#harding lemay

[thatsrightice]

We were there, LeMay said, because he was trying to find out why the Third Air Division wasn't doing its job any better. Part of the reason was bad formation. Group commanders were instructed to check out all new crews in formation before they flew. There was to be more practice flying in formation.

Another reason for the trouble, LeMay ground out in his gritty, patternless speaking voice, was that lead pilots had not learned to fly with lead navigators and lead bombardiers.

"Wrong, sir," I thought to myself. In the 100th's case, we had a good lead crew in each squadron, but the command pilots messed us up.

"I am a pilot," LeMay said, "but I am the only person in this room who is also a trained navigator and a trained bombardier. When I was a group commander in the First Air Division I flew a mission as a lead pilot, a lead navigator, and a lead bombardier. I learned that a mission goes wrong when all three don't work together.

"Too many times, the command pilot, who is supposed to lead a mission, is the one who causes it to fail. Every time he sees a burst of flak, he takes the wheel and swerves his plane. That causes trouble for the whole group.

“If there is anything that is necessary on a bomb run it is that there be no evasive action.

“Too many command pilots have their own special ways of taking over on the bomb run. Some of you think you can spare your group from the flak if you descend and confuse the anti-aircraft— and you ruin the bombsight computations. Some of you, under-standably, want to keep your formation tight so your bomb pattern will be small. That is commendable. But you have to depend on your wing men to keep in place. You can't jockey back into place. The lead plane must fly straight and level. What you must do on the bomb run is to let the bombardier and the Norden take over."

This guy is tough, I thought. I was seeing a group of full colonels getting chewed out.

"We know all this," Doug whispered, "but how is he going to make the brass keep their hands off the wheel? Egan and Harding take over on the bomb run."

As the briefing continued, LeMay said, "Now I want you here to tell me what went wrong on the St. Nazaire and La Pallice mis-sions."

One by one the colonels or lieutenant colonels who had flown right seat spoke. Yes, my group assembled on time. Yes, we made the wing rendezvous as briefed, but the other groups weren't there. Yes, we flew good formation during the whole mission. Yes, we were at the fighter rendezvous, but the fighters weren't. At the I.P., we tucked in tight, but the bombardier missed the target.

After all the command pilots talked, LeMay said, "Do any of you lead navigators or lead bombardiers want to add anything?"

Of course, we didn't. We were all first and second lieutenants. Not one of the command pilots had described a mission anything like the way it was really flown. Even so, who among the lieutenants wanted to contradict our own brass?

Silence. Uncomfortable silence.

"Lieutenant Shore, Group Navigator of the 390th. Who was the bombardier with you in the nose on the mission of July 18th?”

Marshall Shore pointed to a bombardier.

LeMay turned to the bombardier. "Do you have anything to add?"

"No, sir."

"Were your bubbles level during the bomb run?"

When Colonel LeMay asked that question, I must have gasped. I knew exactly what he had in mind. Maybe because of the sound I made, Colonel LeMay looked directly at me.

He slowly winked. Something was wrong with one side of his face, and it was a grotesque wink, but that was what it was.

I felt my heart speed up. I could hardly breathe. I looked around at the other navigators and bombardiers. How many of them knew what LeMay's question meant? What he was really asking was who was flying the plane. If the bubbles in the bombsight were level, the Norden was flying. If the bubbles were off, a pilot had overpowered the controls-and was probably doing evasive action.

When I looked back at Colonel LeMay, he was still looking at me. I winked back at him, and nodded. That funny smile again. He looked at the bombardier.

"Did your equipment work all right?"

"No malfunction, sir."

One by one LeMay addressed all the lead bombardiers and asked them several irrelevant questions-and the one about the bubbles.

Then he turned to the navigators, me first.

"Lieutenant, give me your story."

"Sorry, sir, I wasn't leading those missions."

"What group are you in?"

"The 100th, sir."

Colonel LeMay turned to Colonel Harding. “Why is he here, Chick, if he isn't a lead navigator?"

"He was the lead on Trondheim and Warnemünde. Before he replaced the navigator on the lead crew, he was on a wing."

Colonel LeMay looked back at me.

"Trondheim? Good show."

"Thank you, sir."

He turned to Lieutenant Marshall Shore of the 390th.

He asked several questions, but I recognized the key one.

"Lieutenant, when you were on the run from the I.P. to the tar-get, what was the maximum deflection of your compass heading?"

"About twenty-five degrees, sir."

By now every lead navigator in the room knew what was going on. If the Norden was in charge, the corrections wouldn't have been more than five or six degrees. Only a pilot could jerk a plane around more than that.

At the end of the debriefing Colonel LeMay knew what every bombardier and navigator in the room knew, and I doubt if any pilots knew he knew.

I realized I was in the presence of a very bright man, and a very skilled leader.

On the way to the mess, Colonel LeMay went in first and then waited as we all filed past him. One by one he asked our group designation and shook hands with us. As I went by him, he said,

"Trondheim?" He looked at my name tag. "Your name is Crosby?"

"Yes, sir."

He smiled, that funny grimace of a smile, and turned to the next officer in line.

That was it.

— Harry Crosby in his memoir, A Wing and a Prayer

#cue ‘she knows. she knows. and I know she knows.’ song #he’s too damn smart guys lol #a wing and a prayer #quotes #page 63 (in my book at least) #masters of the air #mota #real mota #harry crosby #colonel le may #james douglass #b 17 flying fortress #wwii #that’s a lot of text but it’s still really cool #Harry Crosby is a genius #you’re a rock Croz 🫡 #it’s the gasping and looking around for me #quote #Genius Harry Crosby #Trondheim #history

[talonabraxas]

Ill-Starred by Charles Baudelaire To bear a weight that cannot be borne, Sisyphus, even you aren't that strong, Although your heart cannot be torn Time is short and Art is long.Far from celebrated sepulchers Toward a solitary graveyard My heart, like a drum muffled hard Beats a funeral march for the ill-starred.—Many jewels are buried or shrouded In darkness and oblivion's clouds, Far from any pick or drill bit, Many a flower unburdens with regret Its perfume sweet like a secret... Heart by Jf Lemay

[usafphantom2]

WHAT? No Ice Cream cone?

Before the U2 and the SR 71, the United States used the RB 47E and H. These brave men need to be appreciated for what they did. They risked their life over and over again.

Following its first flight on July 3, 1953, the RB-47E performed some of the most sensitive reconnaissance missions of the Cold War. During its service, at least two of these planes were lost flying missions over the Soviet Union. One incident involving an RB-47E occurred during a photographic mission over the Soviet Union. The plane was intercepted and fired upon by Soviet MiGs and sustained wing damage.

General Curtis LeMay, Chief of Staff of the Air Force, responded to the men telling him that the Soviets had attacked their airplane. ‘What do you do you expect them to do? Give you an ice cream cone🍦”

Fortunately, it could outrun them at altitude and return to base.

My father, Butch Sheffield, graduated from Cadets in 1955. He was selected to go to B-47 navigation bombardier school at Mather Air Force Base , CA. After graduating, he was assigned to Little Rock Air Force Base. Soon after, in January 1957, his squadron went to England to practice bomb runs. The next paragraph is from my father, Col. Richard “Butch” Sheffield's unpublish Book.

“My targets were in Russia and mostly air bases near large cities. I had to know the target so well that I could bomb it in my sleep. Every six months or so, we would change targets. I believe this was because more bombers and missiles were coming into the fleet, and the targets were reassigned to add them.

“We were briefed that if we had to bail out in Russia, we should dig a hole three feet deep, get in it, and wait till the war was over, then go to a safe area where we would be picked up U. S. Forces. This was hard for us to stomach, but we kept our mouths shut. My B-47 Aircraft Commander, Merle JeuDevine, was a real maverick. Our crew was selected by the SAC Inspector General (IG) to brief him on our war plan, and he asked us about how we would evade the enemy on the ground in Russia. He asked what we would do as soon as we arrived in Russia.

Merle told him that the first thing he would do was throw the cal. Thirty-eight handguns we carried as far as he could. The IG looked shocked. He said why? Merle said they would be looking for us with automatic weapons; we don’t stand a chance with that handgun. To my surprise, the General agreed.

Arming Mark 6-mode-6

The bomb we carried in the early part of the B-47 Program was the Mark-6, Mod. -6. It was a six hundred-kiloton weapon. It was like the weapons used on Japan in as much as it needed to be armed in flight by putting the critical mass, U-238 plutonium, into the bomb.

My job was to arm it while we refueled in-flight at fifteen thousand feet in the aircraft's bomb bay. This was hard to do because the aircraft was bouncing around as we refueled behind the KC-97. The critical mass was very heavy, and the threads on the mass were very fine. We were told to do it while wearing our parachute and to wear heavy gloves, neither of which we could do and accomplish the mission. When we landed, the IG would look into the bomb bay before we could taxi back to the park. It had to be done and had to be done right, or we flunked, so we did it.

--Special film of my target

In the late 1950’s, I was told to go to the Wing Plans Division. They took me into a vault, and I was told that I could not tell anyone what I was about to see, even my own crew.

They then showed me a radar film of my target in Leningrad, Russia. It looked like the same type of radar I had in my B-47. I believe it was from an RB-47.”

I asked my friend, Robert Hopkins. He said, “Your Dad was watching films of a bomb run over the USSR. They were movies of the radar track collected in 1956 when SAC flew 156 overflights of the USSR as part of operations HOME RUN crews use the movies taken by RB-47Es for target study.

Written by Linda Sheffield

@Habubrats71 via X

[doll-elvis]

What does Reeca Smith look like? I tried looking up photos but nothing seems to come up..

I got a few asks about Reeca Smith so I thought I would combine them here <3, thank you guys for the questions !!

As for the first ask: sorry some of these are aren’t the best quality 😩 but all these pictures of Reeca in 1974 were taken from the documentary “Elvis: Heartbreaker” also called “Elvis’ Women” or “Loving Elvis” depending on the country where you are streaming it

Reeca is on the right in this group photo

And this is Reeca pictured with the Trans Am that Elvis purchased for her ⬇️

If you’re in the North America and unable to watch the documentary, here is a tutorial that I posted awhile back, it still works and I use this method myself !! ⬇️

Second ask: As for any intimacy, this is all that Reeca has said on the subject ⬇️

Since she didn't mention kissing or any other form of intimacy in her most recent interview, I'm assuming it wasn't something that played a major role in their relationship. She has stated that Elvis and her would mostly just talk, and that he especially enjoyed just reading the Bible to her. I think Reeca’s dynamic with Elvis was exactly the same as girls like Heidi, Frances, Gloria and Arlene. All of those girls have only ever talked about Elvis in high regards, and I think that really does speak volumes

However, although these girls don’t see themselves as victims, and while I do truly believe that Elvis never took advantage of them, it still doesn’t justify the kissing. Like you said this is obviously a very hard pill to swallow for any Elvis fan but it personally helps me to try to understand Elvis’ intentions and his mindset when he involved himself with those girls. And so when they all say that it was very innocent, I believe them, and I can honestly say without a doubt, that I think Elvis had good/pure intentions and that the situation wasn’t as black and white as some people try to make it seem

As for the third ask: In terms of Reeca overstating her importance, that very well could be possible, but to give her the benefit of the doubt, Elvis invited a lot of people on tour 😩 and they weren’t always girls that he was dating, for example Jeanne Lemay Dumas who was Linda’s friend and the Alden sisters (Ginger’s family)

If she was invited by Elvis like she says, that doesn‘t mean that Reeca would have been his main girl or anything like that on the tour, it’s likely that he still would have had either Sheila or Linda with him as his girlfriend. Also Reeca was good friends with Ricky Stanley who accompanied Elvis on tours, so that could have been another factor

Infact the very first day that Reeca hanged out with Elvis, Linda, Ricky and David Stanley accompanied them. And in that amazon documentary Linda acknowledged Reeca and also referred to her as one of Elvis’ “dalliances”, so she was at least aware of Reeca’s friendship/relationship with Elvis

** also I saw you mentioned Elvis possibly dating Maggie Smith and I got another ask about her that I am currently researching for (desperately trying to find a copy of this book written about her 😩) and so hopefully I will have more info on her by then

quote from Maggie (Magnolia) Smith 💗

but just from the little research I have done so far, it’s looking like it’s unlikely that they ever dated. Maggie Smith herself hasn’t said that she dated him, Marty Lacker said she was someone Elvis felt sorry for and therefore given a job, and Nurse Tish and Mary Jenkins also only referred to her as one of the maids/employees. Only Nancy Rooks has said that she dated Elvis so I’m still trying to figure out who is telling the truth 😭 like why would Nancy just make that up?

As for Elvis possibly wanting to pursue a serious relationship with Reeca, I don’t think he meant to do so until she was much older

Reeca said this about Elvis wanting a possible future with her ➡️ “He said ‘I know you’re are young but when you’re older, maybe in a couple years, maybe we can go places and have more of a relationship’”

I don’t believe their relationship ever became “serious”, especially since Reeca has never said that they formally dated. He only saw her September and November of 1974, and then for the last time in January of 1975. He was probably preoccupied with Sheila Ryan, Linda Thompson and Ann Pennington etc etc 🤧

I hope this helps anyone who wanted to know more about Reeca, I would love to hear what you guys think, or if you have any info yourself on Reeca or Maggie that you want to share 💗!!

#elvis presley #elvisaaronpresley #elvis #elvis history #elvis documentary #elvis fans #elvis asks #reeca smith #maggie smith

[ceerecord]

Breakfasts in Garden Centres

Does anyone ever know how to grieve?

To me, family has always been made. I have grown up with my paternal side of the family being ‘not actually my uncle’ uncle, ‘not biologically but’, it was normal to me. My biological grandfather passed away long before the existence of my brother, let alone me, he exists to me solely through stories and photographs. 

Instead, I have a Mike. Mike has been family long before I was born. Mike is all I’ve ever really known. Mike has always been sick. I’ve known that for as long as I can remember, my mum’s voice would echo in my head– “don’t play around too much with Mike, his lungs don’t work quite like yours.” We were good, Mike would take us around garden centres, talk to me about plants, spot fish in the ponds and hold my brother back from trying to climb in. Even at 20, Mike and I would still get lost in garden centres, eventually making it back to the others who’d already made it most of the way through their first coffee. Mike would help me choose my breakfast, we’d always go to the counter and order together. It was routine. 

I wonder if others feel a sense of regret when someone they love passes– do we all naturally feel this with loss? I wish I hadn’t slept in that time and still went to breakfast, I wish I had stopped by their house more often, I wish I had spent more time with him in the last few years. I would do anything to have one more garden centre breakfast. But I know there’s no use in feeling frustrated with my younger self, even the me of six months ago. Or feeling envy of those times younger me took for granted, that the me of now will never get to experience again. 

Grief, to me, is love and memories. I am grieving for the man who loved me as a granddaughter, who I loved as a grandfather– even though we are not biologically related. The man I have built so many memories with in my (not quite) 21 years of living, the man who will live on in my memories. My grief is dotted around. It lives the spotting of fish. It lives in my houseplants, the ones he helped choose. It lives in our favourite sweets. It lives in emails, stolen marshmallows and Christmas gatherings and warm hugs.

It lives in garden centre breakfasts. 

Shawna Lemay wrote in Transactions With Beauty, Gifts and Limitations:

 “Although I love flowers very much, I won't see them when I'm gone. So in lieu of flowers:  Buy a book of poetry written by someone still alive, sit outside with a cup of tea, a glass of wine, and read it out loud, or silently, by yourself, or to someone. … In lieu of flowers,  I would wish for you to flower.  I would wish for you to blossom, to open, to be beautiful. I would wish for you to align your soul, for a time, with flowers.” 

 In lieu of flowers, here’s to more garden centre breakfasts. 

 Beginnings are hard. 

 Beginnings are hard, thank you Substack. I have been flicking back and forth over starting this page for… probably 6 months, finally started to set it up a month ago and at long last, we made it. And yes, I am aware I am cross-posting this to tumblr. I thought I would give it a go on both, as I’m trying something a little new here to my content online entirely. 

I never imagined this would be my first post. I had hoped this wouldn’t be something I would write until, at the very least, the Summer but instead on this rainy Sunday in March I am saying good bye. I am lucky I have not experienced grief many times in my life thus far, and so I am learning how to navigate it, one step at a time. 

#grief

[ficuscircus]

Yes!!! The Lemay song was for Romain, as were most of my hints btw (gaynor, ghosts, etc...) 💔 Fun fact, I had actually forgotten that Morgane re-enacted Titanic on the boat (and incidentally explicitly asked Karadec to hug her mhhhhh 👀👀), I just hinted at Titanic because there was a boat involved in the ep, I giggled SO HARD when I rewatched that scene last night 😂😂

And 1,000% agreed, poor Théa, she deserved so much better, and I actually have already written several scenes about her in an upcoming fic because SERIOUSLY some fixing needs to be done 😭😭😭

The logistics of Romain's disappearance and the resulting absurd plot made zero fucking sense, I think this discussion deserves a post in itself because honestly y'a rien qui va 😱😱😱

And awww, Gilles my beloved, the therapy conversation had me IN TEARS, he is such a precious inappropriately helpful bean (see also: he's right) 😍😍

Gotta love how committed you are to getting hugs out of this show, I commend your dedication 😂 (Food for thought: when they hopefully backtrack in S3, they’ll surely be very wary of touch… Until a near-death experience, probably, that will lead to The Most Emotional Hug You've Ever Seen. Il n'est pas interdit d'espérer... characters hugging > characters kissing)



I’m not saying I watch HPI for a thrilling mystery-of-the-week, but c’mon, the audience has standards 😆 If I may try to Fix That Plot:

In 2005, Romain borrows 50 grand from Mafioso and enlists Serge’s help to make bank (btw: le gars veut une vie simple mais trempe avec la pègre pour s’acheter une baraque à La Rochelle ? Since when does organized crime, like, save the turtles and stuff? Elles sont où tes valeurs Romain ???). Dirty Cop figures it out, robs Romain and leaves him for dead. Serge, qui sent que ça se gâte, takes Romain to le vil Facchin who saves his life and helps with the whole fake-body thing. Romain leaves for the UK, etc. Facchin decides to blackmail Dirty Cop for his troubles, ex. "Give me half the money or I tell everyone you killed that guy" (he could claim there was DNA under fake-Romain's fingernails and ask for his share in exchange for his silence). To clear his conscience, Facchin sends some money to Romain every month. 15 years later (did you notice how they insisted on that, rather than dates, so they wouldn’t have to age Théa up 😂), Facchin fait l’objet d’une enquête, puis Dirty Cop est interrogé à son tour (maybe he was seen near the casino around Romain's assumed time of death?). Uh-oh, ça sent le roussi pour les ripoux ! Dirty Cop threatens Facchin to take him down with him if he doesn't kill Roxane ("she dragged your name in the mud anyway, so it’ll be two birds with one stone"). Facchin shoots Roxane (and maybe he misses intentionally), Dirty Cop stages Facchin’s suicide (suffisamment mal pour que Morgane flaire l’embrouille). When Morgane investigates Mafioso, he figures out Dirty Cop has something to do with Romain and the money, and abducts him. Ta-da! Now all that's left is to save Dirty Cop and follow Facchin's money to the UK. Note: Romain never called because he was afraid of repercussions he’s a dick, and Serge never said a word about it because he was afraid of repercussions he’s a dick too. (Not to 🎶 generalize about men 🎵, but most of them were sucky in this episode. Ils n'ont qu’à en mettre moins dans l’intrigue 😆)

(that's me rn. remember when I said ranting was half the fun of watching a show? that's what I meant)

All this to say, I think it could've made more sense, even if they'd kept the same number of characters and victims. BREF.

Agreed that Gilles is Most Right and Should say it, but also read the room first, because his timing is horrid 😂

Maybe it would benefit Théa too... She sorely needs your fix-it, at least!

#I’m publishing these but let me know if there’s a more efficient way to Get These Thoughts Out #I saw you added images and italics in your ask so you’re clearly well-versed in this thing #I don’t know what kind of magic you worked on this website to unlock that feature outside of the submission box #btw I’m totally fine with being called anon haha #and if I may...: #hpi anon's adventures with julia

[fridaythe13ththeseries]

Bad Penny

Episode Recap #58: Bad Penny Original Airdate: November 11, 1989

Starring: Louise Robey as Micki Foster Steve Monarque as Johnny Ventura (as Steven Monarque) Chris Wiggins as Jack Marshak

Guest cast: Ed Setrakian as Parker R. Goreman Sean McCann as Vince Ventura John Bourgeois as Edward Briggs John Tench as Romeo Koslow Katherine Ashby as Rita Mark Melymick as Desk Sargeant Dwight Bacquie as Driver Raymond Hunt as Hard Hat Mung-Ling Tsui as Anchor Woman

Rest of cast listed alphabetically: Colin Fox as Sylvan Winters (archive footage) Jonathan Hartman as Cameron Tiriel (archive footage) John D. LeMay as Ryan Dallion (archive footage) Allen Stewart-Coates as Carl Naft (archive footage)

Written by Marilyn Anderson and Billy Riback Directed by William Fruet

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Show opens with the end of the "Tails I Live, Heads You Die" episode from Season Two. We see the collapse of the building with the Satanic cult, and the Coin of Ziocles left buried. Then cut to present day. A construction crew is excavating the site and workers come upon the skeleton of Sylvan Winters and the coin. To avoid work delays, they dump the remains and tell no one. The coin falls on to the ground.

At night, two cops in a car are waiting on another man. They plan to rob him, being tired of working hard for nothing. They see a car pull up and hurry over to spy on the man. This man pulls a briefcase out of hiding, full of drugs. The others accost him and want to know where the money is. He says it is hidden. The two men, Goreman and Briggs, argue and the other, Koslow gets away, shooting Briggs. Goreman then shoots Koslow, who says Goreman can't kill him since he's a cop. Goreman sees the coin on the ground and tells the other man to call it, let the coin decide. But it is the Coin of Ziocles, so a beam shoots out into Koslow's head, killing him. Goreman is surprised by this and picks up the coin.

Cut to credits.

We open on Johnny, sadly looking at a picture of him and his dad. Jack comes down, him and Micki are off to evaluate some antiques Micki asks if something is wrong and Johnny mentions he used to fish with his dad this time of year. Micki and Jack try to comfort him and offer support.

At the police station, his superior is going over Goreman's report of the shoot out that led to his partner Brigg's death and Koslow's weird burn. The chief tells him to take a few days off, but Goreman says no. He asks if any cases previously had marks like the one on Koslow's head, and the chief mentions the cult from a couple of years ago.

Jack and Micki arrive back as Johnny is watching the news report about the shooting. When the anchorwoman mentions the ram's head mark on the drug dealer's head, Micki drops the statue she brought home. Her and Jack are shocked, Jack tries to say it might not be the coin, but Micki knows it is and runs upstairs. A confused Johnny asks what's up and Jack fills him on the coin of Ziocles and what it does. And that it killed Micki. He also tells how they got Micki back and thought the coin was buried for good.

In the police file room, Goreman looks for a file for "Hewitt" and sees a photo with the ram's head.

Jack goes to check on Micki, who is sitting on her bed. She says she's scared. Jack says he is, too. She's afraid the coin will kill her again, but Jack says they have to go after it. Micki says no, she's paranoid the coin is out for her personally.

Goreman is at home, reading the file and all about the Coin of Ziocles. He learns the coin can kill and raise the dead. He goes to the morgue. He unzips a back, seeing a horribly disfigured body. Then he finds Briggs' body and places the coin on his forehead. Briggs awakens and Goreman welcomes him back.

Jack, Micki and Johnny arrive at the site where the building the cult had been, now the construction site. Jack goes to look around. Micki has a flashback of when the Coin was used to kill her. She freaks out and Johnny asks what it was like to be dead. She says she was cold and it was empty and Satan was waiting for her. She can't stay, telling Johnny she'll meet them back at the store before running off.

Goreman has Briggs at his apartment, telling him they can use the powers of the coin to bring Koslow back and find the money. Briggs is a bit off, sort of super pale and dazed. Goreman says they will kill Rita, the hooker who tipped them off, then use the coin to resurrect Koslow. Briggs is still acting weird.

Jack tells Johnny the cops won't let him investigate the area where the shooting happened. He then tells Johnny they should keep Micki out of this as much as possible. Jack wants to go to the police station to find out more, but since Johnny's dad had friends there, he offers to go.

At the station, Johnny talks to the Sarge, who knows him. Johnny asks about the shooting, and Goreman overhears. Johnny uses the computer when the Sarge leaves to find Goreman's address.

Back at the store, Jack tells Johnny to be quiet, Micki is napping. Johnny tells Jack what he found out and that Briggs' body has disappeared. Micki comes down, overhearing this. Johnny says maybe it is okay, maybe Goreman just wanted his partner back. Micki is aghast, and Jack tries to tell Johnny it doesn't work that way. Micki runs back upstairs and Jack goes after her.

Goreman and Briggs put on their uniforms and head out to find and kill Rita. Johnny arrives outside the apartment, and sees the men get into their car. He recognizes the now-alive Briggs from the paper. He follows them.

That night, Goreman and Briggs pull alongside Rita and tell her to get into the car. She is reluctant, so Briggs grabs her and tosses her in the back. Johnny watches and again follows as they drive off.

The cops take Rita to an out of the way spot and she's afraid they are going to assault her. Instead, Goreman tosses the coin in the air and when it lands, the beam shoots out, killing the woman. Johnny watches, shocked. Briggs takes Rita's body to dump. Johnny runs up and tackles Goreman. The coin falls and Johnny grabs it. Goreman shoots at Johnny, but he gets away.

Back in her room, Micki is writing to Ryan. She misses him and is scared. Jack comes to check on her. She says maybe the letter will help Ryan understand when she's dead. Micki is worried it won't be long before they are both dead at the hands of a cursed antique. Jack tries to comfort her. Johnny comes up but doesn't want to interrupt, so he goes back downstairs. He looks at the photo of him and his dad.

Later, at the cemetery, Johnny looks at the coin in his hand then begins to dig up the grave of his father. He eventually does, opens the coffin and places the coin on the dead man's forehead. Vince Ventura awakens, confused as to what is going on. Johnny tells him they need to get out of there.

In their car, Briggs and Goreman are going to find Johnny. Goreman heard Johnny at the police station and he thinks Johnny would take the coin to the cemetery to revive his father.

Johnny has taken his father to the place they used to go camp and fish at. Vince is acting a bit odd, which Johnny notices, but shrugs off, since he's just happy to have him back. Johnny goes to make a call at the lodge.

In the cemetery, Goreman and Briggs find the dug up grave and open coffin and head to find Johnny.

Micki comes downstairs, and Jack says Johnny's machine has a message that he went fishing. The phone rings. Johnny tells Jack he's on a lead for the coin. Jack tries to tell Johnny it is too dangerous, but Johnny hangs up. Micki is now worried they'll lose Johnny like they lost Ryan. Jack is frustrated. Micki tells him he doesn't know what it was like to be dead. Jack tells her to get on with her life, she's not dead now. Micki is just afraid, but Jack says they have to stop them.

Goreman and Briggs break into Johnny's apartment, then look for clues to where they went. They play the answering machine and see the fishing photo with the lake name and know where to go.

At their campsite, Johnny listens to his dad talk. Vince is acting very off, talking to Johnny about life and the universe. Johnny says he missed his dad, but Vince asks where Johnny's mother is. Just then, Goreman and Briggs arrive and threaten a confused Vince. Johnny pulls the coin and threatens to use it. He gets his dad in the car before the cops start shooting. Johnny dives into the car but drops the coin. He speeds off. Briggs and Goreman argue and Briggs shoots and kills his partner and gets the coin.

Jack and Micki arrive at Johnny's apartment and are worried about the mess. But then Johnny arrives, with Vince, which shocks Jack and Micki. Vince is confused and Micki realizes what Johnny did. Johnny tries to explain but Jack is angry, yelling at Johnny, who tells them to leave. Jack wants the coin, but Johnny says Goreman has it again. Jack and Micki leave, but not before Jack tells Johnny to stay out of everything they do from now on.

Jack and Micki go to the cemetery. They find a dug up grave and a parked car. They look around, but Briggs comes up behind Jack, hitting him with a shovel and sending him in to the open grave. Briggs then pulls the coin as a Micki stands horrified, remembering her death once again. Briggs gets ready to toss the coin, but Johnny speeds up and hits him with his car. Johnny tells his father to run as he goes to Micki. But Briggs is back on his feet. They run, the cop gets in his car and chases them through the cemetery. After a close call, they run again, but Briggs catches up. Micki falls into a grave. Johnny tries to lead the cop away, but Briggs keeps shooting at him. Then he goes to the open grave and sees Micki, trapped. He is again about to toss the coin when Johnny hits him, knocking him into the grave with Micki.

Johnny tries to get Micki out, but she sees the Coin and goes for it, struggling with Briggs. She grabs the shovel and attacks the cop with it in a frenzy. In tears, she picks up the coins and Johnny helps her out. Jack stumbles up and Micki rushes to him. She's says it's all over, but Jack sees Vince and says it isn't. Vince is confused, wandering about. Johnny tries to explain but his father doesn't understand. Johnny tells Jack he can't kill him, but Jack says he has to. Vince says they will talk again someday. Johnny reluctantly tosses the coin, which kills Vince. Johnny goes to him, sobbing, as Micki and Jack watch.

Another day, Jack asks Micki how she is doing. She says okay, but she's not sure about Johnny. Jack tells him to remember his father how he used to be. Johnny says he shouldn't be there, but Micki says he belongs with them. They will always be there for each other. The three embrace.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My thoughts:

Quite the episode. Very glad they did a sequel episode to the Coin of Ziocles. It was such an important antique that actually killed one of them, so never revisiting it would have been a missed opportunity.

I liked how justifiably freaked out Micki was. Of course she would be paranoid of this item, it killed her. Also like how Jack is very gentle with her at first, but as Johnny gets wrapped up in his own nonsense, Jack begins to lose it. All makes sense.

And Johnny. Not the first time we've had him wondering "why not?" with a cursed item. He doesn't yet have all of the experience with the horrors the items bring, so it is interesting to see this idea tackled. He is right, Jack and Ryan used the Coin to revive Micki, so why not his Dad? He might be wrong, but we can definitely understand his motivations.

The cops were really horrible guys. With the way Briggs and Vince act when they are revived, I get the idea the dead come back as more intense versions of their alive personas. Briggs was a bad cop, revived his downright evil. And Vince was a good dad, and now he is a philosophical zen dude. So, when the coin was used on Micki last year, did she come back a little more … Micki? Braver, stronger? Curious, anyway.

Glad Jack came around to sympathize with Johnny at the end. He was really angry there for awhile!

Wonder what the cemetery grounds keeper though the next day?

Next week: Hate on Your Dial

#episode recap #season three #the coin of ziocles #coin of ziocles #coin #micki foster #jack marshak #johnny ventura #steven monarque #chris wiggins #louise robey #robey #sequel #vince ventura #sean mcann

[muncedes]

Alisha lemay is trying so hard. Kinda embarassing for a 30 years old woman

why do you guys think 30 is geriatric😭 you guys wanted me back on my mason bullshit and this is what i get when i finally come back let’s please be normal

#it really does not seem like there’s anything to her comments and she seems sweet idk

[pbli33]

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[thirtysecondsmilano]

Internationally known Extreme Aerial Artist. Read about Erika Lemay's amazing life story. Passion, Persistence and hard work....

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#videoproductioncompany #performance #female artists #extreme #aerialsilks #aerial shooting #eventi milano

[michelles-garden-of-evil]

The Wit and Wisdom of Jacques Eloi des Mondes

Just as a stopped clock is right twice a day, so sometimes the words of a devil like Jacques, chevalier of worlds and ghostly former master of Maljardin, can inspire and motivate those who hear them. Sometimes when victory slips through our fingers and when Mother Nature rains clichés down on our parade like cats and dogs, motivational platitudes and inspirational self-help books won’t satisfy us. What we need instead is some inspiration from an unconventional source.

I have returned from a prolonged hiatus from this blog, which I spent expanding my (non-evil and non-poisonous) vegetable garden and taking notes on the second Desmond Hall arc. As before, I've made it my goal to regularly post detailed episode reviews, along with whatever other Strange Paradise-related content my muse inspires me to create. To begin, I present to you a collection of some of my favorite Jacques quotes, as written by Ian Martin and Harding Lemay. Are these words of wisdom, or just clever quips from the best character on the show? You decide.

From Ian Martin’s episodes:

"It's great to be alive!" (Episode 2)

"Don't question love. Welcome it. Some people never receive love." (Episode 6)

"Take happiness where you find it." (Episode 6)

"It's always better to argue on a full stomach." (Episode 13)

Holly: "You seem to have everything that money can buy. I guess even possessions don't make a man sleep easy, do they?" Jacques: "Do you, my fair child? It all depends whether the man is the possessor or the possessed." (Episode 25)

Elizabeth: "A toast to a happy life." Jacques: "Meaning short and sweet?" Elizabeth: "Our destinies are beyond our control, so I prefer to make the most of every waking moment." Jacques: "Now, that's my philosophy exactly. Who knows what tomorrow may bring?" (Episode 30)

From Harding Lemay’s episodes:

"We do not choose to be what we are, my dear child. We must make the best of what Nature gives us." (Episode 159)

Susan: "If [Jacques] were going to tell us something, I wonder what he would say?” Cort: “To live in the present and not to worry about the past. And to use what Nature gave us as best we can.” (Episode 160)

See you later this month with a review of Episode 45, followed by the Bad Subtitle Special for Week 9. The time has come for flowers of evil to bloom in this Garden once again.

#strange paradise #jacques eloi des mondes #ian martin #harding lemay #quotes #maljardin arc #episode 2 #episode 6 #episode 13 #episode 25 #episode 30 #desmond hall arc ii #episode 159 #episode 160 #justforfun #thank you steve for the idea for this post

[felassan]

Article: ‘Mass Effect 3 Could Have Had A Completely Different Ending’

The Mass Effect 3 ending has been a controversial subject for nine years. As it turns out, it could have been completely different.

This article is part of TheGamer’s Mass Effect week. 

Highlights:

This [the RGB endings] wasn’t always the case. According to Mass Effect 3 writer Chris Hepler, the end of Shepard’s story could have been radically different. 

Hepler started working on Mass Effect right at the beginning. Although he wasn’t formally part of the team yet, he did additional design, chipped in for playtesting, and offered a fair amount of writing feedback during development of the first game. He had a much more active role on Mass Effect 2, writing the Codex entries, the Galaxy Map, and spearheading the Cerberus Daily News initiative. By the time Mass Effect 3 rolled around, Hepler was writing EDI, Thane, Citadel missions, and was generally considered to be the project’s “loremaster.”

“The ending relies on space magic, and the lead writer, lead gameplay designer, and executive producer all just embraced that and owned it from the get-go,” Hepler tells me. “‘Any sufficiently advanced technology’ and all that. They wanted and got a really big decision that affects the whole galaxy. If you give it a moment's thought, none of the three options are perfectly moral or the ‘right’ answer for everyone. Destroy may not solve the problem of AI and organics; Control rewards the Reapers; even Synthesis, which is harder to get than the other two and sounds like it'd be permanent peace, basically violates the entire galaxy's bodily autonomy without consent. So that part, I think, works.

“Did it satisfy the fans? Hell, no, not at first, and I found a lot of the criticism to be legitimate. The Extended Cut gave us a second chance to make an ending that acknowledged many more of the players' choices, and was about as good as we could reasonably make given the decisions we'd already made. I felt a lot better about myself and us as a team after the EC came out.”

Hepler explains that fans had observed several hints throughout the trilogy that pointed in completely different directions. For example, there are aspects of the lore that actually lean towards the Citadel species allying with the Reapers in order to collectively tackle a dark energy anomaly, as opposed to the Reapers remaining as the Big Bad right up until credits roll. Hepler confirms that there are explicit lore details that lean into this idea, but that he never personally heard about capitalizing on them. Remember, this is coming from the Mass Effect loremaster - if he says there is lore to back up a dark energy anomaly that only the Reapers can save us from, it certainly exists.

“Now, what would I have done?” Hepler asks. “I wouldn't have done space magic at all. I planned to write three Codex entries on the Crucible rather than one, reflecting on what scientists think it is at first, what it appears to be once construction has really made progress, and a third detailing how it will kill the Reapers, readable right before you return to Earth.”

Hepler explains that he wanted to take inspiration from Nancy Kress’ novel, Probability Moon, in order to have the Crucible use a strong nuclear force as a weapon. Kress’ superweapon is designed to create a massive burst of energy that is completely harmless for objects that have a low atomic weight, like organic flesh made of carbon chains. This means that the vast majority of Citadel species would be virtually unaffected by a blast from this weapon.

Objects with a much higher atomic number, however, would be annihilated by the beam. This weapon is constructed in such a way that it emits life-killing radiation for anything made up of heavy metals. “So cybernetic creatures like the Reapers and husks would have their organic parts fried because they're right next to the heavy metals, but the organic creatures a safe distance away, like a civilian population, would be just fine,” Hepler says.

“The rebuilt Shepard, who had a fair bit of cybernetics, would die heroically, but that was always likely to be on the cards. In talking with Ann Lemay, another writer on the project, we theorized that the metal most likely to be the atomic weight cut-off-point was niobium, which today is used in piercings and surgical implants because it doesn't rust and you can embed it in flesh without ill effects. It's even blue when exposed to oxygen, like the glowing blue husks we've been fighting since [the first] Mass Effect. So it would make sense as a building block for the Reapers and their ultimate weakness.”

So, what happened? Unfortunately, Hepler never got to pitch his ending. The design leads moved lightning quick with their Destroy/Control/Synthesis trifecta, to the point that the whole premise had been approved before Hepler even got around to finishing his second Codex entry. As a result, he hadn’t got a full description of how this pertained to the entire galaxy yet - although looking at it now, it could have borrowed from the best bits of each ending. The Reapers would be neutralized, but the tech would be there. Given that Mass Effect is largely about the coexistence of humans and cybernetic creatures, it would also have had an impact on other aspects of the universe - what would happen to EDI?

“I [also] had some concern that Nancy Kress might notice and sue us if I didn't do my homework,” Hepler says. “And there was no time to do that homework, which would be me telling all the leads to hold off for a week while I exchanged a crap-ton of emails with my subject matter experts. ‘Sufficiently advanced technology indistinguishable from magic’ was far easier and had much more project momentum. “I recycled some of the strong-force-as-a-weapon tech into the Reaper infantry weapon, the Blackstar. In retrospect, I wish I'd spoken up more, or thought it all out faster, but them's the breaks.”

As well as Hepler’s own ending - which obviously never made it into the final game, despite sounding as if it had a lot more hard science behind it - Hepler is a big fan of the popular Indoctrination Theory. However, he was pretty open about the fact that this wasn’t something BioWare consciously designed.

“The Indoctrination Theory is a really interesting theory, but it's entirely created by the fans,” Hepler says. “While we made some of the ending a little trippy because Shepard is a breath away from dying and it's entirely possible there's some subconscious power to the kid's words, we never had the sort of meetings you'd need to have to properly seed it through the game.

“We weren't that smart. By all means, make mods and write fanfic about it, and enjoy whatever floats your boat, because it's a cool way to interpret the game. But it wasn't our intention. We didn't write that.”

[source]

#bioware #mass effect #video games #long post #longpost

[toweroftickles]

UNCATEGORIZED FILES: Completely Random Ticklish Character Examinations

Exploring the multiverse for ticklish test subjects is surprisingly tedious sometimes. There’s so much data to sift through, tons of organization, and you’re often stuck with the same popular victims.

It’s fun to go after underutilized, unknown, or obscure entities. As of yet these personality profiles cannot properly be sorted within existing folders.

Mary Smith (Mary & The Witch’s Flower)

Most Ticklish Spots: Arches, Belly, Knees

A kind but proud witch student…skillful, protective of own image. Can’t stand being tickled - considers it humiliating and frustrating. Post-release, will immediately curl up into a ball, or cover her stomach with her arms and pout.

Sad-sounding laughter that really lers you know that she hates it. Helplessly begs for it to stop.

Will react with fury, and fight back.

Tickle Talk: Playful teasing with plenty of giggles, if she’s the one who starts it. If enacting revenge, however, she taunts aggressively and angrily to embarrass her playmate as much as possible.

When allowed the use of magic, imaginatively utilizes tickling finger spells, as well as object manipulation and stasis.

Teased about how ticklish she is by her boyfriend Peter. Tickle fights common.

Add. Notes: Comparisons to (her contemporary) Kiki are all but inevitable - not quite as ticklish but much less open to enjoying it. Direct side-by-side comparison may be beneficial for studying the impact of magic on sensitivity.

Razor Lemay (Starlink: Battle for Atlas)

Most Ticklish Spots: Feet, Abs and Belly Button, Upper Ribcage

This no-nonsense metal band pilot is highly resistant - use stronger restraints in future. A violent thrasher. Headbanging skills came in handy when freeing herself.

Never ceased to let me know that I’m a “sick weirdo.” Consider this possibility.

Though toned and muscular, her skin is surprisingly soft. Weak to any kind of tickling.

Most effective tool: backscratchers

Has an airy laugh that is mostly gasps and wheezes; runs out of breath quickly.

Used the phrase “oh my god” more than any other subject studied so far. Offered up nonstop torrent of swearing, violent threats, and begging for mercy.

Jojo McDodd (Horton Hears A Who)

Most Ticklish Spots: Sides, Feet

Hates it. Becomes embarrassed and angry when tickled. Will frustratedly sulk rather than fight back or seek revenge.

Usually groans through teeth but can’t prevent the odd chuckle from slipping out. Skilled at holding his voice in. Press the matter further.

Involuntary reflex - noodly arm flailing if not restrained.

Very responsive to poking and light, fluttery touches.

Often depressed. His mother, Sally O’Malley (who, according to him, is also quite ticklish - investigate) used to tickle him in attempt to cheer him up, but abandoned this years ago upon realizing it bothered him.

When his younger sisters want to pester him, tickling is a go-to option.

Add. Notes: With their long, fuzzy, highly-animated fingers, natural mischievous mirth, and piano-playing aptitude, the Who species has evolved anatomy well-suited for tickling others.

Schell The Spacewitch (Yooka-Laylee)

Most Ticklish Spots: Belly, Armpits

Considers tickling to be her “one true weakness” - doesn’t hate it, but it renders her utterly incapacitated.

Has one of those hearty laughs that carries well over distances.

Feathers are very effective.

Will eagerly return the favor - once used feather tickling as an interrogation method on a fellow spacewitch.

Interplanetary adventures have put her in conflict with various alien plants and monsters, some of which accidentally tickled her with tongues or tentacles or the like - take samples for further lab testing.

Sphinx (Sphinx and the Cursed Mummy)

Most Ticklish Spots: Belly Button, Feet

The adventurous and heroic sort, he’s a little bit cocky….tickling is a good way to make him slightly less so.

A surprisingly effective technique is to tickle his stomach with his own tail. Good results.

He himself occasionally uses his tail this way to flirt with girls.

Not excessively ticklish, but ticklish enough. Will at least squirm and try to pull away.

Doesn’t show much strong emotion…more vaguely weirded out by this than anything else.

Pipirika (Magi: Adventure of Sinbad)

Most Ticklish Spots: Toes/Balls of Feet, Ribs, Inner Thighs

Unusual Ticklish Spots: Inner Elbow

Loud and rough, unrefined. But also very friendly, excitable, and loves to laugh.

Like all Imuchakk people, huge in stature and musculature. Between her large size and insistence on always going barefoot, she’s a tempting target.

If you ask if she’s ticklish, or for permission to tickle her, she’ll gladly say yes and volunteer with a big smile on her face.

That said, she frequently seems to find herself much more ticklish than she remembers.

She likes it but she’s a kicker. Hard to pin down and will not hold still. Tough restraints essential.

Will always seek playful vengeance or start a tickle brawl. Loves to tickle her brother and friends. Often giggles and laughs more than the people she tickles.

Hearty, rumbling belly laugh. Very cute.

Can’t keep a secret; will tell others if you like tickling. (Not out of malice - she thinks it’s hilarious.)

Fire (Adventurers: Masters of Time)

Most Ticklish Spots: Feet, Lower Tummy, Belly Button

Self-described as “a total tickler. You better watch out!”

Her default attack when trying to escape an enemy’s grip is to tickle them. Has done it more than once. It’s canon. So there.

Claims to have used her school’s time travel computer specifically to visit and “play tickle pranks” on famous historical figures. Seemed very excited by the multiversal capabilities of the Tower.

Spunky and playful. Very energetic. Tickle Talk: mean, merciless, and will make fun of her victims for being so ticklish and weak.

Apparently aware that her constantly-exposed belly invites tickling. Will dare others to start a tickle fight with her “because you’ll lose.”

Most vulnerable to rough tickles (especially brushes).

Always laughs wildly and tells her tickler to stop, but seems to enjoy it at less-intense levels.

Add. Notes: I like this girl. She could be very useful.

Saki Amamiya & Airan Jo (Sin & Punishment/Smash Bros.)

Most Ticklish Spots (Saki): Feet, Belly, Lower Ribcage

Most Ticklish Spots (Airan): Toes, Sides

Virtually inseparable couple. Could not tickle one without the other.

A highly skilled gymnast and gunner, Saki will jump out of his skin when tickled. Airan will lash out physically or curl up into a defensive ball.

Saki is the more ticklish of the two. He’s a live wire of sensitivity; a poke can cripple him. Has a high-pitched giggle.

Airan has a low, wailing laugh. Quickly tears up and complains about how much her tummy hurts when tickled.

Airan sometimes tickles Saki awake in the morning and teases him when he squirms.

Both hate being tickled: feel it’s a silly, embarrassing vulnerability.

Neither are particularly touchy/physical and never really tickle each other. Don’t think about it often.

Saki eventually develops Ruffian physiology after an experiment with his blood - effects of this on ticklishness unknown.

Tess Darrett (Pole Position)

Most Ticklish Spots: Arches, Armpits

Unusual Ticklish Spots: Upper Back, Under Chin

Rarely far separated from her stunt rally cars and spy technology. Exceptionally difficult to apprehend.

Resourceful and skilled in combat. Exercise caution.

Once captured by a criminal organization and interrogated with feathers to make her reveal the access codes to her stunt car computer AI, Wheels. Strong willpower - laughed and laughed but refused to talk.

Otherwise is only ever tickled by her younger sister Daisy (who reportedly is also very ticklish, and has also been interrogated to force her older siblings’ hands).

Not usually a tickler. Avoids going after her younger brother, because he’s not ticklish and would definitely get her back.

Typical sibling relationship: her brother used to pin her down and tickle her when they were kids. She hates it.

Add. Notes: If a woman who is deeply entrenched in the seedy underworld has big 70s/80s hair and often wears a jumpsuit, just assume that she’s tough but with a soft side and also very ticklish. (See also: Fujiko Mine, Carmen Boom, April O’Neil.)

Conclusions:

I might indeed be a sick weirdo. This merits further study.

Breaking character…yeah, IDK what the hell this is and I’m assuming none of you care. Just kinda wanted to blow off steam. I like weird characters that nobody else really cares about.

And why the hell do I even write some of my blog entries this way? Deliberately making things “less fun” seems kinda like a bad idea.

#tickle blog #tickling #tickle #tickling community #tickling headcanons #headcanon #tickle fic #tickle headcanon

[watching-pictures-move]

Put On Your Raincoats #17 | The Erotic Reveries of Rinse Dream

Cafe Flesh opens with a title card orienting us to its post-apocalyptic setting. After a calamitous apocalyptic event known as the "Nuclear Kiss", the world is made up of 99% "Sex Negatives", and 1% "Sex Positives". The Sex Negatives can't have sex and can only watch. The Sex Positives escaped such a fate, but are instead forced to perform for an audience of Positives for their vicarious enjoyment. There are many such venues but the one we spend the movie in is the Cafe Flesh of the title, a nightclub where the decor and patronage evoke a cross between punk rock and retro-futurist aesthetics and a hint of Rat Pack era cool. A smarmy comedian in a white tuxedo introduces the sex acts, which are elaborately staged performances that play almost as genre parody with their tongue-in-cheek choreography (plenty of costumed grinding, as with a performer in a rat costume early on, and mimed thrusting, as with another performer in a pencil costume in a later scene) until the turn into the real thing with the requisite close-ups. Futuristic jazz reminiscent of Angelo Badalamenti's music plays over the proceedings.

This serves as the background to a story about a woman who may or may not secretly be a Positive (played by scream queen Michelle Bauer and, in certain scenes, a body double) and the impending arrival of a legendary Positive performer known for his virility (a towering, square-jawed Kevin James, introduced in black sunglasses and an oversized blue suit). We also get a sense of the tensions in this nightclub ecosystem, particularly between the heroine and her boyfriend, a new performer, the comedian, the owner (who puts the comedian in his place in one scene by having him cruelly recite "the rhyme"). (The comedian is played by Andy Nichols and the owner by Tantala Ray, both of whom played interview subjects in Gregory Dark's Devil in Miss Jones two-parter, which leads me to believe the latter was influenced by this movie, as Nichols in particular doesn't have many screen credits.)

This movie apparently was a bit of a success in the midnight movie circuit, and it's not hard to see why, based on the strength of the mise en scene and the performances. The cool, smoky backgrounds of the reaction shots provide a nice counterpoint to the avant garde looking performances and give the highly stylized setting a nice evocative quality. There's also a level of genre commentary here, as the story ultimately is about the heroine's agency over her pleasure and the roles sex performers are forced into by greater society, ultimately imprisoned by their own abilities. Truth be told I found the performances got a little less enjoyable when they got down to business with the penetration and whatnot (it gets harder to pull off inspired choreography when one of your appendages is stuck in another person, or vice versa), but I also think it's necessary for those themes to resonate.

Cafe Flesh was directed by Stephen Sayadian, credited as Rinse Dream, and he'd previously used that pseudonym on Nightdreams, for which he co-wrote the screenplay. (The director was Francis Delia, who went on to a career of directing mostly music videos and television, while the other writer was Jerry Stahl, known for his memoir Permanent Midnight, as well as writing for shows such as ALF and movies such as Bad Boys II.) This movie similarly concerns agency over female pleasure and is about two doctors (Andy Nichols and Jennifer West) conducting experiments on a mentally ill young woman by inducing erotic dreams and monitoring her brainwaves. There's a dream involving a giant, monstrous jack-in-the-box. There's one with a pair of cowgirls and something other than a gun stored in a holster, with the cowgirls spouting stilted dialogues in robotic monotones, a Sayadian trademark of sorts. Wall of Voodoo's cover of "Ring of Fire" plays over the action (I'm not sure if they paid for the rights, but Delia and Sayadian did direct videos for the band). There's one with a group of bedouins sharing a hookah and then her. There's a giallo-esque scene involving a masked assailant, but this happens after an aborted nightmare about a shrieking man with a hollow chest from his pants emerges a shrivelled up, monstrous baby. Did David Lynch jack off to this? I wouldn't rule it out, folks.

There's a scene where she blows an anthropomorphic box of Cream of Wheat, while a jaunty cover of "Old Man River" plays on the soundtrack and a man dressed as giant piece of toast dances and plays saxopohone. An IMDb user review cites this scene for its cutting racial commentary, but I found this tonally jarring with the rest of the movie. After this, there's a trip to hell where a demon and his minions subject her to such horrific tortures as prodding her with a giant claw and then an even more fearsome double-pronged contraption. The scientists argue over fears that they gave her too much stimulation. ("This woman's on the brink of an orgasm. Let her enjoy it. She doesn't need interruption from a man." "You call it orgasm. I call it breakdown.") The movie then makes way to its final set piece, involving fog, a background of blue sky and pillars and soft piano music. The cinematography in this scene is in stark contrast to the mostly shadowy, intimate imagery of the previous scenes, with the camera pulled up to admire both their bodies and the scene continuing for some time after the climax. It almost brings to mind a certain scene in Jerry Lewis' The Ladies Man that I found disarming in its stylistic and tonal break from the rest of the movie. Without revealing too much, the film's coda sets the record straight.

It probably doesn't say anything flattering about me that I found most of this pretty hot. The movie has a tinge of horror running through it, giving many of the sex scenes (especially the one in hell) a real tension, while the scientific framing device gives it a cold, calculating quality reminiscent of David Cronenberg. (Alas, this doesn't predate some of his most influential films, but for all we know, David Cronenberg jacked off to it as well.) A few of the character names (Mrs. Van Houten, Mrs. Chalmers) make me suspect that Matt Groening might have seen (and jacked off to) it as well. This is pure speculation on my part, but as far as I'm aware, none of them have denied it either. The movie's distinct tone is grounded in an impressive lead performance by Dorothy LeMay. I wasn't all too impressed with her work in Taboo II, but here I think she skillfully evokes the heroine's derangement and "erotic trauma", in the words of the scientists.

Sayadian and Stahl collaborated again for Dr. Caligari, a relatively mainstream effort that also found some success as a midnight movie. I say "relatively" because it's still pretty fucking weird. The movie positions itself as a loose sequel to Robert Wiene's classic The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, this time about the granddaughter of the original Caligari conducting illegal experiments in an insane asylum. From the earlier film it pulls a German expressionist influence, but combines it with a campy, MTV-inflected style to present the asylum as a warped funhouse. The dimensions of the architecture are distorted and full of odd angles, decorated in a mixture of pitch black and gaudy day-glo colours (lots of yellow and pink costumes). This is not a pornographic movie, yet it's hardly less obsessed with sex, as the villain's plan concerns the weaponization of female pleasure. There's also the occasional grotesque sexually-charged image to spice things up, like the sight of a woman with giant, phallic-shaped breasts. Some of the imagery also gives it potency as horror, like an oozing sore or a cake full of intestines. There's a lot of strange, stilted dialogue, as in this exchange:

"Describe your life in three words or less."

"Un-ending torment."

"Elaborate, please."

"Blankety blank blank."

"Thank you for being specific."

This is matched by the angular body language of the villain, played by Madeline Reynal in a deadpan yet very physical performance. This movie also brings into focus a voyeuristic theme, which was present in those earlier movies but didn't seem quite as confrontational in its presentation. A character utters, basically to the audience: "I know you're watching me. I feel your eyes like wet fingers touching me in special places." (This is a line of dialogue that appeared in the next few films I'll talk about.) Truth be told, I was a little exhausted by the sensory overload of Sayadian's style here, and in retrospect appreciate the way the sex scenes act as a counterpoint to his more aggressive tendencies in his more explicit films. But at the same time, this is full of memorable imagery and has a weirdly compelling lead performance. I don't know if there's much else quite like it (or at least operating at this force), so it gets a recommendation.

Sayadian followed up Nightdreams with a few shot-on-video sequels. I skipped Nightdreams 2 as I could only find it in a heavily degraded transfer, but I did make time for Nightdreams 3, which has a self contained story that's essentially a more explicit if relaxed version of Dr. Caligari, once again concerning a doctor conducting sinister experiments at an insane asylum. (This time her experiments mostly involve just fucking her patients and other staff.) There's more of the stilted dialogue, even closer to non sequiturs than they were in the earlier film, with the music by Double Vision providing an off-kilter soundscape to match the weirdness of the dialogue. (Highlights include "My pussy's like an erotic assassin" and "I happen to know she has a thing for longshoremen. Just mention On the Waterfront and she gets randy pants.") The video imagery quite frankly is pretty ugly, with the green carpet and purple drapes that decorate the set looking especially ungainly, yet Sayadian seems aware of this, as when he uses video's flattening effect to create a crude facsimile of a split diopter shot. The video collage style he adopts meshes uneasily with the plot, as if to call out its meaninglessness, giving the whole thing a slight MST3K vibe, especially as characters speak directly to the camera.

Some of these tendencies are honed to a more pleasing form in the two-part Party Doll A Go-Go!, where we spend time with a number of attractive, shapely women in bright coloured lingerie as they spout '60s-inspired dialogue at the viewer in between scenes of copulation. (Not all the dialogue is '60s-tinged, however: "They're overcome with retro wordplay...Us modern girls prefer synthetic future".) Like many pornographic films, this is a collection of loosely related sex scenes, but Sayadian's construction turns those genre requirements into parody, having his characters offer colour commentary (albeit channeled through his campy prose) on their own scenes and even getting interrupted by the stars of subsequent and preceding scenes. The number of quotable lines is even greater than those earlier films, and I admit I was scrambling to write down the choicest ones as there were so many. The best lines go to Jeanna Fine, who also has the huskiest voice and the most penetrating stare, so she was easily my favourite. I certainly was not unmoved when she insisted that she's "never run around buck naked and bubbling for man-winky" or "never wrapped[her] lips around a throbbing johnny". (She does not, however, deny having ever interacted with beef bologna.) Or when she asked the audience "Was I a bad girl?" (said three times in rapid succession) or if we've "ever seen a double orgasm on videotape?" (She adds "Watch, pornhound" and "Calling all porndogs, watch me work, uh-huh.") And I definitely wasn't unmoved when she demonstrated her talents on a dildo dangled in front of her (which she refers to as an "artificial man-thing", a "chubby rubber fella" and a "flying princeton"). No, definitely not unmoved.

There isn't much of plot here, except in the latter half when one of the girls can't stop "the wiggle" and needs to be rescued with an emergency injection of "boy jerky". Sayadian, once again bringing voyeuristic concerns into focus (the characters all talk to the camera), seems to be satirizing the very idea of porn having premises and certain their lazy execution. Even the production design is transparent in its chintz (the movie is shot entirely on the same set, with the bare minimum in alterations to the set dressing to make it look even slightly different), while the video images, which feature lots of Dutch angles, zooms and whip pans, match the campiness of the whole affair. This is probably a little long at a combined 2+ hours, but at the same time, it settles into a nice groove and is full of really attractive and reasonably charismatic actresses delivering amusing dialogue and indulging in "girl homo" (sometimes "big time girl homo") or getting "boy jerky". I don't have much interest in delving into '90s pornography and shot-on-video productions strain the dignity one can feel while trying to watch pornographic films as actual movies, but I'm not gonna pretend I didn't have a good time with this.

#film #put on your raincoats #movie review #rinse dream #stephen sayadian #francis delia #fx pope #cafe flesh #nightdreams #dr. caligari #nightdreams 3 #party doll a go-go!

[erdariel]

Fandom things: The Musketeers, Merlin, Lotr!!

Oh boy, now I need to think about this... Sorry, some of these are kinda boring/disappointing answers

the first character i ever fell in love with:

Musketeers: idk, probably either Constance, one of the main boys, or like all five of those at once

Merlin: either Merlin, Gaius, or Gwen, idk. Probably Gwen, tbh

LOTR: I don't remember, it's such a long time since mom first read LOTR to me (it must've been the summer between 5th and 6th grade, I think). Probably Frodo, though. Or if not Frodo, then Sam.

a character that i used to love/like, but now do not:

...tbh for the most part I don't really have any of those. With Merlin, there's kinda Arthur, he was more fun at the beginning of the series, but towards the later seasons his lack of growth became frustrating. I still don't hate him, but I'm more interested in other characters. But other than that, there isn't really any

a ship that i used to love/like, but now do not:

I'm not much of a shipper, so tbh there isn't really anything that comes to mind

my ultimate favorite character™:

WHY MUST YOU MAKE ME PICK, I CAN NEVER CHOOSE FAVES

(It's Constance, Merlin, and Sam, though)

However funnily enough those aren't necessarily my most faves to write or read fanfics about, even though if I have to pick absolute faves from the canon I'd name those

prettiest character:

Aramis, Lance (can you tell I like Santi lol), and, uhh.... idk??? don't really have one for LOTR

my most hated character:

Rohcefort, idk really? maybe Uther, though I think narratively he's an interesting character, but like as a person he's a dick, and, uhh.... I don't really have a character I would really hate all that much in LOTR, not even the more unlikable ones

my OTP:

my NOTP:

I don't really have that strong feelings about ships

favorite episode:

Uhhh I can't choose with Merlin or Musketeers, and not applicable to LOTR anyway

saddest death:

Musketeers: Treville and Lemay. Don't make me choose between them, I'm sad enough about both

Merlin: Lance and Gwaine :c

I mean in LOTR itself there isn't that many deaths altogether. Boromir, though. Boromir is the saddest death. (Though I have been known to make myself sad about even Halbarad's death, and Halbarad has like maybe two or three lines of dialogue altogether and is very minor character)

favorite season:

Musketeers: S1 by a long shot, though I enjoy the later seasons as well

Merlin: either s2 or s3, but I marathoned them so the seasons kinda melt together in my memory so hard to say

least favorite season:

Musketeers: s3. I don't hate it, but I enjoyed the first two seasons more, and s3 had so many things that were just kinda poorly written

Merlin: either s4 or s5. S4 bc of the whole Shade!Lancelot and Gwen's exile thing, s5 bc of the whole evil!Gwen thing. Both were just stupid tbh

character that everyone else in the fandom loves, but i hate:

Idk I don't really have one for any of these? I'm kinda really basic with my opinions. With Merlin I'd say Arthur, except I know that a plenty of other fans dislike him too. Also I don't really hate-hate him, I just dislike his character in the later seasons and feel frustrated at all the lost potential in him and character development thrown entirely away

my ‘you’re piece of trash, but you’re still a fave’ fave:

I don't really have any of these... With LOTR, I find Denethor much too fascinating to dismiss him with just an "ugh he's a fucking dick", but he's not like, a fave, I just kind of find it interesting to look at his character and see where he was coming from in some of the things he did and said and was, and like while he wasn't a great person, I can still also appreciate the tragedy of his character and story

my ‘beautiful cinnamon roll who deserves better than this’ fave:

Lemay. Need I say more?

Like literally half the cast. Merlin, Lance, and Mordred in particular

Frodo. He suffered so much, it just hurts me 😭 Sam kinda too

my ‘this ship is wrong, nasty, and makes me want to cleanse my soul, but i still love it’ ship:

ehh again I'm not a big shipper, so I don't really have any of those

my ‘they’re kind of cute, and i lowkey ship them, but i’m not too invested’ ship:

Literally anything and everything I ship goes into this category bc, like I've already said multiple times, I'm kind of... mostly not that much of a shipper. So I'm just gonna name the things I ship at all (and in most of these cases, my shipping mostly extends to situations where the romance adds something interesting to the story, either during canon or after canon events)

Aramis/Porthos, Aramis/Anne, d'Artagnan/Constance, Athos/Sylvie

Aragorn/Arwen, Eowyn/Faramir, Sam/Rosie

#long post #lotr #musketeers #merlin #fandoms #ask game

[stridingseer]

Show: Musketeers or Skins ?Character: Lemay or Porthos? Pairing: Sunshine Ship or Portamis ?Anything: discord or Instagram ?

THIS IS SO HARD WHICH IS WHY I HAD IT SITTING FOR SO LONG x’D 

Anyways, prepare for the non-answers! Just cuz, yeah, I’m like that (your honor I can’t choose to save my life). 

Show: Musketeers or Skins? 

In terms of investment as of right now, Skins x’D 

Character: Lemay or Porthos? 

Porthos!! I care him qwq

Pairing: Sunshine ship or Portamis? 

Both, both is good. 

Anything: Discord or Instagram 

Discord cuz that’s where all my pocket friends are!! I care y’all 

#eli answers #Nicky tag