#nell crain is my favourite character EVER !!!!!

[funeral-pyree]

best believe if i ever have a daughter that im naming her after eleanor crain

[watermelons-dont-grow-on-trees]

oc question: who's your favorite? >:3c (or, if you can't pick just one, top three?)

Impossible to pick just one, but even a top three is too few to pick. I'd be lying, of course, if I said I love them all equally, but it's also unfair to pick favourites.

So this top three, is going to be the three I'm most insane about, which is slightly easier to answer, than favourites:

1. Julius

I'm the insanest about him. Without question or doubt. He's my favourite child, he's everything that's wrong with me, he is THE CHARACTER I wrote.

To show the extent of the insanity, I had merely *thought* of an alternate ending for this story, where he's the one that dies, and I was inconsolable for days afterwards. I will probably never write that AU (it'd be really cool though, like it would make sense for the story, but ouch) (don't get me wrong, killing characters I love and writing tragedies is literally my whole thing, Julius' death, though, hit me so hard, my coworkers asked me what my problem was, and I had no sane explanation for them) (i might actually end up writing this alternate ending, but it'll never see the light of day)

2. Alyssa

She's been my emotional support whumpee for the past idk 6 years now? Not a day had passed where I didn't think of her. She's one of my first characters, whose face I can imagine without any visual aids, and she has no faceclaim. She's just a fully existing person in my head. And god I love her so much. I also process like 70% of my life through writing her the way she is. Like anytime anything happens to me, a version of it ends up happening to her. (minus the plenty of identity crises, she has one as an ongoing process in the background of the story so it is there, but very differently)

3. Marci

During her short existence (which is like 3 weeks tops) she's made the list. Psychologically, she's one of my most interesting characters ever.

I've taken a lot of inspiration for writing her from one of my favourite shows and I'm giddy with excitement every time I think about it. (the show is The Haunting of Hill House and the characters are Luke and Nell Crain, her faceclaim is Victoria Pedretti as Nell, but taller)

I didn't even plan to write more to this story than the original two chapters, and then Marci turned out so fucking compelling and interesting, I couldn't resist, and I'm writing like the 4th bonus chapter of her captivity.

She's my precious baby may she rest in peace.

[danaa-scully]

leiaorganaswiife >> nellies-crain

Hello everyone, so since Halloween 🎃 is coming I decided to temporarily change my url to celebrate one of my favourite female characters ever aka Nell Crain, not to mention that The Haunting (of Bly Manor) is coming back to us in October and I just cannot wait any longer to watch the new season!!!! Friendly reminder: this is the same blog with the same content. Don’t forget to tag me in your edits with #tusergabriela, I really enjoy seeing you all’s amazing creations💖

[iamnotawomanimagod]

Thd Haunting anthology for the ask game! :)

Thank you, my friend!! Sorry I took so long, lol.

Top 5 favourite characters:

This is hard.

1. Theo Crain

2. Dani  Clayton

3. Hannah Grose

4. Luke Crain

5. Viola Willoughby

Other characters you like:

It would be a lot easier to just name the characters I don’t like. These characters are so well-written and have so much depth. So if I don’t mention them in the next question, assume I like them.

Least favourite characters:

Peter fuckin’ Quint, Joey (Luke’s “friend” from rehab,) and Henry Wingrave.

Otps:

This show has more of my OTPs than any other. Hannah x Owen, Jamie x Dani, and Nell x Arthur. 

Notps:

Luke x Joey, Perdita x  Arthur (Viola’s husband,) Becca x Peter

Favourite friendships:

Theo and Shirley, Luke and Steve, and Hannah and Jamie. 

Favourite family:

The Crains own my heart, obviously, but what I loved best about BM over HH is that found family dynamic the main group develops. 

Favourite episodes:

Touch, The Bent-Neck Lady, Two Storms (!!!!!!!!!! this episode oh my god,) Screaming Meemies, Silence Lay Steadily, The Way It Came, The Altar of the Dead, The Romance of Certain Old Clothes, and The Beast in the Jungle.

Favourite season/book/movie:

I always say this: THOHH is a masterpiece, and THOBM is a really, really exceptionally good show. I do prefer HH, but only by a tiny bit. 

Favourite quotes:

“You have loved me, so I will always be here [in your heart.]” - Owen to Hannah. I’ve heard a thousand variations on this theme, but for some reason, the delivery and context of this line broke me. I always cry.

“You loved me completely. And I loved you the same. The rest is confetti.” - Nellie to her siblings. Rip me wide open!!

Best musical moment:

I really like the score of this show, but no one song or moment sticks out. 

Moment that made you fangirl/boy the hardest:

When it really disappointed you:

It never did. I think these two shows are some of the best television ever created. 

Saddest moment:

Picking a top five (in no particular order,) since these are inherently sad and tragic shows...

1. Rebecca’s forced suicide at Peter’s hand.

2. Nellie’s death and realization that she is the Bent-Neck Lady.

3. Luke’s reaction to Nellie’s death - how he could literally feel it.

4. Jamie going to the lake and seeing Dani’s body and begging her to take her, too.

5. Dani having sleep paralysis and being unable to help Arthur when he has an aneurism.

Most well done character death:

I mean, they’re all really good and well-done. Appropriately heart-wrenching, shocking, and they all work in context of the plot. If I had to choose just one, it would probably be Nellie’s, since it’s the basis of the entire first season. The hints about the Bent-Neck Lady and the way we slowly get to know Nellie, and then come to love her the most right as she’s finally about to die - ugh, so good, so sad.

Favourite guest star:

Kate Siegel as Viola Willoughby. 

Favourite cast member:

Victoria Pedretti is a goddamn delight. She’s an incredible actress - so raw and real and compelling. She’s a stoner IRL and seems super chill during interviews. I would love to share a joint with her someday. (If I ever share a joint with anyone ever again, thanks coronavirus.) 

Character you wish was still alive:

Rebecca Jessel really deserved better, man. :( Fuck Peter Quint. 

One thing you hope really happens:

Well, the series is officially on a semi-permanent hiatus. Mike Flannagan said he has no plans for future seasons in this universe. He is currently finishing up work on another horror show, Midnight Mass, so I’m looking forward to that. I would love to see more from this universe and this cast, though.

Most shocking twist:

The Bent-Neck Lady, for sure. So well foreshadowed, and still so shocking when the realization hits. My stomach dropped through the soles of my feet. 

When did you start watching/reading?:

I caught this bandwagon pretty early - only a week or two after the first season premiered. I remember watching and realizing they had synced up the show’s timeline with real life - if you watched in 2018, Nellie dies that same year, and her date of death was just a week or two after the premiere. An extra little detail that made me very sad.

Best animal/creature:

There are no good animals in this show, lol. Fuck those kittens. 

Favourite location:

Bly Manor is soooo pretty. 

Trope you wish they would stop using:

I really hate anything with animals suffering in horror, so I just hope that never comes up again. 

One thing this show/book/film does better than others:

Everything.

...

Okay, okay. The plotlines are very clever and super well-done. 

Funniest moments:

Dani sleeping in the back of Owen’s car with her mouth wide open; Theo’s “I’m gonna get my fucking PHD;” like, most of what Theo said in general.

Couple you would like to see:

All I can say is that Hannah and Owen deserved Paris. 

Actor/Actress you want to join the cast:

Meh. No opinion. 

Favourite outfit:

I really loved the 80s and 90s looks in Bly. Dani’s jean jacket. Jamie’s looks when she and Dani are together later in life. All A+.

Favourite item:

Moonflowers.

Do you own anything related to this show/book/film?:

Nah. 

What house/team/group/friendship group/family/race etc would you be in?:

I gotta go with the found family at Bly. Jamie, Dani, Hannah, Owen, the kids. They clearly had a lot of fun together, and I’m a sucker for found family. 

Most boring plotline:

I gotta go with Henry Wingrave’s doppelganger. It didn’t really do much for me, and I think the episode that centers on him, while showing important exposition, was one of the weakest in the anthology.

Most laughably bad moment:

I can’t think of one. 

Best flashback/flashfoward if any:

The entirety of “The Romance of Certain Old Clothes” 

Most layered character:

I would argue Olivia Crain. She starts out as a creative, kind, loving mother, and is slowly unraveled by the house - but that core of goodness is still inside her, and still motivates everything she does. 

Most one dimensional character:

I think this show does a great job of making all of its characters complex and interesting. I wish we had learned more about Joey, but I think she’s meant to be unsympathetic on some level. But at the end of the day, she’s kind of just Luke’s addict almost-girlfriend, and a pretty weak character among much better ones.

Scariest moment:

Ooooh, that’s tough. I think for me, it’s when Steve sees Nellie’s ghost. It’s not a super spooky episode, up to that moment. But that close-up shot of Nellie’s graying, dead face, her eyes all fucked up, her mouth gaping open unnaturally wide - and the sound she makes. Woof. Ugh. Aaaaah. It’s a lot.

Grossest moment:

The kittens. Enough said. 

Best looking male:

Best looking female:

Who you’re crushing on (if any):

I’ll always be a little in love with Kate Siegel.

Favourite cast moment:

I’ve never really looked for cast content.

Favourite transportation:

Theo’s Jeep. 

Most beautiful scene (scenery/shot wise):

I just think Bly is so pretty. Most of the overhead or scenery shots of it are really nice.

Unanswered question/continuity issue/plot error that bugs you:

There aren’t any. Anyone who tells you otherwise misunderstood something. 

Best promo:

I intentionally avoided promo to avoid spoilers. 

At what point did you fall in love with this show/book:

The end of the very first episode of Hill House!

I’m not doing anymore of these ‘cause I’m bad at answering them!!

[crpingdeath]

i was tagged by @moonchildwildheart thank you love!! 🌿🌻

what was the last thing you read?

i genuinely don’t even know 

favourite movie?

once upon a time in hollywood

favourite book?

wuthering heights 

dream date?

a concert (i really want the guy i’m with to love the same music that i do) and then drinks after

do you have a crush?

nope. i haven’t had a crush on anyone in literally a decade and thank god honestly 

what are your hobbies?

i don’t have any..all i do is sleep and watch tv...which is maybe a problem lol

what’s your favourite time of day?

mid morning and late night 

if you could look like anything, what would you look like?

i like the way i look, i just want my acne to go away and to lose some weight

are you a romantic?

yeah

what’s your favourite type of weather?

sunny and cold 

what do you like talking about?

music, tv, movies. i like talking about anything with people who i'm comfortable with and enjoy being around 

what are your turn ons?

just brad pitt in once upon a time in hollywood djkbkdq but seriously open mindedness, kindness, intelligence without being smug about it, laid back energy. that’s a boring answer but a mans personality and mannerisms are so important to me that if i don't like those things about him then i won’t find anything he does attractive at all 

turn offs?

ignorance, cruelty, stubbornness 

if you got a tattoo, what would it be and where would you get it?

i probably won't get a tattoo because i have commitment issues and just the fact that it’s permanent would make me hate whatever it was eventually but if i had to i'd get queen lyrics on my inner wrist or something 

do you want any pets?

i have a dog and two cats that are my babies 

dream job?

i thought i wanted to be an interior designer but i don’t feel passionate about it anymore so i don’t know. my dream is to not need to have a job lol

dream place to live?

i'd love to be able to live in a bunch of different places and go back and forth between them like new orleans, california, london and probably stay in texas too just in a different city than where i live now 

dream vacation?

i want to go on a road trip across all of north america and stay at unique motels and stop at all the weird road side attractions 

do you want any piercings?

no. again it’s like with tattoos even though a piercing isn't permanent it would still feel like it was a big deal for me.  i don't even have my ears pierced 

if you had kids, what would you name them?

i’ve never wanted kids so i haven’t put much thought in to it but i think naming a girl “may” after brian may is kinda cute or even freddie because i think girls with names that are stereotypically guys names are cool (me being one and all lol)  

what are your best traits?

i always try to be open minded and treat everyone with kindness

worst traits?

avoiding my problems, shutting myself off from people and procrastinating 

what’s your worst fear?

that i'll never be able to accomplish anything in life because of my mental illness and that i'll lose my mom while i'm still young. losing her scares me period but i still need her so much at this stage of my life that it realllyyy terrifies me

what do you want to eat right now?

i could eat curry every single day of my life 

what’s the best vacation you’ve been on?

every time i’ve gone to new orleans with my mom

favourite city?

new orleans 

favourite social media platform?

i only have tumblr now and it was the best decision ever 

favourite article of clothing?

my saint laurent boots. i am poor as all fuck but my mom got them for me a few years ago when they were on sale and i do not take them for granted

do you play any sports?

no

favourite meal of the day?

dinner. i don't eat breakfast and i'm too lazy to eat lunch a lot of the time so i always eat a big dinner 

what are you excited for?

harrys album 

not excited for?

either finding a new doctor or seeing my current one for my meds. either way i just wish i didn’t have to do it

when was the last time you cried?

watching doctor sleep 

dream house?

i love the 60s and 70s laurel canyon cabin vibe

what’s something you hate about the world?

ignorance and greed and the cruelty people are willing to inflict and ignore because of it

what’s something you love about the world?

the beauty in nature and innocence in animals, the courage and kindness that’s brought out of good people in the face of cruelty and greed from the bad 

what scents do you like?

woodsy, spicy scents 

what kind of sleeper are you?

i’ve had the worst insomnia for my entire life so my sleep has always been terrible 

are you a cat or dog person?

love both

how long would you survive in a zombie apocalypse?

i feel like i'd die within the first year but my sheer force of will when i'm angry might get me farther and i imagine i'd be angry all the time lol

are you trusting?

not at all. it takes me a long time to trust someone and even then i keep a bit of a wall up 

what fictional characters do you identify with?

pam beesly, april ludgate, nell crain from the haunting of hill house

what labels do you commonly get?

everyone tells me i still look like a kid when they first meet me

what song would be your life anthem?

doing alright by queen

what issues are you dealing with right now?

my shit mental health and financial problems 

how can someone win you over?

just by being kind and having a good vibe over all

what’s something about you people don’t know?

i only got my drivers license this past january because i was too scared to do it before then (i’m in my 20s) and i only got it because i was at the point where i felt pathetic not being able to drive myself anywhere. and i still get massive anxiety every time i drive 

[boglog]

HILL HOUSE NOTES !!

Objectively speaking, I like the show as a weird crossover between Transparent and American Horror Story but there are always some cons :/ One thing I will say is that I find it hard to review horror bc I'm too busy swimming in cortisol to notice plot holes but I watched the scary scenes w subtitles and no audio and that will have to do!!!

Cons:

The diologue is occasionally awful.

Scratch that it's terrible and the more the show goes on the more it nears Grey's Anatomy levels of nauseating

Firstly, there are way too many name drops esp when there are only two characters in the room, sometimes even one sentence after another, it's exhausting.

i.e. 'Stay right here, honey. I'm going to talk to the police now sweetie, I'll be right back.' // 'You eat people, Steve. You are a parasite, Steve.'

Second of all, 'Don't do that ever again. Don't do that. Where were you? I thought the house thingy got you.' kids don't talk like this. I know irl children tend to imitate the adults around them but the sheer amount of stock cliches these child actors are required to say is incredible

And honestly overall there's too much talking period. There are dozens of scenes where a character monologues for almost five minutes!!!!

I loved mind doppelgänger Leigh's speech but really let's tally it up: we've got Mrs Dudley's monologue, Olivia monologues a few times, Theo's monologue, Luke 2 or three monologues, one from Shirley, Hugh is not much of a talker so thank god they were consistent. And of course a lot of these are important to the story and even close to entertaining (see also: Nell yelling at Steve) but it's way too much and anything actually significant is diluted in this deluge of info-dump-y speeches

Why god??? Why?

Like this is television not radio but I guess it's another case of Forced Diegesis when summarising w flashbacks would actually be way easier on my psyche but Tacky for these Kinematic Auteurs

I would've liked a more in depth exploration of Olivia and her childhood experiences of paranormal tragedy to give us a better context for her morally grey slip into an evil mother

Still somewhat peeved at how, bc of supernatural instinct, we can justify Theo and CPS taking a child away from her home. Obviously the show can't waste so much time on what's only supposed to be a quick detour into Theo's character and it works within the world of the show given that the guy did confess but portrayals of police, first responders, social workers, ad nauseum making snap descisions like that is Not Good for people's real world perception of their rights. Just sayin.

Maybe a scene where Steve and Hugh apologise for being garbage humans or something idk that would've been nice

This show has many layers and interpretations which could either skew towards clever ambiguity or clumsy indescision and while I'm leaning toward the former, I will say it does go a little all over the place for me.

Are the Crains' superpowers genetic, from their mother? Did it come from the house? Why is the house was so vindictive? What does it want? Or is it more symbolic of the emptiness inside the characters? Why is Olivia decidedly an over controlling mother but Nell is an innocent? Is really the only thing Steve had to do to save his marriage was reverse the vasectomy? Nell died of her own paradoxical haunting that began when she was six so was the cause ultimately a sadness within herself before the house of strictly the house's pull?

Like it's v unclear (probably deliberately) wether or not the story was Psychosis All Along or it was the house's vendetta or bc the Crains specifically are a supernatural mutant family

We never find out what Nell does for a living and I'm curious

Finally: it's really white sometimes. Like. Painfully white. Granted, the Crains come close to my favourite kind of white person, the quirky dysfunctional family of adult children scattered all over the country who only reunite at their dead sister's funeral. Still, the POC tally up to two love interests (one of which DIES), one cop, one naïve widow, and one poor daughter-less foster parent. One could argue only a middle class white family would stay in a haunted house for so long ://

Pros

The show juggles seven characters and two plots flawlessly. Each character is recognisable w a distinct personality after about only two episodes, the nonlinear structure as we alternate between the present day frame story and the main plot in flashbacks before ultimately converging when the family reunites at the house for the last time is not only clear but parses its information in way that's not only not confusing but strengthens the tension and dread. Even while they show the flashbacks' ending (w Olivia and later Nell's death) as well as the epilogue, the build up still feels entirely justified. This is peak plotting right there.

Furthermore, Nell's ghost still manages to be in the spotlight with some jumpscares even after we know who she is

My soul pretty much left my body when Nell's ghost attempts to bond w her sisters via screaming as they argue in the car

A quintessential microcosm of the show's representation of time and memory is Nell's final speech: whimsically disjointed at first, poignant and clear by the end

It's a horror show that is completely dedicated to its characters (and I'm sure some of you already know my love of dysfunctional families) and centres around human themes of connection, mourning, and trauma and the necessity of vulnerability and letting go in order to live a full life. That's very rare in horror where we usually get gratuitous gore with a small spattering of sentimental scenes to further the gore.

Olivia's Forever House served as an excellent symbol for her need to control, the house's monicker implying her fear of change.

An incomplete but not bad portrayal of trauma, a decent addition to the topical and ever-expanding mental illness discourse

Also ft. meta commentary on writers

In the beginning, Olivia really was portrayed as a concerned mother who was always trying to be considerate of her children's emotional well-being despite her occasional snaps. One has to wonder wether her slip into an irrational need to control might reflect society's paradoxically oppressive expectations of motherhood: to have absolute control of your children while also being a benevolent saviour to them 24/7. I mean in all fairness to Olivia, she was working and raising 5 kids. I'd lose my marbles too.

Or maybe I'm giving the creators too much credit and they were only angling for an Other Mother thing. I like this Foucaultian nihilism though so we're gonna go w that.

The show's acknowledgment of Useless Dad and Entitled Eldest Son syndrome.

Spat my tea when doppelgänger Leigh ripped Steve a new one, and since she's a representation of his psyche maybe that means that Steve himself has gained some self awareness. (He should still... apologise to his family....)

I mean they were really spot-on with how birth order family drama goes.

Human portrayal of a lesbian as an adult and a child! As tumblr user Lesbeet said, this is very rare and deftly done!

Theo doing literally anything

Shirl is p adorable

Theo and Shirl: the comedy duo we absolutely need in our lives

Arthur and Nell's romance is joining Up's prologue in the golden vault of world's greatest ten minute love montages. (Both of which ended in tragédie. ☹️)

Shirl's AU dream sequence, which unlike the others, presents us with an extramarital faux pas that we were not previously aware of, manages to seem totally appropriate for her character

The set and costume design are perfect for the primordial fear of the unknown aesthetic the show was going for. Fairy flappers! Gothic stairwells! Punk rock leather gloves! A McMansion that doubles as a funeral home! Motels! A curvilinear LA mansion! The absolutely insane brutalist million dollar rehab centre! Oh boy!!!

Accurate mortician portrayal: they really do gotta wire the corpses' mouths shut. Those damn chatty dead people.

Tldr:

Diologue is lengthy and cheesy while the characters are Too White. The rare portrayals of POC and how social services work were lacklustre. 👎

The show's incredible ambition and dedication to its characters and themes of trauma, dysfunctional family relationships, and the consequences of coping via trying to control your life is amazing. Theo, especially, is amazing. It's a very goth show with clinically depressed ghosts.👍

[ispeaktheyburn]

Would you mind discussing your overall thoughts on “The Haunting of Hill House”? Favourite aspects, least favourite aspects, prior familiarity with the story?

Favorite aspects:

-The complicated dynamic of the Crain family-Theo-How the timeline alternates between the Crain siblings as kids living in Hill House and them as adults who are all haunted by their experiences in the house in different ways-The child psychologist who helps her patients deal with their trauma by using her special abilities to relive it (on top of what she’s already dealing with from her time in Hill House)-Actual angel Nell Crain who deserved so much better-The wonderfully complex lesbian character-Nell and Luke’s Twin Thing™. Their bond was so touching-Luke’s addiction was handled pretty well-It’s fun to rewatch certain scenes and hunt for the background ghosts-Did I mention Theodora Crain

Least favorite aspects:

-How Nell is the main protagonist in every other version but she gets killed off in the first episode of this series-How they made a male OC the author of the book (and arguably gave him Nell’s role as the main protagonist) which was written by a woman IRL-Seriously why is Steve the author when there’s a whole ass female character who’s named after the actual author-Speaking of Shirley, she deserved better writing than she got-It was heartbreaking to watch and magnificently played by Carla Gugino but I’m tired of the horror trope where the mother loses her mind and tries to kill her children. Why can’t it ever be the father?-The overwhelming whiteness of the cast and the fact that the only black character was killed off to add to Nell’s trauma

Prior familiarity with the story: I haven’t read the book (yet) or seen the 1963 film. I did see the 1999 remake when it first came out, but my memory of it is pretty much nonexistent (I know it’s not considered a good adaptation though). All I really knew was that it was about a haunted house and Nell Vance was the main protagonist (hence my complaint about that being changed in this series).

[colour-outside-the-liness]

62, 68, 94? For the ask game. 💛

62- seven characters I relate to are 1. Dani Clayton 2. Nell Crain 3. Elle Woods 4. Buffy Summers 5. Monica Gellar 6. Santana Lopez 7. Johanna Mason

And odd group of characters I know but they are the ones I relate to the most in order of how much I relate to them

68- worst flavour of any food or drink I've ever tried is the blood flavoured jelly beans in the beanboozled thing... in fact most of those gross flavours are the worst thing I've ever tasted I'll never try any of them again

94- my favourite season is fall, I love the colder weather and everything just looks so pretty in the fall (winter is a close second favourite season)

💜