, I can play a Nazi." Banner attempted to sum up the paradox of his role by saying, "Who can play Nazis better than us Jews?" Klemperer, Banner, Caine, Gould, and Askin had all spent the real Second World War serving in the U.S. Armed Forces—Banner and Askin in the U.S. Army Air Corps, Caine in the U.S. Navy, Gould with the U.S. Army, and Klemperer in a U.S. Army Entertainment Unit. But the sitcom was not the first time Klemperer had played a Nazi: in 1961, he starred as the title character in the serious drama Operation Eichmann, which also featured Banner in a supporting role. Ruta Lee, Theodore Marcuse, and Oscar Beregi, Jr. also appeared in the film, each of whom went on to make several guest appearances on Hogan’s Heroes.

https://www.facebook.com/Retrovision

[kavalyera]

for vincent: eros 5? philia 1? ludus 5?

Eros 5: How closely is their opinion of their beauty linked to their confidence? Do they see themselves as more or less worthy of love or sex based on how attractive they feel?

I think it’s pretty clear Vincent has a really high view of himself to the point it’s egotistical. He drowns himself in luxury that literally only a small majority of people can afford. Vincent definitely thinks of himself as attractive(which he is, he’s played by Bill Skarsgård after all and it’s even stated in an interview that Chad Stahelski was looking for a more younger villain for chapter four). And because of that, he’s confidence is through the roof. I would say in a Regina George way considering the fact he looked confident that he would the duel(surprise! he did not.) Vincent’s self validation definitely comes from his status within the High Table and within his social class, which then moves on over to how he views himself. He of course, does think of himself worthy of love and sex due to the fact hey, he’s worthy of all these palaces and private theaters, why not simple desires too?

Philia 1: Does your [character] have a best friend? If they do, how long have they known eachother and how did they meet? If they don’t then do they have a close group of friends they love equally? Or are they more of a loner?

Vincent is alone. The closest thing he has is Chidi, his bodyguard. But then again, their relationship is close because Vincent trusts Chidi from his own life to business duties such as grabbing Caine and bringing him to the Marquis’ palace(which is Versailles btw)

Ludus 5: What seduction techniques are most likely to be effective when it comes to your [character]? Are there some things guaranteed to get them going? Or are they immune to such things?

Vincent is definitely not immune to seduction. When it comes to techniques, getting pampered and his ego taken care of would definitely make him feel safe since most of his self-worth lies in his power and his high standing position. It worked when Winston talked Vincent into accepting John Wick’s invitation to the duel. The Marquis is guaranteed to be seduced by someone who takes care of his ego, because he’s such a big fucking child that needs to be pampered or else he’ll start stabbing shit. To make things more interesting with my already long answer because I’m autistic and I like Vincent Bisset de Gramont: the type of seducer that would work on him from the “The Art of Seduction” by Robert Greene is The Charmer, someone who diverts attention from themselves and focuses all the attention and love bombing onto their victim!

ask game here(pls ask me)

[sugdenlovesdingle]

Lol how your anon about Nate and Tracy was right but I wish it was the anons theorising about Robert showing up at Aaron and Cain’s fight! 😅

I know! I'm manifesting that they're also going to be right *somehow*

I mean let's be real, these sets cost a lot of money, itv made some major budget cuts on both ED and corrie, they could easily have let Aaron move into the pub or just have him keep having scenes in the hide and the pub and the village - like they have been doing

but no

full new set, nice furniture and everything

That's gotta mean something!!

[renamusing]

Wait

When is the ssw for emmerdale. I

know Ian used to give out spoilers like crazy noe he is back do we know the what the theme is about.

Danny coming back after the team was so done with them during the covid era makes ZERO sense but he also has a kid and I can't even blame him for wanting an stable job. Even if is this. He has not control over any of this after all.

But the fucking use of "a prodigal son" over that guy makes me so mad.

The next thing is that every single Dingle will adore him and have xmas eith him as if Robert is not the reason Aaron is still alive.

I hate it so much. Is like the open the wounds that we all have and people are more than ever asking about why ROBERT is not back instead of this.

It does feel like John is reboot-Robert minus everything special Ryan added to the character plus the great writing he got back then (thanks Maxine).

As for this year's super soap week, I don't think anything has been announced yet. The only thing that is known so far is that a major portion of the cast has filmed scenes concerning a big barn fire a few weeks ago (apparently John saves Moira and Ruby's lives, i dont remember more than that, only that Charity, Cain and Chas will be there too, which fits in with what you said about John being welcomed by the Dingles later on lol).

The thing is, I'm not sure whether the filming dates of the barn fire will match with ssw or if the barn fire will be a prelude to whatever happens then? It was also announced that Nate's actor will leave the show, so some people suspect he will die in those ssw eps, and there's also talk of something big happening with belle&tom, though according to the latest interview with one of the producers, their coercive control story will run until the end of the year.

I'm still looking forward to whatever comes, mainly bc John's actor said there were many twists and turns to come and every news piece leading up to his arrival mentioned a return of the Sugdens, so I believe John's appearance is only the start. Maybe Diane will return, maybe some Sugden-adjacent characters like the Merricks, or even Kathy Glover like some rumours suggested.

I've read a few theories recently about how John isn't actually Jack's son but rather the son of Jack's brother Joe, since Joe was romantically linked to John's alleged mother Barbara and also Karen Moore (who was also Jack's girlfriend for a time) which might explain the Aiden Moore dogtags.

Tbh, if John's character wasn't so dull and his romance with Aaron so contrived, I think we would all be having a wonderful time right now. Unfortunately, we gotta work with what we have. Plus the absence of hermit Hawley 😔🙄

[bobbie-robron]

Classic ED schedule, week 28 (2024)

In his remaining days on the show (ending next week), Robert goes after Debbie full force. The Briggs face major loses at their farm. Max is appalled that his actions make Tom proud of him and see him as truly one of the Kings now. The Kings finally get what they want. Zoe is devastated that Effie and Sadie both betrayed her. Rodney is cheated out of being the new owner of Home Farm by the Kings courtesy of Sadie. Zoe is found not guilty at trial then leaves the village with Callum and the kids in an explosive fashion… blowing up Home Farm! Scott punches Dawn which was meant for Paddy and is arrested for assault. The bailiffs catch up with Val demanding the money.

UK START TIME FOR THE WEEK: 1:40 PM

08-Jul: 14-Sep-2005** (4151), 15-Sep-2005** (4152)

09-Jul: 16-Sep-2005 (4153), 18-Sep-2005 (4154)

10-Jul: 19-Sep-2005** (4155), 20-Sep-2005** (4156/4157) 1 hour; NEW TITLE SEQUENCE INTROED!

11-Jul: 21-Sep-2005** (4158), 22-Sep-2005** (4159/4160) 1 hour; Goodbye Zoe, Jean & Joseph Tate and Callum Rennie! Broadcast on ITV’s 50th anniversary

12-Jul: 23-Sep-2005 (4161), 26-Sep-2005** (4162)

**Robert appears in the episode; we bid adieu to young Robert NEXT WEEK until Feb-2009 for Jack’s funeral!!

COMING NEXT WEEK (barring preemptions): Debbie takes center stage with the machinations by Robert against Jack/Andy/Cain. Robert takes up Jack’s offers to buy him out of the garage (where’s all this money of Jack’s coming from?). Everything is in place for the chicken run leaving Max dead and Robert forced out of the village by dear dad. Paul catches Val on CCTV doing wrong. Dawn focuses on the garage. More trouble ahead for Nicola and Simon.

[oscarupsets]

Upsetless AGAIN! I'm tired of blindly deciding!

Based on one news outlet, reception, and performance at the Oscars, I decided with Mister Roberts. Was it the right choice? Who's to say.

Marty boasts the record for the shortest Oscar winner, but still manages to pack its 90 minutes with romance that's not cheesy or boring. It also had a relatively low budget and box office for a winner.

I love Marty. It's so simple, yet so endearing and sweet. After seeing Ernest Borgnine beat the shit out of a guy in From Here to Eternity, it was great to see him play such a soft role. He's just a happy, normal guy looking for love! And he does a wonderful job finding it!

Mister Roberts was the second highest-grossing film of 1955 behind the seemingly unknown Cinerama Holiday. It also had a much larger and recognizable cast, including William Powell (of The Thin Man) in his final acting performance. We'll see Jack Lemmon again soon in one of my favorite Best Picture winners.

I think I had higher hopes for this one. I genuinely enjoyed the humor throughout, which felt timeless and out of place for the 1950s, but the film seemed to lack a strong story. Also coming off of last year's The Caine Mutiny, I'm probably just tired of Navy films.

At the 28th Academy Awards, Marty walked away with 4 of the Big 5, missing out on a Best Actress nom and win. Marty is also one of only 3 Best Picture winners to also win the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival.

Mister Roberts took home one Oscar and one additional major award from the Writers Guild.

Both were recognized as Top 10 films of 1955, with Marty also winning Best Film from the NBR. Neither placed in either list of the AFI Top 100.

One new insight as we move into the latter half of the decade is the Director/Editing/Screenplay nom category. These three nominations were seen by all 5 of the films in the 1950s so far, with all 5 also winning for screenplay. Marty missed out on an editing nom, while Mister Roberts received zero of the three nominations.

Take the rest of the insights with a grain of salt, as I chose this film for the Upset. We will eventually see Best Picture Winners earning less at the box office than their peers, but I don't think we're quite there yet.

Unofficial Review: Marty is great. We're ramping up to a span of epics, so having a short, light comedy is really refreshing.

[fallen-down-slowed-down]

(warning: 160+ f/o’s)

💌books

Cage Lackmann – The Graves of Whitechapel

Calvin Evans – Lessons in Chemistry ( book + TV series )

Dr. Henry Jekyll – Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde ( book + musical )

Fred Weasley – Harry Potter saga ( books + films )

Jacopo Ortis (poly) – Ultime Lettere di Jacopo Ortis

💌films/series/tv shows

Agent Stepdaughter + Gretel + Hansel (poly, with agent stepdaughter & Gretel) – Secret Magic Control Agency

Alva + Jesper Johansen + Mogens (poly, with Alva & Jesper) – Klaus

Anglaigus – Astérix: le Domaine des Dieux ( film + comic )

Aziraphale + Crowley (poly) – Good Omens

B.E.N. – Treasure Planet

Ballister Blackheart (poly) – Nimona

Benjamin Dunn – Mission: Impossible saga

Betterfly – Miraculous World: Paris, les Aventures de Toxinelle et Griffe Noire

Bruno Madrigal – Encanto

Burn-E – Burn-E

Camilo + Carlos Madrigal – Encanto

Chuck – Angry Birds duology

Cinderella – Disney’s Cinderella trilogy

Clopin Trouillefou – Disney’s The Hunchback of Notre Dame

Cloudy – 7 Zwerge trilogy, 💍24.01.2021

Diaval – Maleficent duology

Dr. Herbert Cockroach – Monsters vs. Aliens

Ebenezer Scrooge – Scrooge: a Christmas Carol

Eugene + Rapunzel Fitzherbert (poly) – Disney’s Tangled

Félix Fathom – Miraculous: les Aventures de Ladybug et Chat Noir

Fix-it Felix Jr. – Wreck It Ralph

Gabo + Safi + Simon – Wish

Grand duke Rainier (nnic) – Disney’s Cinderella trilogy

Griffin – Hotel Transylvania saga

Grinch – Dr. Seuss’ The Grinch (2018)

Harrison Knott – Press Play

Héctor Rivera – Coco

Hermes – Disney’s Hercules

Hickory – Trolls: World Tour

Jack + Kio + Noki + Pino – Red Shoes and the Seven Dwarves

Jaq – Disney’s Cinderella trilogy

Joe Bradley – Roman Holiday

John Watson (poly) – BBC’s Sherlock Holmes

Lieutenant Columbo – Columbo

Lumiére – The Beauty and the Beast ( films )

Major Major Major – Catch-22

Megamind – Megamind

Miles Miller – Bad Times at the El Royale

Mr. Tumnus - The Chronicles of Narnia

Mugman – The Cuphead Show!

Ned McDodd – Dr. Seuss’ Horton Hears a Who!

Once-ler – Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax, 💍24.07.2022

Pasunmotdeplus – Astérix aux Jeux Olympiques

Peter Graham – Hereditary

Rhett Abbott – Outer Range

Rigolin – Pil

Robert Floyd – Top Gun: Maverick

Snake – The Bad Guys

Stanley Uris – IT (2017-2019)

Stephen Meeks – Dead Poets Society

Tadashi Hamada – Big Hero 6

Tatsuhiko Shibusawa – Bungō Stray Dogs: Dead Apple ( manga + film )

Thranduil – The Hobbit trilogy

Timon – The Lion King trilogy

Tin man – Legends of Oz / Fantastic Journey to Oz (separately)

Tristain – Pil

Tulio (poly) – The Road to El Dorado

V – V for Vendetta

Victor Van Dort – Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride

Vincenzo Santorini – Atlantis: the Lost Empire

Walter Beckett – Spies In Disguise

💌videogames

Aesop Carl – Identity V

Alexandre + Brandon + Frank + Ji-Yeong + Lee + Soul – Subway Surfers

Akihiko Satou – Ikemen Vampire

Anatoli – Alchemy Stars

Azul Ashengrotto, 💍06.04.2024 + Jade Leech – Twisted Wonderland ( videogame + manga )

Barbatos + Beelzebub + Lucifer – Obey Me! duology

Barton – Alchemy Stars

Charon – Alchemy Stars

Daniel Schwartz – Alchemy Stars

Dire Crowley + Rook Hunt – Twisted Wonderland ( videogame + manga )

Faust – Alchemy Stars

Florine – Alchemy Stars

Gertzurde – Alchemy Stars

Jane – Alchemy Stars

Johann Georg Faust – Ikemen Vampire

Jola – Alchemy Stars

Jomu – Alchemy Stars

Julian Devorak + Lucio Morgasson – The Arcana

Leo – Alchemy Stars

Leyn + Matthieu – Alchemy Stars

Luke – Alchemy Stars

Moon + Sun – Five Nights at Freddy’s: Security Breach

Narrator – The Stanley Parable

Novio – Alchemy Stars

Roy – Alchemy Stars

Sariel Noir – Ikemen Prince

Steel – Speedy Ninja

Sucre + Zacharie – OFF

Trey Clover – Twisted Wonderland ( videogame + manga )

Winston – Royal Match

💌other type of source

Adam – Hellaverse

Adrien Agreste – Miraculous universe

Alastor + Vox – Hellaverse

Asmodeus + Fizzarolli (poly) – Hellaverse

ATEEZ/Black Pirates/HALATEEZ – ATEEZ ( band )

Bane – DC universe

Beetlejuice – Beetlejuice ( musical )

Caine + Jax + Kinger – The Amazing Digital Circus

Doppo Kunikida – Bungō Stray Dogs universe

Edward Nashton – DC universe

Ethan Green – Hatchetfield universe

Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald – Bungō Stray Dogs universe, 💍09.06.2022

Gabriel Adrian (nnic) – Hatchetfield universe

Hank Miller – OC

Henry Hidgens – Hatchetfield universe

Howard Phillips Lovecraft + Nathaniel Hawthorne – Bungō Stray Dogs universe

Johnathon Ohnn / the Spot – Marvel universe

Joker – DC universe

Grell Sutcliff – Kuroshitsuji universe, 💍03.09.2022

Knuckles – Sonic universe

Lucifer – Hellaverse

Luigi – Nintendo universe

Luka Couffaine – Miraculous universe

Marc Anciel + Nathaniel Kurtzberg (poly) – Miraculous universe

Marcus Cubitus – Astérix universe

Mark Connor (nnic) – The Simple Plot of... ( music videos )

Millie + Moxxie Knolastname (poly) – Hellaverse

Motojirō Kajii + Ryūrō Hirotsu – Bungō Stray Dogs universe

Mountain ghoul + Swiss Army ghoul – Ghost ( band )

Nathalie Sancœur – Miraculous universe

Night Owl – Miraculous universe

Ōgai Mori, 💍01.11.2022 + Yukichi Fukuzawa (poly) – Bungō Stray Dogs universe

Patrick Waff + Peter Roghlow (poly) – @scimmy’s OCs

Sparrow – Miraculous universe

Spiderman Noir – Marvel universe

Stolas – Hellaverse

Ted Spankoffski – Hatchetfield universe

Zestial – Hellaverse

[ao3feed-brucewayne]

A War of Ice and Fire

by Anonymous "Let’s stop beating around the bush then, Bruce. Everyone here lived a life before this one in a different time, in a different world. Some of us come from shared worlds, others come from a unique one. No matter which world, however, it was a world where various abilities were showcased. Some of us were originally born as Gods, or in most cases half as ones, others got their abilities from a mutant gene, some got theirs from magic, others come from an entirely different world, and the elephant in the room doesn’t have any abilities at all." Words: 1987, Chapters: 1/?, Language: English Fandoms: Game of Thrones (TV), A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, A Song of Ice and Fire & Related Fandoms, Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan, Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types, DCU (Comics), DC Extended Universe, Batman - All Media Types, Batman (Comics), Wonder Woman - All Media Types, Justice League - All Media Types, Justice League & Justice League Unlimited (Cartoons), Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling Rating: Mature Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death Categories: F/F, F/M, M/M Characters: Percy Jackson, Wanda Maximoff, Diana Prince (Wonder Woman), Mera (DCU), Shayera Hol, Pietro Maximoff, Thor (Marvel), Arthur Curry (DCU), Bruce Wayne, Jean Grey, Scott Summers, Dick Grayson, Tim Drake, Damian Wayne, Cassandra Cain, Jon Snow, Harry Potter, Robert Baratheon, Ned Stark, Cersei Lannister, Jaime Lannister, Petyr Baelish, Robb Stark Relationships: Percy Jackson/Wanda Maximoff, Percy Jackson/Diana Prince (Wonder Woman), Percy Jackson/Mera (DCU), Shayera Hol/Thor (Marvel), Pietro Maximoff/Wanda Maximoff (past), Arthur Curry/Mera (DCU) (Past), Jean Grey/Percy Jackson Additional Tags: Rebirth via https://ift.tt/KTIGyme

[seleeenaaa]

Big February Sweep…

Since we are in February, I don’t think we will get those unique Soap Opera February Sweep, such as Metro Court and Monkey Illness in GH. Since most of the major storylines had finished in January except for the Metro Court Shooter, Dex is working for Michael, Gregory’s illness, Tracy is still the owner of Deception, and Cory is Mac’s child. I don’t count whatever Drew and Carly’s plan against Nina because that needs a whole post on its own; I would have two major events going on at the same time to tie up those storylines and to have new storylines out. 

Half of the cast is at Sonny’s Place on the Island, and the other half is at the hospital. And the way I would break it down is: 

Character:

Sonny’s Place: TJ Ashford, Alexis Davis, Sam McCall, Danny Morgan, Scout Cain, Kristina Corinthos-Davis, Molly Lansing-Davis, Sonny Corinthos, Dante Falconeri, Rocco Falconeri, Carly Spencer, Josslyn Jacks, Michael Corinthos, Willow Tait, Wiley Corinthos, Amelia Corinthos, Donna Corinthos, Ava Jerome,  Avery Jerome-Corinthos, Damian Spinelli, Lois Cerullo, Brook Lynn Quartermaine, Olivia Falconeri, Leo Quarteramine, Laura Collins, Anna Devane, Drew Cain, Dex Heller, John Cate, Blaze, Diane Miller, Brick, Sasha Gilmore, Trina Robinson, Kevin Collins, Harrison Chase

Hospital: Marshall Ashford, Jordan Ashford, Curtis Ashford, Scott Baldwin, Lucy Coe, Valentin Cassadine, Charlotte Cassadine, Elizabeth Webber, Jake Webber, Aiden Webber, Maxie Jones, Felicia Scorpio, Georgie Spinelli, James West, Bailey Jones, Tracy Quartermaine, Ned Quartermaine, Robert Scorpio, Cody Bell, Nina Revees, Gregory Chase, Violet Finn, Hamilton Finn, Portia Robinson, Martin Grey, Cyrus Renault, Stella Henry, Brad Cooper, Selina Wu, Yuri, Amy Driscoll, Terry Randolph, Deanna Sirtis, Felix Dubuis, Monica Quartermaine

Events: 

Island - Michael and Willow want to have a huge first birthday for Amelia, and they decided not to have Nina or anyone related to her there. John and Anna join them as they know who the shooter is, and Dex realizes his secrets are coming out. Another shooting happens.

Hospital - Cyrus and Selina set a bomb during a fundraising at the hospital where everyone else is, and they think Sonny and his family were there. 

Characters that are Kill off: 

Island: Baby Lansing-Ashford, Blaze, Willow, Wiley, Donna, Olivia, Drew, Dex, Brick, Sasha, Molly, Damian

Hospital: Marshall, Lucy, Gregory, Cyrus, Finn, Amy, Bailey

Characters that go off-screen aftermath: 

Island: Michael & Amelia take a small break (I would recast Michael when they come back in six months); Leo goes to live with Grandma Falconeri; John finishes his case; Josslyn goes to visit Jax; Kristina takes a break and goes with Ric for awhile. 

Hospital: Violet goes back to Hayden as Jason knows where she is. Nina decides to visit NYC to check in on her family’s company. Cody goes to find Mac to tell him the truth. 

The ending of the storylines: 

Island: the Metro Court Shooter: Blaze is the older sister of Lila Rae, meaning she is Lozreno’s daughter, and it is their mob family who is behind it. Dex is working for Michael: Everything they did and who knew comes out, and he is actually working for the FBI. All of his backstory was a lie as he is Stone Cate Jr. 

Hospital: Gregory’s illness: He dies protecting Elizabeth’s boys, who have Violet with them. Tracy is still the owner of Deception: She overhears Maxie telling Ned who is injured and what his daughter is trying to do, and Tracy realizes that she watched Maxie grow up and this was her dream. Cody is Mac’s child: Robert, Felicia, and Cody are stuck together, and he tells them. 

Start of Storyline 

Island: Carly and Sonny lose their minds again with Jason returning; they are sent to a Mental Hospital, where we get a break from the characters. Sam asks Alexis to help her run Drew’s company for Scout, and she deals with Danny’s anger with Jason and everything that happens to them. Brooklyn and Chase's wedding is put on hold. TJ started having PTSD from losing his girl and baby. 

Hospital: Jason saves Elizabeth and Monica from Cyrus and tells them he has both memories. Elizabeth’s sons (all three of them) have daddy issues, and Elizabeth realizes she has both issues with her parents. While rebuilding the hospital, Elizabeth discovers that her family owns it. Terry realizes how understaffed the hospital is and starts looking for people. Maxie is asked to take over Crimson as well. 

[aparticularbandit]

Top 5 musicals! And top 5 comic characters!

~

Ask Me My “Top 5″ Anything....

Musicals:

Music Man. Because nostalgia. But specifically the Robert Preston and Shirley Jones version NOT the Matthew Broderick and Kristin Chenoweth version.

Sound of Music. Also because nostalgia.

Cats. Also because of nostalgia but also I love Grizabella so much and I unironically love Memory and also MACAVITY MACAVITY THERE’S NO ONE LIKE MA-CA-VI-TY like look the switch to the triplet there is AMAZING and I will stop rambling now (but also it’s T.S. Eliot put to music.  What’s not to love??  Honestly).

Anyone Can Whistle. Which was Angela Lansbury’s first major role and also it had a very short run because it tried to involve the audience in a way the audience did not want to be involved.  But it deals with politics and.... Like - it’s a dying town.  And water starts miraculously coming out of a rock.  And the mayor thinks that’s good for tourism and drums it up (and then finds out later it’s a fake).  And the head of the mental asylum nearby is like well if we have miracle water, let’s fix all of the people in the asylum and brings them to the water.  And then they disperse into the crowd and a rando guy says that he could tell the difference between everyone and splits the town up into Group A and Group 1 and then refuses to tell them which is which and the first act ends with him turning to the audience and saying You’re all mad like.  It’s such a good musical and the song at the end of the first act is fifteen minutes long, but it’s SO worth it. (You should listen to the Bernadette Peters and Madeline Khan version because they also got Angela Lansbury back to be the Narrator and just.  UGH IT’S SO GOOD.  IT’S ALWAYS A WOMAN?  GREAT song.)

Next to Normal. I mean.  I have discussed my love of N2N.  It is probably my favorite modern musical.  Those top three are all classics and for good reason because they’re GOOD.

Honorable Mention: Sweeney Todd.  Because this was my hyperfixation junior year of high school and like.  Again, nostalgia!

Comic Characters:

I’m gonna assume you mean supers here, so I’m gonna focus on Marvel/DC stuff and not incorporate manga characters.

Jean Grey - specifically when Phoenix. Mostly nostalgia, but I need you to understand that I have been collecting Phoenix stuff since I was a tiny.

Poison Ivy. I said once that when she got a long-running series of her own, I would buy it.  As soon as I found out, I set up a hold and have been getting them since.  I really should catch up; I think I’m two? issues behind?

Viv Vision (and Viv 2.0). A new favorite!  But I love her!  A lot!  So much!  And Champions has been a pretty fantastic series!

Raven. Also nostalgia!  But I like her a lot!  ...and have also been collecting Raven stuff since I was a tiny.  (Also the X-Men/Teen Titans crossover comic that had Raven and Dark Phoenix in it?  :D)

Wanda Maximoff. Maybe?  It’s hard to pick a fifth character here because I’ve got a lot that I like on approximately the same level.  I don’t feel I’m a big enough Wanda fan to put her here (there’s a lot of her older stuff I haven’t read, although I like her most recent series!), and a part of me wants to put Cassandra Cain down instead (despite the fact that I’m pretty sure I’ve read more of Wanda than Cassandra and also it has been a long time since I read Cassandra stuff).  So Wanda’s...a placeholder, I guess?  Like I collect her stuff and Agatha’s stuff!  IDK.