#Theo Boer

[mintawasalreadytaken]

i saw in ur pinned post that ur into horror & am curious if you’ve extended that into fics at all? do you have recommendations?

i recently got SLIGHTLY into drarry + horror-ish vibes in fics and only read a few but i fell in LOVE with “Yours Is The Earth (Hold On, Hold On)” by chickenlivesinpumpkin - and it was like just the right amount of fucked up & just the right amount of like ‘holy shit??? DAMN’ with normal drarry in it.

was wondering if u had any similiar spooky time recs for drarry fics- maybe??

(‘: thank u so much ( ur works are so large they scare me a bit but i’ve bookmarked them for a less coward me in the future )

🦇 SPOOKY DRARRY RECS! 👹

hullo and THANK YOU for this rec! i am dearly thankful to get 100k+ of deliciously dark writing to sink into!

unfortunately, while i know i've read some really great drarry horror, it's lost to my AO3 history instead of bookmarked, so i'll be damned if i could remember or find any of it ☠️ my bad.

instead, i asked some fandom buds for their spooky drarry favs. in no particular order, here they are:

🔪 cruel blade by @wheezykat

Drowning in his grief after the murder of his husband, Draco will do anything to bring him back.

But this is not Harry. This is something else entirely.

🧠 mastermind by @schmem14

Draco Malfoy has been with Hermione Granger, is currently dating Harry Potter, and he's determined to have Ron Weasley at any cost. He has to complete his set of three, after all…

🌊 saltwater stain by @the-starryknight

Seven days stuck on a boat investigating a rogue ghost wouldn't be so bad if Harry didn't want Draco so much. Draco has his rules and Harry's content to follow them, but the air feels different away from the shore. Is it possible that the sea could offer Harry something impossible on land?

📚 i demand a soft epilogue by @the-starryknight

James didn't arrive on the Hogwarts Express, and so Harry hasn't slept in a week. Something has brought him back to the stoop outside a building marked "Library" in gold letters. He's going to go inside. Maybe the Librarian can help.

🩸 in our blood by @secretsalex-blog

Draco is an accomplished pure-blood curse breaker, and Harry is tasked with accompanying him on his latest job—cleaning up the Van Boer mansion, which has been under a devastating fertility curse for seven generations.

🎃 the other cottage by @corvuscrowned If Pansy wasn’t shagging Ginny Weasley, Draco would never have been dragged to Luna’s ridiculous Halloween party in the first place - meaning he wouldn't be sitting in the corner of the room with Harry Potter all night.

But when a strange comet passes overhead, things start to get even weirder than usual.

As the night unfolds, Harry and Draco are forced to grapple with strange realities, reckon with new sides of themselves, and find their way back before the comet finishes crossing the sky.

👻 on the last day by @thusspoketrish

Draco is still mourning the recent loss of his mother when the Wizarding World is struck with the tragic news of Harry Potter’s untimely death. It’s just his luck that Potter not only comes back as a ghost, but seems intent on haunting Draco as he’s the only one that can see him. It’s a race against time to retrace the last few days of Potter’s life in order to find his body before he’s lost to the living or spiritual realm forever. On their journey, they’ll uncover secrets, betrayals, and a horrific truth that will disrupt both the living and the dead.

🏚️ the manor by @kittycargo

There was something wrong with the Manor.

✨bonus points / non-Drarry✨

🐓 tidewracked, sidetracked by @vukovich (Luna/Theo)

A Cursed professor. An attractive Cursebreaker. A hut that grew chicken legs and rampaged around Hogwarts.

☁️ flour & flesh by anon (Pansy/Hermione) The cottage on the hill is shrouded in clouds like a secret. Our secret. In some muggle neighborhood lore, I’m sure we’re the witches inside, granting a glimpse of the future in exchange for a rusted penny. And no one else could find us unless they knew the way.

i'll shamelessly self-rec my whumptober collection and this erotic body horror fic replete with puns for you to sample as well.

do you have a fav spooky drarry fic to share? leave your recs in the comments/links in a reblog!

thx to @prolix- @kittycargo @the-starryknight @fictional @schmem14 @nv-md @citrusses @vukovich & @kittycargo for the recs xo

[afastemsevacas]

sobre duo-eutanásia

"Theo Boer, professor de ética em saúde na Universidade Teológica Protestante, é um dos poucos críticos declarados da eutanásia nos Países Baixos e acredita que os avanços nos cuidados paliativos muitas vezes diminuem a necessidade de sua utilização. "

[ronnydeschepper]

Theo’s Buitelingen (57): Dr.Sigmund & Mr.Zeeman

Soms vallen puzzelstukjes zomaar in elkaar. Zoals Doctor Sigmund met zijn rake cartoon en Nando Boers met zijn boek “Het Plan” elkaar kruisen. Continue reading Untitled

[sexymonstersupercreep]

ginger flavored . 09

__ Alex Mountain __ Ben Donnelly __ Iente Boer __ Theo George __ __ Eddie Eduardo __ Seth Fornea __ James Magnusson __ Ben Bengtsson __ Brandon Connelly __ Alex Dagg __

[welzenis]

In de najaar en wintertentoonstelling werk van Joost Baljeu, Willy Boers, Bram Bogart, Jan Cremer, Jaap Egmond, Geert van Fastenhout, Hans Ittmann, Lucebert, Adolf Luther, Joseph Ongenea, Piet Ouborg, Bernard Frize, Willem Hussem, Pieter de Haard, Bernard Romein, herman de vries, André Volten, Jan Willem van Welzenis, Theo Wolvecamp, Ronald Zuurmond + van vele anderen werk in Stock.

CO | MO is zaterdag- en zondagmiddag geopend van 13.00-1700 uur, Alle andere dagen geopend op afspraak. Wijnstraat 129, Dordrecht. www.como-art.com

[shookspearewrites]

There’s something wrong with Jean, Isaac and Shakespeare ... (A Theory about the Ikevamp Universe)

There are route spoilers below for Isaac, Napoleon, Theo and Jean’s routes so please please scroll away if you don’t want to see that!

As far as I know, this theory is entirely my own and I have not seen any similar theories but, if there are some out there, please let me know and I will credit them!

So, as you may or may not know, my ducklings, I’m a big ol’ history nerd and this has led me to tirelessly researching, trying to pinpoint the exact year that Ikevamp is set in. I’ve narrowed it down to between 1893 and 1898 - I’ve done this by taking every irl character death (Eg, Arthur Conan Doyle died in 1930) and every single historical indicator from within the game (Eg, Theo mentioning that it’s only been a few years since his death + the 2nd Boer War hasn’t happened yet) and putting them on a timeline.

Now, what I’ve noticed within the game a lot is historical inaccuracies, which is totally fine! It’s not meant to be entirely historically accurate otherwise, frankly, it would not be an enjoyable game - For example, irl, some of our boys were quite racist + misogynist (among other things) and Cybird can’t just go shoving in that in a whimsical, light hearted otome game. Also Isaac and Leonardo are both speculated to have been gay so, there’s that.

But aside from that, they do get a lot of the historical details right! Like the use the Napoleon coins which didn’t go out of use until 1914 (Arthur’s route), the boys reading ‘La Petit Parisian’ which didn’t stop publication until 1944 (Napoleon’s route) and Gaugin wandering around alive and well in Paris because he didn’t die until 1903 (Theo’s route). And they seem to get all of the boys’ death dates right ...

Well, some of them. 

Firstly just off the bat, Theo and Vincent didn’t die on the same day irl. They’ve changed it to use as a plot device which I think is fair game but, I just hold a bit of a personal grudge against it as I have tirelessly studied the van Gogh boys for university and I know every little detail about their lives. But we’re not here to talk about them today.

I want to talk about how wrong Cybird seem to have Isaac, Jean and Shakespeare’s death dates.

We’ll start with Shakespeare - The real life Shakespeare died in 1616 which would be fine if it hadn’t been mentioned that William was the suitor who’d been brought back by le Comte first (I can’t remember which route this was in, sorry!)  This would mean that Jean was turned and brought back by le Comte after Will even though he died almost 200 years before Shakespeare did. 

Another problem about Shakespeare is that Isaac in his own route mentioned that he was brought back by Comte before Shakespeare was which makes even less sense, since Isaac died 110 years after Shakespeare did. Also in Napoleon’s route, Isaac says that he’s been in the 19th Century far longer than Jean has been ... 

Which means that Isaac was turned and brought back before Jean who died 295 years before he did + he’s been there longer than Shakespeare but Shakespeare was turned and brought back by le Comte first??

 I’m so baffled and confused, guys.

A very simple explanation for this is as follows: The Ikevamp universe is big and confusing and the writers over at Cybird just got a few things wrong / mixed up and the wires got crossed somewhere along the line.

A little less of a simple explanation for this, and one I kinda buy into is this: le Comte is essentially Dr Who and can travel through different dimensions as well as different times. This would explain all the weird time occurrences that I mention above and also Isaac, Jean and (maybe) Shakespeare’s vampiric abnormalities. 

Example, Jean: Irl Jean was female, very different to in the Ikevamp universe where he is male. He also needs far less Blanc and Rouge to survive than the other lesser vampires. Yes, he starves himself but, it still takes him a few days to get dangerously low on blood intake. The Dr Who theory could explain this; Quite simply, Jean comes from a different dimension in which he was a man, not a woman & in which vampires have evolved to need far less blood to survive.

Similarly with Isaac: He’s an abberant, needing significantly more blood to survive, seemingly even more than even the purebloods. In line with my theory, he could come from a different dimension in which vampires need far more blood to live.

(In these examples, Comte turns them in their own dimensions and because space / time travel is whacky, both Isaac and Jean take on the vampiric traits from their own dimensions and not from the one in which they live with le Comte.)

I can’t explain Shakespeare at all but, I’m sure I’ll come up with something once his route comes out & when I know more about Vlad.

tl;dr - le Comte is Dr Who and some of the boys (if not all of them) come from different dimensions.

Thanks for listening to my rambling, ducklings - and let me know what you think below! - JJ x

[mangolover]

Creature of The Dark part 2 (Theodorus van Gogh x reader)

Find part one here

Title: Creature of The Dark (part 2)

Fandom: Ikemen Vampire / Ikevamp / Ikevam

Pairing: Theodorus van Gogh x gn! reader

Genre: Angst

Warnings: nightmares, not eating properly, mentions of losing job, mentions of being homeless, argument, dark thoughts, mentions of a unhealthy relationship (lack of comunication), depression(?), swearing, mentions of harassment (posibbility of if reader sleeps outside), mentions of alcohol

Spoilers: Theo’s route

Word Count: 2000+

Description: He broke yet another promise and you cut ties with the whole mansion, trying to live on your own in city. Losing your job and getting kicked out, you didn’t know where else to go but to the art gallery.

Part 2: Going to the gallery was a bad idea and you become aware of that after the same mistakes got repeated and sparked an argument. Now you are sitting on a bench in the park, feeling hopeless until a faimilliar figure comes to your aid.

This has some first person perspective, but it’s mostly 2nd perspective.

Dark thoughts are going to be present throughout whole series, so proceed with caution.

Only argument is explored a bit deeper, everything else is pretty much just mentioned, but if anything is triggering to you, please skip this one.

Also, when somthing is writen like this ('example'), it's from the suitor's point of view or their thoughts, not reader's.

I am making this in multiple parts, temptation won this time.

Enjoy!

Nightmare flooded your sleep and woke you up with a start. Your heavy breaths could be clearly heard in the silence of the upstairs room in the art gallery where you were currently resting on a couch. You looked around slowly while trying to calm down your breathing, but the memories and promises returned.

That is until your eyes fell upon the painting that Vincent made of you and Theo all those months ago. Two figures walking towards their bright future. But the more you look at it, the less you can see the second figure, instead realizing it’s just a shadow casted by the sunlight.

‘No. Your mind is playing tricks on you, stop it. This is a painting of a happy time when Theo made a promise. A promise he couldn’t keep.’

“Ah, you’re awake Y/n” quickly turning your head around in the direction of the voice, you saw Theo holding a tray with a mug and a plate. “I assumed you would be hungry so I fetched you some breakfast.”

Pancakes with just enough syrup and coffee, both just like you like it, were placed on a table to your right and you looked down. “Thank you” was all you could mutter out.

“You should eat before it gets cold.”

“I-I should go now but thank you for letting me sleep here. I promise I will repay you” your search for your shoes and jacket in rush to get out was blocked by Theo’s stern voice.

“Eat Hondje. You look like you’ll faint any second now. When was the last time you ate?” his blue gems demanded an answer and yet all you could do was avoid them while picking up the tray and putting it on your lap.

You ate the breakfast in silence while Theo just stared at you from a nearby chair. The silence was something you were used to, after all you were isolated for months. But this one felt heavy, to both of you. It was sad to say the least, you both went through so much together and yet neither could find the words to shout to other, both of you standing on islands with a burnt bridge in between.

‘Should I ask him to stay here? Or how everyone is doing? How’s the work going? Or maybe I should just keep quiet and wait for Theo to speak.’

Theo cleared his throat before speaking, prompting you to finally meet his gaze, “we should, err… talk about some things…” the word ‘talk’ sounded so heavy rolling off his tongue that you had to swallow the sudden lump in your throat.

“I-“ you wanted to apologize. For leaving and making him worry when you didn’t show up for months ‘if he even was worried’. For crashing into his life unexpectedly when you needed something from him. For not even trying to work out the problems that appeared in your relationship. But you couldn’t. The words didn’t want to be spoken by you. Instead, you opted to asking about your leave. “When does the door open again?” your voice was small and quiet, fitting the silence perfectly, yet you didn’t dare glance at vampire in front of you.

“I could ask Comte if you want to know?” his tone became colder, you both know this is not what he meant when he said that you need to talk. But is there anything to really talk about anymore? You just expressed that you wish to leave as soon as possible and never return.

‘Come on Y/n! Get your shit together and talk with him. Stop acting like a stranger!’

You placed down the tray after you emptied the plate and the mug and finally sat down properly, you made up your mind.

You opened your mouth, but Theo cut you off before any sound came out. “Where were you this past, what 4 months? Some residents tried to look for you, even Comte, but no one could find you. You made them worry.” (‘You made me worry when I couldn’t find you…’)

“I found a job at a café and a small place to stay on the outskirts of town. I’m not surprised you couldn’t find me; I never saw any of you guys while being out in the town either.” The conversation was running along far more smoothly than either of you feared it would. There was even a small smile on your face as you remembered your independent days. However, the bliss was cut short by Theo’s next question.

“Why are you here?” the words were not coated in venom like some may believe nor were they spat out. They were filled with confusion and you found yourself staring at the wooden floor once again, ‘how pathetic, huh?’

After a pause filled with unbearable silence, you decided to just come out clean. ‘I have nothing left to lose anymore, do I?’ You took a deep breath, “I lost my job two days ago and got evicted yesterday. I didn’t know where else to go, you were my one and last option. I’m sorry if I caused any inconvenience, I’ll see myself out of your life as soon as possible.”

“Hondje, you” he let out a sigh and reached out his hand, before quickly pulling it back, “you didn’t cause my any inconvenience. If anything, we are finally talking.”

“That’s something we were never good at” you let out a humorless laugh and shook your head a bit.

Theo suppressed a laugh with a smile, “yeah, I guess that was our biggest problem.”

And like that silence fell over you two again, soon fading from a comfortable one like an embrace of a mother, to a cold one like a winter breeze that was blowing outside.

“Why?” your question broke the silence and took both you and Theo by surprise. ‘What are you saying?’ But as you looked Theo in the eyes, you felt tears well up in yours, your lower lip trembling. “Why did you have to break my trust Theo? Why did you never rely on me? Why was I always just your useless shadow!?” your voice became increasingly louder with every question, every word painted in all the colors of confusion and hurt. Maybe you hoped Theo would feel guilty, and maybe he did, but he was always so damn good at hiding his emotions, always wearing a blank canvas as an expression.

“Why did you never trust me?” this time you looked at him with wide eyes as he slowly got up, his voice raising in volume. “Why did you always suspect me for anything and everything when you haven’t even asked me what’s wrong? Why did you expect of me to turn a whole new page when you knew damn well Hondje that I needed some time, but that I am trying?!” He was yelling at you now and before you knew it, you stood up as well, getting in his face and raising your voice to match his.

“Oh, were you trying? Because to me it never seemed like that Theodorus! You always neglected me for your work, and when I would ask you, you just brushed me off!” The raw emotion in your voice caused Theo to suck in a sharp breath. For the first time, he may finally see just what he did to you. “You promised! You promised me you wouldn’t do things on your own anymore! You promised Theo! I was with you through everything and you never had one ounce of trust in me!”

You were screaming at him now and his expression hardened, tears drowning your vision. The argument would continue if the familiar blonde man didn’t rush up the stairs and called out to his brother.

“Theo!” his voice was raised just slightly so he could snap you both out of your trance and you finally saw the angel of the mansion, after so long. Vincent van Gogh was standing in front of you, a panicked and worried look on his face, he seemed almost uncomfortable and you couldn’t blame him. “I heard you two screaming downstairs so I wanted to make sure everything is alright.”

He didn’t even acknowledge you, for better or for worse. Guilt washed over you when you realized what you and Theo just did. You didn’t talk once again. You repeated your mistakes. You communicated poorly and got defensive over everything, throwing it all away instead of working it out.

“Sorry boer. My temper got out of hand.”

“Sorry Vincent” you apologized, but before any of them had a chance to say anything, you quickly snatched your belongings before excusing yourself. “Thank you both for letting me stay here once again, I’m sorry for causing you trouble. Goodbye!” Vincent called out after you, but you bolted down the stairs and out of the gallery. You couldn’t stand being there anymore. Memories were like fresh wounds and your lungs were burning from the familiar scent.

Blending into the crowd, you started walking aimlessly. ‘You are out options. And out of money. If it weren’t for Theo, you would’ve starved and froze to death. But maybe that would’ve been a good thing. You wouldn’t be forced to relive all those painful memories you longed to forget. I wouldn’t be forced to struggle for one more day.’

Maybe your old friends really did look for you. And maybe they now know you are alright. But can you really expect them to welcome you back again? Even if it is for a really short period of time?

‘Hopeless. You were feeling hopeless. You are hopeless.’

But can you do anything about it? ‘No. No I can’t.’

Tears started sliding down your cheeks again and you welcomed them this time. They were with you always these past few days when you hit even lower point in your life. If you had some money, you could’ve at least drowned your monsters in a drink. But that wasn’t an option either anymore.

Dejected, you sat at a bench in a nearby park and pulled your jacket closer around your form. This bench will have to do for tonight. You look too miserable to go and look for a job. And all you want to do is just lay down and sleep forever. But you can’t even do that. You need to wait for night to fall so people wouldn’t stare and even harass you. 19th century France was no easy place to live, you’ve been warned about that when you first came here.

You put your head in your hands as you let out a long sigh and replayed that bitter scene in your head. ‘Did I really never show trust in Theo? Have I really been the problem from the start but actively chose to ignore it?’

Starting to replay all the time spent with Theo, you did ask a lot of him. But you were there with him for every step of the way he let you. He’s a secretive person and he always cared for your safety. Even now. But he did mess up. ‘Both of us did…’

He pushed you away and kept you at arm’s length probably to keep you safe from the threats of L’Académie. But in the process, he hurt you. He tried so hard for you to be worthy of you. This was all just a bad misunderstanding. But until you both learn how to talk; everything will only lead to misunderstandings.

You sighed as you wiped the tears from your face with the back of your hands, looking up, you saw sun starting to slowly set. It was truly a beautiful sight and you wish you were gifted by God to be able to paint just like Vincent so you could enjoy the scenery forever. Crossing your arms over your chest, you mentally prepared for what’s coming while sleeping outside, until you heard someone clear his throat next to you.

Turning your head around in surprise, your fight or flight response kicking in before you saw a familiar figure with a small, warm smile on his lips.

[dweemeister]

The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp (1943)

In these days of social isolation, domestic distractions, and pandemic, rare is the feature film that I watch at home in one sitting. Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger’s The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp might have confused me in its opening half-hour but, in the end, commanded my attention for all of its one hundred and sixty-three minutes*. It is a film made during a time of crisis now fading from living memory, from British filmmakers reveling in their work’s Britishness. During Colonel Blimp’s wartime production and release, Britain was under existential threat from the Nazis, despite the opening of the North African front and apparent British victory in defending its airspace. A gentleman's war this was not, if ever such a thing existed. British cinema reflected those beliefs of the nation staring down its own annihilation, as the industry set to work on patriotic, if not propagandistic, movies.

There is no denying that Powell and Pressburger’s The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp has elements of propaganda. The film, so resistant to any categorizations by genre (including comedy, drama, epic, romance, war), has no qualms that Britain is fighting a just war against Nazi Germany. But there are moments that must have given British Prime Minister Winston Churchill – who attempted to halt Colonel Blimp’s production and distribution – pause. Powell and Pressburger raise questions towards the justifications and necessity of past British wars, the idea of warfare as a noble exercise, and introduces a “good German” character. Colonel Blimp’s genre-bending and provocative queries into Britain’s militant soul represents the most breathtaking balancing act in any of Powell and Pressburger’s movies.

The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp takes place over three time periods, each in a different setting:

Boer War (the common name for what is technically the Second Boer War): 1902 in Berlin, far from the violence in southern Africa

World War I and between the World Wars: from November 1918-1935 between the Western Front and postbellum Britain

World War II: from 1939 through the Battle of Britain (1940), mostly in the London area

The film begins near its chronological conclusion, when the rotund, mustachioed, Major-General Clive Wynne-Candy (Roger Livesey; whose role is modeled off of the “Colonel Blimp” comic strip character’s appearance and mannerisms) is surprised to be “captured” by Lieutenant Spud Wilson (James McKechnie) during a premature training exercise. Candy, who is trying to enjoy his afternoon at his favorite Turkish bath, is outraged at Wilson’s disregard to the exercise’s rules, and fisticuffs break out. From here, Colonel Blimp flashes back to Candy’s service in the Boer War and sticks to a strict chronology. Then-Lt. Candy is in Berlin, on leave from his service in the Boer War. There, he has a series of misadventures (and a love triangle) involving Edith Hunter (Deborah Kerr in one of three separate roles she plays) and an officer from the Imperial German Army named Theo Krestchmar-Schuldorff (Anton Walbrook). All three become friends while in Berlin; Theo and Edith become engaged shortly before Candy must leave Berlin.

We never see Edith (who stays in Germany with Theo) again in Colonel Blimp, but Theo – even though his time with Candy was relatively brief – remains friends with Candy. That friendship, however, conflicts against and interweaves into his German patriotism. Theo’s patriotism is not unconditional: he believes fervently in the aims of Imperial Germany in World War I’s immediate aftermath, but flees Hitler’s Nazi regime for soil his wife once called home. Taking account of all English-language cinema, he becomes a rare “good German”. In a person that a xenophobic British person might consider the enemy, we see a man heartbroken for the fate that befalls his native country and the violence waged against his adopted one.

Take the cruelly ironic scene of Theo visiting Candy after being released from a prisoner of war (POW) camp, as he ingratiates himself with Candy’s British dinner guests. Candy’s friends remark that British hospitality and organization must have eased the lives of the POWs, and the insinuate that British-German tensions shall soon wane. Germany will soon recover from the war, the dinner guests maintain. Notice Anton Walbrook’s physical acting here, acting as a man too polite to belabor his fellow guests with his sadness for his country and the anger of their presumptuous predictions. The Austrian actor, perhaps best known as Boris Lermontov from The Red Shoes (1948), provides a stupendous performance, most likely the widest-ranging one of his career. He inhabits his character’s contradictions of all three eras: the martial rigidity and playfulness of his Boer War-era youth, the defiance and disappointment following the Great War, and the sadness and pent-up fury of his elderly years. This is quite demanding for any actor, let alone someone who is nominally in a supporting role. Yet, a particular interview scene might represent the best piece of acting in any Powell and Pressburger picture. Walbrook performs spectacularly, with never a wasted motion or a dull moment from him.

Personal change comes much more slowly to Lieutenant-later-General Candy. This is as much for the purposes of the film’s chronological drama as it is a product of World War II-era remembrance. At this time in British filmmaking, one could not make narrative art deemed too critical of Britain’s bloody past – whether colonial or against its European rivals. For a film that engages so vigorously in a discourse concerning jus in bello, it portrays zero wartime violence. Meditations of war arrive solely in conversation, never action. In Candy’s indefatigable Britishness, The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp affirms his views that the Boer War and World War I were and are just conflicts, fought justly. He does not thirst for violence, nor does he dismiss the traumas war brings to combatants and civilians alike (he may downplay those traumas, though). Candy’s flawed introspection and stubbornness are endearing, at first. As time progresses, those qualities come ever into conflict with the changing nature of warfare and the contexts of the war currently waged. Britain is and will always be above committing war atrocities, Candy believes (you can roll your eyes; it is the least you should do after reading those last few words), and Nazi Germany’s tactics will never succeed in the face of Britain’s upstanding military. Such thinking was outdated even then, and only through his friendship with Theo does he consider how wrong he is.

Roger Livesey might not have been Powell and Pressburger’s first choice as Candy (that would be Laurence Olivier, who probably would have made Candy a more sophisticated character), but he embodies a contradictory gruffness and gentleness that weaves between military and civilian life. Those qualities are on full display when Livesey captures the attention of Deborah Kerr’s characters. In addition to Walbrook’s turn as Theo, Livesey and Kerr offer wonderful performances that cement the film’s Britishness. Through the three eras covered in The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp, Candy’s relationship with these women evolves as he ages, as the nature of the Britain’s conflicts make romance unwise. Kerr’s three characters might have different life interests, romantic inclinations, and temperaments, but their similar appearances – no coincidence, as the viewer later learns – anchor Candy to a perpetual past.

The striking Technicolor photography from Georges Périnal (1930’s Under the Roofs of Paris, 1948’s The Fallen Idol) with assistance from Jack Cardiff (1947’s Black Narcissus, 1951’s The African Queen) and production design from Alfred Junge (Black Narcissus, 1953’s Knights of the Round Table) makes The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp one of the most arresting Technicolor productions ever. The vibrancy of the colors leap from the screen – even the gray interiors of modern buildings and the browns of the World War I trenches and wooden panels of Candy’s estate. One crane shot of Candy and Theo during their first encounter – a swordsmen’s duel inside a cavernous hall, away from the freezing storm outdoors – and the fade into the shot of a building model gives the film the feel of an oral history where the most dynamic moments can never be truly captured. Those moments of action blur into Candy’s memory, as tangible now as the buildings inside a snow globe. The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp might not have the dedication to visual leitmotif as The Red Shoes does, but its visual interest outstrips all but the most masterful Technicolor pictures of the 1940s.

British Prime Minister Winston Churchill was cognizant of the buffoonish Colonel Blimp and, in addition to Lieutenant-later-General Candy, believed the characters were modeled after his appearance and behavior. Furthermore, considering how Powell and Pressburger imbued Theo with such humanity, Churchill – who had only read of the filmmakers’ preliminary plans for their film and never saw any footage – believed that The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp would only undermine morale for the war effort. In response, Churchill directed his Minister of War, Sam James Grigg, to suppress the picture to the extent that he could. Grigg denied Powell and Pressburger access to matériel, but the filmmakers had friends in the correct places to procure military uniforms, vehicles, and weapons necessary for their production. Despite Powell and Pressburger’s resourcefulness, Churchill succeeded in preventing the international distribution The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp for at least one year after its 1943 release. The film’s American debut would not occur until March 1945. For the American release, the film lost thirteen minutes of its 163-minute runtime; television screenings further reduced the work to ninety minutes up until the mid-1980s.

The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp might not seem like accessible viewing. This is a tale of an aging British military officer clinging to the ideals of his militaristic youth, long after when such ideals had purpose, let alone meaning to the young people of his present. It is rooted deeply into early twentieth century British culture, with an opening that might only serve to confuse a new viewer as it transitions to flashbacks. However, like any Powell and Pressburger film (and this might not even be the duo’s best work), there is much to offer. This is a love story, with love shown in various forms: for the first true love of Candy’s life, for the man who should be his enemy, for country. The genre gymnastics on display – a war film with nary any war violence; a romance without torrents of romance; a comedy without boisterous belly laughs – allow any caring viewer to witness General Candy grow into his times, all while retaining traces of a self that no longer is. That growth is subtle, but enveloping. His story feels like the origins of present-day Britain, its empire slipping away, wresting with a world no longer bowing in deference. As we must guard against the unexamined life, so too, Candy realizes, must he.

My rating: 10/10

^ Based on my personal imdb rating. The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp is the one hundred and sixty-fifth feature-length or short film I have rated a ten on imdb. My interpretation of that ratings system can be found in the “Ratings system” page on my blog (as of July 1, 2020, tumblr is not permitting certain posts with links to appear on tag pages, so I cannot provide the URL).

*The longest film I have seen in one interrupted sitting at home was Lawrence of Arabia (1962), in all its 227-minute glory.

For more of my reviews tagged “My Movie Odyssey”, check out the tag of the same name on my blog.

[nitrateglow]

My god-tier 1940s movies

So for some reason, my god-tier Audrey Hepburn movies list got tons of notes, and it was also fun to make, so I’ve made another favorites list. Now, I’m going to cover my favorite movies from the 1940s. I doubt this will get as many notes, but hell, I’m not in this for the notes. I’m in this because I’m bored.

Pinocchio

The more I meditate on this movie, the weirder it is. It’s extremely dark for a Disney movie (child threatened with an ax, child threatened with human trafficking, child actually killed by demonic whale, etc.), just drenched in dread and horror. None of the villains are apprehended, the parental figures are mostly useless, and the world, while beautiful, is presented as dangerous. And yet it is a fun, life-affirming tale about what it means to be human. I adore it.

The Red Shoes

My reaction to this movie is something I have a hard time putting into words. As a creative person, I feel this movie deep down into my very soul. It’s a sensuous movie with a plot beholden to myth and fairy tale that elevates art as something worth dedicating all energies and life to. On the surface, it seems like a standard “woman has to choose between marriage and career” plot, but I feel it’s about something far richer than that, something almost spiritual, the way art and life feed off one another, meeting and mingling to create beauty and meaning. And when you try to segregate art from life and vice versa, as the two men in Vicky’s life try to force her to do, both suffer.

Beauty and the Beast

I love the Disney version, but Cocteau’s BATB adaptation remains my favorite. It captures the feel of a fairy tale very well, the indistinct sense of time, the potent sense of enchantment. The romance in this movie is not what you would expect: it’s weird and Beauty’s feelings are ambiguous, but that makes the movie more thought-provoking. And all the CG in the world cannot replicate the tactile, expressive makeup of Jean Marais’ Beast.

Fantasia

The ambition of this movie still strikes me. Imagine the chutzpah it took to basically make an animated music video for the infamous “Rite of Spring” with realistic (for the time) depictions of dinosaurs. Its a mingling of high culture and mainstream appeal that purists might scoff at, but I find it risky and interesting, even if I don’t think every sequence fires on all cylinders. Disney has never attempted anything this adult since (no, not even with the sequel, which is way lighter and more kid-friendly).

The Heiress

Olivia de Havilland and William Wyler are the real stars of this movie. Henry James’ brutal drama is told with elegance and passion without ever descending into histrionic nonsense. There are people who think Old Hollywood movies eschewed psychological realism in these kinds of pretty period pieces-- The Heiress proves them very, very wrong. I’ve seen the movie almost ten times and I still glean new insights about these characters every time I revisit it.

To Be or Not to Be

So freaking funny. A perfect blend of comedy and suspense. I love all the characters, especially the motley acting crew. And I’m also shocked with just how much naughty material this movie gets away with-- it feels borderline pre-code! It also features the last and finest Carole Lombard performance.

The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp

The classic Powell and Pressburger movies are like nothing else in cinema. They’re gorgeously shot and feature some of the most memorable, achingly human characters ever, and that is no less true here. This movie is in every sense an epic, covering the life of a British soldier, Col. Candy, from the time of the Boer War at the turn of the century to WWII. However, unlike most epics dealing with war, we never see any heroic feats or much of what Candy is like in the line of duty. Rather, the film focuses on the episodes between these, with Candy chasing after his feminine ideal, trying to stick to his old-fashioned ideals as the harsher realities of the 20th century develop, or struggling to keep close to his German friend Theo as the conflict between their nations threatens to tear their friendship apart. Absolutely worth the three hours to watch it.

Cat People

As the 1980s remake proved, all the explicit sex and violence in the world can actually destroy what mystique the great classic films had. Cat People thrives off its ambiguity, its mystery-- and despite there being no explicit mentions of sexuality, eros pervades this movie. What could have easily been B-movie schlock turns out to have been one of the great psychological thrillers of the classic era, sadistic, disturbing, and sad. Irena is every bit as sympathetic a movie “monster” as Karloff’s Frankenstein, her performance every bit as poignant.

Casablanca

A cliche choice for a reason. I love the ambiguity of the lead characters, the smoky atmosphere, and the melancholy romance. Also Claude Rains is the best part.

Ball of Fire

Screwball comedies aren’t really my thing, but I adore this one, a sassy retelling of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Barbara Stanwyck and Gary Cooper are both hilarious.

[ikevamp-shrine]

“Oh I’m looking at her alright.”

Summary: Theo doesn’t appreciate the fact someone had tried to make a move on what is his so joining his older brother in the sheets, Theo and Vincent teach their lover a lesson she’ll want to forget.

Pairing: Theo x Fem! MC x Vincent

Count: 950

Rating: Somewhat NSFW (but not really)

Warnings: One bad word (oops)

3.17.20

                                                              ~*~

“Hondje,” Theo growled slamming open the door to her room. Jumping at the loud bang and angry stomps of heavy boots, MC locked eyes with Theo drinking in each ounce of frustration seeping out of his pores. 

“Theo? What’s the matter?” MC’s concerned voice drifted from her lips and brush past Theo’ s ears, who was increasingly coming closer to the window ceil MC stood in front of.

“You and Arthur is the matter.” 

MC gasped as Theo pushed her roughly against the wall, and grasped her wrist, pinning them high above her head, and took to nipping her at slender neck.

“What? Are you… ah... upset about this morning?” MC whispered, struggling to form a complete sentence. Several hours before Arthur, being his usual hoe self, tried to what some would call... shoot his shot... with MC. MC had practically told him that she wasn’t interested in contracting an STD, but why Theo was so flustered over that she had no idea. It wasn’t like they had let any of the residents in on the secret between Theo, Vincent, and herself so how would Arthur know to not flirt with MC?

“Of course I’m fucking upset you're mine, not his, and I do not appreciate others putting their grimy hands on what is mine.”

Sliding one hand down the curve of MC’s arm, Theo wrapped his long digits around her neck giving a light squeeze causing a moan to slip out of her plump lips.

“Oh, my, is poor, little Theo jealous,” MC stared into Theo’s eyes, a mischief filled smirk gracing her features, “and what exactly is this jealous Theo going to do about it?”

Theo paused at the rush of pressure in his manhood and the heat in his lover’s eyes. Breaking out of his trace Theo growled, picking up MC forcing her squeal to bounce off the walls, and threw her over his shoulder while walking out of her room and into the hallway towards what MC could only assume was Vincent’s room. 

“Was last night’s lesson on back talk not thorough enough to get through that thick skull of yours, or are you just that dim-witted?” Mumbled Theo as the couple closed in on his beloved brother’s bedroom door. Knocking on the wood Theo called out, “Boer.” 

A few seconds later Vincent peeked around the opened door. His bright, calming smile lighting up the air around him at the scene before him. Vincent stepped to the side while opening the door wider for Theo to trek his way in, already knowing just how trio’s night will play out.

“Vincent you’re brother is bullying me again,” MC pouted, resting an elbow on Theo’s broad back and laying her chin in her flattened palm. At her comment Theo threw MC onto the king sized bed Vincent had requested from M. Le. Comte seeing as one couch was in no way, shape, or form large enough to allow the trio to complete their late night endeavors.

Vincent chuckled at the girl glaring at his brother who was currently taking off his jacket and said, “now, now Theo, what have a told you about being rough with girls?” 

“I think our little hondje enjoys my roughness,” scoffed Theo taking off his boots and walked over to Vincent to assist him in removing his many layers. Taking Vincent’s golden scarf in his calloused hands, Theo crawled onto the bed and pushed MC down, once more raising her hands above her head, and wrapped the fabric around her wrist, tying them to the bed posts, and restricting her movements. Slowly unbuttoning MC’s blouse and sliding the thin material up her arms to rest below the restraints, Theo’s hand grazed her goose-bump-rising skin every once in a while, teasing her. 

Vincent crawled onto the bed like his brother, a bright red candle with the wick still lit in his hands. 

The next few seconds felt like milliseconds to MC as Theo moved with vampiric speed to flip her over, push her ass high in the air, rip her skirt in half, and attack her already slick folds with determination to leave her a quivering mess, all while moaning at the aphrodisiac like taste of her arousal coating his tongue and lips. His eyes rolling to the back of his head.

Vincent saw this as an opening and took it. Gently brushing her long, curled hair from her flexing back, a result from his brother’s vigorous menstruations, Vincent kissed MC’s shoulder softly, so softly to prepare her for the next few hours. Raising the candle above his lover’s back Vincent tilted it ever so slightly to allow one drop of the hot wax the drip, seemingly in slow motion, through the air and onto her smooth skin. Her spine arching wonderfully at the heat. Vincent tried to engrave the erotic moment before him in his mind to paint later. 

The next few minutes consisted of hot wax tracing her skin and sloppy, lapping sounds until Theo suddenly rose from his kneeled position to slap his wide palm against the rounded curve of MC’s bottom, her moan shifting through the chilly night air. 

MC panted and mewled from the want, the need, coursing through her body for more. Her thighs shaking and now red bottom circling in the air. 

“Theo, Vincent... please... I need... ah.”

Vincent glaced at Theo and smirked at the triumphant grin on his younger brother’s face and questioned, “Theo, look at her, she begging us. Shouldn’t we give her just a little mercy?”

“Oh I’m looking at her alright,” Theo spanked MC once more causing her body to bounce forward and growled, “would you like to do the honor Boer?”

                                                              ~*~

There could be a part 2 if wanted.