#candyman analysis

[prime-crime-time]

holy fuck I just realised the protagonist in candyman (2021) was suddenly successful with his art because the white art critic loved seeing herself over seeing black people in his previous paintings it was a critique of self-indulgent white people in art who gatekeep from non-conforming pocs

[overnightoverthinking]

I’ve been genuinely thinking about doing a Candyman review ever since the sad news of Tony Todd’s passing but I both wanted to give it time and give me time to review/edit whatever I write.

[tomorrowusa]

Stuff like this is not exactly news, but it is finally making the news.

In a speech at the Turning Point Action convention in Detroit on Saturday night, former President Donald Trump once again questioned President Joe Biden's mental acuity, suggesting that Biden should take a cognitive test. However, in the next breath, Trump confused the name of the doctor who administered the test to him during his presidency. "He doesn't even know what the word 'inflation' means. I think he should take a cognitive test like I did," Trump said of Biden. Seconds later, he continued, "Doc Ronny Johnson. Does everyone know Ronny Johnson, congressman from Texas? He was the White House doctor, and he said I was the healthiest president, he feels, in history, so I liked him very much indeed immediately."

The doctor Trump was referring to is actually named Ronny Jackson, not Ronny Johnson. Jackson, who served as the White House physician for part of Trump's presidency, is now a Republican congressman from Texas and one of Trump's most vocal defenders on Capitol Hill. Trump, who turned 78 on Friday, has made questioning whether the 81-year-old Biden is fit for a second term a centerpiece of his campaign. However, critics quickly seized on his Saturday night gaffe, with the Biden campaign posting a clip of the moment, minutes later.

Biden has had a lifelong stutter which he's mostly overcome. Trump's attacks on the disabled to draw attention from his own shortcomings are just part of his routine.

In fact, Trump is the candidate who repeatedly has shown increasing signs of psychological derangement.

In April, a leading psychologist said Trump's mental capabilities appear to be "faltering in a very dangerous way," while speaking on the David Packman Show. Harry Segal, a senior lecturer in psychology at Cornell University who has been critical of the former president's mental health said he believed Trump's "cognitive decline as being another layer of danger on top of an already erratic, mentally challenged person who shouldn't be anywhere near the White House."

As for Dr. Ronny Johnson Jackson, using him as a source is rather dubious.

First on CNN: Rep. Ronny Jackson made sexual comments, drank alcohol and took Ambien while working as White House physician, Pentagon watchdog finds

The Department of Defense inspector general has issued a scathing review of Rep. Ronny Jackson during his time serving as the top White House physician, concluding that he made “sexual and denigrating” comments about a female subordinate, violated the policy for drinking alcohol while on a presidential trip and took prescription-strength sleeping medication that prompted concerns from his colleagues about his ability to provide proper care.

Johnson Jackson got the nickname "Candyman" for freely handing out drugs at the White House.

Ex-White House doctor known as the ‘candyman’ dispensed pills without prescriptions

A former White House doctor was allegedly nicknamed the “candyman” for handing out pills to staff without prescriptions. [ ... ]

Former members of the White House medical unit claim that under Dr Jackson’s leadership, they had handed out stimulants and sedatives without prescriptions, and faked staff members’ identities to give them free healthcare. They claimed the practices had been shaped by Dr Jackson, now a Republican congressman, who was given the nicknames “Dr Feelgood” and “the Candyman”.

I'd love to see an analysis of Trump's blood. In addition to sky high levels of caffeine from his 12 Diet Cokes® per day, there are probably some interesting chemicals churning through his system.

[sunnydaleherald]

The Sunnydale Herald Newsletter, Friday, November 8th

Buffy: There is only one thing on this Earth more powerful than evil, and that's us.

~~Showtime~~

[Drabbles & Short Fiction]

Buzzkill by veronyxk84 (Spike, Dawn, PG-13)

Tonight and the Rest of My Life by anr (Angel/Cordelia, T)

Bewitched Bimbos by TiffyB (Buffy/Willow/Xander, Explicit)

Burn by buffytargaryen (Buffy/Angel, G)

A New Dawn by Sasusc (Buffy/Angel, Dawn, Joyce, G)

Escape to Capri by melodys_muse (Buffy/Angel, G)

will we find this light by bonniesfire (Buffy/Angel, T)

Wherever You Go by a2zmom (Buffy/Angel, Lorne, Dawn, Faith, G)

Haikus: Inca Mummy Girl, Reptile Boy, Halloween by Senorpuddin (Scoobies, worksafe)

[Chaptered Fiction]

Shadowed Suspicion Omake 12 by madimpossibledreamer (Jojo's Bizarre Adventure fusion, Teen)

Dreams of Home - Chapter 1-4 (COMPLETE!) by Liana_Medea (Buffy/Angel, G)

The Watcher, Ch. 34 by In Mortal (Buffy/Spike, NC-17)

The Great Escape from Oz, Ch. 7 by Melme1325 (Buffy/Spike, NC-17)

The Science of Being Yours, Ch. 7 by Maxine Eden, ClowniestLivEver (Buffy/Spike, NC-17)

The Bad Penny, Ch. 1 by OffYourBird (Buffy/Spike, NC-17)

With Sprinkles, Ch. 43 by dogbertcarroll (anime crossover, Xander, FR15)

[Images, Audio & Video]

Drawings: xander is the #1 willow simp by hamspamandjamsandwich (Willow/Xander, worksafe)

Vid: Caronte by mycatismyfriend (Angel/Wesley)

Gifset: Between Good and Goodbye by peeta-mellark (Buffy/Angel, worksafe)

moodboard: fred x wesley by courtillyy (worksafe)

Buffy The Vampire Slayer Walkthrough Part 4 (XBOX) by ★WishingTikal★ ()

A Tribute to Buffy the Vampire Slayer (TV Show). A Tribute Fan song. by EpicTributeTunes ()

Vid: Always an angel, Never a god by Lov3ly Day (Buffy, ensemble)

Manip: Rip Tony Todd aka Candyman (Tony Todd, worksafe)

[Reviews & Recaps]

Mothman's Buffy rewatch: Season 4, episodes 9, 10, and 11, "Something Blue", "Hush", and "Doomed" by mothmans-wedding-photographer

Buffy The Vampire Slayer Series Retrospective (Review/Recap) by JB's Spooky Review

[Boom] Buffy the Vampire Slayer #1. | 60 second comic Book Review by WithoutaPanel-t8x

Which single-episode bad guy creeped you out the most? by MountainFig7244

The Cinematography by Outside-Cabinet1398

Best episodes to watch on an edible? hosted by RafRide

[Recs & In Search Of]

alas-poor-cesario is looking for an old Giles/Xander fic where Spike was used as a cooling mat

Buffy podcast recs by CraftyDependent5283 and others

YouTube channel Episodic Analysis recced by wolfotwindsor

[Community Announcements]

Revamped I Will Remember You Marathon — week one masterpost (Buffy/Angel fan fiction)

[Fandom Discussions]

Images: wedding cake toppers... that would fit Spuffy better than the one Buffy picked out by aphony-cree

stray thought but why didn’t they just let giles die in spiral? by camellcat

respectfully disagree that faith and spike would be kismeses by lesbianmarrow

What I want to know is how Angel and Spike got to the point of arguing about cavemen vs astronauts by thequeenofsastiel

Spangel captivates me so much more, and I’m not sure why by thequeenofsastiel

Re: “Chloe was an idiot. She was weak.” by theredpharaoah

I think the Slayer Activation Spell is kind of lore-breaking and doesn’t make sense by theredpharaoah

Another one of my favourite Buffy headcanons (The Dark Age) by duckwnoeyes

strange that Spike is shown to be someone who doesn't spend a lot of time thinking complex thoughts or focusing on any self reflection, while Angel/us is - by thequeenofsastiel, everythingeverythingeverything

The Kendra/Faith dynamic that exists only in my head by finalgirl1984

having some twisted and somewhat possibly perverted thoughts about spangelus by xaeyrnofnbe

Diagram: behold, my buffyverse ship thoughts by xaeyrnofnbe

RIP Tony Todd by burrunjor and others

RIP horror legend Tony Todd (Candyman). He played Vyasa in The Shroud of Rahmon - by InfiniteMehdiLove

Would Anya be a better character if... by debujandobirds

Innocent victim of the day (in Storyteller) by timmorris82

Does anyone know anything about this spell? by KaleidoscopeNo1263

DVDs… to Keep or Not to Keep… by AornisHades

checkpoint lesson [American politics] by ersimon417

Happy birthday to Azura Skye who played an amazing Cassie/The First by PinkPashaTS

Inncoent(?) victim(s) of the day (in The Pack) by timmorris82

[Articles, Interviews, and Other News]

James Marsters Brisbane Supanova Expo 2024 Reports, Pics & Videos via dontkillspike

Todd McIntosh Makeup Secrets from Buffy and Beyond by PopGeeks

Embracing Stillness: Discovering the Power of the Pause. Ft Rob Nagle [who played Robson] by The Aftermath

I ask Amber Benson for her opinion on Taffy (Tara x Buffy) by Matanza Mafia-Fedora

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[jasminethetransvampire]

Top 5 favorite movies??

Thank you for the question! The answer to this was originally going to be a lot more in-depth and detailed, but for reasons I've had to make it more compressed. 5, Godzilla: King of the Monsters Is it the best kaiju film out there? Hell no. But it does have giant monsters beating the shit out of eachother in scenic locations, the best dragon in cinema, and non-human characters effectively communicating personality through body language. 4, Oldboy Dark, brutal, bleak and gorgeously scored. Seriously, every part of this movie does an excellent job of conveying the sheer tragedy of its plot. The phenomenal acting and dialogue stands out as well. 3, RRR Okay so ignoring the discussion about how good of a gateway this movie is to Indian cinema and foreign language films in general, RRR is a great movie in its own right. I appreciate creative action choreography and this movie has it in spades, the music is really great too. Plus, you get to see lots of British colonisers die in interesting ways. 2, The Raid 2 I love martial arts films, I love the brutality and beauty of scripted and rehearsed violence. And while there isn't quite as much emotional intensity and impact behind the fights in the Raid 2 compared to others in the genre, it still makes for an incredible spectacle. Like, the kitchen fight scene in particular I would argue conveys a level of visceral intimacy that rivals many sex and romance scenes. 1, Candyman (2021) I love stories, and I love stories about stories. I love mythology and learning how different figures changed and evolved over time, which details slid off and got replaced and which stuck to them like honey. I was positively mesmerised by this movie, so much so that I had to go see it in theatres twice just to make sure I absorbed everything. Additionally, this movie came out around the time when I was first starting to pick up interest in black history and media analysis, and served as the catalyst for me really starting to dive deep into the topic.

[positively--speculative]

Not to be mean, but it seems like fandom on Tumblr confuses analyzing characters with creating headcanons.

They are not the same.

For instance, I can be cute and make a post about how Jonathan Crane has a junk food habit but also enjoys those little cutie tangerines as well and that his favorite horror movie is Candyman.

That is headcanon. It's based on nothing in any of the comic books or in any of the Batman movies or shows he's appeared in. It is, instead, based off of my projections and idealization of the character. And there is absolutely nothing wrong with having fun with characters like this. It allows me to be creative with one of my favorite characters.

If I were to do a basic critical analysis of the character, I could make a post about how Jonathan is an illustration of the long-term psychological damage that is inflicted on a person when they are traumatized from bullying and abuse and several of his arcs can serve as a cautionary tale against bullying, abuse, and not receiving the proper mental and emotional support.

This analysis is based on several backstories given to Jonathan Crane, as he is abused by his peers and his own family which ultimately leads to his downfall. I could also go on and provide research on the effects of bullying and why it is important that people traumatized by it have access to the help they need. It's not to suggest that everyone who gets bullied will end up like Jonathan, but receiving help can possibly help you to work through the trauma so it doesn't have to rule your life.

The problem is so many people on Tumblr follow the blogs that treat silly headcanons as actual character analysis and the people who write this stuff are, themselves, convinced of this, so they write them so confidently and insist that their fave is a sweet little bean and everyone who says differently, even when they use actual sources from the material and research to counter them, are "fandom bullies."

It's pretty much anti-intellectualism that disguises itself as intellectualism. And it's annoying as hell.

[horrorb]

Candyman (1992) v Candyman (2020): Commentary and Comparison

wc: 797

Before this class, I had been meaning to watch Candyman (the original!) for a while now, as it was one of the last mainstream horror movies I had left to watch – I didn't even realize there was a new film made in 2020. So, right when this class started, I watched the original on my own, and I wasn’t sure what I expected but it was definitely interesting, especially in regards to the power that folklore holds. I watched the new film today, just before writing this, and I have to say that it surprised me as well, but in an entirely different way. I am superstitious and cover my eyes when they say His name so I don’t see any reflections, but this movie had me turning away at other scenes as well. Previously, the only other film that made me close my eyes was Texas Chainsaw Massacre, as I couldn't handle the gore, and that sentiment held true in this film as well. Near the end...

where Anthony's body began to truly change, and be changed, into the likeness of the original Candyman, I couldn’t handle it! So I suppose props in the “this made my skin crawl” department.

Moving to a more in depth analysis, we will begin with the original. The main, or one of the main, conflicts is that Candyman (a black man) is chasing after Helen (a white woman) and messing with her mind, trying to convince her to join him, to kill with him, to be eternal with him. This relationship is seen as taboo and is harmfully reminiscence of the stereotype that Black men are aggressive and animalistic, and they desire a white woman as if they are forbidden fruit (though I suppose historically they were in a way), and will do anything to get her, including harming her, or taking her against her will. In this sense, one could then view Candynman and Helen's entire relationship as a metaphor. Of course, their relationship is a parallel to the story told depicting how Candyman (Daniel Robitaille) originally died – he loved and had an affair with a white woman, then when found out was chased and murdered. So one could view his and Helen's relationship as a cautionary tale for Black men wanting to break the status quo…not exactly a good message, especially in modern society. The theme throughout the film is not only highly racialized, but also involves class and classism. It was strange to me that Candyman would kill anyone indiscriminately when he was murdered by rich white men due to his relationship, but what did these people living in Cabrini-Green do? I suppose Candyman is a Boogeyman and not a vengeful type spirit, but still…

In the 2020 film, I feel like we get more context for what is shown in the original. Throughout the film, the concept of “being eternal” is explored in multiple ways – Anthony's art is referred to this way, the legend of Candyman is eternal, and the pain that people in this community have and share is eternal. It’s implied in the film that horror and folktale is used as an outlet for this pain, but interestingly enough, this folktale is giving life to these horrors as well. It's interesting to explore the power that shared belief and words have. And of course, near the end it's revealed that Anthony was some sort of vessel of the original Candyman, as he physically becomes him in some sort of ritual (completed on accident by the police comin in and killing Anthony), but his other things in his life parallel Daniel, like his art career. When Anthony starts his series on Cabrini-Green, he says it feels like he knows what he's supposed to do for the first time in his career…probably because looking into the legend of Candyman and where he was born (and originally kidnapped) was the trigger to his descent into the Boogeyman persona. Him being an artist also brings up the interesting conversation of class. The art critic even claims artists are gentrifiers, that they are the reason for the neighborhood being neglected, and though this comment isn’t necessarily or completely true, it does make the viewer wonder.

One other thing I want to mention from the new film is the scene in which Anthony is in the mirror elevator. Watching it, I thought it was interesting in the sense that the endless reflection creates the illusion where you don't know where you start or end – a metaphor for not knowing where “you” start or Candyman starts inside ones (Anthony or Helens) mind – overall you dont know whats real and a hallucination. In the end it seems that just because something is just in your head, doesn’t mean it's not “real”.

As always, there's so much to cover and so little time, but I’ll end it there.

Stay cool/ghoul!

- ghost |^-^|

[edensblogs]

Candyman 2021

What an insane sequel to the original Candyman! Anthony, an up-and-coming artist, uncovers the legend of Candyman. Willam, a resident of Cabrini-Green, tells a story of what he encountered decades ago when he was only a boy—one afternoon, he went to do laundry when a mysterious hooked man climbed out of a hole in the wall and offered Willam candy. Willam shrieks in fear, and the police rush in, killing the man. However, it is later revealed he was not Candyman, as razors in candy continued to appear after his death. This story highlights the error in law enforcement systems, as they pretend to care about an underprivileged community; they sit in police cars, watching and waiting to shoot without any hesitation. The police cars did not surround Cabrini-Green because they cared for the residents; in reality, they did that because they cared for society outside of Cabrini-Green. It is a cruel system keeping the underprivileged in, failing them in all aspects of life!

William remembers this incident and uses Anthony as a vessel for the resurrection of Candyman, as Anthony was the lost baby who escaped his wrath decades ago. It was discovered that there were various Candyman’s, each enduring a gruesome death. William formulates a scheme to avenge Candyman and use Anthony as a martyr. Once speaking with Willam, Anothony returns home and repeats “Candyman” five times into the mirror, sealing his faith. It is interesting how Anthony was not murdered instantly like the other victims of the Candyman. 

Why did William want Candyman to rise again? This question rattles my mind. Candyman was a killer, murderer, and taunter. William tells Anthony, “They love what we make but not us.” The Cabrini–Green’s projects are neglected and underserved, and rather than help them, they leave them to dry. The film ends with Candyman murdering all the police officers who killed him, yet he lets Brianna live. Then, the original Candyman overtakes Anthony’s body and tells Brianna to “Tell Everyone.”  Candyman transforms, taking on a new role as a protector of the community, killing those who are deceitful. He, a white-eyed, one-armed man swarmed with bees, symbolizes the hurt of the African American community. He wants to “Tell Everyone” that he is back, and back for good. He is resurrected as a protector rather than hurting his community, as in the initial flim. Also, it was compelling how, in this flim, Candyman is never shown hurting/killing any African American individual. 

The film explores the theme of lingering racial trauma in black communities and the systemic racism that allows white supremacy to rise while keeping  African Americans silent. Two specific instances resonated with me. Firstly, Anthony displays this work at the gallery, which ties significantly to his background and identity. Yet, a white art critic devalues his art and merely dismisses it as a lack of talent. Yet, following his sudden fame, her interpretation shifts; she now glorifies and praises his work. Her deception and lies now conceal her racism. Secondly, At the end of the film, the police arrive and murder Candyman while he lies there in Brianna's arms. Brianna is then arrested by a white police officer who threatens to blame her for his death, imprisoning her for life unless she corroborates their factious chain of events. This depicts how present police brutality is in society and how power is extorted to their benefit. 

Candyman 2021 took a different take when comparing it to the 1992 version. I enjoyed the initial flim more. The sequel was hard to follow, and I needed clarification on the film's ending. Therefore, I rewatched the last 20 minutes twice for better analysis and interpretation. Anthony is tied up, and William is in sort of a psychotic state when, suddenly, he shoves a hook into Anothony's arm and dresses him as the “Candyman!”  Totally shocking and complex! I still believe there are so many hidden meanings and interpretations that I have not yet understood, as the flim was so dynamic.

[veditalks]

Uncontrollable Women

Wow, I can’t believe this is my last blog post for this class! In reflecting on how much I have learnt about the socio-political importance of visual culture - and in this blog post, I’m going to explore just that - this time, inspired by a video essay by Rooney Elmi. They are the founding editor of Svlly(wood) magazine, a print and digital publication that produces experimental, alternative texts in film criticism, commonly from marginalised voices. The essay is entitled ‘Black Femininity as the Monstrousness: Exploring race, gender, sexuality and diasporic culture in blaxploitation horror’ and analyses Barbara Creed’s ‘7 Deadly Sins’ of feminine character portrayals in the horror genre. 

Here are some key takeaways from Elmi’s analysis that will underlie my blog post today:

The Blaxploitation genre is written by and stars black people, and is connected to the post-civil rights era, and Black pride movements in the early 1970s

By embracing the racialised Black monster and turning him into an agent of black pride and power, the blaxploitation films created sympathetic monsters that helped shift audiences away from the usual black monster stereotype

And instead positioned white society as the maker of black monsters

Therefore, Blaxploitation cinema humanised the heavily demonised identity of blackness and repurposed cinema as an artistic venue of Black rebellion, instead of its historic purpose as a tool of white supremacy.

So that I don’t spend this blog post just relaying everything that was mentioned, here’s a link to the video essay: https://www.graveyardshiftsisters.com/archive//2017/05/horror-blackademics-rooney-elmis-black.html 

But for all of Blaxploitation cinema’s strengths, it also fails in its portrayal of gender and sexuality, or to acknowledge womanhood and sensuality as equally important strides in the Black liberation movement. 

As we’ve established in previous blog posts, what creates the horror in films is often not the supernatural elements, but the very real and brutal aspects of human life that are tied into the film’s premise, such as family secrets in ‘Eve’s Bayou’, violence against Black people in ‘Candyman’, pedophillic predatory crimes in ‘The Lake’.... I could go on. And what becomes clear through Elmi’s analysis is that the ‘horror’ of female characters in the Blaxploitation genre is that fact that women cannot be controlled and categorised.

Alright, hear me out here: when a female character is possessed by a demon, se is often still pure and beautiful on the outside, with a terrible evil lying within, that enacts trouble and terror through overt sexuality. Therefore the horror emerges from the fact that a woman has broken away from a ‘proper’ feminine role, and can no longer be someone's wife, daughter, mother etc - and she is powerful and uncontrollable - terrifying! With a female vampire, she is also uncategorizable -  she crosses and hovers on the boundary between the human and the animal, and the living and the dead, and is all-powerful and independent. And instead of celebrating and humanising these aspects of strong femininity in the Blaxploitation genre, it is villainised and portrayed as deplorable. 

So moving forward, I am going to embrace those moments of feeling powerful, free from other’s control, feeling comfortable in my sensuality and not pressure myself to neatly fit into a category that society is comfortable with. And I would encourage you to do the same!

So long, 

Vedika

[arianahrizzo]

Candyman & Short Stories

Candyman, Candyman, Candyman, Candyman… I will not say it five times. After watching the two films back to back, I refused to look into the mirror until the next day. I appreciated Professor Due’s comment that we can still enjoy the creative aspects of a movie while simultaneously critiquing it for its problematic aspects. I appreciate Candyman (1992) for its success in frightening me and telling a storyline that helped me understand Candyman (2021) more clearly. Candyman (2021) was intentionally created to send a social message and create commentary around race. Therefore, its intricacies and storyline, while requiring more critical analysis to decipher, are powerful in moving past the harmful tropes that Candyman (1992) continued to recirculate. I agree that Candyman (1992) is not Black horror, but rather diminishes Black life and experiences through horror.

In Candyman (2021), I immediately felt bad for Candyman, he seemed like he was trying to fit in, was cast aside, and in trying to brighten a child’s life by giving him Candy, he was killed. I believe this was the intended purpose in reclaiming a narrative that Black men should not be feared. The ending of Candyman (2021) fit right into this theme, when Anthony (turned Candyman) did not kill his girlfriend. She too understood Candyman in a new light by helping at the end of the movie. It is not Candyman that is the monster - it is racism, as we’ve seen in other works during this class.

The short stories this week showed me new approaches and the variety of the Black horror genre. “The Most Strongest Obeah Woman of the World” proved protagonists are fearless and demonstrated that horror does not always have to end in death, sometimes the outcome is left unsaid for the reader to interpret. This story was gruesome in its own ways, especially when she was eating the hen. I liked the self-reflectivity of the young girl at the end of the story and the cautionary theme. 

 I really enjoyed the short story “Pressure.” From the start, the point of view of “you,” seemed very captivating. The story appeared to be a mundane day, and one that is very relatable, until we reach the end of the story. The normalcy of the story has a way of creeping up on you and building suspense. This story showed me how I can pull from personal traumas and experiences that I often disregard as normal, when I think about writing my own horror short story or film.

[princelythirsts]

misc selfship updates

I’m treating selfship as a hobby / fandom kinda thing and trying to engage more in making stuff for my ships

- I kinda updated my f/o list in my main post but aaaa my feelings on characters mean making an f/o list is kinda futile unless I have very specific ones

like I’m usually thinking of one main ship and like two others at a time, with other characters I like to revisit once in a while

and other characters still that I have a great fondness for even if I’m less fixated on them. like I’m not super into the penguin right now but I love seeing fanart and love when people give me things related to him.

- I would say Phemie/Charles has been my main since like June but I develop plots with new characters I like and revisit old ones I like too.

I tend to gatekeep when it comes to considering a character an f/o or not bc I get pretty intense about some. Like with my mains I usually have ideas for them every day even if I don’t write them down, daydream a lot, will accidentally imagine and “hear” their voice when I’m reading (if they have one), have ideas for analysis, etc.

I don’t have the same amount of ideas/energy spent on other characters so I tend to doubt myself, even if I clearly ship with them

- creations wise I have been drawing more of my f/o’s like Coyle, Omni Man, Eddie, Gooseberry etc. I started drawing a me x Candyman piece, but I’m kinda hesitating out of fear of messing up. I also drew Phemie but I’m weirdly hesitant to post art still. I will say I used a ref of myself for Phemie and I joked that he looks like an Asian Bobby Hill and can’t unsee it

- tonight I put together an ita bag spread with Leatherface (larger than before) and an outfit with a new sweater I got with his face!

- I am experimenting with other f/os: Duff from Dave the Diver who I gained from playing the game just now

+ Plastic from Mirror’s Edge Catalyst who I’m revisiting since I had a crush on her when I first played the game in 2016

+ Omni Man who I have a super melodramatic idea for an incest ship with.

[hollywoodhandle]

‘It Lives Inside’ Review: An Underwhelming And Generic Take Of Horror

I don’t feel it’s unreasonable to say that much of the best of the horror genre taps into real-life social issues. From Candyman’s analysis of gentrification and cultural self-panoptigonising, to His House’s look at the immigrant experience and how difficult it can be to adjust to a new place and culture where it can seem everyone is trying to push you back out. Bishal Dutta’s It Lives Inside…

[candles-inthewoods]

INTRO & WARNINGS

Hello there, my name is Rosemary. I use she/her pronouns. I'm over 18 (23 y/o).

This is a dark kink side-blog for curating content that reminds me of typical pulp gothic romances with historical and supernatural elements. Although there is no explicit NSFT content, this blog will include unsettling themes and imagery, so please leave if you're sensitive for your own benefit.

This is a side-blog, so I will not be able to be mutuals or start conversations.

CW List, Tag Directory and Media Inspo after the cut.

LIST OF SENSITIVE TOPICS

abduction, blood, cannibalism (#devour), excessive/ gratuitous violence, gore, psychological torment, supernatural monsters and elements, unhealthy + toxic relationships, etc

These topics will not be tagged individually.

You are strongly advised to leave this blog if you are uncomfortable with these topics.

You are responsible for your experience on Tumblr. I cannot physically stop you from following . Your judgement for your own sake.

TAG DIRECTORY

#actual advice — The Gothic explores and highlights human flaws and points of conflict. But they say a character flaw is just a character’s strength taken too far. A trait in reverse. So, if you reverse all of these constructive, helpful observations and just see them from another angle… these keys to recovery end up as destructive tragedies. And Gothic stories are often the biggest tragedies there are.

#art — artwork that depicts the aesthetic.  

#analysis — posts that are serious insights into tropes and stories. Analyses and academic papers and such.

#board — collages, mood boards, web weaves, gif sets

#characters — characters and the interactions between them

#costume — fashion of the aesthetic

#gothic heroine shit — Active and angsty female leads, instead of dream-like feeble female leads. Byronic she-bastards. themes of self-discovery and independence

#gothic pulp — Artwork from the Women-Running-Away-From-Houses era of Gothic literature. Art style ranges from the 1940s to the 1970s.

#holy — these posts specifically include religious themes and imagery.

#ingenue things — the idea of pure innocence and naivety and kindness and sympathy. brutes who become enamoured and possessive over damsels. ideas of corruption and escapism

#mine — My own posts… both serious and silly.

#people — images of figures that would be at home in this aesthetic.

#places — images of various estates, castles, forests, churches and other similar scenes.

#poetry — various quotes, translations and poems.

#prompt — ideas, prompts and plots that can make for interesting stories in this genre

#prose — relatively longer snippets of fiction

#recs — recommendations for any works in this genre (typically films or novels)

#writing help — how to write a better story or better characters.

#yearning — shitposts that poke fun or straight-up idealize the Gothic

FOOLERY

🌘 a pearl from the pile: a random post from this blog

🌘 what haunts your heart: asks that i've answered

🌘 the cultural touchstone of our generation: a personal list of (tv) tropes that fascinates me

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MEDIA INSPO

🕯️ Candyman (1996) 🕯️ Corpse Bride 🕯️Crimson Peak 🕯️ Curse of Strahd 🕯️ Ghost (the band) 🕯️ Hannibal (2019) 🕯️ Haunted Mansion (2003) 🕯️ Phantom of the Opera 🕯️ (tbc)

If you have any recommendations, please send them in. I'm always looking for that perfect story that captures the feeling.

[sunkenplacethoughts]

Blog #3

Disclaimer: This blog post may be all over the place, but it’s the recent recurring thoughts I’ve been having while taking this class. 

As we dive further into the works of filmmaking and Black horror from earlier decades, I find myself surprised and not surprised at the same time at some of the work presented. I find myself not surprised due to the history of how Black people were treated and continue to be treated within our society. However, as we become more progressive and we are given more representation I am slightly taken a back at how we went about representing our people in the mainstream media community. I feel like a large part of it has to do with our predecessors and again how Black people were portrayed in media and the stereotypes that were created. I don’t know how I feel about the fact that if I were to have watched these movies before taking this class, I don’t think I would have even been able to recognize or acknowledge the silliness and even sometimes disrespectful nature towards our community. I also can’t help but think that there are many out there who don’t have access to this course who will continue to think with the same aloofness I had. Obviously not all work was racist or disrespecful, but an example of this would be our dissection of Candyman. Like i’ve said in previous blog posts, I’m not a big horror fan,  so I did not have previous knowledge towards the movie of Candyman. Even after watching the first one, if I were to take away the things I might be mindful of now since taking this course, I don’t know if I would have seen it as as much of a problem as it really was. Professor Due explained how we have to understand everything that was wrong with the first one to appreciate the second one and I have a much better understanding of that after class. It’s interesting seeing how they came to using the different elements such as Candyman being Black, a Black man pursing a white woman, the use of the notable Carbini-Green housing project, Black poverty, etc. Essentially we’re taught that the first version is Black trauma through White lens. Learning this made me reflect on most movies I’ve watched, espeically ones before 2010 when the media started to make this less obvious. I feel like there are so many instances of showing Black trauma through a White lens which leads me to think of things outside of movies like in June 2020 when people started just posting Black squares on Instagram as a form of showing support. I may not be 100% right in this analysis but what i’m gather is this idea of thinking you’re helping but in reality making situations worse or more incorrect. I feel like thats what the black squares on Instagram did and that’s what the first Candyman did. It set our people back more even if it was more “inclusive.” I first heard of Candyman through the 2020 version, I had no idea the gravity of this remake and how important it was because it corrected a lot of the themes and tropes presented in the first installment…but I’ll save that for another post. 

[amandamelodramablog]

Candyman Differences & Similarities

Hello, everyone! I have added a video of Candyman: Then and Now to illuminate some of the difference and similarities that were chosen in order to create the 2021 version. I found it very intriguing to see what both films had to offer especially with the Candyman’s backstory and the overall plot of the film. I also found the concept of blackness within each film were highlighted more when breaking down each film and understanding the analysis and meanings behind why they chose to leave or incorporate different things while creating their own twist on such an iconic horror film.