#or do i just have rankin bass on my mind?

[wakebymoonsleepbysun]

What's this? PAPER? I use it sometimes. Didn't feel like setting up my tablet but I wanted to draw something based a convo artastic-friend and I had. Except it bears no resemblance to that convo.

The jist is that, (following this post) when DJ and the reader were kids, DJ was much smaller. And since spiders don't generate body heat, he liked to be close to the reader. Often either sitting on their head or on their shoulders. (He liked to be close for other reasons but huehuehuehue he doesn't need to admit that yet.)

Anyway. Reader is atop DJ's head in a role-reversal of when they were kids, pontificating that they're really no help in keeping DJ warm these days, and DJ is assuring them that, nono, they do quite well at keeping him warm. (More metaphorical than physical this time but again he doesn't need to admit that yet. ;3 )

And that's the overlong explanation for what is really just a simple picture of y/n on giant spider DJ's head.

[tyrantisterror]

You've stated that you prefer your dragon designs to be primarily or solely reptilian. What are some examples of dragon designs that blend in characteristics of non-reptilian animals that you actually like?

Hmmm... I don't know if I should answer this. It feels like an invitation for strangers on the internet to try and convert me to liking mammalian and avian dragons more than reptile ones. They do it all the time, you know. They howl outside my window at night, screaming for me to change my ways. I've had to board up the windows to keep them from clawing their way in, talons sharp and teeth gnashing. They won't stop howling. They want me to be different than I am. They want me to think dragons are better with fur and feathers. It's horrible. One threatened to drink my eyeball fluids.

Anyway, whenever I make a joke exaggerating my feelings about dragons for comedy, someone always pipes in to defend the Rankin Bass take on Smaug as good, so I feel like I should lead with this one. I'm a self professed slut for Rankin Bass's fantasy films, so I feel like the fact that I like this design should go without saying, but just to put fears to rest, here's me saying yes, I like it. As dragons with mammal traits go, this is One of the Good Ones In My Book. I like him, he looks cool.

I feel like Haku is also one that should go without saying, but here I am, saying it. I can't say Haku doesn't look cool - he's basically a wolf snake, and Miyazaki knows damn well how to make wolves look cool as hell, and also animates a damn good snake. Would I like him a bit more if he was scaly instead of furry, the way Asian dragons usually are in art? Uh... yeah, honestly, I would, but the fur works here. It fits what Haku is going for, and sells him as something not quite natural while still representing several aspects of nature. It's a divergence from the reptile look with purpose, and it's done well.

Why am I defending this again, I've spent so much of my life defending scaly dragons, I feel like furry dragons kinda don't need help being popular.

Is including Toothless cheating? Originally I felt his cat features were blended thoroughly with distinctly lizardy features (spcifically agamid lizards like bearded dragons and the like), but in the sequels I think he subtly but noticeably shifted to be more and more catlike. He might not have fur, but by the end of the series I think there's not much that's reptilian in him beyond the long tail and scaly skin. Nevertheless, Toothless is really cute and I love him.

Other non-reptilian dragons I like... well, there's this one drawn by Michael Hague that, according to the story it was made for, is ultimately a big cat monster wearing iron armor. And look at him, how can you hate that face?

Is that enough? Have I shown an open mind enough yet? Can I go back to vocally preferring dragons that are big lizards and snakes now? I'm gonna go do that anyway, actually.

[nikibogwater]

I watched The Last Unicorn (1982) with very, very little prior knowledge of the film. And I wasn't planning to, but I ended up taking notes because wow. This movie. It's something.

The very little prior knowledge I had was as follows: it's an old animated film about a unicorn and I've occasionally heard people talk about it fondly. That's it, that's literally all I had going into this thing. It was not nearly enough to prepare me.

Ohhhh I love the scenery! Man, nothing hits quite like a traditional hand-drawn backgrou--OH MY WORD WHAT IS THAT WHY IS IT MOVING LIKE THAT STOP IT

Ohhh, this is a Rankin-Bass production? Well, that explains the animation.

Yeah that is not a unicorn, that's a llama with a table-knife glued to its head.

Ooh, the opening credits play over a lightly animated medieval tapestry! That's so coo--aaaaand they picked the most 80's sounding song I can imagine to go over it, okay.

Yo this butterfly is stoned out of his little buggy mind, maybe he should get some rehab.

Love that it's not immediately clear what the "red bull" actually is yet. Is it a literal bull? Is it a raging fire? Is it the inescapable march of industrial progress?? Gotta stay tuned to find out. (edit: it was literally just a bull and I need to stop reading symbolism into every little thing).

Ok ngl, the "Man's Road" sequence was actually fire, despite (or perhaps because of) the 80's cheese.

Angela Lansbury!!! Man, she just ate this role. Who'd've thought Mrs. Pots could sound so threatening?

I would die for Shmendrick.

Oh that is a very lore-accurate harpy right there. (⊙_⊙;)

Love how the witch's carnival arc touches on the idea of truth vs. wishful delusion. There's a beautiful irony in a movie about a literal unicorn talking about the importance of staying grounded in what is real and truly beautiful.

No, seriously, I would die for Shmendrick. Protect this precious man at all costs.

Can we pretty please stop calling the witch Mommy

"That's my immortality!" eyo this witch is actually a great villain. Really wish she could've stuck around for the whole movie.

Awww, the unicorn is taking care of Shmendrick! That's so sweet! God knows he needs it.

Shmendrick: Run! We'll find each other later! *immediately gets captured*

Have I mentioned that I would die for Shmendrick.

I feel like the entire bit with the outlaws had a lot of connecting shots cut out for time because I really couldn't follow any of what was happening.

Hehehe...That tree looks like a butt. I wonder if they did that on purpo--WHAT THE HELL

*nervously glancing over my shoulder to make sure my family doesn't see me watching this*

Unicorn to the rescue!! Thank heavens.

"That was true magic." Then please don't ever do true magic again.

"How dare you come to me now, when I am this?!" H-hey, nobody told me this movie was gonna go that hard...

Mom-friend acquired! Just in time, too. Unicorn looked like she was getting real tired of being the only one with two brain cells to rub together.

Our heroes: *bracing themselves for what may be the darkest, most dangerous part of their journey* Freakin' Gerry Beckley from "America:" 🎵MOON RISIN'! DISGUISIN'!! 🎵 Gotta love that tonal dissonance.

Oooh hey the animation on the Red Bull is actually kind of good!

Molly: DO SOME MAGIC! Shmendrick: I CAN'T! Molly: YES U CAN I BELIEVE IN U Shmendrick: *does some magic* Molly: NOOOOO WHAT HAVE U DONE Molly I love you, but make up your darn mind.

Love that being turned into a human being is like, the worst thing that could ever happen to the unicorn. Yeah, being human is a pretty awful experience.

Boy there is just empty static behind Prince Lir's eyes. Homeboy doesn't have a thought in his head and probably never will.

Lir: babe look I got u a severed dragon head pls love me

Oh yeah. Marry this one, Unicorn. He's a keeper.

Molly: Shmendrick will help! Unicorn: I hope for no help from him. He is no magician now, but the king's clown.

GURL SAY THAT AGAIN! U KEEP DISRESPECTING MY BOI SHMENDRICK AND U WILL GET THESE HANDS!

The pirate cat is now my second-favorite character. I've known him for all of 10 seconds, but I love him.

He doesn't actually purr. He just says, "Purr, purr." I love him even more now.

"No cat anywhere ever gave anyone a straight answer." Most accurate line ever put to film.

Unicorn, please marry Prince Lir, you well never find a purer source of Himbo Energy than him. Look at him, he's even singing badly for you, you gotta take this one.

"I mean you can't really be that ridiculous magician's niece--" BETRAYAL. OUTRAGE. SCANDAL. I DISOWN YOU, LIR, YOU FOUL SERPENT WHO SPEAKS NOTHING BUT FILTH. I HOPE THE UNICORN BREAKS YOUR STUPID LITTLE HEART

Dang. This guy voicing the skeleton is putting his entire heart and soul into that laugh.

Prince "I love whom I love" Lir will not be stopped even by the threat of potential bestiality. I'd say Husband Goals, but first of all, ew, and second, he insulted Shmendrick so he is dead to me.

"I wish to God I didn't care about anything but my magic, but I do!" Oh Shmendrick, honey... 🥺

Yooo, that transformation back into her unicorn form was actually sick. For a Rankin-Bass made-for-tv movie, this thing pulls off some surprisingly good animation every once in a while.

Yeah, kick his magical red butt, little unicorn! Go save your boyfriend and your family!!!

What is it with Christopher Lee and playing creepy old guys who get thrown off of towers at the end

Wait, no, I only sort of meant it when I said the unicorn should break Lir's heart, I didn't think they'd actually do it!

Molly ditched her outlaw husband to travel the world with Shmendrick and honestly, I'd do the same if I was in her place.

Oh wow. She chose to save her own kind and return to her forest even though she loved Lir. This is actually very bittersweet and--GOTDANGIT GERRY BECKLEY, NOT NOW!!!

Closing thoughts: This movie was an absolute trip and I'm probably going to think it was a fever dream I once had after some time has passed. It's also the only movie I can think of that I would actually want a remake/remaster of. The story was great, though it jumped around from place to place so quickly that it was sometimes hard to follow what was happening. I like the characters a lot (mostly Shmendrick tbh but they're all good), and I wish there had been more time to let them interact with each other. You can see the potential for chemistry between the different personalities, but it's stifled by moments of awkward voice acting and the strange, jittery character animation. With more time to breathe and better animation, this story would really be something amazing. I'm actually very interested in reading the original novel it was based on now, I'll have to see if I can get my hands on a copy. All in all, The Last Unicorn (1982) is a mind-boggling experience with surprisingly deep themes combined with what I can only assume is what you see when you're on acid. If you have any interest, I would highly recommend seeing this thing for yourself.

Yes. Even the Boob Tree. Please. I don't want to be the only one who is cursed to have that scene in my brain.

[twistedtummies2]

ReCount: Top 31 Portrayals of Count Dracula

The day after tomorrow is World Dracula Day. For the occasion, I’m going to do a countdown of my personal five choices for the WORST portrayals of Dracula I’ve personally encountered. However, I��ve always believed in accentuating the positive: there are, in my opinion, more good Dracula portrayals than bad ones. Even if the adaptations and reimaginings themselves aren’t totally up to par, Dracula himself usually is enjoyable to watch, and there are PLENTY of versions to choose from.

With that said, it’s time for a ReCount of one of my largest lists: “Count-Down,” a month-long Event I held in October of 2021, where I ranked my Top 31 Favorite Portrayals of Count Dracula, along with a number of Honorable Mentions. A LOT has changed since I made that list: all across the board of the Top 31, different versions of Dracula have shifted place. Some that were on the list back then are no longer present now, and some that weren’t present then have moved in since. As for those that were there then, and are here now…nearly all of them have shifted positions in the ranks, for one reason or another. Times change and people with them, and revisiting some of these versions has given me new perspective, while renditions I didn’t know about at the time (or, in some cases, didn’t even EXIST at the time) have only added to the challenge of choosing.

With that in mind, it took a while to figure out where various takes on the Count really placed for me, overall, but I THINK the results here are - at least for the time being - the most honest and fair judgments I can give. With that in mind, allow me to present ReCount: My Top 31 Favorite Draculas (plus some Honorable Mentions).

HONORABLE MENTIONS (Left to Right, Top to Bottom)

Adam Sandler & Brian Hull, from “Hotel Transylvania.”

Sandler famously voiced Dracula for the first three films in this animated franchise. Impressionist Brian Hull took over the role in the fourth feature. I know these cartoon comedies are really popular, and I have nothing in particular AGAINST them, but I’ve weirdly never really been THAT into them.

Alan Swift, from Mad Monster Party.

This Halloweentime production by Rankin/Bass features Swift in the role of SEVERAL famous monsters, as a whole band of Gothic icons join forces to try and steal a secret formula from Dr. Frankenstein, so they can - you guessed it - take over the world. Dracula is the leader of the monster horde, fittingly enough.

The Version from “Anno Dracula.”

I absolutely love this novel series, which blends historical fiction with Gothic Horror, and has many bizarre twists and turns. The premise focuses on an alternate universe where Dracula successfully manages to take over England, turning many of the population into vampires. While his role in the series is important, Dracula HIMSELF very rarely appears, so I didn’t think it was fair to give him a place in the ranks: it’s cool when he shows up, but the books are actually more interesting for other reasons beyond him.

Count Chocula.

Ah, yes, because if draining the blood of the innocent wasn’t evil enough, we now have vampires that give you diabetes. As iconic as this cereal mascot parody of the Count is, he’s not ACTUALLY Dracula, so I didn’t feel he counted…plus there’s just not much to say about him.

James Barbour, from Dracula: The Musical (2011 Studio Recording).

There have been several musical adaptations of Dracula. This one was the work of Frank Wildhorn, and is probably the most popular. None of them are all that great, in my opinion, but this one has some shining moments. Several people have played Dracula in this one, but Barbour’s performance on the 2011 Studio Recording is my favorite.

Kamran Nikhad, from V Rising.

This game only JUST came out, and I haven't played it yet (nor am I entirely certain if I ever will). As a result, I don't really feel comfortable placing its version of Dracula in the Top 31 yet. With that said, based on the lore of the game, the videos I've seen featuring the character, and Nikhad's absolutely bone-chillingly breathtaking vocal work, I see no reason why I can't give this version an Honorable Mention. In this game, Dracula is a tyrannical and highly intelligent vampire warlord, who proves a threat not only to humanity, but even to other monsters. He orchestrates things behind-the-scenes to try and regain his throne, with the player's ultimate goal being to destroy him once and for all.

King, from Kamen Rider Kiva.

This was the first Kamen Rider series I ever saw, and it’s probably my favorite (or, at least, second favorite). A Japanese superhero series inspired by classic Universal Monsters? How can I NOT love it? The main villain of the series is the mysterious King; while he’s never outright referred to as Dracula, that’s clearly who he is analogous to in this universe. Much like Count Chocula, I didn’t feel he actually counted for the main list, but he’s worth an Honorable Mention at least. He is played by Shinya Niiro.

Mark Hamill, from Mina and the Count.

Just like Count Chocula and King, this is another case of a vampire who isn’t TECHNICALLY Dracula, but is clearly a Dracula-inspired figure. There are two characters on the main countdown who are in the same vein, but generally speaking, I wanted to save the main countdown for ACTUAL versions of Dracula. In this series, Hamill plays “Count Vlad,” a vampire who ends up befriending a little mortal girl named Mina Harper. Shenanigans ensue.

Michael McCarthy, from…a completely different “Dracula: The Musical.”

Barbour’s Dracula from earlier was in the musical composed by Frank Wildhorn. McCarthy played Dracula for a PROPOSED stage musical, created by the musical trio of Evans, Orton, and Lynn. The musical had a concept album released, as well as a music video for the “big song” of the show, “Within My World,” wherein McCarthy performed in-character as the Count, costume and all. However, the show never got off the ground. Admittedly, I don’t think the musical was that great on the whole, but it’s still a shame.

Orson Welles, from the Mercury Theater Radio Production.

It’s Orson Welles as Dracula. I think that statement on its own explains why he’s so great. Weirdly enough, while I’ve gained more respect and admiration for this radio version on the whole since 2021, Welles’ Dracula has conversely dropped out of the running. He’s good, I just tend to think of many other Draculas more.

The Phantom Blot, from Disney’s Dracula, Starring Mickey Mouse.

I brought up this very weird reimagining multiple times in past lists, so you all know the basic gist of it by now. Disney has done this concept twice - first as a graphic novel, and later as a children’s storybook - and in both interpretations, the Phantom Blot plays the coveted role of the Count. I love the Blot, in general - one of Disney’s most underrated villains, in my opinion - but I think it’s more for his sake that I like his Dracula, than anything else.

Phil LaMarr, from The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy.

All I have to say here is…if you know, you know. XD A lot of people are probably sad I didn’t include this Dracula in the rankings, but trust me, he’s a funny one.

CHOICES 31 - 26

31. The Count, from Sesame Street.

One of the two “not technically Draculas” I mentioned in the Honorable Mentions. To be honest, I could rank Count Von Count - my favorite Muppet character from Sesame Street - MUCH higher, if I really wanted to, because I really do love him a lot. However, I felt it was too much of a stretch placing him in the upper tiers, simply because while he’s clearly a parody of Dracula, he isn’t ACTUALLY Dracula, but more his own unique character. However, leaving him off the list completely seemed criminal, and I like him too much to just give him an Honorable Mention…so, compromises being what they are, I decided to place him on the countdown, but at the very bottom of the heap. “That’s one! One difficult problem to deal with! Ah-ah-ah!”

30. Gerard Butler, from Dracula 2000.

I’m still not a fan of this movie, and I doubt I ever will be, but I will say I enjoy both Christopher Plummer as Van Helsing and Butler’s Dracula in the film. The movie makes an intriguing (if rather bizarre) change to Dracula’s backstory, revealing that he is actually Judas Iscariot, and his revulsion towards Holy artifacts is due to his past.

29. Hamilton Camp, from Scooby-Doo and the Reluctant Werewolf.

One of the few “Funny Draculas” on this countdown, and a personal childhood favorite of mine. In this animated special, Dracula changes Shaggy into a werewolf and forces him to participate in an annual race between all of the famous monsters. If Shaggy wins, he’ll be turned back to normal, but if he loses, he’ll remain a werewolf - and Dracula’s servant - forever. It’s basically a spooky version of Wacky Races with Dracula as Dick Dastardly.

28. Rudolf Martin, from Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

I know next to nothing about Buffy the Vampire Slayer: I’ve only seen two whole episodes of the show, along with a few assorted, scattered clips. One of the two is “Buffy vs. Dracula.” A lot of people apparently dislike this episode, which depicts Dracula as a sort of self-aware “vampire celebrity” who buys too much into his own hype, but I actually think this was a fun interpretation. Martin would later play the real-life Vlad Dracula - one of the inspirations for the fictional vampire - in the TV movie “Dark Prince: The True Story of Dracula.” I doubt this was a coincidence of casting.

27. Francis Lederer, from Return of Dracula.

This film came out the same year as Hammer’s “Horror of Dracula,” and it’s not hard to see why one is more well-remembered than the other. While much of this film is honestly rather dry and dull, Lederer really delivers as a decidedly creepy, unsettling take on the Prince of Darkness, and gets a pretty great death scene to boot.

26. The Version from “Return of Evil.”

This teen novel is the first of a series of stories where the famous Universal Monsters get “zapped” into the real world to cause havoc. While the book is overall pretty decent, and actually has some legitimately scary moments, I feel that the portrayal of Dracula HIMSELF is a bit…confused. As a result, I no longer rank this version as highly as I once did.

CHOICES 25 - 21

25. John Carradine, from Various.

Carradine played Dracula in no less than four films, as well as onstage. While his work was always good, the actual movies he appeared in were less than stellar: in “House of Frankenstein” his Dracula is thanklessly killed off before the end of the first act. In “House of Dracula,” he plays a slightly larger role, and is shown as a more sympathetic character - seeking a cure for his bloodlust - but is still destroyed (quite anticlimactically, I should add) around two-thirds of the way through the picture. The comedy film “Nocturna” is just plain bizarre, and the infamously terrible “Billy the Kid vs. Dracula” is widely regarded as one of those classic “so bad it’s good” type of movies. Had he been given better material to work with, Carradine could have ranked much higher.

24. Vlad Garfunkel, from Phantom in the Twilight.

In this anime/manga series, Count Dracula - going by the alias “Vlad Garfunkel” - has reformed and become the leader of a group of monsters, or “Umbra,” who work to protect humanity from more evil creatures - sort of a Gothic Horror/Dark Fantasy version of the X-Men. (And no, in case you’re wondering, I don’t know why the Count would choose a name like “Garfunkel” as his pseudonym.) The franchise is interesting, but unfinished; both the manga and the anime end on cliffhangers and leave a LOT of unanswered questions behind, and this “pretty boy” Dracula is admittedly a little hard to swallow at times. Overall, however, not bad stuff.

23. Javier Botet, from The Last Voyage of the Demeter.

Described as a sort of cross between “Nosferatu” and “Alien,” this horror film focuses on the tragic misadventures of the crew aboard the Demeter - the ship Dracula takes to get from Transylvania to England. Over the course of the movie, Dracula picks off the crew one by one, killing and/or transforming them as he rations them off. While the movie is admittedly flawed, it’s not necessarily bad, and this more monstrous version of Dracula is an intriguingly frightful interpretation.

22. Richard Roxburgh, from Van Helsing.

A ludicrously over-the-top movie with an equally ludicrously over-the-top Dracula: you can’t say the style and the performance don’t match. Roxburgh’s Dracula isn’t well-regarded by many people, but I personally enjoy this version a lot, even if at times he’s unintentionally hilarious in his hamminess.

21. Chris Sarandon, from TMNT (2012).

This Dracula appears as the secondary antagonist of a four-part story arc, wherein the TMNT encounter several of the classic Universal Monsters. If that concept isn’t good enough, the fact Dracula is designed to have the likeness of Bela Lugosi only adds to the enjoyment factor. And if that’s STILL not enough, then the fact his voice actor is Chris Sarandon - Jack Skellington, the Pumpkin King, himself! - doing a Lugosi impression should hopefully seal the deal on why he’s so great. If Dracula had been THE main antagonist of this arc, I think he could have ranked even higher.

CHOICES 20 - 16

20. Nicolas Cage, from Renfield.

Nic Cage has long been a fan of Dracula, and the Count one of his dream roles. You can be darn sure his chance to actually play the King of the Vampires was a treat to watch. In some ways, his performance reminds me of Richard Roxburgh’s, except in this case the humor is entirely planned. At the same time, his Dracula is legitimately menacing and scary. Cage apparently studied various other past performers to help sink into the role, and it works well: you can see little dollops of other Draculas in his work, but it’s still 100% his own take on the character. I honestly feel bad for not ranking him any higher.

19. Zhang Wei-Qiang, from Dracula: Pages From a Virgin’s Diary.

Again, in this combination of surrealist/Expressionist silent film and dance movie, all of the male characters are depicted in a negative light. Dracula himself is no exception, but there is some interesting ambiguity there: in the film, the so-called “heroes” all hate Dracula less because he’s a vampire, and more for petty and repugnant reasons. One hates him because he’s richer than they are, one because he’s more sexually attractive, one because he’s a foreigner, etc. While Dracula is still the villain, the heroes aren’t exactly good people either: they’re prejudiced and perverse, which blurs the line on who the real monster of the story is.

18. The Marvel Version.

I’m specifically talking about the actual comics here, because - as a future list will show - most adaptations of Marvel’s Dracula are…well…not that great. The comic version, however, is actually a pretty interesting character, riding a fine line between villain and anti-hero, as he’s been the protagonist of stories almost as often as the antagonist. Tie this into the fact he’s faced the likes of Dr. Strange, Spider-Man, and Blade (who was actually introduced in Dracula’s title series, “The Tomb of Dracula”), and it’s pretty clear why he’s awesome. 

17. The Version from “Fate.”

In English this take is voiced by Ray Chase; in Japanese he's played by one Ryotaro Okiayu. In the Fate universe, the ties between the real-life Vlad Dracula and the fictional Count are toyed with in a very unique way. In the anime “Fate/Apocrypha,” it’s Vlad III who is summoned to participate in the Holy Grail War, but has the power to physically transform into the legendary vampire. In the game “Fate/Grand Order,” Vlad can be summoned in two different forms: one depicts him as being Count Dracula from Stoker’s novel, while the other is his true self, Vlad the Impaler. In all three of these cases, the relationship the real Vlad has with his literary counterpart, whose name and myth he helped inspire, is…complicated, to say the least.

16. Al Lewis, from The Munsters.

The highest ranking “Funny Dracula” of the bunch (since I placed The Count from Sesame Street far lower). Lewis’ Dracula - typically referred to simply as “Grandpa” - is more like a combination of a mad scientist and a kooky vaudeville magician than anything from Bram Stoker, but he’s certainly a lot of fun to watch.

CHOICES 15 - 11

15. Christian Camargo, from Penny Dreadful.

After being teased for two seasons, Dracula pops up in the third and final season of “Penny Dreadful” as the main antagonist. In the series, Dracula is depicted as the brother of Lucifer himself, and desires the main character - Vanessa Ives - as his Bride, hoping to use her in a plan to, of course, take over the world. The show was rife with darkly Gothic melodrama, as the title implies, but Camargo’s Dracula subverts this: a subtle, sinister, manipulative villain with a silver tongue, whose understated demeanor belies intense power and menace. A surprising and intriguing interpretation.

14. Frank Langella, from the 1979 Film.

When I did this countdown back in 2021, for the first time, Langella’s Dracula ranked MUCH further down. Having revisited the film since, I sincerely have no idea WHY I maligned the movie, or his Dracula, as much as I did. While not perfect, the movie is much better than I remembered, and his Dracula much more impressive: a suave, slick, sympathetic, but still sinister take on the vampire with all the necessary gravity the role requires. I am pleased to now place him in my Top 15.

13. Jack Palance, from the 1973 Film.

Palance’s Dracula was the first of several kinds: he’s the first Dracula to make a direct connection between the fictional vampire and the real-life Vlad the Impaler. He’s the first to be depicted as overtly romantic, seeking the reincarnation of his long-lost bride. And while he is not necessarily the first to be presented in a sympathetic light, he is the first where that sympathy is highly focused upon, making him into a more tragic figure. While not an obvious casting choice, Palance plays Count Dracula excellently, giving him both the elegance of his noble title and a warrior’s vicious ferocity.

12. Klaus Kinski, from Nosferatu the Vampyre.

As of now, there are three remakes of Nosferatu. One is still upcoming, as I type this, starring Bill Skarsgard as the vampire. Another was finished just a couple of years ago, starring Doug Jones as the Count, but has yet to be publicly released. (Perhaps if/when I see both of those, this whole countdown will change again.) The very first was “Nosferatu the Vampyre,” which featured Klaus Kinski as a more sympathetic, but still grotesque, interpretation of the undead Transylvanian. Kinski’s Dracula isn’t a romantic figure, but instead is depicted a lonely, outcast creature who is driven by urges he cannot control; he doesn’t WANT to be a monster, but he HAS to be, which makes for an interesting interpretation.

11. Willem Dafoe, from Shadow of the Vampire.

This was the other version, along with Count Von Count, who I mentioned technically doesn’t actually count (ha ha) as Dracula. However, under the circumstances, I felt this one was worthy of higher placement. In “Shadow of the Vampire,” Willem Dafoe plays “Schreck” - a real-life vampire who coincidentally shares the same name as the actor Max Schreck, and is thus cast under this pretense in the role of Count Orlok in “Nosferatu.” While the film establishes Dracula/Orlok to be a fictional creation, Dafoe is nevertheless playing that character at the end of the day, given the premise, and he does so brilliantly.

CHOICES 10 - 6

10. Duncan Regehr, from Monster Squad.

In this 1980s cult-classic - a sort of combo of “Ghostbusters” and “The Goonies” - a group of teenaged heroes have to face Dracula and several of the other Universal Monsters, when the villains plan to - of course - take over the world. I'm not really sure WHY I love this particular Dracula so much, I just...kind of do. Regehr’s Count is just the right level of over-the-top in the film. Much like Nic Cage and Richard Roxburgh, he’s hammy, yet still manages to have menace and power, and is quite the snazzy dresser to boot!

9. Louis Jourdan, from the 1977 BBC TV Film.

Aside from his role as Dracula in this 1970s BBC production, Jourdan is probably most famous for playing the main villain of the James Bond movie “Octopussy.” So, if you ever wondered what Dracula would be like as a Bond Villain, you’ll basically get it here. Jourdan is debonair, dashing, and deviously devilish, with a coldness and an unsettling calmness that even some of the best Draculas lack.

8. David Suchet, from the 2006 BBC Radio Production.

As usual, not pictured here in costume, because this is a radio version…but I’ll safely say, in this image, one could almost believe it. ANYWAY, Suchet played both Dracula and Van Helsing within the same year, both times for the BBC. In a TV film adaptation he played the vampire hunter, while in this radio version he takes the role of the Count. This is probably one of the most book-accurate takes on Dracula I’ve ever encountered, audio-based or not. Suchet’s work is often overshadowed by Tom Hiddleston’s appearance as Jonathan Harker in this audio play; he’s definitely worthy of more praise.

7. Peter Stormare, from The Batman vs. Dracula.

Inspired by (though not directly based upon) the “Batman & Dracula” Trilogy of graphic novels, this film (set in the universe of the early 2000s animated series “The Batman”) reveals that, after being destroyed by Van Helsing and his allies, Dracula’s remains were shipped off to America, and wound up buried in the middle of Gotham City. When he’s accidentally resurrected by Penguin, Dracula begins a reign of terror, transforming various characters - including the Joker himself - into “Lost Ones”: ghoulish vampires under his command, as he plans to take over the entire city. Interestingly, Stormare would later appear as a totally different vampire, subservient to Dracula, in Netflix’s “Castlevania” animated series. It was weird to see Dracula chewing himself out there, let me tell you…

6. Gary Oldman, from the 1992 Film.

Oldman is to many people nowadays what performers like Christopher Lee and Bela Lugosi were to many audiences of yesteryear: I don’t think any version of Dracula SINCE Oldman’s has been quite as influential and almost universally enjoyed as his. While I do enjoy his performance, and the movie in general, I can’t say it’s one of the first versions that comes to my mind when I think of Dracula, so I therefore don’t feel I can rank this one in my Top 5. Sorry, Lord Shen.

THE TOP FIVE

5. Max Schreck, from Nosferatu.

Often imitated, but never duplicated. The true “OG” Dracula. There’s really not much to say about “Count Orlok” from this silent classic: it’s one of the most iconic and influential versions of the character ever put to the screen, and almost stands in a league of its own. While the silent film itself has some elements that haven’t aged all that well (the movie IS over a full century old now, no joke), Schreck’s work as this repulsive spook is still more than laudable.

4. Alucard, from Hellsing.

I used to say Alucard was one of my Top 3 takes on Dracula, but upon revisitation, I no longer think that’s fair: I just don’t quote him, reference him, or generally think about him as often as the three I’ve placed above him in the ranks. I will, however, still contend that he is one of the scariest versions of the character out there (which is especially impressive, since he’s the main “hero” of this series), and in my opinion the single most unique Dracula of the whole lot: it’s hard to think of a version that does everything this one does, and yet STILL feels like Dracula at the end of the day. Kudos to his voice actors: Jouji Nakata in Japan, and ESPECIALLY Crispin Freeman in English dubs.

3. The Version from Castlevania.

There are no less than three separate continuities for the Castlevania series, and Dracula is a constant figure in all of them…and in all of them, he’s pretty awesome. The “Classic” era, as I like to call it, has evolved over the years, and Dracula with it: starting off as a straightforward villain but gaining more layers and complexities (perhaps a few TOO many complexities, one could argue) as the series went on. Interestingly, Crispin Freeman - Alucard, our previous pick - somewhat recently got to play this version of Dracula in remastered versions of the games “Rondo of Blood” and “Symphony of the Night,” as well as the game “Dracula X Chronicles.” In the “Lords of Shadow” reboot trilogy, Dracula is reimagined as an anti-heroic protagonist, voiced by Rumpelstiltskin himself, Robert Carlyle. My personal favorite version of him was the Animated Series, voiced by Graham McTavish…who, incidentally, appeared in the aforementioned TMNT “Universal Monsters” story arc, playing the demon Savanti Romero. I’m a huge fan of Castlevania and its take on Dracula, and I reference these games and this take on the Count pretty frequently: it didn’t take long for me to realize this version earned placement in my Top 3.

2. Bela Lugosi, from the 1931 Film and Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein.

Lugosi may seem somewhat “hokey” by today’s standards, but there’s no denying that he is almost inarguably the most iconic version of Dracula: anytime someone does a Dracula impression, or a Dracula parody, or dresses in a Dracula Halloween costume, it’s Lugosi they pay homage to before all others. It’s fair to say that no other Dracula is quite as recognizable, even if you haven’t seen either of his appearances onscreen, and for that reason above all others, he earns high marks for me.

1. Christopher Lee, from Various.

I could go into great detail about everything I love about Christopher Lee’s Dracula, because there’s a LOT I could say, but I’m gonna make this as short and as sweet as I can: in my opinion, Lee is the DEFINITIVE Dracula. Considering the fact he played the Prince of Darkness anywhere between ten and fourteen times, depending on how you count, with one of those occasions being (so far) the ONLY Dracula in film to resemble the character Stoker describes in the novel almost identically…yeah. I think it’s hard to argue AGAINST that fact, personally, whether he’s one’s favorite or not. Given the man’s…COMPLICATED relationship with the role, I doubt he’d necessarily be happy to hear it…but Christopher Lee is, nevertheless, My Favorite Dracula.

[tangledbea]

Do you think Corona has something like Iceland’s Yule Cat in their Christmas tradition?

This is a super interesting question, and one I've never received before!

First of all, I don't headcanon that Corona celebrates Christmas (regardless of supplemental storybooks or comics or whatever else), and this is because Corona has clearly allied itself to the sun. I therefore think it works on a solar calendar, and celebrates the Winter Solstice (Yule) instead of Christmas.

In my headcanon, there's a few annual traditions that Corona does for the Solstice:

The palace prepares an enormous feast and opens its doors and literally everyone is invited to come in to partake of the good food and drink and warmth. Gifts are given to everyone who passes through the doors, so that no one in Corona has to go without any solstice presents.

An unmarried young woman (the princess, if she's eligable) plays the part of the Sun Maiden. She wears a gold dress and crown of mistletoe and solicits kisses from everyone she sees (not salaciously), in an attempt to wake the Sun from her long slumber. Since on the day after Solstice, the days begin to grow longer, it seems to work every year! (If the princess is eligable but unwilling, she gets to select that year's Sun Maiden. The point is that the young woman has got to want the job -- no one who doesn't want it is made to do it.)

They carve luminaries out of ice which are lit through the night, and the heat from the candles that are lit inside them cause them to gradually melt, thus signifying the end of the darkest part of the year and the approach of the coming spring.

But as for unique creatures attached to their traditions, I've never thought much about it! I only learned about Jólakötturinn last year, but it calls to mind another big cat who would be more closely linked to Christmas if only the right story when the holiday had gotten its new foothold in the modern world had become more popular: The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus by L. Frank Baum (yes that L. Frank Baum; the one who wrote The Wonderful Wizard of OZ).

In The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus, a baby Claus is found in the woods by Ak, a Supreme Immortal, and given to a lioness named Shiegra to be cared for. Though the wood nymph Necile eventually adopts and raises him, Shiegra stays a part of his life. Rankin/Bass did a stop motion adaptation of it in 1985, which I watch just about every year, and though the plot follows Santa from youth to legend, every year I marvel at how a shift in popularity might have given us a culture-wide lioness as part of our Christmas traditions.

Anyway, between Shiegra and Jólakötturinn, I'm happy to start thinking about including some sort of big cat into Corona's Winter Solstice traditions!

[nockingturnal]

㊂ Pinned Posting (INTRO) Time!

Been holding this off… sorry ‘bout that!

More about me & this account ⌄

You can call me Nocker or Frank!

I’m not too good with tone (over text), so bear with me if I don’t fully understand what you say. Apologies if you ever have to explain yourself…

I mainly post of my interests and Original Characters. If you happen to follow over one of these things and not the other, please keep it in mind that I will post both of them on this account (my only account).

I will be using this account for art, Ranting, and reblogging only! When an occasional rant might come across, it will probably be about an interest of mine.

Current interests of mine are classic horror, Boris Karloff films (in general), Rankin Bass, and analog horror!

I won’t be making a DNI list, since they seem to be useless, but I will set some ground rules and guidelines!

No nsfw questions, comments, requests!

I don’t mind more disturbing requests, but keep in mind I’m not too skilled when it comes to gore.

No, i mean NO toying comments about my Original Characters.

As I’ve said, I do draw some disturbing images. Very rarely are they graphic, but just a warning!

I also draw artistic nudity.

Tone indicators are appreciated.

I am also on instagram!

Users: Nockingturnal | SlipMe5

[lyledebeast]

Last year, I was threatening to write a meta series on mothers in classic Christmas movies, but other things got in the way as this is Things Getting in the Way of Plans Season. So, let's try this again.

To recap from last year, most of the mothers in my favorite Christmas movies have one important thing in common: they're dead (Prancer (1989) and the House Without a Christmas Tree (1972). When they are alive, they are often stay at home moms (Christmas Vacation (1989), A Christmas Story (1983), The Year Without a Santa Clause (1974) and probably more that are slipping my middle-aged mind). The first mother I want to talk about, though, is none of these things. Jon Favreau's Elf (2003) is a new classic that draws heavily on much older Christmas classics made by Rankin-Bass with one notable exception. Emily Hobbs (Mary Steenburgen) is a working mom who provides an example of the kind of work/life balance that alludes her husband until the end of the movie.

The first time we meet Emily, she is hearing for the first time about something Walter (James Caan) has been grappling with for two days at this point: he has a son from a previous relationship who believes he is a Christmas elf. Emily handles this news with surprising optimism and is nothing but generous and kind to Buddy. In some respects, this puts her in company with other Christmas movie moms whose main job is dealing with the fallout of their husbands' choices with as much dignity as they can manage. What makes Emily different is that it is not only her family that benefits from her accommodation of others. When Jovie sings "Santa Clause is Coming to Town," Emily is the first person to join her. Although both of these women have been drawn to Central Park in the same way--seeing people they care about on the news--there is no indication that the have met or that Emily is able to identify Jovie as Buddy's date from earlier that evening. Emily just sees a stranger in need of support and gives it to her.

There is a limit to Emily's accommodations, though, and she is as admirable for what she will not do as what she does. When Walter suggests that she stay home with Buddy, she refuses: "I have a budget meeting tomorrow." Although we never learn exactly what Emily's job is, it is taken seriously enough that Walter does not press the matter any further. She is still the person who does the most domestic labor, but when her husband takes his share of the dinner she has prepared to eat in his room, she lets her son know that is not acceptable behavior. "It's no secret that you haven't really been there for [Michael]" she tells Walter later. Unlike other Christmas moms, she does not accept that it is her job to run interference between her husband and their child. If Walter wants to repair his relationship with Michael, that is up to him.

Elf's representation of women is pretty solid considering how few of them there are in the story (I recently learned that Wanda Sykes was originally cast to play Buddy's manager at Gimbels, which no doubt would have been delightful!) I want to comment further on Jovie and Buddy's relationship, but that is a subject for a different post. It is worth pointing out that when Buddy visits the North Pole with his family at the end of the movie, he is holding his baby daughter for the entirely of the scene, showing the audience a final time the importance of balancing roles in a relationship. Although she is not one of the more dynamic central characters, Mary Steenburgen gives a portrayal of a mom who is kind, generous, and strong all at the same time. Christmas moms have come a long way since Rankin-Bass!

[goldenslumbersketchbook]

What are your thoughts on rotg Pitch black and the other characters?

Thank you for your question! I enjoyed sitting down and writing this out. My initial response was “They are Awesome! I adore them and drawing them brings me joy!” But I decided to go more in depth!

Please note these are just my personal opinions, as of May 2023. I judged everyone on three categories: Character, Design, and Drawability.

Nicholas Saint North

My Opinion on his Character: 10/10.

How could anyone not love this guy. He has infectious energy and is one of my all time favorite versions of Santa. I both enjoy his character in the books and the film. I love how he is a strong leader with a big heart who isn’t afraid to stand up for what he believes in. He is so cool and I love his competitive nature.

My Opinion on his Design: 10/10

North’s design is so full of geometric genius. I love how square he is. I also love all the Russian elements like the coat and hat. This is one cool Santa. I adore the tattoos and the swords he wields. I also like his younger self, very pirate adventure vibes.

My Opinion on his Drawability: 8/10

As much as I love this guy he is sometimes a bit hard to draw. He has a lot of tattoos and a large coats and a beard that covers a lot. I need to practice drawing him more. It is a bit fun to draw him in more exaggerated styles, but I definitely need more practice.

E. Aster Bunnymund

My Opinion on his Character: 7/10

Bunny probably scores the lowest on my favorite character scale. I adore movie bunny but book bunny kind of ruins the experience… he is so snooty and his rants get a little tiresome to read. I also don’t personally vibe with the whole alien backstory. I would of preferred him to be an actual bunny. More fantasy less sci-fi. I do love the drama he brings to the group. He is always first to speak up and question things as opposed to just going with whatever plan was proposed.

My Opinion on his Design: 9/10

Both book and movie designs have something different and unique to offer. I adore them both. I love the book bunny little glasses and long robes and staffs. I love movie bunny more tribal warrior rabbit look. Both designs do well capturing a unique look for the Easter Bunny.

My Opinion on his Drawability: 4/10

Bunny may have a great design for me he is extremely hard to draw. I don’t know how to draw animals too good (yet haha). Especially if it’s not stylized for a goofy doodle. He has a lot of elements I need to still learn. Like fur and animal proportions. Sorry bunny maybe in the future I will be better.

Toothiana

My Opinion on her Character: 10/10

I love this fairy so much. She is so adorable and responsible and is a true guardian. Her book backstory is one of the saddest things I’ve read in children’s media and although she put up walls becoming a sort of workaholic she still finds joy and excitement.

My Opinion on her Design: 10/10

She is what I want to think of when people mention a fairy. Not a shrunken down human with wings but something that would exist in nature. Something you wouldn’t bat an eye if you saw. I love the hummingbird design. I love her feathers and her face/eye shape. I just adore her.

My Opinion on her Drawability: 9/10

I do adore her design so much and I love drawing it too. It’s so relaxing drawing all the feathers. I do have a bit of trouble with the wings but I love drawing tooth. She has such a fun color pallet.

Sandman

My Opinion on his Character: 10/10

Sandman is so cool. I love how sassy and laid back he is. I love how he is a friend of the world but is chaotic enough to threaten to knock out a child with his bare fists. He is one of the few characters I don’t mind having a fake out death scene. He steals the show. Also his mermaid sand island should of made it into the film. We got to see everyone else’s homes.

My Opinion on his Design: 9/10

Oh I adore his design. It reminds me of the rankin-bass stop motion designs. He is so adorable and shaped like a star you can hug. I love how he appears to actually be made of dream-sand.

My Opinion on his Drawability: 9/10

Sandy is so fun to draw. I think his design works great in both 2D and 3D. I love giving him goofy expressions.

Jack Frost

My Opinion on his Character 10/10

Jack is an amazing and complex character. He is mischievous and childish he is yet wears his heart on his sleeve. He has this haunted sadness that lingers through him and yet always tries to get others to have fun. I love how much he cares for people despite putting off the cool loner persona. He will do anything to protect the kids, despite being a kid himself!

My Opinion on his Design 7/10

Jacks design is cool but I feel like it needs something. I understand his current look is supposed to be relatable teen but I feel like it’s missing something to help him blend further into the world. I love his outfit as a human. And nightlights armor is neat but I feel like Jack needs just something more then just a hoodie? Just a personal taste thing… I do see what they were going for.

My Opinion on his Drawability 10/10

Jack is so easy and fun to draw. I like drawing him in new outfits and styles. He is also fun drawing as his nightlight book self. Overall a really fun character to doodle and stylize. Especially since there is this constant movement to him.

Pitch Black

My Opinion on his Character 10/10

An amazing villain with a tragic past. I love how cunning he is yet is pretty blind by his own greed. I love how much joy he gets from spreading fear. I love the arrogance to his character and how he gets playful when trying to manipulate and or fight someone. A great villain who enjoys being evil. There is that element of longing for a family to him that is probably left behind from his days as Kozmotis which adds a good amount of drama to play with.

My Opinion on his design 9/10

While the guardians are complex and maximalist in there design pitch is sleek and minimalistic. His pirate aesthetic from the books are cool and his movie design has him move seamlessly in the shadows. I adore his face shape and demeanor. Overall a great simple design that brings contrast to a colorful cast.

My Opinion on his Drawability 10/10

Although simple Pitch is pretty fun to give added design elements too. Especially gold based accents. He is fun to draw in different outfits as well since he doesn’t have a lot to his design. It’s always fun to color him when I’m done drawing the others who have larger color palettes.

[magicaldogtoto]

what should i watch / read if Im beginning to get into the wizard of oz??

ive watched the movie and a weird black and white sequel when i was younger.. idk if the latter was a fever dream or not though.

Sorry for the late reply! I got your question just as I was heading out to my night shift. I wanted to wait until I got home to answer, since doing so on my computer would make linking things easier.

The main Oz canon is referred to as the Famous Forty. Those are the main books that others are inspired by or reference. Of those forty, fourteen were written by L. Frank Baum. Of those fourteen, only the first six (The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, The Marvelous Land of Oz, Ozma of Oz, Dorothy and the Wizard in Oz, The Road to Oz, and The Emerald City of Oz) form what could be considered a single overarching story. These books are:

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz

The Marvelous Land of Oz

Ozma of Oz

Dorothy and the Wizard in Oz

The Road to Oz

The Emerald City of Oz

This is important to keep in mind, because after those six, continuity in the books gets really contradictory and surreal. If you want a good place to start reading, start with these.

You can find pretty much all the original fourteen books online for free, since they are in the public domain. The links I posted are all from Gutenberg. Gutenberg has online versions of them, complete with the original illustrations. Here is the online version of the first book. Gutenberg has multiple versions of the same books, though, so you may have to search through a couple versions before getting the ones with pictures.

It's also worth noting that Baum connected a lot of his stories together, so there are quite a few non-Oz books that are worth checking out. These include:

The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus, which introduce the Forest of Burzee, a location that is home to numerous Immortals and fairy folk that influence the world of Oz. You can watch the Rankin-Bass adaptation of this story, too.

The Sea Fairies and Sky Island, which introduce Trot and Cap'n Bill, who become regular characters in Oz.

Queen Zixi of Ix, which introduces the Land of Ix. Zixi herself is an interesting character--a centuries-old witch who rules over her own land and leads her armies into battle wearing golden armor (despite being centuries old, she uses magic to remain physically sixteen).

The Enchanted Island of Yew, which is about a fairy girl who becomes a boy and goes on adventures as a knight. The island is located near Oz.

It probably goes without saying that these are old books. As a result, they have not aged well in places. It's important to keep that in mind when reading them.

The black-and-white movie you're thinking of is definitely a thing. There were a lot of black-and-white Oz movies before the famous musical. I don't think it was a sequel, though--not a sequel to the musical, at least. There is a sort-of sequel to the MGM film by Disney called Return to Oz, which adapts the following two books after the first one. It's honestly a pretty good movie, though it may be a bit more intense for younger viewers.

Hope this helps! Anyone else who sees this, feel free to add on.

[ranciddrobbie]

I need to ask this because I want to make the animation I'm planning as biblically accurate as possible- Is your Mind design able to close his mouth or are his teeth always visible? Also, does your Heart design have wings?

(and yes, I'll make Mind move like a Rankin/Bass character because the more I think about it the more it makes sense and the more I want to see it executed)

His teeth are like his lips id imagine- But thats up to stylistic interpretation! if you can make him look ookie spookie without teeth go for it! and no my heart design is just a fuckin fella but again- up to interpretation! do whatever! go nutty with it!

[marine-indie-gal]

I've been in such a Ruddy mood lately mainly because on how some folks are still celebrating Christmas earlier this Month (even though this Month is Mainly Targeted towards "Thanksgiving") and even some re-watch on Phelous' Christmas reviews, I've figured just why not do another random interpretation of Rudolph, this time it's another Headcanon interpretation for how he would look like if he did appear in the Silly Sea Universe. 

I am deeply aware that Bludolph is the SB's own Rudolph but I always had this headcanon that What if the Blue-Nosed Parody version of the Famous Reindeer and the Real Rudolph are actually cousins and that maybe Rudolph retired so his own Blue-Nosed Cousin could take over as Santa's new reindeer?

I've always wanted to do a Anthro Rudolph of my own and so far, this was the result of making my first Rudolph family (though I'll probably do another version of it if I ever were to fully adapt my Most Favorite Christmas story ever since I did my own first interpretation of Rudolph last year from back then).

So here we have is my SpongeBob! Rudolph (Bludolph's Cousin) and even a Retired Reindeer of Santa's Reindeer (while still being famous) with his own Family; Marie (Rudolph's Wife) (I know how many people would prefer the name, "Clarice" most likely directly towards the Famous Version from Rankin/Bass but given on how that there was No Love Interest in the Original Rudolph story, Clarice was mainly Rankin/Bass' creation to be given as a Love Interest for Rudolph (so that character is most likely copyrighted). There's even another Rudolph adaptation that does feature Another Love Interest of Rudolph of its own made by Goodtimes, a Doe named "Zoey" and because I actually like the idea of Rudolph being given his own Mate (no matter what name the Mate might be), I've created my own Wife for SB's Rudolph in the Spongey-verse and that's where I came up with the name for a Parody Counterpart of Clarice, Marie), and even their Two Children, Rooney and Ruby (because what else would you expect if you're gonna have children having their own names being similar to either of their Parents' names? 🤭) (Not really to make fun of Rudolph's nose, just a little tease of inspiration).

Keep in mind that these designs are directly targeted towards the Designs for the Reindeers in one of the Recent Christmas Specials, "SpongeBob's Road to Christmas" (which I liked how that Special took place in July because that's how Christmas is celebrated in that Month rather than it's Main Month sometimes).

Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer (c) Robert L. May SpongeBob SquarePants (c) Stephen Hillenburg and Nickelodeon  SB! Design of Rudolph, Marie, Rooney, and Ruby (c) Me

[ericaportfolio]

So Idk if it's really an ask but Can I hear some fun facts about Burl Miser from The Workshoppers? He is my favourite!

Oh Thank You! I'm glad to see Burl got one of his first fans here! For what I have in mind for Burl Miser I'll have some fun facts listed below, just an idea of what to expect.

Part Mortal Elf and Element Immortal, Burl is part of the Miser Nature family. Yeah, Heat Miser is Burl's dad. Because of a heated divorce between his parents due to the constant infighting between the Miser brothers over the years, the Claus Family had to get involved in getting Burl out to at least live among the Elves. Some tension with his dad has cool down for nature power reasons.

Burl's now one of the leading foremen at Santa's Workshop. Mainly Burl makes sure everything is running smoothly between the office and the workshops, then sends reports back to Santa. It seems easy, but it's NOT!

Jack Frost is Burl's cousin. In this universe, I'm combining the specials to have a cohesive plot or some elements from specials are retold in the Workshoppers universe if any of the specials in question don't fit the story lore well. So it's the Rankin/Bass MCU for all ages! In Jack's case, Snow Miser is his dad, Jack changed his last name to Frost from Miser, and Father Winter and Mother Nature are his and Burl's grandparents. Jack and Burl do care for each other, but they do have their arguments that lead to pranks once in a while. Also, Burl is a bit jealous of his famous immortal cousin. But Hey, at least their cousin friendship isn't toxic like their dads/uncles.

Burl is a mixture of Michael Scott from The Office and Ron Swanson from Parks and Recreation.

Burl is a fan of the in-universe version of the Mario games (the games have a different name)! Pass it on!

Whatever you do, DON'T anger Burl! He's a hothead like his father.

The energy inspiration for Burl Miser and Lani Ives came from this song from the Black Friday musical. Slight TWs for younger readers to some language drops near the end, but that's about it.

That's about all for now. Thank You For Asking!!!

[monkberryfields]

Ooo, a history on indigenous America would be very interesting! The closest I got to that was the History of California class I took. There's also a very cool museum in Barona that's dedicated to preserving the history of the Kumeyaay people, I should really go back.

I haven't seen that particular special, but my dad loves Pee Wee so maybe he has! I should ask him. I do love the Rankin Bass movies, too, especially Santa Claus Is Coming to Town. The style of animation is just too cute to resist.

Usually I go for the "classic" Christmas movies, like It's a Wonderful Life, the Alastair Sim Christmas Carol, and the original Miracle on 34th Street with little Natalie Wood. I really like the Muppet Christmas Carol too! But I think my favorite Christmas movie is The Holdovers. It's not just a good Christmas movie, it's a good movie in general, and so much thought was put into the production design.

My kitty cat snoring next to me has reminded me to ask: do you have any pets? If so, what kind? If not, what kind would you want? (Aside from sheep)

Hello again with another late answer but I was busy working on him all night long:

Yes!!! You should watch the Peewee Christmas Special!! It has a lot of fun guest appearances like Cher, Little Richard, and Grace Jones, and it's a great watch with friends and family! Highly recommend it!

OMG THE HOLDOVERS!!! This reminded me I needed to do another watch of that movie sometime soon. I watched it last year with my parents and we really enjoyed it, and you're right it's just a good movie in general! It's not limited to just Christmas! The main three of the cast are just perfect and deserved all their accolades for their performances!

And this is a confession but... I've never watched It's A Wonderful Life 😳! Which is odd because I love Jimmy Stewart. I am a #fakefan. I do love 34th Street, the classic one! I do like watching the "classics" of when I was a kid like The Grinch and Elf now but I can't have them on repeat like some people during the holidays lol.

Also alas, I do not have any pets. I am a proud pet auntie tho, and I take this role very seriously. My best friend has three cats and a big lab mix and I love them all with my dear heart. I would love to own a cat someday maybe even two. I don't mind dogs, tho I do get very overwhelmed and I'm terrified of big dogs (I've warmed up to my friend's doggie tho). A medium sized dog would do me good but cats are very good at being low maintenance and great cuddlers when they deem you worthy. You have to tell me your kitty's name if you're willing to share!!! Hope your week is going well!! ☺️

[lathalea]

It sadly seems many in this fandom don't even know Thorin at all. He's a traditional man who would never agree to any of the modern quips of today. He would be in a committing relationship with one woman, if he were to ever have one, and there's no way that him or any of the dwarves would agree to strange gender ideologies and gay pride. This group of beings from middle Earth would know nothing about this stuff and if they found out about it, I'm sure they wouldn't agree to it. The issue is, too many people are flooding your ask with these strange questions, being completely alright with retconning their favorite Tolkien characters with modern day tactics. It just doesn't make sense. Do you ever wonder how weird this stuff can be?

Dear Anon,

Thank you so much for your ask! 

There is a lot of information to unpack here and quite a few questions to reply to, so bear with me while I do it. In the meantime, have a nice and hot Thorin pic:

(If you hear a sigh, it's Lathalea swooning.)

“It sadly seems many in this fandom don't even know Thorin at all.”

The Tolkien fandom is a huge group of people from all over the world united by the love of JRR’s works. There are hardcore fans and casual fans. Some of them only read the books, some saw only the Rankin/Bass animated version of Hobbit or the 1985 Soviet television play, and others fell in love with Peter Jackson’s movies. I’m sure you know that in all these adaptations, Thorin’s character is portrayed differently from the book. You can argue whether these adaptations were close to the source or whether they served the purpose, but that’s not the point here.

It works similarly when it comes to Thorin fans. Some of us prefer one version over the others, and others create a completely new interpretation of this character in their minds. And some of them put their ideas on paper (umm… computer screen). Even if this or that specific version of Thorin is not 100% the Thorin you or I like, it doesn’t mean it shouldn’t exist.

Various versions of this really inspiring character fulfil each person’s specific needs. Personally, I don’t think there is anything sad about making people happy this way. When I read a fic or an imagine where Thorin does not act in the way I prefer, I simply stop reading and move on. Someone wrote a story that made them happy, someone else liked it, and that’s fine. Not every work of fiction has to cater to everyone's needs.

The same goes for writing asks or requests about Thorin – if someone feels the need to be comforted or supported by a specific version of their favourite character, I’ll be happy to create a story about it if I can. We are living in crazy times, some of us are directly influenced by war, health issues, abuse and so on — and that is the least I can do to help.

(Here Lathalea makes simping sounds.)

“He's a traditional man who would never agree to any of the modern quips of today. He would be in a committing relationship with one woman, if he were to ever have one…”

If we are talking about the canon version of Thorin, I agree with you here. If he was to survive BOTFA, he would most probably marry a Dwarf-woman of childbearing age, mostly to strengthen the line of Durin and provide the heirs to the throne of Erebor, plus to secure some alliances with another large Dwarf house by the way of marriage.

Of course we can also say that he would not marry anyone because he is a Dwarf focused on his craft — and that would also be valid, especially since he has Fili and Kili as heirs (if we’re assuming they survived BOTFA as well). If you read my stories, you have most probably noticed that the first version is the one I choose most often – because I like my fics to stay as close to canon as possible, and I imagine that the Dwarven culture draws from the early mediaeval traditions (plus the Scandinavian culture because we know that Tolkien was partially inspired by it when creating Aule’s children). But that’s my own private headcanon and it’s okay if you see it differently.

(Here Lathalea dreams of combing his hair.)

“...and there's no way that him or any of the dwarves would agree to strange gender ideologies and gay pride. This group of beings from middle Earth would know nothing about this stuff and if they found out about it, I'm sure they wouldn't agree to it.”

What if I were to tell you that for Tolkien’s people of Men in Middle Earth, Dwarves most probably had “strange gender ideologies” too? Some examples:

— People of Men thought that there are only male Dwarves in existence and that their children were “born” out of stone. — Dwarves respected their women greatly and considered them extremely precious (while people of Men often treated women as subservient to men).

— Both Dwarven men and women had beards and wore similar clothes in the outside world, so they all looked like men to the outsiders. Among the people of Men, it was the opposite — and women often had a limited amount of roles to fulfil in their lives.

Having said that, if we were to follow Tolkien’s canon, we have no way of knowing exactly how the gender dynamics or ideas look among the Dwarves. This was the race not created by Eru, but by Aule, in secret, and therefore they are different from the Children of Illúvatar. We only know the Dwarves are very secretive and there are many misconceptions about them. We don’t know what they would think about any concepts we take for granted in our modern societies :)

The same would happen if we invert the situation: for someone raised in, say, the USA, in modern times, the various concepts of gender that have existed in our world throughout history (for example in the North American indigenious cultures, in the ancient Mesopotamia, Egypt, Greece, India, and so on) will probably feel strange, too. And it is totally understandable, mostly because we weren’t raised in those cultures. The same goes for the world of Tolkien. You probably know of his times, his background and worldview that influenced his writing, so I’ll skip it and go straight to fanfiction.

When it comes to fanfiction that is less focused on staying in line with canon, anything can happen there. It is every writer’s creative playground. Some even say that it is both its greatest blessing and a curse ;) But, as such, this playground gives every fan an opportunity to experience certain concepts and ideas in a safe, controlled environment. To experiment. To think out of the box. There is nothing wrong with playing around with different ideas if one feels inclined to do so. That’s how great stories and classic pieces of literature came to be. And there are many great fics that deviate from Tolkien’s writings at the same time being inspired by them.

But of course if those kinds of stories are not your cup of tea, that’s totally fine, too. One of the basic rules of fanfiction says “don’t like it, don’t read it”, after all, and I follow it every time I read anything new.

(This is the scene where Thorin kills Azog and survives and lives happily ever after and Lathalea will die on that Ravenhill. See what I did there? ;) )

“The issue is, too many people are flooding your ask with these strange questions, being completely alright with retconning their favorite Tolkien characters with modern day tactics. It just doesn't make sense. Do you ever wonder how weird this stuff can be?”

I hope that what I wrote above explained my point of view. And if you read Thorin's my replies to these asks, you have most probably noticed that I imagine Thorin as a person firmly set in his times and having completely different concepts and worldview than the one many modern people have.

I completely understand that the ideas offered by many Thorin simps that stray from canon don’t have to make sense to you, and that’s okay. My headcanon of Thorin is also close to Tolkien’s canon and being a writer, it makes me happy to explore this character within those bounds. Each of my “iterations” of Thorin in every of my fics is slightly different from the others and yet I try to follow the path staked out by Tolkien to the best of my ability.

There are, however, many writers or artists who choose different paths and interpret our beloved Thorin in other ways — and that's okay, too! They are very much free to do so as long as they are having fun! The possibilities are endless and so is our imagination.

We all have different definitions of “weird stuff”. There are probably many people saying that my fics are weird because, for example, I don’t write Bilbo x Thorin romance. It is all relative. I don’t feel qualified enough to judge others. I just believe in unrestricted creativity and say ‘no’ to gatekeeping.

Thank you for coming to my Thorin TED Talk ;)

(Thorin's brooding skills are legendary. But it's not surprising. He's a very skilled dwarf, is he not? 😈)

Tagging all the Thorin simps, including @fizzyxcustard @linasofia @xxbyimm @legolasbadass @middleearthpixie @i-did-not-mean-to @shiinata-library @frosticenow @sweetestgbye @onlywifetothorin555 and everyone else who adores our majestic dwarf :)

[incorrectmlpquotes]

Insert Holiday Pun Here

Well folks, the holidays are upon us, and I’ve been too busy to attempt to be funny. SO, I thought I’s treat you all to something a little different. 

[This joke would be funnier if my name was actually Gina]

I’m going to go through the holiday (read: Christmas, because let’s be honest: Hearth’s Warming is a Christmas expy) episodes and give my thoughts on each. This will not include the Equestria specials because I haven’t seen them (but I have read the IDW 2014 holiday comic and oh boy, that’s a post of its own). I’m not going to recap them (much) because it would take less than two hours to watch them all. Take a break from Charlie Brown and Rankin Bass to appreciate some true holiday classics.

Hearth's Warming Eve, Season 2 Episode 11

I don’t like it.

It’s hard to be the first of anything. You’ve got a lot to set up and only twenty-two minutes to establish lore and tell a complete story. I didn’t care for the Nightmare Night episode the first time I saw it, but upon rewatch it held up better than I remembered. Plus, it had the benefit of being really funny.  This only has a few moments that gave me a sensible chuckle.

What a shocker! An earth pony with no ideas.

Ostensibly, this is a very important episode because it introduces the holiday and gives us some Equestria history, but I never expected this show to have such a mean-spirited holiday episode. And I don’t just mean the pony summit that is supposed to show animosity. The beloved Mane Six begin the episode by grousing with each other.

The holidays stress me out too, and I wouldn’t have a problem if they resolved this by the end of the story, but they don’t. The name of the show is “Friendship is Magic.” This grinch’s heart should be growing three sizes, not reminded of family gatherings that turned into verbal brawls.

And then there’s the play. Obviously, the personalities of Pinkie, Rainbow Dash, and Rarity get turned up to an eleven in their respective roles, but it just rubs me the wrong way. Especially since the other three are depicted normally. The three heroes bond over how much they hate their bosses. This is a relatable notion, but a weird choice for a children’s program. In the beginning, the three races of ponies were divided by hate, and now they’re being brought together…by hate. Talk about your mixed messages. 

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: I don’t like it when they fight unnecessarily.

2/5

Hearthbreakers, Season 5 Episode 20

It was a long wait for another holiday episode, and it was worth it.  This one delves into a topic that I don’t see too many shows acknowledge: that different families have different traditions. And more importantly, that someone else’s traditions aren’t bad or wrong just because you might not enjoy them. It should be an obvious lesson to respect other’s differences, but the amount of people who lose their minds when told to have a happy holiday is any indication, it bears repeating. This time of year can be difficult for blended families or people coming together for the first time, and it’s especially relevant for this changing world. It stands to reason that the very stubborn Applejack would be a stickler for tradition and have difficulties being flexible.

How rare it is to see Pinkie Pie be the peace keeper?

4.5/5

A Hearth's Warming Tail, Season 6 Episode 

This one is a mixed bag for me. I am a big fan of A Christmas Carol and I do enjoy when shows do their own version. The story itself is fun, with the added twist of higher stakes than the original, but the framing devices gives me pause. Twilight freaking out because Starlight doesn’t want to celebrate a holiday is a little over the top. No one should be pressured to celebrate a certain way or celebrate at all if they don’t want to. Maybe someone has bad memories with the holiday and doesn’t want to be reminded of past events. Maybe they can’t stand the over consumption and commercialism of this time of year. Maybe they belong to a religion that doesn’t celebrate Christmas and are very tired of being constantly ignored. Maybe they work in retail. The reason doesn’t matter. 

It’s such an easy fix. Maybe instead of being indifferent towards the holiday, Starlight’s nervous that she’s going to be in such a big group and worried that she’ll mess things up. Twilight gives her the book to show that you can’t really ruin Christmas Hearthswarming because blah blah blah togetherness. I don’t know.

Maybe I’m reading too much into it, but this episode aired a year after people lost their minds over a red paper coffee cup, so my concerns aren’t unfounded.

3.5/5

The Hearth's Warming Club, Season 8 Episode 15

It was like the writers saw inside my brain and realized the issue with only recognizing one holiday that gets celebrated in the pony equivalent of December. 

The set up for the Breakfast Club-esque story has some issues, but I'm willing to look past them because I enjoy the episode. The best things that come from the magic school storylines are the exploration of the non-pony lore.

We had to wait eight years, but there was finally an acknowledgement that other holidays exist. 

4.5/5

Best Gift Ever (aired between seasons 8 and 9)

The gold standard by which I’ve held all the other episodes. Everyone is perfectly in character. No one had to resort to stupid “Gift of the Magi” BS that they could have easily done.

I’ve never seen a kids show display so succinctly how stressful the holidays are, while simultaneously expecting you to have a good time. It’s the most wonderful time of the year, right? Why aren’t you having fun? What do you mean you don’t have time to clean, decorate, bake, wrap presents, send out cards, do crafts, mail gifts, and spend time with loved ones while also working/going to school/ continuing to be a human being? 

I have been in this exact position, spending an hour inputting packages, and explaining that the delivery times were not guaranteed. 

But this friend group really needs to discover the magic of waiting until after Christmas to have your get-together.  It lessens the stress and gives you something to look forward to. Plus, you can snag those post-holiday deals.

I have pulled a Pinkie Pie and ignored the rules of a White Elephant exchange because I had already gotten everyone a gift. No one seemed to mind.

Forget the magic anthropomorphic horses, the most unrealistic thing about this show is how easy it is to make friends as an adult. It's trite to say that friendship is the greatest gift of all, but I am going to see my friends after New Years, and after not being together for over three years, I really couldn't ask anything better.

A totally heterosexual explanation for this image exists.

The chef’s kiss of holiday episodes. I will even forgive them for airing it in October. I will be watching it again this year while the rest of the family watches Die Hard.

5/5

Shoutout once again to whoever posts the images on the wiki gallery. You remain the funniest person on the internet.

[joanthelovely]

Frosty: Should have stayed a song

I'm starting off my December right by watching Frosty the Snowman. I have not watched this in years and was beginning to question why I had removed it from the yearly rotation of animations that I watch. At one point I had watched the short so much that I could quote the commercial that cut in on my tape that had been recorded off of tv. But alas...adulthood cut this from my life...maybe...had I stopped watching it before that?

Here are some thoughts that I had as I watched it with fresher adult eyes that had not seen this in probably 20 years:

I forgot Jimmy Durante was in this. How do I know who that is? How do I not know what that is? He has such a distinctive voice and face...I probably just remember him from all the caricatures in old cartoons. THERE ARE A TON.

I prefer the claymation to this animation. Rankin and Bass did this one through Mushi Production and while I love Osamu Tezuka and his studio with a fiery passion...this was just not good. I even enjoyed the original short from 1953 more than this AND IT WAS LESS ANIMATED.

This guy just kills me...I hate him so much. He's a terrible villain and not just because he's inept...he's so boring. So very boring. And Whiny. Did we really need to have a villain? Does the song have a villain?

The head is the most difficult part...if you know what I mean *eyebrow wiggle*

This is Karen. I don't like Karen. I don't much care for any of the children or the voice acting. I think they turned a perfectly good song into a perfectly terrible short. None of you are believable! I don't believe any of you built a magical snowman who can sing and dance.

Happy Birthday...now lets name our Snowman friend:

Harold? Christopher Columbus? Oatmeal?

Bruh...you can't call him Oatmeal. What kind of a name is Oatmeal for a snowman? Frosty...obviously...sheesh

Which came first? the song? the movie? I didn't actually know the correct answer to that so I had to stop everything and look it up or it would bother me too much to continue.

Looks like the original was out in 1950 with this production hitting in 1969. Jimmy and Gene Autry both sang and released it at the same time....but I swear the radio only plays Jimmy. I'm going to have to go dig up the Autry edition.

Dude takes his hat back even after seeing Frosty come to life…how…why? No one is questioning this. Magic talking snowman. No one is freaking out. Even the Magician is just like...Oh...Its a magic hat...I"ll just take that back.

Silly silly silly.

Please quit doing this. Your point is not made better by repeating it 3 times. He does this a lot. Too much. 0/10 stars

So nonchalant about the living snowman. No one is freaking out...like I get it, new friend...but TALKING SNOWMAN OHMYGODWHYISTHISHAPPENING

I'm alive. What a neat thing to happen to a guy like me. But oh no. I'm gonna melt.

...like right this second? because honestly a good packed snow will last awhile *shrug* maybe slow down

We have trains to the north pole? Where do these children live that that seems like a viable option.

Lets have a parade? Ok ...why not...

Finally! Vindication! The rest of the adults are acting appropriately. You should double take when a walking talking snowman is pulling a pied piper down the center of your town.

3000.04 for a ticket to the north pole. That is really really specific and also a lot of work to pull for a child on her own asking questions. I actually don't know what a train ticket would cost to go that far. Sounds pretty cheap with all the layovers involved.

Karen...you can't go everywhere with your new buddy. Karen, do your parents know where you are?

Lets just put Frosty in the cold car. With the cakes. The cakes that are just out there in the open in the cold car. Must be some super awesome tiering going on there. That can't be sanitary for those cakes, no boxes or nothing.

Little girl, your mother will mind if you travel cross country in a cold car with Frosty. Get your ass home!

I don't like the Magicians voice either. It sounds so familiar but I've not seen anything else this guy has been in.

At least the boxcar was insulated from the wind...now we're just dealing with exposure. I'm sure you holding her can't be good for either of you.

Did you just ask the animals of the forest to light a fire for you?

I guess he didn't need the hat for magic. Dude just blew out a campfire.

They were so lucky that there was a greenhouse at the end of the hill...which then has me pondering why are Poinsettias a Christmas thing when they can't actually grow during Christmas?

This is some terrible buffoonery here. Are you really whining at Santa? Really?

At this point I think I've figured out the reason this hasn't been in the rotation. This story has just gotten to be too nonsensical for me. I love a good fantasy but these non-existent forced relationships just aren't doing it for me. You have a terrible unnecessary villain, an idiot child I just want to yell at for running off like she doesn't have parents that are worried about her, and an idiot snowman who knows he needs to go to the North Pole but thought dragging along Karen was a good idea? At least Rudolph did more world building...

Really, Santa? Just going to leave her up there on the roof?