#there is not one scene without a servant in the room it's really amazingly done

[nipaaahh]

So I can't remember who it was, but one of my mutuals made a post sometime ago about the movie Gosford Park, a murder mystery in an english 1930s country estate from the pov of the servants.

We just watched it and it was amazing! Really well done and amazing actors!

They had a lot of real life former servants as consultants apparently, so cool!

(whoever that mutual was, thank you for showing me this movie!)

[ukiyokki]

mars reads too much dreamnotfound fanfiction for their own good

a dreamnotfound fanfic recommendation list by your resident dumbass (me)

this took way to fucking long... i’m tired

below is a (very extensive) list dedicated to all my favorite dnf fics, ranging from quick one shots to 100k+ word monstrosities that devour the storage on my computer, forever incomplete masterpieces to ongoing works of art, you get the idea. i provided links for each fic/series for your reading pleasure. there will be no smutty/nsfw fics on this list, that’s just not my vibe lmao. this list goes in no particular order, and i’ll update it from time to time when i feel like it. now, without further ado, let us begin.

Heat Waves (complete) by tbhyourelame

(wtf else did you expect, looking at a dnf rec list?) amazingly well written, and while it’s not my favorite dnf fic it’s damn near close. in the midst of a brutal heatwave, a suffering dream comes to terms with the fact that he is desperately in love with his best friend. everything i could say about this fic has already been said by nearly everyone who’s read it, so if you haven’t yet caved into the hype, just go for it. you won’t be disappointed.

Gonna be around (completed) by georgescatcafe

(mc irl) my favorite dnf oneshot to date. just read it, i don’t wanna spoil for you :)

Inferno in the Sky (ongoing)by zairielon

(star wars au) an ongoing star wars au currently clocking in at almost 200k words. need I say more? everything about it absolutely slaps, each chapter is amazingly written, and it’s just good. also, can we just appreciate dream and tubbos dynamic in here? 10/10, amazing, must protecc. oh right, a summary: george, an exiled padawan turned engineer, must return to the jedi temple after attacks on it from an unknown assailant threaten the safety of himself and the other jedi.

Like Magic (ongoing) by KangarooKen, NotGra55 (Gra55)

(harry potter au) the unofficial official dnf harry potter au. we watch the young unlikely wizard pair grow up together throughout their years at hogwarts as they battle good old fashioned wizard racism. beautifully written, incredibly fun and suspenseful, and just an overall blast and a half.

GeorgeNotFound, Son of Poseidon, and the League of Minor Gods (ongoing) by Clichewho_69, Cygnvs, Trash_Kinggg

(percy jackson au) percy jackson au? check. “road trip” (technically quest but u get what i mean)? check. enemies to friends to lovers? check. this fic follows the plot of the lightning theif (albeit loosely), but everything is explained enough where you don’t have to read percy jackson to understand what’s going on. basically after moving to the usa, george gets taken to camp halfblood where he learns that a) gods exist. b) he’s the son of poseidon and c) he needs to prove that he didn’t steal zeus’s master bolt.

Protected (completed) by aenqua

(royalty/camelot au) my favorite piece of dnf media of all time. dubbed the official dnf camelot au, where dream is the heir to the throne and george is a servants son with a secret that couldp get him killed. these childhood friends grow up together and learn trust, love, and acceptance. (that summary did not justice to the masterpiece that is this fic) here’s the directors cut

The Hunter (completed) by HederEgo

(mc irl) a choose your own adventure fic with 13 different endings, where dream the hunter must kill george and stop him from beater the ender dragon. enough said.

The official dream team cowboy AU (series)(ongoing) by antsu_in_my_pantsu

(cowboy au) cowboys and outlaws horses and shit. and the big gay. it’s a cowboy au, what else did you expect? fucking yee haw (all seriousness this is a great read, i loved it so so so so much and i can’t wait for the final chapter to release).

This is a Drista moment, let's just accept it (completed) by Qekyo

dnf fic from drista pov. considering its unique perspective, it’s perfectly done. beautifully showcases a sibling relationship through drista and her memories/moments with dream, and it just works, y’a know? also drista supremacy.

Dear Dream (completed) by Qekyo

(wwii au) i don’t cry when watching/reading anything sad. translation: i’m a heartless bitch. however, this fic is the only exception. it caused me to cry so hard my mom walked in my room and asked if i was ok. ‘nuff said.

TECHNOlogical Wingman (completed) by Closeted_Bookworm

techno is the autocorrect ai on dreams phone, and he gains sentience. interesting concept, and the author fucking nailed it. great fic.

It Was Only a Fic (ongoing) by imagineitdear

dream starts reading a dnf fanfic (we’ve all been there buddy).

Teacher’s Pet (ongoing) by niyuha

(teacher au) in which dream is a high school english teacher and george is the new comp sci teacher in room 297.

Saltwater Secrets (ongoing) by earlgay_milktea

(mermaid/high school au) a great example of the shear amount of variety in fics this fandom has to offer. when i started reading dnf fics i would have never thought i’d find one about a mermaid george hopelessly crushing on his human friend, who happens to be his schools star swimmer. yet here i am, and i am far from disappointed.

Smash My Heart (incomplete) by dontrollthedice

george and sapnap are commentators for duper smash brothers tournaments, and george develops a crush on an up and coming smash streamer named dream.

roleplaying in the dark is harder than it seems (completed) by Alienu

laser tag. 10/10

solar system (completed) by quartzfia

(mc irl) george vists dream in pandora’s vault.

Ramblings of a Lunatic (completed) by jungkooksfic

ahh communicating through a notebook left on a shelf in a bookstore- what a perfect way to start a relationship.

Paint me like your French Girls (It's Charcoal, Actually) (completed) by Turtle_ier

(artist au) george is an art student, and dream is a model.

00:00:00 (completed) by isleofdreams

(soulmate au) 00:00:00 is the moment you meet your soulmate, as indicated but the clock ticking down on your wrist until the moment you meet. i’m not a fan of soulmate aus; this fic is the exception.

Blue Skies Smilin' At Me (completed) by kivy

(artist au) i don’t usually cry while reading stuff, but this brought me damn near close. george is a painting conservator and chats it is with the ghost of the artist if the painting he is working on. they fall in a love.

Current Location (incomplete) by hendollana

(influencer au) george simps for a hot american instagram model. who knew he’d actually follow back?

The Withering (series) (series ongoing, 1 work completed) by App1e_Juice

(mc irl) lore and world building and fight scenes and everything i crave. what’s not to love? something starts making the plants and crops around dreams village wither, and must team up with new friends to find the cause of the mysterious disease plaguing the land.

Minecraft, But You Can't Leave (complete) by facadecake

(mc irl) dream and george are sucked into their own private minecraft world together and must beat the game to escape.

Free The Game, Beat the End (incomplete) by goatgoatwasfound

(mc irl) a glitch in minecraft causes thousands of players from around the world to be trapped inside minecraft, with only one way of escape- beating the ender dragon. first dnf fic i ever read, and it’s still 10/10 for me.

Why don't you come a little closer? (completed) by lifeofandoms

george gets stood up by a date, and Dream pretends he’s the date to save george from the embarrassment. simply adorable.

lightning bug (completed) by saintachesP

(band au) while on tour, dream realizes his feeling for george.

Hold me closer (completed) by Treesofmyheart

(mc irl/dsmp) i just,, really like this trope.

Dizzy on caffeine (completed) by GleamingGreenGoggles

(coffee shop au) best dnf coffeeshop au i’ve read. periodt.

living a life of crime isn’t always easy (series) (completed) by itisjosh

(mafia/assassin au) stockholm syndrome except it’s not weird.

Inhibitions Make Interesting Situations (completed) by Ship_On_The_Sea

i pissed myself laughing. it’s just a dream and george being hilariously dense, flustered idiots. serotonin central.

thy eternal summer shall not fade (completed) by gracequills

(high school au) that moment when you recite shakespeare to your crush in your ap lit class instead of confessing (hate it when that happens).

All is Fair in love and Football (ongoing) by graciegirl2001

(college au) #1 favorite college au. in which george is a cheerleader, and dream is the football teams rising star player. this one gets extra points because of the amazing karlnap moments sprinkled throughout. *chefs kisses air*

online love (completed) by andbutso

(high school au) online classes go zoooooooom

Can’t help falling (completed) by isleofdreams

dream re-learns the guitar to sing to george on his birthday. beautiful. fluffy. amazing

dance in the rain and my arms (completed) by lazy_kitkat

george is a rain god, and dream is a wind god

Weather Boy (completed) by DaintyDiizzle

wouldn't you like to know, weather boy? (where dream can control the rain)

The color orange (completed) by anon

(mc irl) dream describes the colors of a sunset

Family Mode (completed)by Strawberry_flavoured_tears

they’re dads :,)

Breathing Room (incomplete) by papercranes

(band an) an amazing band au. the mad lad author wrote original songs for each chapter. above and beyond, mad props :). unfortunately, it’s incomplete

Piece of Clay (completed) by carbonbrine

(artist au) george is a sculptor and his sculpture comes to life- but oh no he’s hot.

Try (completed) by Not4typicalwriter

(royalty au) george must choose a suitor, but none of them are up to dream, his head knights, standards. or dream is hella jelly. also protective dream is perfect

When the Roses Bloom (completed) by HederEgo

(royalty au) close second for my favorite fic. go to royalty au for a quick serotonin bost. it’s all fluff and flowers and crushes, and i love it. criminally underrated.

Heavenstruck (ongoing) by dontrollthedice

george is dreams guardian angel, and dream want to find out more about him and his past life. bittersweet :,)

Bang and Burn (completed) by App1e_Juice

(spy au) george accidentally falls for target number 1 on sapnap’s secret agency’s hit list. this ones great, i love me a spy au :)

Can I get a uhh… (completed) by lemonskies

dream keeps pulling up to the drive through mcdonald’s that george works at drunk.

Pretty Stranger (completed) by anon

when looking for dream in the terminal, george sees a cute guy and decides to flirt.

Take my Hand (completed) by latinbias

(royalty au) another royalty au? poggers. surprise twists? double poggers. love this a lot.

seconds, minutes, hours, lifetimes (complete) by meridies

ROAD TRIP ROAD TRIP ROAD TRIP ROAD TRIP *inhales to compose herself* roadtrip au. unrequited love, ignored feelings, longing, pining, you know the drill. absolutely love this one, its the best roadtrip au i have ever read, in any fandom. (maybe cause i identify with it a little too much, but thats not important. whats important is that you read this fic. right now. im waiting).

Message redacted (complete) by justyouraverageloser

(text fic) dream asks for a girls number and realises hes been given the wrong number. however, an unexpected relationship starts to form between him and the stranger on the other end of the line.

the waves (completed) by anon

(mc irl) this fic was written by the same anon who wrote the color orange, which is up there on my fav dnf oneshot list. dream and george know they have a higher purpose. they don’t know where they came from, or why they are seemingly the only humans in the world, or how they feel about eachother, or even where the skeletons come from, but they are sure of one thing: they have to beat a dragon.

The Dream Doll (completed) by PeppDream (Pep_Pizza)

(voodoo i guess) i’m a real big fan of fics with really out there or unique concepts, so naturally this one makes the cut! i really liked it, it’s really sweet and made me think a lot about what matters to me in the world. george finds a strange doll in an antique shop, and would really like to just stuff it in a drawer and forget about it. sadly (?), the doll has other plans.

last updated February 6th, 2021

[gravecinema]

Why Beetlejuice is the Best Tim Burton Movie - 05/06/2020

Beetlejuice is the best Tim Burton movie ever made. Many directors can be said to have developed their own style over the course of their careers, and there is no other director that has a more distinct style than Tim Burton. In only his second feature film, Beetlejuice, which was released in 1988, exhibits and expresses a macabre, grim, and whimsical style that would since become synonymous with Tim Burton. It sets the tone for much of his later work yet to come, such as Edward Scissorhands, Sleepy Hollow, and Corpse Bride.

The main plot revolves around the couple of Adam and Barbara Maitland, played by Alec Baldwin and Geena Davis, who within the first 10 minutes of the movie get killed in an auto accident heading over a bridge into a creek and drowning. The newly dead couple soon discover that they now have become ghostly spirits that are forever trapped within their house. When a new couple with a daughter move into their house, they attempt to haunt and scare away the new family. However, the new daughter who is a curious, gothic, and depressive teenager name Lydia, played by Winona Ryder, is the only person able to see the two ghosts. When Adam and Barbara are unable to successfully scare away the family, the plot takes a turn when they seek the help of a ghostly demon: the titular Beetlejuice, played wonderfully by Michael Keaton.

Throughout the course of the movie, we are treated to a visual and creative feast of set design, stop-motion effects, and Oscar-winning make-up. For a movie with macabre subject matter, you would think it would be a mostly dark and grim affair, but it’s the vivid colors used that really stand out to me. Tim Burton would later become known for having a much darker and gothic looking color pallet in his films, but the Director actually has his cinematographer make wonderful use of color in a number of his films, and Beetlejuice is one of the best examples of this. Most notably when Adam and Barbara take a trip to the afterlife waiting room, in which a comparison and contrast to the real-world DMV is ever present. It’s nothing but endless waiting, but in a much more colorful and vibrant setting. This similar color technique to establish setting would also later be used in Corpse Bride, where the afterlife is shown to be much more colorful and vibrant than the dreary normal life on Earth.

The Oscar-winning make-up of Beetlejuice shines its brightest in the afterlife, with the various deceased characters making up the waiting room. The man with the bone stuck in his neck must be one of my personal favorites. I also really appreciate the visual gag of having dead versions of the audience staring back at themselves in Juno’s office in the background, while Adam and Barbara are in the foreground of the shot. The exact make-up work I really believe won Beetlejuice the Oscar though is the stunning creature design of Adam and Barbara when in the film they later don their monstrous visages in order to better scare the family out of their house. They are two looks you certainly won’t forget after having seen this movie and are truly inspired.

One of the most distinct elements of the film has also got to be the engaging and creative score by Danny Elfman, who would go on to become a longtime collaborator with Tim Burton. Tim Burton would make it a habit of reworking with people that he has a great professional relationship with, most notably with Johnny Depp. The initial theme playing over the opening credits really sets the mood for the rollercoaster of a movie you are about to watch. Individual eerie elements are also added into to score to help set the mood for certain scenes, and they do a great job of transitioning the mood and tone for each subsequent scene.

It also cannot go without mentioning the brilliant use of the Banana Boat (Day-O) song, by Harry Belafonte, in the truly out of left-field and amazingly iconic scene where the two ghosts possess Lydia’s parents and dinner guests in another failed effort to scare everyone out of the house. The use of the song is even teased in the opening production company logo of the film. Adam is also seen to be listening to Harry Belafonte music in the attic just after the opening credits. It cannot be overstated just how much the music of Beetlejuice truly breathes life into the film.

The costume design is also inspired, and Beetlejuice himself is eventually adorned in his most iconic look, that of the black and white striped suit that he can be seen in on any poster of the film. Oddly enough, the character only wears the famous suit for just over 3 and a half minutes of screen time throughout the entire movie. In fact, the titular character of Beetlejuice only has about 17 and a half minutes of total screen time throughout the movie, not even making his first appearance until just over halfway through the film. However, when Beetlejuice does make his first appearance, does he ever own the screen and movie.

You can tell that Michael Keaton had an absolute blast playing Beetlejuice, and his fun and enthusiasm shines throughout his performance. It’s reported that he even adlibbed a great deal of his lines, and you can tell that helps increase the flawless comedic elements to his character. The voice Michael Keaton has given to the character is such a great affectation, and it does a perfect job of having Michael Keaton really own the role and make it his own. You cannot show a picture of Beetlejuice to someone, and then not have them instantly think of Michael Keaton and the voice he gives to the character.

The movie also possesses an excellent script by Michael McDowell and has some nice and interesting bits littered about. The character of Otho, played by Glenn Shadix, is shown to have an expert knowledge of the supernatural, even correctly knowing about the souls of those in the afterlife becoming civil servants after committing suicide, as the audience has previously seen when Adam and Barbara took their trip to the afterlife waiting room. The character of Delia, played exquisitely by Catherine O’Hara, also exclaims, “Do you think I want to die like this?!,” after having one of her sculptures encompassing and trapping her earlier in the film, which is a nice bit of foreshadowing towards the climax of the film.

What really sets Beetlejuice apart from other Tim Burton films is its originality, and the screenplay is a truly unique piece of scriptwriting showcasing what it means for two characters to die, and to have their afterlife get harder and not easier than when they were alive. It has its own unique vision and story, which is something that is lacking in most major Hollywood films that are made today. Many of Tim Burton’s later works would be adaptations from preexisting properties, but Beetlejuice was a completely original concept from script to screen, and as such, Tim Burton would have more of a say and representation of his own vision towards the overall final product.

If you look at the career of many directors, you will find that some of their best and most unique work are the early films that they make during a time when they are more driven by creativity and having a message that they need to say and represent through their art. Tim Burton is no exception to this, having what I consider to be his best films made during this period. Among them are Edward Scissorhands, Ed Wood, and of course, Beetlejuice. If you include The Nightmare Before Christmas, which was directed by Henry Selick and not Tim Burton himself, but completely his story and characters, then there is no doubt that this period was the best creative output of his career.

Later works of Burton would mostly be adaptations of previous works, but with studios just wanting to add that Tim Burton style that was so well done in his early work. This was done successfully in the very first Batman films that were directed by Burton. The character of Batman and the setting of the dark and gritty city of Gotham created a perfect marriage of a preexisting creative property and Tim Burton’s style. It was only with the turn of the Millennium that this method of having Tim Burton add his own flair to a property would become hit or miss.

Tim Burton adaptations of Planet of the Apes and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory would prove to be critical and creative misses for Burton. Other films such as Big Fish, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, and the underrated Dark Shadows film adaptation would prove to be films that produced better results of adding that particular Tim Burton style to a film. However, it is mostly a rare occasion when we get to see a new and mostly original Tim Burton film, and that is a shame, because that’s when he is truly capable of creating some absolutely memorable pieces of cinematic beauty.

The legacy of Tim Burton will always be mostly defined by those early and unique films of his. The most defining of which will always be Beetlejuice. It will always be the film most people will think of first when you mention the name of Tim Burton. While it may not be the best technically made and acted movie by Tim Burton, it will always be the best “Tim Burton” movie, since Tim Burton has become a movie genre all unto himself, and Beetlejuice is the defining movie of that genre.

[christlovez]

A Study in Skulls, Sonnets, and Chess

Ello! I am only a beginner at theorizing for Sherlock and I’ve yet to read the books (gotta read asap) but found great fun in brainstorming. Hopefully this isn’t all a repeat of what the fandom’s been saying for months now!

(This post will later on revolve a bit around the Extended Mind Palace theory and/or meditative trance theory)

Quick briefing for sonnets before i get into it: There are some fans who noticed that John’s counting on of 57 texts in The Scandal in Belgravia was a reference to William Shakespeare’s Sonnet 57. 

Being your slave, what should I do but tend Upon the hours and times of your desire? I have no precious time at all to spend, Nor services to do, till you require. Nor dare I chide the world-without-end hour Whilst I, my sovereign, watch the clock for you, Nor think the bitterness of absence sour When you have bid your servant once adieu; Nor dare I question with my jealous thought Where you may be, or your affairs suppose, But, like a sad slave, stay and think of nought Save, where you are how happy you make those.    So true a fool is love that in your will,    Though you do any thing, he thinks no ill. 

Modernized verison: “Since I’m your slave, what else should I do but wait on the hours, and for the times when you’ll want me? I don’t have any valuable time to spend, or any services to do, until you need me. Nor do I dare complain about how agonizingly long the hours are while I watch the clock for you, my king, or how bitter your absence is after you’ve said goodbye to your servant. Nor do I dare ask jealous questions about where you might be, or speculate about your affairs, but like a sad slave I sit still and think about nothing except how happy you’re making whomever you’re with. Love makes a person such a faithful fool that no matter what you do to satisfy your desires, he doesn’t think you’ve done anything wrong.”

Sonnet 58:

That god forbid, that made me first your slave, I should in thought control your times of pleasure, Or at your hand th' account of hours to crave, Being your vassal bound to stay your leisure. O let me suffer, being at your beck, Th' imprisoned absence of your liberty; And patience tame to sufferance bide each check, Without accusing you of injury. Be where you list, your charter is so strong That you yourself may privilege your time To what you will; to you it doth belong Yourself to pardon of self-doing crime. I am to wait, though waiting so be hell, Not blame your pleasure, be it ill or well.

“Sonnet 57 is one of 154 sonnets written by the English playwright and poet William Shakespeare. It is a member of the Fair Youth sequence, in which the poet expresses his love towards a young man. Sonnet 57 is connected with Sonnet 58 which pursues the theme of the poet as a slave of the beloved.” - Wikipedia

Modernized version: ”Whatever god decided to make me your slave, may he never allow me to so much as think about having any control over when you see me, or asking you to account for how you’ve been passing the hours. I’m your slave, after all, and forced to wait until you have time for me. Oh, while I wait for your summons, let me suffer patiently the prison of this lengthy absence from you as you do whatever you want. And let me control my impatience and quietly endure each disappointment without accusing you of hurting me. Go wherever you want—you’re so privileged that you may decide to do whatever you like. You have the right to pardon yourself for any crime you commit. And I have to wait, even if it feels like hell, and not blame you for following your desire, whether it’s for good or bad.“

Sonnet 59:

Mary is said to have called/messaged John 59 times in The Six Thatchers because she’s going into labor.

John says this number, ‘59.‘

If there be nothing new, but that which is Hath been before, how are our brains beguil'd, Which, labouring for invention, bear amiss The second burthen of a former child! O, that record could with a backward look, Even of five hundred courses of the sun, Show me your image in some antique book, Since mind at first in character was done! That I might see what the old world could say To this composed wonder of your frame; Whether we are mended, or whe'r better they, Or whether revolution be the same. O! sure I am, the wits of former days To subjects worse have given admiring praise.

Modernized version: “If it’s true that there’s nothing new and everything that now exists existed in the past, then we are really fooling ourselves when we struggle to write something new, winding up, after much exhausting, painful labor, with a tired imitation of an imitation! If only I could look back into the records, even as far as five hundred years ago, and find a description of you in some old book, written when people were just beginning to put their thoughts in writing, so I could see what the old world would say about your amazingly beautiful body. Then I could see whether we’ve gotten better at writing or worse, or whether things have stayed the same as the world revolves. Oh, I’m sure the witty writers of the past have devoted praise and admiration to worse subjects than you.“

Sherlock in The Six Thatchers, explains to Mary that he knows 58 possible ways of diminishing variables and calculating the steps she would take. (despite the fact that he did not use this tactic to find her location after she fled to lure Ajay away. Tracer device n’ all) This mention of 58 comes after the mention of 59, which is also mentioned in The Six Thatchers episode.

Sonnet 59 is also connected to a picture seen in The Abominable Bride. The skull painting of the modern Sherlock world is blue with a rather simple plain background. In Sherlock’s mind palace, the painting is red and is a Victorian painting called All is Vanity. All is Vanity in real life is typically a more neutral brown than the reddish brown we see, and sometimes white. (The fabulous @cyntrix-gm helped me find this painting’s name)

Both the painting, and sonnet 59 refer to verses in the bible from the same book of Ecclesiastes. 

(Sonnet 59) If there be nothing new: Ecclesiastes 1.9: "The thing that hath been is that which shall be; and that which hath been done is that which shall be done; and there is no new thing under the sun."

In Scandal in Belgravia, Sherlock says, “The wheel turns, nothing is ever new.“ and Mycroft in The Sign of Three in Sherlock’s mind palace reminds, “What do we say about coincidence?” Sherlock responds “The universe is rarely so lazy.”

All is Vanity: Ecclesiastes 1:2 “Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity.“

John’s Chinese fortune cookie  says “There is nothing new under the sun. It has all been done before.” (credited post by @teaandforeshadowing)

This post by @lillabaloo displays a screenshot in which thewatsonbeekeepers explains that William Sherlock Scott Holmes’s real initials (WH) are connected in parallel to whom sonnets are addressed to.

His Last Vow had a deleted scene featuring Magnussen and a hospitalized Sherlock where a vase with a dark, withering rose and letter stood.  

(@cyntrix-gm found the rose symbolism) The symbolism of the withering rose: 

“The dark crimson rose has a meaning that has two sides. On one side it’s about sadness and mourning and death.  On another, it has a more joyous meaning - rebirth and love.  When someone you care about passes away, the dark crimson rose can express your feelings of mourning and sadness.” - website of Auntyflo on rose symbolism. 

Magnussen - “The struggling carnations are from Scotland Yard. The single rose is from.. ‘W’.. And the black wreaths? C-block Pentonville (prison). I’m not sure the intent was entirely kindly.”

(Fun fact: White carnations = pure love, good luck. Black wreaths = death. Many more shades of carnations appear in the scene, though white is the most common, next to pink. The pink carnation was said to have appeared because of the Virgin Mary’s tears, a symbol of a mother’s undying love- it’s no wonder it’s a Mother’s Day flower meant to say “I will never forget you“. It also is a flower of support. [Info from: Teleflora ... and Google])

Flip the letter upside down and increase contrast levels:

Invert the colors:

A chess piece with a skull on it and something that can be described as a lock(?) above it. The letter W has turned into a perfect blue M.

(Blue and red in the series has been used as a way to imply inverse or alterations, especially when it  comes to Sherlock’s poster, and sometimes locations within his mind palace. Curtains within John’s home [or therapist’s office?..that office changes a lot too, to be honest,] in season 4 turn red, when before they had been blue.)

Mary in the Abominable Bride opens a letter from Mycroft saying, “Immediately.” It’s from Mycroft because later, as she sneaks with Sherlock and John to catch the Emelia Ricoletti culprits, she admits that she works with Mycroft and that he summoned her.

A rose and letter from Mycroft after Sherlock is stabbed by Rosamund/Mary? Interesting.

In the modern letter it’s hard to tell whether the chess piece is a standard queen or bishop piece.

This brings us back to the controversy surrounding season 4 promotional pictures, which apparently were copyrighted and declared as ‘leaks’, because they reveal important spoiler information.

It’s not quite known what the spoiler is, but the implication is enough for mystery.

In this picture, we see two bishops upended along with pawns, flying towards the camera.

“The bishop’s predecessor in medieval chess, shatranj (originally chaturanga), was the alfil, meaning “elephant”, which could leap two squares along any diagonal, and could jump over an intervening piece.” - Wikipedia

We can now say that the letter’s chess piece is most likely a bishop, as it very well references to a reoccurring symbol: The elephant [in the room]. 

Symbolically or literally an elephant has been hidden in rooms, for example on Mrs. Hudson as a necklace, in the back of the 221B room, and within John’s blog and Sherlock’s best man speech using The Elephant in the Room as a good tale. The symbol can refer to an obvious issue that John and Sherlock choose to ignore, perhaps their feelings towards each other (if you’re a johnlocker).

If you want to further analyze, the remaining pieces standing on the board is two opposing knights, with Mycroft’s king and his two pawns.

Knights: “Colloquially it is sometimes referred to as a "horse", which is also the translation of the piece's name in several languages. Some languages refer to it as the "jumper", reflecting the knight's ability to move over pieces in its way.“ - Wikipedia

John may be the “jumper”, as Sherlock does refer to John’s jumpers an episode before, in The Sign of Three, when trying to deduce who is the next target of the Mayfly man. If the chess pieces are symbols of people, who if not John would be the knight? John’s presence in this picture raises slight question.

 With all this comes the question of: who is Mycroft’s knight? And why do John and Mycroft’s knight oppose one another?

Most of Sherlock’s chess pieces are strewn on the table in front of Mycroft, and Mycroft’s pieces across Sherlock’s side of the table.

Sherlock is either unable to beat his own brother (so close to checkmate), or he’s passing the game onto us in this picture.

Mycroft throughout the series has subtexted queen status.

John at Buckingham Palace, “Are we here to meet the Queen?”

Sherlock - “Apparently”

A painting of the young Queen Elizabeth II, “Queen Regent”  by Pietro Annigoni in 1954, hangs behind Mycroft in his office. It’s the only wall decorative in this Sherrinfordian office. 

Moriarty’s stealing of the crown jewels could be a reference to gaining control over Mycroft, perhaps through blackmail. We know they communicated inside and outside of Sherlock’s mind palace, at least.

Irene - “Jim Moriarty sends his love.”

Mycroft - “Yes, he’s been in touch. Seems desperate for my attention, which I’m sure can be arranged.”

“And honey, you should see me in a crown.” - Moriarty.

This symbolizes a lot that I’m unsure of. He breaks down a glass wall after writing “Get Sherlock” on it, which I suppose means his barriers keeping him back are no longer there, and he can now become queen. We still don’t know what Irene told him in the beginning of A Scandal in Belgravia, and what could have possibly kept him from killing John and Sherlock at the pool (unless someone does know, please hit me up!)

In the end, Mycroft holds the power of the British government. There’s no explanation for how, besides that Magnussen also held a lot of power and it was through blackmail.

But regardless, Mycroft is most likely queen on the chess board.

Back to the letter W/M in Sherlock’s hospital room, the W/M stands for someone/something.

It’s easier to assume it’s an M, with the chess piece insignia as reference for which way to read the seal. If it is M, and the one Sherlock plays chess/games against is Mycroft and Moriarty, especially as Moriarty in S4 is shown to have worked with him, and oddly has also had a connection with Mary Morstan before John and her ever met.. it can be safe to assume M stands for Mycroft.

Another idea of who it is could be Mary. She did visit Sherlock in the hospital, possibly as one of the first visitors. A rose very well mirrors her true name, Rosamund, as does the wallpaper behind Sherlock when she shot him.

Though this is an overly prepared and symbolic way of giving a ‘ get well’ or ‘don’t tell john’ letter. (If you believe the Extended Mind Palace theory starting from the reversed heart monitor in HLV, this can also mean M is still working behind the scenes while Sherlock is incapacitated)

S4′s connection of all the people who ever pulled the strings of Sherlock’s heart and gave him trouble, find their place and connection to Sherrinford or through Mycroft, the one supposed to be in control of Sherrinford. 

Or it may not be so complicated. It may simply be Moriarty’s last goodbye, but if so, who placed the letter and rose there?

Rewind to the skulls.

So many skulls.

Sherlock’s skull poster seems to always remain blue before The Abominable Bride (Correct me if I’m wrong please):

Alas, poor Victor.

Odd glass-ish ball on Mycroft’s desk possibly resembles a skull at certain angles.

Perfectly normal, unusually well-lit poster here.

Stop laughing at me, Mr. Skull. You’ve gone purple, and I’ve never heard of a pirate having a purple flag.

Blue, the shade of TD-12, Mary’s death scene, and lies. Fascinatingly vague information.

Skull picture is blacked out in TLD, while Sherlock is with Culverton at the hospital. Which brings me to realize.. 

If Sherlock is unconscious, who’s manning the mind palace?

Is him being unconscious in the hospital bed a thing of consciousness awareness? He may still be in the hospital outside of mind palace, after all. 

John is often wearing colors that match the Mind Palace skull paintings. John seemed to be subtextually connected with Sherlock’s skulls since the beginning of A Study in Pink where John says about the mantelpiece’s skull, “So I’m a replacement for your skull?” and Sherlock says, “Don’t worry, you’re doing fine.” Sherlock upon John’s first seeing the skull claims that it’s his ‘friend’ of a sort. In Sherlock’s mind palace, after HLV, John may be even more connected to the skulls.

The skull poster is also symmetrically aligned with John’s chair, just as the shifty orange lamp and smiley face is aligned with Sherlock’s chair. The room is rather deliberately a half-n-half of John and Sherlock, John’s side being more green, and Sherlock’s being more beige.

In narration, it always seems to matter who’s sitting on the right or left side of the flat. Clients must sit in the middle while John and Sherlock sit in their respected spots. Moriarty chooses to sit in John’s seat as an act of domination over their balance of things, which can lead us to assume that Sherlock offering his own chair is in an ode of respect towards John rather than Moriarty. Which leads me to believe the placement of the skull poster (and smiley face), is even more correlated with John’s place in the Mind Palace.

During Mary’s frankly unreal monologue at the end of The Final Problem, we see the skull picture again, purple/gray and appearing very dark, digital and coded. It’s a sign that things aren’t finish yet.

I may edit this bit later if I notice anything else.

Interesting post regarding the skull poster  by @the-7-percent-solution

(to those tagged, please let me know if you want me to uncredit!)

(Gradually migrating Sherlock posts from this blog to @all-is-v-57)

[moon-yean]

Review: Maximilian

Sooo here are my lenghty (and gif-heavy) thoughts on Maximilian: Das Spiel von Macht und Liebe. Will contain some spoilers.

synopsis:

1477. When the Duke of Burgundy dies in battle, Mary, his only child, intends to rule over the duchy despite the rule of male succession. As the richest heiress in Europe, the sharp-minded young woman is coveted by many suitors. Mary resists the citizens of Ghent who, spurred by the French King Louis XI, try to force her into a marriage with Louis’ son Charles, a boy of poor health and a weak mind. At the same time, Maximilian of Habsburg, the young Austrian archduke, stubbornly opposes his father, the Roman Emperor Frederick III, who also wants his son to marry the young Duchess of Burgundy.

And so the conflict between France, Austria and Burgundy begins.

And in the midst of it all: Mary.

(you might have to wait a few moments before all the gifs in this post have loaded!)

Cast / Characters

Right. Let’s take a look at the cast and characters first (just some of them, the ensemble is huge).

I liked the whole cast so I don’t really want to single out a performance. Mary’s character starts out stronger than Maximilian’s but the focus shifts towards the end and he’s ultimately the one with the better arc (going from a stubborn hothead to someone able to take on responsibility). Hers is basically fulfilled once they get married (going from a stubborn ice queen to someone able to find joy in a fate she can’t change) which is slightly disappointing. They did a good job building her up as a strong character but it’s at odds with the realities she’s faced with - namely the pressure from the citizens and the role she is assigned as a woman. I really liked how the show highlighted how and why life might have been difficult for women at court, not just in the character of Mary but also in that of Margaret of York, her stepmother, or Johanna of Hallewyn, her lady-in-waiting/friend. It also becomes apparent in the scenes at the French court: King Louis XI even goes so far as to tell his daughter Anne de Beaujeau that he wishes she had been born a boy. Patriarchy can inconvenience men as well, in this case because Louis (and everyone else) thinks that his son Charles is an idiot unfit to rule which makes Louis and his wife desperate to have another son who can succeed him to the throne. 

They have one, François, but - spoiler alert - he dies as an infant. The show takes a lot of leeway with the historical timelines but it does so to great effect, in my opinion. Making this event concurrent to the power struggle over Burgundy lends a lot more urgency and meaning to the proceedings: It’s crazy to think how much the consolidation of power hinged on maintaining a dynasty without a weak link in the chain; the pressure on every person must have been immense. We see this with Charles who is a brat but also a victim (the scene where we wets himself because they force him into a room with a woman to “become a man” is horrifying).

As for the side characters, I must admit that I really enjoyed the subplot with Johanna and Wolf and although I expected to ship Maximilian/Mary because they’re a historical OTP, I ended up more invested in their servants. They were cute.

But Maximilian/Mary were cute as well. I just think that the build-up was better with them than the pay-off.

Script

I’ve already said that I liked the writing for the characters so let me just add a few words about the writing in general: There were some clunky bits of dialogue but overall it was pretty decent for German screenwriting which might be because it was actually written by an Austrian (this is an Austrian-French production after all). They often create better-flowing dialogue. I liked that there was a good amount of humor in it, especially when it comes to the culture clash. The first feast with the Austrians and the Burgundians is hilarious. The only dramatic scene that really stands out to me in terms of writing in retrospect is a scene that I have already alluded to: The one where we learn that the baby boy of King Louis XI has died. 

The writing in that scene is very simple. But together with the imagery and the music, it creates an incredible atmosphere. We see smoke billowing into the dark sky. Then we see burning wood. A beautiful but solemn choir is singing. And then we hear Anne de Beaujeau’s voice and later see that she is talking to her sister Jeanne de Valois (I tried to translate it but it still sounds a bit clumsy in English, sorry about that):

It’s impossible to recreate the impression that the scene leaves. But there are several bits of concise and poignant writing in the script. Moments that lend some weight to the story. What they also do: Prevent the antagonists from being painted as villains. Yes there are antagonists, mostly King Louis XI and his henchman Philippe de Commynes, but they are allowed to have solid reasoning  and understandable motives. The Austrian court is just as dark and uninviting a place as the French court, in fact, it’s a lot darker and more “primitive”. Frederick III is presented on the same level of ambiguity as Louis XI. Two old monarchs trying to save their legacies. The younger characters are allowed to serve some heroism but even they struggle with circumstance and how it shapes the decisions of an individual.

On that note: All the political maneuvering is well-done in the script but I could see people getting confused by the different factions and settings. Which is why I thought that the slow pacing of the first episode was good. But the show can’t maintain it. The build-up to the meeting of Maximilian and Mary is amazing and they meet late. Unfortunately, that doesn’t leave much time in the last episode to show them getting to know each other and fall in love. The scenes that they have are well-done but the pacing over the whole mini series is just uneven. That’s a shame and makes me wonder if some stuff landed on the cutting room floor. (Like, I wasn’t expecting a huge battle as the climax but they should have done juuust a little more and even if it had just been more impressionistic shots; too much fade to black and time-jumping towards the end.)

Atmosphere

What I really loved was the whole atmosphere: The gloomy cinematography, the music, the costuming… for me it struck the right balance between being gritty/realistic and distinctly historical and pretty (which is not to say that it’s historically accurate because I don’t know about that; but historical fiction is more about feeling than fact anyway). I just wish they had distinguished the different geographical locations better visually. Sometimes it was a bit difficult to keep up with what was happening and where. Ghent was done best imo.

I also loved the POV perspective with which the sword fight was filmed (which was the best action piece... fitting, since Maximilian was the “last knight”).

Here, have some more impressions:

This mini series is just beyond gorgeous. Very dark in many places which makes gif-ing a bit difficult but still, amazingly filmed. I’ll probably repost some of these gifs as separate gif sets because otherwise it’d be a waste.

Conclusion

I REALLY RECOMMEND THIS, despite a few shortcomings (that mainly have to do with - not enough time -).

In Germany, it will air on ZDF on consecutive nights from 1-3 October 2017 at 10 pm! If it’s not been shown in France yet, keep your eyes peeled, because I’m sure it will be (half of it was filmed in French and it’s a French co-production so... one would hope so). A German-language DVD will be available on amazon.de starting on 4 October.