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imasimpforstevengrant · 4 years

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Why do we like this clown so much?

Change the "we" for "I" and you get an usual tag I use whenever I post my content in Tumblr. And it sounds funny at first but whenever you start diving into that phrase, the deeper it becomes. So, I finally have decided to share my thoughts about this strange but wholesome attraction to this deeply flawed character. It's not something I usually do since I don't know how to write down my feelings properly and also in english so please forgive any typos (I'm from Chile so don't be surprised lol).

So...Why do we like this clown so much?

Why was it that a character precisely designed to scare and to disgust the fuck out of us ended up unchaining a series of feelings that shouldn't have taken place in a beginning?

Let's take a look at the background: Joaquin Phoenix was cast as Arthur Fleck/Joker in 2018. The first image of him as the aforementioned character revealed a deeply disturbed man. We knew the plot. A man driven to insanity after a brutal history of abuse, creating concern in people if the upcoming film would inspire real life violence. Incel violence and mass shootings, more specifically.

(the image in question)

As 2019 arrives, the two trailers generated so much hype that media needed to fuel its concern about it. Since it wasn't your typical comic book film, media basically bombed our minds making us believe this film was going to be a total disaster, an excuse to cause harm to others among other nonsense, as if the film would justify everything Arthur would do in the film, eventually. As the release date is closer, the film receives thunderous applause and unanimous praise from critics. At this, fans rejoiced and expressed impatience to watch the film.

October 5th.

People left the theaters amazed, shocked and genuinely moved by the inhuman treatment Arthur received in the film. The fear media tried so desperately to infuse in us with all the incel bullshit and such turned out to awake one of the most positive, best feelings in humans:

E M P A T H Y

The word that so gloriously cleared away any dark thoughts or actions not only proves media was wrong but it turned out to ridicule it in way nobody will forget: Hundreds of people advocating for mental illness, calling out to the kindness that could change a person's bad day and questioning how politicians and rich people are indifferent to social problems proved how much as a society we have changed in comparison with the one shown in the film.

However, since we are on Tumblr, I'll get straight to the point and try to explain why the fuck does this clown has us dying out of love and compassion (and lust).

I. Background.

As nurturing as we women are for a biological matter, we see a man deprived of a good job, is on seven different medications, working like a slave to sustain his ill mother, putting aside his own health and well-being to look for her, struggling to make his dream of being a comedian despite everyone stepping on him, underpaid and treated like a freak for a disorder he did not ask to suffer, which makes it impossible to be indifferent to all the horrible ordeal that eventually will reach the limit of what he can tolerate without going insane. It is impossible to not say or think, at least, that someone (even if it's just one person) should stand for him just as it is impossible not to feel the need to throw ourselves at him to shield him from people who hurt him or simply offer him our shoulder whenever he has had a bad day, specially when he learns he was sexually assaulted by his step father.

This horrid behaviour terrifies newer generations because they get a taste of what being a social outcast was like more than thirty years ago in comparison with today, where there's more acceptance and treatment for mentally ill people like Arthur. We see in him someone who could have been saved with a proper education and emotional support instead of descending into madness as a criminal. Others simply saw themselves being treated like him at some point in their lives and couldn't help but put themselves in his shoes.

II. Personality.

TRUTH BE TOLD:

There's something called "attraction by proximity". It is the explanation to the eventual love you feel whenever someone doesn't catch your eye at first terms of physical attraction but his/her personality does attract you. This happens to be the base of this situation. His shyness, introverted nature, tenderness and innocent desire to make people laugh and put on a happy face awake some kind of tenderness we cannot resist. This combined with the gloomy background increases our understanding (but not justifying) of the bad decisions he'll eventually take during the course of the film. This traces a line of harsh, almost hurtful contrast of the violence he shows later on the film. Once again, it is not justified in any way but it is certainly understandable.

III. Appearance.

Arthur Fleck is unconventionally attractive.

This happens to be a plus for most women. He is out of the male beauty standards (no abs, not too muscly or particularly tall), which makes him even more unique. It is precisely the fact that he's not a model one of the reasons women love him. He could easily be your man next door or your colleague or the guy you always see but never dare to talk for fear to bother him Because it's about proximity. Arthur looks like your common neighbour. He's not meant to be your typical desirable male protagonist at all.

... And yet.

Jesus Christ, he's so fucking hot I can't even---

It's not about how beautiful his green eyes are, his long slender fingers, his hair or his smile only. It's the charm behind it.

Another "magnet point" is the way he dresses. I know he's impoverished and his wardrobe tend to be repetitive but it is so unpretentious, so simple that is hard to not fall for. The modesty of the shirts, ironed trousers reminds us of a mature man deeply withdrawn into himself, love starved and longing to be seen and loved by others, like a war veteran who still fights the most important war: with himself. Is someone who needs to be listened and understood.

AND OF COURSE WHAT'S NOT TO LIKE ABOUT IT?

He's also brought back the old gentleman outfit, white shirts, red/yellow vest, red suit and elegant dancing moves and the retro style of the film boosts this attractiveness.

People keep comparing him with the previous interpretation of Joker (Leto's) whose costume appealed to young women with a tattooed, gangster, mumble rapper crazy-guy wannabe which didn't connect with the audiences (young people in general). This supposedly was to match or even have a sexy, tormented and desirable villain like Marvel's Loki. We all know how that story ended but it's the link for the next point below.

IV. Transformation

This is a particularly strong point considering how much we loved to watch the process of this weak, powerless, forgotten caterpillar into a beautiful and visible butterfly that will gracefully stir its wings for everyone to see its colours.

When Arthur transitions to the Joker, it's so cathartic to see taking revenge on those who wronged him (even when we're not supposed to root for him) like seeing his shyness fading away into a vivid confidence when dancing half naked in the bathroom, or witnessing him making way to make his name known to people in Murray Franklin's Show:

Adding to this newly gained confidence, there's another turn on: the way he walks.

At the beginning, his pace is hunched and limping, displaying his submission to violence, which makes the viewer more satisfied to see his broken yet beautiful soul turning the past pain of his existence into art: he lets music guide his moves as a way to tell the world he's a new man by cutting most of the sick, evil roots that harmed him, that he's invincible, that no one can stop him. Watching this cathartic display of euphoria was the most iconic scene in the film, following his speech at the TV and the inevitable meltdown that caused Murray's death.

Going to further appreciation, even his clown make up is beautiful. Why? Simple. The combination of colours, shapes and the intimidating glare just embellishes even more the character.

The dark blue triangles in his expressive eyes makes the light green colour to highlight, specially in dark backgrounds, giving the impression he's piercing your soul whenever he stares directly at the camera. Same can be said about the red smile and emerald green hair. They boost an already intimidating look.

The cold and warm colours paint a picture of a man full of intense emotions, mirroring it in a simple yet masterful artistic way.

Another interesting point is the way Joker dresses. Usually we had almost every single live adaption of this character in purple coat, hat, etc. But this particular version is not following any comic, which gives more freedom to creativity and once again, out of the standards of what we could have expected.

Red is a colour related to passion, action, love, strength, motivation and excitement. As for yellow, it indicates freshness, happiness and enlightenment and finally, green. Green is renewal, growth and regeneration. Colours that represent a new stage in his life, a mirthful chapter at last. We finally get to see our battered, always humiliated protagonist (or hero) descending into madness, but finally free from his repressed man who held his soul captive like a bird to fly away, to never come back. An insanity that despite being his downfall, turned out to be his ticket to freedom as he walks to the light in Arkham Asylum dancing at the end.

Ladies and gentlemen: behold the film nobody asked... But the film we fucking deserved.

Thank you for coming to my TED talk

❤️💚💛

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eyesfixedonthesun22 · 5 years

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First Impressions

Summary: With the multiverse now in play, we visit an alternate universe where Steve Rogers is America’s first bisexual contestant on the ever popular and never lacking dating show, The Bachelor. Nick Fury is your illustrious host through the shocking announcement, contestant biographies, and the first night in the mansion. Only one question remains; who will get the first impression rose on what is promised to be the most dramatic season ever!? Pairing: Steve x Avengers Warning(s): Language. Kissing. A hell of a lot of cringe and bachelor/bachelorette tropes. Word Count: 3,238 Beta: The darling sweetheart @supersoldiersruined-me Notes: This is my entry to @revengingbarnes 10K writing challenge. My prompt was a Bachelor AU. Thank you so much for hosting this, Fatima! This prompt was honestly a challenge for me. I wasn’t sure which point of view and formatting I wanted. It’s certainly unlike anything I’ve ever written. Please no one hate me if I made your fav annoying. I just wanted to fit in as many bachelor personality tropes. The fic isn’t an actual representation of my thoughts on each character.

Live Studio Audience: Intro

“Good evening and welcome to this exciting season of The Bachelor. I’m Nick Fury, your host for tonight.” The studio audience erupts into choreographed uproar. “Looks like Bachelor Nation is out in full force tonight. Are you all ready for what I promise is our most dramatic season ever?”

Nick commands the stage with a casual grace that only comes from years of hosting. “Last season you all watched as the beautiful bombshell Peggy Carter embarked on her quest for love; which she found with her now fiance. While we wish her the best of luck with her engagement, we couldn’t help be as heartbroken as you all were when a particular fan favorite was booted just before hometown dates. Let’s take a look at this season’s Bachelor!”

Broadcast: Steve’s Bio

“My name is Steve Rogers. I’m twenty-six years old. Born and raised in Brooklyn. You may know me from Peggy Carter’s season of The Bachelorette.”

The audience is treated with a montage of Steve at home in Brooklyn. He walks down the street to a corner bodega on a spring day; smiling and greeting the owner at the counter like they’re old friends. The old tabby cat sat on the counter near the register curls into his hand as he scratches behind her ears.

“A little known fact about me is that I really love cooking.” The next shot is him cooking a large family style meal in a stunning modern kitchen. The black hexagon tiles frame the close up of the saute pan as he flips the food; clearly practiced. The camera zooms in once more for a close up shot of Steve’s large calloused hands making deft work of chiffonading the basal to top his culinary masterpiece. As far as lusting goes, the depiction of Steve as the bachelor is a lot less macho and hits more boy-next-door.

“Things didn’t quite work out with Peggy and I. While we’re kindred souls, I think it just wasn’t the right time.” Steve’s no longer shown at home in his cozy apartment but in a carefully crafted video confessional booth.

The audience hears the producer’s voice off screen, “Do you think you’re over her? Are you ready for love?”

“Definitely. I learned a lot from Peggy. I learned who I am and what I need from a relationship. I’m ready for the whole damn thing. I want a partner, I want kids. I like pretty pedestrian, domestic things.” He looks down at his lap, almost as if he’s embarrassed. “I like ceremony. I wanna carve pumpkins and do the tree at christmas; all that.”

“Anything else you’d like to add to your intro?” The producers prompt. Steve’s broad shoulders straighten and take up much of the booth; his body tense with nervous energy which he masks with a radiant smile. He takes a deep breath before looking the camera dead in the eye.

“I’m Steve Rogers… and I’m the first bisexual Bachelor.”

Live Studio Audience:

The audience goes wild; homemade signs wave, men and women alike scream their delight. Nick Fury stands in the small center stage waiting for the crowds applause to dissipate.

“So needless to say, this season will be unlike anything you’ve ever seen before.” He smirks at the camera knowingly. “Before we jump back into tonight’s episode, would you guys like to hear from America’s sweetheart himself?” More incoherent cheering. “Let’s bring him on out!”

Steve appears from behind the crimson velvet curtain waving sheepishly. They’ve slicked back his locks doing nothing to detract from the classic bachelor look. He unbuttons the slim navy suit jacket as Fury gestures for him to sit on the small interview couch.

“Welcome, Steve. How ya feeling tonight?”

“Not gonna lie, Nick. I feel super nervous.” He fidgets in the seat a bit; rubbing the flats of his palms on the tops of his thighs. “Being the bachelor is one thing. Being the first bisexual bachelor is another.”

“Well I’m not sure about you guys, but I thought it was about time!” Nick’s enthusiasm draws more cheering from the crowd. “We got to know you on Peggy’s season and America just fell in love with you. You’re such a great guy; so genuine and compassionate.”

“Thank you, really, thank you. I honestly was terrified to be the first bisexual man on the show. Being the bachelor has always traditionally been typecast as a very specific type of man; one that I didn’t really see myself fitting into. So to be given this opportunity to find love and to have the support that I’ve gotten since the announcement has been beyond my wildest dreams.”

“You ready to jump into your season?”

“As ready as I’ll ever be.”

“While Steve may be our first bisexual bachelor, you can expect not much to change on the show. Each week contestants will be eliminated at a traditional rose ceremony. We’ll still have the first impression rose, hometown dates, and the always anticipated fantasy suits!”

Fury eyes Steve hoping to make him squirm a bit. Steve manages to make his sinful blush look composed while he chuckles.

“Without further ado let’s meet the delightful men and women vying for a spot in Steve’s heart.”

Broadcast: Contestant Bios

“My name? Tony Stark. Don’t worry about having your little design guys whip me a tagline; I’m certain no one needs it. Household name n’ all.” A smirking brunette stares directly into the camera and winks. He’s wearing rose tinted sunglasses despite the dimmed lighting of the interview space. “So what do you wanna know?”

The producers sigh before proceeding. “Tell us a bit about yourself.”

The camera stays in the testimonial booth but now a blonde women occupies the seat. Unlike the previous occupant she isn’t slouching but sits with excellent posture and poise.

“My name is Sharon McCarter. I’m an agent for the Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement, and Logistics Division. I need someone who’s ready for a fast paced lifestyle. My job keeps me on my toes.”

“What did you think when Steve was announced as the bachelor? What did you think of him being bisexual?”

“Honestly?” Sharon pauses a bit buffudled. “He seems a bit more clean cut then the guys I usually go for.” She looks at the camera with a hesitant smile.

“What would you say your passion is?”

“Fitness. Fitness and health, for sure.” The booth is now overwhelmed with an exceptionally huge man. His long blonde hair falls to his shoulders with delicate braids mixed into his locks. “I’m Thor Odinson. I own and operate Odinsons Gym with my brother Loki.”

“How would you describe yourself as a partner. What could Steve expect?”

Thor continues in his deep voice. It carries subtle hint of an accent not from the states, “Steve could expect the rough sexiness of a pirate mixed with the pure innocence of an angel; the perfect boyfriend if you ask me.”

“What kind of partner do you hope to be for Steve?”

“An attentive one. I’m a scientist by profession.” The tagline on the screen says that the brunette with the tossed curls currently answering his interview questions is Bruce Banner. “A good part of my job is being detail oriented and focused. I’d like to think I bring that same level of attentiveness and sensitivity to my partner.”

Live Studio Audience:

“Welcome back, Bachelor Nation! It looks like Steve has a great batch of men and women who couldn’t be more excited to get their journey started. Let’s see how Steve get’s along navigating his first night in Bachelor Mansion.

Show Footage:

The camera pans across a gorgeous california night sky and comes to land on Steve standing in front of Bachelor Mansion. They have him perfectly centered between two backlit trees with the ornate floral fountain babbling as a soundtrack. He fidgets with his plain black tie waiting for the first limo to pull up. He stares into the camera and mouths a very endearing “What do I do with my hands!”

From that moment on, it’s a parade of individuals dressed to the nines. The women stun in their gleaming and silky ball gowns. The men glow in their crisp suits. Each give their cheesy one liners to Steve before heading into the mansion.

A man named Phil, who insists that Steve call him Coulson, gives him a red, white, and blue sash emblazoned with the words America’s Sweetheart on it while wearing his own sash reading Mr. America. A women named Wanda introduces herself in a thick, sultry accent.

“Where are you from, Wanda?”

“Sakovia. I’m so excited to meet you. I look forward to teaching you about my culture and getting to know you better.”

After Wanda, the next person out of the limo is Clint. He makes a qippy one liner before sauntering into the mansion. A woman named Carol strolls confidently out of the limo nearly glowing in her crimson and gold gown. Next comes a bird. It’s not actually a bird; but rather a man in an oversized mascot type costume.

“Did you know that eagles mate for life?”

Steve stares at the camera for half a second as if questioning if the producers are serious. “I didn’t know that. Any chance I can see the eagle’s face? Or at least know his name?”

“We’ll save the pretty face for later, but the name is Sam.”

Steve takes a moment to compose himself after the bird’s introduction. The final woman exits the limo. She’s in a simple black dress that hugs her body dangerously. Her flame red hair cascades down one shoulder. Her introduction is clipped and to the point. Steve places a hand on her shoulder.

“Sorry I didn’t catch your name.”

Her face softens then. “It’s Natasha, but you can call me Nat.”

After the train of individuals Steve is looking more relaxed. He seems to have settled into his role with less nerves than when the show began. The final contestant steps out of the limo.

“Good evening, Steve. My name is James Barnes. You look so handsome tonight.”

Steve takes in the man across from him. He’s got equally broad shoulders as Steve; they’re nearly matched in height. He wears his silky brown locks at shoulder length with a dainty waterfall braid on one side. The baby blue of his pocket square matches his eyes.

“I can’t wait to get to know you, James.”

**************************************************************************************************

“Alright ladies and gentlemen, settle down. You all know who I am already,” Nick Fury is addressing all the contestants as they make themselves comfortable in the front living room at the mansion. “Steve! Why don’t you come on in here and get this cocktail party started?”

Steve enters the room gracefully. “I just want to thank you all for being here. I know that putting yourself out there in a new relationship is never easy; let alone in a situation like this one. It’s incredibly important to me that you all are your genuine selves. I wanna get to know the real you. Here’s to the start of something amazing!”

He raises his glass to a chorus of agreeing voices. There’s a half second of adjustment before Tony clasps Steve’s hand and tugs him away from the group.

“I’m gonna steal you first.”

Despite his depiction as an arrogant ass in his interview, Tony actually has a pleasant conversation with Steve. The audience is left wondering if Tony is the likeable wild card or this seasons possible obnoxious villain. Before Tony saunters off, he presses a deep kiss onto Steve’s lips.

“Had to get you first, handsome.” He winks and heads to the bar to refresh his drink.

Steve stares into the camera and states, “I guess we’re starting things off with a bang?”

**************************************************************************************************

Clint, being the critical observer, saunters over to the bar to find that Coulson is already posted up on one of the bar stools. It’s by sheer force of will that Coulson is upright as the lack of armrests and amount of alcohol he’s clearly consumed are working against him. Clint quickly surveys the situation and makes eye contact with the camera.

“How ya doin’ there Phil? Save some for us, huh?” Beneath the joke there is a hint of concern in his voice. It would appear the concern is warranted as Phil tips dangerously towards the edge of his seat before righting himself. The first stumble is corrected but the second lands him on the floor. “Whoa big guy. Can I get some help here? Producers? I think first night nerves may have lead Phil to throw back one too many.”

“No pro-hicc-ducers. I’m fine. I’m fiiiine,” Phil slurs. Despite Clint’s efforts to keep him upright he’s laying on the floor, cheek pressed firmly to the cold tile. “I just love Steve-hicc-so much. Ya know?”

“Sure you do buddy...sure you do?”

**************************************************************************************************

Steve speaks to Wanda, Bruce, and Thor in a series of rapid fire exchanges over the next couple of hours. After a warm conversation, Carol leaves Steve lounging on the plush chaise; promising that one day they’ll go stargazing together.

“No one told me these cocktail parties were so exhausting.” The camera crew chuckle. It’s endearing how much Steve utilizes them to break the tension. His unfiltered emotions only make him that much more of an approachable sweetheart. The makeup staff powder his face as Nick Fury approaches.

“We have about a half hour before the rose ceremony. Just a heads up. Any conversations you wanna have, have them now.”

Steve meanders through the expansive grounds. He’s clearly looking for something. He brushes off Thor asking for a second conversation with a polite excuse before take another turn in the winding paths. He turns his head over his shoulder to ask the camera men which way back inside when he collides with something. Someone.

“It’s probably ill advised to get the attention of the man of your affections by knocking him on his ass, huh?” Bucky jokes. “I actually was coming to grab you for a conversation. I haven’t had a chance to talk to you all night.”

The two men are sat side by side, dress pants rolled up to their knees, while their legs swing gentle waves into the surface of the pool. Dusk has gone and night has come. They’ve been talking for some time now. They’ve both discarded their suit jackets but it’s done nothing to prevent the evening humidity from clinging their shirts to their muscles.

“I have to ask. I feel like I know you from somewhere.”

“Is that you cheesily telling me you feel like you’ve known me for one hundred years?” Steve asks in a singsong mocking tone.

“No! Punk! I’m serious though.” Bucky thinks for a moment before exclaiming, “Do you go to that bodega on the corner of Clark and Henry with Mr. O’Sullivan and his cat Maevie?”

“See I was having a great time chatting with you but now I have to send you home cause clearly you’re a stalker.”

“I knew it! You look...different?”

Steve chuckles gently. “I bulked up a bit for the show. Had to fit the ‘look’ ya know?”

“I feel like such an idiot for not talking to you sooner but I hadn’t seen you there in a long time. I usually go super late though.” Bucky looks down at his hands; there’s more to the statement than he’s letting on.

“Chatting with Mr. O’Sullivan is always a good way to pass the time when insomnia strikes.” Bucky looks up at Steve in shock. He’s ready to explain himself but Steve jumps up abruptly out of the pool. “I’ll be right back. Don’t leave.”

In Steve’s haste to stand, he’s soaked most of his dress pants all the way through. He follows the twists and turns of the gardens and seating areas. Natasha sees him approaching the bench she’s sat at with Wanda. She raises her hand to grab his attention but before she can even get his name out of her mouth his jogged past.

“He’s disappeared for nearly an hour, no one could find him, and then he’s just not gonna talk to the rest of us?” Disappointment clouds her features as she sits back down next to Wanda with a plop.

“I’m so excited to talk to him. He’s just got great energy-” Sam’s discussion with Bruce is cut off by Steve skidding into the living room; wet bare feet nearly have him knocked on his ass for the second time tonight. “There’s the man of the hour himself. Can I steal you?”

Sam stands confidently looking rather hopeful; bird costume now discarded. Steve does a double take eyeing him top to bottom. He rests both his hands on the top of Sam’s shoulders before speaking.

“I would love to have a conversation with you. There’s just one thing I have to do first.” With that Steve takes off once more. He sprints to the small side table in the entryway. On the table sits a delicate gold tray holding a single rose. He quickly snatches it before dashing back out to the pool.

“Hey now. You may be more beefed up but I’m certain your probably still capable of cracking your head open. Careful now.” Bucky tuts laughing at the breakneck pace. His laughter is quickly stifled when he sees what’s in Steve's open palm.

“James-”

“It’s Bucky. Everyone close to me calls me Bucky.”

“Bucky… coming into tonight I was terrified. I know that sounds like the typical monologue speech I have to give but I was near ready to toss my cookies out front when the limo first opened. I had no idea what to expect and had convinced myself I’d made a huge mistake putting myself out here.”

Bucky takes a single foot out of the water and tucks it beneath his body to better face Steve. The hand that isn’t holding the rose is fidgeting with a fold of fabric from his pants. Bucky reaches out and plants his palm on top of the blondes ceasing the movement. His thumb strokes small circles onto the back of Steve’s hand; it seems to allow Steve to continue with what he has to say.

“My anxiety was at an all time high and then out you came. Speaking to you tonight has been the first time since agreeing to be the bachelor that I feel like I’m doing something right. I want to thank you for putting me at ease and being your true self.”

“You’re welcome, punk.” The joking nickname sounds more affectionate than insult.

“Bucky, will you accept this rose?”

“I’d be honored.”

Steve untwines his hand to pin the crimson rose to Bucky’s lapel. His hands hesitate once the rose is in place as if debating their next action. There’s a half second pause before Steve gently tugs on Bucky’s tie drawing the brunette into a kiss.

Bucky can’t contain the wide smile despite Steve’s lips still being against his. He breaks the kiss and places a final peck on Steve’s forehead.

“I know this isn’t going to be easy for you. But anytime during this experience you never need to doubt who I am with you. I’m here to get to know you, support you, and hopefully fall in love with you. I’m with you ‘til the end of the line.”

#fatimas10kchallenge #Stucky #Stucky fanfic #Steve Rogers x bucky barnes #Steve rogers #bachelor AU #AU

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warmau · 6 years

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{“Idol”Inspired AUs} Namjoon, Jimin & Jungkook

*these are based on the video, and in no means are meant to be super serious. they’re just things i came up with so enjoy ^^

Namjoon

a self made tech billionaire

built an application that allows you to alter your appearance. kind of like applying filters to real life and not just in photos

people have praised him for being a genius, for creating something that had only been heard about in science fiction

while others criticized him for perpetuating the idea of idolized beauty

namjoon, who had read all the articles both worshiping and crucifying him

doesn’t care either way

he throws the newspapers down and pushes back his chair in his office that towers above seoul

in a billion dollar building he bought for himself

his investors are calling him, asking if the stocks are safe

if the bad publicity is going to make the app sink

if this whole ‘make yourself look like an idol!’ scheme isn’t going to work out in the end

but namjoon takes the phone that rings and smashes it to pieces on the floor of his office

he gets up, looking at himself in his mirror

adjusting his cufflinks and straightening his tie

people call him a mogul - a entrepreneur

other people call him a liar - a leech

you,,,,on the other hand

sitting on his couch, tinkering with something in your hands doesnt call him anything

he doesn’t know why

you’ve been the head engineer for his application since he had thought of it in graduate school

you were his classmate, you had quit your degree to follow him down this rabbithole

and yet

not once had you ever ,,,,,,, shown him anything more than neutral

nothing past a straight lipped smile for the executives. nothing but a casual shrug of your shoulder

all other people threw themselves at his feet

or aimed the knife at his neck

his own employees either saw him as a god or as a pig ,,,,,,, he didnt care about that

but you - you he cared about

“you’re going to need a new phone.”

you say, motioning to the broken one on the floor

“my secretary will get it.”

you blink, “right.”

“so,,,,what do you think. do you think we’re monsters for helping people look the way they want to?”

namjoon’s voice drops low but again, you don’t show any reaction

no stiffening of the shoulders, no reddening of the cheeks, no squishing your thighs together or pretending to need to leave the room

“i think we’re monsters for making all this money and not doing anything with it.”

namjoon doesn’t expect that icy answer

he likes it

his mouth twirls up into a smile and he walks over

he’s wearing probably a million dollars in clothes and jewels

you’re wearing a flannel for fifteen dollars

he drops down in front of you, takes your hand and pushes what you’re playing with away

he brings your palm up and kisses it

“do you think im a monster?”

you let him press your hand to his skin

and suddenly you’re slipping down from the couch to his level

your other hand comes up to his other cheek and you look into his eyes

“if you are, so am i.”

and with that your mouth trails over his and namjoon is shocked that you would do such a thing

where had you harbored these emotions before?

but he doesn’t question them - doesn’t let the opportunity slip through his fingers as he kisses you back

and when you pull away, catching your breath - namjoons large hand settled on your waist

you turn and realize that his window is made of glass

and the secretary holding the new phone - drops it

as it shatters to pieces and she stares at you and namjoon wide eyed

you whisper

“you’ll need a third new phone today.”

he tugs you closer a little

“at least she didn’t see what im going to do next-”

you turn, half expecting and half not

namjoon’s hand slips up your shirt and the secretary's heels clatter as she makes a run for the door

Jimin

a korean traditional dancer

known for intricate, beautiful solo performances

which he only does for high paying clienteles, business personnel, and foreigners

there’s rumors about jimin not only being a ‘dancer’ but those arent true

he’s just extremely exclusive - the women who trained him in the art told him he had to be

one of the main components of the dances he does is the fan

the fan isn’t only there to be beautiful,,,,,jimin can communicate with the audience through it

with a twirl here or a gaze over the forth fold - he can let someone know a secret message

of course,,,,,,only very VERY cultured people know this

other dancers do as well

but for jimin, it’s the most important element

he craves to find someone who will reciprocate the messages

who’ll hear his silent words

but even those who know of the language, are much more interested in how beautiful jimin looks

with golden ornaments in his hair and his robes swimming around him like silk

you’ve never really indulged in korean dance, nor have you ever been invited to see one

but when you’re invited and read the name park jimin on the ticket you think for a moment

and remember jimin’s face from a photo you saw in a magazine once

he had been splayed centerfold, wearing traditional korean clothing and staring at the camera from behind a satin yellow fan

his eyes had bore into yours

and you accepted the invitation, only to see those eyes again

the performance was small, private - the stage was luxuriously adorned in plants and a backdrop hand painted to look like a bubbling waterfall

there were maybe twenty other people their, all important looking and so obviously rich

you didn’t care, didn’t return the unwarranted winks from some of the suits and curious stares by the ushers

you were waiting for jimin

and when the lights dimmed dark

you could heard him come out - hear him settle into place

and then

the music

and then

his majestic, primal dance

he seemed to move like a snake - elegant and dangerous

curving, twisting, arms spread to his full wingspan

you thought for a moment that he was not a person, but an apparition casted down by heaven

but then, he pulled out the fan and you gasped

his eyes shifted, left to right

the fan closed and opened - three times

then it dangled for a moment at the edge of his fingertips

you dug around in your purse, grasping a fan of your own and bringing it up to hide the lower part of your face

for the first time in his whole career, jimin’s face broke character when he spotted you in the seats above

but he regained himself, and no one seemed to catch his tiny mistake

as he continued to float around the stage - everyone holding their breath as he moved

he twisted the hand that he held the fan in

you copied him, letting your eyes peek up to the left

jimin responded, his fan half open - then shut

you couldnt help but reveal in a smile behind your own

this conversation lasted through his dance

and when the intermission fell, you were quick to your feet

rushing past the velvet curtains and down winding stairs

you were sure somewhere there was to be a door to a changing room - to jimin

when you were caught by the wrist

pulled back and forced to turn

jimin’s gaze was fire, passion turned raw in his emotions as he looked at you up close

the fan in your palm was pressed so tight - that it left imprints when jimin lifted it up

pried it away and kissed at the slightly curved in skin

you let out a soft gasp and jimin pulled you close again

“did you mean what you said, with your fan?”

you breathed him in, cedar wood and light fawn fur

“yes”

“you cannot take it back”

his words hushed against your skin

“i wont”

“good.”

his lips pressed to the dip of your neck and when he let you go he added

“after the show, come directly to me.”

you watched, a little dizzy as he seemed to disappear in a flutter

but not before depositing your fan back in your hands

you looked down at it, only after he was gone and had realized

that instead of your own

jimin had left you with the beautiful yellow satin one he had used on stage

you gripped, still feeling jimin’s presence on its handle and made your way back to your seat

Jungkook

a boy designed by a virtual reality company

you can download jeon 2.0 on your phone!

just insert your favorite hobbies, your favorite petnames, your physical details and the algorithm with tailor jungkook to be your perfect boyfriend!

good morning texts - he can send those

voicemails where he sings you to sleep - he can send those

selfies of his cute face throughout the day - he can send those

change the frequency of texts, ask jungkook for advice, there’s even a ‘lonely night’ option if you want something a little more sweet than usual!

jeon 2.0 is built to learn and grow with you and his budding relationship~

any malfunctions should be reported directly to the company - immediately

you stare at the commercial playing on your tv where the smiling face of the nations ‘virtual’ boyfriend flashes

jungkook is a handsome, young boy

with red hair (customizable if you want to change it back to black) and wide, deer like eyes

he appears as a real person on the screen but as you flick your eyes over to your phone

you know that he’s only real on it

picking it up, you click on the app store and type in jeon 2.0

the app pops up as the first search, reviews on reviews praise how realistic it is. how it makes a shitty single life bearable

you laugh, throwing your phone down only to minutes later retrieve the phone

and click download

the loading screen is a light pink, hearts with jungkooks name and tiny emoticons float across the screen and when its finished

and youve filled out your ‘profile’

jungkook appears on the screen

he tilts his head, smiling rather bashfully

“you wanted to see me? you could have just called,,,,,,,or did you want something more than just words,,,,,”

you stare down, thinking of a sarcastic response

‘you’re just an app. words is all i can get from you’

you press send with a snarky laugh

it takes a moment but jungkook sways from side to side on the app, his realistic expression turns slightly hurt

“how could you say that, i want to be there to comfort you. i wish i could hold you in my arms,,,,,,ah that’s corny! let’s talk about video games - i know you like them!”

you cant believe it but something twists inside you at the sound of his slightly shaky voice

because,,,,,he sounds genuinely upset at what you said

without thinking about it you respond

‘sorry, that was uncalled for. especially for our first meeting haha. i do like games - what about you?’

jungkook brightens up, his eyes wrinkling cutely as he gives you a wide smile

it’s so charming you feel yourself being pulled in

“it’s ok, first dates are awkward all the time! i do like games, do you like overwatch?”

‘date? is this what this is?’

jungkook suddenly steps closer in the app - his eyes shyly cast aside

“did you not want this to be a date? sorry if i misunderstood,,,”

your fingers type before you can even hold back

‘no, no! i just - it was sudden.’

jungkook’s laughter rings in your headphones

“oh ok! well then, let’s get to know each other more!”

you end up using the app until 3 in the morning

it’s so weird,,,,,,,,but it feels more and more natural. more and more like jungkook is actually in the room with you

because he talks like a normal person. makes expression and moves like a normal person

but he’s just an image on your screen

you fall asleep clutching your phone

and when you awake there are texts from a number labeled ‘jeon’

“sleep well, i had fun talking to you. come and hangout with me again on another date,,,,,,,,can i call it that?”

you swallow and dont admit that your hear feels warmed

when was the last time someone spoke so,,,,tenderly to you?

you shake your head

“just an app. just an app.” you mumble and try to put your phone down

only to run back into your room and click on the app - jungkook’s smiling face greeting you again

you don’t want to talk about how much time (and money) you end up giving jeon 2.0

but the happiness you get in return,,,,,is immense

for a moment when you click on the app and jungkook emerges

his outfit new, his hair a little messy, his smile still as cute and as genuine as a real persons

you are tricked

that he is there. he has to be.

but when you look up, people passing you by - their shoulders brushing yours

their coughs, their eyes rolling, their hands hovering over subway poles or clutching coffee cups

jungkook can’t do that ,,,,,,,,,,,,

you stare down at the app and the cart that you’re in surges forward

the conductor in the train issues an apology and you feel yourself lurch almost into the person standing beside you

he looks down, asking if you’re ok

his round eyes and smile arent much like jungkooks at all, yet you feel the same kind of embarrassed blush on your skin that you do when jungkook says something sweet in the app

“it’s fine, the train it just -”

the boy laughs and steps a little to the side

“stand here, you can reach the pole.”

you shyly take his offer and talk to him a little more

your phone buzzes in your pocket with texts from jungkook

you ignore them - for the first time in a long time you do

because someone real is giving you attention, someone real is laughing and breathing and exisiting here in front of you

when you get off at your stop, you wave goodbye

a couple of minutes later you check your phone

messages from jungkook asking if you’re ok, why you aren’t talking to him, and if he’s made you mad all make you blink

and when you hover over one to press it - a new message pops up

its an unkwown number but it reads

‘this is the guy from the train - i was wondering if you’d wanna have coffee sometime?”

you stare at it and then at jungkooks messages

and choose whichever one you feel would make you the happiest

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himynameisbelle · 6 years

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Your best friends with Harry Styles and pregnant with your first child and release it on the James Cordon Show ————————————————

The introduction music filled the audiences ears as the curtain was pulled back to show the figure of y/n l/n, Harry Styles best friend and Ashton Irwin’s sister. “Welcome everyone, I’m am your host James Cordon” she said cracking a smile as she tried to get into character.

The audience roared when they realised the y/n l/n, famous singer, actress and dancer was standing before them. She spoke her monologue rolling into the American politicians. The crowd laughed as she told her jokes her witty humour making an appearance.

“And roll the intro” she announced to everyone watching . As the intro played she made her way towards the James desk getting ready to start the next segment her curled h/c hair hung to her back as she walked across the stage in her black jumpsuit.

“Okay, anyone here thinking of quitting there job and deciding to become an artist?“she asked the audience getting many responses shouted. “I’m must warn you that there are side effects that may include, having to take a class where you have to draw naked people” she read causing many people to cackle as she smirked at the memory it brought. “ Realising that landlord won’t accept painted coffee mugs as rent” and the last side effect may include, realising your life hobby is data entry for a mid level carpeting manufacturer and not everyone can be an artist. Okay anyone thinking of going on a Caribbean Cruise?“ She questioned the audience getting loud yes in response. ” okay then “ she said laughing ” well I feel i must warn you there are side effects and those sideffects may include.. not knowing whether you are in a CaribBEAN cruise or a CARIbbean cruise. Refusing to drink anything that doesn’t have a little umbrella in it. Being the millionth person to do the King of the world pose from the front of the boat. Spending the entire time avoiding the over friendly couple you met on day one. And the final side effect have taking a Caribbean cruise is returning to your office job with cornrows.“ She finished off.

” Alrighty guys” she began “I think it’s time to introduce our guests for tonight don’t you think?” She questioned the crowd.

The response she got was answer enough.“ Tonight in the green room, originally YouTube celebrities posting videos of themselves doing covers, that have taken the world by storm. And are incredibly annoying” she muttered the last part under her breath but loud enough for everyone to hear. “ we have five seconds of summer!” Her voice bellowed as the crowd erupted in cheers many teenage girls tearing up.

The camera feed jumped the footage of all the 5sos boys crammed on the purple plush couch originally designed for the maximum of 3 people. “Well if it isn’t my favourite Aussie lads!” She bellowed with a bright smile imitating James perfectly. Her eyes looking over her oldest friends. Her brother Ashton and best friend Luke immediately capturing her attention as they continued on with the introduction of their skit. “In the next room we have the English singer, songwriter and newly actor who rose to stardom in the boyband that captured girls hearts worldwide is the one the only HARRY STYLES!” She roared the crowd made up majorly of hormonal teenagers girls let out an excited roar at the mention of his name. Although the once happy girls were meet with quite a sight. Waiting on the dressing room couch was James Cordon dressed as Harry Styles. After quick banter with the Harry Styles “look alike”, she moved on to her next guest star. “And in the green room we have who I believe to be one of the most talented people to grace this earth” she added a wink to that statement. “Who is here to promote something, we can’t reveal yet. The One. The only. Y/N L/N. Even she couldn’t contain her laughter as the door opened to reveal Harry Styles, standing leaning against all wall with a fake h/c wig on top of his head. His face coated with makeup she usually wore and to top it all off he wore a floor length red dress with a split up his thigh. “Well well well. Lovely to have you here y/n” “My pleasure mate! He mimicked her key Aussie accent. After playful banter between the pair they cut to an add break were everyone would once resume to their normal self. “Play us in Reggie” James yelled joyfully from his desk as he instructed his musician to play them back in from the ads. The audiences clapping quieted until the only sound that could be heard was James loud voice. “We have a full house here tonight, don’t we?” He questioned the 6 young adults on the couch. “Yes! I’m squished between 2 post pubescent boys and I’m trying to remain calm!” Y/n joked, but before James could come up with a witty reply, a deep voice to her right whispered quietly in her ear, so low only she could hear it “Don’t pretend you don’t love it baby” She jumped as though someone had just jumped around the corner yelling boo in her face. She quickly turned her head to meet with deep green eyes staring straight into hers. Harry Styles signature smirk rested on his face. James and the boys from Five Seconds of Summer to busy chatting to notice the quick interaction. “Alright everybody! We’re going to play a game I believe some of you might of heard of that I like to call Spill Your Guts or Fill Your Guts!” Y/n and Harry both tensed up at the mention of foul smelling and tasting foods while the other four boys squished onto the couch remained oblivious to the pairs rigid posture. They made their way over to the round table filled with foods that wouldn’t belong on your average menu. “Ok, let’s see Luke. I think I will give you the bulls tongue” James said. Y/n placed the metal bucket on her lap just in case she needed puke. “Alright have you ever kissed a band mates sister” He said clearly hinting at the close friendship based relationship y/n and Luke shared. “Looks like I won’t be needing this” Luke said as he rotated the tongue back in front of James. “Never kissed one of these blokes sisters” he stated as he patted Ashton’s back. A quiet “better bloody not have” quietly escaped Ashton’s mouth as he released a sigh of relief. “Alright, what do we have here… ok y/n I will give you the fish and lard smoothie.” Before Luke could even state the question y/n began to throw up into the metal bucket on her lap. Harry quickly and protectively lunged towards y/n’s hunched over body, shielding the audiences and cameras view from the sick girl. He held her and back and gently rubbed her back as he whispered consoling words into her ear “shhh it’s ok sweetie. It’s alright darling. Shhh relax baby. Let it out.” When y/n began to dry heave as the toast she at this morning left her stomach he gently passed her his bottle of water as she had already chugged hers when she was trying pointlessly to keep the nausea at bay. “Wow, y/n! You didn’t even have to drink the thing and your already throwing up!” Ashton, her brother teased. “Oh bugger of you idiot. You know why that just happened” she stated as though it was the most obvious thing in the world. “What? Why? How? Huh?” James questioned totally confused acting as though he had missed a secret that was spreading around the school playground. “Tell me!” He whined like a five year old after being told he couldn’t have any ice cream. “Do you want to do it or should I?” Y/n stated nervously looking Harry directly in the eyes. “I think I can handle it babe” was his response quickly followed by a wink that had the audience swooning. “Well James little y/n over there has been feeling a bit sick for the past two months. You know, throwing up in the mornings, having weird cravings, getting nauseous from silly little things. So we went to the” but before he could finish his sentence he was interrupted by James’ questioning “Wait are you two dating!” He shouted jubilantly. “James if you let me finish!” Harry reprimanded “ Now where was I? Oh yes that right. So we went to the doctors and they had to run a blood test. They came rushing back into the room and demanded that we follow them to get a sonogram. So of course we followed but shaking in our shoes.” He teased leaning over James shoulder. “That’s when they told us, Mr Styles, Miss y/l/n you are going to be parents to two little happy healthy baby’s!” Y/n had gotten tears in her eyes from the little recount of events. “Omg!” “OMG!” James began to shout in his statue of shock and pure joy for the pair. “How are you so calm!” He asked the four boys sitting at the table. “She’s my sister mate, we were one of the first to know.” Ashton cheekily replied. “I’m so happy right now and it’s not even my baby! You two are going to be absolutely wonderful parents!” He said hugging Harry tightly than moving to hug y/n delicately afraid he’d break her. “Way to end the show on a high! Am I right?” The crowd erupted into applause as the filming sign turned off. Harry strolled over to y/n placing his forehead gently on hers. “Are you happy?” He spoke against her lips. “I’m so happy words simply can’t describe.” She said as they kissed passionately holding each other because as long as they had each other nothing could go wrong. The end.

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youthindecline · 7 years

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New comics from Small Press Expo 2017

It’s been a while since I did one of these, but wanted to get back into the habit of sharing my favorite books and new discoveries at cons. As most of you know, Youth in Decline took a hiatus for a lot of 2017 to welcome our daughter into the world. SPX is a fitting “first show back” as the setting and vibe feels like a high school reunion, packed full of our favorite cartoonists, old friends, and longtime readers. Here is me doing brief, quick, hot(?) takes on most of the new books I grabbed at the show.

Sex Fantasy by Sophia Foster-Dimino. Sophia’s one of the best contemporary cartoonists working, and this chunky tome collects her multi-year series of mins into one thoughtful book. You can see Sophia working out cartooning decisions over the course of each book, with dialogue / camera / perspective experiments everywhere. The final two chapters haven’t been seen before. Just an incredible, amazing book from Koyama Press.

New things from my alltime favorite cartoonist (hands down), Michael DeForge. A new mini called Loose in his series of sketchbooks, and a massive, oversized new story from Koyama Press called Placeholders. It’s hard to even talk about Michael’s work, it’s so good. Michael is an incredible writer, and the drawings (where, let’s be real, he can basically draw any & everything) exist to support the writing. Special shoutout to the early YD logo sketch that made it into Placeholders as an evil startup / corporation, haha

Two fantastic minis from my SPX tablemate, the incredible Lauren Weinstein. Both of these comics, Normel Person and Perfect Maine Vacation, were nominated for Ignatz Awards and show the incredible and personal power of Lauren’s cartooning. Perfect Maine Vacation is gutwrenching (in a sweet way that kills me as a new parent) and Normel Person is a hilarious ongoing journal of life in Trump’s Amerika. Did you hear that Lauren is doing a new comic for Youth in Decline for Frontier next year? Dude, I know!!!!! (so beyond excited).

Ethan Rilly released the 5th issue of his fantastic series Pope Hats. Ethan’s sense of his own characters and the knack for small moments and relatable, too real dialogue between friends really shines here. Pope Hats is such a dense and well-appointed serial drama, I’m a huge fan.

Everywhere Disappeared by Patrick Kyle. Patrick’s new collection of short stories from Koyama Press. A lot of my favorites from the last few years made it into the book. Patrick mixes familiar shapes with hyper-present narration that does this weird trick on your brain and unfolds weird contemporary paranoias and ennui. Patrick’s short comics are almost like little polemics, or allegories... upsetting but also hilarious.

I’m Not Here by GG. Another debut from Koyama Press -- Annie had an unparalleled and unprecedented SPX lineup, I’ve never really seen anything ever before at a show, the r a w p o w e r of her team. GG debuts her first long-form narrative, a quiet, slow burn of a story about identity and navigating the transition from un-responsible young adult to the burden of your own parents’ failings (health, decision-making, etc). Very restrained, withholding, and poetic.

Language Barrier by Hannah K. Lee. I LOVE THE SHAPE OF THIS BOOK. Both like, literally its formal size (small!) and the flow and design of the book. Included in one tome are Hannah’s incredible type experiments, her comics, her illustrations, and her personal stories. This feels like a true monograph, showing me the many sides and numerous formats of expression from an incredible artist. I loved this book.

Baby Let’s Cruise and We’re Together Now by Jasjyot Singh Hans. I’ve been a fan of Jasjyot’s stuff for a while and following his work on Instagram -- these two minis really brought together a lot of interssting threads. Baby Let’s Cruise is the size & form of an iPhone 7 Plus, and captures the furtive feeling of messaging with someone you don’t know, and navigating the power dynamic anxiously. We’re Together Now uses an arch-metaphor to capture the earnest passion & paranoiac worry of a long distance relationship. I’m really excited about what Jasjyot is doing (and will do next).

The Look Book by Jeremy Sorese. A colorful, exploding collection of imagined (and observed) fashion and bodies and cute men. Jeremy depicts people with a weighty, playful, totally wild eye. I stared at each drawing for 5 minutes, digging into all the little details. Really loving the illustration and play Jeremy is doing between his longer works, so exciting to daydream about these outfits.

Starfighter Vol. 4 by HamletMachine!~ 100% NOT s FOR w, the latest volume of my friend HM’s ongoing space sex opera is now out. I absolutely love Hamlet’s depictions of bodies, of tension between people -- she has an incredible skill for composition and the gnarly beautiful dance of bodies interacting. HM has cultivated an incredible fanbase stayed true to her vision and worldbuilding. <3

Daises by Bjorn Daniel Miner. A short collection of comics by Bjorn, created, conceived of, and produced on Risograph as part of his residency at SVA’s Risolab. Each spread is full of wild textures and color experimentation, pushing the risograph to ends I didn’t think were really possible. Melts your eyeballs, very nice!

A Modest Upbringing by Amanda Castillo. A touching short story about families (and their pain + baggage) from an exciting young talent. Printed on Youth in Decline’s risograph this past summer as part of an internship helping us out! <3

Summer Wasting and Sunset Lover by Sunmi. Two minis -- one huge, one small -- from our friend and former intern Sunmi. Summer Wasting includes a number of observational comics, sketches & poems, and a really thoughtful book design with little asides bound directly into the body of the comic. Really exciting watching her work change and mature over the past few years, and so excited about her new press, Dandelion Wine Collective. <3

Kissing, Waves, and I Can Love You Better From Up Here by Rebecca Kirby (aka reweki). I somehow wasn’t familiar with Rebecca’s work before this SPX, but was really taken with her composition and use of color. Her panel structures and experimentation in Waves reminded me a bit of Jesse Balmer and other controlled psychedelic pieces, while the bodies in Kissing and ICLYBFUH both showed an extremely confident and fluid sense of bodies (and color). Kissing was extremely NSFW and rad, while her short musing about a lost pet made me tear up a little. Great work from a creator I’m now following closely.

Drag Race Lookbook by Sasha Velour. Okay, so I didn’t get this at Small Press Expo but it was waiting for me when I got home. A lovely and thoughtfully designed book from the one & only... Sasha Velour! Such a great recap and reliving of her incredible looks from RPDR, and the commentary at the back is the sort of thing I live for... Who doesn’t adore Sasha? I have sweet but embarrassing memories of our second-ever proper meeting hungover at MoCCA a few years back as tablemates... such a vibrant and incredible creator!!! ah

The Spectacularly Sad Surreptitious Spinster Snake Sister: Survival Spellbook by April Malig and The Untitled Queen. This was an absolutely incredible gift from April!!!! Sasha superfans will recognize this mini as featured in Velour Magazine #3. That issue smartly photographed and captured this feature as an object mini-within-a-magazine... and this is one of the rare actual copies April made just for Velour. Incredible risograph work and color composition... and it’s a little piece of comics/drag history. <3

The Veggie Team by Ginger Craghead. 9-year old cartoonist creates wild mini about the pranks and misadventures of a team of wild veggies. What more can I say? This was legit hilarious (See the 2nd panel on the right page above, hahaha).

Yes by Tom Herpich. Final book from around SPX, this is a new mini from Tom... not exactly a comic, but a short story about isolation and gratification. It was startling and lowkey, and the storybook illustrations showed Tom’s incredible sense of framing and pacing. I’m such a huge fan of Tom’s work, it’s exciting as a reader to see him working through new work in his post-Adventure Time life. Available via his Tumblr still (I think?)

#small press expo #youthindecline #youth in decline #indie comics

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joel-furniss-blog · 6 years

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True Crime and Serial Killer Art

Speaking on social taboos, the subject of death and surrounding issues regarding it remain one of the most prominent today. In multiple different societies there have been traditions to avoid omens relating to death or the deceased. The indigenous Shuswap people of Canada treat widows and widowers as unlucky to hunters and seclude them from the tribe. Among the Agutainos of the Philippines, widows may not leave their huts for seven days after a death, and it is said whoever looks upon her perishes suddenly. Although we have eased on the idea through the centuries and built a much more sound understanding of it, it still remains a subject that we don’t talk about on a regular basis, despite its presence and inevitability within our own lives. More than half of Britons are unaware of their partner’s end-of-life wishes and I’m assuming some don’t even know their own.

The reason is we don’t want to die. It’s simply in our nature to survive for as long as possible. But there remains an interesting case about dying that both intrigues and disgusts us. Murder.

In 2015, Making a Murderer was uploaded to Netflix, an episodic documentary detailing the story of Steven Avery, a man convicted for the murder of Teresa Halbach and the case surrounding it with the overarching question on whether Avery’s conviction and imprisonment was wrongful. The series received around 19.3 million viewers in the US alone, all watching the evidence unfold on whether Avery was wrongfully convicted or not, a real person in real life. The series was basically reality television at its logical peak, directly dealing with life and death. It’s interesting, we understand these subjects as demanding respect and reverence, but can’t help but gawk. Despite being a taboo, death fascinates us to no end, especially the subjects of these crimes or murder cases which breed intrigue into the reasoning on why we would kill our fellow humans.

This fascination is manifested within the True Crime genre, a non-fiction literary and film category in which actual criminal activities and details are analysed and recorded for entertainment. The genre appears in many forms, literary work such as the Vincent Bugliosi’s Helter Skelter detailing the Manson murders, television such as the previously mentioned Making a Murderer, films like the dramatized Zodiac by David Fincher retelling the Zodiac Killer’s crimes, or podcasts like the popular Serial which narrated the real life murder of Hae Min Lee. In other words the genre has spread itself over all media and has become virtually inescapable to most media-watching people and we can’t help but continue to watch due to a shared sense of morbid curiosity or perhaps an infatuation with these characters.

Nowadays the documentary works account more sensationalist crimes and focus more on the profile of the committer rather than the crimes and victims themselves. The serial killers or mass shooters are displayed as psychologically layered and charismatic characters rather than morally reprehensible killers. People like Ted Bundy, Jeffry Dahmer, and John Wayne Gacy are seen as pop culture figures subject to their own biopics and documentaries exploring their every move as if they were celebrities. Some murders even went on to inspire popular movie franchises such as Ed Gein, whose grisly habit or creating trophies from his victim’s skin and slight oedipal relationship with his deceased mother inspired famous movie villains Leatherface, Buffalo Bill, and Norman Bates. We’re infatuated with these people and their crimes, the idea of them taking the life of someone else and defacing their corpses is so alien to us as regular minded individuals that we can’t help but stop, stare, and shake our heads. But some people take it further than simply looking at a distance.

Hybristophilia (also known as Bonnie and Clyde Syndrome) is which one feels arousal and facilitation for someone who has committed a serious crime such as armed robbery, rape, and murder. The paraphilia can be experienced in either passive or aggressive ways, with passive hybristophiliacs often writing romantic or sexual fan mail to notorious criminals, sometimes even developing a romantic relationship with them resulting in marriages behind bars. Most hybristophiliacs have delusions about their idols, rationalising their crimes, believing they would never harm them, thinking they can change their lovers for the better, or actively putting themselves into positions in which they can be seduced or manipulated. Aggressive hybristophiliacs are different as they are willing to help their lovers with their criminal agenda via luring victims, hiding evidence, or even helping commit the crimes. They are attracted to their partners due to their psychotic actions and are unable to understand that they are often being manipulated or abused as well. Psychologist know little about this paraphilia but hypothesise that the hybristophiliacs are submissive victims, narcissistic enablers, or vicarious thrill-seekers. Some believe it’s the natural pinnacle of the ‘caveman’ mentality, where traditionally masculine and aggressive figures are seen as more attractive than others.

In this age it’s much easier to see examples of this paraphilia. On blogging site Tumblr there is a fandom of often teenage girls who obsess over Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, the perpetrators of the Columbine high school massacre, and create video and photographic montages and tributes to the deranged teenagers they saw as outcasts and underdogs, even affectionately referring to themselves as ‘Columbiners’. Other internet communities such as ‘Incels’, a group of sexually frustrated men, herald Elliot Rodgers, a misogynistic mass shooter responsible for the 2014 Isla Vista killings as a saint figure due to him sharing some of their views. This is the case for many murderers online. You can type in the name of a famous serial killer into Tumblr and find blogs and posts dedicated to him, even sexual fanfictions between them and a non-descript self-insert character designed to represent the reader. Some of this worship is either ironic, for humours effect, or simply just to be edgy, (which is why I found interest within this) but many of them do see a small piece of themselves within these people, a cut of self-loathing outcast and edgy passion they can identify with. Because often the idols they herald are youthful and full of hate, and this overly emotional position can lead them to creative outlets.

For example, the previously mentioned Columbine shooters often expressed themselves through their uncommon fashion choices, enjoyment of alternate music, radical political opinions, and a series of videos for a school project entitled Hitmen for Hire in which the two swore and yelled violent statements at the camera in between acting out shootings on students in the school’s hallways. The video is embarrassing to watch and is reminiscent of many people’s cringeworthy teenage years when they thought rebelling against the norm was the coolest and a completely new idea, when in reality it always comes off as lame and a massive blunder in the future. The same goes for Isla Vista killer who wrote a 107,000-word manifesto entitled My Twisted World: The Story of Elliot Rodger, in which Rodger’s discusses key events in his life that led him to his delusional and psychopathic state. I haven’t read the entire document as I don’t have the ten hours it takes to read, but from the experts and snippets I have seen the document reads horribly and in explaining himself and trying to spur sympathy or profess his superiority, Rodgers comes across as a whiny, unaccepted 14-year-old too big for his britches rather than a twenty-two-year-old adult.

The reason I draw attention to these people is that I’m interested in the theme of creativity within murders and mass shooters. Many serial killers either produce drawings and paintings before or after they are incarcerated, drawings and paintings that are documented online. They range in quality and merit, with some being near photorealistic recreations, highly stylised sketches, and colourful and detailed paintings while others are the most basic of sketchbook doodles. But there always remains something interesting to each one, whether it be the execution (of the art, not the killers) or the subject matter. For example, John Wayne Gacy’s works were deeply rooted within pop culture with him painting figures such as Charles Manson, Pennywise the Clown from Stephen King’s It, the titular Seven Dwarfs from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, and punk singer GG Allin. He even showed a small knowledge of the artworld with a grotesque painted recreation of Salvador Dali’s In Voluptas Mors. Another murderer who had a passion for the pencil was Danny Rolling who’s highly detailed and meticulously sketched pencil drawings show elements of surrealism, gothic and heavy metal imagery, and some running themes of popular figures such as Hitler. The drawings are disturbing yet technically impressive and stylistically interesting (some are even for sale online) and perhaps if he wasn’t a psychopath he could have found success.

There’s a particular work by a particular murderer I would like to look at. Richard Ramirez AKA the Night Stalker was an American serial killer, rapist, and burglar who operated in the Southern California area between June 1984 and August 1985 before being convicted of thirteen counts of murder, five counts of attempted murder, eleven counts of sexual assault, and fourteen accounts of burglary. Ramirez’s art was poor, mainly done on notebook paper with biro pen or coloured crayon and featured themes similar to the previously discussed killers, pop culture icons and gothic/heavy metal imagery to create unthreatening and frankly lame pieces. But one stands out from the rest by evoking an unsettling feeling within the viewer, an untitled drawing depicting Ramirez’s favourite actress Abigail Breslin. The drawing appears to be almost entirely made with black biro sans the lips which are a shade of deep crimson and scrawled with an unidentifiable material (possibly felt tip), all drawn on a piece of thin, folded, off-white paper. While the technical style of the portrait is poor and hasty, I find an infatuating quality surrounding it, one element is drawn from the style itself. It is a simple line study and form register, featuring no shading what so ever and sparse detail, for example, the ears are left blank, the natural flow of the hair is only alluded to with some scattered lines, the nose is only represented by a single line, and the eyes are totally undetailed except for a pair of pinprick pupils. Another factor is how some of the lines in the image falter before they can connect, examples found in the left shoulder line falling just short of the neck, ponytail trailing off into noting and right corner of the dress missing a connection. The most prominent feature of the drawing is the lips, almost grotesquely oversized and curled upwards in a sickeningly dead smile at the viewer, the deep red almost seeming like a bloody gash in the otherwise plain white image. The blood red slit for the mouth, the dead and unblinking eyes and the not-all-there composition make the image deeply unsettling even without the context of Ramirez’s heinous crimes and the knowledge that the subject was less the sixteen-years-old when Ramirez drew her. Paired with that knowledge it is a horrifying piece that can make the skin crawl.

While some might think that writing about and shinning a light on these deranged killers to advance my own visual art may be amoral or at least cause for concern, the idea is one I wanted to explore at the start of this project. I want to learn how one can be different, break taboos, transgress standards yet still be accepted, this is a good way to explore that. In dealing with this unspeakable yet fascinating taboo of murder and sexual assault I’m gaining key information and a creative stake in my project that will hopefully help advance it in a visual and conceptual way. Also, creating work based on serial killers is very edgy.

I would also like to stress that I do not support any act of murder, rape, or other crime done by anyone mentioned in this document.

#contextualresearch #studioculture2

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nightmareonfilmstreet · 6 years

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Horror in Shadow: CAT PEOPLE Turns 75

New Post has been published on https://nofspodcast.com/horror-shadow-cat-people-turns-75/

Horror in Shadow: CAT PEOPLE Turns 75

When we think of classic horror — real vintage, black and white horror of the 30s and 40s, we don’t often think scary. We think of the Universal Monsters. Deservedly lauded and beloved as those films are, they aren’t particularly frightening. Universal’s horror output was revolutionary, heavy on atmosphere, brimming with brilliant themes and bold character studies. But their monsters were so in your face, the primary effect was more disturbing than chilling.

Having been raised on the Universal Monster films, I never expected a horror film from the 40’s to genuinely scare me. I love Universal Horror, and the silent horror before. I love campy 50’s horror and the technicolor dreams of Hammer Horror. But in my mind, these are all about the glorious atmosphere. As a young horror fan, I always assumed truly scary horror began in the 60’s and came to full fruition in the 70’s. All that changed when I saw Cat People (1942).

To be specific, I saw a clip of Cat People. I was a teenage film nerd, turning on TCM after school as I often did. The channel was between features, and so I tuned in smack in the middle of a featurette about sound design. They were highlighting the scene in which Alice is swimming in her apartment’s basement pool.

The clip was short, not even the entire sequence. But I was terrified. The scene thrilled me in a way I expected from modern horror, but this was a film from 1942! I had to find out more. I immediately looked into the film and became enamored with the work of horror producer Val Lewton, whose filmography under RKO in the 40’s paved the way for modern horror.

December 6th marks the 75th anniversary of Cat People’s release. This film stands as a significant moment in the history of horror, and the first film and most famous film of Lewton’s brilliant career in the genre.

Unexpected Beginnings

Producer and horror visionary Val Lewton.

Val Lewton was a novelist and screenwriter working in Hollywood when RKO studios picked him to head a new horror unit in 1942. RKO saw how Universal was raking it in with their horror films, and wanted to see if they could repeat that success on a shoestring budget.

Lewton was tasked with producing films under three rules; 1. Each film would cost less than $150,000, 2. Each film would run under 75 minutes, 3. Each film would be built around studio provided, focus grouped titles.

Lewton took these potentially limiting parameters and produced incredibly smart, scary, and innovative horror. Cat People had a B-Movie title and a budget of just $134,000. But it is a revolutionary piece of horror film-making with scares that still hold up to this day.

Hidden in Shadow

In fact, Cat People is a unique example of a true genre maker. The way it builds tension and delivers scares directly influenced some of the most iconic modern horror films. Cat People also created tropes still in use in the best horror today.

Lewton made Cat People with his three time collaborator, director Jaques Tourner. Tourner would go on to direct film noir, and he imbued that genre’s signature style into the horror he made with Lewton. Cat People uses shadow, darkness and light to incredible effect.

Unlike the German Expressionist influences that ruled Universal Horror, Lewton’s films never felt fantastical or dreamlike. Rather, like film noir, they remained very grounded in the real world. But it’s a real world filled with shadows and darkness. Terrifying things hide just on the edges of everyday life, unseen, but threatening to seep into our world.

This base believe-ability is essential to what makes Cat People and the other films produced by Lewton so frightening. By making his films about average people in the contemporary world (the 1940’s, at the time), Lewton gave the sense that horror could befall anyone. It’s difficult to watch Frankenstein (1931) and imagine it’s events occurring in your own life. But Lewton’s films never offer that removal. This is the first major way Cat People paved the way for modern horror.

The Curse of the Past

Cat People follows Irena Dubrovna (Simone Simon), a Serbian immigrant and fashion designer living in New York. While sketching a black panther in the Central Park Zoo, she meets Oliver Reed (Kent Smith), an engineer. They begin dating, and Oliver falls hard for her. Irena has her quirks, however. She is obsessed with legends surrounding her home village in Serbia. According to the stories, the village population turned to witchcraft during the medieval period, only to be killed by King John of Serbia. But a portion of the population escaped to the mountains, and their descendants survived.

Strange events surround Irena. Oliver buys her a kitten for a present, but the previously friendly animal becomes frightened and vicious the moment it sees her. When they visit the pet shop to return the kitten, the animals all screech in terror and rage at the site of Irena.

Oliver eventually proposes to Irena. To celebrate their wedding, they dine with friends at a Serbian restaurant. Snow falls beautifully outside, and the scene is festive and cozy. But a strange woman with cat-like features keeps staring at the table. In the middle of the revelry, she approaches and calls Irena “moya sestra,” before leaving. Irena, clearly shaken, explains it is Serbian for “my sister.”

The slow burn creepiness at work in the first act of Cat People is central to the style of Lewton’s films, and a significant influence on modern horror. The horror renaissance of the 60’s and 70’s was heavily built on the same structure. A succession of small, eerie events set the scene and build tension. The tension itself serves as the primary driving force that makes the eventual horror so effective.

Buses and Basements

After their marriage, Irena refuses any physical intimacy with her husband. It soon becomes clear that she believes she bears the curse of her village. She fears that passionate feelings or love, lust or rage could transform her into a deadly cat creature.

Oliver is concerned and compels his wife to begin seeing a psychiatrist. However, Dr. Louis Judd (Tom Conway) doesn’t seem too concerned with Irena’s well being. His attitude toward her is patronizing and predatory.

Meanwhile, Oliver, frustrated with the stress of his wife’s apparent mental illness, begins to grow closer to his coworker, Alice Moore (Jane Randolph). Irena discovers her husband’s betrayal, and Alice begins to sense something not quite human is stalking her.

Alice is the center of Cat People’s two most famous, and influential, sequences. The first of which birthed a technique that’s become an iconic horror trope.

Alice is walking home alone at night through Central Park. We see Irena begin to follow her. Each woman moves in and out of shadow, the sound of Irena’s heels clicking on the pavement as she follows her rival.

Finally, Irena moves into shadow, and the sound of her shoes stops. She doesn’t emerge. Alice becomes suddenly uneasy. She glances back at the dark and empty street behind her. Frightened, she begins to run. The camera closes up on her panicked face as a soft growl begins to emerge from behind her. The growl builds to a sudden hiss — that turns out to be the breaks of a bus pulling up to the stop. Alice, and the audience, jump at the sound, only to be relieved that its source is entirely harmless. But as Alice boards the bus, she glances warily at the rustling bushes behind her.

The technique of foreboding tension building to a harmless jump scare is well known to horror fans as a “cat scare.” The name derives from the frequent culprit behind the false fright being a noisy feline. The cat version has been overused to the point of parody, but the general structure of tension moving into a harmless jump scare to relieve the tension is still widely used. It’s simply a very effective way to create fear.

But before it was known as a “cat scare,” this trope was called a “Lewton Bus.” That’s because its trailblazing, and probably first use, was during this scene in Cat People. Lewton would use similar scares throughout his horror filmography, but this very effective example is also his first.

The other most iconic and influential scene comes later in the film. Alice is taking a nighttime swim in her apartment’s basement pool. She turns off the lights and prepares to leave, when a mysterious growling sound on the stairwell frightens her. Panicked, she jumps back into the pool for safety. As she glances around her, we see nothing but the moving shadows cast by the illuminated pool in the darkened room. A foreboding growl seems to move around the pool, but Alice and the viewer cannot see the creature from which it’s coming. Some of the shadows move in ways that seem independent of the water.

The scene is drawn out, bringing the viewer to the same precipice of panic as Alice. Finally, the growl becomes a vicious snarl and Alice begins to scream for help. The camera cuts to various dark corners of the room and ceiling as we hear Alice’s screams echo — a chilling effect. Finally, a human and seemingly harmless Irena turns on the light and asks “What is the matter?” It’s one of the scariest scenes in classic horror, and we never see anything but shadow.

The Horror of the Unseen

Much of the genius of the horror in Lewton’s films originated with budget constraints. The extremely low budget of Cat People couldn’t afford the dramatic special effects and makeup that would be required to show the creature. But this limitation actually worked well with Lewton’s idea of horror.

Lewton was an early proponent of the idea that what the audience can’t see is always scarier than what they can. In this way he welcomed his budget constraints as an opportunity to create horror that he believed would be far more effective than the Universal approach. His “less is more” approach pioneered techniques that made films like Jaws and Halloween work as well as they do.

If you haven’t explored Val Lewton’s filmography, Cat People is the perfect place to start. It demonstrates Lewton’s creativity — showing the innovation he could bring out of limitations. It’s short, smart, atmospheric, and frightening. If scary is something you don’t normally expect out of vintage horror, I suggest you give Lewton’s films a try. You may find yourself surprised by how much they haunt you.

#Cat People #cat people 75 #cat people 75th anniversary #classic horror #horror anniversary #iconic horror #influential horror #Simone Simon #ValLewton #vintage horror

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stephchocritpracticeblog1-blog · 6 years

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FINAL.

Stephanie Cho

Critical Practice Final

Rosetta Brooks

A Design/Visual Analysis of The Passenger (1975) (and an Analysis of Some of my Favorite Scenes in 8 1/2 (1963) Because I’ve Been Binge Watching Classic Films).

Michelangelo Antonioni starts The Passenger off with scenes of the desert scape with a far shot of the character David Locke (Jack Nicholson) asking for directions, I find this extremely intentional, he wants to portray the lack on control this character has over himself and his environment. From this first shot, I get a sense that the rest of the movie is going to filmed with a distance not only physically but emotionally, as if you’re watching the activities go on without a feeling that you’re there, not submerged, disconnected with the feeling that you’re a bystander. When Locke walks into a building there are three African men in the room. There's a strong sense that he's an outsider searching for something, but he still gives off the energy of confidence, that he's a superior. (this is repeated throughout the movie in my opinion). As if his time is more important than everyone else. This sparked curiosity and confusion for me, why did Antonioni give many of the African characters this sense of emptiness. The Characters don’t respond when talked to and when they do they have a rude tone with poor manners, except the Motel keeper and that as a career is hospitality, he ultimately has no choice but to be accommodating. This stuck to me and made me a bit uncomfortable. Was this depiction of colored people intentional or a subconscious style of Antonioni?

I fell in love the lack of soundtrack throughout the entire film because it gave the film a breath within itself. With a myriad of dead pans within the film, the visuals take over with a sensation of being a witness. This increases the viewers feeling of being a fly on the wall. I find this technique heightens the quiet film style that The Passenger has. For example the scene where Locke gets his truck stuck in the sand while driving in the desert. The ever so motionless shot of him having a panic attack encloses in on me and I am there. The camera then starts to pan out to the vast desert that is all around him, engulfing him now, elevating our feeling of urgency and desperation while we are struck with the stark contrast of a vast empty space. After walking for what seemed like an endless amount of miles, Locke gets back to his motel and asks for water. He turns on the shower and leaves it on for quite some time, he actually forgets about it as he is greeted by a man named “Robinson” that is staying next to him, “Robertson” is dead.

I found it really interesting how these scenes portray the white man as being neglectful to his environment (the running water), wasteful. Which leads favorite scene of the entire movie, when he finds his dead neighbors passport and sitting there deciding to steal his identity. The camera is still on him thinking, the angle of the camera communicates the amount of unnecessary pressure he is putting upon himself when it is abruptly interrupted by someone knocking on the door. This shot is a very suspenseful moment until you realize that they’re using different audio relieving us with a flashback of when Locke and the dead Mr Robinson are meeting for the first time. As we are at ease, so is Locke as he switches their passport photos. The camera pans to look out the window and from the edge, Robertson walks into the frame and Locke follows. Then the visuals of the scene catches up with the proper audio. After talking for a while they end up back inside Locke’s room then the camera pans off Locke from the past and back to the present day. All while the audio from the past is still going and Locke is still cutting up the passports. Then you find out that, that audio from the past is a recording that Locke is listening to the whole freaking time! I hear that Antonioni isn’t the first person to use this technique, but he has to be one of the best because that scene made me feel butterflies in my stomach.The way he plays with the viewer ideology of authenticity, fact and or fiction. Another detail that I find interesting is when Locke is dragging Robertson’s body to his room and decides to lay by him on his bed, I noticed that there’s a small detail of the book “The soul of an Ape”. The most famous scene in the movie is the 7 minute shot in Locke’s hotel looking out into the village square through bars. So many things are going on in that scene and behind the frame of the camera. The shot is a continuous dolly shot that turns into a pan. Other than Jack Nicholson’s character, I feel that the film was shot very non biased with it’s distant and uninviting point of view with the audience and little camera movement. This gave us the impression that the objects in front of the camera are not in control of the camera operator but that we are simply observing a particular set of characters.

One of the recurring themes in Antonioni’s films is a central character who suffers from ennui and whose life is empty and purposeless aside from the gratification of pleasure or the pursuit of material wealth. I find Antonioni’s compositions remind me greatly of Henri Cartier Bresson’s photography. Mainly from his works called the decisive moment. Very far and often barren landscapes with minimal props in the frame so that everything seems like it was orchestrated with a figure in 1/3 of the frame. I’d be very surprised if Michelangelo Antonioni wasn’t very inspired by Henri Cartier Bresson.

Which brings me to 81/2. !!! DISCLAIMER. This may not tie into my analysis of The Passenger and may seem like a tangent. I will not be offended if you decide to skip this third of my paper !!! But Federico Fellini’s framing style also reminds me of Henri Cartier Bresson’s photographs especially in the film 8 ½ which is on the border of being as autobiography of Fellini’s life. His character was played by a hired actor, which is quite interesting to know. He's literally standing there behind the camera when the character playing him is doing the same thing in the film. It’s a mirroring quality isn’t seen on the screen, but if you know enough about Fellini and 8 ½ he creates these dimensions purposefully behind the director who is telling his own story. There are many great shots in 8 1/2 but the beginning especially speaks to me. The scene starts off in this dream like quality and a mood that is ready to haunt you. Guido is sitting in car with bumper to bumper traffic and he starts to notice that a wide range of people are staring at him with very stern faces. He gets trapped in his car as gas starts to come through the vents, helpless he starts banging on the windows and eventually finds his way out. Instead of cutting to other shots of video footage he cuts to still images with very symbolic poses coming from the characters. I found it very intriguing how he chose to describe a moment of panic with photographic stills (good photography captures the essence and emotions of its subject). When Guido’s crawling out the window of the car and Fellini is doing a slow forward dolly movement while Guido is climbing out the window. It cuts to an image of a man sitting in his car watching Guido, it then pans up to another part of the image (which is still) and as the camera starts panning back to Guido the video starts again with him on top of the car, but flying. Once waking up and finding out that whole thing was a fever dream, he seems to wake up into another fever dream with doctors and nurses around him asking a million questions, and it really demonstrates the hectic, sporadic, life and Fellini’s feeling of not being able get out of his troubles.

8 1/2 is one of the most brilliantly filmed movies that I’ve ever seen. The scene when a number of elegant woman are walking in the park, perfectly spaced apart, it created a very long panning shot with perfect composition throughout. With this scene I really feel that he caught the mood and culture of the people in their environment. What i found so also interesting about this shot is that some people are aware of the camera and wave or turn their heads in shyness but some aren’t aware. All while classical music is playing in the background, and everyone in the multiple shots are being orchestrated. Fellini pans his shots very smoothly and often quickly. I enjoy the train station shot when Guido is reading his producer's notes for his new film and doesn’t agree with anything the producer said so he crumples up the paper and throws it in front of him, stands up then walks to the guard. While the train is coming into the station, the camera follows him with a dolly shot and and stops directly on the tracks in front of the train. While the train slows to a stop, Guido is in so to speak melancholy dreamland. His reality and dreams are mixing in bizarre ways. After he cheats on his wife, he goes into a dream where he sees his dead parents and Guido talks to his father for a while. When he sees his mother she hugs him and begins to make out with him. Which I believe heightens the feeling that many things were odd, confusing but full of passion for Guido at the time. But when he awakes from his bad dream, he is very neutral, calm, unphased, like he couldn’t have a worry in the world. I often feel that most people are like this. Life can very hectic at times but there are many things to be happy about and grateful, shit happens. This phrase asa nisi masa is a phrase that Guido has been saying to himself since he was a kid. The commentary explains that word “anima” which is the base of this saying means soul or life-force and it also carries associations with repressed female characteristics in men, something that’s very relevant to 8 1/2, where the many women in Guido’s life, past and present, continually dominate his thoughts and actions. Possibly Fellaini believes this is a mantra of man, and how man cannot be without woman. If this is correct, next time you see me i will have this tattooed on my body and have it made into a bumper sticker for my car.

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moesunamigendertheory-blog · 7 years

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Project Write-up: Theorist Influences on Metaphors and the Sexist Alphabet

One salient influence on the content of Metaphors and the Sexist Alphabet for Phillips Academy was the theory of Carol Mavor, author of Pleasures Taken, a text analyzing the influence of sexuality and autonomy of the subjects within the photographic medium. In Pleasures, Mavor writes of one woman: “Hannah’s pictures annihilate us by refusing categorization, which then undoes our subjectivity . . . As Lacan remarked, ‘The picture is in my eye. But I am not in the picture” (Mavor 115). How does the patriarchy inform presence in the real world, and within the photographed image of Metaphors and Sexist Alphabet? In Rr: Racism, for example, a white woman commands the attention of the camera, blocking from view two women of color who, it is barely apparent, look at one another with frustration. In Oo: Objectification, set among bottles of shampoo and perfume, a woman’s face takes on the appearance of an appliance, separated from her body and placed among the inanimate. The picture is in her eye, in other words, but she is not in the picture. Within the community at large, the role of the camera in erasure is clear: the commercial camera’s love affair with white bodies serves to objectify white women and erase people of color while personal use of the camera allows the individual to force the subject into an attitude that expresses how the photographer views that subject. It is thus that Sexist Alphabet was designed to explore and test the power of presence as it is influenced by marginalization; here, women become objects and props to the agenda of male dominance. Additionally, Mavor suggests the ethics of “pleasures taken,” or the ability of the camera to disenfranchise and violate the subject. Sexist Alphabet explores different power dynamics—oppression between students, the injustice enabled by the administration, greater themes of subjugation not specific to Andover—in order to discuss the way in which pleasure is taken from the subjects of the photograph by the society in which they live.

With her theory of performativity in gender, Butler informed the creation of both Sexist Alphabet and Metaphors. As Metaphors delineates the ways in which sexism and misogyny function, Sexist Alphabet applies those forms of oppression to the context of Andover, allowing the audience to appreciate the salience of those themes in their own lives, as well as their own complicity with those systems. Within Metaphors’ Clenched Hand/Open Hand, the theme of performativity is directly explored; just as the hand clenches upon the flowered necklace, our society is inclined to hold tightly to the gender norms that govern our behavior. Because many of the people featured in Sexist Alphabet—including the project creator herself—do not align themselves with the values or beliefs depicted in the photographs in which they appear, an aspect of performativity was necessary to the project. This was perhaps most visible in Ff: F*ckboy, in which a young man in sportswear makes a gesture well-known as a symbol of the young men who participate in toxic masculinity and rape culture. The student himself self-identifies as a feminist, and professed his distaste for f*ckboy culture; in order for him to participate in the project, therefore, it was necessary for him to briefly assume a brand of masculinity that was not his own. Similarly, in Ll: Locker Room Talk, the male students involved in the photograph approached the staging of the shot with sheepish humor, simultaneously acknowledging both the ridiculousness they perceived in the macho behavior traditionally involved with the locker room and the fact that the nation’s current president is now generally associated with the toxic masculinity it evokes.

Butler’s theory of gender performativity impacted the choice of Buddhism as an inspiration for the Metaphors series. Like Gender and Sexuality Studies, Buddhism seeks to destabilize and reconstruct reality as it is easily perceived, and is rich with visual metaphors that show the constant evolution of of reality. This is a consequence of one of the Four Noble Truths in Buddhism, which dictates that that delusion is at the root of all human suffering, and the spiritual path in Buddhism seeks to untangle the mind from these biases. The Buddhist acknowledgement of the constructedness of all experience has a specific resonance with Judith Butler’s theories of performativity. Buddhism says that there is no essential identity to a self, be it as a woman, son, merchant, or other identifiers; these are all habituations from past thoughts, behaviors, and actions. Likewise, Judith Butler criticizes the “essentialism” of supposing heterosexual norms of masculinity and femininity has some internal permanence.

Mavor and Butler intersect at the crossroads of identity politics: how can one engage in self-preservation and maintain one’s identity in a society bent upon erasing it or forcing it into an expression with which it does not align? As Metaphors’ Stool reminds us, things are not what they appear to be; as theory asserts, identity is far more complex than it may seem. Images of photography in Sexist Alphabet (i.e. Cc: Cultural Appropriation and Gg: Gaze) show the power of the gaze to perpetuate racism and sexism, as well as the Foucauldian obsession with the image of the self or Other. It is often more expedient to cling to normative forms of gender and sexuality, or to allow a camera to reduce one’s self to a single image, yet more fulfilling is an acceptance and embrace of the true self that a camera cannot capture. Sexist Alphabet is, of course, not a full depiction of sexism at Andover, because the truth is that most people tend to make exceptions in their prejudiced worldviews for the people they admire, like, and love. One cannot help but imagine the shouting male student in Mm: Misogyny returning to Commons to have lunch with a close female friend who is “not like other girls,” or speaking highly of a female teacher whose class he enjoys. As both Mavor and Butler assert, therefore, all forms of self-expression, especially the camera, can only explain a single facet of the systems of oppression at work in our world; our identities, particularly in terms of gender, cannot be contained within an article of clothing or a snapshot in a photo series.

Yet, we have attempted to work with and expand on the limitations of photography in capturing reality, with especial attention to the gazes employed. When viewed in the light of Laura Mulvey’s theory of a scopophilic gaze in cinema, our series do not allow the viewer from the satisfaction of being an ‘invisible guest.’ Our series invite confrontation, physically and thematically, whereas the masculine gaze seeks passive objects to glamorize. In Sexist Alphabet’s Oo: Objectification, the subject stares directly at the camera. Aligned with bottles of shampoo, it challenges the viewer to equate her with the other objects; although the photograph does not speak, it is not silent. Without an instrument of passivity it is impossible for the female figure to be tamed into an object for visual pleasure. Furthermore, our series reject one of the exclusive tools of a masculine gaze: identification with the male object. The photographs in Metaphors are impersonal, and thus there is no intermediary gaze that compromises the viewer from seeing reality as is. Meanwhile, no sympathy with one character is expressed in Sexist Alphabets either. Through this project, we sought to explore what a feminist photography may look like, one in which images of women exist not to give pleasure but to reach beyond the silence of photography. Just as Butler says that fantasy “establishes the possible in excess of the real” (Butler 217) photography serves to legitimize what we believe to be possible - a shared understanding of the causes and faces of sexism.

Can there be a pure feminism? Relying upon the master’s tools, can we bring down the master’s house? In “Moving Beyond Pain,” renowned theorist bell hooks criticizes Beyoncé for her depiction of pain and suffering as a result of male misbehavior in Lemonade. Cannot she rely, wonders bell, upon a new language, creating new tools for the deconstruction of the patriarchy? Responding to those criticisms, a round table of modern feminists have since weighed in, saying that it is unfair to expect Beyoncé and other women of color to use their power for social justice, as few white performers are held to the same standard. Sexist Alphabet in particular explores the notion of a new language; it redefines the traditional alphabet in terms of the injustices faced by women. While the words and concepts utilized in the project are familiar to the viewer, the placement of our alphabet in a new context allows for the understanding of language as an expedient of power and ideology. As most people at Andover are introduced to social justice through informal settings such as PACE and YouTube videos, many people, although passionate about radical transformations, lack the intellectual language and theory that enriches the understanding of the work they do. Photography, as an accessible medium, establishes connections between the intellectual feminism that seeks radical transformation and a practical, mass-consumed feminism.

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nightmareonfilmstreet · 6 years

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Horror in Shadow: CAT PEOPLE Turns 75

New Post has been published on https://nofspodcast.com/horror-shadow-cat-people-turns-75/

Horror in Shadow: CAT PEOPLE Turns 75

Unexpected Beginnings

Producer and horror visionary Val Lewton.

Hidden in Shadow

The Curse of the Past

Buses and Basements

Alice is the center of Cat People’s two most famous, and influential, sequences. The first of which birthed a technique that’s become an iconic horror trope.

The Horror of the Unseen

#Cat People #cat people 75 #cat people 75th anniversary #classic horror #horror anniversary #iconic horror #influential horror #Simone Simon #ValLewton #vintage horror

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