#crawley 2017

[mr-crawley-makes-stuff]

Another college piece! I put this one at about maybe 2017-2018. I believe it was my first full piece for that class.

This is based off someone's selfie posted to tumblr some years back, and the folds in her hijab flowed so beautifully, I asked her if I could draw her. She said yes, she was flattered, gave me permission to post it. If I ever find her again, I'll be sure to come back to this and link her. It has been a very long time. I hope she is doing well.

Additional retrospective below the cut!

Around a year before I drew this, I had recently attended a church of Islam on a field trip with the college's multicultural club. My family, resolutely Christian, vilified Muslims as an evil religious group all through my childhood. Knowing, however, that they also thought this about gay people (of which I most certainly was), I decided from an early age that my family was wrong about many things. I craved the enlightenment of learning alternative perspectives. This field trip was a chance to see just a little further beyond my limited scope as a white American (who was also, at the time, for all intents and purposes, still a Christian---with the suffocating grip of religious trauma holding me there).

So we went to a church of Islam. Not a mosque, they corrected us. Not this particular place. I believe it was called a "masjid" (My apologies if I get any of the terminology wrong, it has been a very long time). The building was small, decorated with intricate and beautiful rugs and tapestries on the walls. The spiritual leaders led us to a little side room where they treated us to a veritable feast of homemade foods (made by the Imam's wife). The clergy were warm and hospitable, answered questions and spoke vividly of their stories (I wrote about this in my journal at the time. I also took notes. If I manage to find it in its packing box, I may revisit this entry). The Imam had a lot to say. The number one thing he said that stuck with me, among the history lesson between Islam and Christianity, was that he emphasized that "Islam is peace." There were certainly groups who wished harm, but they separated themselves from them.

As he was talking, I came to realize two things.

One was that this man, who emigrated from Lebanon some years ago, looked strikingly similar to my dad---not JUST my dad, but my grandfather, uncles, my aunt, just about everyone on my dad's side of the family. It was in the nose, the eyes, the complexion, the hair on the arms. It was everything. I'm not sure how to put it.

My dad's side of the family is ethnically Jewish. A lot of my extended family is still in New York where my Grandfather moved from. My dad looks strikingly similar to a handful of older celebrities with Jewish backgrounds. My friend's family jokingly call him "Paul Giamatti," and we've also mused that he looks near identical to Henry Winkler (if you tell him this, he will do The Fonz's finger guns).

The other thing was that this man, who looked like family, who looked like my dad, sounded EXACTLY like my dad. Not his voice, certainly not the accent, but in the way he described Islam as the "only truth," and that nonbelievers would be punished. I'm not sure why this was surprising to me, that religious fundamentalists existed outside my Christian bubble. Perhaps it was the exact way he said things, the way he emphasized that of all doctrines, HIS was the true one. It was like looking at a very large mirror with my whole family staring back at me.

It made me uncomfortable.

Towards the end of our visit, I asked one question that had been weighing on me.

"What are your views on homosexuality?"

The question was meant with a fair amount of disgust.

"It's wrong, of course. It goes against the Qu'ran. It is wholly immoral."

"In the bible, too!" the other spiritual leader supplemented.

They wished us well all the same and sent us on our way.

Part of our field trip included getting lunch from a block in Portland that hosted about a dozen food trucks.

I chose one that served Middle Eastern food. The one who served me, a man in his mid-twenties with a mop of black curls dangling over his eyebrows, asked me how my day was going. I told him it was going well, that we were on a field trip visiting a church of Islam. His face lit up.

"It's so nice that others want to learn about my people!" He explained he, too, was Muslim, and that he came from Morocco as a child with his family.

We talked at length about our respective religious upbringings.

"What did you think of the church?"

I told him that the people there were very kind, but I had a bit of an issue with their views on homosexuality (and about women.) He groaned and sympathized with this. He told me he walked away from Islam for a while, disillusioned by the stark conservative views that many other Muslims had. Travel, however, as well as exploration of other Muslim spaces, gave him new perspective and appreciation of his background and culture. He proudly considered himself Muslim, though a lot of his views conflicted with the more "traditional views," as he put it. He was gay too, afterall.

"Please don't think all Muslims are like this. There are many of us who don't think like that." I told him I believed him, that it's the same with Christians.

I thanked him for the food. Just speaking with him gave me something much more, though. This whole experience demystified Muslims (and other religious groups) for me entirely. For the better, I'd say. It was one of my first steps in learning that no matter where you go or who you met, people were exactly just that: people. For better or for worse.

[doyouknowthisactor]

By "roles" I mean playing a different character, and in a different piece of media; someone playing one character across a franchise only counts as one thing for the purposes of this poll, as does playing multiple characters in one franchise/piece of media

Below are some of this actor's roles. Please only check after voting!

Downton Abbey as Matthew Crawley

Beauty and the Beast 2017 as The Beast (mostly voice role)

Legion as David Haller

The Guest as David

More roles

[wardrobeoftime]

Master Post - A to M

If you notice any show, movie or character missing that I’ve made gifs of, please let me know. Characters are sorted alphabetically by first their last name and then their first name.

Last updated: November 21st, 2024

A

Aladdin [2019] (Princess Jasmine)

Allerleirauh (Princess Friederike | Princess Lotte)

American Song Contest (2022)

Aschenputtel [2010] (Marie/Aschenputtel)

Aschenputtel [2011] (Annabella | Aschenputtel/Cinderella)

Australia [2008] (Sarah Ashley)

B

Barbie (Stereotypical Barbie)

Beauty and the Beast [2017] (Madame de Garderobe | Mrs Potts)

Becoming Elizabeth (Amy Robsart | Mary Tudor)

Blood, Sex & Royalty (Anne Boleyn | Mary Boleyn)

Bridgerton (Tilley Arnold | Lady Berbrooke | Benedict Bridgerton | Daphne Bridgerton | Eloise Bridgerton | Francesca Bridgerton | Hyacinth Bridgerton | Violet Bridgerton | Queen Charlotte | Cressida Cowper | Agatha Danbury | Penelope Featherington | Philippa Featherington | Prudence Featherington | King George III | Siena Rosso | Edwina Sharma | Kathani "Kate" Sharma | Mary Sharma | Tessa | Marina Thompson | Extras)

Britain’s Bloody Crown (Margaret of Anjou | Margaret Beaufort | Elizabeth Woodville)

C

Cinderella [2015] (Anastasia Tremaine | Drisella Tremaine | Ella)

D

Das Adlon (Sonja Schadt)

Die Galoschen des Glücks (Princess Aurora)

Die Kaiserin (Maria Alexandrovna / Marie of Hesse | Elisabeth “Sisi” of Austria | Archduchess Sophie of Austria)

Die Salzprinzessin (Princess Amélie | Princess Eugenia | Princess Isabella)

Die Schöne und das Biest (Elsa)

Disney Live Action (see the individual movies | Extras)

Doctor Who (Ashildr | Cyril Arwell | Lily Arwell | Madge Arwell | Reg Arwell | Rosanna Calvierri | Miss Chandrakala | Agatha Christie | Hugh Curbishley | The Doctor | Twelth Doctor | Clemency Eddison | Jack Harkness | King James I | Katherine | Donna Noble | Madame de Pompadour | Amy Pond | Bill Potts | Robina Redmond | Becka Savage | Willa Twiston | Extras)

Domina (Agrippa | Antonia Major | Antonia “Antonina” Minor | Emperor Augustus | Julia the Elder | Livia Drusilla | Marcella | Octavia Minor)

Downton Abbey (Lucy Branson (née Smith) | Cora Crawley | Edith Crawley | Mary Crawley)

Dune: Prophecy (Ynez Corrino)

Dynasty [2017] (Kirby Anders | Fallon Carrington)

E

Effie Gray [2014] (Euphemia “Effie” Gray)

Elizabeth Duology (Elizabeth I)

Emerald City (Langwidere of Ev)

Emma [2020] (Isabella Knightley | Emma Woodhouse)

Eurovision Song Contest (1970 | 1974 | 1979 | 1980 | 1982 | 1988 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1995 | 1996 | 1998 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024)

F

Frauen, die Geschichte machten (Catherine the Great)

G

Galavant (Madalena)

Game of Thrones (Myrcella Baratheon | Cersei Lannister | Ellaria Sand | Sansa Stark | Daenerys Targaryen | Margaery Tyrell)

Good Omens (Aziraphale | Crowley)

Grey’s Anatomy (Lexie Grey | Izzie Stevens)

H

Hamilton (Angelica Schuyler | Eliza Schuyler Hamilton)

House of the Dragon (Jeyne Arryn | Alicent Hightower | Mysaria of Lys | Aegon II Targaryen | Baela Targaryen | Helaena Targaryen | Rhaena Targaryen | Rhaenyra Targaryen | Rhaenys Targaryen | Laena Velaryon)

I

J

K

Ku’damm (Helga von Boost)

L

Legacies (Jo Laughlin | Hope Mikaelson | Elizabeth “Lizzie” Saltzman | Josette “Josie” Saltzman)

Les Misérables [2018] (Cosette | Fantine Thibault)

Little Women [2019] (Amy March | Margaret “Meg” March)

Ludwig II [2012] (Elisabeth “Sisi” of Austria | Ludovika, The Duchess in Bavaria | Sophie in Bavaria)

M

Maleficent Duology (Princess Aurora | Queen Ingrith of Ulstead)

Märchenperlen (see the individual movies)

Maria Theresia [2017] (Maria Anna of Austria | Empress Maria Theresia |  Mademoiselle de Chartres | Elisa Fritz)

Marie Antoinette [2006] (Marie Antoinette | Empress Maria Theresia | Marie Thérèse Louise of Savoy, Princesse de Lamballe | Extras)

Marie Antoinette [2022] (Marie Antoinette)

Mary Queen of Scots [2013] (Mary Stuart)

Maximilian - Das Spiel von Macht und Liebe / Maximilian and Marie de Burgogne (Mary of Burgundy)

My Fair Lady (Eliza Doolittle)

My Lady Jane (Jane Grey)

Go to N-Z

[mercurygray]

Merc, what kind of Historical Military Man gets the wheels turning for you? What are the markers of 'Oh, that one, that one is now mine'?

Nat, I'm going to be honest, this question provoked something of an existential crisis. so I went back through, like, 20 years of fandom favorites to see if there's a pattern.

Spoiler: there isn't, apart from a perennial need to be different. This is kind of long .

2001 (ish) - Lord of the Rings is coming out, and you are either a Legolas or Aragorn girl. I am deep in my 'not like the other girls' phase and decide Boromir is actually the superior choice here. (This leads me to watch A LOT of period dramas that are probably not appropriate for for me at this age, including Clarissa and Lady Chatterley's Lover.) It also leads me to the Sharpe books, which are great and awesome. Richard Sharpe doesn't necessarily do anything for me as a character, but that gets me into Hornblower, which gets me into the Aubreyad, which leads me to read a lot about the Napoleonic Wars in high school. Cliff-diving into a different historical period is now something I do every single summer.

I also spend about 5 years (2008-2013) writing a 225,000 word fanfic in which Boromir doesn't die.

2010-2015

Matthew Crawley (Dan Stevens) is really only in the army a brief while but who can say no to the blue eyes and the absolute vibe he has going with Mary?

During the Downton phase I decide to raid the library for other period dramas, again, and watch The Forsyte Saga. Soames Forsyte is not a man you love, but Damian Lewis has A Face and I know he was on Band of Brothers, which the library perennially never has a copy of.

2011

I finally watch Band of Brothers in its entirety my senior year of college and am a little disappointed I appear to be missing large parts of the story. (Future rewatches will explain that this is actually a feature of the show, not a bug.) My recollections of this are hazy, but I'm fairly certain my favorite character the first time I watched this was Lewis Nixon (Ron Livingston). He's dark-haired, he's funny, he's an absolute mess with a trust fund. Dick Winters (Damian Lewis) also has one hell of a face. He's a red-head, he's in charge of everyone else, he doesn't say much, and he is tall. I know there must be fic for this show but am also very, very sure it is shippy in a direction I do not want to read, so I do not go looking for it.

TURN - 2014-2017

Ben Tallmadge (Seth Numrich) is the guy to watch on TURN: he's a lieutenant, he's tall, he struggles with rules, but the entire fandom is also crazy about him and the leading queen bee in the OC end of that fandom is a real pain about it, so I decide I will not be writing for him no matter what it costs me to hold off admitting I want to. However, in the next episode we meet his best friend, Caleb Brewster (Daniel Henshall) who is short, bearded, dark-haired and chaotic. The moment he comes onscreen I love him. Sadly, no one is reading fic for him and this project is abandoned.

In Season 3, we meet the Marquis de Lafayette. Historical Lafayette is a tall, awkward redhead in need of a father figure who makes up for war experience with boundless enthusiasm. His letters home are adorable. Show Lafayette (Ben Wiles) is tall and enthusiastic. I love him anyway and I make it everyone's problem for, like, a year.

2016-2017 - Mercy Street

Henry Hopkins (Luke Macfarlane) is a military chaplain in a hotel-turned Union hospital in Alexandria, Virginia. He's tall, he's a little tortured, and he has a knack for putting others first. Wrestling with some past choices, his romance with Emma Green, the privileged daughter of the family who owned the hotel, is sweet and full of pining. I write so much fix-it fic for them it's not even funny. (I love this show because the female characters I love come pre-installed. Please watch this.)

2016 - Dunkirk

I see this movie three times in theaters and love it more each time. Collins (Jack Lowden) is a blonde RAF flyboy with a very adorable face. (Tom Glynn Carney is also a face I like but he's on a backburner for a bit.) I write a lot of fic about it and affectionately refer to this as my first Planes Go Zoom phase.

2020

Two weeks into the pandemic I decide rewatching Band of Brothers is a good idea and buy the book and the DVD set from my local secondhand bookshop like I am doing a drug deal in a parking lot. Two weeks after that I am writing a fanfic for Dick Winters (Damian Lewis) because I am a loon who likes men in charge and painfully slow burns.

2021

Still in the middle of a pandemic I decide to watch The Pacific, because I make good decisions, apparently. Hoosier Smith (Jacob Pitts) is a taciturn, wise-cracking friend of Leckie's who is joked about as being the pretty one. He is. Andrew Haldane (Scott Gibson) is quiet, unassuming, and in charge, and played college football for Bowdoin. Very dad energy. Extremely charming. Dead in three episodes as history intended. Fix-it fic incoming.

2022 Top Gun Maverick comes out. Jake "Hangman" Seresin (played by Glen Powell, who I loved in Hidden Figures and The Guernsey Literary Potato Peel Pie Society) has a jawline you could cut something with and an attitude. My friends think I am mental. Second Planes Go Zoom phase coupled with Devotion, which comes out shortly after.

SAS Rogue Heroes comes out. I have been really looking forward to seeing Tom Glynn Carney in something else and he delivers. Mike Sadler is blond, extremely good at his job, not capable of suffering fools, and far too attractive for the desert.

2024

We do not even make it out of trailer season before I realize I still have a Thing (TM) for Callum Turner's face, which I have known since he was Theseus Scamander in Fantastic Beasts. Watching The Boys in the Boat before this all starts doesn't help - he has regrettably blond hair but thighs for days and shoulders you could hang the universe on. John "Bucky" Egan, is tall, dark-haired, incredibly generous spirited and nominally in charge. I want all of it. The rest of the fandom does too. I try to make peace with that and write anyway. Third Planes Go Zoom phase.

[lcndonboysstuff]

https://www.ioncinema.com/news/film-festivals/2024-cannes-film-festival-predictions-palme-dor

Another American filmmaker who stands a great chance at cracking this line-up is Brady Corbet. We’ll he was feted with his debut feature and returned as a jury person on the Lido, his third feature, The Brutalist would make for great comp choice. Shot last Spring in Hungary and featuring the likes of Adrien Brody, Felicity Jones, Guy Pearce, Joe Alwyn, Alessandro Nivola, Jonathan Hyde, Isaach De Bankolé, Raffey Cassidy and good luck charm Stacy Martin, this chronicles three decades in the life of László Tóth (Brody), a Hungarian-born Jewish architect who survived the Holocaust. After the end of World War II, he emigrated to the United States with his wife, Erzsébet, to experience the “American dream”. László initially endures poverty and indignity, but he soon lands a contract with a mysterious and wealthy client Harrison Lee Van Buren that will change the course of his life. This was shot on film and sees Corbet re-team with Lol Crawley for a third time out….

---

Feted on the Lido and well up into Oscar season with Poor Things, Yorgos Lanthimos lite the Croisette on fire when he won the Un Certain Regard section with Dogtooth in 2009 and in his two time sin competition her won the Jury Prize for The Lobster (2015) and Best Screenplay for The Killing of a Sacred Deer (2017). The Searchlight folks have dated Kind of Kindness for a June 21st release so it’s almost unfathomable that this won’t receive a prestigious showcase. Kinds of Kindness is a triptych fable with segments following a man without choice who tries to take control of his life; a policeman who is alarmed that his wife who was missing at sea has returned and seems to be a different person; and a woman who is determined to find a specific someone destined to become a prodigious spiritual leader. This stars muse Emma Stone along with Jesse Plemons, Willem Dafoe, Margaret Qualley, Hong Chau, Joe Alwyn, Mamoudou Athie, Hunter Schafer….

hmm i thought it’d go to Venice tbh. the Cannes lineup will be out next week so we’ll find out soon enough

[sarahlizziewrites]

Character Inspiration Tag

This is cool! I was tagged by @ragnarokproofing - thank you!

Rules: list your OCs and say which other characters inspired them.

Sitora was originally a D&D character. I was going back to basics, and I wanted to play a human paladin, a lawful good, cheerleader-type, who just finished paladin school and was heading out into the world for adventure. I told my DM: "I'm ready for you to ruin her."

For aesthetic/character, Sitora is heavily inspired by She-Ra - idk, I just liked the concept of 'Huge Blonde Girl with Sword'. But in a deeper way, Sitora has become a lot like my fiancé - lovable and ferociously good-hearted.

I've spoken about how I used the general appearance (and name lol) of Matthew Crawley from Downton Abbey for my OC, Matthew Raynott. The similarities end there though! My Matthew is a spoiled, impulsive, flirty, gay vampire. 🧛

My other vampire protagonist takes a little bit of inspiration from 19th Century horror, in characters like Frankenstein's monster for the sort of 'sympathetic monster' vibe.

Silas Chrissie came from a dream in 2017 - in that version, he had multicoloured dyed hair and a drug habit! When I found the old note on my phone, I took the basic idea of a charismatic hotelier and ran with it. His narration voice is similar to that of Kim Newman's version of Sebastian Moran in 'Moriarty: The Hound of the D'Urbervilles'. In terms of aesthetic (and also first name again, lol) he looks a bit like a friend of mine.

Inevitably, all of my other OCs have character inspirations from somewhere else! Raelynn Thenorin and Vex'ahlia from Critical Role are both half-elves and look similar, but at the same time, she's also based on Sitora's love interest from the D&D game. Lance fills a similar storytelling niche in TAOSL that Bow does in She-Ra (and they're both named after weapons, lol). Jacques de Éloïe is also pretty surface-level similar to Sirius Black in that he can turn into a dog!

I'm going to tag @talesofsorrowandofruin, @rosieartsie, @ryns-ramblings and @captain-kraken

[fearsmagazine]

RENFIELD - Review

DISTRIBUTOR: Universal Pictures

SYNOPSIS:  Renfield is the tortured aide to history’s most narcissistic boss, Dracula. Renfield is forced to procure his master’s prey and do his every bidding, no matter how debased. But now, after about 100 years of servitude, Renfield has found a new spark and is ready to see if there is a life beyond the shadow of The Prince of Darkness. As part of a support group he is trying to figure out how to end his codependency.

REVIEW: Robert Kirkman and Ryan Ridley take on the age old story of master and servant as they take Stoker’s “Dracula,” shift it 100 years into our time, and deliver a hilarious gorefest that hits all the right notes, in the tradition of “Evil Dead 2” or “Shaun of the Dead.” It largely falls on the shoulders of writer Ryan Ridley whose name might be familiar to you as a writer on the “Rick & Morty” series.

The script is fantastic. It's loaded with a great plot, fun jokes and tons of visual gags. While it is Renfield’s story, Dracula gets his fair share of screen time. The screenplay lays the groundwork for what’s transpired for all those unfamiliar to the story, and adds some nice touches for those diehard Universal Monster fans. After that, all best are off as this thrill ride is balanced with a character arc that serves up an instant horror classic.

In terms of cast, Hoult and Cage are great together, but Cage steals the show. Both deliver performances of a lifetime, but Cage is on fire. His Dracula is comparable to Campbell’s Ash in the “Evil Dead” franchise, and earns its place in the catacombs of horror film history. Awkwafina and Ben Schwartz have a bunch of memorable screen moments, but Holt and Cage get more screen time and totally rock the film. The fantastic thing is that the entire cast is channeling the feel of the film that makes it a fantastic ride.

The production values are dazzling. Dracula has a wardrobe to rival Cher and it pays homage to all the incarnations of the count. I loved Dracula’s coffin design, the lair of the gangsters, Dracula’s lair and the restaurant where Renfield encounters the Lobo gang. The film is loaded with practical effects that deliver all the delightful gore. The visual effects enhance and complement them seamlessly and just ramps up the energy of the film. RENFIELD is simply a feast for the eyes.

Nicely wrapping all this up is a contemporary soundtrack and a sensational score by Marco Beltrami. The best way to describe it is that it adds a baseline to the film. It underscores the action and adds to the emotional intensity to the film.

Universal has been struggling to revitalize their monster franchise for a contemporary audience. They’ve had some okay films, such as 2014’s “Dracula Untold,” and some misses like 2017’s “The Mummy,” with Tom Cruise. Kirkman, Ridley, McKay, Cage and Holt get it and come together to deliver, I believe, an unsurpassable genre fan pleaser and I think a real crowd pleaser. If the fans are lured to the theaters this could be the shot to reinvigorate the Universal Monster Franchise. If there is a sequel, it’s going to need to be a reteaming of those in front and behind the camera. Otherwise, they could easily do a new film in a similar theme called “Igor!” On my radar to see again.

CAST: Nicholas Hoult, Nicolas Cage, Awkwafina, Ben Schwartz, Shohreh Aghdashloo, and Adrian Martinez. CREW: Director/Producer - Chris McKay; Story/Producer - Robert Kirkman; Screenplay - Ryan Ridley; Producers - Bryan Furst & Sean Furst; Cinematographer - Mitchell Amundsen; Score - Marco Beltrami; Editors - Ryan Folsey, Giancarlo Ganziano and Mako Kamitsuna; Production Designers- Julie Berghoff & Alec Hammond; Costume Designer - Lisa Lovaas; Special Effects Supervisor - Matt Kutcher; Special Makeup Effects Artists - Steve Costanza, Dan Crawley, Alex Rondon and Brian Sipe; Visual Effects Supervisor - Andrew Byrne; Visual Effects Companies - Crafty Apes, Skulley Effects, ILM and Pixel Magic. OFFICIAL: www.renfieldmovie.com FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/renfieldmovie TWITTER: www.twitter.com/renfieldmovie TRAILER: https://youtu.be/qZjAPG9uY3c RELEASE DATE: In theaters April 14th, 2023

**Until we can all head back into the theaters our “COVID Reel Value” will be similar to how you rate a film on digital platforms - 👍 (Like), 👌 (It’s just okay),  or 👎 (Dislike)

Reviewed by Joseph B Mauceri

[fals3nd]

private, mostly friends only multimuse by bee (26, est, she/they). most muses with siblings are mains with my sisters versions, @homebehind and @omegahs

rules.

dragon age esyllt trevelyan - inquisitor. greer cousland - companion cousland sibling calpernia - (former?) venatori leader ( bg3 verse )

star wars bodhi rook - rogue one rey - canon divergent/heavily headcanon based you forty quinn - s2 guinevere beck - s1, emphasis on canon divergent survivor au

the hunger games katniss everdeen

lord of the rings eowyn

little women jo march - book & pbs 2017 miniseries insp beth march - book & pbs 2017 miniseries insp

d&d ocs meredith connar - light cleric, savior of elturel, kind of a heretic rn don't worry about it prince rin adveliss reaegis of the celestial kingdom of praezar - babiest child of a fucked up astral elf monarchy, archfey patron warlock eleine etene - sci-fi flavored great old one warlock. ex-con who maybe downloaded a malicious ai into her cybernetic limbs and now is arguing with it while it controls her arm and leg. it's real fun.

good omens anathema device - book & show influences

doctor who the captain - timelord oc, connected to nan's oc the artificer downton abbey edith crawley we have always lived in the castle constance blackwood

the haunting of hill house (netflix) luke crain

nancy drew ( games based ) nancy drew

swan lake ( ballet ) the swan queen / odette

baldur's gate 3 odile / the dark urge

pacific rim piper reed, jaeger pilot, connected to @denouemente's oc jude warren

greek mythos helen of troy

we are th.e t.igers riley williams dead boy detectives (netflix based) edwin paine jenny green

the dragon slippers creel

[fictionfromafar]

The Translator By Harriet Crawley

The Translator

By Harriet Crawley

Bitter Lemon Press

Publication Date: 23 March 2023

The Translator is the 2023 lead title of independent book publisher Bitter Lemon Press. Inherently topical and insightful this is the fictional story of two linguistics – one British and one Russian, their rekindled relationships and the state secrets that they hold which evolves both as espionage driven thriller and a romance.

The book’s title is a play on words as one of its key characters Clive Franklin prefers being addressed as a translator as he works as an interpreter for the British government and is sensitive to distinguish the difference. We encounter him at the start of the story in the western Highlands of Scotland where he is spending time on a sabbatical.

Unexpectedly and regretfully for him, he is summoned by the authorities. Before long finds himself sat with Britain’s third female prime minister (thankfully not the real one) in discussions with the Russian president (again not the real one) and his counterpart interpreter Marina Volina. She is a lady that Franklin had an affair with a decade earlier. While all characters are fictionalised, I soon realised that the situations and scenarios that the characters find themselves in feel very realistic from outset and full credit must go to former journalist Harriet Crawley for this. As a former Russian correspondent and Moscow resident, she is familiar with the locations features in her novel and it gives the book a very convincing setting.

As the two former lovers interpret for the two leaders, their initial tetchiness towards each other escalates a tricky conversation between the two leaders which is superbly written. Despite the passing years, Franklin realises that he has unresolved feeling for Volina, despite her leaving him for a personal friend who has since passed away. When it transpired that she still carries a flame for him and a desire to leave Russia, they have to consider if there is a means by which she can do so. Through the circles that she is working in, particularly with the president’s loose tongued and loose principled deputy prime minister she discovers a Russian state plot to sabotage links between the UK and the United States. Perhaps by remaining in situ and gaining further information to pass to the British via Franklin this can lead to a way for them to reunite in safety.

A contemporary political suspense emerges where covert rendezvous and cloak and danger reconnaissance take place in and around the Kremlin. As Volina looks to keep as close to the speres of influence that she can without being detected, Franklin has given up his initial plans to return to Scotland in the hope of being with the woman he loves while being terrified of the risks she is taking. Having both been marathon runners in the past gives the protagonists the pretext to spend time together in a way that is almost impossible to be captured by recording devices giving them some hope that they will succeed. A great range of sub characters help sustain the intrigue, from truculent Russian generals to quirky British embassy staff while conversations between those in the echelons of power appear very credible and authentic. In contrast there is some interactions with some of Russian society far removed from the capital which adds a range and richness to the story which broadly alternates between Franklin and Volina.

The questions that the story needs to answer is whether an aggressive operation which can breach international law can be prevented without escalating hostilities and whether the key characters can build a long term future without the risk of reprisals. This is a multifaceted novel which succeeds on many levels and will I’m certain find a level of interest far beyond those with an interest in international relations in an uncertain future.

The Story: Moscow, September 2017. Clive Franklin, a Russian language expert in the Foreign Office, is summoned unexpectedly to the city to act as translator for the British Prime Minister. His life is turned on its head when, after more than a decade, he discovers that his former lover, Marina Volina, is now the interpreter to the Russian President. At the embassy, Clive learns of a Russian plot to cut the undersea cables linking the US to the UK which would paralyse communications and collapse the Western economy. Marina stuns Clive with the news that she’s ready to help stop the attack, betraying her country for a new identity and a new life.

The Author: Harriet Crawley has been a journalist, writer, and art dealer, worked in television and radio, and stood for the Westminster and European Parliaments. For almost twenty years Harriet had one foot in Moscow where she launched a technical publishing business for a Russian oil and gas company. She speaks five languages, and this is her fifth book.

Many thanks to Anne Cater at Random Things Tours for inclusion on the blog tour and Bitter Lemon Press for an advance copy of The Translator. Please check out the other reviews of this book on the blog tour as shown above.

[freenewsreport]

Michelle Dockery: From Downton Abbey to Hollywood Stardom

When you hear the name Michelle Dockery, chances are Downton Abbey immediately springs to mind. This talented British actress has captivated audiences worldwide with her poised performances and commanding presence. But while Lady Mary Crawley may be her most iconic role, Michelle Dockery's career is far from limited to the period drama that brought her international fame. She’s been making waves across genres, proving that her acting chops extend far beyond corsets and ballrooms. Want to know more about her transformation from British TV to Hollywood’s elite? 

Early Life: Before the Spotlight

Michelle Dockery was born on December 15, 1981, in London, England. Raised in a close-knit family in Essex, Michelle's upbringing was far from the glitzy world she would one day enter. Surprisingly, acting wasn’t her first love—singing was! As a teen, she sang jazz standards in local venues, impressing crowds with her sultry voice. But the theater bug soon bit, and Michelle set her sights on acting. She attended the prestigious Guildhall School of Music & Drama, where she honed her craft and prepared for a future in the entertainment industry.

Breaking Out with Downton Abbey

The Role of a Lifetime

Michelle Dockery’s big break came in 2010 when she landed the role of Lady Mary Crawley on Downton Abbey. Little did she know that this would become the role that defined her career and turned her into a household name. As Lady Mary, Dockery embodied the elegance and complexity of an aristocratic woman navigating personal loss, societal changes, and family dynamics. Her portrayal earned her critical acclaim, several award nominations, and a legion of devoted fans.

The beauty of Michelle Dockery’s performance in Downton Abbey lay in her ability to balance vulnerability with strength. Lady Mary was often aloof, but Dockery brought depth to her, allowing audiences to see beyond her icy exterior. Whether it was her tragic love life or her fierce devotion to her family, Dockery made Lady Mary a character that viewers couldn’t help but root for.

Life Beyond Lady Mary

Though Downton Abbey ran for six seasons (and even spawned a successful film), Michelle Dockery knew that staying in one lane wasn’t the way forward. She embraced a variety of roles that showcased her range as an actress. She made her film debut with Hanna (2011), where she shared the screen with Saoirse Ronan and Cate Blanchett, further proving she could hold her own among Hollywood heavyweights.

Hollywood Calling: Dockery’s Transition to Film

Exploring New Genres

After Downton Abbey, Dockery was eager to take on new and challenging roles. Hollywood came knocking, and Michelle answered! In The Gentlemen (2019), she stepped into the world of crime, starring opposite Matthew McConaughey. Far from Lady Mary’s world of tea and crumpets, this role had her portraying a savvy, tough-as-nails character who knew how to navigate the criminal underworld.

Another notable role was in the Netflix miniseries Godless (2017), where Dockery swapped aristocratic gowns for cowboy boots in this gritty Western drama. Playing Alice Fletcher, a widowed outcast trying to protect her family in a lawless land, Dockery once again proved she’s no one-trick pony. She was gritty, determined, and downright fierce.

Thriving in TV and Film

Michelle Dockery hasn’t limited herself to just film or TV—she’s done it all! In 2019, she starred in Defending Jacob, a legal drama series alongside Chris Evans. Her role as a mother grappling with the possibility that her son could be a murderer was both intense and heartbreaking. It’s this ability to slip into such complex, emotionally charged roles that keeps audiences glued to the screen whenever Dockery’s involved.

Michelle Dockery’s Musical Talent

Bet you didn’t know Michelle Dockery’s also a talented singer! Yes, when she’s not delivering Oscar-worthy performances, she’s occasionally returning to her first love: music. Dockery often performs with her band, Sadie and the Hotheads, a folk band she formed during her Downton Abbey days. The band’s music is soulful and heartfelt, a reflection of Dockery’s own artistic sensibilities. It's not every day you come across an actress who can seamlessly transition from the screen to the stage.

Michelle Dockery: Personal Life

Love and Loss

Though Michelle Dockery has been relatively private about her personal life, one tragic chapter stands out. In 2015, she lost her fiancé, John Dineen, to cancer. The loss was devastating, and Dockery has spoken publicly about how the grief shaped her life. Through it all, her grace and strength have shone through, endearing her even more to her fans.

In happier news, Michelle has recently found love again. In 2022, she married Jasper Waller-Bridge, brother of the famous Fleabag creator Phoebe Waller-Bridge. The wedding, like much of Dockery’s personal life, was a private affair, but fans rejoiced at seeing her happiness.

Balance Between Fame and Privacy

Despite her success, Michelle Dockery has managed to maintain a relatively low profile, keeping her private life just that—private. She’s one of the few stars in Hollywood who manages to avoid the frenzy of tabloid culture, focusing instead on her craft and living a life away from the spotlight when the cameras aren’t rolling. But this quiet nature only adds to her allure!

Conclusion

Michelle Dockery’s journey from Downton Abbey’s Lady Mary to Hollywood’s star-studded stages has been nothing short of remarkable. She’s an actress with a talent that transcends genre, switching from period dramas to action-packed thrillers with ease. And while she’s no longer just “Lady Mary,” fans will always cherish the role that brought her into their lives. As Michelle continues to push her boundaries and take on even more challenging projects, it’s clear her best work may still be ahead of her. If you’re not already a fan, you’re missing out—because Michelle Dockery is a force to be reckoned with!

[qnewsau]

Vale: Dame Maggie Smith's best shade after her death at 89

New Post has been published on https://qnews.com.au/vale-dame-maggie-smiths-best-shade-after-her-death-at-89/

Vale: Dame Maggie Smith's best shade after her death at 89

Fans are revisiting Dame Maggie Smith’s best one-liners and shadiest moments after the legendary British actress’ death at age 89.

The beloved British icon passed away peacefully in a London hospital overnight (AEST), her sons Chris Larkin and Toby Stephens announced.

“It’s with great sadness we have to announce the death of Dame Maggie Smith,” they said in a statement.

“An intensely private person, she was with friends and family at the end.

“She leaves two sons and five loving grandchildren who are devastated by the loss of their extraordinary mother and grandmother.”

Hilarious Dame Maggie Smith clips go viral in tribute

Dame Maggie Smith’s incredible career spanned 70 years. She received her first Oscar nomination in 1965.

Throughout the 2000s, the British actress just kept on giving. To generations of Harry Potter fans she’ll always be Professor Minerva McGonagall.

Dame Maggie also played Violet Crawley, the Dowager Countess of Grantham, in every season of the UK period drama Downton Abbey.

A supercut of Dame Maggie’s best Downton zingers is among the clips circulating online after her death.

rest in peace maggie smith you’ll always be loved pic.twitter.com/PoVwdKV1uo

— s. (@shivlestat) September 27, 2024

Another clip of Dame Maggie Smith sparring with Dame Judi Dench in the 2018 special Tea with the Dames is also going viral.

rip to one of the greatest, maggie smith, may you continue to be cutthroat wherever you may be pic.twitter.com/MVyEUpRd37

— amy elouise (@foxgrove_) September 27, 2024

Every time Dame Maggie Smith appeared on The Graham Norton Show was absolute magic.

Be an icon like Dame Maggie Smith and give zero f***s pic.twitter.com/yrg1SzV95t

— J Λ M Ξ S (@jamesglynn) September 27, 2024

Meanwhile, Sir Ian McKellen was a longtime friend of Dame Maggie Smith. Photos and clips of the pair’s friendship are also resurfacing.

rediscovered these photos of Ian McKellen and Maggie Smith at Wimbledon and they're absolute gold pic.twitter.com/rSlAC4VNbB

— jack (@jackoliver__) July 10, 2019

Sir Ian did a killer Dame Maggie Smith impression.

The actor perfected it over the years.

Sir Ian McKellen's impression of Maggie Smith always makes me laugh pic.twitter.com/zkpn6VlAxK

— Spencer Althouse (@SpencerAlthouse) August 11, 2017

And what did Dame Maggie think of Sir Ian’s impression of her? Someone asked.

Maggie Smith & Ian McKellen are friend goals pic.twitter.com/JzCCiBxrXt

— Carl Woodward (@mrCarlWoodward) December 7, 2019

‘Fierce intellect and a gloriously sharp tongue’

Several Harry Potter cast members have also paid tribute to the British icon.

Daniel Radcliffe said he first met Maggie when he was nine years old on BBC drama David Copperfield.

“I knew virtually nothing about her other than that my parents were awestruck at the fact that I would be working with her,” Daniel said.

“The other thing I knew about her was that she was a Dame, so the first thing I asked her when we met was ‘would you like me to call you Dame?’ at which she laughed and said something to the effect of ‘don’t be ridiculous!’

“I remember feeling nervous to meet her and then her putting me immediately at ease. She was incredibly kind to me on that shoot, and then I was lucky enough to go on working with her for another 10 years on the Harry Potter films.

“She was a fierce intellect, a gloriously sharp tongue, could intimidate and charm in the same instant and was, as everyone will tell you, extremely funny.

“I will always consider myself amazingly lucky to have been able to work with her and to spend time around her on set. The word legend is overused but if it applies to anyone in our industry then it applies to her. Thank you Maggie.”

Actress Whoopi Goldberg also paid tribute to her Sister Act co-star Dame Maggie on Instagram.

“Maggie Smith was a great woman and a brilliant actress. I still can’t believe I was lucky enough to work with the “one-of-a-kind”. My heartfelt condolences go out to the family,” Whoopi wrote.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by WhoopiGoldberg (@whoopigoldberg)

Vale Dame Maggie Smith.

For the latest LGBTIQA+ Sister Girl and Brother Boy news, entertainment, community stories in Australia, visit qnews.com.au. Check out our latest magazines or find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

[joethetoonfanandoutcast]

Live-action Hunchback of Notre Dame cast ideas

Since 2017, The Hunchback of Notre Dame is a Disney film that should have a live-action counterpart to it with Menken's music and everything.

I came up with cast ideas on my old account. Since then and since I've rewatched the live-action Aladdin, I've been thinking about the film's potential and saw some other opinions about casting online, and I thought I'd list them all here.

Quasimodo: Taron Egerton or Freddie Highmore

Judge Claude Frollo: Peter Capaldi, Christoph Waltz, Benedict Cumberbatch or Joaquin Phoenix

Clopin: Sacha Baron Cohen, John Leguizamo, Oscar Isaac, Adam Driver or Lin-Manuel Miranda

The Archdeacon: Anthony Hopkins, Jim Broadbent, Hugh Bonneville or Tom Hulce (Quasi's original actor)

As for Esmeralda and Phoebus, I'd leave it up to anyone else who can think of the most appropriate choices.

And though loyalists of the original book prefer to keep the gargoyles non-sentient, especially to flesh out the other characters, a part of me still feels like they could work in some way maybe if their characters were altered somewhat.

Hugo: Jack Black, Bradley Cooper or Bobby Cannavale (for once, I'd like him to play a less aggressive role, but maybe this version of Hugo would be less comical)

Victor: Kelsey Grammer, David Hyde Pierce, Steve Coogan, Hugh Grant, Patrick Stewart or Martin Freeman

Laverne: Susan Sarandon, Julie Walters, Christine Baranski, Kathleen Turner or Garth Jennings (basically his Miss Crawley voice)

And of course, to make the film work, my suggestions would be:

Hire the right people (one idea for a director could be Peter Jackson)

Not give in to the politically correct crowd

Keep most of Alan Menken's songs, even if the more light-hearted ones have to be cut out, like Topsy Turvy and A Guy Like You, but all the other songs should be kept definitely, including "Someday". I'd even like to hear All-4-One do a new song for the soundtrack, like Celine Dion returned for the live-action Beauty & The Beast or Christina Aguilera returned for the live-action Mulan.

Have the rating be PG-13 at least to fit the original novel's tone

Have it longer than the original animated film (like say, two hours or two hours and 30 minutes)

And we would have the perfect live-action Disney adaptation.

What do you think of the cast? Let me know your thoughts in the comments.

[historicalreusedcostumes]

This Colors Costume is worn on an extra in Horrible Histories: Mardy Mary Queen of Scots Special 2015 and worn again later in Interlude in Prague 2017 and worn again on Tom Good man-Hill as Frank Crawley in Rebecca 2020.

[elegaeica]

rapunzel, inspiration taken from persinette, grimm fairytale, and petrosinella. primary. isabel may. arya stark, book & headcanon based. by request. fc tba. audrey fulquard, little shop of horrors, off - broadway revival & headcanon based. by request. joy woods. julia trojan, bandstand. by request. fc tba. amy march, little women, book & 2017 miniseries inspired. primary. kathryn newton. sybil crawley, downton abbey, canon divergent. by request. jessica brown findlay. cora hale, teen wolf, heavily canon divergent & headcanon based. primary. diana silvers. euphemia "effie" elmstone, dead boy detectives original character. secondary. ellie bamber. cat / courier six, fallout: new vegas. primary. dewanda wise. josie / the lone wanderer, fallout 3, canon divergent. primary. cailee spaeny. mary / sole survivor, fallout 4. secondary. lucy boynton. commander laura shepard, mass effect, canon divergent. primary. christina chong. sura tabris, dragon age, headcanon based. primary. sophia brown. amaya surana, dragon age, headcanon based. primary. anna sawai. aliena brosca, dragon age, headcanon based. secondary. sophie skelton. aurelia aeducan, dragon age, headcanon based. primary. jessie mei li. naya amell, dragon age, headcanon based. secondary. zoe robins aravas mahariel, dragon age, headcanon based. primary. amita suman. mina hawke, dragon age, headcanon based. secondary. sophie cookson. victorine trevelyan, dragon age, headcanon based. primary. arsema thomas. nicolette trevelyan, dragon age, headcanon based. primary. alicia von rittberg. maella lavellan, dragon age, headcanon based. primary. ambika mod. josephine montilyet, dragon age, canon compliant. secondary. freida pinto. the artificer, doctor who, original time lord character. primary. phydra, baldur's gate 3, seldarine drow of eilistraee. secondary. no fc. daefina roxana reaegis, dungeons & dragons, astral elf aberrant mind sorceress. secondary. holliday grainger. diana casta, dungeons & dragons, aasimar glamour bard & savior of elturel. secondary. riley hemson. sophie hatter, land of ingary trilogy / howl's moving castle. by request. nicola coughlan. george fayne, nancy drew, video games based. by request. ruby cruz.

[themovieblogonline]

"Cuckoo" Is Cuckoo at SXSW on March 14, 2024

The International Premiere of Writer/Director Tilman Singer’s film “Cuckoo” took place on Thursday, March 14 at SXSW. It’s a delightfully weird horror thriller written and directed by German director Tilman Singer. It stars  Hunter Shafer (“Euphoria”) and veteran character actor Dan Stevens (Matthew Crawley on “Downton Abbey,” “Colossal” at SXSW with Anne Hathaway in 2017.)  It will release in the U.S. on May 3rd. When Stevens left “Downton Abbey” in 2010 it created a stir. At the time, addressing the departure to make “The Guest” Stevens said, “OK, what I really want to do is a twisted action thriller black comedy with horror elements. Preferably with an American accent.” Sounds like “Cuckoo,” only with a German accent.” Stevens shared during the Q&A that he only joined the cast of “Cuckoo” three weeks before the shoot began (May 11, 2022). Speaking fluent German to Director Tilman on the phone may have helped him win the role. PLOT The synopsis provided by the “Cuckoo” team said: “On a trip to the German Alps with her father and stepmother, Gretchen (Hunter Schafer, HBO’s “Euphoria”) discovers that the resort town where they’re staying hides sinister secrets. She’s plagued by strange noises and frightening visions of a woman pursuing her. Soon, Gretchen finds herself pulled into a conspiracy involving bizarre experiments by the resort’s owner that echo back generations.” SHADOWS Gretchen Vanderkurt (Hunter Shafer) has just lost her mother---I think. Whether Mom is dead or simply alive and not answering phone messages is never fully explained (like many other plot points in the film.). The “trip” seemed to be a permanent re-location in Gretchen’s life, especially since her father announces he has sold the house she lived in with Mom. That’s why I assumed Mom was dead. That could be right. Or it could be wrong. Who knows? “Only the Shadow knows,” for sure (a very old radio reference). And there were some uber-creepy shadows in this one.  Maybe we can ask one of the shadows chasing Gretchen as she rides her bike through the forest late at night ---a particularly creepy scene---for clarification.  I mention the very old radio reference, because there is no definitive time set for this movie. It could be today; it could be any decade between 1940 and the present. Again, don’t know; can’t tell you. Just go with it. PSYCHOLOGICAL TERROR The German trip, for Gretchen, is not a happy one. She doesn’t seem particularly fond of her mute half-sister Alma (Mila Lieu) —at least, not until guns come out in the over-long film finale. Her father Luis (Marton Csokas) seems much less interested in his teen-aged daughter than in Alma. Our sympathy goes out to Gretchen. The crowd applauded when Gretchen finally struck back at Dad. At one point, Gretchen denies that Alma is her “sister,” saying, “She had her chance at getting a sister, but then she ate her.” This leads to a discussion of vanishing twin syndrome in the womb. That’s a discussion which seems right at home in this odd 102-minute horror thriller. It gets stranger when the writer/director admits that he was inspired by a cuckoo documentary. We learn that Gretchen’s father and his second wife Beth (Jessica Henwick) honeymooned at Alpshatten Resort eight years prior. (*Plot clue). They are returning to discuss more construction projects with Mr. Konig (Dan Stevens), the resort owner, who is Luis Vanderkurt’s (Martin Csokas’) boss. ALMA Upon arrival Mr. König takes an avid interest in Gretchen's mute half-sister Alma (Mila Lieu). The little girl is having seizures. Mr. Konig suggests that Dr. Bonamo (Proschat Malani), Superintendent of the Chronic Disease Treatment Facility nearb, check out the little girl medically. Perhaps Alma is epileptic? Something doesn't seem quite right in this tranquil vacation paradise. The odd customers checking into the resort, the loopy behavior of Mr. Konig, the strange employees like Trixie (Greta Fernandez) fit right into our suspicion that, as Shakespeare said, “something is rotten in Denmark” (or, in this case, Germany).  The people repeatedly vomiting in the lobby, the scary woman offering oozy goo to other women--- also mysterious creepy plot points. Use your imagination. Enjoy the ride. WRITER/DIRECTOR TILMAN SINGER The 36-year old German director (Leipzig, Germany) previously directed the indie film “Luz” for “less than 50,000 Euros ($54,478.10). Tilman’s vibe is best summed up by The Shining.” Then combine a blend of David Lynch and David Cronenberg. For those of us who faithfully followed the antics of the Log Lady (and others) on “Twin Peaks” from 1990-1991, “Cuckoo” was less a revelation than a return to form. Eccentric weirdness, well-executed with German panache. Singer shared that the film “all started with a feeling.” He mentioned the cuckoo bird’s odd habit of laying its eggs in the nests of other birds and abandoning the offspring. Said Singer, “That made me very sad. All the host birds die. There was a kind of beauty to it.” Cue the spooky music, and the sound is a huge component for this film. Star Dan Stevens said, “Filmmaking is an exercise in collective madness.  We all believed in this madman,” alluding to Writer/Director Singer.  LOCATION Shot near the Belgian border at an abandoned British Army base, the entire movie gave lead actress, Hunter Schafer (“Euphoria”) a feeling that was “just like summer camp.” She described being in the forest with an abandoned town near the Alpschatten Resort from May until July of 2022.  Alpschatten is the source of a series of medical experiments supervised by the evil Mr. Konig, played to the hilt with campy verve by veteran actor Dan Stevens (Matthew Crawley on “Downton Abbey,” “Colossal”at SXSW in 2016.). THE GOOD The film is very original. It repeatedly uses sound creatively to enhance and create horror. There are scenes that are re-run, shown back-to-back two and three times, with shaky camerawork. Director Singer credited his cinematographer Paul Faltz with suggesting and implementing the technique. Dan Stevens and Hunter Shafer are quite good. Hunter Shafer has to carry the film as its emotional anchor. She is the psychologically traumatized daughter of a negligent father and still suffers from missing her mother. By film’s end the 5’ 10” former model looks about as injured as humanly possible to be and still survive. Shafer gives the part 110% as its imperiled heroine, anchoring the loopy plot. There are weird touches like a pulsing throat, photographed in close-up, that are novel. Said Dan Stevens, “I remember being really freaked out by the throat.” It apparently was a large piece of artificial throat that was periodically wheeled in to be  photographed. THE BAD Some of the minor parts. Including the mysterious menacing woman, are not as good as the two leads. Other characters, including those that are supposed to convey menace, were either not well-chosen or not made up effectively enough. The concept is original. Various means of conveying the story were novel. The claustrophobic sense of dread growing from the creative visual and aural touches add to our sense of danger and impending doom. (Examples: the bicycle riding sequence; the bathroom sequence with Gretchen; a car crash scene). Some of those portraying the mysterious and monstrous villains of the plot are either so average-looking or so poorly made up that you yearn for better-looking (or better made-up) protagonists.  The plot---despite attempts to explain it along the way--- is often incoherent.  Here is one  half-hearted narrative attempt to provide a plot that makes sense:  “In nature, modern man kills some species by our disregard. Some species need our help to survive.” CONCLUSION:  The Q&A emcee called the film “a cinematic smorgasbord.”  Synonyms for “smorgasbord” include “muddle” and “jumble.” Only time will tell whether the promising touches in “Cuckoo” lead to films that retain this one’s originality with more clarity. One thing is for sure: Writer/Director Tilman Singer has followed the local First Commandment: “Keep Austin Weird.” Read the full article

[legends-of-time]

The Journey of Living at Downton

Chapter 16: April 1919 to January 1920

Masterlist

Emma and Tom had made the decision to stay in England for a short while longer so that they could attend Sybil and Billy’s wedding but by the beginning of May, they are on the boat to Ireland. The last time Emma had been in Ireland was in August 2017 so she knows that life will be very different as this is Ireland before its independence and the beginning of Northern Ireland.

Emma feels terrible going, what with what is happening with Mr Bates but Anna had insisted. She doesn’t want Anna to feel like she’s a burden to anyone so she listens and goes. It’s further along in May when Emma and Tom tie the knot in Dublin in the presence of his family on his side and the three Crawley sisters, Gemma and Anna on the other.

Emma survives meeting his family as they, despite her fears, were non-judgmental about her more English upbringing. He has two brothers called Kieran and Owen and two sisters called Bridget and Ellen. Kieran leaves soon after the wedding as he lives and works in Liverpool and needs to return for work. She also meets her new nieces and nephews. Meeting his many, many cousins is more chaotic though Emma knows that she isn’t meeting one as he lives in America. Overall, Emma is thankful for the warm welcome she receives.

She is happy that she has done nursing during the war as it gives her a head start and shows her employers at the Rotunda Lying-in Hopital that she was capable and has practical experience. Tom's own position at The Observer, one of several small republican papers that emerged during the country's upheaval, paid little but expected a lot. But then again, Tom expected a lot of himself, and so found little to complain about, except for the hours that kept him apart from his wife. Due to her and Tom’s wages, they are able to find a small but comfortable flat in Dublin. It’s not much but it has what they need and Emma is happy with that.

Emma is thankful for Mrs Patmore’s lessons as it means that she actually knows her way around an early 20th century kitchen. Her first meal, while not amazing, is a success. 

With both of them working, Emma puts forward the argument that they should share the household chores as she feels it’s unfair for her to work and then do everything at home. This means that Emma doesn’t have to do the cooking every day. She knows that neither of them are amazing cooks but they muddle through.

She tells Tom of the consequences of the Treaty of Versailles and that the next Great War is only 20 years away.

Emma realises that as a married woman and one living amongst the working class, away from the hierarchy and stickler that is Downton, she has this new freedom. Emma gets to go to her first pub, since arriving in the past, along with Tom, Ellen and Owen. She finds herself having a blast and actually becomes drunk for the first time in forever.

Married life is a new but exciting experience, equal parts trial and error. Politics at its most basic level, Tom will often tease when they'd come to loggerheads in a spat. Negotiations often landed them in bed to iron out the details, a part of marriage Emma has come especially to enjoy.

——

In September, she begins to notice changes to her body that had not been there before. She had been feeling increasingly tired, nauseous and her chest is tender and swollen.

She was midway through scrubbing a skillet when the smell of charred bacon landed hit her. Retching over the dirty dishes and the mingled smell of vomit and grease only made things worse. She snatches up a towel, rubs for the washroom where she hugs the toilet and finishes coughing up everything short of her toenails.

“Christ.” She croaks, leaning back against the tub. Sitting up gingerly, she swishes out her mouth at the sink and rests on the toilet seat. The flushing water echoes in the bowl as her mind replayed the previous minutes. “Ugh.” She holds a hand against her stomach as a fresh wave threatens.

Then it hits her. Not the nausea, which has disappeared, but the reason for it. Could she be?

Emma makes a mental calculation. Two weeks? No, it had to be more than that almost a months perhaps? God, she should have noticed. Then again with her duties at the hospital have been ramping up over the past month, when would she have the time? Emma knows that this must mean only one thing and when she notices her period is late.

She and Tom hadn't really talked about children, other than the occasional vague reference to someday, but then again, they aren't doing anything in particular to prevent it.

She immediately goes to Doctor Caffrey during her shift to see if it can be confirmed. It is a risk, to be sure, to see him as a patient, but she is quite fond him and trusts him. She is soon told that yes, she is indeed pregnant, about a month along, and honestly, Emma feels like she’s going to cry with happiness though she does have the afterthought that this child and any she has in the next 7 years will become of age during World War Two.

Emma makes sure she gets home before Tom and proceeds to quickly write two letters, one addressed to Gemma and one to Sybil. She knows that they'll tell everyone at Downton so it saves Emma from having to write multiple letters.

She waits anxiously for Tom to come home from the office. She struggles to stay still and begins darting around cleaning and cooking to keep herself distracted.

"What is it?" Tom asks as he comes through the door of their flat. Honestly, Emma doesn't blame him for asking as she probably looks a bit frazzled.

"What's what?" Emma says innocently.

Tom smirks before giving her a quick kiss. "You're fidgeting."

Emma ignores his attitude. "I have something to tell you." He looks concerned. "It's not something bad!"

Tom lets out a relieved sigh. "What a relief. I thought—"

"I'm pregnant." She blurts out.

Tom's eyes widen. "Truly?"

"Truly."

"This is wonderful." Tom grabs her and spins as he wears a beaming smile.

She laughs. "Put me down!"

He puts her down and places a hand on her stomach. "When are you due?"

"Next May." Emma grins.

Tom smiles. "May 1920."

——

That Christmas, unlike at Downton, where the house tree glittered and towered proportionally in the Great Hall or at home, in the 21st century where the real tree with all the delicate decorations blocked the lounge windows and the fake tree in the Kitchen with the kid decorations threatening to fall every time someone tried to make their way around the table, the Branson's flat in Dublin is modestly decorated. They hadn't the time to go out and find a tree, but had, on the previous weekend, collected trimmings from one of Tom's cousins who worked at the Shelbourne Hotel. Emma had placed the greenery judiciously around the parlor: a little on the street-facing window sill, some along the banister leading to their cozy room upstairs, and the remainder on the small mantel above the fireplace. Her mother would be proud of it.

It is New Year's Eve when Emma finds a letter from Sybil when she comes home from work. She's four months pregnant at this point and they're still letting her work until she gets to the six month mark though they are already dialling down her workload.

She opens the letter to find Sybil announcing her own pregnancy. It is welcome news considering it is getting closer and closer to the date of Mr Bates' murder trial. Emma hopes it goes well but there's no guarantee plus the fact that the statistic of most women being murdered by their current or ex partner is working against him.

It is a couple more weeks before Emma hears, from Lady Mary, the dreadful news that he has been guilty. Thankfully it is not hanging but will be life imprisonment, which means they have time to overturn the verdict. Emma is glad there's at least some positive news out of all this.

——

Soon Emma gets some news that sent her squealing.

"What is it? What's happening?" Tom runs into the kitchen half dressed and looking panicked.

"It's finally happening! Lady Mary and Mr Crawley! They're getting married!" Emma cries, shoving the letter from Lady Mary in his face as if he's able to read it.

"Really? What happened to Sir Richard?" Tom asks smiling.

"Don't know, don't care." Emma dismisses. "There's an invitation as well, inviting us."

His widen. "Us?"

Emma nods. "Yes, but I'm not sure we'll be able to afford it. Shame, I hoped to see the wedding as well as Sybil, Gemma and the others."

"I'm sorry." Tom apologises.

"It's not your fault." She replies.

"I know but still."

She smiles at him affectionately and strokes his cheek before giving him a kiss.

——

A/N: Please leave comments on how you're enjoying this story and what you think.