#docu-fiction

[noura-addams]

𝐀𝐧𝐭𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐒𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐭-𝐉𝐮𝐬𝐭

Antoine saint-just from the DOCU-FICTION of robespierre.

Directed by: Hervé pernot

Acting by: Patrick Laplace.

Source:

[notesonfilm1]

Thinking Aloud About Film: Bushman (David Schickele, 1971)

BUSHMAN (David Schickele, 1971) is a real discovery, already the subject of much excitement when shown at Ritrovato in Bologna, and now made available to us through Cinema Re-Discovered this coming weekend, where it is being screened Sunday 30th of July at 18.30. Set in 1968, in the context of the murders of Martin Luther King and Robert Kennedy, with the Nigerian Civil War in its second year,…

[iwaasfairy]

why r u writing incest??? u should not be romanticizing that shit 😭

you think my fics are romantic? ❤️‍🔥🙏🥸 you’re so sweet

[robespapier]

The way Robespierre holds onto his shoulders, but Saint-Just holds onto his waist, the bad hair and bag wig, the blue filter, Eléonore doing the washing up in the background...

[monimarat]

The Robespierre double feature has arrived!

[fictionadventurer]

I need to gripe about this and there's no other place to do it, so I'm inflicting it on all of you.

It annoys me that the History Channel docudrama gets this scene exactly wrong. Instead of portraying any of the above, they have the meeting between Grant and Lee play out like this:

Grant: Perhaps you remember me from the Mexican War?

Lee: Probably not.

Grant: I was in the 4th regiment.

Lee: (after a long, stony silence) It was a long time ago.

It's exactly the opposite of what actually happened! Instead of humble, Grant comes across as a conceited fanboy. Lee comes off as cold and bitter instead of gracious. I could concede the possibility that other sources recall that meeting differently, but most of these dramatized scenes have been drawn from the memoirs, and there's no reason to think the writers would doubt their veracity here. I can understand artistic license, but this is baffling.

I finally finished Grant's memoirs, and I keep laughing over Grant's depiction of the surrender at Appomattox.

Cuz like

Grant's traveling to the front when Lee sends the letter asking to meet to arrange the surrender, and the messenger had to track him down on the road. Grant, who'd had no idea that things were going to happen so quickly, isn't dressed for the occasion. He's wearing a private's uniform with only his general's stripes showing his rank, and he doesn't have a sword because he never wears a sword when traveling on horseback. Meanwhile Lee, who plans to go down in style, is impeccably dressed in perfect uniform and carrying this gorgeous sword. And Grant's like, "It didn't occur to me until days afterward just how weird we must have looked." Which is just so relatable, cuz like, this is a climactic moment in a major world conflict, but it's also just another day for a socially awkward dude.

And when Grant gets there, he tells Lee how he remembers him from the Mexican War, but figures Lee couldn't possibly remember him because Grant was sixteen years younger and of a much lower rank. And Lee's like, "No, I remember you and I was pretty impressed." And they get to chatting and reminiscing, until Lee has to remind Grant that they need to discuss this whole surrender thing. And they do, but then they get sidetracked again, and Lee has to once again be the one to get things back on track by saying, "Hey, maybe you should write down those surrender terms."

It's just such a funny image to me. I know this is entirely inaccurate, but I just keep picturing Lee standing there politely while Grant's chatting and having to awkwardly raise his hand and be like, "I hate to be rude, but I'm here to surrender." Grant just wants to be bros and this stupid war keeps getting in the way.

[skyfullofpods]

Hello fans of Re: Dracula who were introduced to fiction podcasts through the updates from our good friend Jonathan Harker! Now that the story's over (sob!), would you like some recommendations for some other audio dramas that you might enjoy, made by some of the folks who worked on the podcast?

Jonathan Sims, who played our local phonograph enthusiast, is the writer of the hugely popular horror podcast, The Magnus Archives. The Head Archivist of the Magnus Institute records statements made by members of the public, detailing strange encounters with the supernatural. What soon becomes clear is that these statements do not describe separate and unrelated events, and a bigger and horrific picture begins to emerge. Also appearing as recurring characters in this series are both Sasha Sienna and Alasdair Stuart.

Karim Kronfli is a prolific voice actor, and while he might be best known for his roles in both Re: Dracula and The Magnus Archives, he has voiced a wide range of characters in many different fiction podcasts. Out of all the ones he's appeared in, I would personally recommend urban fantasy anthology series, Unseen. The unseen world exists alongside ours, but only a few humans can see it. It's a world where magic and magical creatures exists, and Karim's character tells his story in episode 7, titled We Ourselves.

Beth Eyre and Felix Trench played twins Antigone and Rudyard Funn in Wooden Overcoats, a British sitcom set on the tiny fictional island of Piffling, in the English Channel. The twins run a funeral parlor together, the only one on the island, until a newcomer arrives. Eric Chapman (played by Tom Crowley) sets up a much more successful funeral parlor, and the story is narrated by the Funns' house mouse, Madeline.

Alan Burgon plays the Interviewer in The Amelia Project. The Amelia Project is a secret organisation, and clients come to them looking for their help in faking their deaths. The Interviewer listens to each client's story, before concocting unique and often elaborate ways in which they will stage their deaths, before being reborn into a new identity.

David Ault is also a very recognisable voice to anyone who spends a considerate amount of time listening to fiction podcasts, and The Kingmaker Histories feels like an appropriate choice here. A weird steampunk series set in the Valorian Socialist Republic in 1911 , this story involves found family, its own intriguing magic system, and being gay and doing crime.

Our favourite cowboy, Giancarlo Herrera, plays one of the protagonists in sci-fi action/thriller, Primordial Deep. Spinner is part of a team which is sent deep beneath the sea to investigate the resurgence of creatures thought to be long-extinct. There's plenty of horror to be had here, as something ancient is stirring in the depths of the ocean.

As for the crew? Tal Minear works on so many podcasts, and if you like fantasy stories, I would recommend the delightfully lighthearted Sidequesting, which follows new adventurer Rion, as they help people on their travels. If you would like some more horror, there's their spoiler-driven anthology series, Someone Dies in This Elevator.

Hannah Wright's Inn Between is a fantasy series based on D&D. Each episode follows a party as they meet in the Goblin's Inn, in between adventures, as the tavern follows them around wherever they go.

Stephen Indrisano's upcoming docu-horror Shelterwood promises to be a series which explores the horror of suburbia, as it follows one man's quest to find his missing sister. Until this is released, I would recommend Do You Copy, in which Stephen plays one of the protagonists. This found footage horror series follows the events which unfold after the closure of Red Tail National Park, and the people who were left inside the park, after its mysterious closure.

Ella Watts is regarded as a walking encyclopedia of all things audio fiction, and has worked on several high-profile projects, including directing both Doctor Who: Redacted and Marvel Move. Her upcoming Camlann is a post-apocalyptic series due to be released next year, inspired by Arthurian legends and British folklore. She is also the executive producer of Tin Can Audio's (who are also producing Camlann) beautiful experimental series, The Tower. The protagonist of this story, Kiri, leaves her life behind to climb an impossibly high tower, making phonecalls along the way.

Newt Schottelkotte's Where The Stars Fell is a supernatural fantasy set in the town of Jerusalem, Oregon. Cryptozoologist Dr Edison Tucker arrives in the town to carry out some research, and meets her roommate, author Lucille Kensington. There's so much more to this strange town than first meets the eye, with a huge revelation at the end of season one.

If you're new to fiction podcasts, welcome! I hope this short (ish!) and very much non-comprehensive list gave you some ideas of what to listen to next!

[oddballwriter]

Lotta True Crime

Summary: A blurb in which Steven comes home from work and finds you watching/listening to a true crime documentary, again. 

Warnings: I don't talk about anyone specific but the Y/N is listening to a docu about a serial killer. There isn't any actual mention of murder in full detail but it is there, so be warned of that. But overall this is actually domestic as hell and wholesome.  

Author’s Snip: I'm a true crime nut and I often wonder what my various fictional boytoys would think about it I sort of fixated on Steven for a while which led to this. I feel like he'd be slightly off-put by it but would get used to it at some point. Also, the idea of him and his true crime-loving partner just info-dumping about their interests is just so funny and cute.

I’ll shut up now. Enjoy! And don’t be afraid to request.

It sounds a lot like what you would hear a husband back in the 1950s answer if you asked him what his favorite part of the day was. But it was Steven's honest answer. He loved coming home after a long day at work and seeing you preparing dinner. There was something so domestic about it that he absolutely loved. Of course, he'd usually come in and help you make dinner instead of lounging around, just so that you two can have a nice moment as a couple.

There was one thing that always stuck out from the whole coming home to the partner cooking dinner daydream though.

The stuff you usually had playing in the background.

"-I mean. It was complete madness. All these people started digging at this dumping ground and they found so many bodies in different stages of decay. It took a few days simply because of how many they were finding, you know? You would be digging up one you just found and then you find a part from another and then you'd have to dig up that one, and so on." the voice on the TV explained as Steven locked the flat's door behind him and hung up all his things.

"What made it worse was that there were more. His accomplice said that he had admitted that he had more victims at another dumping site but he never said where that was before he died. So there are more somewhere out there and we don't know where they are." the voice added.

Steven wants to be surprised that there's a true crime documentary playing on the TV while you were happily cooking dinner, and yeah sure the details are especially gruesome from what he's hearing, but this isn't the first time. This is a normal occurrence, actually, and Steven's just learned to roll with it. Even if one time he came home and the TV had an episode of a show that talked about murders in relationships that talked about how a wife poisoned her husband via lacing his food with something, and you were making one of Steven's favorite meals.

He crosses the flat to you in the kitchen, wrapping his arms around you from behind and looking over what you were doing. "It looks like it's coming along nicely." he comments before he kisses you on the cheek. "Thanks," you replay, "I found it in a little recipe note and wanted to test it out." you explain. "Do you want any help?" Steven asks drawing away a little.

"No. I've got everything covered so far. Some stuff needs to sit for a bit. Maybe then I'll need some help." you tell him while also turning your head towards him.

A soft stare ensues between the two of you. You both bask in the nice feeling of being close to each other and having a sweet and domestic moment.

"It was believed that this body found drifting in the river was actually a victim, whose body was washed out of its grave from the heavy storms and rainwater that flooded the bank, since the accomplice said that the old dumping site was along the river. However, no one knows how far the body floated downstream, so they wouldn't know exactly where the site was along the river." a narrating voice said from the TV, soiling the moment.

You blush at the interruption, "You can change that if you want. I've heard of this case before anyway.".

Steven chuckles a little bit. "I don't really mind, love," he says. "You did overhear that one time I was watching a documentary and it went into heavy detail about the Egyptian embalming process." he recalls. "So what if I hear about some old killer's body count and possible dumping spots." Steven concludes.

"It's your version of what Egypt is to me. So how am I to judge." Steven adds.

[cosmic-gemstone]

Already, Qessyn was wide-eyed and looking around in awe. This place was beautiful, and well-preserved. She was looking forward to seeing what kinds of creatures made this place home.

“I appreciate that! I’m really excited to—“ A flash of color a few feet above them caught her eye, and she marveled at the sight of some sort of avian soaring through the trees, landing on a small branch.

“I really never get tired of seeing the life forms of other worlds,” she murmured, “when you’re used to certain types of animals and plants, that sort of becomes your baseline. So seeing something entirely alien is quite an experience.”

Qessyn made mental notes of his appearance; this must be how he kept his skills sharp.

“I’m all packed and ready to go!”

Quickly catching up to him, she nodded. “My parents and siblings and I used to camp a lot back on Ieuzuno. Mom would teach us all about the native flora and fauna, and Dad would show us how to survive in the desert. We haven’t had the chance to go camping as a family since my siblings and I enlisted. And I really haven’t had the chance to simply enjoy the outdoors since the military academy. My only outside time was on patrols, and there was no time to just look at things.”

She smiled. “I’ve really been looking forward to this. I’ve been wanting to explore Merrick Minor ever since I learned about it, but with the way things were, I didn’t have a lot of down time. Now that things are stabilizing, I was finally able to get some leave.”

“I admit, this type of environment isn’t very familiar to me. Back on Ieuzuno, it’s mostly desert; every child is taught how to survive in that environment, it’s part of our standard education. But any biomes outside of that are mostly unfamiliar; we would need to seek special courses for that, and there wasn’t much of that sort of thing offered in the military academy.”

[veronicaleighauthor]

My Thoughts on “Moods”

It’s been forever and a day since I’ve written a rambling post on a book. Here we go!

::Spoiler Alert::

As you well know, I’m a huge fan of Louisa May Alcott. I’ve read many of her works, read the biographies on her, online articles, I’ve watched the American Masters docu-drama about her like a thousand times. I’m always eager for new bits of information regarding Alcott – like whenever new stories of hers are discovered. Those who are familiar with her life and works have probably heard about the first novel she published. No, not “Little Women.” Her first offical novel was called, “Moods” and it was published in 1864, four years before her best-known children’s classic. What was “Moods” and why haven’t we heard more about it?

Rather than writing “moral pap for the young,” Louisa May Alcott started out writing romances and “blood and thunder” tales. Gothic fiction, murder mysteries, thrillers…In 1860, she had an idea for new novel, and spent four weeks straight in what she called a writing “vortex.” She ate only when her family brought her meals, rarely slept, and didn’t stir often from her desk. Her world revolved around this novel and when she finally surfaced from her work, she was mentally and emotionally exhausted. She was uncertain of its quality; however, her family loved the book. She attempted to send “Moods” off for publication and there were editors interested in it, but only if she shortened it. Louisa put it away for a few years, only returning to it after publishing her acclaimed “Hospital Sketches.” Again, the editors wanted it shortened and she finally complied, believing it improved by the edits. Except for the ending, she wasn’t entirely pleased with that.

Three hundred dollars was her reward for her efforts. The payment helped her family immensely. The reviews were mixed though. One stinging review in particular stood out, authored by a certain Henry James (who later wrote “The Portrait of a Lady). He was especially insulting to it, and her in general, believing Louisa offered nothing fresh on the topic of which she wrote, but that there was no reason she couldn’t write a good book one day. The publisher rereleased the book again in 1872, following her “Little Women” fame, but it had been without her consent. When that publisher went bankrupt, Louisa got back her copyright and rewrote “Moods” yet again and published it as she wanted it. It was the book she just couldn’t let go. Despite what Henry James said, it had been inspired from life. The heroine was similar to Louisa in many respects, one character was based on Henry David Thoreau and another was based on Ralph Waldo Emerson – two men Louisa was known to have crushes on.

So, what was “Moods?” Was it any good? Or was Henry James justified in his criticisms of it? We can’t know what “Moods” was when Louisa wrote the first version of it. That draft has been lost. But when it was published for the first time, the public believed it was the story of a love triangle. However, in my uneducated mind, I believe it was meant to be a commentary on marriages and how they were not the “end all and be all” as it was once mentioned in the book. That was how I interpreted it anyway. Let’s begin with the heroine, who I would have rather seen remain single than end up married. I’m sure you can guess what happens in the course of the story.

(Maya Hawke as Jo March in 2017. I think she’d do a fantastic job portraying Sylvia Yule, so I’m using her for this post.)

Before our beloved Jo March, there was tomboyish, moody Sylvia Yule who bucked convention by wearing boy’s clothes to work in the family garden, snuck into her neighbor’s library to borrow a book, who preferred to go on camping trips with her brother and his friends, to settling down and marrying. Yes, she is determined to never marry. It isn’t long before Sylvia notices one of her brother’s friends, the bold, blunt Adam Warwick, who matches her in temperament and principles. She falls in love with Adam and is distraught when he abruptly disappears. A misunderstanding follows, leading her to believe that he married another. Despite having refused her brother’s other friend, Geoffrey Moor’s offer of marriage, when he proposes again, she accepts. Sylvia is determined to be happy with her new husband and it does seem it will be a successful union…until she encounters Adam Warwick on their wedding trip.

The truth is revealed – Adam isn’t married at all! He is free and wants to be with her, unaware that she is now a wife. They decide to keep their love a secret from Geoffrey, who is a good man and adores Sylvia, and who is a friend of Adam’s. Sylvia can’t handle living a lie and becomes convinced she must confess all to her husband. Deep down she wants to part ways, possibly even divorce. Geoffrey is brokenhearted when he hears this, but divorce is not an option. Not for him, not for her, not for the world they live in. He decides to go to Europe, to find some peace and maybe to one day come back if she wishes. As Sylvia sees him off, she is astonished to find that Adam will accompany him, in attempt to mend the friendship between him and Geoffrey. Sylvia later comes to the conclusion that marrying Adam wouldn’t be in her best interest as their marriage wouldn’t likely be successful. They were too alike; their union would be “uneven.” She summons Geoffrey back, to reconcile…the ship he is on sinks but his life is saved, thanks to Adam who gave his life for him. A broken-hearted Sylvia dies not long after Geoffrey’s return.

Though I loved “Moods,” there is one part of Henry James’s review I do agree with. He totally disliked Adam Warwick and I did too. For the life of me, I couldn’t see why Sylvia was in love Adam. Pedantic – I found him to be a pedantic jerk. But I guess there’s no accounting for first love. The other part of the story that I didn’t like was that Sylvia was killed off in the end. In the 1882 version, the ending was changed to Sylvia living and she and Geoffrey Moor continuing their marriage, which I feel was more of a realistic outcome for that era. I’m sure there were many couples who married and one or both spouses believed it was a mistake, but carried on I’m thinking of Newland and May Archer in “The Age of Innocence” by Edith Wharton. That was what they did in those days. Divorce existed, but not in polite society. Not for women anyway. Men could survive divorce, remarry, and there would be no judgment. Divorced women were scorned, shunned, and tended to “disappear” from that world. Ellen Olenska did as much in “The Age of Innocence.” That would have been an intriguing twist though – that Sylvia divorced Geoffrey Moor and had to deal with the 19th century repercussions of her actions.

All in all, I give “Moods” four out of five stars. I don’t think it was Louisa May Alcott’s best work – that honor goes to “Little Women” and “A Long Fatal Love Chase.” The writing was great – I just feel the editors had too much influence on the first version. Lousia May Alcott worked best on her own, she knew best how to craft a great novel. I’d really like to see an adaptation of “Moods” someday. The story may not have struck a chord with 19th century audiences, but I think it would be a success in the 21st century.

What about you? Have you ever read “Moods?” What were your thoughts?

[robespapier]

Robespierre is ill and the movie made him get up and dressed to see Saint-Just in the living room instead of having Saint-Just come to his bedside like in La Terreur et la Vertu, but look at the way Robespierre gets up to embrace and congratulate him, and Antoine immediately reaches out to steady him with his hands on his waist 😭

[aureliusantoninusmarcus]

so happy i made dannie (a girl in frames) act the role in my short film. not yet screened, but already happy with my small team.

"Over a Cup of Ocean: isang Dokyu ng Paghihintay" is an experimental short film that attempts to retell Samuel Beckett's Waiting for Godot in a docu-fiction. :)))))))))))

[n4stasia]

True Otaku

Okay, True Otaku documentary is easily the best assigned material in relation to exploring the otaku culture. Singlehandedly the most eye-opening and truly representative film about fandom communities and their gatherings, as the name True Otaku suggests. I seriously think this documentary should be in place of Genshiken, as it breaks down the stigma instead of creating more stereotypes.

pt. 1 : who is an otaku?

I finally got some answers, instead of more questions. Great! The first part of the docu-series explores a very important aspect. Who exactly is an otaku? Turns out, it's not a term to describe hardcore anime fans. It's a term describing a hardcore fan of anything. And as some interviewees have mentioned, this word has somewhat a negative reputation in Japan due to historical and cultural context. Some fans associate themselves with the term, while some don't. Nonetheless, otaku's are people deeply passionate in their area of interest, including anime of course. Often stereotyped as socially awkward or obsessive, the documentary challenges these preconceptions, presenting a diverse range of people united by their love for Japanese popular culture. From casual fans to dedicated collectors, the film demonstrates that otaku are not a homogenous group but a vibrant community with many hobbies and lifestyles.

pt. 2 : fan productivity

I won't stop mentioning how well the documentary covers everything we touched upon in our Otaku module. And the second part of the series perfectly shows what exactly is fan productivity and the way it manifests during conventions. Beyond consuming anime, manga, and video games, otaku are actively engaged in creating and sharing their passion. The documentary highlights the creativity and dedication of fans who produce fan art, write fanfiction, and create cosplay costumes. These activities go beyond mere consumption; they represent a form of self-expression and community building. True Otaku showcases how fans are not passive recipients of content but active participants in shaping the cultural economy, or, in other words: how fan productivity allows fans to possess fiction.

pt. 3 : cosplay universe

A significant portion of True Otaku is dedicated to the world of cosplay. The documentary explores the artistry and craftsmanship involved in creating elaborate costumes, as well as the transformative power of it. I like how it was emphasized that you can't just put on a costume, you have to have acting skills so that the transformation is successful. By embodying beloved characters, cosplayers not only express their admiration but also build connections with fellow fans, like a Lolita fashion community. The film captures the joy and camaraderie of cosplay events, demonstrating how these gatherings serve as a safe and inclusive space for people to celebrate their shared interests. As mentioned in part 3 of the documentary, otaku/anime conventions is a zero judgment zone, apart from panel cosplay contest judges, of course. And these contests allow creators to prove their skills and gain recognition for their hard work, which often goes unnoticed by people not involved into the fandoms.

my (dad's) experience

Yeah, I personally have never been to the anime convention, however now, I'm quite interested. And as you may have noticed by the name of the paragraph, I have a story to share about my dad's experience with true, hardcore, otaku conventions in Japan. To give some context, he has been to Japan eight times (so jealous) to take part in Japanese martial art Kyokushin Karate World Cups (and subsequently, became a champion). During his visits in early 2000's he accidentally ran into otaku's conventions and cosplayers, who were dying to take a picture with him for some reason, or at least that's what he told us lol. After he returned home he would tell us the stories about Japan, otaku culture, and as a little girl it seemed like he went to a parallel universe. Honestly, I still find it fascinating to this day.

upd: photo found! with my dad to the far right.