#or all the spaced references in shaun of the dead

[transformers-mosaic]

Transformers: Beast Wars - Second Chances - Page 20

Originally posted on February 2nd, 2011

Story - Shaun Flaherty Art - Daniel Olsén Letters - HdE

deviantART

wada sez: See below for Flaherty’s original script.

PAGE TWENTY (six panels)

Panel 1.  A close-up of Depth Charge’s (robot mode) face.

Reference: Depth Charge (Seibertron) Depth Charge (TFWiki)

DEPTH CHARGE: A deal’s a deal.

Panel 2.  Inside the wreckage of the Nemesis.  Starscream/Transmetal Terrorsaur (robot mode) emerges from a Predacon creation/restoration tank.

Reference: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=meQV1KKTgKQ (2:46) wada sez: dead link Terrorsaur http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4s7ACyr4lro (0:28) wada sez: dead link

STARSCREAM: Maybe I’ll just kill you all anyway.

Panel 3.  A bad-ass team shot of our heroes: (from left to right) Waspinator, Dinobot II, Depth Charge, Inferno, and Quickstrike (robot modes).

Reference: Waspinator (Seibertron) Waspinator (TFWiki) Dinobot II (Seibertron) Dinobot II (TFWiki) Inferno (Seibertron) Inferno (TFWiki) Quickstrike (Seibertron) Quickstrike (TFWiki)

DEPTH CHARGE: Maybe.

Panel 4.  A close-up of Starscream/Transmetal Terrorsaur’s face.  He smirks Starscream’s trademark smirk.

STARSCREAM (small): Fair enough.

Panel 5.  Starscream/Transmetal Terrorsaur flies toward us, high into the atmosphere and onward into space, leaving our heroes aboard the Nemesis far below.

CAP/STARSCREAM: I’ve got bigger fish to fry.

Panel 6.  A close-up of Quickstrike, hollering upward.

QUICKSTRIKE: And stay out!

[circusmania]

Vague request but, if your still accepting requests

Maybe you could write something about Shaun Gomez from The Smile Tapes, but like, from the perspective of one of his friends? Can be during any event.

════════════════════════

Notes: Thank you for this request 🙏 This is what I was made to write

Muah muah 𓇼

════════════════════════

December 04, 1994 I dogsat Max for Shaun today. He had told me he needed to go out and get groceries, and he didn't want to leave Max alone. Understandably.

Shaun had told me Max had been acting weird and wasn't his normal self. Max hasn't been barking at all, “he's been very quiet” is what Shaun had told me. This was very unusual for him since Max was a very loud dog, he was always barking at anyone/anything.

I suggested to Shaun to take him to the vet when he gets the chance. He told me he would tomorrow.

As I was dogsitting, Max would constantly stare off into space. But I guess dogs do that sometimes? Though, that wasn't the oddest part of my day. Once Shaun came home, he was covered in a white powder. It kind of looked like flour…

When he was moving, the powder would fly into the air, and I fear I might've breathed some in. It was only a little, though, Shaun might've even swallowed some.

December 05, 1994 This morning, Shaun was telling me of a dream he had gotten. One where he was “flying through space” and then “saw a man”. If you ask me, that sounds really creepy.

December 05, 1994 Shaun had another dream. He flew through space and then saw the man again… only this time he was smiling?

I'll be real, I don't think it's normal to dream of this stuff. Call me a conspiracy theorist, but something isn't right. I told him he should talk to a professional.

Oh! And what joy, Max is barking again! I'm glad he's feeling better.

December 11, 1994 Shaun is starting to annoy me with his dreams.

I've begun to feel more and more angry these days.

But who wouldn't be when all you hear from your friend is his space journeys and his encounters with the man?

I DON'T CARE.

December 12, 1994 I'm worried about Shaun.

He's called in sick a lot, and he's been complaining about having painful migraines. Also, something about his face twitching?

I hope he and Max are all right.

December 16, 1994 AGAIN WITH HIM.

It's always about HIM.

I'VE been having migraines, I'VE been having face cramps, but you don't see ME bitching about it!

December 17, 1994 I'm glad he went to the doctor. Hopefully, the pain meds will make him feel better. :)

December 18, 1994 The pain meds seem to be working for Shaun.

He's been smiling.

It makes me feel pretty upbeat as well.

December 22, 1994 Max is dead.

I don't feel well.

December 25, 1994 Christmas!

I can't help but feel joy and happiness each time I turn a corner.

Shaun looks happier too (which is a bit weird since Max died only 3 days ago). He didn't like it when I told him he looked joyful.

What is wrong with him?

Why can't he suck it up?

December 26, 1994 Shaun hasn't talked to me at all.

But that's okay.

I don't need him.

I'm happy on my own.

January 01, 1995 I turned on the TV for New Year's, and I was met with the most grotesque joyful news.

What a way to start a new year.

You're in a happier place now, Shaun.

Thank you for putting a smile on my face.

════════════════════════ Video reference:

The SMILE Tapes vol. 1

[localratwithcowboyhat]

Actually Ive been thinking I could ask YOU for movie recs recently which sounds wild but it was in reference to the horror genre and I assume you like that stuff. Doesn't have to be horror though, in fact I am 100% down for something lighthearted right now mentally/emotionally lol

Anyways. I was wondering if you have any that aren't super heavy on sexual innuendos or gore/violence because those make me uncomfortable. I think Shaun of the Dead is the most graphic thing I've seen to date and honestly I like that one. it didn't scare me really (makes sense considering it's a comedy, idk if i want to watch something that graphic if it's intended to be like. disturbing and sickening) and I'm considering rewatching it.

:3 (no pressure if you can't think of any)

Eeekkk!!! SPECIAL INTRESST SPECIAL INSREST!! :D

( light spoilers for the lighthouse and the shining)

A few horrors i can think of right now are:

Christine 1883 directed by John Carpenter

The Lighthouse 2019 - there is a slight sexual scene but it isn’t very graphic and doesn’t drag on too long. Also one short scene depicting a dead seagull. This is a very very strange movie tho so keep that in mind.

I wasn’t sure if i should put it in here but The shining 1980 - like the Lighthouse its main focus is isolation and the horror of Cabin fever.

But!!the shining has about 2 scenes where in 1 you can see two girls axe murdered laying on the floor, this only drags on for like 1 second but still. And another scene in wich a slightly decomposed body is shown ( no blood or organs or bones tho )

So again the shining doesn’t utilize gore or jump-scare as the main focus of horror . Once again like to add that the gore isn’t overly graphic. :)

——————————————-

Not onto non horror!!!

Electric Dreams 1984

A space odyssey 2001

The thirteenth Floor 1999

Metropolis 1927

And thats all i can think about as of right now!!! maybe something suits your taste!!!

Thank you so much for the ask and farewell!!!

Ps- i might add on to this is the future >:]

[jfoote2003]

Comparing the adaptations of Scott Pilgrim

Scott Pilgrim is one of my favorite series of graphic novels, it has everything I could want. Action, comedy, romance, it’s centered around music and is chock full of references, and best of all, it’s Canadian! Seeing things that would make sense to someone from this country makes it feel more personable. However, while I am a huge fan of the novels, they weren’t my introduction to the franchise, that would go to the film adaptation from 2010.

While the books were written and drawn by a Canadian, the movie was directed and co-written by English filmmaker Edgar Wright. Wright is best known for movies Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, and Baby Driver, Wright is known for having a very distinctive style when it comes to camera work. The film adaptation of Scott Pilgrim has a stacked cast, some who have since become very famous. The cast includes Michael Cera, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Kieran Culkin, Allison Pill, Anna Kendrick, Aubrey Plaza, Chris Evans and Brie Larson to name a few.  

The movie was in development at the same time as the last book, so there are quite a few notable things. Firstly, nothing from the last book appears in the film, though author Bryan Lee O’Malley had made contributions among other things. The film was originally going to end with Scott and Ramona breaking up, after the final book was released (which ends on a more positive note for the main cast), the ending was changed so that Scott went after Ramona to try again.

Outside of the major differences near the end, the bulk of the movie is very accurate to the books, to the point where some of the lines in the film are taken word for word from the books. Since they had to fit roughly 5 books into a 112-minute movie, some things did have to be cut or changed. To name a few, the book series is more spaced out, with Scott even celebrating his birthday, meanwhile the movie takes place over a much shorter period of time. In the book version of the fight against Ramona’s first ex, Matthew Patel, Scott’s friends already know of his ability to fight, and even help him out. Ramona’s second ex, Lucas Lee, is a much nicer guy in the book, with him and Scott taking a break to talk, he is more of a jerk in the movie, tricking Scott about the break to punch him back to the ground. In the book Sex Bob-Omb does gigs, in the movie however, they participate in a competition, which also changes the fight against the 5th and 6th exes, the Katayanagi twins from multiple physical battles, to a music battle. Most of the changes in the movie are small in the grand scheme of things, however, the movie wasn’t the only adaptation.

To coincide with the movie’s release, Ubisoft made Scott Pilgrim vs. The World: The Game, a side-scrolling beat-em-up with a retro art style. The plot loosely follows the plot of the books, with the story largely put to the sidelines, focusing on gameplay. The game is a bit more faithful to the graphic novels, with some details and changes from the movie being absent in the game. To match the retro style, the music of the game was done by Anamanaguchi, a band that mixes chiptune with traditional rock instruments. The game was originally availble for the Xbox 360 and PS3, but due to licenses, these versions were delisted from digital stores in 2014. To celebrate the movie’s 10th anniversary, the game was rereleased and ported to modern platforms (PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PC, Google Stadia (now defunct), and Amazon Luna). Additionally, there is an upcoming anime adaptation that was announced last year, that has both Bryan Lee O’Malley and Edgar Wright involved, which feels like a long time coming since the short animation for Adult Swim that was made to promote the movie, and personally, I’m excited for the anime, since it’s being made after the story was completed.

[scripted-downfall]

Favorite books/t.v. shows/movies about zombies? 👀

Oh, a fun question! Also probably gonna be a bit of a long answer, but I feel like that's probably expected by now, so here goes :)

Definitely a The Walking Dead fan. I certainly don't pretend it's the highest-brow art ever, but I enjoy it nonetheless. I only started watching it last year or so, after most of the craze had died down, but I watched what was available pretty quickly once I got started.

I first came to know of Resident Evil through the films --- largely because that's what my family knew, and they hadn't played the video games --- so I liked them. (I know that's a bit contentious because they're nothing like the games, but I still haven't found the games affordably, so the films are my only point of reference. I'll play the games when I can, though, and my opinion might change.) The first one and the third one were my favorites, though I have a nostalgic tolerance for the rather-bad second one; Oded Fehr is just awesome, and he's only in numbers 2 and 3, so I take what I can get.

On a more humorous note: Zombieland (and the sequel, though I've seen the latter only once and the former many more times) is a personal favorite of mine. I don't know if the Evil Dead films/television shows count as "zombies", but a Google search includes them as such, so I guess I'll mention them; I have a fondness for Bruce Campbell, and I was surprised that the remake was as good as it was. (Same, btw, with the Cabin in the Woods: idk if it counts as a zombie film, but I love it to bits, so I'm mentioning it.) Dawn of the Dead/Land of the Dead are more films for which I liked the originals and the remakes. (The more modern Land of the Dead wasn't sublime, but a) I have a fondness for even bad horror movies and b) I liked Simon Baker in The Mentalist, and his LotD character was cool.)

If Heavy Metal counts as a zombie film --- there are zombies... ish --- then that's on the list. 28 Days Later is high on the list (and the sequel, though I remember it less well). If Slither counts, it's high, too. Shaun of the Dead is a more humorous example to be added. I Am Legend is one that I liked when I watched it but haven't seen recently enough to confirm one way or the other.

I haven't really read many zombie books, so I don't have any answers there; I think I read World War Z once, but I don't remember being too fond of it (in book or movie form). Then again, I was far younger when I both watched and read it, so my opinions may have changed/could have initially been swayed by the fact that I had still been watching it with my parents/siblings and they all hated it.

Side note: I've yet to find very much by way of fandom spaces for these media that fit my usual analysis-and-characterization-heavy style of participating --- especially true anent tWD stuff --- so I have many thoughts and nowhere to discuss them... Asks definitely welcome on this topic! (I say this knowing full-well that asks are pretty much always welcome, and it means close to nothing to say... but it bears mentioning anyway, I suppose.)

Thank you for the ask, and I hope the answer was decent! (I appreciate the emoji; it's my first, and it made me smile, so... Thank you :) ) I hope you're well!

[zooterchet]

Dossier List (Adventures in Outer Space)

MGM, MUSH.

Megaman 1, was written by Alice O'Neill's arts team, to frame Whitey Bulger as "Rock Light", so Irish morgue doctors (Irish Protestants) would dump corpses on him. Now, Shaun Sans Pants, says Megaman, is a friend to all children.

MI-6, FRG.

There are five snitches on the North Seas MI-6 arrangement, to the Hanseatic League; out of Israeli nuclear development, the Duerney nuclear reactor. Only five different Munich Putsch tricks, will be victorious; with the help of James Bond's friends, the DEA (Sergeant Gutwill), James Holmes (the DC Comics "catch a rising star" project), and a mastermind cast of five villains (each of them, Will Morgan's theories, on what Dave's career is, as a corporate economist).

IRA, Irish Mafia.

The IRA, is the military representative of the Republic of Ireland, at home and abroad. But the Irish Mafia, thinks "the good book says, it's okay to make a little money". If the British Army, raises their daughter to perform a specific job, it's "daddy's dominatrix", a military buildup in Germany. But if the Irish Republican Army, sends a strongly worded letter, it's a boatload of cash and a terror attack. How do you use the standard Irish armament, books and poverty, to assault Whitey Bulger, John Gotti Jr., Stan Lee, Osama Bin Laden, and Barack Hussein Obama? Seinfeld, is the hint. Dianetics.

CIA, USMC.

The CIA is an elite field team unit, of armed and armored accountants; in a "Company", responsible for patronizing an American corporation multinational, for arming and armoring a war since Philip J. Morris and the Great War. But the USMC, thinks our stories are important, and how to live cleaner, friendlier lives; the USMC movement, "The Boy Scouts of America", and their marital Lutheran alms scheme, "The Girl Scouts of America". But my friend, Coolie-Dickinson Hospital, and my summer school program at UMass-Amherst, has a little story for you; "Secret Window", written by Stephen King and starring Johnny Depp.

Boston Mossad, State Police.

The State Police, have made an intrepid deal with the Arabs of Jewish Saudia Arabia, to decide medicines and medical treatments based on films; smart kids, drafted as cops, through movies and video games. But George W. Bush Jr. knows who you are, and he's had Secretary of State Colin Powell put Detective Costigan, on crack cocaine; "Depocate", a USMC assassin. Beware, amphetamines cause renal failure (dead kidneys); doctor's orders. The nefarious new face of medicine, college degrees of verifiable transcript's reference. Sorry, Dr. Joshua Golden, teachers just don't teach.

[cybersoldier82]

CW FOR FANDOM VORE(specifically predator lol), FEARPLAY, LIFE OR DEATH SITUATION, DEATH OF BACKGROUND CHARACTERS, MENTIONS OF GORE AND VISCERA, TINY READER, SAFE VORE AND ALIEN VORE.

I have elected to do a thing for Halloween lol.(also sorry for not writing much in a bit, haven't felt motivated to but imma try to get back into via this lol)

Corpses, corpses everywhere, blood, blood splattered across the walls of the base, guts, limbs and viscera filling every nook and cranny that could be seen, my tiny form quivering under a desk, trying to escape it, tears pouring down my face as I stifle my sobs so it doesn’t fine me, it was nightmarish, but you may be wondering, how did this happen? How did I get to small? What is it? Well buckle your seatbelts boys and girls, I’ll sum it up to spare your time, and myself some as well.

outpost #492hjs8.

Somewhere in The northern United States.

I was recently captured and brought to a secluded government outpost somewhere in the north for study and possible experimentation. Why you ask? Well when you pop out of a random portal and you’re only 2 feet tall the government is gonna want answers. And as you can imagine I wasn’t exactly treated with much basic decency. Experimenting, torture, the usual shit. This went on for about a week until the day they brought in a new specimen.

They said she was a “predator”, whatever the hell that means, and they referred to her as Blade, odd name hut whatever, she had these mandible looking things on her mouth, dreads flowing off the back of her head, she almost seemed reptilian in all honesty. A couple days past by with plenty of issues, this predator to whom they dubbed “Yao Guai” seems to be quite the handful for them, seeing as she’s already killed like, 4 guards and critically injured 3 of the staff, I know all of this because her cell is adjacent to mine. The horrors I’ve seen this thing manage, tearing the staff apart like rag dolls, mauling the guards, it’s traumatizing stuff, especially when you’re so small and she keeps giving me this look…I don’t know what sort of look it is but I don’t like it, not one bit.

Then one night, shit finally hit the fan. I had woken up to a loud commotion only to see that…it escaped, she managed to rip her cell doors off and started gunning it to who knows where. Then, minutes later, the power goes out, my cell door opens, it’s oddly quiet, I decide to take this opportunity to escape. It didn't take long until i could hear commotion ahead, luckily there was an open door to my left, so I took cover in the room inside.

As I hid, all I could hear was screaming, gunfire, body's being torn to shreds, cries for help being silenced as fast as they came out, it was horrible. Once I was sure it was over I peaked out to find nothing but blood and viscera all over the hall, what else was this thing capable of. As much as I'd love to ponder that I elected to waste no time and continue running, bolting as fast as I could to find an exit.

As I continued to run I could hear voices ahead. "search the area, execute any and all escaped specimens and staff, leave none alive." That must be damage control hear to deal with collateral, shit. Once again the lord blessed me with a hiding spot, this time it was an empty office with plenty of space to keep hidden, I elected to hide under a desk and pray I wouldn't be found. "You two, go search that office, we'll move ahead." Fuck, no, they're gonna find me, they're gonna find me and I'm gonna get executed.

"you think we'll find anything in here?" One guard asked. "Doubtful but it never hurts to look" the other replied, their voices growing closer and closer. "Wait, picking up something on my sca-" he was cut off with a squelching noise, like something just cut through him, then a thud rang out, welp he's dead. "N-no, SHAUN!" The other guard screamed our before unloading his magazine into....well something. But he too was quickly silenced, though from the sounds of it his end was more brutal, all the while my tiny form was stifling tears under the desk I hid under, and that brings us to where we are now.

So there I was, quivering under the desk, trying to stifle tears as I heard someone's footsteps approach, I closed my eyes and huddled in on myself in preparation for what might happen. Suddenly I was grabbed from under my arms and hoisted into the air to find.... nothing...either I'm going nuts or whatever's holding me is invisible. Then suddenly the invisibility went away and my captor revealed themselves, oh fuck, it's that thing I saw escape earlier, it was blade, and she was vlad in some kind of armor, mask and all. I was frozen, to frightened to move aside from quiver, what the hell did she intended on doing with me I thought to myself, assuming the worst.

When I was unexpectedly set onto that desk...huh. she appeared to be looking me over, checking for injuries or something, whatever she was doing it didn't seem malicious, and it was convenient for her cuz i was too spooked to struggle. Once she was done she placed her hands on her mask, a hissing noise could be heard as she took it off, aaand there's that award winning face, God it was jarring to see something so humanoid with such an odd looking face. She had this cold and blank expression as she looked me over too, almost unbothered by any of this. "Uh, thanks blad, I guess." I said as she picked me up from the desk again, holding my small form close to her like a toddler. "So now what?" I asked, knowing damn well if she responded I wouldn't be able to understand her.

"hey, I think I heard commotion this way, let's check it out" a voice stated in the distance, fuck that sounded close to our location. "Shit what're we gonna d-" I was interrupted by being shoved into her maw, quickly and hastily being crammed down her throat, it wasn't long before I slipped into what I assumed was her stomach, it all happened so fast I couldn't quite process what was happening at the momen. Then the chamber began to sway from side to side only for it to abruptly stop, then I could hear very muffled voices. "Huh, nothing in here, well aside from these bodies, she can't be far, let's keep looking." It was then I finally snapped out of my daze and the gravity of the situation kicked in, oh shit, I'm in a stomach.

My eyes darted around in the dark cramped space as it all finally sank in, I need to get out now. "H-hey, HEY, LET ME GO!! IM NOT FOOD!!" I pleaded as I attempted to struggle, it was difficult to do so considering how cramped it was for someone of my size, I was stuck in a sort of fetal position and could barely move, if I was smaller I'm sure I'd have more leverage in this situation, but sadly I was limited. But all I got in response was some muffled clicking noises from outside, along with being aggressively squished in the stomach, stifling my movement, hell it even hurt a little.

In all honesty, all I could do sit there as the tears rolled down my face, my small form swaying from side to side with the chamber, as my captor seems to be on the move again, she was likely escaping with her meal in tow. "sob, I guess this is how I go, a midnight snack to an escaped alien, sniffle, at least she gets to taste freedom with a free meal." I stated as I let it all out, tears steaming down my face. She must've fully left the facility at some point, because instead of the noises the organ made a long with blaring sirens and the deathly screams of guards, all I could hear was her stomach, breathing and heartbeat.

Eventually the swaying stopped, she must've found a hiding spot. I had grown drained from all the sobbing and general commotion, so I decided to let myself slip out of consciousness, letting the sounds of the chamber lul me to what was my final sleep, at least it was comfortable.

✨Ooohh pov switch✨

'this poor creature, they've been through so much during our time in the facility, and just when they thought they were finally able to escape, only to end up in a much more cramped prison.' I thought to myself as I rubbed my swollen midsection, caressing the now unconscious being within me. If only they could understand me like I understand them, once I find my ship I need to reinstall that translator. I understand why they might think this is the end for them, but it truly isn't, they're perfectly safe inside me, after all our talks and getting to know each other, as one sided as it all was, I've grown attached to them. I would never harm them, I just assumed it would be easier to carry them out like this, ans in truth it was. Once they wake up I should explain myself, but for now I'll keep kneading and rubbing st my middle, ive learned that this is a good way to keep the occupant soothed even when asleep. Rest up little thing, we've got a lot to do tomorrow, you'll need the energy.

(I wanted to apologize for how rushed and undetailed this might seem, it was rushed due to lack of time unfortunately, but I hope you guys like it wither way^^)

Happy Halloween~

[fencecollapsed]

ik you've mentioned you want to start making video essays before, do you have any specific topics you'd be interested in covering?

I have a few thoughts!

I wrote a pair of essays for one of my college classes a couple years back that were received really well by my professor, and they were about special effects. the first was informative, about the history and development of special effects in film, and the other was argumentative, about my opinions on practical effects, realistic CGI, and stylized CGI. I'm really proud of those still and I've very much thought about converting them into video essays for fun

I'd like to talk about spoiler culture too, as someone who doesn't care about spoilers and actively looks them up sometimes. I have some thoughts about that I think would be interesting to share

the margin of viewership would be much smaller for these I'm sure but I have some thoughts on a few Hatchetfield video essays I could do. analyzing Paul's tragic hero arc and why I think he's the best, most effective use of the "everyman" trope, because of course I'd have a Paul essay have you met me? I'd do a look at the whole cast of TGWDLM. the themes I take from all the main couples and how I think they each fit into the tone of the series. my thoughts on the structure of Black Friday, probably a look at the cast of that, too. proper, in-depth analyses of all the NMT stories (including converting my Perky's Buds post into more proper form). stuff like that

a Total Drama essay about how I would rewrite the World Tour season cuz it's the best season but it still sucks-

one about why Craig of the Creek is the most underrated current cartoon and deserves more love

a comparison of the Scott Pilgrim graphic novels vs the movie

an essay about my favorite movie, The Way Way Back

AND of course essays on all the Cornetto Trilogy movies,,, one comparing each leading duo and their relationship and my interpretations. one about how each one handles the women in the cast. one all about Shaun of the Dead, one all about Hot Fuzz. an all-encompassing one about the themes of all three. a fun one just talking about all the dumb shit I know about the trilogy and also Spaced, all the things I know that carry over and reference each other

and finally. my magnum opus. Why The World's End is the BEST of the Cornetto Trilogy, Actually: An In-Depth Analysis of Why I'm Right

[wrightedgar]

"While making ‘Spaced’, myself and Simon Pegg had this wild notion of making a film that took place in George’s universe, but with a distinctly deadpan North London response to his Pittsburgh zombie epics. The resulting film ‘Shaun Of The Dead’, would obviously not exist without the master himself. When we completed the movie, we decided that we should try and contact George and screen the film for him. To us, his was the only opinion that mattered.

Universal contacted George and screened the movie for him while he was on vacation in Florida. I remember being bemused that he watched the movie with a studio security guy in the theatre. As if George himself would pirate the movie! Even If he did, he would be more than due some profits from our cinematic valentine to him.

Later that night, George called us in London. I remember standing in my flat in Islington when I got the call from him and he couldn’t have been warmer and kinder about the movie. I remember him saying that it was ‘an absolute blast’. That indeed became the sole poster quote for the movie in the United States. I frequently think back to this moment of standing in my house as the moment my life truly changed and the world got smaller."

- Remembering George Romero by Edgar Wright

"The film is like a valentine to George Romero. It always made me bristle when people would say "Oh, zombie spoof". Spoof to my mind, just that word, means that it's derisive of the subject matter, and it's not. We would always call it a valentine, because it's done with real affection. We love those movies, (...) we are sharing our deep deep love for the subject. And so, with that in mind, there are lot's of references to Georges movies in there.

The first person we showed it in the States pretty much was George Romero. We wanted to show it to him because we wanted to make sure he was ok with it, and wanted to get his blessing. (...) He called me and Simon that night to say how much he loved it. His blessing meant everything to us. Everything after that was a bonus. The fact that George liked it. Because, obviously his movie, Night of the Living Dead, is probably one of the most influential movies of all time. All three of them. I always remember the moment where George Romero called us, in London, to say how much he liked the film. It was the moment where the world got smaller forever. I think so as one of the life changing moments of my career, really."

- Edgar Wright on Eli Roth’s History of Horror: Uncut

"This is one of the first lines we wrote. (...) Actually, when we spoke to George Romero on the phone after he had seen it, he really really enjoyed it and was going on about how much he loved it. I said "did you get the Night reference?" And he went "No." (Wright laughs) "You know, we said we are coming to get you Barbara". He goes "Oh yeah!". He actually didn't get it when he first watched it."

- Simon on the Shaun of the Dead (2004) audio commentary by Edgar Wright & Simon Pegg

[obsessivelollipoplalala]

Omg in what blog post phoebe dragged them? I want the tea 😂

It’s not piping hot tea, exactly. It was a blog post Phoebe wrote almost exactly a year ago. He was diplomatic and somewhat vague, but he said this:

“I must also make another apology: to all those people who were around Freddie during those twelve years, 1979-1991, that I was working for him, and I just didn’t see them. I must have been walking around blindfolded, as there are so many people out there on the internet who know Freddie so much better than myself. Also, I don’t seem to recognise any of their names. I think it is quite sad how people have to hide behind pseudonyms and avatars when they produce their fonts of knowledge, so no one is really able to thank them for all their sound advice. I would ask only one thing, please don’t talk about things that you have no first hand knowledge about. There are things on the internet currently I find quite hurtful, particularly as one of the people involved is no longer alive to defend/explain himself.”

First of all, from what I’ve seen, the only people who have to “hide” behind avatars and pseudonyms are people like Shaun Matthews, who had positive things to say about Jim, and negative things about Mary. But even if that section was not a reference to Jim haters, the last part almost certainly is about Jim, who isn’t alive to defend himself anymore. Out of all the people in Freddie’s life who is also dead, Jim has gotten the most hate and had the most hurtful things said about him, including but not limited to: he was a gold digger, he betrayed Freddie’s privacy for money, and he outright physically abused him. Phoebe is above getting into internet fights, so this is as explicit as he’ll probably ever get, but he has an Instagram and has been around fandom spaces (I still think about that deleted tumblr blog he liked...), so he more than likely saw that vile shit.

[transformers-mosaic]

Transformers: Beast Wars - Second Chances - Page 1

Originally posted on February 2nd, 2011

Story - Shaun Flaherty Art - Cory Holmes Colours - Roy Stiffey Letters - HdE

deviantART

wada sez: Like many Mosaic strips, and official tie-in media from 3H Productions, Beast Wars - Second Chances aims to show the fates of various characters who were left on Earth at the end of the cartoon. Tarantulas was presumed destroyed in the episode “Other Victories”, but clearly some vestige of him remains! “Operation: Ninth Eye” was reportedly an idea of Mike Priest’s, a reference to Tarantulas oddly having nine eyes instead of eight in beast mode. See below for Shaun Flaherty’s original script, which was dated to April 21st, 2009. In addition, each of the writers on Beast Wars: Second Chances contributed a personal bio explaining their history with the franchise; you can find Shaun’s “Writer Spotlight” below as well.

PAGE ONE (six panels)

Panel 1.  Prehistoric Earth, as seen from space.

CAP: Earth.

Panel 2.  Outside a cave.  It is surrounded by quiet, desert terrain.

CAP: Four million years ago…

CAP/COMPUTER VOICE: “…Three --

CAP/COMPUTER VOICE: “-- Two --

CAP/COMPUTER VOICE: “-- One --”

Panel 3.  Inside the cave.  It is one of Tarantulas’s abandoned laboratories/lairs.  It is dark, but just enough sunlight spills in from outside to see that it is filled with deactivated equipment.  A monitor glows green, but what is on its screen is not visible.

Reference: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cssWMayeniQ (1:29) wada sez: dead link Tarantulas’ lair

COMPUTER VOICE (OP): -- Zero.

COMPUTER VOICE (OP): Countdown sequence complete.

COMPUTER VOICE (OP): Initiate Operation: Ninth Eye.

Panel 4.  Equipment comes to life.  Lights come on.  An arachnoid skitters.  On a monitor is a body of text; it reads as follows in Cybertronix (Predacon characters):

OPERATION: NINTH EYE

FRAG IT. TORCH THE SLAG OUT OF EVERYTHING.

Reference: Arachnoid Cybertronix

COMPUTER VOICE (OP): Initiating.

TARANTULAS (OP): Hm-me-he-hee…

Panel 5.  More equipment comes to life.  More lights come on.  More arachnoids skitter.  On a monitor is a wire-frame schematic of Arachnid (beast mode).  On another monitor is a wire-frame schematic of Transmetal Tarantulas (robot mode).

Reference: Arachnid Tarantulas

TARANTULAS (OP): M-ma-ha-ha-ha!

Panel 6.  An extreme close-up of the monitor from Panel 3.  On its screen is an extreme close-up of a green, digital representation of Tarantulas’s (robot mode) face; he laughs maniacally.

Reference: Tarantulas (Seibertron) Tarantulas (TFWiki)

TARANTULAS: Mah-he-hee-ha-ha-ha!!!

Believe it or not, the project that became BEAST WARS: Second Chances began over a year ago. In September 2008, Josh van Reyk, one of the creative minds behind Transformers: Mosaic, pitched the idea of a Beast Wars one-shot to a handful of us writers and we ran with the idea!  Hundreds of email messages ensued as we hammered out the story.  A lot of great stuff ended up on the "cutting room floor" as we tried to cram as much Beast Wars awesomeness into 22 short pages as possible. So, that's the beginning of how this baby came together, but what about me?  What's my story?  In case you're wondering, here's a taste: My name is Shaun Flaherty.  I am 30 years old and newly married.  I went to school for acting and currently manage a health club. But before all that, there were Transformers. Being born at the very end of the Seventies, I was a Star Wars kid, but soon after the Jedi returned, I discovered something else.  On my first day of kindergarten in 1984, my father presented me with Optimus Prime and 25 years later I still love robots in disguise. Fast-forward a decade or so, past weekday afternoons and a Movie, past reruns and Generation 2.  I discovered Beast Wars late one Saturday morning on a crappy little TV with terrible reception and it was love at first sight. Five delightful seasons (including Beast Machines) and then it was gone. DreamWave promised more, but delivered only one short story.  IDW promised more, but delivered something that wasn't quite the Beast Wars that I had in mind. Our goal with BEAST WARS: Second Chances is to recapture magic, even if only for a moment.  Our goal is for Second Chances to feel like Beast Wars to you. Although the finished product is still a way's away, we hope you'll like what you'll see. -- Shaun Flaherty

[sendmyresignation]

hold on im sending 2 sorry ☕ danger days(album and/or comic)

ooh thank you barry for indulging my desire to talk!!

i love both the album and the comic but I'll talk about the comic since i kind of already got on a roll about it (though I do absolutely love danger days as a record and I will defend her until I die <3). Anyway. i adore the killjoys comic. which is unpopular or out of vogue to admit gerard is good at comics or whatever. but killjoys has (3) components that make it valuable to me- gerard/shaun's writing, the ending, and the use of the fabulous killjoys as a mythic legend.

like first of all, i want to say the comic is beautifully written from like a prose perspective. the writing is evocative and gorgeous and unique to the world created. I mean "louder than gods revolver and twice as shiny" is seeped in imagery that makes the meaning easy to understand and yet so specifically of this universe. but gerard's word bank of phrases and literary references are still present- like the scene with red and blue where they talk about talking each other's hands? immediate lady of sorrows connection in my brain. and it made it more emotionally rewarding because the connatations are stronger in a smaller space. ideal for comic writing.

also, the decision to make val a more antagonistic character instead of an anti-hero.... gerard I love you mayhaps. in any other comic written by any other dude. val would be a hero everyone rallies behind and he would be narratively rewarded for his actions. but the fact that he is proven wrong and realizes his mistakes and is narratively punished.... the key to bringing everything down is saving everyone, no innocent casualities, no 'for the greater good'- it's about violent and aggressive and angry compassion. the girl grows up and fulfills her destiny but her destiny comes from within. just. i could keep talking about this but yeah.... i love the ending

But the killjoys comic is so good because the fab four aren't even there. this is a comic about surviving after your heros are dead. about making it on your own with the memories of the people who inspired you to keep fighting moving you forward. they don't need faces or names or anything. what they represented is what matters. their legacy becomes the desert itself and all the people fighting within it. is that not the perfect goodbye letter?

[hetaces]

@whatsnew-lgbtq​‘s 31 days of pride day 9!! i know I haven’t been doing ‘em all but that’s okay.

day 9: books

so books are my area of expertise honestly so I picked a few favorites to talk about a lil bit here (I’ll put it under a cut).

And feel free to ask me about more books because I’m Like That.

These are all ownvoices in at least one way. Ownvoices rep will be italicized in the list.

Highly Illogical Behavior by John Corey Whaley When you hear what this book is about, it sounds really bad. Like “Girl decides to ‘fix’ agoraphobic gay boy and her boyfriend gets ~close~ with him” is essentially what the synopsis says. It sets it up for every bad trope. And then uses none of them. It’s so good, has great portrayal of good accommodations, healthy friendship, and a bunch of Star Trek references. Representation: Sol is gay and agoraphobic

Heart of Iron by Ashley Poston Don’t look up the synopsis yourself, go right to goodreads (i’d link but you know how tumblr is with links), some of the synopses that come up automatically start with a “it’s like [story] in space” and it’s a spoiler. I’ll put the first part of it here bc it’s hard to get the words. Seventeen-year-old Ana is a scoundrel by nurture and an outlaw by nature. Found as a child drifting through space with a sentient android called D09, Ana was saved by a fearsome space captain and the grizzled crew she now calls family. But D09—one of the last remaining illegal Metals—has been glitching, and Ana will stop at nothing to find a way to fix him. Representation: Ana is written as acespec (not Super clear but it was the intent) Captain Siege is a lesbian. Telle is a lesbian. Robb is gay. Jax is gay.

The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee So, there’s a lot of hype around Gentleman’s Guide and I was sort of expecting to be let down, but it more than lived up to it. Henry "Monty" Montague is going on his Tour of the continent (travel around Europe and have fun one last time, is the idea). Chaotic disaster bisexual Monty causes trouble, of course. So then on the way to dropping his sister off at finishing school before returning home early, they get attacked. Because Monty is a dumbass (it’s actually his fault). Cue rich kids travelling with no money & trying to avoid a growing number of people. Mackenzi Lee has hit the nail on the head with growth. Not only does she get that sometimes, growth does happen because of one moment of learning, she also writes it well, which is a really difficult thing to write. There’s a lot of heavy stuff in it, but none of it was thrown in for no reason, it’s actually important to the books and to the characters. Representation: Monty is bi, has PTSD, and (at the end of the first book, so spoilers) deaf on one side Percy is mixed, mlm, and (you find out part way through so if you’re picky about it it could be spoilers), epileptic. Felicity is aroace. Many other characters who aren’t white and a wlw character in the second book.

I Wish You All The Best by Mason Deaver After Ben comes out to their parents, things don’t exactly go well. They get kicked out, and have to go live with their sister who they haven’t seen in 10 years. They start over at a new school, only out to their sister, her husband, and their therapist (because hey, look how well coming out went last time). This book is so damn cute. And a book with a nonbinary main character! Representation: Ben is nonbinary Nathan is bisexual and black

Every Heart a Doorway by Seanan McGuire Think Narnia, but with more worlds and less religion and you've got the concept of the doorways. Children have always been disappearing - going through a door that's appeared to them. But magic worlds rarely have use for used up miracle children. So they're sent back. But they don't come back the same. The children at Elanor West's Home for Wayward Children have all tumbled once. And they all want to get back. But with Nancy's arrival, things start going wrong. Representation: Nancy is asexual Jack is pan and has OCD Kade is a trans guy Sumi is bi (Seanan McGuire is a queer cis woman)

You Asked for Perfect by Laura Silverman Ariel Stone is a perfect student: he’s a community volunteer, first chair violin, and is on track to be valedictorian. And then he fails a calc test. When he finds he can’t fix it himself, he reluctantly gets a tutor. And he may not like calc, but he might like Amir. I started recommending this book to people when I was 5 pages into it. Ariel is so explicitly Jewish that Laura Silverman put her grandmother’s matzo ball soup recipe in the back because it’s not fair to rave about it so much and not provide a recipe. He’s explicitly bisexual by page 8. Amir and Sook’s eyes are both described as “warm” and I honestly think it’s the first time I’ve seen characters of color’s eyes described as anything but “dark”. Representation: Ariel is bisexual and Jewish Amir is a gay Pakistani Muslim Sook is a chubby Korean lesbian

The Past and Other Things That Should Stay Buried by Shaun David Hutchinson Shaun is back with more “so... the world might be ending?” and I absolutely love it. Dino’s ex-best-friend July died suddenly 4 days ago, and his family runs the funeral home. Dino is touching up July’s makeup (he knows how she wore it and everyone was doing it wrong), and she wakes up. But she’s not exactly... alive. She’s just not-dead. And then... other people just stop dying. So they have to figure out what’s happening. How July came back - or at least how to re-kill her when nobody can die. So not only is it a super interesting book, it’s also like... Shaun goes in on topics like “gay people making gay jokes and straight people making gay jokes are different” and “a cis guy might (might) not mind if you call him a girl, but do not call a trans guy a girl” Also I recommend anything by Shaun David Hutchinson. Representation: Dino is gay Rafi is trans, mlm, and mixed (white/Pakistani) Multiple LGBTQ+ minor characters

On The Edge of Gone by Corinne Duyvis It’s an end-of-the-world type book (via comet strike). Due to strange circumstances, Denise and her mother end up not at their government assigned shelter, but on a generation ship. And Denise has just a few days to find her sister and prove that her skills are worth 3 spots on a ship with limited resources. Representation: Denise is mixed (Surinamese/white) and autistic Iris is mixed (Surinamese/white) and a bi trans woman. Els is wlw. Leyla is wlw. Samira and Nordin are Muslim Some minor characters.

Radio Silence by Alice Oseman I’m just gonna give y’all the actual synopsis this time

You probably think that Aled Last and I are going to fall in love or something. Since he is a boy and I am a girl. I just wanted to say—we don’t. Frances Janvier spends most of her time studying. When she’s not studying, she’s up in her room making fan art for her favorite podcast, Universe City. Everyone knows Aled Last as that quiet boy who gets straight As. But no one knows he’s the creator of Universe City, who goes by the name Radio Silence. When Frances gets a message from Radio Silence asking if she’ll collaborate with him, everything changes. Frances and Aled spend an entire summer working together and becoming best friends. They get each other when no one else does. But when Aled’s identity as Radio Silence is revealed, Frances fears that the future of Universe City—and their friendship—is at risk. Aled helped her find her voice. Without him, will she have the courage to show the world who she really is? Or will she be met with radio silence?

This book is so good but fair warning, it gets really heavy. 

Representation: Aled is demisexual (Alice is queer/aroace) Frances is bi and mixed (white/Ethiopian) Daniel is gay and Korean Carys is a lesbian Raine is pan, Indian, and Hindu

Otherbound by Corinne Duyvis Otherbound is set in two worlds - Nolan’s (ours) and Amara’s (the Dunelands, where magic is real). Amara is on the run with the former princess, Cilla, whose family was overthrown by the ministers. Cilla has been cursed and is being hunted, and Amara’s particular type of healing magic is, basically, convenient for redirecting Cilla’s curse. Since they were children, Nolan has been experiencing Amara’s world through her every time he closes his eyes. He sees through her eyes, feels what she feels, smells what she smells. But he’s just a silent observer. She doesn’t even know he’s there. Until now. Representation: Nolan is Mexica and disabled Amara is not white, mute (due to mutilation), and bi Cilla is not white, fat, and a lesbian The majority of other characters are also not white.

[adamsdoyle]

My girlfriend asked me to make her a list of works of fantasy and science fiction so should could feel keyed into references when they come up in conversation. She wanted to feel more grounded in these genres, which she likes, but hasnt made the effort to be on top of everything.

I was happy to compile the most important names, but told her it couldn’t be a short list because recognizing the works of today means honoring their origins, which goes way back into our past. 

What’s below is my best effort to include what I assess to be the most culturally relevant becoming, tempering my favorites, and trying to keep it from being totally overwhelming. I’ve left off works from the past five to ten years because it can take a span of time before we're aware the effects new ideas may have. Felt like sharing here in case you or your friends want a crash course on the bedrock of our imagined landscape. I do try to be globally aware, however this list will reflect my bias as a white, straight, male who grew up in the States. And as this is an ongoing conversation between her and myself, I wanted to be able to vouch for the contents.

-Key-

(Wiki)  Read up for cultural significance *         Personal Favorite +        Hugely influential ^        Non-Essential but worth listing

-Literature-

8,000 BC Aboriginal mythology (pre written language)

2,300 BC Egyptian & Chinese myths+

1,000 BC The Old Testament+

900 BC Greek myths, fables, and all the rest

300 BC - 1800 AD Folk and fairy tales+

1000 AD Beowulf (Wiki)

1100s Legend of King Arthur+ 1200s Norse mythology+

1300s The Inferno - Dante Alighieri+

1500s A Midsummer Night’s Dream - Shakespeare

1600s Paradise Lost*

1700s Gulliver’s Travels The Arabian Nights (Wiki)

1800s Faust Frankenstein* - Mary Wollstonecraft Shelly+ Grimm’s fairy tales+ (Wiki brothers, who collected folktales) The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde* Dracula - Bram Stoker+ Alice in Wonderland - Lewis Carroll+ Flatland The Time Machine & War of the Worlds - HG Wells+ (godfather of SF) Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea - Jules Verne+ The Tell-Tale Heart - Edgar Allan Poe+

1900s Peter Pan - JM Barry The Comet - WEB Dubois Little Nemo in Slumberland - Winsor McCay The Book of Wonder - Lord Dunsany (less known now, he was highly influential in his time for fantasy & mythos) The Metamorphosis - Franz Kafka+ (Einstein’s Theory of Relativity) The Wizard of Oz - L. Frank Baum+ John Carter of Mars - (Wiki) Call of Cthulhu or The Outsider - HP Lovecraft+ Brave New World - Aldous Huxley (Teacher of Orwell��https://bit.ly/2xayA23) 1984 - George Orwell+ Amazing Stories magazine - John Campbell+ (writer & editor)

After 1950 Lord of the Rings - JRR Tolkien+ Chronicles of Narnia* - CS Lewis I Am Legend - Richard Matheson (The first real zombie story. Also wrote for Twilight Zone) Childhood’s End - Arthur C Clarke+ I, Robot - Isaac Asimov+ Farenheit 451 - Ray Bradbury Funes the Memorious or The Garden of Forking Paths - Borges+ Slaughterhouse Five - Kurt Vonnegut Wizard of Earthsea or The Lathe of Heaven - Ursula LeGuin Stranger in a Strange Land - Robert Heinlein Dune Where the Wild Things Are - Maurice Sendak The Neverending Story* ^The Man in the High Castle Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? - (inspired Bladerunner) Philip K Dick+ The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy A Wrinkle in Time The Stand - Stephen King+

After 1980 Invisible Cities - Italo Calvino Xanth series* Communion - (True account of alien abduction) Neuromancer - William Gibson+ Handmaid’s Tale - Margaret Atwood Jurassic Park - Michael Crichton+ Snow Crash - Neal Stephenson Ender’s Game* - Orson Scott Card Parable of the Sower - Octavia Butler A Song of Ice & Fire - George RR Martin ^Hunger Games Harry Potter - JK Rowling+ Who Fears Death

-Comics/Superheroes-

-DC Comics- Superman (Wiki how he came to be) Wonder Woman (Wiki how she came to be or watch Professor Marston and the Wonder Women. Very interesting) Batman (and Joker) The Sandman - Neil Gaiman Watchmen* - Alan Moore+

-Marvel Comics- Spiderman* (Wiki how he came to be) X Men* Avengers (the hugely popular films all started with decades of comics) Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles* Hellboy*

-Games- Dungeons & Dragons+ Magic the Gathering Netrunner

-Artists & Illustrators-

1100-1200 Anonymous monk’s illuminated manuscript creatures - https://bit.ly/2Ynytf7

1400s Hieronomous Bosch+ Leonardo DaVinci Michelangelo+ 1500s Arcimboldo

1800s Gustav Doré+ Howard Pyle JW Waterhouse

1900s Maxfield Parish NC Wyeth+ Sir John Tenniel Windsor McCay+ Arthur Rackham - fairy tales Jack Kirby - superhero comics Margaret Brundage - Weird Tales covers Picasso - Cubism Chesley Bonestell - space travel, integral to NASA Frank Frazetta MC Escher Heinrich Kley Sun Ra - Afrofuturist musician

After 1980 Jeff Easley - D&D Jim Lee - X Men Michael Whelan  H.R. Giger - Alien films Brian Froud  Syd Mead - design of Bladerunner & other films Roger Dean - album covers Jean Giraud aka Moebius Bill Waterson - Calvin & Hobbes Leo Dillon and Diane Dillon James Gurney - Dinotopia Alan Lee - Lord of the Rings Alex Ross - superheroes Chris Van Allsburg Mike Mignola - Hellboy Mary GrandPré - Harry Potter

-Radio-

1930s -1950s Flash Gordon War of the Worlds (Wiki Orson Welles’ radio hoax) Buck Rogers The Shadow and much more in the ensuing years, including adaptations of The Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, and The Hitchhiker’s Guide

-TV Shows-

After 1950s Twilight Zone - Rod Serling Lost in Space Star Trek - (Wiki) Gene Roddenberry Dr Who (Wiki) The Jetsons (Wiki) Cosmos - Carl Sagan+ (Science fact)

After 1980s Transformers Quantum Leap Twin Peaks - David Lynch (not really either genre but impact has been undeniable) Buffy the Vampire Slayer* - Joss Whedon X Files* Neon Genesis Evangelion

After 2000 Firefly - Joss Whedon Lost* - JJ Abrams Battlestar Galactica Black Mirror* Game of Thrones Westworld* - reboot of Michael Crichton 1970s film

-Films-

1900s King Kong (Wiki) The Wizard of Oz+ Fantasia- Disney+ Monster movies- Dracula, The Mummy, The Wolfman, Creature from the Black Lagoon, Frankenstein (Wiki)

After 1950 Godzilla+ (Wiki) Seven Samurai or Hidden Fortress - Akira Kurosawa+ (Not SF or fantasy but influential) The 7th Voyage of Sinbad - Special effects by Ray Harryhausen (Wiki) Invasion of the Body Snatchers 2001 A Space Odyssey - Stanley Kubrick+ (Wiki) Planet of the Apes Night of the Living Dead+ (Wiki) Superman #Star Wars Trilogy - George Lucas (owing to Joseph Campbell’s monomyth)+

After 1980 Bladerunner* - Ridley Scott ^Legend Mad Max series Alien or sequel Aliens Close Encounters of the 3rd Kind - Steven Spielberg+ ET Star Trek series Back to the Future Brazil - Terry Gilliam+ Tron+ Ghostbusters* Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure* The Princess Bride* Labyrinth* The Terminator & Terminator 2* - James Cameron+ Akira The Fifth Element Robocop Beetlejuice ^Nightmare Before Xmas* Jurassic Park - Steven Spielberg+ The City of Lost Children* The Iron Giant* 12 Monkeys Groundhog Day* The Sixth Sense Ghost in the Shell (1995 anime) Gattaca* Donnie Darko* Starship Troopers (tongue in cheek adaptation of Heinlein’s classic) The Matrix*

After 2000 Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon My Neighbor Totoro or Spirited Away - Hayao Miyazaki ^Underworld Minority Report Lord of the Rings Primer ^The Incredibles Shaun of the Dead*  Pan’s Labyrinth - Guillermo del Toro Moon* Marvel Cinematic Universe ^Idiocracy Inception* &/or Interseller - Christopher Nolan+

[fallout4holmes]

Journal 44

A return to business as usual was interrupted by Danse contacting me. I presumed at first he would have opinions regarding the recent attack on Jamaica Plain - Gunners, though they retreated and haven't been seen in the area since - but my friend surprised me. He wanted to remind me of my promise to Billy Peabody that he would meet other children.

Jamaica Plain would have been an ideal location, but with the recent attack, Danse suggested The Castle as an alternative. Ms. Shaw might not care for children running around her fort, but it would be a goodwill symbol and the children would be impressed. Most importantly, it's safe.

I agreed, and sent word to the Peabodys, MacCready, and every other family I've met who have a child. The invitation was extended to all the children of Diamond City as well, though I didn't expect much of a response. The Castle may be safe, but the journey through Boston is not, and so Valentine and I found ourselves escorting only our son and Nat Wright. Piper joined us, and Dogmeat of course.

MacCready and Duncan were there, and late in the day came Matt Peabody and Billy. Roger Warwick and his son Wally also made the trip north, which I was particularly glad to see since they live the closest to the Peabodys. Mr. Warwick was a bit… startled, to meet my partner. There was a clear moment of fear at seeing a second generation synth for the first time in a year, and he didn't bother to hide his confusion when Valentine spoke to him.

“Don't worry, friend, the Institute and I weren't on speaking terms even before they were blown up. I'm a prototype. I got out.”

Warwick processed this and shook Valentine's hand. “Then I'm pleased to meet you. Ah. Has Holmes told you -”

“About you?” Valentine grinned, “Secret's safe with me, don't worry. Did you meet Matt? You two are practically neighbors, or would be if there wasn't a factory full of super mutants in the way.”

That was something of an exaggeration, but Mr. Warwick and Mr. Peabody immediately set to discussing trade while I introduced MacCready to Ms. Shaw. He's made it perfectly clear that he's not a Minuteman, yet, he's only working for us. Shaw found that simultaneously annoying and amusing, but welcomed the help. Piper started interviewing the Minutemen stationed at the Castle about the success of the Minutemen and the history of the location. They humored her, though she did manage to strike up an in-depth conversation with one who once lived in Diamond City as a very young girl.

The children, for their part, hit it off instantly. Shaun showed no hesitation beyond a quick, “wow!” when introduced to Billy. Given that one of his fathers is mechanical, it's no surprise that physical appearance means little to him. Nat and Duncan followed their friend's lead, and Wally, not wanting to be left out, joined in the fun. They started with tag outside the door under the watchful eye of Dogmeat. The Minutemen on guard were there as well of course, but they had their duties to attend.

Some Minutemen thought this event was simply the General performing a public relations stunt; others thought it was good for kids to see what the Minutemen are like up close, in case they ever need them or want to join. A few Minutemen even started trying to come up with a way to safely transport more people here. Stealing a Brotherhood vertibird was floated as a possibility, but I silenced that with a glance. “Just a joke, General.”

I smiled, “How would you fly it if you did manage to steal one?”

They frowned, and went back to brainstorming.

The day went very well, a chill night wind sending the children inside. The children and their families shared space in the barracks overnight, and in the morning it was time for everyone to return home. Billy was effusive in his thanks, and told me to thank “Mr. Danse” as well. Mr. Peabody echoed the sentiment. I told them I would, and they headed south with the Warwicks.

MacCready and Duncan followed us west. When Piper found out MacCready is from the Capital Wasteland, her questions didn't stop until we parted ways. MacCready, clearly attempting to flirt, was more than happy to answer until it was time for he and Duncan to move further north.

After our safe return home, life finally returned to its usual routine - as much of a routine as a private detective in a post-apocalyptic wasteland can have. Much like before the war, there are always people who need help. Unfortunately, also as it was before the War, many of their problems are dull. Valentine would scold me for referring to them as such, but that is the best description. Now that I’ve grasped the finer points of life in this century, now that I can distinguish a scavver from a trader from a farmer by the patterns of mud on their knees, much of the mystery of the world is vanishing. It’s difficult to keep myself occupied.

And so it was that one afternoon Valentine came home from the office to find out why I hadn’t joined him there yet. He found me lying on the sofa with an arm draped across my face. He spoke to Codsworth in the hall, as if that would be far enough for me not to know what they were talking about, and strolled over to me.

“Any way I can help?” he asked.

“Murder someone and do a marvelous job hiding the evidence.”

I could hear the smile in his voice, “How about something less gruesome?”

“Burglary, blackmail, anything. As long as it’s stimulating.”

“Mhm. Here, move your legs… alright, I’ll move them for you.” My legs were suddenly pushed over the side as Valentine sat down, resulting in my body shaped like an ‘L’. “Now sit up.” I did not. He sighed, “Come on, Holmes, what’s wrong?”

“Depression triggered by the futility of a banal existence,” I answered flatly.

I heard the strike of a match as he lit a cigarette, “I sure hope existential ennui isn’t hereditary.” I scoffed at his attempt at humor before realizing he might have been in earnest. “Codsworth told me you haven’t eaten today. At all.”

“Food. What appeal could that possibly hold?”

“At the very least, it’ll help keep the folks who love you from worrying so much. You gonna be lying here like this when Shaun gets home from school?”

“Possibly.” I fully recognize I was being petulant now, but at the time I only knew I was bored.

Valentine smoked in silence for a few moments. “How do you feel about ghosts?”

The question was so outlandish I brought my arm down from my face, “What?”

He tried not to grin at his miniscule success at gaining my interest, “Rumor has it that the old Museum of Witchcraft up in Salem is haunted.”

I frowned, “Valentine, my feet remain firmly in the realm of reality, no matter my mental state. Ghosts need not apply.”

“They do when the alternative is this,” he gestured to my position. “I’m getting you out of the house, and away from any potential, uh, temptations.”

I was annoyed, “I haven’t taken anything.”

“But you’ve thought about it.”

He wasn’t accusing, there was no malice or judgement in his voice, just a simple fact and all the consequences it implied. I would have been remarkably irritated if he didn’t love me so much. “Salem is at least a two day walk,” was my rather pathetic attempt at argument.

He laughed. “Since when has that stopped you?”

The outside of the museum resembles a Gothic style church, as fitting a setting as any. The main door to the building was chained shut, so we searched for another way in. Near the cellar door on the side lay the body of a Gunner, torn apart. Quite literally.

“Goodness,” Valentine muttered as I inspected the remains. “What do you think got her?”

“This might shed some light on the matter,” I said as I held up a holotape. The Gunner had been recording when she was killed. I played it on my Pip-Boy, and listened to this Private Hart speak to her commanding officer about hauling luggage from Lynn Woods for a robot butler named Wellingham.

“Wellingham?!” Valentine was shocked. Wellingham, I recalled, is the name of the Mr. Handy that works at an Upper Stands taphouse in Diamond City. “What the hell sort of business does that bartending bot have with Gunners?”

The tape continued, revealing the Gunners were being pursued by… something. Whatever it was, it was enough to have the commander in a mild panic. Everyone hurried inside the museum… except Private Hart, who was caught before she even knew what she was supposed to be running from.

A cold wind rattled the dead leaves on the trees and ground. “We goin’ in?” Valentine asked.

“My dear Valentine, this excursion was your suggestion. We would be remiss to turn back without investigating the ‘haunting.’”

“Thought you’d say that,” my partner grumbled and readied his gun. Together we descended into the basement.

We found the body of the commanding officer dismembered and beheaded on the floor, two of his squad in similar state close by. Something very large moved across the floorboards above our head. “Well, I don't think it's a mole rat,” Valentine softly muttered.

“Indeed.” I started to move toward the stair up to the main floor, the light of my Pip-Boy casting them in eerie green. The body of a dead Gunner hung through a gap in the dilapidated boards overhead. We froze as something pulled it out of sight.

“My god,” Valentine's voice betrayed a trace of fear. I couldn't blame him as a chill went down my own spine.

We could have turned back, but now I was curious. We crept up the stairs and entered the museum. The main floor of the building had been demolished, with little to indicate that once it had held any sort of exhibits or historical value. A low growl came from the back of the room as we hurried across the front, a massive scaled shape roaming the debris, its horned head turning as if looking for something.

We ran through the next doorway. “Front door’s chained shut,” Valentine whispered, “and getting that rusted lock off’s gonna make a lot of racket… what on earth?”

We’d stumbled upon a Gunner corpse in the museum’s bathroom. Scattered among his remains were gigantic eggs, their shells cracked or crushed. The man’s log provided an explanation - the Gunners were hired by Wellingham to bring him a nest of deathclaw eggs. The senior officers knew the mission, but the men, this sergeant and the private dead outside, and likely every other corpse in the building, had no idea what they were carrying.

I spotted a single undamaged egg and carefully picked it up.

“Letting a deathclaw see you carrying her egg ain’t the best idea,” Valentine muttered as he kept watch out the door.

“I have no intention of letting her. The nest is somewhere near Lynn Woods. We’ll have to make quick work of that chain on the door, or sneak out past -”

“Partner, I gotta admit, exactly how we’re gonna find a deathclaw nest without getting ripped apart escapes me.”

He had a point. “Still, it’ll be a cold day in hell before I let that glorified liquor cabinet use this to feed his pampered customers.”

“Ah, spite. Few motivations are so great.”

“You think this is insane.”

“Nope. I always like the idea of returning stolen goods. Hey, now’s our chance. Let’s move.”

We managed to escape that place without drawing the deathclaw’s attention and headed for Lynn Woods. “You are certain you want to come with me to return this egg?”

“I'd rather it be me doing the returning, simply because I probably won't die if a deathclaw rips my arms off, but the idea's a good one. It's not easy to do the right thing for something that seems so evil, but everyone deserves their fair shot.”

His sincerity brought me up short. “Mr. Valentine, sometimes you are astounding,” I said with full affection.

He was amused, “Not bad yourself, Mr. Holmes.”

“I'm perfectly serious. The amount of compassion you maintain in the face of this world is nothing short of incredible.”

“Ain't always the case,” he cautioned, “and my patience for folks gets pretty short when they waste their chance to do good.”

“Be as humble as you like, I stand by my statement.”

He laughed, “God forbid I argue with your ridiculously high opinion of me.” His hand briefly brushed my lower back, “Come on, let's get that egg back to the nest.”

Having left the presumed mother of the eggs in Salem, it was something of a surprise when the other parent stepped out of the darkness as we crept toward the nest. We froze, the egg in my outstretched hands. It growled, but didn’t attack.

“Think it knows what we're trying to do?” Valentine whispered.

“I don't want to stay to find out,” I muttered, and gently put the egg in the pile of vegetation and dirt. The deathclaw took a single step forward as we slowly backed away, watching our retreat until we were willing to attempt turning tail and running as fast as we could away from that place.

“You know Holmes,” Valentine joked, “I think ‘no ghost stories’ might be a good company policy after all.”

[pennyapound]

Here’s the thing, Hot Fuzz is an action/comedy/thriller spoof that also happens to have a love story between two men. As in actual romantic love.

How do I know? Because of Victoria.

Most people who are fans of Hot Fuzz know that Nicolas was supposed to have a female love interest named Victoria. However, when Wright started working on how to film the script he realised the movie would be way too long, so he and Pegg decided to cut out Victoria. She took up way too much time despite not being important to the main mystery plot, but the romantic subplot of Nicolas having to learn to truly love another human being had become too integral to his character development. They fixed this problem by giving the majority of Victoria’s scenes and dialogue to Danny.

In other words, they made Danny the love interest.

All those scenes with Nicolas and Danny that seem romantic ARE romantic. They were written to be explicitly romantic, but because the words are coming out of Danny, a man, instead of Victoria people think it’s supposed to be a joke. Try imagining Danny being played by a woman in those scenes. Are they still funny or just straight up romantic scenes? (Well, except for the obvious jokey jokes)

Wright and Pegg weren’t messing around with this. They spend a fortune on Nicolas and Danny’s romantic theme music because they hired an actual orchestra to give it the right weight and feel (all other music in the movie was made much cheaper on computers). It plays in the background during the scene where they talk about why they became cops, when they sit on the couch and Nicolas talk about his past failings as a boyfriend, and when they make up after fighting.

The whole peace lily plot was lifted directly from Victoria. Nicolas buys her the flower, but doesn’t realise that it’s a romantic gesture until the owner of the shop asks him if it’s “for someone special”. He thinks for a moment before saying “Yes it is”. That was the moment Nicolas realised he was in love. Nothing was changed in the final film except he’s talking about Danny. When Nicolas tells the other police officers that he bought flowers for Danny, the room goes silent for half a second. Doris is seen with a knowing smile.

Nicolas and Danny’s relationships is framed as romantic before they even meet. When Nicolas’ ex girlfriend, Janine, tells him to find someone he can “care more about than work” she clearly means a romantic partner. They are talking about their own failed relationship and she encourages him to find someone he can love more than he loved her. Nicolas later confess to Danny that he kept forgetting Janine’s birthday, and is deeply upset when he finds out he almost missed Danny’s birthday later. A clear connection is made between Nicolas’ past romantic relationships and Danny.

The monkey plushy plot was added to make the romance more true to Danny. Not only is it in line with Danny’s character that he would love a gift that Nicolas won for him by using his superior shooting skills, it’s also a classic romantic gesture. The focus is so heavily on Nicolas picking up a weapon for the first time in years we don’t realise it’s a classic case of “guy winning a plushy for his crush” until later when Danny gives the monkey back and Nicolas gets sad, saying he won it for Danny.

It can feel like they are just spoofing the bromances of past action movies, and no doubt it was part of the motivation for giving the romantic subplot to Danny. But they’re not just going “Look, we can do that too!” They took these odd homoerotic “no homo” relationships and mocked them by making it an actually deep felt, important and serious love between two men. They don’t accidentally touch and have homophobic panic attacks. They snuggle up on the sofa.

Interestingly the big reference to Point Break in Hot Fuzz doesn’t compare Johnny and Bodhi’s infamous platonic love to Nicolas and Danny’s relationship. Instead it compares them to Danny and his dad, keeping it intense but platonic.

After all this you might be thinking “If their relationship is supposed to be romantic, why don’t they kiss?” People don’t kiss in the Cornetto Trilogy. Don’t ask me why, but romantic relationships aren’t sealed with onscreen kisses in this series. Not even Shaun and Liz kissed in Shaun of The Dead despite having dated for three years.

“Both Nicolas and Danny are shown to be straight. Nicolas was about to marry Janine and Danny says he had a crush on a woman in town” All I can say is that if you think this, you don’t know Simon Pegg’s movies. You could say bisexual/biromantic men are a very common occurrence in his works, but in reality his views on sex and romance seem more muddled than that. If you sit down and watch all the movies and shows he had a hand in writing it becomes clear that he considers those things very fluid and blurry. Mike from Spaced slept with Marsha and would have ended up with Dexter if the series had gotten another season. He’s also clearly in love with Tim who doesn’t feel any sexual attraction to Mike, but he loves Mike and they’re seen holding hands (Tim is an insecure fuckboy though. Despite his relationship with Mike he reacts with low-key homophobia to other men having similar relationships, and despite Tim liking to wear women’s clothes when he’s alone he dismissively calls Vulva a tranny). Like I said, sexuality and romance are blurred in Simon Pegg’s works and can either be interconnected or separate and people don’t always fit neatly into straight, gay or even bisexual boxes.

So what I’m saying is that Nicolas and Danny are without a doubt romantically in love, but I won’t make any judgement on wether they’re sexually attracted to each other. The movie doesn’t suggest anything either way, but then again neither did Shaun of The Dead. For all we know Shaun and Liz were asexual.

Wright and Pegg were asked what they thought of all the Hot Fuzz slash fiction and responded that technically they had written their own Hot Fuzz slash fiction: the manuscript for the movie. I’ll leave it at that.