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flagbridge · 4 months

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Q&A: The Phantom Broadway Proshot

Happy 36th Birthday to Phantom of the Opera's opening night on Broadway! We should be celebrating at the Majestic. The show never should have closed.

In order to create "new" ish POTO Broadway content, @or-what-you-will and I promised to answer your questions about the proshot on POTO Broadway's birthday. Find our summary of the Proshot here.

We got dozens of questions, which we've consolidated into 14 questions. Read them all past the cut!

Wait, what’s the Phantom Proshot?

The Phantom Proshot is an archival copy of the original Broadway cast and production of Phantom of the Opera, filmed at the evening performance with a live audience on May 25, 1988. The New York Public Library, Theatre on Film and Tape Archive at the Performing Arts Library at Lincoln Center has archival copies of Broadway, Off-Broadway, and Regional theater going back to 1970. You can’t view currently running shows, so since Phantom ran for so long, it was under lock and key.

2. How do I see the Pro-Shot?

Pretty simple how to guide here on the NYPL website.

We are both NYPL cardholders and made a reservation in advance. You are required to state why you are accessing the recording as they exist for archival and research purpose. Both of us are published authors and researchers under our real names.

Here's a picture of the room we were in from NYPL's website. We had an appointment and were set up in a room with lots of monitors. We were seated at monitors next to each other with two sets of headphones and had one set of controls to pause/rewind etc. There are 20 monitors in the room and it was pretty full that day. This was not my first time at the TOFT and it’s always had a good number of people around.

3. Can someone get a boot of it/send me the link to it? Pleeeeease?

No. Seriously, stop asking about this. Stop joking about this. It’s not online, and never will be. All of the recordings are on digital media (videodiscs or DvDs) in the basement and only library staff get to touch them. Don’t be the person who tried to do this and ruins the archive for everyone else. You can’t even bring electronic devices into the room.

4. Why won’t they release it to the public? And who the heck does it benefit to keep this locked away?

It isn’t. It was locked away when the show was actually running. It is available to the public. We are the public! We have library cards and went to a public library and watched it for $0! It’s owned by the library so the public can see it! At the library!

The availability of us to access it now that the show has closed is what constitutes public release. There were several other phans, members of the public there to see it after us, and the library allowed them to max out the number of monitors the library allows people to view on. They had a later appointment and were watching disc one when we were on disc two. I’m sure there was someone after them too. Were we all wearing Phantom gear? Also yes.

(@or-what-you-will here) The library is not allowed to show recordings of anything currently running on Broadway, presumably because of fears about economic loss from those who own the rights to the musicals. The library does not own the rights to the musicals in the archive, and there are likely a lot of stipulations the library has to follow to be able to have recordings like this.

As someone who works in a library doing digitization work, libraries and the media they contain are very complicated. TOFT likely has the rights to show it under a very limited license, and to make copies for preservation purposes only, but things like this mean they would not be able to do anything like put it online or charge for it or do anything that would be them acting as though they owned the copyright (as opposed to the physical media). This is why when a library or archive has a book or tapes they don’t usually have the right to photocopy the entire book or digitize the entire tape and put it online (unless it is in public domain), however, if you go in person you can see it all you want. Someone else (usually the creator) owns the right to distribute or copy, and libraries and archives can get in a lot of trouble for violating it.

The copyright is still owned by the holders of each respective musical’s copyright. It’s essentially like when you buy a DVD and you are technically not supposed to copy that DVD but you can invite your friends over to watch it at your house. Copying it and distributing it violates copyright. Putting it online violates copyright. If the library violated copyright it would likely lose the ability to archive musicals altogether. If you copied the DVD it would be a lot harder to find out who put it up because the DVD is owned by lots of people, though you could still be prosecuted by the law. If the library did, they would know immediately who did it because they are presumably the only ones with a copy of this recording.

Likewise if someone took a bootleg recording of a show and distributed it, the copyright holders wouldn’t know it existed. If they found out that individual would then be eligible to be prosecuted under the law. Because the library is a public institution, if they were found out to be doing this, it would be the library itself that would get in trouble and it would damage their reputation, their funding, and quite possibly the funding and reputation of libraries around the world. A lot of this is done on trust. The copyright holders trust the library as a public institution and the library has a lot more stakes in the game than a single person recording the show and distributing it.

It’s a very tenuous agreement at times, and likely the library is only allowed to even record because there are so many protections in place and they have a history of enforcing these rules. These agreements also usually cover digitization and preservation, but again, violating them could have those abilities taken away as well. It’s all tied up in copyright law and the library has no control over that. I have talked to archivists where I live who have to record performances with tape over the lens because it’s considered for preservation and they want to make sure it cannot be possible to profit off of it in any way.

When the show goes into public domain they will be able to put it online all they want without fear of repercussions, but until then, unless those agreements change, we are all limited by the whim of the copyright holders.

5. Hello! Is the pro shot you watched what this clip is from https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cp2_80CJqI3/?igsh=MWNja2wwYWw4OHUwbw== ?

I know all of us here on Tumblr were freaking out that they maybe had a copy of the pro shot when this came out. Thank you! (@imstillhere-butallislost)

Not the proshot, it's a press reel. It has its own cool story though! Answered this here.

6. How good of a shot was it? I know you said ProShot but is it a ProShot like Hamilton or just a camera recording the whole stage at once?

I’d definitely say it was Hamilton pro-shot quality as to what was available at the time between image quality and mixing up of close ups and wide shots. I’ve watched other proshots and many just park a camera in the back of the orchestra and call it good. Cats in particular had multiple cameras but just did close-ups when they felt like it, not when it made sense or added anything. As @or-what-you-will explained in their re-blog, Phantom was one of the first proshots where they had a soundboard plug in, and let me tell you, with the exception of a few moments in Act 1 where Sarah Brightman maxes out her mic, the sound was delicious. Have we talked about how Judy Kaye is singing over the overture (yes, that’s Judy Kaye, original Carlotta, warming up!)? Or that you can hear every single word of Notes I and Prima Donna and Notes II, which usually just sounds garbled because everyone is singing over one another? Actually hearing words that I sort of know exist changed my experience of the show for me.

7. How did the tempo seem, compared to the pace of the show at the end of its run? I saw the show a few times in the last few years, and the music seemed significantly faster in person than it sounded on the London cast recording. I’ve always wondered if that was just a difference between the London and NY productions, or if the tempo just sped up over the years.

Uh…normal pace??? I’ve watched a lot of boots and most solidly clock in 2:15 of run time. This was no different. There are definitely some that run a little faster. London during Earl Carpenter’s 2023 run was notorious as he had to catch a train. It does seem to have settled back out. I will say, the music does always feel more intense in person because the whole place just vibrates.

8. I'm curious about the comment about the Ratcatcher? I think I remember that character from a film adaptation, but was he ever in the ALW musical? (@lord-valery-mimes)

Yes, Ratcatcher is still in the musical, even now. It’s a blink or you miss it type of moment. If you hear a thud and a scream right before Madame Giry tells Raoul “He lives across the Lake, Monsieur”, the thud is the ratcatcher running across the travelator.

9. Does Christine really recognize the Phantom in PONR from his boner?

No, but at this point she probably already know it’s him and has been trying to get through the scene, but definitely acts surprised because, well, that’s surprising. But it’s definitely the moment where the Vibes Are Officially Off.

10. Can Sarah Brightman act?

Yes! All three of the trio have far more nuanced performances on stage. Sarah doesn’t act the way that we do see many later Christines (including late 80s and early 90s Christines), but she absolutely created the blueprint for the role. Her “Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again” is missing some soul, but at the end of the day she was one of a kind, and she made some very strong acting choices.

11. there anything unexpected? Any interpretation that stood out to you and particularly striking but didn’t stick around as others took on the roles and put their own spin on things?

Guys, I want to talk about Steve Barton as Raoul. The man made choice, after choice, after choice. And yet we have had so many Raoul’s that are kind of just strutting about looking pretty. Some seem to even forget they’re onstage during Final Lair. It can be such a juicy role if the actors choose to make it that way but so few do.

Besides some small details I mentioned, the show did maintain its integrity through its 35 year run, which is truly remarkable.

(@or-what-you-will here) Seconding what Flag said, Steve Barton brought so much more to the role than I’m used to seeing, and it really opened my mind to what Raoul could be.

The blocking in PONR did surprise me, I knew they had changed it but I hadn’t realized how much. I always found the kind of pinwheeling arm thing Christine does with the phantom strange, so it was a pleasant surprise to find that they didn’t do that at all, the embrace from behind made more sense to me.

I also found after she took his hood off no one really ran out, the phantom and Christine got to have their moment. The blocking where they (the managers and Raoul) run out and tell Christine to stay makes no sense with their motivations to stop him. The more recent blocking where Christine motions them to stay in place as the phantom sings the All I Ask of You Reprise makes way more sense with the characters’ motives and matches this original blocking much more.

12. Also are you truly working on a research project? If so, how is progress and where might we find your final results when it’s complete?

To quote Dr. Who, “Spoilers.” Yes, always. Both of us have day jobs that have us doing research, but I can’t promise I’ll put it on here when complete since I keep fandom and real life separate. Sorry to dodge this one but getting into specifics about this starts to identify us.

(@or-what-you-will here) Seconding what Flag said.

13. Hi there, I was wondering if I could ask you a general question about the NPL’s archive. Something about the language on their website made it sound like viewers could only watch a recording “once”. I wasn’t sure if that meant “once per visit” (i.e. you can’t sit there for 8 hours restarting the tape every time it ends) or “once” as in forever (like, once you’ve watched a recording you are never allowed to request it again). Did you have any clarification? I wasn't sure if the librarians explain the policies when you arrive at your appointment. Thank you for providing so many details about the Phantom pro-shot and offering to answer our questions! That's really kind of you!

You’re welcome! So if there’s nobody after you, you can hang out with the media as long as you want. However, we did have another group come in about 90 minutes after us. That gave us enough time to watch both acts with all the rewinds we wanted. We watched PONR and parts of Final Lair like five times. On a previous TOFT trip I watched two shows and was there for like six hours. The prohibition is on coming back and watching the recording again. I have no idea how strict they are about this, although I suspect it’s to keep people from monopolizing certain media. Would I want to try to watch the proshot again in the future? Probably! I know there’s stuff I missed, or I’d see something different depending on what I’m working on. The TOFT is also an absolutely incredible resource and I have so many other shows I’d like to check out.

(Will here) They do log on your library account when you visit that you visited and what you saw. However, if you have accessibility needs that would require you to watch in multiple viewings or something along those lines, I would talk to them about it, because I’m sure they’d be able to work with you to figure out something so you wouldn’t have to sit through the whole thing in one shot.

14. > Barton Raoul’s “There is no Phantom of the Opera” comes off more as “Christine this is just some dude” vs “he doesn’t exist at all.”

Could you elaborate on this part? I'm having trouble imagining how that would be conveyed. (also, thanks for sharing your notes on the procast!) @clutzyangel

You're welcome! Yes, he's telling Christine that the Phantom is a human, flesh-and-blood man, not some fantastical creature. I've seen many Raouls who seem to try to convince Christine that the Phantom doesn't exist at all. Barton's Raoul seems to understand that he's a man with ulterior motives possibly duping Christine.

And he's not wrong.

#phantom of the opera #poto #alw phantom #phantom proshot #happy birthday phantom broadway #phantom broadway #michael crawford #sarah brightman #steve barton #judy kaye #andrew lloyd webber #nypl #research #I wish Phantom were still be on broadway #we should all be wilding out at the majestic

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alwaysakin · 1 month

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Buffy the Vampire Slayer Fanfic Rec

Guys I have so much useless fanfic knowledge -- one of my friends asked me for a list of Buffy fics and this happened.

Non-Buffy Centric, One-Shot Fics

Potential Friend by srmcd1 - a cute little ficlet that looks at what might have happened if Jesse lived.

Age Difference by Amina - for all the Oz fans out there! A time-travelling Oz gives Buffy a new perspective on life and relationships. Slightly Angel-bashing.

All that I wanted was just to be haunted by you by chasingfictions - After the events of "The Body," Jenny's ghost bullies Giles into moving in with the Summers girls. This one made me BAWL.

Appropriate conduct by The_Eclectic_Bookworm - an increasingly angry series of memos between Principal Synder & Jenny, Giles, and the other teachers of Sunnydale High. Absolutely hilarious.

i belong to time, you belong to me by chasingfictions - Dru knows when she meets Spike, that he will fall in love with a slayer. She forgets, until she doesn't. Beautiful, poetic, and very Dru.

One Girl in All the World by zedpm - a trans!Buffy AU, where she was born in a boy's body and is still the slayer. A beautifully done AU, with Oz and (surprisingly! Riley) as particular standouts. Minor Spike/Buffy.

The Holy Grail of Buffy Fics: Long, With a Focus on an Ensemble Cast. Absolute Masterpieces.

hit rewind by untiljanuary - Hands down, the best Buffy fic I've ever read. Buffy (from some time in season 6, but unclear when), is sent back in time to season 3. What makes it so interesting is that it's from everyone else's perspective! The author writes Cordelia, Willow, Faith, Angel and Spike in particular so well. Lots of interesting character work, though the plot hasn't deviated too much from canon so far.

Ships: Buffy/Spike, Angel/Cordelia, Willow/Tara, Anya/Xander. The Buffy/Angel ends on mutual terms.

two roads diverged (and that has made all the difference) by RoseyPoseyPie - a Buffy season 5/Angel season 2 crossover. Hoping to escape Glory, the Scoobies end up in Pylea with the Fang Gang. This fic is absolutely hilarious (the scene where everyone gets high and drunk together is a notable standout). The author writes Anya, Lorne and Cordelia in particular super well. Dawn and Angel's dynamic is also amazing.

Ships: Buffy/Spike, Angel/Cordelia, Anya/Xander, Willow/Tara.

don't know how to stick around, but I wanna by chasingfictions - a series in an alternate universe where Faith, instead of going to prison, joins Angel Investigations. Very Fang Gang centric, but really builds up their family bond. Darla, Faith, and Wesley were stand outs to me in this.

Ships: eventual Faith/Buffy, and minor canon pairings. Faith briefly pursues other girls, including Darla.

Best Spuffy Centric Fic

wouldn't it be nice? by SummerFrost - an alternative universe, where the will-be-done spell in season 4 goes a little differently, and Spike and Buffy start a slow crawl towards friendship that becomes... something. So soft and sweet. Has two sequels, and the season 6 one in particular is WONDERFUL.

Every Letter That You Write Me by othellia - the obligatory fandom soulmate AU. Young Buffy is absolutely adorable in this one, and Spike and Buffy's relationship is bittersweet, raw, and believable.

Choices by lafillesauvage - An AU. After Season 5 of Angel, Spike becomes human. Angel does not. Buffy still chooses Angel, and these are the consequences. Slightly excessive Angel bashing, but the characterization of Buffy and Spike, and little notes like Buffy's relationship with Giles being slowly fixed and Willow getting a non-Kennedy girlfriend are great! Buffy/Angel with a happy Spike/Buffy ending.

The Darkling by OffYourBird - the iconic time travel Spuffy fic. Buffy goes back in time and meets Spike... in the 1970s. His slow path to redemption starts differently, with tons of interesting changes in the timeline. Be warned, this one is LONG and smutty. Shout out for making me believe Giles/Anya could work as a couple!

Inside Man by HollyDB - An Angel season 5 fic. Spike calls Buffy. This shows all the things that change when Buffy has a spy on the inside of the Fang Gang. Follows canon up until the last episode, but provides fun context.

Short, Cute Cangel Fics

give them all that they can drink by eagle_eyes. The one where Cordelia is ace. Amazingly written, and the Cangel relationship is so soft and believable.

Another Chance by NikitaDreams - After the events of Angel: the Series, Cordelia travels back in time. Focus on Cangel and Connor. Lots of cute family dynamics.

Halloween Happily Ever After by GeckoGirl89 - cute, mutual pining between Angel and Cordelia in season 3. Angst with a happy ending. Really highlights how oblivious Cangel were to each other's feelings.

#buffy the vampire slayer #fanfic rec #cangel #spuffy #angel the series #bvts

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iwtvfanevents · 1 month

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Rewind the tape —Episode 6 highlights

One of our favorite scenes is…

...paired up with our favorite quote! This is the second time Claudia and Lestat face off in a chess match, when she baits him into checkmate, securing the win but refusing him an actual finish. The entire scene is incredible, but we particularly love how the chess game continues the thread of the first, where Claudia stated she was trying to understand Lestat. She has since concluded that, in order to beat him, she has to, “become Lestat,” “think like he does and then five moves ahead of that.” This is a bit of backstage trivia, but showrunner Rolin Jones shared in the after-episode commentary that this scene is based off a famous chess game called The Polish Immortal. And it’s not just the name that makes for an interesting reference! Here, Claudia is playing the long game: she’s getting rid of her good pieces while advancing the weak ones: Lestat’s too greedy to keep himself from taking her bishop and knights, and too proud to worry too much about “weak” little Claudia. "Basically,” Rolin explains, “it's a series of moves by one opponent that sort of lures in a person who wants everything in the world, who wants to take everything, and she can see this is the way into Lestat." Later, in an interview with SyFy, Rolin added, “it's that thing where you have to make Lestat think [the party] is his idea,” just like he walks of his own volition into the trap Claudia laid for him on the board. While Lestat spends the game thinking he’s teaching her the game, Claudia speaks to Louis in the privacy of their minds, explaining how she’s going to beat him, and masterfully illustrating what she’s learnt during the match. She emerges as a sneak victor, proving to Louis she can carry her plan through.

What's a favorite scene of yours? Maybe one of the snippets we see of the years Louis and Claudia spent together on their own? Lestat returning with the Book of Hours before Louis dropped his coffin from the balcony? Louis crashing through Antoinette’s door and throwing her out of her own house? Or maybe you’re a fan of the 1970s flashback!

Reblog with your highlights, or make a new post with the tag #vampterview to join the conversation! And, if you're just getting caught up, learn all about our group rewatch here ►

#bailey bass #claudia iwtv #the vampire claudia #spark in the dark #louis de pointe du lac #the titular vampire #lestat de lioncourt #vampterview #interview with the vampire #iwtv #amc interview with the vampire #interview with the vampire amc #amc iwtv #iwtv amc #IWTVfanevents #rewind the tape #like angels put in hell by god

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stylechronicles · 11 months

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The Birthplace of a Cultural Revolution: Exploring the Origins of Hip-Hop and its Influence on Fashion

Welcome to our blog, where we embark on a journey to uncover the origins of hip-hop and its profound impact on both music and fashion. In this post, we delve into the birthplace of this cultural revolution, tracing its roots back to the vibrant streets of the South Bronx. We'll also explore the close connection between hip-hop fashion and street style, highlighting how the fashion choices of early hip-hop pioneers became intertwined with the very essence of the genre. So, let's rewind to the past and uncover the rich history that birthed hip-hop and shaped its unique sense of style.

The Birth of Hip-Hop:

Hip-hop emerged during the 1970s in the South Bronx, New York City, as a creative and expressive response to socio-economic challenges faced by African American and Latino communities. Its inception can be attributed to the fusion of various elements, including DJing, MCing (rapping), graffiti art, and, of course, dance. The neighborhoods became a breeding ground for innovation, and the streets served as the backdrop for this cultural movement.

Street Style and Self-Expression:

Hip-hop culture has always been rooted in individuality and self-expression. Early pioneers expressed their identity and creativity through their clothing, which laid the foundation for the iconic hip-hop fashion and street style we know today. In the face of limited resources, they repurposed and personalized clothing, creating their own unique looks that set them apart from mainstream fashion.

Influence of African and African American Aesthetics:

Hip-hop fashion draws inspiration from African and African American aesthetics, paying homage to cultural heritage and ancestral roots. Bold and vibrant colors, patterns, and prints reminiscent of traditional African garments found their way into the fashion choices of early hip-hop artists. This infusion of cultural elements became a defining feature of hip-hop fashion.

Rise of Sneaker Culture:

Sneakers have become synonymous with hip-hop fashion and street style. From Adidas to Nike, Puma to Converse, sneakers became a symbol of identity and status within the hip-hop community. The love for sneakers grew hand in hand with the rise of breakdancing and the need for functional footwear that could withstand the demands of dance battles and energetic moves.

Branding and Logomania:

Hip-hop fashion has a close relationship with branding and logos. As the genre gained popularity, artists started sporting clothing adorned with recognizable logos, transforming fashion into a form of self-promotion. Brands like FUBU, Karl Kani, and Sean John became synonymous with the hip-hop fashion movement, representing not just style but also entrepreneurial success within the community.

Influence on Mainstream Fashion:

Hip-hop's influence on fashion extends far beyond its grassroots beginnings. As the genre gained mainstream recognition, elements of hip-hop style started to influence high fashion runways, streetwear brands, and pop culture. Baggy pants, oversized hoodies, bucket hats, and gold chains all found their way into the fashion lexicon, transcending cultural boundaries and becoming iconic symbols of hip-hop style.

Conclusion:

Hip-hop's origin lies in the vibrant streets of the South Bronx, where a fusion of artistic expression gave birth to a cultural revolution. The fashion choices of early hip-hop pioneers became intertwined with the essence of the genre, fostering a unique street style that celebrated self-expression, cultural heritage, and individuality. Hip-hop fashion's influence on mainstream culture is a testament to its enduring power. From sneakers to branding, streetwear to logomania, hip-hop has left an indelible mark on the fashion world. So, whether you're donning a fresh pair of sneakers,rocking a statement logo, or embracing the vibrant colors and patterns of hip-hop fashion, remember that you're not just wearing clothes—you're paying homage to a cultural movement that continues to shape and redefine fashion as we know it. Let your fashion choices become a testament to the spirit of hip-hop, where individuality, creativity, and self-expression thrive.

#hip hop #hip hop fashion #black culture #hip hop style #hiphop fashion #street wear #streetwear #hip hop clothing #hiphop clothes #hiphop clothing #hip hop influence #Sneaker Culture #rap music #rapper #urban #urbanwear #styleblogger

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captainmvf · 17 days

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Finally finished revamping the new story for my FNAF OCs/Verse!!!! 🥳 It's kind of a whole AU now that's in line with the canon of the official series before diverging into a separate timeline.

General timeline of events before the initial story unfolds below-

[Warning: Child Death, Child Murder, Suicide, Violence]

1970's:

Fredbear's Family Diner is made by Henry Emily and William Afton. Trademarks are purchased and animatronics Fredbear and Spring Bonnie are in production.

1980's

Fredbear's Family Diner opens with Fredbear, Spring Bonnie, and springlock suits being the main entertainment for guests.

Michael Afton bullies his younger brother Evan Afton to the extent that, with the help of his friends, shoves his younger brother into Fredbear's mouth. Evan gets his head crushed and dies.

Evan's death worries Henry Emily on the safety of the child-friendly building and the dangerous features of his and William's animatronics. He begins to experiment with a new line of robots and adding heavier security features.

William Afton experiments with his own robotics and makes a spin-off restaurant known as Circus Baby's Pizza World. Circus Baby, Funtime Freddy, Ballora, and Funtime Foxy are put into production. For unknown reasons, Even's death inspires him to target the securities of children. Much is not known why his new line of robots can perform tasks such as snatching children.

Circus Baby's Pizza World is closed down and put into storage after Elizabeth Afton is found murdered by her own father's creation of the titular character Circus Baby. Not much is known how she ended up inside of the animatronic's chest.

An expanded location is planned and more characters are put into production. Freddy, Bonnie, Chica, Foxy, and Security Puppet finish production.

Charolette Emily is found murdered outside of Fazbear Family Diner next to the Security Puppet. The Security Puppet has heavy rain damage and video evidence was found of children locking out Charolette.

More children turn up dead or missing. A total of five kids are confirmed to have last been seen at the Fazbear Family Diner.

Police investigation begins with the number of small injuries piled on top of the murders. William Afton is not seen on the property of Fazbear Family Diner on the days of the murders and has alibis. Henry Emily is taken in for questioning.

Downsizing begins for Henry Emily and William Afton as the bad press makes them lose money.

William Afton strikes a deal and helps trademark a new series of robotics that focus on humanity and learning. This helps supply some funding as the new co-owners are given creative freedom. Animatronics Titan and Obelisk are put into production.

Henry Emily and William Afton finish work on Freddy Fazbear's Pizza. Toy Freddy, Toy Bonnie, Toy Chica, Toy Foxy, and Balloon Boy finish production and are made from spare parts. Security Puppet is rebuilt as the Prize Corner Puppet. Fredbear, Spring Bonnie, Freddy, Bonnie, Chica, and Foxy are decommissioned and put into Parts and Services on the premise to be recycled for spare parts. Springlock suits are locked away and not used.

Toy Foxy is misused by children guests and gets repurposed as The Mangle after staff are unable to keep putting them back together again without needing more funds for spare parts and overtime.

Fazbear's Family Diner closes.

Due to not being able to maintain repeated maintenance, Freddy, Bonnie, Chica, Foxy, and The Mangle start to roam at night. Toy Freddy, Toy Bonnie, Toy Chica, and Balloon Boy copies this behavior as part of their AI.

The Prize Corner Puppet is observed on nighttime cameras to act up at night and display behaviors unsimilar to the rest of the animatronics. A rewindable music box is placed in the Prize Corner to pacify them.

The night guard position is made to keep a watch on the animatronics after several props are rearranged over night over a series of weekdays.

Video evidence shows the animatronics performing aggressive behavior towards the night guards. Many night guards quite after a couple of nights and word gets out that it's a dangerous job.

Animatronics Titan and Obelisk premier at a test location unaffiliated with the Fazbear name. This is a success despite concerns of unpredictable behavior from the Titan animatronic.

Night guard Jeremy Fitzgerald is asked to work the day shift. The Mangle climbs onto the ceiling and bites onto Jeremy's frontal lobe. This nearly kills him, but he survives with several handicaps.

Freddy Fazbear's Pizza closes indefinitely.

The test location of William and Henry's partners burns down due to a lighting incident. Obilesk is found and put into storage. Titan's endoskeleton is found and also put into storage, but their props and suit are not found. The partnership puts future projects on the backburner for a bit due to the bad press on all sides.

Henry Emily is taken in by police. William Afton gives a testimony on Henry's reported erratic behavior when it came to security.

Henry Emily is sentenced to life in prison.

Henry Emily is found dead in his cell. Evidence suggests suicide.

William Afton downsizes once more. He finds dayshift employee and animatronic maintenance worker Fritz Smith repairing the decommissioned animatronics and gets them to become head of robotic maintenance while he gets to work on a new location. Layoffs occur and the night shift role goes unfilled.

Freddy Fazbear's Pizza reopens on a limited menu and limited animatronic attractions to keep making money. Revenue is not as great.

Fritz Smith finishes repurposing Freddy, Bonnie, Chica, and Foxy.

William Afton is taken into police custody for questioning when new evidence comes forward on past alibis not adding up. He is let go after nothing substantial can be found against him.

The new Freddy Fazbear's Pizza location opens.

Michael Afton is made the night guard for the new location. He has to go by Michael Schmidt on his paycheck to keep the Fazbear Franchise off of any legality radars. Power at night is limited due to budget cuts.

1990's

The old Freddy Fazbear's Pizza location closes for good. Toy Freddy, Toy Bonnie, Toy Chica, The Mangle, Balloon Boy, and the Prize Corner Puppet are put into storage. Props, decorations, and spare parts are sold off for continued funding of the new location.

Rumors start to come out of the storage facilities being broken into and stolen from. Spring Bonnie's springlock suit, Prize Corner Puppet, several animatronic heads, endoskeletons, and other decorations and props are reported missing through the years.

Reports of Freddy, Bonnie, Chica, and Foxy leaking mysterious fluids. There is no cause sighted as William Afton has been the one to clean the animatronics before every maintenance check.

Fritz Smith is fired. At future job interviews they site that they were fired to cover up their boss's irregular behaviors.

Foxy's Pirate Cove stage gets damaged due to rotting wood collapsing. Foxy falls through the flooring of his stage and his legs and jaw are damaged. There are little materials available to properly rebuild Foxy's suit. Pirate Cove is repaired and then closed. Foxy is decommissioned.

Freddy Fazbear's Pizzeria closes. Bankruptcy is declared, bills are unpaid. Freddy, Bonnie, Chica, and Foxy are found in pieces and put into storage. The building is boarded up and set to be taken apart.

William Afton is reported missing by Michael Afton weeks later.

William Afton continues to go missing for six months before the partners go ahead and plan a new location and future projects. Carta Fazzy, Candy Bat, and Dea Ghoul are put into production.

Michael Afton refuses to be a part of the new Re-Invention Project and signs over legal documents to not have a hand in robotic projects. He eventually cleans out his father's robotic projects from his personal storage and refurbishes it into Circus Baby's Entertainment and Rental to make ends meet. There are no statements available as to why Michael did not wait for his father to return home.

Michael Afton finds the hidden Primary Control Module within his father's storage site. He is reported to go missing for several days and returns sickly. It's a full month before Michael is carted to a hospital and reported dead. Michael is cremated.

Circus Baby's Entertainment and Rental is bought by the Re-Invention Project. Spare parts and decoration are put into storage. Circus baby, Funtime Freddy, Ballora, and Funtime Foxy's endoskeletons are not found on sight but their suits and spare parts are put into storage.

2000's

Carta's Party Center opens to test audiences. All three animatronics and the menu pass inspection.

Carta Fazzy bites a father's head while he is harshly disciplining his child near the stage. The man survives with heavy scaring and Carta Fazzy is adjusted. Her jaw is screwed tighter shut and behavior AI is tweaked. No further road bumps from the new animatronics.

With no bad press, Carta's Party Center opens to the public. An expansion is planned and Marrian Fox, Dayglow, Moonrise, Scarlet Song, X-Cevier, Angela, and Tiger Blizzard are put into production.

The expansion to Carta's Party Corner is a success and Marrian Fox, Dayglow, Moonrise, Scarlet Song, X-Cevier, Angela, and Tiger Blizzard are added.

Carta Fazzy is seen on nighttime cameras moving around at night with Candy Bat and Dea Ghoul copying in various degrees. An investigation is given before confirming that their AI is restless. The newer animatronics copy the behavior before a night guard position is opened and filled to keep watch overnight. The pay is reportedly better than it was in previous years.

On a night where the night guard calls out last minute, Marrian Fox, Dayglow, Moonrise, and Angela are heavily damaged. Camera footage could not be retrieved due to the connection being poor or tampered with. Mechanics observe that the four animatronics bear injuries similar to stress or an attack. The current night guard is fired.

Scarlet Song, X-Cevier, and Tiger Blizzard go on to become second stage attractions and able to leave the stage. Marrian Fox, Dayglow, Moonrise, and Angela are taken back to the workshop for safety as they are put on the backburner due to other projects in production.

A new night guard is hired. Madeleine Marionette and DeniVendor are put into production.

Madeleine Marionette and DeniVendor are placed at the Prize Corner. Shortly after their placement, Madeleine Marionette's endoskeleton and facial cloth become damaged. The cameras for the night are tampered with and mechanics are unable to determine what could have happened. She is repaired but the magnetism to keep her mask on is not as strong as before. The night guard is fired.

Madeleine Marionette and DeniVendor display roaming behaviors though do not travel fast as the other animatronics during the night. Caleb Squaire is hired as the new nightguard.

Project Re-Invention gets ownership of the old Freddy Fazbear's Pizzeria locations. The oldest location is planned for renovations for a newer project and the youngest location is to continued to be boarded up.

Several photos start to collect on the early internet of the Titan animatronic being found all over the world. The animatronic is always found on the edge of view and is heavily modified. This is speculated to be some sort of weird fan project and becomes a short-lived meme and unexplained mystery.

2010's

Project Re-Invention signs a deal with several robotics and entertainment companies to create more animatronic projects. Funding and sponsorship search starts.

To stop the animatronics from roaming and to create a safer atmosphere, Project Re-Invention ties their current commissioned animatronics into one shared server and upgrades their AI. Much of this is copied from Henry Emily's facial recognition technology and William Afton's server technology. A database is made of customer information and only accessible for high-level employees. The current AI system is named 0Blivion. All projects and locations going forward are to create their own server AI that will connect to 0Blivion.

The old Freddy Fazbear's Pizzeria is refurbished and gets renamed to Poppy's Pizza Roundhouse. Animatronics Queen Poppy, Celestial, Terra, Playtime Mallie, Playtime Fluffy, Xero, and Princess Hope are put into production. AI system for the location is built and named LightH0pe.

Michael 'James' Schmidt is hired as a part-time security guard in case of the animatronics adopting roaming behaviors.

William Afton's property is scoured by collectors from Project Re-Invention Hidden projects are collected and put into storage. Henry Emily's property is scoured but only sparse endoskeletons are discovered. Nothing is found on Michael Afton's property besides old Fredbear's Family Diner props and decorations.

Poppy's Pizza Roundhouse opens to mixed reviews. Revenue increases after a few months. Animatronics are found to roam around at night but display no threatening behaviors.

Valentina Fowles, daughter to the acting manager at Poppy's Pizza Roundhouse, starts to suspect secrets behind the scenes of Freddy Fazbear and Project Re-Invention's projects and begins a private investigation.

Valentina Fowles begins dating Michael after several run-ins with one another.

Project Re-Invention gets sponsorship from Light Medical to create two lines of animatronics to educate upon mental and physical health. This line is licensed as Cloven Hearts and plans are underway to place the animatronics and exhibitions within hospitals along the third coast of the United States of America. Contruction starts on the animatronics.

Leaks from online surface on poor employee work conditions under Project Re-Invention. Project Re-Invention shares no comment. Union Busting leaks from the internet start to appear shortly after.

Bone and Steel Works agrees to Project Re-Invention's idea of animatronic displays in National Parks visitor centers and Demo Brigade Energy becomes a sponsor. Construction begins on test animatronic Sirius.

Project Re-Invention invests in more animatronics for a third location similar to Carta's Party Center. Plans include making it a narrative-heavy location with an action-based story. Employment is low at the moment so plans are slow-going.

A tropical storm grows into a hurricane and floods the main warehouse for the Cloven Hearts animatronics. The animatronics built to educate physical health are heavily damaged. Construction stalls as the city and third coast repairs. The damaged animatronics are moved into storage.

High Lights Corp. asks to be brought onto Project Re-Invention and secures a sponsorship from Hopeful Light. New extra-sensitive technology is tested to create an animatronic known as Myst. Construction and testing begins.

2020's

Myst's construction is finished and a long period of audience testing begins.

Valentina Fowles is caught in a tragic accident at a library she is visiting. She is diagnosed with a form of stress disorder.

Fazbear's Fright obtains licensing and permission to create a horror attraction and starts to collect Fazbear memorabilia Project Re-Invention still has yet to collect.

Fazbear Animatronics and parts that went missing during the 80's and 90's surface and are displayed at Fazbear's Fright. Many are obtained from online auctions, antique stores, or found at older locations owned by Henry and William. No complete animatronics, suits, or endoskeletons are found.

The Springtrap is discovered at the boarded-up Freddy Fazbear's Pizzeria location after Project Re-Invention allows the team to search.

Fazbear Frights burns to the ground in a freak accident. Camera wiring failures and ventilation issues are deemed to be the leading cause. The hired nightguard for the attraction is unable to be contacted and was found to be using an alias.

Parts of the Springtrap are recovered but the majority of the decayed animatronic is unable to be found. Much of the attraction itself is unable to be salvaged. Only five percent of antiques and machinery are able to be saved.

Michael 'James' Schmidt begins to cover the shifts for Caleb Squaire at Carta's Party Center. It is reported that Caleb becomes more erratic in behavior. Michael is also reported to experience blackouts and other exhaustive behaviors. Management denies time off for Michael.

Project Re-Invention secures its first national location in Canada through Diamond Guard's interest. A new narrative-heavy location for entertainment begins construction with sponsorship from entrepreneur Vermillion Dark. The theme is to be centered around 'Saturday Morning Cartoon' plots with clear 'good guys' and 'villains' along with dinner and lunch entertainment. Vermillion Dark requests that the stage animatronics are able to walk off the stage to play arcade games with guests. Construction on animatronics Renegade, Yellowstone, and Blusender, Clover Tempo, and Glorious Darkness.

Caleb Squaire finds employment elsewhere and leaves Project Re-Invention to pursue his career.

Managment continues to deny time off for Michael. Employment is still low.

Valentina Fowles starts to keep Michael company during his shifts. Camera feeds show Michael asleep in the office and Valentina patrols the halls. Animatronics display less roaming behaviors but are also reported to be 'snappish' between day and night shifts. Carta Fazzy and other stage animatronics are found on camera to gather in the kitchen before the night shift begins.

Myst is approved to be displayed and begin work. High Lights Corp. begins to bring them to hospitals and public educational events with a warm reception. Children with disabilities take to the internet to share the news and Myst is planned to go on tour. Hopeful Light pours more sponsorship money to create more animatronics with the same technology as Myst.

Project Re-Invention greenlights a popup restaurant tour, Star Man's Pizzaria, with three new animatronics to headline. M. L. Robotics partners and starts construction on animatronics Mars Commander, Shirely Stars, and Yipe.

The morning shift finds Michael heavily injured and Valentina with similar injuries. Both individuals are rushed to hospital for treatment. Valentina loses an eye and Michael is stuck in a coma. Displays and equipment in the office, hallways, and main dining room are damaged due to force. Cameras are unable to reroll footage due to tampering and blame falls to Valentina as she is also banned for life from all Freddy Fazbear and Project Re-Invention locations. Technicians also uncover wire tampering done to the office's security doors.

Construction finishes for Mars Commander, Shirely Stars, and Yipe.

An animatronics convention is being held on the southwest coast of the United States of America featuring all of the works of Project Re-Invention, its partners, guests, Fazbear Pizza antiques, and more outside projects.

#mvf talks #fnaf verse #fnaf ocs #going forward here's the new tag for the revamped story:#FNAF OCs: Golden Ghosts Burning

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ntls-24722 · 7 months

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so the way DJ figures out he has caught feelings is when Wesley goes up north to meet family, the same yearly event that led to them meeting and he's like "damn! this sucks. my best friend's leaving for like a month" and they don't get to talk as regularly as they usually do and DJ is catching himself missing him way deeper than usual. Not necessarily more than his homesickness for the plex and his animatronic Bros but in a different way than what he would feel for a friend and he's just like "damn!!!! this double sucks!!!!"

So instead of just moping and sitting with it he's kicking his artistic talents to overdrive. He's busting out tunes and he's writing all this music and he's excited to eventually show it to Wesley but as the end of the month starts to come around he's looking back at the lyrics like "...were these always so romantically charged." And a lot of things are starting to fall in place as he's putting all the pieces together he's just like "this triple sucks!!! im a goddamn homosexual in this small ass town in the 1950's!!!!" and Wesley finally comes back to him with this epiphany and while DJ's happy he's back, now Wesley's back and he knows he has feelings for him. what happens next? Who knowwwssss

but rewind, the 1950's. Wesley was a kid around the 1920's since he's in the rubberhose animation style, and when we last see him/the day he dies, it's the peak of the hippie movement during the late 1960's and early 1970's. So Wesley's at least 40 something, probably 50, but the reason why I bring this up is that the first animatronic band was the Country Bear Jamboree in 1971 but the first restaurant that featured animatronic characters outside of Disney was Chuck e Cheese in 1977 - He would've died before animatronic bands were even a concept to be concieved, but of course, there was Mr Butlertron that was made in the 1920's right alongside with him.

So my question is, do I just shift the creation of animatronic bands back, or do I make DJMM a weird thing of his own (leaning towards the latter) but either way, a redesign might be in process since robot designs (the conceptuawere way different back then than they were now. Though weirdly enough they actually are kinda sleek and somewhat similar to the glamrocks' (though, not painted or colorful, very metallic).

Bonus: While doing research i actually found that there actually was a robot made in 1928 called Eric the Robot - a replacement for the Duke of York after he cancelled on opening an engineering exhibit at London's Royal Horticultural Hall that bowed and gave a speech in his place. The reason I bring him up is not just because he's a robot made in the 1920's, but because him and Mr Butlertron also have the exact same existential crisis, because the very first line of his speech was

“Ladies and gentlemen, I am Eric the robot, the man without a soul."

They're british robots made in the 1920's with the same existential crisis of having no soul. hmm

To anyone who asks, he will tell the correct time; he will get up or sit down in obedience to the human voice, and if in the midst of a speech anyone anyone says sharply to him, “Shut up” – he shuts! The only serious work that his inventors have yet been able to get out of him is to make him drill holes either in wood or metal.

so mean. so mean to him

Also CAMERON

the only family member (or anyone he knew from our reality that he didnt meet in Miguel) that knows about his relationship with Miguel is his brother and it didnt go very well at all and was actually pretty angsty but all i had was this shitpost

#ntls-24722 #wesley nestle #mr butlertron #djmm #dj music man #cameron #miguel #(almost) daily music man #gospel music

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ryansbedroom · 4 months

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greensparty · 1 month

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Stuff I'm Looking Forward To in May

How is it already May? In addition to being Asian Pacific American Heritage Month as well as Orthodox Easter (5/5), Cinco de Mayo (5/5), Mother's Day (5/12) and Memorial Day (5/27) here is what's on my radar this month:

Movies:

The Idea of You

A Michael Showalter movie is always a highly anticipated for me. I was a huge fan of his comedy group The State and I named his film The Big Sick my #1 Movie of 2017. Since then his films have been mixed (including The Eyes of Tammy Faye) but they are always unique in their own way. His new one is a romantic drama with Anne Hathaway premiering on Amazon Prime Video on 5/2.

Star Wars Episode 1 The Phantom Menace

When the first Star Wars prequel was released in May 1999, there was no way any movie could live up to the expectation. While it's not perfect by any means, it is better than people initially thought. I saw it a few times in the theater in 1999 (including opening day) and in 2012, I saw the 3-D re-release. Without the hype and fanfare it wasn't bad. There's been quite a few revisionist appraisals of Ep 1 in recent years. In addition to select theaters doing a Star Wars Eps 1-9 marathon, Ep 1 is getting a 25th anniversary re-release on 5/3.

Unfrosted

Jerry Seinfeld is a comic genius! Now he's making his directorial feature film debut with a comedy biopic about the creation of the Pop Tart in 1963. With Jerry directing, co-writing, producing and starring I'm on board! Premieres 5/3 on Netflix.

Let It Be

The 1970 documentary about The Beatles recording their final album has been out of print for years and now it has been remastered by Peter Jackson for a Disney+ streaming premiere on 5/8. Fingers crossed a blu-ray follows!

Back to Black

Amy Winehouse had such a short musical career, but her legacy lives on. After the excellent documentary Amy in 2015, she is now getting the music biopic treatment directed by Sam Taylor-Johnson, the director of the criminally underrated Nowhere Boy about the early days of John Lennon. Opens 5/17.

John Krasinski proved himself as a director with A Quiet Place. Now he is back with a fantasy about imaginary friends and it's one of those "everyone is in it" casts! Opens 5/17.

Hit Man

A Richard Linklater film is always a high film priority for me! His new action-comedy has been creating quite a buzz since its festival premiere last year. It's adapted from an article by Skip Hollandsworth and the last adaptation of his from Linklater was Bernie! Star and co-writer Glen Powell has worked with Linklater on Everybody Wants Some!! and Apollo 10 1/2. I could not be more psyched! Limited theatrical release on 5/24 and Netflix premiere on 6/7.

Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga

2015's Mad Max: Fury Road, the 4th Mad Max movie, set the bar pretty high for high octane action. Now George Miller is back with a prequel about Furiosa. Opens 5/24.

Music:

Aerosmith Get Your Wings 50th Anniversary Limited Edition

In March, Aerosmith's second album turned 50! To celebrate the anniversary they are releasing a special edition vinyl on 5/17!

Slash Orgy of the Damned

GN'R guitarist Slash is back with his sixth solo album featuring tons of guest stars including Brian Johnson and Steven Tyler doing blues covers. Album drops 5/17!

Ringo Starr Crooked Boy

Sir Ringo Starr has been on a roll knocking out tons of EPs including EP3 and Rewind Forward. Now he has his 5th EP since 2021 (my God - put all of these EPs together and it'd be a killer album!). This one was written and produced by Linda Perry. After an RSD and digital release last month, a physical release will be on 5/31 (review to come)!

Film Festivals:

Independent Film Festival Boston

My favorite film festival in Boston (and possibly the world) takes place at the best indie cinemas in Boston from May 1-8 (see my preview here).

In a category all its own:

My birthday is on 5/20!

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the-rewatch-rewind · 4 months

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The final episode... for now, at least.

Transcript below the break

Hello and welcome to the conclusion of The Rewatch Rewind, the podcast where I counted down my top 40 most frequently rewatched movies from 2003 through 2022. To those of you listening to this on the day it’s coming out, Happy Cary Grant’s Birthday! This felt like an appropriate day to release this fun bonus episode to analyze my list a bit more, get into some statistics, talk about what I’ve learned from this project, wrap things up, etc. If that sounds boring to you, that’s totally fair, I won’t hold it against you if you want to skip this. But before you turn it off, I want to mention that my brother Quinn, my guest from the Ella Enchanted episode, put together a “Sounds of the Rewatch Rewind” Spotify playlist featuring the songs and soundtracks from the movies I’ve talked about that he could find on there, which I’m going to link in the show notes, so now that you’ve listened to me talk about these movies, you can listen to parts of the movies themselves.

Assuming the runtimes on IMDb are correct, I spent approximately 99,258 minutes watching these 40 movies from 2003 through 2022, which is 1,654 hours and 18 minutes, or 68 days, 22 hours, and 18 minutes. So almost 10 weeks. Which sounds like a lot, but it was spread out over 20 years, so I don’t feel like that’s particularly excessive. I wouldn’t have been surprised to learn I had spent more time watching these movies. And that’s one of the main things I’ve learned from actually keeping track of the movies I watch: I’m very bad at estimating how frequently I rewatch movies. Before I started writing down what I watched, I thought there were lots of movies I regularly watched dozens of times per year, and probably several that I’d seen over 100 times. But now I know that watching a movie five times in a year can feel like a ton, and there are relatively few that I feel like sitting through more than 20 times total, let alone 100. Part of that could come from maturing, or from having a much wider array of movie choices at my fingertips, but a significant part of it is that it takes fewer rewatches than I think it does for a movie that I love to stick in my brain. There are plenty more films that didn’t make it anywhere near my top 40 that I feel like I know backwards and forwards and inside out. So I just want to reiterate what I said in the introductory episode: I don’t think these are the 40 best movies ever made, and I don’t even think they’re my 40 favorite movies. But I do love them all, and I don’t regret getting to talk about any of them.

When I first started keeping track of what I watched back in 2003, I thought of myself as someone who primarily loved “old movies,” with a few newer movies managing to worm their way into my heart. I would have expected most of my top 40 movies to be in black and white, and almost all of them to be from before 1970. But as it turns out, 18 are fully live action and in color, 16 are live action in black and white, four are fully animated, and two are a mix of animation and color live action. The breakdown of which decade these films are from tells a particularly fascinating story. Five of these movies came out in the 1930s, nine in the 1940s, three in the 1950s, three in the 1960s, zero in the 1970s, four in the 1980s, four in the 1990s, nine in the 2000s, and three in the 2010s. Which means that exactly half were from before the 1970s and exactly half were from after the 1970s. Many of the views of movies from the 2000s occurred in the first few years I kept track, so clearly the pretentious “I only love old movies” persona I tried to cultivate as a young teen was never very accurate. Stories from a variety of eras resonate with me. But what, you may be wondering, do I have against movies from the 1970s?

First of all, to be clear, there are several movies from the 1970s that I love, they just didn’t happen to make it into my top 40. But the thing about the ‘70s is… that’s when Hollywood movies became more explicitly sexy. By which I mean that after the Motion Picture Production Code was abandoned in the late 1960s, filmmakers started putting much more explicit sexual content into their movies because they were finally allowed to. Now, I’m not saying I’m in favor of censorship. I think people should be able to make movies about whatever they want, provided they’re not actively hurting people. But a lot of 1970s movies feel particularly overwhelmingly sexual to me, like Hollywood was trying to release decades’ worth of previously forbidden sex scenes as quickly as possible. And I want to be clear that I don’t necessarily think there’s anything inherently wrong with that, although I feel like it was often executed in ways that objectified women, which I do have a problem with. But I also think a not insignificant reason I’m not as into movies from that era is related to my asexuality. I’m not judging 1970s movies for having too much sex, and obviously not every movie from that decade has explicit sexual content, but I don’t think it’s a coincidence that the decade after the production code went away is the one that doesn’t have any representation in my top 40 most frequently rewatched movies. While movies with sexual content continue to be made long after the 1970s, it does feel a bit like once the novelty wore off, filmmakers kind of toned it down a bit, or at least incorporated it into more interesting stories. It’s kind of like when a kid learns a swear word. At first it’s like, a huge deal, and they get in trouble for using it, and then when they get older they’re like, “allowed” to swear, and they feel so cool for a while, but then it stops feeling cool and they learn how to use it more selectively and effectively. That’s how it feels like sexual content in the Hollywood film industry evolved. So as a relatively sex-indifferent asexual who doesn’t exactly mind sexual content, but doesn’t particularly like it either, it makes sense that that transition period doesn’t appeal to me as much.

And I do have to keep saying that I’m specifically talking about the Hollywood film industry because the vast majority of the movies I watch are from Hollywood. Really the only “foreign” film in my top 40 is Pride and Prejudice, and even that was co-produced by an American company. I have seen and enjoyed several films from other countries, but I could definitely watch more. There is an upsetting lack of diversity on this list: the vast majority of these films are primarily about white, straight, cis, allo, middle-to-upper-class Americans or Europeans. There are characters who don’t fit all of those, but most of them play relatively minor supporting roles in the main stories. I’m pretty sure that all of the directors on this list are white, and all of the screenwriters are at least half white, but I don’t know all of their backgrounds, so forgive me if I’m unintentionally erasing the identity of any of these filmmakers. Regardless, I definitely need to watch more movies made by people of color. As I addressed in previous episodes, only two of these movies were directed solely by a woman, one was co-directed by a man and a woman, and the other 37 were directed by men, so I also need to watch more female-directed films. The screenwriter gender breakdown is a little better, with eight written solely by women, eight written by a combination of men and women, and 24 written solely by men. I would personally love to see more movies written and directed by non-binary people, but mainstream society doesn’t seem to want to give them much of a voice, so I think I’ll have to look into more independent films to find that. The two newest movies on this list were independently produced with funds raised through Kickstarter, so I do seem to be moving in that direction, even though the vast majority of my top films were made by major Hollywood studios. I wasn’t surprised that Disney was the studio with the most films on this list, with nine – what can I say? I grew up during the Disney renaissance, I was indoctrinated. But I wasn’t necessarily expecting RKO to have the second most, with seven, considering that studio hasn’t been around since the 1950s. MGM is in third place with six, but I would have expected that to have more than RKO, considering it made a lot of classic Golden Age gems and still technically exists today (even though it’s now owned by Amazon). Over half of the movies on this list were made by one of those three studios. Again, an embarrassing lack of diversity.

I’m not sure how many LGBTQIA+ filmmakers were involved with the films on this list, since even now people don’t always feel safe or comfortable coming out publicly, and in the past it was even more dangerous to do so. However, the director with the most films on this list, George Cukor, with four, was openly gay, and as I mentioned in several episodes, sometimes movies with supposedly straight characters give off queer vibes. No character in any movie on this list is openly aromantic or asexual, but I was still able to spend a lot of this podcast talking about the ways I related to these stories as an aroace person. Since I’ve been so focused on how much I wish there was less romance and sex in movies, I thought it would be interesting to give each of my top 40 a score indicating how important romance and sex were to the story, on a scale of 0 to 3 for each, with 0 meaning there’s essentially none and 3 meaning there’s a lot. Now, I will point out that no movie on this list is rated higher than PG-13, so a 3 on the sexual content scale is still pretty mild. I also feel like reasonable people could disagree about how to rate some of these movies, so please indulge me as I go through each movie and state and briefly justify my scores.

Mary Poppins gets a zero for both, even though there is a kiss between Mr. and Mrs. Banks, but they were already married at the beginning and their relationship is far from the main focus of the story, which goes out of its way to keep Mary and Bert’s relationship platonic.

Similarly, while Emperor’s New Groove does show that Pacha and Chicha are in a loving married relationship, that’s such a tiny portion of the film that I’m also giving this one a zero for both romance and sex. So we’re off to a great start.

Legally Blonde is a bit trickier because at the beginning Elle is extremely focused on romance, but she becomes less so as the story progresses, although other characters remain focused on romance throughout. Also there are no sex scenes, but there are still some rather explicit sexual references. So I’m giving Legally Blonde a 2 for romance and a 2 for sex.

The Princess Bride has a lot going on, but the romantic love between Westley and Buttercup is consistently one of its main focuses, so I’m giving it a 2 for romance, but apart from some very slight innuendo I don’t remember any sexual content, so it gets a 0 for sex.

Frozen is another kids’ movie, so another 0 for sex, but the romance aspect is fascinating because it starts out tricking you into thinking it’s going to be very romance-focused, but ends up demonstrating that the initial romance was fake and other kinds of love are just as important, so I’m giving Frozen a 1 for romance.

Chicago is probably the most sexually explicit movie on this list, so I have to give it a 3 for sexual content, but there’s only a little bit of romance, so it gets a 1 for romantic content.

The Sound of Music has quite a bit of non-romantic stuff going on, but the relationship between Maria and Georg, and Maria’s internal conflict between wanting to be a nun and wanting to be with him, are important parts of the story, so I’m saying romance 2, sex 1.

Holiday is mostly about Johnny thinking he’s in love with Julia and learning he’s really in love with Linda. The social commentary keeps it from being a 3 on the romantic content scale in my opinion, but I can’t give it lower than a 2. I suppose sex is meant to be implied because they talk about marriage so much, but I don’t recall any specific innuendo, so I’m giving it a 0 for sexual content.

Newsies is mostly about the strike but there’s still the Jack and Sarah romance stuck in there, and the “Lovey Dovey Baby” song is pretty suggestive, so I’m saying 1 for romance, 1 for sex.

Stage Door is one of the few Production Code-era movies that actually has more sexual content than romantic content – there’s a lot more focus on potentially using sex to get ahead in show business than on romance, although there’s still a bit of romance in there too, and the sex isn’t super explicit, so I’m saying 1 for romance, 2 for sex.

Monkey Business is mostly about the formula to make people young, but that seems to manifest itself by stirring up relationship drama. The sexual aspect is mostly innuendo, so I’m going with 2 for romance, 1 for sex.

Father Goose starts out with no romance, but by the end becomes mostly focused on Walter and Catherine’s relationship, and there are some mild sexual references, so I’m again going with 2 for romance, 1 for sex.

Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House is mostly about the house. There’s some minor relationship drama, but even that is more about stress caused by the house situation than actual romance, so I would argue that it only deserves a 1 for romance. I’m tempted to give it a 0 for sex, but there’s enough innuendo when Bill spends the night alone with Muriel that I think I have to give it a 1.

Adam’s Rib is another tricky one because it’s about a trial that impacts romantic relationships, but the focus is rarely on the romantic aspect of those relationships. And by today’s standards, there really isn’t that much sexual content either, although for its time it feels pretty explicit. So I’m saying 1 for romance, and 2 for sex.

Mamma Mia has enough focus on non-romantic relationships that I’m only giving it a 2 for romance, but even though there aren’t any explicit sex scenes, there’s enough talk about it and enough suggestive dancing that I think it deserves a 3 for sexual content, at least on my scale.

I know that The Lion King features one of the most romantic Disney songs of all time, but I would argue that a relatively minuscule amount of the plot is actually dedicated to the romance between Simba and Nala, so I’m giving it a 1 for romance. And despite the misinterpretation of the leaves spelling SFX as the word SEX, and the rather suggestive look that Nala gives Simba in the middle of their love song, overall I don’t think it has enough sexual content to justify a rating above 0.

Freaky Friday appears at first glance to be heavily focused on romance, since Tess is about to get married and Anna wants to pursue a romantic relationship, but it’s way more about the mother/daughter relationship, so I’m giving it a 1 for romance, and also a 1 for sex because there’s a bit of innuendo.

The romantic aspect of The Major and the Minor is weird and kind of toxic, but it’s still there and it’s pretty important, so I’m giving it a 2 for romance. Then there’s the whole Pamela assuming Phillip slept with Susan part and some sexual harassment before it was called that… it’s not super explicit but I’m still saying that’s a 2 for sexual content, at least for its time.

I argued in the Bringing Up Baby episode that I don’t really believe that the main romantic storyline is actually romantic, but the characters seem to think it is, and Susan at least is pretty focused on that, so I’m saying 2 for romantic content, and once again there’s a bit of innuendo, so 1 for sexual content.

Enchanted is very much a romantic story, so I have to give it a romantic rating of 3. And while I’d like to give all kids’ movies a sexual content rating of 0, I’m sorry, that shower part boosts it up to 1. Kids might not know they’re talking about sex, but… there’s really no other way to interpret that.

Ella Enchanted has quite a bit of romance, but the main storyline is Ella trying to get rid of her curse, so I think that keeps the romantic content rating at a 2. And again, I want to say 0 sexual content because it’s a kids’ movie, but then I remembered some of the things Char’s fangirls say and…yeah I have to give it a 1.

Notorious is ultimately a spy movie, but the spying is accomplished by Alicia seducing and pretending to fall in love with Alex, and actually falling in love with Devlin, so that sounds like a 2 for both.

It’s a Wonderful Life is about a lot of other things, but a good chunk of it is devoted to George and Mary’s relationship, and there’s enough innuendo that I’m going with 2 for romance, 1 for sex.

Again, I argued in the Beauty and the Beast episode that I’ve never seen Belle and the Beast’s relationship as a typical romance, but most characters and audience members seem to. I still maintain that there’s enough other stuff going on to keep it from being a 3, but I don’t think I’d be justified in giving it a romance score below a 2. But I’m not giving it a sexual content rating above a 0, despite what the childhood ruiners say.

A Mighty Wind is mostly about a concert, but it gets a bit into Mitch and Mickey’s romance, and there are a few sex jokes, so I’m saying 1 for both.

His Girl Friday is pretty focused on Hildy wanting to marry Bruce but still being in love with Walter, but that’s not the only thing it’s about so I’m giving it a 2 for romantic content. If you read between the lines and interpret Molly as a prostitute, I guess an argument could be made to give it a higher sexual content rating, especially because there are a few other veiled sexual references as well, but I’m sticking with 1 because it’s all innuendo.

Gaslight is an interesting one because it’s very focused on the relationship between Gregory and Paula, but it’s more about the abuse than the romance, and nobody should think of this as a romantic movie, so I’m saying 1 for romantic content, and 1 for sexual content, because while there’s nothing explicit, it is very heavily implied that Nancy is sleeping with Constable Williams.

Edgar Allan Poe’s Murder Mystery Dinner Party is quite focused on friendship, but the party wouldn’t be happening in the first place if Edgar wasn’t trying to woo Annabel, and there’s also the whole Lenore/HG Wells thing, so I’m saying 2 for romantic content. And while it’s not at all explicit for the 2010s, there are definitely some sexual references, so that’s a 1.

The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer is almost entirely about romance, so I can’t give it below a 3 for romantic content. And while the movie does make it very clear that the bachelor does not sleep with the bobby-soxer, again, there’s enough innuendo that I have to give it a 1 for sexual content.

North by Northwest is mostly about Roger trying to figure out what’s going on. While he does fall in love with Eve, for a good chunk of the movie we think she’s trying to kill him, so I don’t think it deserves higher than a 1 for romantic content. But it was fairly sexually explicit for its time, so I’m giving it a 2 for sexual content.

The Sure Thing is very focused on both sex and romance, so that one gets a 3 for both.

Ishtar has a little bit of romantic content, but it’s mostly about the incompetence of the bumbling songwriters, so I’m giving it a 1 for romantic content. But there is some nudity and rather frank conversations about sex, so I feel like I have to give it a 3 for sexual content. I actually thought Ishtar was rated R until I double checked before making that episode. It’s PG-13, but just barely.

My Man Godfrey is about a lot of things, but although Godfrey the character would prefer to keep romance out of it, Irene keeps forcing it into the story, so it gets a 2 for romantic content. And, like most movies of its era, there’s no explicit sexual content, but there’s enough innuendo to earn it a 1.

The Princess Diaries is mostly about Mia learning she’s a princess, but enough of it is about her relationship with Michael and her crush on Josh that I have to give it a 2 for romantic content. But, as my sister Rosemary pointed out in that episode, the romance is very innocent, and I don’t recall even enough innuendo to bring the sexual content rating above a 0.

The Case of the Gilded Lily mirrors the innuendo but no real sexual content of production code-era films, but with significantly less romance than most of them, so I’m giving it a 1 for both.

Top Hat is extremely focused on the confusing romance between Jerry and Dale, so that’s a 3 for romantic content, but despite the fact that their dancing has been compared to making love, I’d argue that as far as sexual content there’s barely enough innuendo to earn it a 1, let alone anything higher than that.

Singin’ in the Rain is mostly about the change in the motion picture industry from silents to talkies, but Don’s love life pulls enough of the focus that it gets a 2 for romantic content. And while there’s barely any sexual content, Cyd Charisse’s dancing is suggestive enough to earn it a 1.

I’m going to be bold and say that Clue has zero romance, because even though there is some kissing, none of it is really romantic. But most of the suspects are being blackmailed for sexual reasons, so it gets a 2 for sexual content.

While I don’t watch Pride and Prejudice specifically for the romance, I can’t deny that that’s what most of the story is about, so I have to give it a 3 for romantic content. And the whole Lydia/Wickham thing brings the sexual content score up to 2 – one could even make an argument for 3, since we do briefly see them in bed together, but I think it’s a small enough proportion of the mini-series to keep it at 2.

Similarly, The Philadelphia Story has lots going on, but it is all about Tracy’s wedding, and which of the three possible grooms she’s most in love with, so I have to give it a 3 for romance. And even though she doesn’t actually sleep with Mike, there’s enough talk about it that I’m giving it a sexual content score of 2.

To sum all that up: as far as romantic content goes, 3 of these movies got a score of 0, 13 got a score of 1, 18 got a score of 2, and 6 got a score of 3. For sexual content, 8 got a score of 0, 19 got a score of 1, 9 got a score of 2, and 4 got a score of 3. And if we add the romantic and sexual ratings together, only 2 movies got a score of 0, two got a score of 1, 11 got a score of 2, 13 got a score of 3, 8 got a score of 4, 3 got a score of 5, and one got the maximum score of 6.

So why did I go through all of that? Well, aside from wanting an excuse to go back through all 40 movies again, I also wanted to emphasize that even when you’re not interested in sexual or romantic content, it’s extremely difficult to avoid. Allonormativity and amatonormativity are everywhere. I was able to find ways to relate to these movies from an aroace perspective, but every single one ultimately leans, at least to some extent, into the pervading societal assumption that every normal human fundamentally desires a long-term, monogamous, romantic and sexual partner of the opposite sex. This is so normalized that the two movies that earned a zero for both romantic and sexual content still include romantic kissing, and while I stand by my assertion that those movies don’t have enough romantic content to justify a higher rating, I also know that if those throwaway background romantic moments had been between two characters of the same sex, a bunch of people would have made a huge deal about how the LGBT+ “agenda” was being “shoved down their throats” and “forced on their children.” You know who really shoves their lifestyle down people’s throats and forces them on children? Straight cis allos! If children’s sexual and romantic orientations could be changed just by seeing them in movies, I would be incredibly straight and allo by now. But even spending all those years bombarded with the message that normal people were like that, it didn’t make me feel attraction that my brain wasn’t wired to feel, it just made me confused. What I would love to see in my next 20 years of movie watching is more normalization of other ways of being outside of amatonormativity. Right now that’s feeling very unlikely, given the enormous backlash against LGBTQIA+ rights that is currently escalating throughout much of this country. More awareness of aspec identities has led to more explicit aphobia. But it has also led more people like me to understand ourselves better, and I would love to see that continue until acceptance overwhelms the bigotry. And that could be greatly helped by more aspec artists getting to tell their stories. I know of some good aspec representation in books and TV shows, but I really haven’t heard about much in feature films, apart from the sort of vague ace coding I’ve discussed throughout this podcast. But I would love to hear recommendations if any listeners out there know of any openly asexual and/or aromantic movie characters.

Many of the movies on this list are silly comedies, which don’t tend to be recognized by the Academy Awards, but I thought it would be fun to look into the Oscar stats a bit anyway. Of these 40 movies, 23 were nominated for at least one Oscar, and 10 had at least one win. Among those, there were a total of 98 nominations and 28 wins. The most nominations for a single film was 13, achieved by both Mary Poppins and Chicago, and the most wins was 6, again by Chicago. Two movies that were nominated won 100% of the Oscars they were nominated for: Frozen with two and The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer with one. I did go through and watch all the Best Picture, Best Actress, and Best Adapted Screenplay Oscar winners, at least up to a certain year, and those projects added to the view counts of five of the movies that made it into my top 40: Mary Poppins, Chicago, The Sound of Music, Gaslight, and The Philadelphia Story. I have considered tackling other Oscar categories, and I’ll probably make a podcast about it if I do, so that could potentially be on the horizon, we’ll see. Another movie podcast idea I have is to pick either an actor or director and go through their entire filmography chronologically and talk about that. I’m not sure if or when any of those ideas will come to fruition, but I have greatly enjoyed talking about movies on this podcast and would love to continue in a similar vein.

As for The Rewatch Rewind, I like to think that for now it will just be on a rather long hiatus rather than being completely finished. I have continued to track the movies I watch, and my top 40 has already changed in the last year, so it will be interesting to see how my movie watching continues to change in the years ahead. After I’d been keeping track for 10 years, I blogged about the 35 movies I’d seen at least 10 times, and 30 of those movies were still in my top 40 after 20 years of keeping track. The 10 new movies that were added for this list obviously include the three movies that hadn’t come out yet 10 years earlier – Frozen, Edgar Allan Poe’s Murder Mystery Dinner Party, and The Case of the Gilded Lily – in addition to Notorious, Adam’s Rib, Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House, Father Goose, Holiday, The Emperor’s New Groove, and Mary Poppins. The five movies that were in my top 35 after 10 years but were not in my top 40 after 20 were Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, Monty Python and the Holy Grail, Neptune’s Daughter, Duck Soup, and The Phantom of the Opera. For the 30 movies that were on both lists, I still had a lot of new things to say about them ten years later. I’m not sure if I’ll wait until I’ve been keeping track for 30 years to return to this podcast, or if I’ll also do something for 25 years, but I do have every intention of returning for another season of something similar eventually. I probably won’t do the exact same thing, maybe I’ll do a top 100, or I’ll talk about my top movies from each decade or year, either of keeping track or when they came out – I haven’t decided yet. So stay subscribed or following to hear more from me in a few years – assuming these podcast platforms are still around in a few years.

Regardless of what the future has in store, thank you so much for listening to my analysis of the 40 movies I rewatched the most in my first 20 years of keeping track. Since I don’t know what movie I’ll be talking about next, in honor of his 120th birthday I’ll wrap this up with a quote that at least has been attributed to Cary Grant, although I couldn’t find where or when he said it, so maybe he didn’t, but it’s a good quote anyway: “My formula for living is quite simple. I get up in the morning and I go to bed at night. In between, I occupy myself as best I can.”

#the rewatch rewind #movies #aromantic #asexual

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doorplays · 1 year

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IMMORTALITY (2022) REVIEW

PREAMBLE

I've been hearing a bit about this game during the latter part of 2022. I don't remember how exactly it got on my radar, but a friend did end up saying that it was free on mobile for Netflix users. It was also free on Xbox game pass! I tried it for a bit there and ended up buying it on Steam when I decided that the concept of a game pass wasn't for me.

Sam Barlow strikes me as a sort of game auteur. I played Her Story a couple years ago and enjoyed it very much. I haven't tried Telling Lies, but I skimmed the Steam reviews and it seemed like a flop. Immortality though seemed very promising. And I am glad to report that it is indeed a very good game! I've written this review to talk a bit about the game. Refer to the content warnings above, and if you are comfortable with them, let's get to reviewin'!

STYLE (Gameplay, Graphics, Music)

Immortality presents itself as a film restoration project wherein you have to restore three films. Starting out, you are given a short tutorial on how to navigate the software, after which you can start gathering clips. Your main objective is to answer the question: What happened to Marissa Marcel, actress of all three films?

You start out with one clip available to you, and you discover more by interacting with objects and people within the clip. To interact this way, you have to pause the video and get into symbol mode first. While in symbol mode, if you click on an actor's face, you will be brought to a different clip with the actor in it. If you click on, say, a chair, you will see another clip with a chair, though it may not necessarily be the same chair and may not necessarily even be in the same movie! With the tools you have, you then have to judge how to properly restore the film while finding out the core mystery of the game.

The gameplay for me is simple enough to understand, though the finer points of using Shift to rewind/fast forward footage in a slower manner was a bit lost on me. I think the game would have benefitted from a slightly better tutorial OR slightly better controls.

Despite the simplicity of it though I enjoyed it enough because it really worked with the game. If I wanted to know more important things I just click on important seeming objects like guns. If I wanted to know more about certain actors or even certain crew members I just click on their face. There's still room for you to feel like a detective while preserving the chief feeling of being someone who's restoring long lost footage!

The graphics of the game is, well, actual film! It's very cool because the films you see are three separate ones with their own aesthetics, and it shows! They all have different aspect ratios, different lighting, different fashion choices, and other stuff that set them apart from each other. And each have a solid story. The music is nice, but it’s just filler music you hear as you investigate. It changes though depending on what you view! Overall, I like the way this game presents itself. Sam Barlow’s games are FMV games, but this one is even bigger in scope now, which I respect.

SUBSTANCE (Story, Characters, Impact)

Immortality is a film restoration project. You are to restore three separate films: Ambrosio, a film that tackles religion and was shot in 1968, Minsky, a detective film shot in 1970, and Two of Everything, a film about pop stardom shot in 1999.

As you restore footage, you also discover more about the story of each film. And it's not just the story told within these films, but the road to making them. You'll see table readings, auditions, even scenes to test the chemistry between the main actor and main actress. It is very interesting for me to see the behind the scenes of movie making.

It discusses a lot of mature themes. The nature of art, the costs of making art, the unfairness of it at times, the unsavory parts... a lot is tackled that I enjoyed hearing about. This game is about film, about the process, about how disgusting the process is at times, but it also discusses the beauty of art itself.

There's a lot to discover in this game. I'm not going to talk about it much further beyond this, but the way the game reveals clips and information to you is at times very gripping.

I loved discovering the characters, their arcs, and what happened to them. I loved slowly unfurling the story. It felt like with more new clips I discover something more that at times redefines all that I’ve learned about the game up to that point. It’s marvelous writing! I think a potential problem lies in the in-built nature of the way we find more clips. Since the developers can’t really predict what objects the players will click, they will definitely find different clips and will have different experiences. This can be frustrating for some... for me though it was Okay. Overall, I was amazed by the story!

SUMMARY

The way you interface with the film is easy enough, and the gameplay itself is very light. But the enjoyment I derived from playing this game was from getting all the pieces together and thinking about how each piece contributes to the overall picture. People will interpret this game in different ways, as is the nature with art, but the journey to arrive at that interpretation is something I very much enjoyed.

This game is a love-it-or-hate-it kind of game. It is nonstandard yet very bold. I love the uniqueness of it and how it asks the question of what a game actually is. Some won't consider this a game and think of it more as an interactive movie, but as a person who is very interested in the narrative potential of games, I appreciate the bold experimentation that this game pulls off. Sam Barlow has been doing this kind of game since Her Story (2015), and I feel like he has perfected the formula here, though I wonder how he will make another game like this.

If you have a Netflix subscription, it's free on iOS/Android! I very much recommend everyone to play it despite its experimental nature.

Door Rates Immortality: 5/5!

#door reviews #immortality #immortality game #sam barlow #half mermaid productions

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