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joe-spookyy · 3 months

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asks you about american werewolf in london

hoooly shit it’s finally happened. someone asked me The question. thanks anon.

i am now going to try and sell you all on this movie cause i can’t recommend it enough and i think everyone should watch it. so: let me tell you a thing or two about hit 1981 horror comedy an american werewolf in london!!! and this is off the top of my head so if any of it is slightly off numbers wise im sorry. if you like 80s horror, men, queercoding, re-animator, the thing, jaws, saw, the lost boys, or just werewolves in general. hear me out on this one. link included to watch.

The Premise:

fresh off the heels of his cocaine fueled jazz musical masterpiece The Blues Brothers (1980), director john landis decided he was going to cook up the greatest film ever made. and he did. he was actually gonna have john belushi (jake blues) and dan akyroyd (elwood blues and yes the ghostbuster) play the two main characters, david kessler and jack goodman. now, who are these fellas? well i’m so glad you asked. david (played by david naughton) and jack (played by griffin dunne) are two dear pals from new york on a cute little backpacking trip across europe. david's the tall one. he's silly and gleeful to be out and about. jack is the short one. he's very much not gleeful about the fact that they're on the rainy moors and wishes they were in rome. together they find their way to a cute little pub and go inside, looking for hot drinks. the locals do not love this. they also do not love when jack asks them why there's a five pointed star on the wall (since lon chaney and universal studios assert that that's the mark of the wolfman!) it gets awkward. so they leave, with nothing but the warning to stay off the moors, stick to the roads, and beware of the moon. obviously, they do not follow this. wouldn't make for a very interesting movie if they did. and, as i'm sure you've assumed, they encounter a werewolf, leaving jack like this (dead):

and david, who survived the attack, with the curse of the werewolf. but fear not! david is transported to a hospital where he makes a lovely recovery, and jack um. well he stays dead. but he comes back to haunt david! he shows up a few more times in further states of decay to tell david that he really ought to just kill himself so that the curse is broken, jack and all the other werewolf victims can rest in peace, and david won't accidentally maul any additional civilians as a werewolf. hey while we're talking about jack heres me when i dressed up as him at a horror con. and the man himself.

anyways. hijinks ensue, and you're taken on a delightful romp across 97 minutes of fun as david tries to navigate life as... you guessed it. AN AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN LONDON!

why it rules:

in my opinion, that's enough to make this movie flames as fuck. but if you're not convinced yet? let me tell you some more. first off. the practical effects on this bad boy are straight up excellent. they're done by my personal favorite vfx artist rick baker (who also worked on star wars, men in black, videodrome, king kong and more!), and he does not hold back. the picture of jack shows how nasty and detailed the wound is pretty well, but in action it's even better with all the nasty fleshy bits dangling and wiggling and eugh. it's gross. but it's so well done. and he does a terrific job showing how jack decays throughout the rest of the movie. but of course, what really matters is the werewolf. it's not called an american dead guy in london. which is good. cause that would be a dumb name for a movie. anyways. if we’re going to talk about the werewolf, we have to start with the iconic transformation scene. sped up.

wow! pretty impressive stuff right? it’s all practical, no cgi, and i think the way it’s almost drawn out and the relative silence of the scene adds to the impact it has, since it sort of forces the audience to sit with and feel just a little bit of the discomfort that david seems to be feeling. we just have to watch him scream in pain and beg for mercy. yeesh. now, the transformation scene is hard to top. but i think the final werewolf design is actually pretty solid. it’s distinctly not man, but it’s also distinctly not wolf. i would include a picture, but i feel like part of the allure of the film is how it (jaws style) doesn’t really let you get a good look at the monster itself until the end of the movie. it’s a great way to build the tension and leave a little bit up to the audience’s interpretation. and the audience will always imagine something way more horrible than you could have ever created. which is kind of beautiful. the first time i watched, i found myself kind of disappointed in the werewolf’s appearance - its face seemed to be stuck in a sort of permanent scowl. i was kind of lost, because i couldn’t imagine why a static face had won out over whatever the vfx team was clearly capable of making. but Oh. dear reader. when nurse alex price, david’s dear love, who cared for him in the hospital, allowed him to live with her, and even banged him, approaches the wolf. when she tells david she loves him. the wolf’s eyes soften. it begins to drop the snarl. see. i lied here’s part of the wolf. all snarly like and scary. before it melts at three simple words from alex. god.

it hits me like a huge truck every single time. rick baker never misses and this movie was certainly not an exception. he got an academy award for it and it was well deserved.

not so into the technical stuff? that’s okay. i have more to praise about this movie. it is one of the best blends of horror and comedy that i’ve ever encountered. although some of it looks a little dated, i do think it maintains its fear factor. it’s plenty gory, and in my humble opinion, the subway scene (you’ll know it when you see it) is one of the most effective bits of horror i’ve ever encountered. even when isolated from the film, it still packs a punch. but i’m not gonna put it here because i want you to just watch it with the rest of the movie. sorry. and on top of the horror, it’s honestly hilarious. if you don’t think seven dead people ganging up on one dude and listing ways he should kill himself in the middle of a porn theater while a porno plays very loudly in the background. well. i don’t know what to tell you. you probably won’t like this movie that much. also, the final needle drop over the credits at the end is so abrupt and so funny. love it.

and of course, being an 80s horror movie with two male leads. i’m sure you can guess what i’m going to say. it is not hard to read jack and david as friends, but it’s also not very difficult to read them as having a little something going on. like love. fellas is it gay to go on a little trip across england with just yoh and your best bro? hard to say. textually, i do think it’s kind of telling that every time jack shows up, it’s either right after or while david is having a heterosexual experience (flirting with alex, banging alex, watching straight porn in the porn theater.) it’s almost like… something other than jack… is haunting david. i dunno. i’m not a cop. but it’s interesting. seems like something the average tumblr user might like to keep an eye on, so i’m letting you know. also they have a conversation while david is completely naked which is like. hello. plus the inherent queerness of the werewolf narrative is something i could talk about for HOURS and was especially prevalent, alongside vampire movies. in the 80s during the aids crisis.

also, there’s a classic john landis third act car crash scene, where, in the same vein as the blues brothers, an obscene amount of cars are absolutely demolished.

also also, the muppets make a brief appearance in this movie. this made me jump for joy, because i love the muppets. and you should too.

fun and true facts

still not sold? well, check out this last ditch effort in the form of fun facts. or, if you just want to know more, read on.

micheal jackson was so impressed by the effects in this movie, particularly the transformation scene, that after seeing it, he promptly hired rock baker (vfx guy) and john landis (director guy) to work on the music video for his hit song thriller. you’ve probably seen it, but if not, go watch it. tbh, even if you have seen it before, go watch it again.

david naughton was a doctor pepper spokesman before the filming of this movie. he was in at least a few bits of promotional material, including at least one commercial. unfortunately he lost the job because of the amount of time he spent dick out in this movie. doctor pepper did not want that to be the representation of their brand. cowards, the lot of them.

speaking of his dick, you actually never fully see it at any point in the movie despite the fact that it seems they never felt like telling david to wear pants on set. there is a reason for this! david (character) is jewish and canonically circumcised (dunno how else to put it) and david (actor) is neither of these things. so, to avoid ruining the realism in his. werewolf movie. john landis took great care to never show the whole thing.

the american ambassador who visits david in the hospital is played by frank oz, who also voices miss piggy. because of her brief cameo, he technically plays two different roles in this movie, although miss piggy is simply credited as “Herself” in the end credits of the movie. he also voices yoda which isn’t relevant but it is really funny to me.

see you next wednesday, which is the name of the porno in the movie, is actually a fun john landis easter egg! many of his movies include the phrase “see you next wednesday.” it’s also seen on posters in the subway scene.

in the scene where jack first visits david in the hospital, he was supposed to take a bite of david’s toast, after which it would immediately fall out of his ruined and torn to shreds throat. however, it was cut for being too gross. which is sad i feel like it could have been funny.

when david calls home to talk to his parents, he mentions two siblings: rachel and max. these are the names of the directors children in real life.

griffin dunne, who plays jack, also appears as the family therapist in a season 2 episode of succession. this was a jumpscare.

while they were filming the naked in the zoo scenes, they were unable to actually close the zoo, so when filming carried on past the opening time of the park, they just kept going and allowed butt naked david naughton to run loose around the zoo. they did, however, succeed in closing piccadilly circus for the car crash scene.

in the beginning when jack is being attacked by the werewolf, it was in fact half a wolf prop on the front of a wheelbarrow. this is a very funny vision for me.

jack is right - the five pointed star is considered the mark of the wolfman, according to 1941’s The Wolf Man, played by lon chaney junior and produced by universal pictures. the guy knows his stuff. interestingly, rick baker did the makeup for the 2010 remake of the wolf man as well. he did pretty good, i think.

this isn’t even about this movie but blues brothers is an awesome film too and a fun fact about that one is there was a whole part of the budget devoted to buying cocaine. and you can tell. great movie.

director john landis did in fact kill three people the year after this movie came out. so. i do feel a little bad promoting it because jesus christ. but. no harm no foul in pirating it. it’s one easy internet archive search away. and sometimes it’s on tubi. but just in case, here’s the internet archive link. https://archive.org/details/an-american-werewolf-in-london

so. anyways. please check out this baller ass movie and talk to me about it. thank you so much to whoever asked this. i love you. thanks for reading. bye.

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yallthemwitches · 3 months

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Some Headcanons for Jily/MWPP that I will probably never use in a fanfic (so they will go here)

--Lily is pretty proud to be a muggleborn actually and tries to keep up as much as she can with particularly witch/mystical coded books and movies (which were very popular in the 70s). She's a fan of LOTR and (as stated in CitW) has watched Rosemary's Baby. James also is really interested in these things (sometimes byway of Lily, others just because he finds it amusing) and him and Sirius often enjoy when Lily shows them a particularly awful depiction of magic in muggle films. Lupin also really enjoys a good showing of "American Werewolf in London" once in a while. ( Maybe I will make a "marauder's favorite muggle movies list one day....")

--^ I sometimes have this outlandish idea that Lily was so good and charismatic about explaining muggle culture to her peers that Dumbledore considered offering her the Muggle Studies position after she graduated. This of course was derailed by the war. But Dumbledore himself was quite amused with Lily's knowledge and often attended when she would organize midnight showings of Wizard of Oz for a laugh in the common room. ( It was Dumbledore's favorite muggle film)

--Included in CitW but both Lily and the Marauders love listening to muggle music as well. The Beatles obviously, but Led Zeppelin and Bowie were also huge favorites ( Led Zeppelin being the reason Sirius knows what Lily was reading when he catches her with"The Hobbit" on the grounds one day---effectively shocking her). I like the idea that back before the war, the three broomsticks would have shows and during their 7th year Lily and James would sneak out to go to them (despite breaking head boy and girl duties). McGonnagall and Dumbledore were very aware they did this but never stopped them.

--I think Lily would have listened to basically everything. She really liked punk music as much as she liked the Beatles and this is what Sirius and her bond over a lot.

--- Remus ( without James' knowledge) would visit Lily on breaks semi regularly. Being half-muggle, he had a phone and had no issue being integrated into a muggle environment. For a while Lily's parents pushed for her to date him ("He's such a sweet and calm boy!") but she always shot it down, embarrassed that her parents couldn't understand that a platonic friendship was possible. Petunia felt ambivalent toward Remus which is better than she could say for any of the other Marauders.

--^ Lily had strong suspicions about Remus being a werewolf since back in 3rd year as Snape was constantly going on about it. Being his friend, she often tried to test the waters and give him little hints whenever they were together. Notably, she once played him The Cramps' I was a Teenage Werewolf and watched him get so uncomfortable, she dropped her prodding entirely.

---Lily initially felt worried about being welcomed into the Potter family. She was a muggleborn after all during a time where hating people of her birth was in fashion. Even if the Potter's themselves didn't care, their ties to other Wizarding family's might and she didn't want to cause problems. This was very quickly dispelled by James and his parents during her first visit there.

---Before Vernon knew she was a witch, he really took no issue with Lily. He even thought for a bit that his girlfriend was being harsh on her younger sister who, to his understanding, was shipped away to some hippie school in the country while Petunia got "a quality education." He pinned her as one of those "new age, drug loving, free loaders" until Petunia finally told him about her being a witch. From then on he went through varying stages of being afraid of her, then despising her---finally fully accepting Petunia's view that Lily was nothing but a freak who somehow mucked everything up every chance she could. ( probably will make it in to my fic)

--Peter had a bit of a crush on Lily and for this reason was quite scared of her. He didn't EVER want to tell James and when he was left alone to talk to her, he got so nervous he never really got much out. Lily found this amusing and cute, but didn't catch on that it was feelings but rather that he was just socially awkward. She often treated him like a little brother.

--I go back and forth on this a lot, but many people tried to date James and Lily at any given time. There was a while where rumors spread that Lily and Remus fancied each other ( much to James' dismay) but otherwise both would either go on some meaningless dates or outright dismiss any pursuers. This isn't to say that either of them let feelings get the best of them and snogged a person or two in their 4th or 5th year--it just never amounted to much.

--Slughorn loved Lily so much that he let her use the potions classroom after hours to practice and study ( being a prefect she never got in trouble for being out after hours). In the early years Snape and her would do this together, but by the 5th year, Lily had full dibs and would spend hours in the middle of the night working on things while listening to music. Once or twice James and the marauders( under his cloak ) would catch her there and James would want to linger a bit too long in secret to watch her sing along as she cut her ingredients.

Very Niche Hot Take incoming!

--Lily was a Manson Family supporter* and this can be directly tied into her troubled feelings about Snape becoming a death eater.

*After 1969 and the murder of Sharon Tate, many people ( including famous artists and writers like Joan Didion and John Waters) came out in support of NOT Manson himself, but the girls who were ultimately imprisoned for life for their acts. Their logic was that Manson had preyed upon very young girls who came from broken homes or were otherwise homeless or lost in life. He showed them compassion, love, and seduced them with a free thinking life where they could have power---as long as they followed his every word. Of course this brain washing ultimately led to the murder of innocent people. It's a very compelling argument about the power of human charisma and cults and is still debated to this day( John Waters' remains friends with the Manson girls behind bars and often speaks in court in support of their release).

I think this would have struck a cord with Lily as she watched her closest childhood friend turn to darkness. Snape also came from a broken home where he had no agency; of course he was seduced by the power that came with dark magic. I think this argument to "hate the orchestrator and not his puppets" gave Lily hope that he could "come back" one day.

--Lily and Sirius developed a very slow burning, but strong friendship. During the war and especially after the birth of Harry, Sirius would stay with Lily while James had to go on Order missions and would often be found curled up in dog form at the foot of the bed when Lily and Harry slept.

--During their 7th year, their friendship was also already strong and Sirius would often be seen wrapping his arms around her or her giving him a quick kiss on the cheek. Despite this causing some whispers, it was ultimately clear they had a very tongue and cheek platonic relationship. At the early stages of their friendship, Sirius would try to intentionally bring up uncomfortable or awkward subjects to see if he could make her squirm, but lily was always a on board and Sirius deeply respected that.

--Sirius was a great dancer and him and Lily danced often together (and roped James in too by the end)

If I think of more I'll update this list. I might make a NSFW too, we will see ;)

#james potter #jily #hp #hp marauders #marauders #jily headcanon #lily evans #headcanon #sirius black #remus lupin #peter pettigrew

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loveshotzz · 2 years

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Eddie Munson x Fem! Reader

Summary: Your first day at Family Video goes better then expected and when Eddie invites you on a late night drive you can’t say no.

Series Masterlist

Word count: 4.6k

Warnings: Still pretty SFW. Two idiots being vulnerable and flirting. TW : mentions of sexual assault in the past (no details just alluded to).

I won’t need a community label just yet for this series but I will soon so if you haven’t changed your settings please make sure you do. I had one of my fics flagged today.

Authors Note: This is the biggest story concept I’ve ever tried doing so thank you to everyone who’s been reading so far. I’ve never taken on a story with so many characters and moving parts so comments, feedback, likes, and reblogs are all greatly appreciated. A special thank you to my wife @myobmaya and @sweetsweetjellybean for reading my rough drafts and helping me get out of my head.

Tag list: @emotionaldreamer @eddiesprincess86 @bimbobaggins69 @rach5ive @luckyysstarr @h-ness1944 @stolen-in-moonlight @bohemianrhapsody86 @maximizedrhythms @ms1oftheboys @b-irock @amethyst1258 @princesseddie @munsonology

Despite Eddie promising that the two of you would be inseparable you didn’t see him again after that. Even going as far as peaking out your window hoping to catch a glimpse of that wild mane of his shamelessly trying to orchestrate an ‘accidental’ run in. Convincing yourself it was because you were bored not because you wanted to see his dimples again. His van never seemed to be there between normal working hours, of course he must’ve had a full time job he was 20.

So when Friday rolled around and your Chevy Nova pulled into the parking lot of your new job with a loud squeal, you were ready for some solid human interaction. Reaching over to pop open your glovebox, your eyes lock with the rolled joint courtesy of Eddie’s Munson’s free weed. After work joints were a favorite past time of yours deciding tonight would be a good time to continue the tradition.

Your driver door opens with it’s usual loud creak, the cringe on your face never going away no matter how many times it happens. Wiping your sweaty nervous palms on the dark denim of your jeans, the converse on your feet bring you to the entrance.

Bells chime loudly when you walk in, standing in the front you glance around the store thats filled wall to wall with any kind of movie any one in this small town could ever want. There’s a faint smell of popcorn which you find odd considering it wasn’t an actual movie theater, with American Werewolf in London playing quietly in the background you don’t think you’ll hate it here. Racking your brain you desperately try to remember the name of the guy you were suppose to be asking for. The magic of being surrounded by movies finally fading with reality kicking in. You knew it started with an ‘S’ was it Stan? Stu?

“Is there some kind of beauty pageant in Hawkins I wasn’t aware of Robin?” The smooth voice of the boy resting on the counter in front of you catches your attention. He’s got the kind of hair a model would kill for and a smile that’s worth a million bucks. Resisting the urge to roll your eyes, your smart enough to catch the green family video vest wrapped around his broad shoulders.

The striped polo underneath it definitely does the boy favors, with pants so tight they are almost enough to make your cheeks turn hot. Eye’s flickering down you catch the ‘Steve’ on his name tag. Holding back an internal groan you remember exactly who you were suppose to ask for.

“Steve Harrington?”

The smile on his face only widens with a flirtatious twinkle in his eyes as he pushes himself off the counter “And she knows my name already, this must be my lucky day.”

The girl he referred to as Robin catches on before he does, with a loud laugh her honey colored waves bounce as she throws her head back.

“Way to hit on the new girl dingus.”

Steve’s cheeks flush deep red when he realizes his mistake, hazel eyes going wide when they meet yours drowning with embarrassment.

“Oh man, this is awkward. Look that was super inappropriate. I’m so sorry, please don’t quit.” The confident demeanor he was putting on suddenly gone, leaving nothing but a nervous rambling boy in his place.

“Do you always hit on the customers?” Cocking a brow you cross your arms over your chest, the corner of your lips turning up. Just like Eddie you were enjoying watching him squirm. Something about humiliating boys bringing you joy, especially cocky boys like Steve Harrington.

“No-“

“Absolutely he does, you’ll get used to it.” The girl behind the counter cuts him off before making her way around. Her tuxedo top, rolled up to her elbows makes her look like an 80’s dream. With a black tie wrapped tightly around the neck of her button up tucked into her high waisted slacks she’s the epitome of cool even with the green vest.

“I’m Robin by the way.” Extending her hand she gives you a sweet smile showing her perfect white teeth.

“I’m y/n.” Wrapping your hand around hers, you glance back at Steve. “I’ll forgive you just this once, but only because it clearly hasn’t been working for you.”

Robin’s laugh echos again when she drops your hand, pinching the bridge of his nose Steve makes his way passed both of you going back behind the counter mumbling under his breath about grabbing you a vest.

“Look, if this is going to be a new dynamic here. The kind where you two gang up on me, I’m not going to be okay with that.” He doesn’t look at either one of you while he’s talking, rummaging through the drawers underneath the registers until he finds a slightly used looking vest.

“Aww calm down Stevie, we’re just having fun. It’s not like I haven’t made fun of your poor attempts at picking up unsuspecting women at work before.” Robin grins eating up Steve’s irritation.

The day is spent watching cheesy training videos in the small back room that looks like it hadn’t been cleaned in years, both of them taking turns checking in on you. When you make it on the sales floor after a few hours of mindless torture you realize Robin was right. Not only did you get used to Steve’s over the top pick up lines, but against your better judgment you couldn’t help but find yourself entertained by the relentless-ness of his determination. Watching Steve get turned down more times then you could count you were shocked at how fast your first day went. Laughing and falling into easy banter with the two of them, there was a small part of you that wasn’t ready for your shift to end.

—-

The night air has a sharp chill to it when the three of you close up, looking up at the clear sky you still couldn’t get over how many stars you could see out here. Losing yourself for a second it’s only when Robin grabs the back of your arm you remember where you are.

“Everything good?” Her eyes are soft on you.

“Oh- um yeah. We just didn’t have stars like this in the city. It’s beautiful out here.” Giving her a reassuring smile Steve snorts at your words.

“Hawkins? Beautiful? You absolutely just moved here.” Shrugging on his grey jacket he tosses his keys in the air before catching them with a wink.

“You love to show off don’t you?” Teasing Steve was becoming one of your favorite things. You couldn’t help but feel excited about the prospect of making friends with the two of them. Your new mysterious one missing in action.

“No need to show off sweetheart, I’m just that good.” Steve’s cockiness makes Robin give him a hard shove as the three of you make your way to your cars.

“A Chevy Nova? Niiiiice.” Steve heckles with a grin when he sees your car parked adjacent to his. Yours rusted and old, his shiny and new.

“Not all of us can drive BMW’s Steve.” Rolling your eyes, your fingers dig through your purse for your keys.

“Last I checked she actually has her own place. Aren’t you two the same age?” Robin smirks opening the passenger side door of Steve’s car.

Of course he was taking Robin home, the closeness of the two obvious best friends makes your heart swell with a mixture of admiration and jealousy.

“Yeah, yeah keep it up or you’re walking home.” Opening the driver side Steve leans forward arms resting over the door and the roof. “All jokes aside I’m glad Keith didn’t hire someone lame. Remember Tammy Thompson?” Looking towards his friend she makes an exaggerated show of rolling her eyes nodding her head.

“You did great!” Robin gives you a double thumbs up enthusiastically. The gesture making a small smile spread over your face.

You mimic Steve’s stance on your own car “Yeah, I didn’t hate it as much as I thought I was going too. Even if Steve did hit on me when I first walked in.”

Robin throws her head back loving having someone else who’s not charmed by his slick tongue and pseudo confidence.

“Look can we just forget that happened okay?” Pinching the bridge of his nose for the millionth time that day, you were figuring out this was a signature stance.

“Never, I’m never going to let you forget it Harrington.” Throwing him a wink you give Robin a small wave before getting into your car. Eager hands already reaching for what you’d been looking forward to all day.

Steve’s headlights flood the inside of your dark car, when he doesn’t make any moves to pull out it takes you a minute to realize that he’s waiting for you to leave first. He was making sure you were safe.

Maybe the city had hardened your heart but you weren’t used to strangers having your best interests in mind like this. The simple gesture is enough to make your chest tighten.

—

With the windows rolled down the bitter night air feels good running through your hair. Inhaling deeply you blow the smoke out into the darkness of the back roads, Bat Out of Hell playing so loud it makes your speakers shake. Your mind can’t help but wander to Eddie, the nickname Wayne gave him few nights prior seemed nothing short of fitting. The thought of the two men makes your lips twitch up despite your best efforts. The fleeting beginnings of happiness settling deep in your chest as your tires speed down the pavement, doing the unthinkable you let yourself feel it.

The hope you had felt after you met your new neighbors grows ten fold when you think about your first day with Steve and Robin. The new feeling of excitement radiates through your finger tips as they tap against the steering wheel. Singing loudly and off tune, you finally let yourself take the breath you had been holding onto for the past few years. You finally made the right choice, the first time in your whole life.

Hitting the entrance of the trailer park, you turn the music down not wanting to be on the receiving end of Wayne’s annoyance. When your headlights hit their trailer the boy you’d been trying to catch a glimpse of the past few days is right in front of you. A group of kids who couldn’t be any older then 15 surround him, with arms flailing animatedly all of them seemed to be getting into some kind of heated argument. Brows furrowing, you notice all of their matching baseball tee’s. Hellfire Club.

By the time you pull into your drive way you’ve caught Eddie’s attention. Chocolate eyes on you, the dimples you definitely weren’t thinking about show themselves when his lips pull up into a smile. Ignoring the arguing boys in front of him, he shoves passed them making long strides towards your car as you start getting out.

“There’s my new best friend!” Arms spread wide his smile only grows bigger showing his teeth.

His loud outburst makes the kids stop fighting, one with particularly curly hair covered in a baseball cap quirks his head at you.

“Who’s that?” His voice has a slight lisp to it and you can’t help but think it’s cute. The one he spoke to had long black hair that looked eerily similar to the metal head’s that was walking towards you.

“I didn’t know he knew any girls.” The only one without a Hellfire shirt speaks up, wearing the same letterman jacket as the guys from the other night piecing together that they must be in high school. The three boys watch both of you with curious eyes.

“Well, well if it isn’t Mr. disturb the peace himself.” A teasing smirk pulls at the corner of your lips. Crossing your arms over your chest you lean back against your car, the heat of the drive keeping the metal and your body warm.

“I’ll have you know, I don’t resent that title at all.” The wink he gives you makes your stomach flutter and you do your best to ignore it.

The smile on Eddie’s face only widens when he reaches you, standing in front of him makes you realize just how tall he actually is. Craning your neck up to meet his doe eyes, you can’t help but match his excited energy. Your own cheeks hurting from how hard he was making you grin.

“Care to tell me why your hanging out with children on a Friday night? And also why you’re all in matching shirts?”

“Why? You jealous? You want one?” Rocking back on his heels he clasps his hands behind his head making his shirt ride up, your proud of the self control you maintain when your eyes don’t flicker down.

“As metal looking as they are, I have no idea what Hellfire club is. Is it that satanic cult you were trying to get me to join the other night?” Arching your brow with a teasing smirk it was far too easy to slip in your usual banter with him.

Glancing over his shoulder you see the kids are watching you with baited breath.

“That’s a hefty invite to get, I don’t think we’re there yet. It’s the DND club I run.” You can’t help but take notice in the prideful look in his eyes when he says it.

“Don’t tell me that the Eddie Munson is a Dungeon Master. ” Batting your eyelashes at him you play into his ego just a little bit.

When his cheeks flush pink your own ego grows slightly.

“Yes M’lady you are in the presence greatness. I’m not just any Dungeon Master, I’m the Dungeon Master sweetheart. Just ask those destroyed little sheep over there.” Turning around he points at the three boys who quickly try to act like they weren’t opening staring at whatever was unfolding right in front of them.

Giving them a little wave you chuckle to yourself at how awkward they get before clambering into Eddie’s van arguing in hushed voices.

“Are you their baby sitter or something?” Eddie’s eyes widen at your question when he turns back to you.

“Uhh not exactly.” Fidgeting with his rings he stops making eye contact, the ground suddenly becoming interesting.

“What do you-“

“What are you doing right now?” Eddie cuts you off before you can press further bringing his attention back to you, excitement dancing in his brown pools like he just got a brilliant idea.

“Like right now, right now?” Pushing yourself off the car you look down at your watch. Red numbers reading 9:45pm flash back at you.

“Well not right this second but like 40 minutes from now? I just got to take these little idiots home but after that I gotta make some runs. I could use a co pilot...” Raising his eyebrows at you he watches the wheels in your head turn. “Besides I know my Uncle offered up my tour guide services free of charge to you.”

“You’re gonna give me a tour in the middle of the night?” Giving him a hard time, you already know you’re going to say yes.

“That’s the perfect time, all the assholes are inside.” Flashing you a toothy grin he starts backwards towards his van. “Be outside in 30.”

“You just said 40!” The butterflies can’t be ignored this time at the thought of spending the entire evening with him.

“I drive fast, bring whatever music you want. I’ll even let you set the mood that’s how nice I am.” Throwing a wink your way he turns around jogging the rest of the way to his van. The curly haired boy’s head sticks out the driver side window, a knowing smirk spread wide over his face.

“Oh okay buddy, I see you.” His eyes squint when his cheeks push up, a look of pure joy.

“Can it Henderson, get in your seat.” You can’t help but laugh at Eddie’s sharp tone with the kid, the sweet sound makes him turn his head one last time flashing you a quick smile before jumping in.

Starting his van with a loud rumble, you watch him peel out with Metallica back at the volume that got him flicked between the eyes. Completely ignoring his Uncle’s warning, something tells you it won’t be the last time you see that argument happen.

—-

“Are you seriously going to make me listen to Meatloaf?” Eddie scoffs grabbing the cassette from your hand.

“First of all you said I could pick the music, and I told you the other night that I loved him. Specifically mentioned Meatloaf while addressing your question about Metallica.” Crossing your arms your staring up at him again only this time next to the passenger door of his van.

Rolling his eyes his wiggles the tape in his hand “Yeah, yeah, yeah I guess I did say that.”

“I could just go have the relaxing night alone I had planned if you’d rather not listen to my music choice.” Arching your brow you pretend not to be hyper aware of his reaction.

“Whoa, whoa whoa sweetheart, lets not get crazy here.” Opening the door for you it creaks loudly just like yours. Eddie’s face turning into your familiar cringe.

The warmth of his calloused hand makes you jump when it comes in contact with your skin. Fingers wrapping gently around yours he helps you take the giant step into his van. Heat prickling at your cheeks too shy to meet his eyes you climb into the passenger seat. When he lets go and shuts the door you pretend like you don’t miss the feeling of his touch.

The smell of cigarettes and weed hit your nose first, there’s an underlining hint of drug store cologne that lingers faintly behind it. It was Eddie’s smell trapped and encapsulated inside the metal confines of his van. Inhaling deeply it’s oddly comforting to you, closing your eyes you let yourself enjoy it before he’s opening the drivers side door. Still not ready to meet his gaze you begin snooping around. Turning around in your seat you can’t stop grin that spreads over your face. With the back seats removed the empty space was filled with giant blankets and fluffy pillows. Warn in and well loved you could already picture him lounged out with a joint dangling from his lips lost in his music thats always being played too loud.

“Admiring my office?” You don’t realize how close his face is to yours till you turn around ready to respond.

Eddie Munson’s giant brown eyes are only inches from yours and it’s almost enough to make you forget how to breath for a second. The self control you were so proud to have doesn’t exist in the close quarters of his van, eyes dropping down to his lips it’s hard for you to look away. When his tongue licks over his bottom lip, you realize he’s doing the same thing.

“You call this an office?” Snorting your the one that breaks the tension. The breath he’d been holding fans hot across your cheeks. “This looks like Cheech and Chongs hang out spot.”

“I am a pot dealer if you don’t remember?” Shaking his head with grin he finally pulls out of your personal space. “Besides it weirdly makes the first time buyers comfortable, gotta keep them coming back sweetheart.”

Turning the key in the ignition the van shakes with the start of the engine, settling into your seat you reach over clicking your seat belt into place ignoring the feeling of Eddie’s burning stare.

“Yes?” Meeting his eyes you try to read the expression on his face.

“I’m just going to give you the agenda for the evening, you know as a good tour guide should.”Raising his eye brows he waits for you to nod encouraging him to continue.

“First, we’re gonna drive to my buddy Rick’s house so I can pick up some new supply. Then there’s just a few people I gotta drop off too, it’ll be super quick.” He waves his hand as he continues like the boring stuff was done. “But after that, I thought I could show you some of my favorite smoking spots. Places I like to go to clear my head.”

“I don’t know Munson, sounds like you’re trying to get me high in the back of your van.” corners of your eyes wrinkling you can’t seem to get enough of giving him a hard time. Others would call it flirting, but that’s not what you’re telling yourself this is.

“What? Me? You’re the perv that suggested it. I never said anything about going to the back of the van.” Eyes lighting up he nudges your shoulder with his own before putting the van in drive. “Put on your dad rock and light this joint, so far you’re a lousy co-pilot I have to say.”

You can’t stop that laugh from bubbling out of your chest, throwing your head back you haven’t felt this carefree around a person in awhile. There’s a part of you that wants to fight it but just like in your car on the way home, you’re going to let yourself feel it even if just for tonight.

——

The ride to Rick’s house was shorter then you thought it would be, but still long enough for you and Eddie to kill your first joint. With finger tips grazing each time you passed it back and fourth, your touches become more and more prominent as your inhibitions lower. Stolen glances lingering longer then they should, laughing probably a little too hard at each other’s bad jokes. The pure bliss of it all consuming you. So when you pulled up to the house that sat right at the edge of the lake, you were embarrassed of how much of you didn’t want him to leave even if it was just going to be for a few minutes.

“He’s super weird about people he doesn’t know, I’ll just be like five minutes I swear.” Leaving his keys in the ignition he gives your knee a reassuring squeeze. Rings hitting the lights on the dashboard the glint catching your eye when he pulls away.

“Putting a lot of trust in me not to steal you van.” You tease desperate to get him to stay even just for a few moments longer.

“Look, I know where you live okay? You wouldn’t get very far.” Eddie’s grinning from ear to ear when he hops out.

The smile never leaves your face when the wild haired boy runs up to the front door of the house. Taking advantage of being alone you start to really look around the inside of his van, empty packs of Marlboro Reds are littered all over the floors, there’s a half drank big gulp sitting in his cup holder, some kind of red liquid mixed with old ash from a mixture of cigarettes and joints. A guitar pick that’s similar to the one that hangs around his neck dangles from the rearview mirror. His dashboard is covered in band stickers, ranging from Iron Maiden to Wasp it was collage of all of his favorites. Running your fingers over the edges of each one you can tell they were strategically placed with the utmost care. This was Eddie’s safe space, and here he was inviting you to join him in it.

True to his word, he’s only gone for a few minutes before the loud creak of his door brings you out of your thoughts, clambering in with his toothy grin still intact.

“One stop down, two more to go.” Reaching over he puts the brown paper sack at your feet fingers brushing against your leg when he sits back up. Cheeks tingling when they linger for just a second.

There’s a brief moment of comfortable silence that falls between the two of you on your drive to his next destination. Eyeing his pack of cigarettes that sit on top of his radio you decide to be bold and help yourself. Besides, it was his fault you smoked your last one anyway.

Without missing a beat Eddie starts digging through his jean pockets for a lighter. Handing it over to you with a wink clearly not caring about your sticky fingers.

“Gimmie one too?” His eyes are soft when they look at you. Fishing out the two smokes you plop one in your mouth before reaching over waiting for him to grab his from your palm. Lighting your cigarette you look over confused when he never takes his own. His grip never leaving the steering wheel, he leans across the console with an open mouth. It takes you a minute to realize what Eddie want you to do. Unwilling to meet his gaze, with your best poker face on you slot it between his full lips. Ignoring the way they feel when they brush across your finger tips as they close around the butt. Shaky hands light his cigarette. The flame dances across his face in the darkness of the van casting shadows along his cheek bones and jawline.

Eddie Munson was handsome.

Inhaling deeply hollowing out his cheeks his eyes flicker between the road and you. Exhaling through your nose you focus on ignoring the way he’s staring at you until it’s obvious he wants your attention.

“I’m starting to realize you have a real staring problem.” You tease deciding that the only way you’ll keep your composure is by giving him a hard time.

Ignoring your remark he takes another drag of his cigarette before rolling his window down to ash.

“So what’s your damage?” It’s a loaded question when it leaves his mouth, even he knows that.

“Well you just jump straight to the point huh?” Averting your gaze you busy yourself with another hit ignoring the way you palms start to sweat at the thought of sharing with him. Too scared that once he finds out he’ll decide it’s too much.

“Come on, you’re 21 and you live on your own. You left the city to move to Hawkins of all places, there’s a reason for that.” Inhaling the last of his cigarette he flicks it out the window before rolling it back up. “Look, you tell me yours I’ll tell you mine?”

You don’t know if it’s the weed or if it’s the boy next to you, maybe even a combination of both that lets the well crafted wall you had built crumble just a little. Taking another hard drag you let the smoke sit in your lungs, the nicotine giving your brain the fuzzy feeling you were craving.

You exhale loudly before finally sharing something you’d kept close to you for so long.

“Things happened back home - consent wasn’t something that was respected at a shitty high school party. It’s been a few years but you know, it’s almost like you can’t ever fully come back from something like that. ” Refusing to meet his eyes you suck your bottom lip between your teeth nervously, despite your better judgment you keep going. Maybe it was the way he was actually listening.

“Somehow my genetics sparred me from being an alcoholic but my parents weren’t so lucky. It was all so much that I felt like I couldn’t think. Like I couldn’t breathe. I guess I just needed to get away from it all.”

Taking the last drag of your cigarette you finally let yourself glance in his direction. His face is set in a hard line, eyes staring daggers at the road, the whites of his knuckles show with the intensity of his grip on the steering wheel. Anger radiating off of him, you could practically see the smoke coming out of his ears.

Unclenching his jaw he finally responds to you. “I’m not their baby sitter.”

“What?” Voice laced with confusion you have no idea why the conversation is even taking this turn but your thankful that he doesn’t press you any further.

“The kids, I’m uhh I’m not their babysitter. I’m still in high school. You’re looking at Hawkins High’s very own super senior two years in the running.” Eddie pauses for a minute before he continues “You know with a Dad that’s in jail and a mom that died before I had the chance to really remember her what else would you expect from someone like me?” His tone is self deprecating, fingers twitching in your lap all you want to do is reach out and take his.

“Well, I didn’t stay long enough to graduate if that makes you feel any better. I dropped out, got my GED, packed whatever I could in my shitty car and drove to one of the smallest towns I could find. If anything, I’m impressed you still have the will power to go back.”

Eddie almost can’t believe the words that come out of your mouth. With not a single trace of judgment on your face, you were accepting him like he wasn’t the giant fuck up he always thought he was. Like the whole town thought he was and on occasion his Uncle. He can feel his emotions get caught in his throat. He doesn’t know why you picked Hawkins or how you even stumbled upon his shitty little trailer park, but he was thanking whatever gods brought you to him determined to get closer to you.

“Yeah?” He hates that he needs you to say it again.

“Absolutely, high school fucking sucks.” Stretching in your seat you look at him with an easy smile.

Neither one of you push each other further, having shared enough for a lifetime between the two of you in just a few short minutes. The heaviness of the secrets you both kept become a little lighter on your shoulders.

—

By the time you reach Eddie’s last stop you’re three joints deep when he leaves you in the van again. The sound of Paradise by the Dashboard light spills out of his speakers, turning the volume up you can’t help but get lost in it, this had always been one of your favorite songs growing up. Despite the complicated lyrics it reminded you of happier times. Trying your best to be Ellen Foley you don’t even realize Eddie’s walking back up.

“Jesus- you know it’s like 1am right? I could hear Meatloaf from Byer’s front door.” The annoyance disappears off his face when he sees you dancing like a stoned lunatic in his passenger seat.

Completely unaware of his presence, your arms flail around so uncoordinated he thinks you have to be trying to move like this, eyes pinched closed you’re belting out every line completely off key. There’s a part of him that wishes there was some way to record this to use it against you in future arguments and another part of him that wants it for himself, because the sight of you like this makes his heart skip a beat.

“STOP RIGHT THE- oh fuck!”

Eddie’s got a Cheshire smile when he watches the embarrassment of being caught sink onto your face.

“You done?” Biting his bottom lip hard enough to leave a mark, the corners of his mouth twitch up and you can tell he’s desperately trying to hold back a laugh.

“Oh my god, this is -fuck -this is embarrassing.” Reaching forward you go to lower the volume but Eddie slaps your hand away.

“No, no, please don’t stop on my or the neighborhood’s behalf. Keep going.” Nodding his head for you to continue his smile grows so much the corners of his eyes crease. With a roll of yours, you go for the knob again.

“Ha ha ha, very funny Munson that’s en- hey!” Another tap to your hand he bats you away again, sighing loudly you look up at him annoyed. “Eddie, what are you doing?”

Both of you stare at each other silently battling for dominance. Raising an eye brow at you he has no plans of backing down from this.

Let me sleep on it. (Will you love me forever?) Let me sleep on it. (Will love me forever?)

Eddie’s theatrics makes you jump and it takes you a minute to realize what he’s doing, it’s only when you hear how badly he’s singing that you realize he’s doing his best impression of Meatloaf’s voice. His dramatic flare has him jumping all around the empty street, gripping at his chest as he points at you.

“Eddie!!” Your hushed yell is broken by the cackle that bubbles from your chest, taking advantage of the fact that he wasn’t in the van anymore, you’re finally able to bring the music down to a normal volume.

“Hey! I was clearly in the middle of giving you the performance of a life time. Not. fucking. cool.” Pointing at you from the other side of the street he pretends to glare but the smile that pulls across his face ruins his performance.

“Get in the car before someone calls the cops, they might think someone was killing their cat out in the street.” Your grin is menacing when you wait for him to realize the insult hidden in your words.

“Last I checked, you’re the one who chose tonight’s music. Not my fault if I get a little carried away, if anything you should be happy.” Winking as he climbs back in, there’s a new kind of electricity in the air between you two.

A line you both crossed with out even trying tonight, it was just too easy to be yourselves around each other. So used to having to be ashamed of your short comings you both openly accepted them with out a second thought. The muscles in your face turning sore from the constant pull in his presence. You already know that you’ll wonder if tonight was a dream when you wake up in the morning.

“It was definitely a performance. A performance of a life time though? Jury’s still out on that.” The sound of Eddie’s laugh fills you with the kind of happiness that you thought you wouldn’t ever feel again. You wish there was a way you could save it.

“That’s fine, I have plenty more where that came from sweetheart.” The nickname sounds different this time. Less casual.

When your eyes dart to the clock on his dashboard your heart sinks a little. Despite not wanting the night to end the thought of having to wake up for work in the morning hangs over you like a giant rain cloud ready to ruin the birthday party. You wanted to live in this little bubble forever.

Eddie’s eyes follow yours to the clock and he knows exactly how you feel because he feels it too.

“Probably time we reel it in huh?” Chuckling awkwardly he waits for you to answer before he starts the engine. Part of him hoping you’ll just throw caution to the wind and want to keep the night going somehow.

“Yeah, unfortunately I started a job today, well I mean technically yesterday.” You knew you were rambling but the way his eyes kept darting towards your lips was making you lose your train of thought.

“She’s got bills to pay! No need to explain pretty girl, there’s always next time.” Eddie tries to keep it simple. Scared to come off too strong, he needed you to know he wanted this to happen again.

Biting your lip at the new endearment, you settle back in your seat too shy to meet his eyes. The low rumble of the engine brings you both back to reality as his van lurches forward.

“Thanks for tonight Eddie.” Your voice comes out quieter than you intend it to, clearing your throat you speak up a little louder. “This was more fun then I’ve had in awhile, so thank you.”

“What are best friends for?” Eddie wants to kick himself in the teeth when the words leave his mouth.

But when your hand reaches for his, small fingers slotting between his big ones it’s almost like you saw the internal battle written all over his face.

“Yeah, best friends.” You agree with a hum.

It’s a good place to start.

Chapter three

#eddie munson #eddie munson smut #eddie munson fanfic #eddie munson x reader #eddie munson fluff #eddie munson x y/n #eddie munson x you #steve harrington #stranger things #stranger things fanfiction #eddie munson stranger things #joseph quinn #robin buckley #dustin henderson #mike wheeler #lucus sinclair #eddie munson x female reader #eddie munson x fem!reader smut

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rotten-hearts-sharp-teeth · 1 year

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Building off of one of your tags, what is your favourite werewolf lore that you've incorporated, the one you love but couldn't use? And finally, the million dollar question: why didn't Millenium make more werewolves?

Do you suppose the curse wasn't contagious in the Hellsing Universe? The slim chance they couldn't get Hans to turn anyone into a werewolf? Or maybe Doc couldn't replicate it, despite being able to replicate vampirism?

Thank you for the ask! I've been meaning to write something for the werewolf lore in my AU but haven't had the motivation before now. Get ready, because we are about to deep dive into something I put entirely too much thought and effort into.

My favorite lore that I incorporated was actually the base for my story. As a paranormal romance reader, I enjoy the Fated Mates/ Mate Mark werewolf trope. There is something poetic and beautiful about being magically bound to the person you love for eternity. Unfortunately, I am also a horror media enthusiast :) I wondered how that would work if the werewolf you were bound to was actually the horror movie version. Bad boys in those types of stories always end up with a heart of gold, but what if they were not a good person? What if the monster was actually a monster?

An American Werewolf in London, Wolfenstein and Hellsing gave me my answer. Enter: Hans. Because there is no worse monster that I can think of than a n*zi werewolf.

One detail about werewolves that I absolutely love but wasn't able to use, is the brutal transformation sequence. I love skin ripping, bones snapping, graphic and gory transformations. I love the imagery of the beastly feral side literally ripping through the human visage. I couldn't use a damn bit of it though because HIRANO already set the canon for werewolves in the Hellsing universe 😒 but anyway. Mist shifting is nice too. I guess.

Ok! Now on to the big question. I would like to state that I am in no way bashing anyone who uses curse werewolves for their Hellsing AU. All werewolves are valid.

For me personally, I could not figure out why the third reich would go through all the trouble of making an army of artificial vampires when they had a perfectly good werewolf already under their control. If it was a curse or virus or something contagious, why only use one? It made no sense to me. Feral werewolves could have been dropped on the battlefield like ghouls. Virginal requirements (like vampires need) wouldn't have been an issue since they literally raised children to be soldiers. So, with those questions in mind, I decided to make my werewolves a different species. In my AU werewolves can only be born. They are not created and have never been human. That's why they are almost extinct and that's why my version of Hans behaves the way he does.

Now for some Midian history.

My werewolves are descended from an ancient species of shapeshifter that took the form of two apex predators during its time: dire wolves and early humans. This species went extinct of course, but their descendants spread out and became regional subspecies.

Hans is the last Werewulf. His species comes from the Black Forest of Germany and is where the legends originated. Werewulfs developed away from humanity, so they didn't need to appear that human up close. It's why Hans has such an inhuman mouth and lacks the ability to speak. He looks human enough from far away, but up close it is obvious that he is not. I have a long, extensive backstory on what happened to his pack and why he joined the war, but I think I'll save that for another time.

I will note that werewulfs cannot breed with humans. They are too far apart genetically.

Sabine is a Loup Garou and her genetics are a little more confusing. Loups developed closer to humanity and are more human passing than their German counterparts. Sabine's grandmother was a werewolf. Her grandfather was technically human, but carried a recessive werewolf gene that he passed on to her mother. Sabine's father was human, but Sabine ended up a very unlikely recessive werewolf. Her werewolf nature remained dormant until the ritual that bound her to Hans awakened that part of her. Sabine, like her grandmother, could only have reproduced with another werewolf or someone who carried the recessive gene.

So to sum it up, I do think the n*zis tried to make more werewolves. Once they found out it wasn't contagious, they formed the first breeding program. When that ended badly, they gave up on werewolves and focused their energy on something that they knew WAS transferable to human soldiers. Vampirism and the production of ghouls. The end.

#hellsing #hellsing ultimate #hellsing au #alone wolf #hellsing oc #lore #werewolf #werewolf support group #this is a little confusing so if anyone has any further questions don't hesitate to ask!#thanks for the ask!#the captain #hans gunsche #sabine

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jwolf85 · 2 years

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Happy Halloween y'all!

This year I have felt a severe lack of Werewolves out of the monsters being talked about. So, I'm gonna rate some classic werewolves from Film!

Werewolf of London (1935)

Rating: 7/10

Universal's (slightly forgotten) first go at a werewolf movie, and it has a surprisingly sick design! Henry Hull's eyes are terrifying and complex, giving it a great strength compared to other monsters. The wrinkles around the nose and mouth add another twisted feel to it! However, the V on the hairline is a bit too deep in a way only Vegeta could challenge, and the eyebrows have an odd flair to them. Also, not down with a werewolf that actively dresses himself when he goes out on his hunting. Went down a point because of it. If we had a more of a beast-like nature with this as a base design, would've added some more points. Nonetheless, very underrated design!

The Wolf Man (1941)

Rating: 6/10

I get it, it's iconic and all. The nailed the transformation, nailed the behavior, but he looks more like a teddy bear than a wolf. We're all thinking it. I'm sorry. I respect Lon Chaney for everything he's done in regard to the character and what the movie accomplished. Not a fan of the design overall. However, the sunken shape around the eyes is pretty dope. And design choices aside, the movie is my favorite of the Universal Monsters!

The Curse of the Werewolf (1961)

Rating: 4/10

Now I have not seen this film, but every shot I have seen of this Werewolf is radiating drama. I expect nothing less from a Hammer film. But as for the design itself, a very bold move to go with white hair for the fur and works well distinguishing it from the werewolves preceding it. However, as for the ears on top of his head, I don't think it works quite as well. It makes it lean more towards cat rather than wolf. The forehead is very prominent and while it definitely works to intimidate, the hair line is a bit too far up on his scalp. Having too much of a round outline where the hair meets the face almost makes it look like a normal face photoshopped on in some stills.

American Werewolf in London (1981)

Rating: 6/10

I'm not too big a fan of the more-wolf-than-man werewolf myself tbh. However, Rick Baker does masterful work and this ugly mf'er is absolutely terrifying. Taking the design into consideration, the main issue I have for it is he doesn't have much of a neck. With the big tuff of fur, giving it a mane of sort, the body looks almost like a big bob with a face coming out of it. This is without a doubt, one of the very best transformation scenes in film history! Taking the Jaws approach of obscuring the monster is incredibly effective as well.

You know what, Fuck it. 7/10 for the transformation scene in account.

The Howling (1981)

Rating: 7/10

1981 was a solid year for werewolves! Seems like this is where we're getting into the switch to more-wolf-than-man werewolves, I assume because of the advances of make-up and costuming effects. Putting my bias aside, look at this mangy bastard!!! Brilliant! The eyes look almost demonic, glazed-over and possessed. The hair is unkept and wild! My big reservation that keeps it from getting a higher rating is the ears look a bit like a mangy rabbit.

Teen Wolf (1985)

Rating: 3/10

This movie is the balls man!! Fuckin rocks! Werewolf doesn't look good, but who cares! He's standing on a moving bus and playing air guitar!! Badass. My main issue is that the hair in both the beard and head go way too long.

Monster Squad (1987)

Rating: 5/10

I wasn't gonna include this one, but I work where it was filmed (WB). Very creative and different in the face design, so gotta respect it for that! It's closer to being a wolf monster, but doesn't fully just try to emulate a wolf. Which I like. The eyes may be a bit too far apart from each other and at times you can tell the head is a bit too blocky when it moves. The bottom half in its legs aren't interesting at all either. There's a lot going on in the top half but when it's a full body shot, it just kinda looks like a dudes regular legs with hairy feet. I do really love the white eyes!!

Van Helsing (2004)

Rating: 8/10

I would be lying if I said this movie did not play a part in why werewolves are my favorite monster. It's a very uneven movie(I'll save those thoughts for another time), but the werewolves were badass all the way through. Cgi has definitely aged, but I think it's a solid standard of what the more wolf-like werewolves should be.

The Wolfman (2010)

Rating: 9/10

I love this design. It's a fantastic adaptation of Lon Chaney's style, but updated with the advancements in make-up. The nose is a similar style, but is not as long and narrow and has a strong shape to it that complements the brow. The eyes are phenomenal, in this picture specifically, it captures the intensity of Henry Hull's 1935 design. But throughout the film, there's still the glimpse of humanity still left in the same way Lon Chaney has. I do have an issue with the hair on his head and neck. The hair on his neck is too thick where the silhouette kinda loses form a bit. Regardless, Rick Baker, still a master.

Werewolf by Night (2022)

Rating: 8/10

The cinematic presentation of this is incredible! From the transformation shadow to the darkened figure with the reflective glow of the eyes, it artistically uses the black and white to its advantage. The design is very reminiscent to the 1935 Henry Hull Werewolf in London, with the flair of the eyebrows and the darkened indentations shaping the face. It also does the wolf/dog nose in a unique way! Darkened eyes was a great makeup choice. My only major complaint is that the body(and specifically the shoulder) hair looks kind of like a fur coat he's wearing and not like it's coming from his skin. Also, the way he moves is incredible! Great action and agility!

If you made it this far, you're cool and I hope you enjoyed reading my ramblings on werewolves. I could only fit 10 here, so I'd love to hear thoughts on either these werewolves or more that I couldn't fit in here!! I love monsters!! Also, once again, Happy Halloween🎃!!!

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shenanigans-and-imagines · 1 year

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65. Horror - Eddie and Lucy?

- @kittttycakes

Eddie was having a hard time deciding whether he should feel guilty or not. On the one hand, he was Lucy's friend and therefor it was perfectly reasonable for her to cling to him during the scary parts of a horror movie. On the other hand, he was enjoying himself way too much.

Hellfire had been relocated to Garret's garage that week due to the theater department needing the space for the upcoming spring show. So, instead of everyone going their separate ways after a session they had all decided to put in a movie. Jeff had suggested An American Werewolf in London and well...here he was, sitting on a beat up couch with Lucy Henderson squeezing him like an oversized teddy bear.

This wasn't a new development. The first them they decided to hang out after school just the two of them he had put in Poltergeist. He almost turned it off thirty minutes in as Lucy looked like she was about to tear the pillow she was hugging with her teeth. She insisted she was fine and even started rambling off random facts about the movie she had read in magazines. Turns out monster make-up and effects was a passion of hers.

It was clear enough that while she could genuinely get caught up in the terror, once it was all over, she treated it like going on a roller coaster and was all ready to do it again. In the meantime though, something to stress squeeze was required. Pillows were the usual go to, but if none were available, Eddie began offering himself.

It was the selfish thing to do. He knew it, but he would be the first to admit he was no saint.

So for an hour and thirty seven minutes he held his favorite girl in his arms, teasing her when she jumped and listening as she rambled about prosthetics, plaster and chewing gum.

No, he couldn't feel guilty about any of it.

send me a two names and a number

A/N: @kittttycakes, thanks for this! I really needed it. :D

#stranger things #eddie munson #eddie munson x oc #stranger things oc #lucy henderson #eddie munson x henderson!reader #leddie

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bloodcoveredgf · 1 year

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hi!! I rly like yr idea of watching movies from each decade & I wanna try to do the same thing (although probably not as many lol) do u have any fave 80s horror movies u would rec :)

omg yessss i do !! i would rec dead ringers and the lost boys but i know youve seen those unless i am making that up.. sooo! the thing is fantastic if you like body horror and watching a group of men who cant trust eachother struggle to survive against a shape shifting creature etc etc also kurt russell serving cunt. - re-animator is great if you love gore and mad scientists and corpses and some silliness in your horror alongside some very interesting compelling dynamics :) - near dark is a moody atmospheric vampire flick that is serious and not serious at the same time and focuses a lot on characters and their dynamics but has found family drifter vamps who ride around in stolen cars and camp out in hotels and its something id rec to fans of the lost boys even knowing its not as good... its very fun imo! i enjoy the characters a lot :) - the hitcher is a great cat and mouse game movie with some serious Vibes between the protagonist and antagonist and theyre both super great in it the antagonist is insane and that makes it extra enjoyable and wild! also i adore nash. - fright night is another vampire movie but pretty different imo especially with all its characters and dynamics and is mainly a beloved of mine because of the practical effects theyre very good and i find the movie super enthralling. so 80s :-) the blob is also a very fun movie if you like body horror and a fucked up big pink blob alien creature taking over and devouring a town! - killer klowns from outer space is soooo silly fun too and colorful and insane and has a great score and a must-watch for anyone that enjoys clowns and practical effects it also gets kinda brutal and the clowns are awesome i love it !! - an american werewolf in london is just one of the greatest werewolf movies of all time with some of the best practical effects everrrr and had some very silly comedic aspects while also getting brutal and heartbreaking at times. - night of the comet is a great one about two sisters making it through the apocalypse with cannibal mutants but its also so much more than that and is so interesting to me also very visually stunning with the setting and sky shots and cinematography! - elvira mistress of the dark is just one of the movies of all time its so camp and funny and elvira is Everything absolutely a must watch imo! <3 oohh i have a lot more favorites and im not sure im doing these justice with my very short descriptions but honorable mentions to two of my newly discovered underappreciated favorites terror train and fade to black also you can filter my films to 80s and horror on my letterboxd to see more if you wanna :)

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monstermaster13 · 2 years

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An American Werewolf In London. Ah yes, THE iconic werewolf transformation scene, no movie or tv show has ever come close to replicating this particular type of transformation and this one is iconic for numerous reasons…for one thing the excellent practical fx by Rick Baker and also you really do feel the pain that David is going through when he transforms, and it's no wonder this was Michael Jackson's favorite horror movie.

DocChester/Justparodiezman.

Darkbulflrog.

The Fly (1986). I've always said 'lovey-dovey is fine and all but…' which is true since when it comes to my transformation things I don't like to spend too much time on the lovey dovey stuff, I don't like to rush my transformations, I like to be as detailed as possible and go through the physical process in a way that goes through all the important details needed and sometimes I like to be a little bit gross, I admit that I can be a pretty sick and twisted bastard when it comes to my transformation interests, and this movie is to blame for it..he starts out looking sexy at first but when he loses parts of his body, good lord…poor Brundlefly. I will never think of flies the same way again, but I will definitely think of this movie and Jeff Goldblum whenever I see a fly. Cronenberg makes body-horror thought-provoking and makes it a journey of discovery about the human condition. Oh Goldblum, never stop being you.

Numerous music videos. Let's see, there's the infamous Fatboy Slim music video Right Here Right Now, there's also the Black Or White video which pretty much made morphing effects mainstream, so mainly videos to choose for that feature people being transformed or morphing effects, i've always had a fascination for becoming other people especially in dreams where I become a number of fictional characters and celebrities I admire. And i've always wanted to try my own hand at it, which I have…but not as well as the people who made these videos have.

Doctor Jekyll and Ms Hyde (1995). I used to be against tg because to me all male to female tgs sounded the same, you know..guy loses private parts, grows breasts, gets addicted to the dirty s-word and becomes a bimbo and all that stuff? But that was until I discoverered this movie and TG fiction on here, I discovered that not all TG stories are the same and a lot of them are interesting/fascinating to read and see. This movie definitely helped influence that, and definitely gave me a sort of simp-like fascination with Ms Sean Young.

Animorphs..especially the way the transformations were written and also the morphs on the cover. I envy whoever got to design the covers for these books, I have tried to do similar morphs myself but mine aren't as good, I remember the one of Ax morphing into a cow as the first cow transformation I ever saw in media and the first animal transformation that is a tg as well, to put it in context Ax morphs into a female cow since he acquired the DNA of a female bovine instead of a bull/steer. You gotta be real careful with your morphs ya know. Also Rachel turning into a monster version of herself was badass.

Big Wolf On Campus. Ah yes, this show. This show along with Buffy is my main influence in general. First of all the werewolf is a hero and not a villain, second…the dialogue in this show is amazing and humorous as well…and it helped shape me into the horror fanatic I am now. I love half-creature transformations where the person remains humanoid but has features like pointed ears, fur/scales on their hands or face and fangs or claw-like fingernails, I seem to have a fascination with claws or claw-like fingernails since I remember at one point trying to grow claws of my own…sadly, my fingernails can't grow long enough for that, shame.

Dungeons and Dragons. I still use the D&D monster manual as reference material when monster-making…and when I depict how werecreatures turn in my work I sometimes go by the same rules as D&D's take on them but add a bit of my own flair to it (my werecreatures aren't fully good or evil, but evil ones can be turned good/corrupted ones can be turned to the side of good again with certain types of spells). I still have a Wererat OC which I created for a campaign.

The mirror scene from Casper.

Blackbluedawg.

Numerous sites about werecreatures and shapeshifters. I'm not going to say the name of this artist out of respect, but he made me the man I am today thanks to his website and I think of him as a personal hero and influence, let's just say there are numerous sites that serve as my inspiration and his was one of them, cartoons (both multiple-episodes AND one shot episodes/specials), live action tv show tfs, comics, games, you name it. Also learning about werecreature lore in general inspired me to get interested in it. And I can't believe I didn't discover sites like this from the get go. Also that one History Channel documentary about werecreatures/shapeshifters and the were-deer…oh yes.

Wallace and Gromit: Curse Of The Wererabbit. If you haven't seen this movie, you should…it's a loving tribute to classic horror with the signature Aardman charm and it's hilarious.

Goosebumps. A mask that turns you into a monster if you wear it more than once? Sign me up. A werewolf story based on the legend of Native American skinwalkers? Sign me up. What's that? A choose your own adventure scenario except in Goosebumps form and you could possibly end up as a bat-creature or a werewolf or a monster in general? Boy, this series has it all including monsters and transformations galore. Of course if I ended up turning into a Werecreature i'd be a Were-Aykroyd, hey…turning into Dan Aykroyd honestly would be awesome, it's meant to be after all.

Teen Wolf (1985). Definitely this and the cartoon.

Lance/Weremoose. I love his morphs into Disney and other animated characters and in particular his Star Wars morphs. They inspired me and got me into photomanipulations.

Swatcher. As a fellow Grinch fan, I approve of his use of the Jim Carrey Grinch.

Jmmates. A whole channel dedicated to transformations/morphs…sign me up. Heck a few of my ideas for morphs have even been adapted, including a Pennywise and insect morph.

Thriller. We all know this video by heart, MJ is with his girlfriend and their car runs out of gas and so they decided to take a walk through the woods, MJ asks her to be his girlfriend and she says yes, he then warns her that he isn't 'like other boys', she doesn't know what he is talking about and he doubles over in pain, she asks him if he is okay…he jumps up and growls 'GO AWAY!' in a deep monster-like voice as he turns into a werecat. This transformation is no doubt as iconic as AWIL's transformation considering John Landis and Rick Baker BOTH worked on this one.

The Honey Monster. I used to be scared of this guy (same with Carrey's Grinch) but I can now see that this guy has a fanbase that definitely remembers the old commercials of people turning into this creatures's species fondly and some have done their own fanfiction for it, which I am so proud of.

Nibblahfrog. I have a fondness for turning heroes or actors who play heroes into things and that comes from Nibblah's Power Ranger monster transformation concepts and that helped me get into the idea of creating monsters of my own.

Numerous interactive stories.

#Monstermaster13 #tf influences

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meggie-stardust · 2 years

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🤡🎢💔

Thanks, bestie <3

🤡 What’s a line, scene, or exchange you’ve written that made you laugh?

Oh my god, I make myself laugh all the time when I write, but I'm not sure if that always translates to the people who are reading it... I really amused myself with a few exchanges in At This Truth We Have Arrived, like this one:

“John Landis,” Stiles says from the doorway.

Peter turns around and is startled to see Stiles leaning against the door with an amused look on his face.

“What?” demands Peter, anger and frustration simmering under his skin. Everything about this situation is catching him off guard.

“My mom’s favorite movies were John Landis movies,” Stiles says, continuing the non sequitur. “You know: Trading Places, Blues Brothers, Animal House,” he pauses and smirks, “An American Werewolf in London.”

The little shit actually winks at Peter, and with that he’s gone.

🎢 Which of your fics would you call your wildest ride?

Answered here, but this does make me think I need to write something with some crazy plot someday...

💔 Is there a fic of yours that broke your heart?

Not really? I generally don't write sad stuff...I think I get my heart broken by fics that I really like and spent a lot of time on, and they seem to, well flop isn't the right word, but it seems to be a miss with the fandom. And that's fine, it is what it is, but it does make me sad.

#meg answers things #meg writes fic #punchedbymarkesmith

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jake-whatthefisgoingon-kiszka · 10 months

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First of december, the only acceptable time to start decorating for christmas in my opinion 🎄🎁 that leads me to my first queation:

Are you more of a christmas lover or halloween lover? Some people, start decorating as soon as halloween is over while others (me included) are still kinda sad halloween is over. Which one are you?

I see you like writing, which is so cool, cause i wish i had the talent and time to write. Who are your favorite authors and what are your favorite books/ book genres?

I saw the post with your embroidered scrunchy, it turned out amazing. What else do like to do creatively in your free time?

Also, i see we have some stuff in common, jake lane and we both like horror movies. What are your favorite horror movies and which ones do you think the boys could survive in and which they wouldnt last five minutes? What roles would the boys adopt?

This is it for today. Hope you have a great day <3

-Secret santa💫🎅

HI SANTA!!!

Well since you asked…

1. I am an avid Halloween lover! Dress up every year! (And I may or may not still have some Halloween decorations up.. oops). Now that doesn’t mean I don’t love Christmas. There’s something about Christmas that is just so special and it deserves all its hype, in December where it belongs, or in my case usually January because that always seems to be when my friends and I can get together for our annual Friendsmas

2. I do like to write! Sometimes I psych myself out into thinking I’m not that good but I keep doing it so 🤷‍♀️ As far as reading goes, I don’t remember that last time I read an actual book. I know terrible. I like the idea of reading but I don’t have the attention span for it. I think that’s why I like fanfiction so much (I’ve read fanfic for yeeeears) because you’ve already got the basics, you know the characters, and you can just jump right into the good stuff. Maybe one of these days I’ll do better and read a good book or even better find a series I like

3. In my free time I am torturing myself with more needles as I have started my next scrunchie hopefully this one turns out good too 🤞 I like art stuff in general but again I’m just mid at most things so it’s just dabbling here and there

4. Horror is by far my favorite genre of movie there’s so many good ones! But to just name a few favs that pop into mind: Event Horizon, Ghost Ship, 13 Ghosts, An American Werewolf in London, aaaannndd the 1985 movie House, among many many others. As far as Greta in horror movies I never really thought about it but now that you have my gears grinding it would be hilarious to see them in a situation like Cabin in the Woods considering that movie already plays on the horror stereotypes. I think Josh would be the scholar, Danny would be the athlete, Sam would be the fool, and Jake would be the whore (come on now 😏). I think they would fare pretty well in supernatural based movies but make obviously stupid decisions to get themselves all killed in slasher movies

Also you didn’t ask me this but my mind is off in its own world now. I’m also a huge Scooby-Doo fan and wouldn’t a Greta X Scooby cross over be so fun!

Well I hope I answered everything and I hope YOU have an excellent rest of your day. Till we meet again 💕🎄

#secret Santa time!!

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joe-spookyy · 1 month

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What is the Gay subtext between David Kissler and Jack Goodman ?

so the subtext in this one is not super overt like it is in like. reanimator. but it’s definitely there. first i’ll start with the basics. full essay under the cut.

now, the werewolf is one of the easiest classic monsters to read as queer. i mean, it’s right there. someone who walks among “normal” people, who are completely unaware that this person carries a “dark secret” that sets them apart from everyone else. i could be talking about this person’s status as a werewolf. i could also be talking about their queer identity that they choose not to disclose. the idea of living a sort of double life and hiding part of yourself is prominent in werewolf media and also in depictions and the real lives of queer people. additionally, the transformation aspect is something many trans people find easy to connect to. the point is, it’s pretty damn easy to read lycanthropy as a metaphor for queerness of any kind.

and 80s werewolves have it even queerer. just like 80s vampires, they’re a monster that spreads their disease through physical contact. a bite. a scratch. and of course. usually a lot of blood. what else was big in terms of blood in the 80s? yeah. you probably guessed it. the aids crisis! i could write a whole different essay on this but the fears that came with the aids crisis are, just like most other societal fears, reflected in the horror films of their time. here’s a snippet from the AAWIL essay book that comes with the arrow dvd release.

so, even though the aids crisis wasn’t quite around when the film was released, it still had a connection to the culture, which adds to the potential for a queer reading. and it’s quite interesting that director john landis chooses specifically to compare david’s affliction to aids. also if you want proof on this point just check out how many werewolf and vampire movies came out during the 80s and the aids crisis. it really makes you think.

okay. now we’ve covered the basics. but what is it exactly about an american werewolf in london, and more specifically, jack goodman and david kessler, that reads as queer? well. let me tell you.

first of all a little more on the aids point. david’s condition is, like aids, infectious. and it affects almost exclusively men - david only has one female victim from his first night of “carnivorous lunar activities.” and you know what else disproportionately affects men? aids. and it’s also quite interesting that his victims are predominantly men with the idea of lycanthropy as a representation of his queerness - his preference for men in his nighttime activities can certainly be read as representative of something other than being a werewolf.

now, my favorite point and the one that i find most compelling. as we know, david and jack are on a little trip when jack is killed in front of david, and jack then returns to haunt david throughout the movie to encourage him to. yknow. kill himself. so what about that is queer? i’m so glad you asked! if you pay a little extra attention, you’ll notice that every time jack shows up, it’s after david’s just had a heterosexual experience. when he appears the first time, david’s just been flirting with his nurse, alex. when he comes back, it’s right after david and alex have just had sex. in fact, jack and david have a conversation here while david is fully naked. neither of them even bat an eye about this. and finally, jack and david have their last big talk while inside a very loud and very heterosexual pornography theater. kind of odd, right? it’s almost as if something other than jack’s ghost is haunting david. he can’t shake off visions of another man while he’s with his woman? here, jack could easily serve as a reminder of david’s sexuality, and he acts to rip david from his attempts at returning to normalcy after the attack. he just keeps coming back to tell david he’s a werewolf, and if we, as above, read lycanthropy as a metaphor for queerness, it easily reads as a blatant reminder for david that he is out of the societal norm (either in his existence as a werewolf or his queerness) and can’t go back now that he knows it. so, he’s reminded of this fact every time he tries to push himself to move on and be with alex. the final scene with the two of them in the porn theater is an even bigger nod to this idea. he’s literally in a pornography theater with a naked woman massive and on the big screen and all he can focus on is the fact that jack’s there, and of course, the fact that he is indeed a werewolf - permanently different from everyone around him, and, as far as he’s been told, dangerous and not deserving of life, which is a sentiment i’m sure many queer people can say they’re familiar with.

there are a few other nods to the idea of queerness in the film. of course, they’re not taken terribly seriously or presented as anything but jokes, given that it’s an 80s horror movie made by a straight man, but they do sort of add fuel to the fire of a queer reading of this movie. most notably, when david wakes up naked in the zoo after a night of werewolfing, he just kind of runs off with the nearest unattended clothing item. this piece of clothing happens to be a long women’s coat. bright red, with fur trim. wearing nothing but that, david almost looks like he’s wearing a dress, and it certainly doesn’t make him look more masculine. as he’s waiting in line for the train to return to alex’s, we’re shown all the men staring at him with disdain, as he whistles and makes small talk like nothing at all is off. david appears perfectly comfortable in the situation - it is just the judgement of others that makes him seem out of place. the coat emasculates him, and now the people around him are reading him as queer, whereas in his typical clothes, no one would look twice. later on, in an attempt to get himself arrested, david hurls obscenities in a public park, most notably (imo), “queen elizabeth is a man! prince charles is a faggot!” queerness is the butt of the joke here, of course. but if you squint real hard you can read david as queer and just decide he’s allowed to say the f slur. cause he can reclaim.

also, the film takes an interesting route - rather than “defeating” david’s otherness, by somehow returning him to a human state and saving his life, and thus allowing him live out his days with alex, they let the werewolfism win. david ends up tragically dead, despite alex’s please and love confession. in this film, heterosexuality Doesn’t win. now, i’m not necessarily saying queerness wins. it’s not like david gets to live happily ever after with jack. however, we as the audience are fully aware this is the only way things could have gone. david’s condition was permanent (as is queerness), and there was no way to change him. no way to make him fit that societal norm. instead he goes down, just like jack did. in a way, i guess they are presumably together in the end. i don’t really know the afterlife logistics in this universe, but they’re both dead and presumably at peace and not walking the earth, since david’s death broke the curse.

so! there’s a little rundown of most of the queercoding in an american werewolf in london. it’s a bit late so forgive me if anything doesn’t make sense. i’ll take follow up questions. peace and love.

#matty answers #matty’s media essays #werewolf #an american werewolf in london #american werewolf in london #aawil #jack aawil #david aawil #queercoding #horror #80s horror #john landis #lycanthropy #lycanthrope

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susandsnell · 1 year

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hey love, have u seen the new gotg/do u plan to? totally understandable if u can't look at crisp rat on the big screen again/if ur disneymarvelled out. also! what's ur favorite art house horror annnnnnnd ur favorite werewolf movie? hope ur day/night is going well!

!!! this was so sweet to wake up to this morning!

I have seen GOTG 3 and I was really pleased with how it turned out (for the most part, lol, but that I enjoyed an MCU movie as much as I did in 2023 is in and of itself a testament to Gunn's skill with wringing emotion from the popcorn pics and creative graveyard that is Disney right now). Peter Quill means enough to me as a character that I'm able to separate him somewhat from Pratt in my head, thankfully (as he made like...borderline homophobic comments in press for the film, to nobody's surprise). Really liked how well my girls Nebula and Mantis were done, and I was actually pleasantly surprised by a lot of Gamora's storyline given how much needed to be salvaged from IW-Endgame. Loved the gradual reveal that Rocket has been the emotional core of these movies all along, especially in those backstory scenes that let Gunn really show off his horror background. (Come on, that wailing mimicry/face stuff had to be a Silence of the Lambs reference! In an MCU movie? Fab.) It was a wonderfully emotional sendoff to a trilogy that has saved and helped me in so many ways, and I think the most meaningful choice of all is the shift to contemporary music symbolizing letting go of one's past and nostalgia and moving forward - an important character moment for the Guardians, sure, but also almost a jab at how modern Disney is riding on nostalgia and refusing to evolve. (May be a bit of a stretch, but considering the delightfully hammy High Evolutionary feeling like a continual jab at Disney management and Gunn's probably rightful anger at how the company's treated him, who knows?) I'm 90% disneymarvelled out, but once in a while, there'll be a fantastic work of animation from them or a pleasant surprise that'll play exception to the rule.

My favourite arthouse horror is very difficult to pick! (To say nothing of how it's kind of a hard distinction to pin down - people argue Ari Aster's works and Black Swan and The VVitch qualify, and I adore all of these, but don't quite see them as arthouse?) I'm going to go with Suspiria for now, with honourable mentions to Ganja & Hess, Possession, and The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover (I know this one's kind of a cheat because it's more revengey/crime drama than horror, but honestly how graphic it gets and the denouement arguably push it into horror for me). I have a big soft spot for Let The Right One In as well.

Werewolf movies are even harder because I don't often go in for them! An American Werewolf in London is a classic though, and the makeup effects are unforgettable. Other than that, flaws and all, Ginger Snaps and The Company of Wolves are both delights in their own ways.

My week has unforch been pretty wretched so far, but this ask more than brightened it up! <3 Hope you have a great time of day as well, and thank you so much for sending this!

#anon asks

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joeygoeshollywood · 4 years

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My 25 Favorite Films of 2020

Well, this was quite the crazy year, especially for movies. While many films that were slated to be released this year were postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic, this year still provided some laughs, tears, and thrills both in theaters and in the living room.

(NOTE: Due to the delayed awards season calendar and postponed Oscar bait films that are unavailable to be seen before the end of 2020, this list will eventually be updated after having seen the following films: The Father, Minari, News of the World, Nomadland, One Night in Miami, Pieces of a Woman, Promising Young Woman)

Here are my 25 favorite films of the year:

25. Kajillionaire

Quirky filmmaker Miranda July is back with her first feature in nearly a decade. Kajillionaire is a bizarre but captivating tale about a family of criminal grifters and how the daughter reevaluates her strained relationship with her parents after an outsider is welcomed into the fold. Evan Rachel Wood takes what could have easily been dismissed as a goofy caricature in Old Dolio (yes, that’s her name) and turns into a heartfelt portrayal of a woman whose lifestyle of freeloading dictated by her parents (played by Debra Winger and Richard Jenkins) becomes her own crisis. In many ways, Kajillionaire feels like a fantasy that keeps people asking, “What on earth is going on?” And this time, it’s for the best.

24. Freaky

Revamping decades-old plots like the body-swapping antics from Freaky Friday can either result in a predictable failure or a surprising success. Thankfully, Freaky falls into the latter category. In this horror comedy, a deranged serial killer (played by Vince Vaughn) swaps bodies with his victim, a timid teen girl (played by Kathryn Newton). What makes the film work though are the dedicated lead performances, particularly by Vaughn, who is pretty convincing as young girl trapped in a grown man’s body. With a few good laughs and decent thrills, Freaky is worth the watch.

23. The Outpost

The Outpost is an intense film about the real-life story of small group of US troops isolated by surrounding mountains in Afghanistan, under the constant threat of the Taliban, which ultimately comes to a head in the Battle of Kamdesh. The film captures the harrowing experiences of these soldiers with heart-pounding action sequences, which are fueled by a solid cast including Scott Eastwood, Caleb Landry Jones, and Orlando Bloom.

22. Uncle Frank

Paul Bettany may be best known for playing The Vision in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but he should be celebrated as his title character in Uncle Frank, a touching dramedy set in 1973 about an NYU professor who returns home to his estranged family for his father’s funeral while his niece, played by rising star Sophia Lillis, idolizes him for teaching her to be her authentic self while he keeps his sexuality a secret. Bettany brilliantly balances the coolness of his stature with the internal agony that ultimately hits a boiling point, which is counterbalanced by Peter Macdissi’s fun performance as Frank’s happy-go-lucky lover who accompanies him back home despite his wishes.

21. Hillbilly Elegy

Hillbilly Elegy was panned by critics over politics that had absolutely no role the film. Based on the best-selling memoir by J.D. Vance, the newest feature from Ron Howard shows the journey of a boy who despite all odds growing up in a poor family that constantly struggled with abuse and addition managed to get into Yale Law School and achieve the American dream. While both Gabriel Basso and Owen Asztalos hold the film together as the younger and older Vance in the present and flashback scenes, Amy Adams as the impulsive, irresponsible mother and an unrecognizable Glenn Close as the no-nonsense inspiring grandmother that turn Hillbilly Elegy into an acting tour de force.

20. The Trial of the Chicago 7

Oscar-winning screenwriter Aaron Sorkin sits in the director’s chair once again in this courtroom drama about the real-life protesters who showed up in Chicago during the 1968 Democratic National Convention. With themes that resonate today, The Trial of the Chicago 7 benefits from its sharp screenplay, well-paced editing, and an outstanding ensemble cast that includes Eddie Redmayne, Mark Rylance, Yahoo Abdul-Mateen II, Sacha Baron Cohen, Jeremy Strong, Frank Langella, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and Michael Keaton.

19. Yellow Rose

Broadway actress Eva Noblezada makes her film debut as an aspiring country singer on the run after her mother, an illegal immigrant, is obtained for deportation. Yellow Rose presents a nuanced depiction of US immigration, but at the heart of it is a heartbreaking story of a young woman who struggles between putting her family or her dreams first. Between Noblezada’s powerful performance and solid original music, Yellow Rose hits all the right chords.

18. Palm Springs

Move over, Groundhog Day. While the Bill Murray classic has largely monopolized the time loop film genre, Palm Springs gives it a run for its money. Andy Sandberg and Cristin Milioti star as the unlikely duo who are stranded reliving the same dreaded wedding day involving mutual acquaintances and their desperate efforts to escape the seemingly inescapable. The Hulu comedy stands on its own two feet for the good laughs, the chemistry between the two leads, and the film’s emotionally-grounded plot.

17. Let Him Go

Kevin Costner and Diane Lane reunite on the big screen after playing farmer parents in Man of Steel to rancher grandparents in Let Him Go, although this time they are able to display their full acting chops. In this period dramatic thriller, they set out to find their only grandchild following the death of their son only to discover that the widowed daughter-in-law remarried into an infamous crime family. While both Costner and Lane tug at the heartstrings, it’s Lesley Manville, who plays the ruthless matriarch of the family, that really takes command of the screen. Ultimately, Let Him Go is all about family and the lengths one is willing to go to protect it.

16. Unhinged

In a year plagued by the pandemic, Unhinged led the way to the revival of movie theaters back in August and perhaps in some ways it was meant to be the film to do so as the themes of a rage-fueled society and the lack of human connection carry weight. Russell Crowe stars, as the title suggests, as an unhinged psychopath whose road rage torments a woman and her adolescent son. Unhinged is the epitome of pure entertainment and is why we go to the movies. While it’s not quite the most sophisticated thriller of the year, it’s still one helluva ride.

15. Emma

Anya Taylor-Joy has had quite the year with both highs (The Queen’s Gambit) and lows (The New Mutants). But it began before the pandemic with the release of Emma, which she stars as the iconic Jane Austen title character, a socialite who meddles in the love life of others while refusing to acknowledge her own shortcomings in that department. Supported with a strong ensemble cast, beautiful production design, and comedic charm, Emma is not to be missed.

14. The Invisible Man

ln the era of remakes and reboots, very few are as good as Universal’s latest monster flick revival of The Invisible Man. Elisabeth Moss stars as a woman who believes she’s being haunted by her abusive ex-husband, someone she becomes convinced faked his own death and is stalking her without being able to be seen. Filmmaker Leigh Whannell, the writer behind the Saw and Insidious horror franchises, generates good thrills and high-wire tension with the help of high production value and a terrifyingly-good performance from Moss.

13. Dick Johnson is Dead

Documentarian Kirsten Johnson filmed a beautiful, intimate tribute to her father Dick Johnson, who has been suffering from Alzheimer's in the final years of his life. However, instead of dreading his death, both daughter and father embrace it by having him acting out several scenes of his over-the-top demises. Dick Johnson is Dead may focus on the subject manner of death, but this documentary actually celebrates life and the laughs that happen along the way.

12. The Wolf of Snow Hollow

Perhaps one of the littlest-known films of the year, The Wolf of Snow Hollow is not your conventional indie comedy horror flick. Writer/director Jim Cummings stars as an overly-heated police officer who attempts to get to the bottom of a string of murders in his small, snowy Utah town by what appears to be some sort of werewolf, though he remains unconvinced. Featuring one of the final performances from veteran actor Robert Forster, The Wolf of Snow Hollow uses its quirky sense of humor to stand out from the rest of the pack.

11. The Gentlemen

The Gentlemen is a fun, action-packed, crime caper from Guy Ritchie about the London turf war of drug kingpins. Matthew McConaughey, Charlie Hunnam, Henry Goulding, Michelle Dockery, and Colin Ferrell all round out the strong cast, but its Hugh Grant that really steals the show as the comedically manipulative Fletcher, whose only allegiance is to himself. If you like a stylish film with well-choreographed violence and a fast-paced plot, The Gentlemen should be your cup of tea.

10. Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom

Some of the best play-to-film adaptations are the films that feel like you’re watching a play, and Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom is one of them. Produced by Denzel Washington, Viola Davis gives a transformative performance as Ma Rainey, known as the “mother of the blues” and the clash she had with a pair of White music producers, but she also butts heads with her trumpet player (played by the late Chadwick Boseman), who also has his own music ambitions. While Davis obviously gives other Oscar-worthy performance, it was Boseman who was able to show how incredibly gifted he was as an actor. And while the world lost him far too soon, at least his last role ended up being his greatest.

9. The Kid Detective

One of the biggest surprises of the year was how good a movie starring and produced by Adam Brody was. Brody plays a washed up former kid detective who attempts to revive his once-celebrated career of solving mysteries by getting to the bottom of a murder in his hometown. The Kid Detective is a brilliant dark comedy from newcomer writer/director Evan Morgan with good laughs, plenty of plot twists, and a career-best performance from Brody, who proves he’s more than just the pretty face from The O.C. we all know him as.

8. Mank

Citizen Kane is widely regarded as one of the greatest films ever made and Mank is a worthy tribute. Gary Oldman stars as the title character Herman “Mank” Mankiewicz, the Oscar-winning screenwriter behind the iconic film. David Fincher (The Social Network, Gone Girl) managed to capture the epic scale of the 1941 classic that would make Orson Welles proud.

7. Soul

Soul is one of those rare existential Pixar films that goes beyond being children’s entertainment. Following in the footsteps of 2015′s Inside Out, Soul depicts what happens to the soul of a jazz musician who’s convinced his time on Earth isn’t over. While the universe created to explain how souls work and the plot that went along with it falls short of its emotions predecessor, Soul is still high-caliber among Pixar films and a great movie for both kids and adults alike.

6. Another Round

Perhaps the greatest work from Swedish director Thomas Vinterberg to date, Another Round follows four unsatisfied middle aged men who decide to take a theory of task from a Norwegian psychiatrist, who concluded that maintaining a blood alcohol level of 0.050 will enhance their mental and psychological state. Mads Mikkelsen, who’s best known to American audiences as Hannibal Lecter in the short-lived NBC series Hannibal and the Bond villain in Casino Royale, offers a strong, nuanced performance as one of the four educators who embraces this drinking challenge in a film that provides an equal balance of chuckles, cringes, and emotional gut punches.

5. I’m Thinking of Ending Things

From the crazy mastermind of Charlie Kaufman, the writer behind Being John Malkovich, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, and Anomalisa, his latest on Netflix is too a mind-bender. I’m Thinking of Ending Things is a surreal, zany, and at times disturbing examination of the human condition as the nameless female protagonist played by an incredible Jessie Buckley mulls over breaking up with her boyfriend (played by Jesse Plemons) while visiting his parents’ house. Accompanied with a stellar production design and a crazy-good performance from Toni Collette as “Mother,” Kaufman newest cerebral feature lives up to his iconic reputation of filmmaking.

4. Da 5 Bloods

Spike Lee is one of the few genius filmmakers who is able to blend multiple genres together and his latest film is no different. Da 5 Bloods is an action adventure, buddy comedy, dramatic character study, and war movie all wrapped up into one about a group of Vietnam War veterans who return to the former battlegrounds to find the remains of one of their fallen soldiers as well as some treasure that they kept hidden years ago. With a strong ensemble cast that includes the late Chadwick Boseman, its longtime character actor Delroy Lindo who steals the show with his powerful performance. Da 5 Bloods is easily one of Netflix’s strongest films to date.

3. The Assistant

One of the first #MeToo-era films, The Assistant offers the day in the life of a low-level female staffer of a production company who is haunted by the presence of her Harvey Weinstein-like boss (who never actually appears in the film). However, rather than depicting the dramatics of sexual misconduct, The Assistant uses the common subtleties and nuances of the workplace yet maintains the same tension and heartbreak. Anchored by the remarkable, devastating performance by up-and-comer Julia Garner (Ozark), The Assistant is as important as it is well-done.

2. Sound of Metal

Riz Ahmed gives the performance of his career as a heavy metal drummer and former addict whose sudden battle with going deaf upends his life. Sound of Metal is an incredible experience that gives a rare glimpse in the American deaf community which is enhanced by the remarkable sound design that helps the audience actually hear what the musician is going through. It’s truly one of the most rewarding films of the year.

1. The Climb

The Climb takes the generic “man sleeps with his best friend’s fiancé” storyline and turns it on its head. In his feature debut as writer and director, Michael Angelo Covino leads as the not-so-apologetic adulterer Mike and Kyle Marvin, who co-wrote the film, is the good-hearted Kyle who struggles to whether or not to forgive his best friend’s ultimately betrayal. Not only is The Climb is quirky and hilariously written, it’s a remarkably well-made comedy with some of the year’s best cinematography. Between a strong cast, a superb screenplay, and the extremely-high production value, The Climb is at the top of the mountain of 2020′s best films.

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