#the actor must entirely resort to the use of body language

[greatmuldini]

When the Sheffield Repertory Company, on 18 October 1948, invited local journalists to meet the new talent for the new season, it was not the shy smile of a timid stranger that for the Telegraph photographer epitomized the joyous occasion but the incandescent, albeit no less self-conscious, charisma of the naturally gifted performer - who may have begun his formal training on that very day in 1948 but who, by his own admission, had been acting “since birth.”

Indeed, the formal introduction of the new Assistant Stage Manager came a good seven months after the young prodigyhad been granted permission to study with the Company: his first appearance to that effect in the Minutes of the Executive Committee on 9 March 1948 was followed over the summer of 1948 by small to medium sized roles for which he received full credit but no regular pay. The precarious arrangement was revised when a "striking performance" in The Hasty Heart convinced the Executive Chairman that a “very difficult part” had been “played remarkably well.”

Originally performed on Broadway in January 1945, The Hasty Heart takes place at a British military hospital somewhere in South-East Asia, where six wounded Allied soldiers are recuperating from their war wounds. Each one of them represents his particular corner of the Empire or, in the case of “Yank,” a former colony. Looking after them is the equally archetypal female character, Sister Margaret, whose no-nonsense style of nursing soothes fraying tempers, and her compassionate approach helps to heal not just physical wounds. One patient, however, presents an existential problem: proud and stubborn Scotsman Lachlen McLachlen is terminally ill but has not been told he has very little time left. Margaret falls in love with Lachlen and agrees to marry him despite the looming death sentence. When Lachlen finds out he is furious but can in the end be convinced to accept the inevitable as he learns to accept the heartfelt friendship of his comrades and the unconditional love of his fiancée.

Lachlen’s change of heart is the result of an intervention by the “difficult” character, whose presence is required for the sole purpose of effecting that change. As the catalyst who brings about the final reversal of Lachlan's fortune, Blossom provides the evidence of their shared humanity - ironically by being different from everybody else. When Lachlen, hurt and angry at the perceived betrayal of his friends, and the indignity of his situation, declares his intention to leave the hospital and die alone, it is Blossom who steps forward to offer a parting gift. Blossom - who does not speak a single word of English and therefore would not have been aware of what the others knew - communicates non-verbally the pure, raw, primitive emotion that he alone can express. His affection is pure, untainted by superior knowledge or ulterior motives and allows Lachlen to recalibrate his own highly irrational response.

Blossom is a "difficult" character for the actor, who must convey meaning mostly through mime - and who must perpetuate the racial stereotype of the “silent black warrior” as dictated by the script, the tastes of the time, and stage conventions beyond his control: in New York, the part was played by African-American actor Robert Earl Jones (1910-2006, father of James); the 1946 West End cast featured Nigerian expatriate and star of stage and screen, Orlando Martins (1899-1985), who also took the role in the 1949 film version. The Sheffield Repertory Company, as a permanent ensemble, remained throughout the post-war period a close-knit group of local players whose white working class background would have matched the equally homogenous crowd in the auditorium.

While “exotic” characters and locations were a welcome diversion from the daily grind of the steel mills, true-to-life authenticity would not have been the foremost concern on anyone’s mind. Likewise, any lofty notions of "inhabiting the character" would have been dismissed out of hand in the fast-paced environment of the repertory system with its weekly or, as in Sheffield, bi-weekly change-over. Unlike the commercial long-running ventures on Broadway or Shaftesbury Avenue, regional repertory companies relied above all on the "quick study" and improvisation skills of the actor, favouring versatility over diversity. The need for speed also meant that certain shortcuts were considered legitimate, including the use of Blackface to indicate a character's non-white ethnicity.

The challenge for the actor underneath the generic makeup would have been to preserve the dignity of the individual in his care. The experienced producer, for his part, who elected to trust the most junior member of the Company with that responsibility, would have made his choice fully expecting his protégé to succeed. More than an adequate performance, Geoffrey Ost would have seen the “disciplines of the theatre” brought to life on stage - for the final time by the amateur. With their next production, the Sheffield Playhouse set the scene for a professional debut that could have launched a respectable career for the new Assistant Stage Manager had the fierce young “teaboy” been so inclined.

#Patrick McGoohan #The Hasty Heart #Blossom #is a native of Basutoland a British Crown Colony until 1966 We are expected to suspend our disbelief in any theatrical situation #but a super-human effort would have beenr required to mistake a lanky Irish lad fora bulky Bantu from Southern Africa #Verisimilitude could not have been the strategy #this is where the character's lack of English comes into play #the actor must entirely resort to the use of body language #which suits some actors more than others #the most egregious transgression #of our modern sensibilities however #the one that stretches our disbelief beyond belief #is the liberal application of #blackface #still acceptable for Orson Welles in 1951 #controversial for Laurence Olivier in 1965 #unsustainable for Black Minstrels on the BBC in 1978 #I would like to believe that Blossom could have been #ahead of his time in 1948

[pars-ley]

The couples package

Pairing: Yoongi x female reader

Summary: Asking one of your friends to pretend to be your boyfriend on an all expenses paid work trip seems like a great idea...until you discover couples therapy is also part of the package.

Genre: Fake dating au / friends to lovers / angst / fluff 

Rating: 15 + (SFW)

Warnings: Explicit language / Therapy session / Making out

Word count: 2K

Notes: This is a request from my milestone drabble game (all my requests for it have been in the works for a million years, sorry it’s taken me so long!) for @unoriginal-username15432 I hope you enjoy this!

Beta Reader: @bluewhale52 thank you so much for your helpful suggestions.

"A free holiday?" Yoongi asks you, turning his head and raising a suspicious eyebrow. "What's the catch?"

You wince, hoping he'd just accept without question...you should have known better.

"Well, maybe it requires you to be my... partner."

"Huh? Your partner in what?"

You roll your eyes. "Life partner, Yoongi. My boyfriend, my other half, the love of my life you know."

His shoulders visibly tense. "I...I think that's weird, don't you?"

You pinch your nose, trying to ease the tension. "A little I guess, but Yoongi, I wouldn't ask if I wasn't desperate. The role that opens up for promotion is only ever filled by someone who's gone on this couple's retreat."

He turns to you, leaning back against his kitchen counter, arms crossed over his chest. "Are you telling me, you can only go to this resort if you're in a relationship?"

"Yes." 

"That seems really-"

"I know, its stupid, unfair, should be illegal, but that's how it works and I really, really, really need this promotion Yoongi, so please…" you clasp your hands together in front of you, begging. "I'll get on my knees if you want." you can't help the suggestive tone in your voice knowing it will make him blush. And there's nothing you love more than seeing him flustered.

"Fine. I'll come." he avoids your eyes as the crimson hue spreads across his cheeks.

"Thank you!" you throw your arms around his neck and lock him in an embrace. "You'll enjoy it, I promise and I'll make it up to you big time."

"Yea, yea." he says, arms winding loosely around your waist.

You savour the moment. It's not very often he's physically affectionate with you, much to your dismay.

"Ok, start packing. I'll pick you up tomorrow morning sharp." you order, "You're my bestest, best friend ever!" you call out the door. Once you’re outside, you can't help the excited flip your stomach does. Not just at the prospect of being in line for this promotion but also the idea of playing house with Yoongi, of pretending to be everything you actually want, of an intimate glimpse at a life with him at your side. That's better than nothing.

As you step off the boat and onto the pale sand of the island, you bask in the warmth of the air, taking a deep breath and holding your face up to the sun.

A nudge in your back snaps you out of it. "You coming?" Yoongi’s voice by your ear sends a shiver down your spine.

You wind your arm through his, receiving an awkward sideways glance in response but you choose to ignore it.

Trudging through the sand, a guide leads you to the entrance of the resort. At the reception desk, a bell boy takes your bags and leads you up to your room.

Yoongi's jaw drops as you both walk in - a huge queen size bed, covered in delicate, red rose petals, is next to double doors that open up to the balcony, framed by thin, scarlet veil curtains billowing softly into the room. You tip the bellboy and he leaves with a smile.

"Wow, look at the size of this shower." Yoongi calls out to you. 

Turning; you see a large bathroom with a roll top bath and a shower big enough to hold a conference in.

"I think it's designed that way for more than one person at a time." you fight the giggle, picturing the shocked look on his face as you start to unpack your suitcase.

Clearing his throat behind you, he says, "We have a problem."

"What's that?" you ask, shoving your underwear roughly in a drawer.

"There's only one bed." 

"Oh no, disaster!" you mock him and laugh. "So what, are you telling me you can't share a huge bed like this with me for four days? There would be almost a whole continent between us in there."

He scrubs the back of his neck. "I guess so."

You had to admit, the idea of sharing a bed with him had excitement blooming heavily in your heart...among other places.

Yoongi heads outside to take a look at the view from the balcony, but a knock on the door distracts you from following.

Opening it, you see your boss' smiling face staring back at you. "Ah welcome, welcome!" she says pulling you in for a rapid, impersonal hug. "I'm so glad you're here. Listen, first thing on the agenda is couples counselling, so settle in briefly and meet us in conference room number 4, ok?"

She starts to head off but you pull her back by the arm. "Er, I'm sorry, couples counselling? No one mentioned this."

She gives you a sympathetic smile. "That's right, I forgot, it's your first time here! I'm so sorry. It's just part of the package here, you have a session once everyday."

You blink at her, picturing Yoongi's reaction to this added piece of news.

"Ok? I'll see you down there. Can't wait to meet him by the way." she grins, her eyes searching the room behind you before she heads off and leaves you staring at an empty corridor.

You swallow down your fear and close the door behind you, knowing this will be the first argument you have here but certainly not the last.

"Oh, Yoongi my dearest…"

You prop your head up on your hand trying to look interested as you sit in the room full of strangers, listening to their mundane grievances with their partners. The chairs are all set out in a circle so wherever you look, you meet eyes with someone.

You glance over at Yoongi, who is slouching in his chair with arms folded and tension rolling off him in waves. You are  dreading your turn. He is definitely not an actor, he gets flushed when he's lying and he stutters. How on earth will this ever be convincing?

"Y/n, Yoongi, I'm sensing some friction between the two of you. Anything you want to discuss?"

You freeze, suddenly rigid in your chair as the counsellor directs his attention to you. 

"No." Yoongi's deep voice sounds beside you, low and unamused.

"I'm sensing some hostility about being here? Therapy can help the two of you bond and become closer." he clasps his hands together in dramatic fashion, making you inwardly roll your eyes.

"We're fine. Bonded and close as we can be." he mumbles.

"Y/n, do you agree with that?" The therapist turns to you, all eyes now on your face.

"We are very close, yes." you swallow, feeling like you're under interrogation.

"And are you happy with your relationship the way it is?"

No. The room feels hot, too hot, as you're aware it's not lying that's bothering you;  it's revealing the truth that's making your gut clench. You see Yoongi look your way from the corner of your eye, your silence must be confusing him.

"Y/n? You're in a safe place, you can speak openly here." 

You barely hear the counsellor’s words over the wild thrum of your heart, and suddenly a word leaves your mouth before you can stop it.

"No."

The counsellor leaps forward, on the edge of his chair, practically hovering in mid air, eager to get more from you.

"Honesty is the path to mindfulness." he says. "What are you not happy about, y/n?" 

"I want us to be closer." you say quietly. "I feel like he holds himself back from me."

The counsellor nods dramatically and looks straight at Yoongi for a response.

"How? I'm here with you aren't I, even though I didn't want to come."

Yoongi scoffs, turning in his seat to give you his undivided attention.

"What I'm hearing, Yoongi, is that maybe what you're offering isn't enough for y/n?" the counsellor says, leaning forward and  giving him a pitying look.

You see Yoongi's neck flush, knowing he's about to lose it as the vein bulges prominently in his neck.

"And what I'm saying, counsellor, is that I don't see how it's any of your business what I offer her." He says with gritted teeth, his low growl holds a powerful bite in his words.

The therapist holds his hands up in surrender. "You're right, it's not, but you're here in my session and it seems like it's y/n who really wants to know. And it's definitely her business." He leans forward in his chair. "So tell her, what it is you're offering her." 

"I'd offer her everything, anything I could. If she pulled her head out of her arse long enough she might realize that."

Your head snaps over to him, wondering if his acting skills have drastically improved or if…no, he must be acting.

"Have you told her this Yoongi, have you bared your soul for her?"

He scoffs again. "What difference would that make? She should know how I feel if she knows me that well."

You grind your teeth, annoyance running rampant through you. "I'm not a fucking mind reader, Yoongi. Am I supposed to guess what's going on in that big, dumb brain of yours?"

"For goodness sake, I want you to be my wife and have my kids one day! There. Are you happy? Clear enough for you?"

He slumps back aggressively in his chair, arms folded, face emblazoned with rage and embarrassment. All you can do is stare at him. You have no words to say as you're not entirely sure what to make of this heated exchange.

"Perfect. Guys, you've done really well this session. Unfortunately, time is up, but I'm going to enjoy working with you two. We've got lots to uncover, I can sense it." The man is almost vibrating with excitement and it unnerves you. 

Yoongi leaves first, making a swift exit with you hot on his tail, not wanting to be confronted by anyone.

As soon as the door to your room closes,  you find your voice again. "What the fuck was that?" 

There is no response as he drags his suitcase from under the bed and starts wildly shoving clothes into it.

"Yoongi, what are you doing?" 

"What does it look like? I'm leaving." He mumbles, eyes down and focused, body turned away from you.

"You can't leave after that!" You close some distance between you, fury boiling inside and bubbling over into the words spilling from your lips. "What about us!?"

He laughs a sad, exasperated laugh. "What about us? 'Us' will never be the same. I can't stick around to be pitied and pushed aside. I can't have you around me all the damn time not be able to hold you, I can't do it anymore, y/n. So please, don't ask me to." 

You see his cheeks turn a bright shade of fuchsia, his hands clasp his clothing so hard his knuckles go white as he still refuses to look your way. 

Your feet feel like they're rooted to the spot for a moment before you feel the ground come out from under you. A cloud captures you and floats you around the room, light and carefree. The words you think you'd never hear have finally been said and you cannot describe the pure elation and euphoria you feel.

You reach out to his shoulder, hoping to ground yourself as well as to offer comfort.

He sighs under your touch. "Please, don't."

His hands still and his shoulders slump. You grab him and turn him to you, lifting his chin till his gaze begrudgingly falls on you. Your heart is pounding hard in your chest from the promise in his words but also from the fear of being mistaken and rejected.

"I can't take it anymore, I need you. Right here. Right now." you whisper, voice husky and thick of want.

His eyes widen as he curiously examines your face.

"Please, Yoongi." you plead, hand drifting down to his, your fingers hesitantly entwining together with his. "I've waited so long for you."

His mouth crashes against yours in an instant and it takes your breath away. His sweet lips moving rapidly with yours, the taste of him enough to have your entire body throbbing violently with need. 

His hands find you and pull you closer, your body now pressed tightly against him. The heat rising from him drives you crazy and as his scent swirls your senses, it makes it impossible to think of anything but him.

"God, you make me crazy, woman." He whispers against your mouth.

You can't help but smile as your hands find anchor in his hair. "Yea, but you love me for it."

He kisses you deep, softly massaging his lips against yours, caressing them in the most gentle way. You feel like your worries and problems have dissipated, leaving you light and full of adoration.

"No arguments there." He replies.

#bangtanarmynet #thebtswritersclub #bangtanuniversity #ficswithluv #bts fanfiction #bts fanfic #bts yoongi #bts min yoongi #yoongi x reader #min yoongi #yoongi #yoongi fanfic #fake dating au #bangtan fanfiction #bangtan fanfic #bangtan #bts #bangtan boys #bangtan sonyeondan #bts angst #bts fluff

[theimpossiblescheme]

OG!Peter Vincent assorted headcanons, Part Five

He’s a very animated and energetic storyteller who would hold the room rapt for as long as he’s willing to talk.  And shame on Charley and Alex for ever getting bored with them because he tends to echo the mood of his audience–if they’re having trouble focusing, he’ll have trouble focusing and eventually wind down into a more easygoing and reflective mood.  Peter’s never angry with people who aren’t as willing to listen, mostly because he gets so involved with his own tales that he’s instantly in an unshakably better mood.

Hosting movies with werewolves in them or vampire movies with wolf transformation scenes became a lot harder for him after everything that happened with Evil Ed and Jerry Dandridge, and it’s hard for him not to have small panic attacks between bumpers.  To help comfort himself and make himself feel better about the viewing audience, he’ll sneak in small reassurances to anybody out there going through the same thing.

Peter Vincent wears sock garters.  It’s canon now.

Peter firmly believes he counts as one of the “worried well.”  His relative privilege compared to most of the people he knows (how many of them used to make four figure salaries per movie for thirty years?) convinces him that he doesn’t need help as much as other people do, regardless of what else he goes through.  Besides, the only actors he’s aware of who check into outpatient care of any kind eventually die from it (poor Bela Lugosi is the example that often comes to mind), and he’s much too proud for that; plus, the only reason he was ever admitted to a mental hospital was through a misunderstanding.  Thus, he’s avoided any kind of counselling for years and keeps saying he doesn’t need it–he doesn’t have it nearly as bad as so many others do, so why should he waste their time?

Peter is on the low level of the autism spectrum—probably Asperger’s syndrome or something similar. The biggest tell is that it seriously affects his sensitivity to touch; certain textures are downright disgusting to him, which is a big part of the reason he’s such a terrible cook.  He also must be handling something at all times; if he doesn’t have something in his hands to stim with, he will go and touch something just to help him feel more at ease.  Having so many of his old props in his apartment is a godsend for that reason. Not only are they collectors’ items, but they also give something to play with and show off whenever he has visitors.

An irritated Peter tends to be very passive-aggressive and snippy with whoever’s putting him in a bad mood.  He tries to maintain a proper filter and not say anything he might later regret, but he’s still going to make it very obvious through his body language (exaggerated affectation of whatever mood he’s “supposed” to be in, lots of eyerolls and dirty looks) that he’s not very pleased with you, and it’s best not to poke the bear lest he get truly angry and start snapping at whoever pisses him off next.

Peter likes to sing or hum as he’s cleaning his props.  He doesn’t have the vocal range for a lot of his favorite songs, but be prepared to hear “Penny Lane” and “Blue Skies” a lot.  And he does take requests if you decide to join him.

Nurkel was a stray who more or less happened upon him one day during the three years Peter spent estranged from Charley.  The poor cat was cowered in the cold outside the studio headquarters, and the actor took pity on him and threw him a couple of pieces of egg roll from his dinner. From there, the cat insisted on following him everywhere, including across the set, much to Mel’s annoyance. Luckily, Peter was introducing 1934’s The Black Cat that night, so he picked up the cat and worked his presence into his segments of the show.  And when the poor creature insisted on following him home in search of more food, he had no choice but to keep him, naming him Nurkel because he’s always liked odd, cutesy names for animals.  He’s a very skittish cat who yowls and spits at the slightest interruption or intrusion and for whatever reason, ever since that first night, has only shown Peter affection in small doses.  Most of the time, he just runs away or goes and finds something better to do.  And he has a very particular spot on the couch that he refuses to give up without loud complaining.  Peter’s not entirely sure why this is, but his most likely guess is that Nurkel came from an abusive home and isn’t quite sure how to handle being treated like an actual pet rather than as an accessory with four legs or something to just be kicked when he got in the way.  In any case, he leaves Nurkel to his own devices most of the time and only resorts to cuddling when the poor cat is hurt or severely agitated.

Peter was always sort of an odd duck when it came to the Hollywood “scene”. On one hand, he was an extrovert who loved attending cast parties no matter where they were held, relished getting to promote his films and meet new people, and was an unfailing charmer to anyone he met.  On the other hand, the Great Vampire Killer persona he was contractually locked into sometimes made it difficult to genuinely connect with people—he was always wondering whether or not they enjoyed the company of the character or the man beneath the character.  So as the years went on, he became less and less interested in making public appearances “out of character” since he was convinced by then that the persona was all people were really interested in.  That, and with the rumors of his sexuality forever circling, he felt he had to be careful interacting with certain people, and he came to resent that more and more.  And not only did he feel very far removed from the world of celebrity relationships because of bowing to fan preference, but his distinctly nonsexual leanings made it that much harder to relate as he listened to his fellow actors talk about their dating conquests (his reactions ranged from “Okay, whatever” to “Why would anyone be aroused by that?”).

One of the greatest scandals of Peter’s career—more than the speculations around his sexuality when it came to young extras and his alleged flirtations with Hazel Court, both of which were proven to be falsehoods—was his sudden and messy divorce from a friend of the McHoolihee family.  Miriam Callaghan’s marriage to Peter Vincent was purely one of his convenience: she was already a Scottish ex-patriot living in America, and he desperately needed a visa so he could continue making his films across the pond.  And he tried to make it very clear to her that her utility to him, her kindness he felt the need to repay, and the relative security the marriage provided were the only reasons he stayed—to say nothing of the fact that if anyone were to find out he was married, after all the fuss made about him being a “confirmed bachelor” (with all the ugly connotations the phrase came with), he would be professionally ruined.  Unfortunately, the message failed to completely sink in for Miriam—she had convinced herself that theirs was a genuine love match and never tired of trying to milk an affection and lustiness out of Peter that he just didn’t feel.  The fact not only did Peter never consummate their marriage, but also refused to publically acknowledge it, annoyed her to no end, and almost a decade later, she decided to get revenge.  At the premiere of Blood Feast on Broadway, in front of God and sundry, not to mention a mess of reporters trying to get a statement from the Great Vampire Killer, Miriam grabbed Peter by the lapels and kissed him.  In the resulting media wildfire, which caused studios and fans alike to wonder if Peter had been lying to them all this time, she went on record spreading a number of venomous lies about the actor and declared her intention to divorce him.  The court case that followed left him with nary a penny to his name, and Miriam disappeared with the settlement never to be heard from again.  To this day, Peter still regards it as one of his greatest personal shames and blames himself a great deal for how it all turned out…. if he had only been clearer about his intentions and ended things sooner, none of it would ever have happened.

Peter still has both of the rings from the marriage and was planning on pawning them off, but he felt too guilty to go through with it. They’re in a box in his desk now, and he’s not even sure what to do with Miriam’s ring anymore.  He would love to give it to someone he genuinely loves, but imagines that any partner he could find would be insulted to given a ring once worn by someone else.

#fright night 1985 #peter vincent #my headcanons #That's the end of the spam now I promise. :P

[xradinoxinterloperx]

Hazbin Hotel Oc: Vic

Character Information

Character: Vic

Tales:  https://docs.google.com/document/d/1mndxiHvwBfS7xiC8cdOmGPBKsqkWh71rZQVs5IMAvII/edit

Real Name:  Victor Herrera

Nicknames: Cobra, Snake, Victor, Vic, Scales / Escamas, Tough Guy (Vaggie), Mi'hijo (Zaza)

Nationality: Colombian

Date of Death: End of 1992

Cause of Death:  Bleeding after a shootout

Age: +30

Personality:  Of tough appearance and look, but not openly hostile with people . Continually mix Spanish words in sentences. Direct, serious and straight to the point when it comes to business. In more informal environments, he has a more relaxed, friendly and joking attitude. He does not usually get angry easily unless a friend or he is directly threatened and has the same attitude before resorting to violence. Although if he must resort to it, he will do so without hesitation and with the crudeness that he believes is necessary. He does not show fear of demons of greater hierarchy but  treats them with respect and will avoid getting into battles or making enemies that are at risk of not being able to deal with, preferring diplomacy. He is an honest and simple person who does not usually hide intentions behind his words. With his friends and loved ones he can be very protective and tolerant, regardless what they do or are.

Likes:  Latin Culture, Latin Music, Disco Music and Synth from the 80s, 90s, Latin Dances: Cumbia, Salsa, Samba, etc. Betting, Gambling, Games, Alcoholic beverages.

Dislike:  Vinnie (Vermin Mafia), his former self and his past, politics.

Biological Information

Species: Human (formally), Black Cobra Demon

Physical Description:  Similar to Sir Pentious in its snake form but with a cobra crest that always stands tall. Maintaining dark colors without eyes or light spots, and somewhat lower / shorter than Pentious. Serious face with greenish yellow eyes, scar crossing left eye. He wears a long open jacket and dark gloves. He carries  a large knife similar to a Machete .

Gender: Male

Sexuality: Straight

Skills:

Very agile and elastic, resistant

Expert in hand-to-hand combat

Expert in weapons of almost all types of weapons

Knowledge Drugs and narcotics

Barista

Dancer (with the rhythm that a serpentine body may have)

Poisonous Bite

Crawling as a snake, constriction with his body.

Excellent swimmer.

Professional Status

Occupation:

Sicario Soldier of a Narco cartel (formally in life) 

Assassin of the "Hell Freaks" (formally)

Patreon at  the bar "Los Condenados"

Weapons and Exotic Products Smuggler

  Relationships

Family: In life:  unknown Mother and brothers, unknown younger sister

In Hell: Zaza (Adoptive Mother)

Friends: 

Francis (partner / friend / victim), Husk, Maria (co-worker / friend) Ohio, Zaza.

 Others: 

Madelaine (friend, formally her client and lover)

Vaggie (Friend / Romantic Interest), Vinnie (client / enemy)

Background

Mainly known in certain circles for being a smuggler in hell, Vic is a reserved man, but true to his word in business and recognized for risking his neck to get things that others cannot. Previously, he was a hitman in a band of rather ruthless murderers, so the ones that remember him from those days use to have some fear or resentment of him. Those who know him as a friend, or a drinker / Sponsor of the Latino bar “Los Condenados” may have a very different look from him, being friendly, funny and protective of his buddies.

Early Life and more background: 

He grew up in poverty and was natural to lean to a path of crime and drugs from an early age, joining a drug cartel in life. He doesn't seem to have ended a good relationship with his family because of this. His death seems to have led to a very violent act, while trying to save someone. Only Zaza and Francis seem to know what it was like in life. And in hell, before meeting Zaza he was a very different person.

   Relationship with the Characters:

Alastor

Vic knows about his reputation well, so he knows that he is not someone to directly mess with. Although he would not be intimidated by him or  coerced to do his bidings. His personality seems exaggerated and too narcissistic. Before the hotel, he only saw it rarely, in companny of Husk.

Angel Dust

Knowing his family on business, Angel's figure and personality seem contrasting. He knows his reputation as a porn actor and drag, but coming from where he comes from, he seems to be someone with much more personality and willpower than one would think to have followed that different way of life. He prefers to keep his distance and ignore his jokes or sexual advances. But if they talked normally, they would probably enjoy some of their humor and personality as long as their attitudes are no reason to bother Vaggie.

Charlie

The lovely princess of hell may look like someone too idealistic, but he appreciates her gentle heart. No doubt, just hearing about her from Vaggie, he already likes her. Her overflowing energy may seem even childish, but Charlie seems like a reasonable and friendly person, with whom he can appreciate things without having to be on guard. Deep down, she supports her relationship with Vaggie and thinks she is a better option than him in every way.

Francis (OC)

Francis and Vic are usually business partners. While Vic is more a provider of merchandise and services, Francis is more a mediator and deal maker, full of contacts but worthless alone. Francis met Vic alive and they seemed to have a similar relationship back then. Knowing each other for so long makes one and  other understand each other, and although they may sometimes be on opposite sides for business, they try not to confront each other and meet at the end of the day at the bar as friends.

Husk

Drinking and gambling companions, he likes the badly spoken cat very much. Although they do not have much of a relationship  outside the games and cards, the bitter personality of Husk amuses Vic,  and both are good drinkers. Like Alastor, he usually calls him with many nicknames, such as "Husky" or instead of "Husker" "Oscar" making fun of how his name sounds for someone of Spanish language. The Bully seems to return sympathy, even if it is also insulting him in between  the words and has  Vic as a drinker almost at his level. And at least a worthy rival in the cards. Husk was about to beat Vic, Francis and another group of friends  in the poker game when Alastor kidnapped him by transporting him to the Hotel.

Madelaine(OC of Jlaiyon)

Vic was Madelaine's client and lover, frequenting the nightclub where she worked and sometimes taking her to the bar “ Los Condenados” with his friends. They had a semi-stable informal relationship for a while, where from the beginning Vic assumed that she only wanted him for his money. Having a good time with a girl with a crazy but sweet attitude, he doesn't care too much about being left with empty and ragged pockets. Like most demons, Madelaine cared little about the dirty works Vic did, so after a particularly hard day of work, and even smelling of victims' blood she would receive it, smelling of sex and cupcakes, to help relax with her body, voice and drugs. Both appreciated the other not to be smokers and to be great dancers (although Vic has no feets). Vic was especially in love with her singing and even accompanied her to a couple of auditions. Zaza remembers Madelaine with more misgivings, because Vic had spent entire days just drugging and just laying down with her, risking falling into her old vices and a more violent and mindless personality. That and that if any of her whims were not fulfilled or after any small discussion, the little one could end up poisoning him and his acquaintances. Dispite  of all this, the relationship with Vic did not end badly, seeing her little but even considering her a “friend”, that being said, he did not re-hire her services or eat her cupcakes, only watching her shows very occasionally.

Maria (OC)

Maria is the last member to join the bar, with her focused and calm personality, in addition to her physical strength and ability, it immediately seemed a good idea to put her in charge of the Bar Security. She and Vic may not be as intimate   friends with each other as they are with Zaza, but they respect  and appreciate each other as friends and fighters. More than once  they trained together. Vic appreciates that she is not only size and muscle, she seems to be a reserved, witty and intelligent woman, so he tries to behave and make others behave with her.

 Ohio (OC derived from the interpretation of a client of Helluva Boss) 

Derral, nicknamed "Ohio" by everyone at the bar, is a truck driver and playmate and drink buddy of Vic. Sometimes knowingly or not, he ends up helping to transport some of the products that Vic trades. Vic see him  like a crazy, silly, loud redneck, but he also knows how to have fun with him, so he has learned to appreciate hum. For all the uneducated and ill-spoken that Ohio is, he appreciates that he seems to be loyal to his friends, and respects the atmosphere and the owners of the bar "Los Condenados" without creating problems very often. More than once he has had to put it in place when he has his tantrums.

Vaggie

Vaggie is Vic's main romantic interest. He knew her casually for her hotel project. Although when they met face to face at first she rejects him when he tries to approach, he immediately thought it was someone worth defending and knowing about. Her personality, appearance and ability, everything seemed to get his attention right away. Perhaps deep inside, Vaggie's initial hostility and the need to be defensive reminds him of himself a little bit. Although Vaggie has not told him about her past, he would also bet that they have similar issues as he feels their past lives and origins  can relate, more so with both of them  being Latinos. Beyond that, Vaggie is already different from other demons because of the cause that is involved. Although Vic wonders how much Vaggie believes in her cause for herself and not for following Charlie's dreams. In any case, she seems admirable and appreciates the friendship and trust that she gradually provides. While his feelings for her grow even he always prioritizes wanting to see her happy, he doesn't feel up to her next to Charlie's love.

Vinnie Vermin (OC)

Vincent is the nephew of the Godfather of the Mafia Vermin, Vic's client. Although Vinnie appreciates his skill and the one deal negotiated with Victor through Francis, the insane and aggressive attitude of the young man who tries to demonstrate authority, make Vic treats it with special mistrust, seeing that a false step can get him into trouble.

 Zaza (OC)

Zaza is the closest person to Vic in hell and his confidant. They have complete trust in each other, and even a dynamic almost of mother and son, although Vic does not treat her openly as such. As the owner of the bar “Los Condenados”, Vic acts as Sponsor of the bar, financing, frequenting and helping as much as possible. Since he is usually always on the move for his work, he does not have his own home, but he has a room where he rests in  Zaza’s bar as the closest thing. He Consider the bar and its  people his family in hell. Vic lived his years in hell before Zaza arrived, but knowing her seems to have saved him somehow and without her he would possibly feel lost. Zaza knows all the secrets of Vic, and can usually read  what he feels  perfectly. In the same way Vic knows almost everything about her.

#hazbin hotel #hazbin ocs #hazbin hotel ocs #fanfic #vaggie #hazbin oc #hazbin hotel oc

[talkingaboutfilms]

Discussion Leader Presentation

In “Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema”, Mulvey deconstructs the “male gaze” in film as a way to move forward in cinema. She argues that alternative cinema cannot come out of nothing, and therefore we need to examine movies as they exist now in order to showcase how current cinema reflects present society so that there can be radical change. She states that overall, Hollywood reflects the dominant ideology that is the patriarchy. Mainstreams films have integrated the erotic because of this dominant patriarchal ideology and in analyzing the pleasure, it can be destroyed. Because there is a separation of the screen and audience, we are spectators in the characters’ private worlds. As such, we watch the female characters as we identify with the main controlling character. Mulvey only delves into movies with male protagonists in her text, however acknowledges that the this idea can still carry over so the two movies that will be analyzed have main characters with unconventional circumstances regarding gender. 

To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar (1995)

In, To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar, the spectators follow three drag queens, Vida Boheme, Noxeema Jackson, and Chi-Chi Rodriguez in their trip from New York City to Los Angeles to participate in the “Miss Drag Queen of America Pageant”. Their car breaks down eventually and they are stuck in a rural town called Snydersville for a couple days. 

The idea of gender seems a little complicated as Noxeema differentiates early on in the movie that they are drag queens because they are gay man that have way too much fashion sense for one gender. However, after the beginning scene the three characters stay in their drag personas for the rest of the movie and use the pronouns she. Moreover Vida is extremely happy when one of her town friends later refer to her as a lady friend, and not a man. Nonetheless, the three queens present themselves as women the entire time. 

In the beginning of the film, there is a makeover sequence in which Vida and Noxeema transition into looking more feminine. Overall, the sequence gives off more of an empowering atmosphere because it is clear through the actor’s performance that these characters are transforming of their own volition. However, it is interesting to note, that with the use of close-ups, the more Vida and Noxeema present themselves as women through makeup and costume, the more intimate the camera gets with the shots of their body like their torso, lips, and boobs to indicate their womanly-ness. Mulvey talks about the erotic that is coded in our language of film, and here we can see how the director uses sexualization to show an association of transforming into a women. 

It is only the the transition that these kinds of choices are made with these two characters. The only character subjected to voyeuristic shots the rest of the movie is Chi-Chi, someone who flaunts their sexuality.

Chi-Chi does own her sexuality the entire film, but also seems to be the only one objectified by the camera as a result of this.  

With the exception of the beginning scene and the occasional scenes with Chi-Chi, the characters are filmed from a rather neutral standpoint. They take pride in themselves because that is who want to be. Their makeup and costumes are not for others, but rather for themselves. This is evident when Chi-Chi tries to call Vida out and implies that women are lesser since that is what Vida resorted to because she supposedly could not cut it as a man. 

The camera zooms onto her face when her wig is taken off. As spectators we get the sense that she ties herself to her outward appearance. On the opposite spectrum, there is Mulan that only transforms for others. 

Mulan (1998)

In Mulan, the spectators join Fa Mulan as she joins the army in place of her father. In doing so she gains physical skills and uses her brains to become a top soldier and saves all of China from the Huns. 

In the beginning of the movie, Mulan conforms for multiple men: her possible future husband and her father. She alters her outward appearance for the gaze of other characters within the movie. 

What is more interesting is how the movie alters her appearance for her when she is not needed for the gaze of someone else.

Her face shape changes and she no longer has eyelashes. This transformation is most of out place when she is outed as a women for the first time to the army. Since she is outed as a women, and therefore a potential object to be gazed upon her naked face appearance changes once more. 

Mulvey says that “the determining male gaze projects its fantasy to the female figure which is styled accordingly” and that the woman must be in the story although her visuals “tend to be against the development of a story line”.  Although, out of place in the story seeing as she would have no time to put on makeup and nearly escaped death. This physical transformation serves as a way to indicate that Mulan is now something that can be looked upon since she presents as a woman. When her hair is let down, the more prominent feminine features are even more exaggerated on her face. 

In the song “Girl Worth Fighting for”, the soldiers explain their ideal women. In doing so the visuals show conventionally beautiful, curvy, pale girls that idolize these men. The camera pans over a bunch of girls doing work as the men chorus sings “You can guess what we have missed the most, since we went off to war”. Not only that, when Mushu wolf whistles at the girls in the rice field, the reaction from the girls suggests that they enjoy it while Mulan looks embarrassed. 

The girls in the shot above look dainty even though they are doing taxing, agricultural work showing exactly the point of projecting a fantasy onto women.

Even if Mulan is not sexualized in a way, she is still being subjected to a certain type of “male gaze” because of the expectation her character is placed under in relation to other male characters in the cast. 

Discussion Questions 

1. How do you think the male gaze still applies or does not apply to movies with female protagonists, or all-female casts? 

2. Do you think it is more justifiable to objectify a character with the camera if they are proud of their sexuality? 

3. How do children’s films sexualize/objectify or do not sexualize/objectify women?

4. Does the depiction of gender fluidity in film change the power dynamic that is in place in order for the male gaze to be a reality? 

#swampfilmanalysis #discussionleader

[ryanmeft]

The Guardians Movie Review

The Guardians is probably a feminist film, but it never feels the need to highlight this fact. The women, homefront farmers in France during World War I, carry on planting crops and threshing wheat not to appear on motivational posters or prove a point, but because the men are off dying and people still need food. They don’t relish their lives absent sons, brothers, fathers and husbands, instead hanging on every bit of news from the front. An American film probably would have told us what to think about all this.

French cinema, on the other hand, has always been more languid, more passive. Hortense (Nathalie Baye) is getting too old for this, yet she’s definitely the one in charge on her farm. Her husband (Gilbert Bonneau) seems to be in the early stages of mental degeneration, mostly confined to nodding along with whatever is being said. Her sons Constant (Nicolas Giraud) and Georges (Cyril Descours) are, like everyone else’s sons, in the trenches fighting against Germany. Her daughter Solange (Laura Smet, Baye’s real-life daughter) pulls her fair share of the load, but her husband Clovis (Olivier Rabourdin) is also at war, and a farm cannot be run by two people. Francine (Iris Bry) is hired as the last available worker. Clovis’s daughter from a previous, undetailed relationship (Mathilde Viseux) occasionally helps on breaks from school.

If this sounds less like what you think of as a movie and more like old family letters, you wouldn’t be entirely wrong. The film, by Xavier Beauvois, passes the years between 1915 and 1920 in spurts, jumping mostly between times the men are on leave, and Beauvois is entirely disinterested in getting in a hurry. Georges and Francine get one major part of the plot, as they fall for each other and correspond by letter, until a misunderstanding occurs. Solange is a young and pretty woman whose husband Clovis seems to have been irreparably damaged by the war and may not come back at all, making handsome-but-fleeting Americans perhaps too much of a temptation. These bouts of what could have been melodrama are leavened by the fact they happen against a perfectly ordinary backdrop, and thus we believe them as perfectly ordinary events.

Almost everyone in the story is related in some way, through blood, marriage or employment, to Hortense. She’s the rock that keeps them going through death, heartbreak and temptation, and she keeps us, the audience, focused on her strength and fortitude as the central force of her small community. So when she falls, it is as shocking a turn as any in film, not in terms of plot twists or surprises but in emotional impact. I won’t share the details, but there finally comes a point where Hortense has to choose between a complicated solution that could damage her reputation, or an easy way out. I want to admit that when she chose the latter, I loathed her, not because what she did was so much worse than what people in real life do (it wasn’t) but because she exuded the air of a matriarch and had felled my confidence in her with that one act. Such was my investment in the characters that I almost felt personally betrayed. That’s power in filmmaking. Baye’s performance is something to write home about. Never once is she allowed to resort to histrionics, and when her daughter calls out her actions, she takes it passively. She may know immediately she made the wrong choice---indeed, I got the impression she did. Yet she is the authority figure and the choice has been made, and to backtrack now would look weak. In this and many other ways, she has become, well, the man of the house. Also crucial is Smet, who has the rare gift, even among professional actors, of conveying more than one feeling or thought in a single look. Bry’s employee Francine shoulders the burden of being in the most scenes and stories, and though she, too, must often be passive outwardly, there are moments shared between her and Hortense that are like duels fought with looks.

Beauvois’s preference for slowness doesn’t always work perfectly. No matter how much one tires of explosion-a-minute CGi-fests, there are times when he simply has Caroline Champetier’s camera linger too long on a stretch of countryside or a crowd scene, as in two shots where he seems to think we need a close-up of the faces of everyone present, although the actors aren’t at that moment conveying anything especially compelling. This over-languidness sometimes becomes a bit much for the story, and I found myself wishing he’d order a cut on a long shot of a single face and let us move on back to the great bits, which mostly involve dialogue between characters and the daily toil of those left behind. The fact that the camera also often lingers on the practical beauty of a farm or the shifting tones in a person’s body language sometimes helps to justify the very slow pace. At two hours and fifteen minutes, though, the film could have trimmed 20 minutes and lost not a bit of its beauty or depth. I can’t say you should watch it when you’re already tired, because it takes its time, but a wealth of fascinating characters and a rarely seen point-of-view on a rarely covered war help make it compelling.

Verdict: Highly Recommended

Note: I don’t use stars, but here are my possible verdicts.

Must-See

Highly Recommended

Recommended

Average

Not Recommended

Avoid like the Plague

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#france #nathalie baye #xavier beauvois #laura smet #movies #iris bry #gilbert bonneau #cyril descours #nicolas giraud #olivier rabourdin #mathilde viseux #foreign film #caroline champetier