#old hollywood influences

[the-far-bright-center]

The Searchers (1956) dir. John Ford // Attack of the Clones (2002) dir. George Lucas

One of the major plot threads in Attack of the Clones concerns Jedi apprentice Anakin Skywalker’s search for his mother Shmi, who was left enslaved on the desert planet Tatooine at the end of the previous movie in the series. Plagued by nightmares of his mother’s distress and convinced these visions are prophetic, Anakin rushes back to Tatooine in the hopes of finding her. Instead, he discovers that Shmi, though briefly liberated and happily married to a farmer, was captured by the Tusken Raiders, a nomadic tribe hostile to outsiders. Anakin tracks down the Tusken camp and finds his mother just as she is dying, presumably from weeks of beatings. Enraged, Anakin kills every Tusken in sight—(in)famously “not just the men—but the women—and the children too!” This chapter of the film almost operates as a condensed remake of The Searchers. Anakin’s scouting out the camp and the later funeral scene openly quote shots in Ford’s movie. And then there’s the basic dramatic trappings: the quest for a captive loved one, the obsessed warrior driven by hatred and grief, and even, to a smaller extent, the emphasis on the individual’s psychological need for belonging in a community. Ford extensively explores that third point through the romance subplot with Laurie and his depiction of close-knit settler families, while Lucas makes those notions more implicit in Anakin’s alienation from the stoic Jedi Order and how this divide pushes him to the dark side. Everyone talks about how Anakin is meant to evoke James Dean’s red-jacketed teen hero in Rebel Without a Cause, but he shares way more DNA with Ethan Edwards. For both characters, the genesis of their never-ending rage comes from the violent death of a mother (we see it plainly in Attack of the Clones, while this bit of Ethan’s backstory is only evidenced by the information on Mrs. Edward’s gravestone). Erotic transgression troubles both characters as well: Ethan is in love with his brother’s wife Martha and the supposed-to-be-free-of-romantic-attachments Anakin is in love with Padme Amidala. For these anti-heroes, love becomes twisted into something obsessive and ugly, turning each into monsters unable to connect with anyone. In the end, both are redeemed by love, though neither will ever fully escape their isolation from the greater community. — from 'On George Lucas, the Searchers, and Cinematic Quotations'

[thursdaymurderbub]

Silver Screen magazine, April 1938

[hsslilly-blog]

i know lisa is said to be 20 in canon but that is not true. she’s 18 by 2014, which is when she meets claire. which makes them 6 years apart. lisa sees claire as her older sister, and this is both good and not very good. because it’s claire

[stairinventor]

people always talk about fatherless behavior, but nobody ever talks about grandfatherless behavior

[jccheapalier]

Celebrities are over.... but they don't know it yet.

[local-gemini]

ig: kariinarose

[get-back-homeward]

Any Lucille Ball fans out there?

She’s in a 1943 film of the 1939 musical DuBarry Was A Lady. It includes a Cole Porter number, Friendship, with Red Skeleton:

The song was a hit for Judy Garland with Johnny Mercer in 1940 and became a staple WW2 song:

Fast forward more than a decade later, I Love Lucy airs an episode where Lucy and Ethel agree to do a number for a women’s show. It’s fun during rehearsal:

But then they start getting egos and erupt in a fight. So they have to go on stage with these tensions, with passive aggression results:

I wasn’t sure whether 50s kids in Liverpool would have seen I Love Lucy. But it looks like ITV aired the show in 1955, and Lewisohn has the McCartneys renting a TV as early as 1953 for the coronation. So it’s possible they knew the episode.

But I think they definitely knew the song. And had made fun of it enough to riff on it. Maybe a remanent of a Hamburg or Cavern routine?

January 31, 1969, John and Paul.

If you’re ever in a jam, here I am

If you’re ever in a shit, grab my tit

That’s friendship, friendship

Another friendship to be forgot, ours will still be hot

[aphrodicci]

ᴀꜱᴛᴇʀᴏɪᴅ ʙᴇʟʟᴀ [695]

follow for more content <3

get a chart reading done!

❦  asteroid bella [695] is an asteroid that means beauty, how and where you value beauty. this asteroid is also about your beauty on an energetic level, and how it manifests and shines.

♇ ASTEROID BELLA IN 1H/ARIES ⟶ very in your face beauty, sharp and very bold. strong features, cheekbones are strong. head might be prominent even forehead. can value beauty a lot and even chase it. can even chase compliments. embracing sexuality, and very bombshell type of beauty. nice body and even chest. might have a beauty spot on their face or body.

♇ ASTEROID BELLA IN 2H/TAURUS ⟶ can value beauty a lot. can only feel valued when they feel beautiful, very earthy type of beauty. like garden fairy or nymph type of attraction. very good singers, could like to kiss a lot. might buy a lot of beauty and self-care products. very feminine beauty, makes the people around them calm, and can have a really nice scent and voice.

♇ ASTEROID BELLA IN 3H/GEMINI ⟶ the girl next door type of beauty. my friend's "sister" or like the school crush. could never see them again type of beauty. could either be careless about their beauty or could be very anxious about it. they could be the type of people to care about the trends, influencer type of essence like leah halton and can be a charming person, very flirtatious. could look similar to a relative.

♇ ASTEROID BELLA IN 4H/CANCER ⟶ looking like your mother type of beauty, could have nice chests and cheekbones, the "i want to make you my wife or baby mother " type of beauty, beware of trappers! many beauty spots especially around chest area. classical type of beauty, like old hollywood. luscious hair and mysterious type of essence, classic television type of beauty, childhood crush and very sea mother type of energy.

♱ ASTEROID BELLA IN 5H/LEO ⟶ youthful but glamorous type of beauty. curly/big hair like starfire type of beauty. nice posture, could pose a lot, very 2000's beauty, not y2k aesthetic specifically. born for the spotlight, gold highlights and being a superstar type of essence. "i think you're famous" or "i think i've seen you before" type of beauty. stuck in your mind. could have beautiful children, creative and expressive style, many colours or dramatic makeup.

♱ ASTEROID BELLA IN 6H/VIRGO ⟶ classy type of beaut, might look for trends you could fit in. clean girl type of beauty; can chase beauty and could strive for perfection. "office girl" type of essence, glasses and cosplaying as another identity. wants to be better than other people, others could feel judged around them. work crush type of beauty. other people could envy your looks.

♱ ASTEROID BELLA IN 7H/LIBRA ⟶ temperance card/angel type of beauty. approachable, looks like a kind person, reminds me of the type of girl you would see in a perfume advert. light colour palette. flowy hair could be straight, can be very hip when it comes to their beauty, "she's like a rainbow" type of beauty, from the song she's a rainbow by the rolling stones. very beautiful people, could be known for that, and might take care of themselves all the time and could care of the opinions of others too much. could look nice in suits.

♱ ASTEROID BELLA IN 8H/SCORPIO ⟶ striking beauty, like a vampire. van helsing/dracula's brides. or like form interview with the vampire. could intimidate other people, other people would want to know your secrets. embracing sexuality and putting dark make up on yourself with white eyeshadow, it reminds me of alexa demie and gabriette. dark hair, luscious, big fur cat, wide and sharp smile, more succubus than siren.

♇ ASTEROID BELLA IN 9H/SAGITTARIUS ⟶ another very in your face type of beauty, colourful beauty, might be fetishised, "exotic beauty", very catchy beauty; ambiguous as well. golden skin, type of holiday romance type of crush, can look good in a variety type of make up, especially blues. dimples and a lot of beauty moles, very nice hair, the attractive person in an air port. the type to be everybody's type. easy-going energy, makes other people laugh, and their humour also makes them attractive.

♇ ASTEROID BELLA IN 10H/CAPRICORN ⟶ another classic beauty, being a model type of beauty. slicked back hair and up do's. type to influence other people with their styles, strong and sharp features, either jaw, cheeks or eyebrows. can look good in either muted or bold colours, women in suits, intimidating beauty, cares about how they look. another indicator of work-crush type of beauty, are known for their attractive features, could have a nice body as well.

♇ ASTEROID BELLA IN 11H/AQUARIUS ⟶ very other-worldly type of beauty, alien, mermaid and fairy. the type to rock every outfit you wear, creating trends and could gain fame on the internet because of your looks. being eccentric makes you liked by other people, could be the friend crush, or you crush on other friends. could also manifest to your friends friend having a crush on you. "i did it first" type of beauty, like make up trend other people might find weird in the beginning but as time passes they would follow it.

♇ ASTEROID BELLA IN 12H/PISCES ⟶ mystical beauty, past lover type of beauty. "i think i know you from another life." haunting and siren beauty. like a ghost, has the type of essence that'll make other people want to drop everything for you. but could chase compliments/people. others could envy your beauty. glamour magick type of attraction. could be watched a lot, can draw people in easily. people could stalk you because of your looks. could remind other people of the fae, could be the one that envies other people.

masterlist

get a chart reading

♇ pluto

[whinyskeleton]

Haven’t seen this yet so I’m gonna talk about it. The majority of people Elisabeth/Sue talk to throughout the movie are men. Elisabeth talks to women 1) on the set of her job before she gets fired and 2) when a waitress asks for her order. Every influencing voice and relationship she has is men.

Her boss telling her she’s too old to be in the business anymore, the other substance user who turns her on to it, her old classmate from high school who she turns to for a last ditch grab at validating her self worth. Her dealer on the phone is also a male voice.

Underlying her deep rooted self hatred is a desperate grab for male validation. When she’s Sue, her boss will do anything to keep her on the show. Society even reinforces his decision to fire Elisabeth by rewarding him with higher ratings. The men around her are obsessed with her to a comical degree (the line read on “youre even more beautiful than before” is practically goofy) while in Elisabeth, they either ignore her or treat her with disdain, even going so far as to get unnecessarily violet (what even was that reaction from the motorcycle guy?)

But despite all of this, in BOTH bodies, she hardly speaks. Men talk at her, not to her. The majority of her lines are when she’s alone, to herself or to the voice on the phone. When decisions are made, it’s without her input. The biggest source of control she has is choosing to take the substance and how she uses it.

All of this really made the movie feel like, to me, a depiction of the gruesome things women do to themselves in an attempt to chase male approval, whether or not they realize that male validation is the thing they are chasing. Elisabeth was chasing an impossible beauty standard that she herself spent her life perpetuating, and it was men at the top deciding what that beauty standard was.

It felt like a reflection of the countless arguments I’ve seen across many a social platform- “I wear makeup every day because /I/ want to” “I don’t think there’s anything wrong with my nose shape, I just don’t like how it looks on /my/ face” - but who taught you these things? what put those ideas in your mind in the first place? Who was influencing the person who was influencing you?

Because yes, it was Elisabeth’s decision to take the substance. But would she have taken it at all if she wasn’t a part of the hollywood beauty industry- one that specifically focuses on what women’s bodies are “supposed” to look like?

[hydrateyoursharks]

Adrian designed the gowns and wardrobe for 20 out of Garbo’s 27 films. His fashions contributed greatly to the image we have of Greta Garbo.

Costume designed by Adrian for Greta Garbo in Queen Christina, 1933.

[dcxdpdabbles]

I don't know if you were planning on making any more but One Hell of a Good Bellhop is such a good fic and I would love to see more of it

(also I've been reading through your masterlist of posts so sorry for sending you so many notifs from liking them all) ❤️❤️

Charles smiles at the couple, eagerly looking through the clothes Danny had in the old employee lounge. Since they didn't have any more employees, the boy made the suggestion of setting up a gift shop, creating miniature nicknacks from the different eras he transformed the hotel into.

He sold costumes similar to whatever era he wanted the theme to be—this month, it was the Golden Age of Piracy, complete with a treasure hidden somewhere in the hotel for anyone to find—and the pirate costume could make a Hollywood costume designer weep with joy.

Charles didn't understand Danny's meta powers—not that he needed to. He figured he didn't need to. He just accepted that the boy could influence the hotel as if it were one of those video game home designs kids played.

He went to bed one night with the hotel Sally had adored so much falling apart, only to wake to it being in perfect condition, just like his memories. To find rooms set up with furniture and decoration that screamed wealthy—well, it just made his heart warm.

Especially when young people started wandering in, lured by Jazz and Danny walking the streets with flyers. It's been a long time since he saw the look of wonder in his guests' eyes as they took in his beloved hotel.

Danny seemed to really enjoy taking over the hotel. He somehow got the housing, the cooking, and the maintenance taken care of. He was always out of sight, but it let Charles sit at the front desk, resting his feet and watching life be breathed back into the hotel.

If Sally were alive, she would be sitting right next to him and cooing at the young couple holding up clothes against each other, faces flushed with love, as they try to select an outfit.

Despite being males, their excitement reminded him of his younger days when Sally and he would go on trips together whenever they stumbled across a bookshop.

His girl loved reading, while Charles had always fancied custom-made journals. Watching young people fall in love filled his heart with nostalgia; he was lonely.

Eventually, the couple finds what they like to wear for the pirate treasure hunt event and approaches the cash register, where Danny mysteriously appears. His young tenant was dressed in a black trench coat and skulled hat, looking like an authentic Black Beard pirate.

Charles has been watching the whole time, and despite it looking like he merely rounded the door behind the wall leading into the gift shop storage, Danny has literally blinked into existence.

Not that the two young men knew that. They merely paid for their outfits and what looked like a ship in a bottle. As soon as the payment was complete, Danny rounded the same wall and vanished. Charles turned his head to find Danny by the main entrance, holding the door open for a woman with a beaming smile.

He was now dressed to appear like a Cabin boy as he carefully led the new group to Charles for check-in. He didn't wait to hear the room number the group would be staying in before placing their luggage on a cart and vanishing down the hallway.

The woman and man with the three children looked alarmed, but Charles calmed them down by assuring them that their luggage would be waiting for them as soon as they were in their rooms. As he was finished adding them to the system, Danny reappeared to offer the startled couple a warm meal and hot chocolate for the kids.

Jazz, the sweetheart, taught Charles how to use the latest technology. She even modified the code to make the systems more user-friendly.

Charles was touched that she didn't fight his assistance to keep using a guest log book, even with their booking system, and went out of her way to find journals that fit Danny's chosen theme for the month. The kids seemed especially excited to write on parchment with quills afterward, as the adults were charmed by Danny's excellent cooking skills.

He was also in another outfit, this one looking more like a regular pirate member, though with a more green theme than the black of before.

"Are they triplets?" Mrs. Oblie asks as Danny fades from sight, only to appear at the gift shop, helping someone buy a signed treasure chest. He's back in a Black Beard outfit. "The three seem like hard workers."

Charles smiles. "It's the same person. Danny is a very hard worker."

"What?" Mr. Oblie gasps, twisting to stare at Danny and the direction in which Danny had taken their luggage. "How did he change clothes so quickly?"

"He was in the circus," Charles replies with a laugh. "He is used to quick changes. Plus, there are a lot of hidden passages way here."

He says the last bit like it's a big secret, winking at the children- one seems to be ten, the other seven- watching excitement bloom on their faces as they start looking around, attempting to spot the non-existent secret passages. The explanation isn't enough for Mrs. Oblie, but she doesn't argue further as she ushers her family into their room.

They will be down in a few hours so their kids can run around the hotel searching for a treasure. Mr. Oblie admitted over the phone that they hadn't had enough money for a vacation like he originally promised his eldest for her birthday, so this kid-friendly event was a lifesaver. Danny had claimed that it wasn't a lie- apparently, he can hear lies within the hotel, including the landline?- and had chosen to let the Oblie find some treasure even if they didn't win the main pot.

Charles wonders what face Mr.Oblie will make when his daughter finds the real diamond tiara that Danny set aside for her. Where on earth did the boy find something like that?

Charles didn't know and figured it was another part of Danny's meta abilities.

He turns towards the door, smiling as Jazz struts in. Her pantsuit is perfectly tailored, and her red hair falls gracefully behind her back. A few of the mingling guests are star-studded as she strides, her heels clicking on the ground like a bell.

If Danny was the ultimate bellhop who popped in and out of sight, Jazz was the hotel manager who commanded respect and awe. She was here for lunch, always arriving around one o'clock on the dot and the regulars who picked up on that fact always came down to get a glimpse of her.

Jazz and Danny were attractive siblings, but it wasn't mere looks that grabbed people's attention. They felt overwhelmingly alluring, like visiting Fae or a fallen star, as if somehow human but only just about.

Charles often wondered why someone like her was working as an assistant/secretary for an insurance company. She was far more capable than an entire management team.

She set up all their administration details. Charles had no idea how she could organize all their bills, supplies, advertisements, investments, and anything else he could think of for a business while booking appointments and filing claims for an entirely different company. To Charles, it was never about the money, but they were making a large amount now that the Fenotn children took over, and he offered her a position with better pay multiple times.

Jazz waved it away, saying she needed another job for her brother. He does suspect that she only stayed at Gotham Todd Insurance because of the young owner, whom her eyes tracked whenever Mr. Jason Todd walked through the building.

But Charles kept that theory to himself.

A soft clatter sounds from his elbow. Charles looks down to find a steaming plate of food, obviously done by Danny. He smiled at it, holding it up to Jazz as she neared. "Hi, sweetie; how's work going?"

"Hi, Grandpop," She beams, leaning over to hug him and gently kiss his cheek in greeting. "It's been a boring day. I finished this week's work in a few hours and just spent three hours preparing everything for Danny's next theme. Get this; he wants to do couples Cupid house for Valentine's Day."

She shakes her head fondly, in a way that reminds him so surreally of Sally that his heart squeezes. "Honestly, what goes through that guy's head?"

Charles beams back at her, hand curling around a glass of juice that zaps into existence in front of him like second nature. He hands it over to Jazz while she carefully cuts through her meatloaf.

"I think it's a wonderful idea," Charles tells her, leaning back in his chair. Jazz joins him as another plush chair appears at his side, and it takes him a moment to realize that Danny has restored the same club chairs from when the Gotham Fog Lodge originally opened.

These chairs were the ones that Charles and Sally used the first night they met by the fireplace of the hotel's main sitting room. They spoke for hours, and by the end of that night, he knew she was the one. Seeing the young lady he considered his granddaughter sitting in the same chair, Sally had adored so much, made her feel closer then ever before.

He wonders if he could die from how warm his heart glows.

"I think love is the greatest thing Gotham Fog Lodge can offer," Charles says, wiping some tears away. In return, jazz gives him a warmer smile, and Danny appears on his other side, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Gotham Fog Lodge is great because you're here, Grandpop," Danny says, seemingly unaware of how the hotel brightens when he speaks. "You were the only one who was kind to us when we got to Gotham."

Charles hugs the two rascals to hide the few tears that fall from happiness. He has no proof, but he's sure Sally sent these wonderful children his way. How else could a smuck like him be this lucky?

[shanastoryteller]

this is NOT a request for u to hurry finishing up the new chapter for siat (bc people who do that are ungrateful brats) but a genuine question. Do you feel even less drawn to it right now (spn brain aside) because of what JKR has done to English politics and the lives of trans women? Because I think it would be completely understandable if you felt this was ur final straw to not finish it but I would also get the opposite of it being ‘now there’s even more reason to finish it’ I think both viewpoints are valid and have their reasonings and this is really truly not in any way meant to be a “why isn’t there a new chapter yet!!:(((“ ask I’m just curious what HP fanfic writers (especially someone as well known as you) make of this as I keep seeing posts going around of the “if u still read/write HP fanfic you’re a terf too” variety and I just…disagree with that but also see where they come from (aka helping the fandom stay relevant. But even if we all quit reading and writing fanfic, HP would still be popular and imo the dent fanfic makes isn’t that big in the fandom bc locals still love HP and most people who now read fanfic hate JKR and wouldn’t actually read her books/buy merch)

Regardless of what you decide, know your Audience is behind you,100%. Hell, you dragged most of us (me included) back into Supernatural. I’m excited for the new chapter of tgp!! 💖💖

Thank you for all your words, whatever fandom they may come in (I.e I found you years ago because of your teen wolf fic specifically embers embers but stayed through so many fandoms and even read some I know nothing about) you are a beacon of light in this world and I treasure each of your works truly and with all my heart

thank you, this is a really sweet and nice way of asking, i'm so glad you enjoy my writing <3

but honestly: nah lol

jkr is shit and so are all of her opinions. the influence she has on government sucks and i personally think it's best to avoid giving her money, but i'm not pocketwatching other people

siat, which is a very popular hp fic, is 8 years old and has 2.8 million hits

in 2023 alone, 9.6 million people visited universal studios hollywood, the home of the wizarding world of harry potter

people should engage with media in whatever manner they feel most comfortable and sparks the most joy. but the idea that fanfic is a significant contributor to the cultural zeitgeist is just stupid

siat's on the to do list, i've just been infected with spn brainworms and wbt is also on the list but i feel more compelled to work on that one than siat just because huge chunks of it are already written so it seems a little silly to drag my feet as much as i have, plus at the time it had been a year since i posted the first chapter and i was like. ok come on let's go this is getting ridiculous

it's a goal to get back into a regular update cadence with siat. i'm not tired of it, i don't hate it, i still have an outline and know we're i'm going

it's partially that we're in sort of a tricky part to write, since it's about when a bunch of threads are about to come together and i don't want to fuck it up, and also that demands for updates honest to god really do kill my motivation to work on it. it's not punishment, i'm not trying to be a bitch, but i love the story and want to love sharing it with you, but being treated like a dispenser of fic, or like i owe people something and i'm somehow being selfish or inconsiderate by having fun writing what i want to write, really honestly just kills that. i don't want to write with that in the back of my head

people ask me about siat updates a lot. i don't post anything close to all of them. and if it was just "love the story can't wait to see what happens next!" that wouldn't be a problem, that's nice, i like that people are engaged and interested in what's to come

but a litany of "when will this update?" "is this abandoned?" "what about siat :(" "i don't care about x, why aren't you working on siat?" "you haven't updated siat in a while..." "why haven't you updated siat?" just makes me feel kinda bitter. which isn't a place i want to write from

it will be updated. i probably won't write the next chapter straight through and will alternate with tgp or wbt or whatever, but it's honestly just a mix of brainworms and having a lot of fun with these blorbos and wanting to have be in the right mindset while i write

[brattiva]

GOSSIP GIRL

Hey Upper East Siders! Gossip Girl here. You're one and only source into the scandalous lives of Manhattan's elite and most importantly: our thrilling four. And who am I? That's one secret I'll never tell. You know you love me.

XOXO, Gossip Girl.

DISCLAIMER

this is purely fiction, it has no real connection to the actual series "Gossip Girl" and none of these characters are seen in Gossip Girl, this is simply an alternative universe. this is not Outer Banks setting, this is in Manhattan, New York. some of these obx characters, not all because there are far too many to put in one series, aren't here, but I have tried to put the ones I remember. The plot has been inspired by Gossip Girl and Gossip Girl only, but I do not claim their plot as my own. Please do not steal, copy, claim or rewrite my work, my work or my own characters. My work is my own. But I would really appreciate some support as this is my first big series, other series tend to be not as big and developed as I have done this series. More characters would be added later on in the series as I develop it.

WARNINGS

toxicity, classism, privilege overload, not a lot of morals around here, problematic early 2000s vibes like slut-shaming, toxic beauty standards, gossip culture, heavy drama and language, trauma, mental health struggles, elitism, substance abuse, infidelity, emotional abuse, ed and body image issues, violent threats, cyberbullying and bullying in general but unlike gg, this is a diverse casting. this series target audience is 18 and above. viewer's discretion is advised throughout the series.

COMMON THEMES

elite upper class, wealth, power struggles, control, love, lust, toxic romance, infidelity, virginity, identity, social hierarchy, popularity, secrecy, betrayal, lies, family dysfunction, arranged marriages, pregnancy scares, coming of age, young adult, media, influence, revenge, mystery, double lives, reputation, scandals, insecurity, mental health ( but no actual help for it ), obligation, duty, desire, drug abuse, addiction, chaotic, class warfare, hollywood stardom

SYNOPSIS

The Non-Judging Breakfast Club— as Serena Elizabeth Rhodes says ( future Cameron through Clarissa Rhodes and Ward Cameron's marital union ) were considered to be Kildare royalty through and through. The audience follows through the scandalous lives of the four infamous teens, with a threat weighing on their shoulders, some more heavy than others, of an anonymous blogger exposing their secrets at every given opportunity. The big question is, do you have what it takes to survive in our world? Or will the vipers of Constance Billiard swallow you whole? Send us all the deets at the official Gossip Girl website.

Now as we all know our Ancient Greek facts.. you don't? Well let's brush up on our facts! For one, the Ancient Greeks believed there are four elements of matter. In the depths of Manhattan's private school, Constance Billiard? We have that too! Except in the form of the core four students... make a good first impression.

MEET OUR THRILLING FOUR!

Fire — passionate, ambitious, driven or if we wanna talk about 17 year old girl with a stance of five foot six, let's talk about Zara Victoria Bianchi, Queen Zee, as Kildare's Gossip page states, but not exactly the it girl, that's all Sabrina Rhodes... Zara's more of a schemer than your mother's three course meal plans, thriving on perfectionism in every sense of the word. She burns bright to conceal the ashes. A constant need to conquer and go forth, all her emotions conflict and fuel her sparks. Known for her strategic scheming and sharp wit, Zara's got her whole swarm of bees that'll feed off you if she says otherwise. You'd know better than to give a bad impression to the Constance's shining star or are you just stupidly brave?. Faceclaim: Cindy Kimberly.

Yet, despite it all, she's a devoted girlfriend since childhood to every girl's dream boy since diapers, Theo Laurent. Speaking of Sir Golden Boy himself....

Earth — loyal, kind, grounding. Also known as Theodore Fitzwilliam Laurent. Famously known to be the Golden Boy of Manhattan, with the handsome looks of a foreign God you could only fantasise about and all dreamy eyes. Beneath his all that polished exterior, is a boy who tries to be the right guy. Loyalty runs deep when it comes to Theo, almost to a fault. he rarely is apart of his girlfriend Zara's spitfire, but somehow gets caught in the crossfire. A quiet constant in a world of chaos within his friend group, that's until of course he loses his virgnity to his girlfriend's best friend Sabrina Rhodes in a certain Clemonte wedding and lives with the guilt. Till of course, the lady of his dreams appears once again in his life, and Theo is torn between desire and loyalty. Faceclaim: Charles Melton | Cha Eunwoo

Now for the lady of his dreams, as I say....

Water — glowing, magnetic, perfect. Sabrina Elizabeth Rhodes. Effortlessly beautiful, irresistible to a tee. When she walks in the room, the world stops and all eyes are on her. Serena acts with her heart, not with her head unlike her best friend, Zara. The IT girl of Manhattan, caught between two worlds throughout the series, who she's supposed to be, and who she truly wants to be. She's the friend who'll drop everything to help you, but disappear when it gets too much for her. Sabrina Rhodes is a walking contradiction, with that dreamlike presence swarming around her. Always in such a hurry to reinvent yourself, go to a new city, change your name, start again, isn't that right, Rhodes? Attention isn't what you want to grab, Sarah, but when Theo Laurent catches your eye, you just couldn't help yourself. Faceclaim: Madelyn Cline

Last but not least, everyone's hotshot...

Air — playboy, cocky, charming. Rafe Cameron. The boy who throws around wealth like it's simply a few pennies, the playboy of the Upper East every girl says they'd never fall for but they're already tripping, always waiting for the perfect moment to strike. He's the definition of lavish, a penthouse in the Hamptons, cigarettes and sex, with his signature smirk and cocky attitude. Heir to Ward Cameron's multibillion businesses, yet daddy dearest isn't so faithful in his business management skills. Whilst some of the ladies may enjoy a golden boy, there's the rare few, that prefer dark and mysterious. Under all that arrogance and promiscuity, is a drive for daddy's approval. Will daddy ever look at you like you're anything but a player? There's a lingering threat, Rafe, your empire is under threat. Faceclaim: Drew Starkey

MORE CHARACTERS

Kiara Abrams | Madison Bailey ( Vanessa Abrams )

Evan "Trust Fund Burnout" Lancaster | Rudy Pankow ( Carter Baizen )

Nathaniel "Nathan Lonely Boy" Scott | Nicholas Chavez

Charlotte "Lottie | Aspiring Singer" Prentiss | Sabrina Carpenter

Josephine "Josie | A-lister Actress" Fernsby | Malia Baker

Jennifer ( Jenny ) "Brooklyn Girl" Scott | Tessa Holloway

Gianna "Wild Child" Westwood | Savannah Lee Smith

Zayden "Rising Soccer Star" Westwood | Rome Flynn

Sierra "Two Faced" Rosales | Kaia Gerber

Hanna "Wang Heiress" Wang | Anna Sawai

Enzo "Druggie" Ramirez | Nicholas Cirillo

Diego "Older Guy" Sanchez

Monica Delgado

Penelope Cruz

ADULT CHARACTERS

Ward Cameron | Charles Esten

Eduardo Bianchi | David Gandy

Alistair Laurent | Hiroyuki Sanada

Nazeera Bianchi | Melisa Pamuk

Clarissa Rhodes | Kelly Rutherford

Lillian Rhodes | Cate Blanchett

SERIES

i. prologue

PLAYLISTS

i. Zara Bianchi

ii. Theo Laurent

iii. Sabrina Rhodes

iv. Rafe Cameron

i. Gossip Girl

songs to listen to when you're reading the series

PINTEREST BOARDS

i. Gossip Girl AU

CHARACTER PROFILES

i. Zara Bianchi

ii. Theo Laurent

iii. Sabrina Rhodes

iv. Rafe Cameron

v. Evan Lancaster

vi. Nathan Cooper

written by @arvhangel™

credits to @alinavalentine for supporting me w/ this!

go to taglist post to be tagged.

[hotvintagepoll]

Don Knotts (The Incredible Mr. Limpet, The Ghost and Mr Chicken, The Reluctant Astronaut)—Just look at him. He’s just a lil scrungly guy. Also he started entertaining as a ventriloquist, and there’s nothing scrunglier than a ventriloquist. In all seriousness, Don Knotts’ career is singularly unique. His speaking voice was iconic, and he used it to his advantage and played it up – see also the included YouTube link to his small role in No Time for Sergeants [link]. He not only played second fiddle comedic character roles, but also played leading comedic character roles. He didn’t need a sidekick for his movies but he could *be* the sidekick if needed. That’s key to Scrungly Little Guy™ behavior, in my opinion. Knotts undoubtedly influenced many comedians and sitcom characters in both his lifelong film and TV career – and I do mean lifelong, as his final role was in 2006, the year he passed away! In the 70s, he became a frequently used actor in live action Disney comedy films for kids like The Apple Dumpling Gang and appeared in many children’s programs. Knotts was said to be one of the nicest guys in Hollywood, which is important for Scrungly Little Guy™ lore.

Conrad Veidt (The Cabinet of Dr Caligari, The Man Who Laughs)— oh my god look at him in Caligari. I specifically said that he's from this because him as Cesare is just. MMMMM. he's so wet and sad and scrungly. and little. he's like a kitten left alone in a dark alley except he's also killed people (not his fault). something wrong with him (Cesare). as for Conrad himself. oh my god look at him... them big ole eyes and the walk of some fucking thing creature

This is round 5 of the contest. All other polls in this bracket can be found here. If you’re confused on what a scrungle is, or any of the rules of the contest, click here.

[additional submitted propaganda + scrungly videos under the cut]

Don Knotts:

TBH, I was first introduced to Don knotts in things like three's company, the og Scooby-Doo cartoons, and later on that Disney chicken little movie. He's probably most remembered from his time on the Andy griffith show. But just look at him! Don't you just wanna put him situations?

When you say scrungly his face is just what immediately pops into my head

Don Knotts plays in most if not all of his filmography someone who is kinda dull-witted, afraid of his own shadow, or kind of cowardly. He is the scrungliest of scrungly people!  

Conrad Veidt:

I mean just look at him. The wet cat energy. The ghostly eyes. He did the monster mash before anybody. Where would we be today without him, he even has one (1) song on spotify. I regularly forget he's dead and wonder what his next movie will be. He slays in any role. The Ultimate Skrunkle.

He's the ultimate scrungly to me, the basis for many of our scrungly guys today. he's so skinny and pale and he wears so much eye makeup

He was THE bisexual goth tumblr sexyman of early film. Seriously the old timey Tumblrinas would send him fanmail about wanting him to choke them. He inspired the designs for the Joker and Jafar,and was nicknamed the “Demon of the Silver Screen” for his horror roles. His first wife divorced him for crossdressing. Hitler sent him hate mail for speaking out about antisemitism. He really loved his wife and told the Germans to go fuck themselves when they threatened his job if he didn’t divorce her for being Jewish. Just look at me and tell me this guy isn’t scrungly he’s like a personification of the emo kid from Horton hears a who

[cw the below clip depicts assault/abduction and could be scary for some viewers]

[bishiedoll]

Western literature & shoujo manga.

If you're, like me, someone whose passion is old shoujo manga, you may have noticed that at least one or more of your favorite mangaka has written manga adaptations of famous American and European novels. But why ?

According to this essay by Kawabata Ariko and Murakami Riko, in the early 20th century, because there was no Internet, people had no choice but to rely on big bookstores to learn more about and to purchase foreign novels. It was therefore not common to read them. The Iena bookstore, located in Ginza, was a rare indie bookstore that sold art-related foreign books and, while unfortunately, the store has closed today, many shoujo mangaka remember going there often to look for reference material amongst foreign works.

This other essay by Oogushi Hisayo states that foreign novels were only broadly introduced in Japan for young girls in the 30s. Famous girls' magazines (which are to be differentiated with shoujo magazines) such as Shoujokai (created in 1902), Shoujo no Sekai (created in 1906) and Shoujo no Tomo (created in 1908) started introducing Western literature in their issues from the 1930s to the 1940s. Works such as "The Little Princess", "Heidi", "Little Women", "Daddy Long Legs" and more were published in these girls' magazines, making them more known to the Japanese audience and resulting in shoujo manga adaptations in the following years.

Little Women illustrated by Nakahara Junichi in the Girls' magazine Shoujo no Sekai.

Three works in particular seem to have gained a lot of popularity in the 40s: "Little Women" by Louisa May Alcott, "Heidi" by Johanna Spyri and "Anne of Green Gables" by Lucy Maud Montgomery. All three are coming of age stories of young girls, and all three have one theme that seems to stand out: family. In the aftermath of WW2, many Japanese lost their families and many young children became orphans. In such times, novels that showcased happy families comforted Japanese readers. The popularity of these three works did not end in the 40s though, since in the 70s and 80s, all three got their 50 episodes anime adaptation in the Calpis Gekijou series (also known as World Masterpiece Theater), which, by the way, I highly recommend watching.

It is to be noted that these three works also became popular because they showcased independent and developed female leads, which has since then become a staple of shoujo manga itself, regardless of genre.

Heidi by Macoto Takahashi, Anne of Green Gables by Sakamoto Midori (1977) and Heidi by Watanabe Masako (1966).

In the 70s, a few mangaka published works that reminded critics of the "Bildungsroman". The Bildungsroman is a literary genre born in the 1800s in Germany, and it is a sub-category of the coming-of-age story. The Bildungsroman stands out from regular coming-of-age stories by focusing on the psychological and moral growth of its protagonist. Examples of that would be Moto Hagio with The Heart of Thomas in 1974 and Takemiya Keiko with Kaze to Ki no Uta in 1976 (though she never intended to write a Bildungsroman). The West was still shown in a more traditional version in these works, as both stories take place in old catholic boarding schools.

Similarly to how Audrey Hepburn, a Hollywood actress, was seen as a fashion leader in Japan (more about that on my other post about her influence on shoujo), Japanese people at the time had an idealized view of the West and anything from the Western world seemed fashionable and trendy. A great example of that is Sanrio. If you look at early Sanrio characters, a lot of them are from the West: Hello Kitty is British, the Little Twin Stars were inspired by Christmas, My Melody by the little red riding hood, Jimmy & Patty are American etc.

This view of the West began to shift in the 80s and the western literature that inspired shoujo mangaka started to change as well. Instead of comforting, idyllic stories about family life in a traditional American or European country side or stories taking place in traditional European catholic schools, manga inspired by more realistic and contemporary works started publishing. For example, Banana Fish by Akimi Yoshida (1985) draws inspiration from "A Perfect Day for Bananafish" by J.D. Salinger and two of Hemingway's works: "The Snows of Kilimanjaro" and "Islands in the Streams". All three of these focus on either modern issues like overconsumption or darker themes like death and loneliness. The change can also be seen in the gender and age of the protagonists. Instead of being about young teen girls that shoujo readers could identify with, Banana Fish is about adult men. The inspiration is also a lot more loose, and instead of an adaptation, there are only references to J.D. Salinger and Hemingway's works throughout the manga.

The Heart of Thomas by Moto Hagio (1974), Banana Fish by Akimi Yoshida (1985) and Alice in Wonderland by Mutsu A-ko (1983).

To conclude my post, I really wanted to include this line from the essay by Oogushi Hisayo: If America (can apply to the West as a whole) was once the backdrop of stories for those who yearned to read about "somewhere that is not here", it has, from the 80s onward, become the backdrop of stories for those who yearned to read about "the now and here".

[beardedmrbean]

The White House intentionally hid from the public Joe Biden's rapidly diminishing mental condition for his entire presidency, according to a bombshell report.  

Biden's team hired a vocal coach, put other officials into roles usually occupied by the president, scrapped meetings on his 'bad days,' and avoided calls with other politicians, according to an explosive report in The Wall Street Journal.

It exposed an extensive and deliberate cover-up that also saw the administration gaslighting those who dared to claim Biden's abilities had deteriorated since he was Barack Obama's vice president. 

Despite the efforts of aides Biden's decline became increasingly obvious, especially after Special Counsel Robert Hur last year released a report depicting a forgetful and frail then-81-year-old. 

Hur decided not to charge Biden for keeping classified documents in his Delaware garage because he 'would likely present himself to a jury, as he did during our interview of him, as a sympathetic, well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory.'

According to the Wall Street Journal, Biden could not even repeat back to his staff lines they fed him while preparing for his interview with Hur. 

Biden would also cancel important national security meetings, with aides explaining to attendees that he had 'bad days and good days'.

A well-connected Democratic strategist confirmed to DailyMail.com that the majority of Biden’s executive power is ‘concentrated by people who are not external facing,’ including his close advisors Bruce Reed, Steve Ricchetti, and Mike Donilon.

For years, Biden’s lower-level staff have griped that the behind-the-scenes ‘triumvirate’ - known as the 'Biden whisperers' - have had an outsized influence over the president.

As his presidency comes to an end, many in Washington agree that it has been hard to tell who is actually in charge of running the country.

Egregious examples of the White House cover-up included one from Congressman Adam Smith, from Washington, who was chair of the House Armed Services Committee.

He could not get in touch with the president ahead of the bungled withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021 to share his serious concerns about the plan.

When 13 U.S. service members and 170 Afghans were killed, he made critical comments publicly and was reprimanded by Secretary of State Antony Blinken, a close Biden ally. 

Biden finally called Smith to apologize nit, despite his key role in Congress, it was the only personal call he received in the president's entire four years.

Close aides also worried about the comparison between Biden and his wife Jill Biden, who is eight years his junior and conducted an energetic, packed schedule that only highlighted the president's 'plodding' pace, the Wall Street Journal reported. 

In late June this year, Biden's decline was on full display when he debated Donald Trump. Gaffes, fumbles and blank stares from the president filled the hour-and-a-half televised event. It proved catastrophic for his campaign.

The face-off with Trump is what led the public, and even senior Democrats in Washington, to call for Biden to end his bid for reelection.

Just a month after the debate, Biden ended his White House bid and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris, who Trump defeated on November 5.

During his presidency aides would often have to repeat cues to Biden at events. He was given instruction cards with detailed pointers on where to walk, sit and look. 

Biden's team even asked Hollywood studio mogul Jeffrey Katzenberg to find a voice coach to improve his wavering and fading voice.

And when his voice did fail him, the team would help Biden by avoiding phone calls and participating in public events.

Additionally, Biden was shielded by senior advisers who were put into roles that others felt the president should occupy.

The officials who stood in included Ricchetti, National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan, and National Economic Council head Lael Brainard.

A person who witnessed what happened with Biden in the last four years told the Journal that a small group of aides stuck close to him at all times and provided intense 'hand holding.'

'They body him to such a high degree,' the source claimed.

At the same time, press aides who were tasked with compiling news clips were instructed by senior staff to leave out any negative stories about the president.

The protective circle around Biden was heightened because he entered the White House at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, and his staff took extensive steps to avoid him catching the virus.

But the strategy was also designed to prevent Biden from making gaffes or taking physical missteps, which would damage his image or create headaches for Democrats.

Biden has been an undisciplined public speaker throughout his more than 50-year political career.

He also had a childhood stutter that he often cites for the reason he would stumble over his words.

Despite the efforts of aides Biden is leaving office with members of his own party lambasting him for being 'selfish.'

Many believe that he was only looking out for himself by staying in the 2024 presidential race past the point of being unfit for another term.

Others are furious over his decision to pardon his son Hunter, 54, earlier this month after he was convicted of lying on a federal form to purchase a gun in 2018.

Polls showed Biden's approval rating hitting an all-time low as he prepared to leave office. _________________________