Hurt/Comfort Bingo - April Amnesty Challenge + Dracula (again)

[thisbluespirit]

1. Having completed the March reccing challenge, I signed up for the April challenge which is to write a crossover using at least one or more (or all) of these prompts:

cages

purgatory

captivity

loss of powers

(I actually had to ask for a second strip because the first one was so alarming, and I got this, so I have no regrets.)

Which fandoms should I crossover? I have no immediate ideas.


2. I decided in the midst of giffing Dracula (TV 1968) and watching David Suchet in things that I should try and get hold of the 2006 ITV Dracula, which calliopes_pen had told me the (fairly batshit) plot of a while back. It is definitely kind of enjoyable, but it is a waste of a potentially great cast. (And, calliopes_pen, you were right about Marc Warren! He is actually a really good Dracula and I'm not even having a problem watching him.)

I mean, a connection between vampirism and syphilis is potentially interesting, but... not like this. I have laughed at everything evil!syphilitic!Arthur (Dan Stevens) has done so far, because it is all just that ridiculous.*

And combining Renfield and Van Helsing is also a thing... that you can see why most productions avoid. 0_o However, if anyone can salvage something from this, it will be David Suchet.

I haven't finished it yet, but ITV have definitely gone downhill on the Dracula front since 1968. Sophia Myles hasn't even had a single costume that fit her, let alone a hat. (Mina had a hat one time. She got bit.) It's quite fun to watch, though, and I am reliably informed that it actually ships Dr Seward/Mina. (Poor Jonathan did not make it out of the castle, also a bit of waste.)

Though I think possibly one of Sophia Myles's ill-fitting outfits could in fact be Suzanne Neve's white outfit from the 1968 version and I look forward to screencapping and being still unable to tell later because of the awkwardness of b&w telly. I shall be sure to let you know regardless.


* At least he's pretty. :lol:

Comments

[strange_complex]

Ah, haha, I had forgotten this production exists. I've seen the opening, but that's about all. It seems to have dropped into oblivion even amongst pretty dedicated Dracula fans. But I will look forward to hearing more as you watch the rest, and maybe will hunt it down myself for the crack if it sounds worth it...

[thisbluespirit]

Well, it was only 90 minutes and it was fairly entertaining if a bit ridiculous (it tried to go for being scary & didn't quite make it). The real downside of it is that it's a bit of a waste of that cast altogether and a criminal waste of David Suchet as Van Helsing.

[liadt]

All the adaptations! I know the feeling;p At least it's not boring, lol.

Good luck with the bingo:)

[thisbluespirit]

It was entertaining enough, but somebody ought to sue them for wasting David Suchet's time, though. I quite enjoyed it, really. Apparently I am going to watch all the Draculas eventually?

Thanks!

[astrogirl]

Oh no, did your first one have food poisoning again? :)

[thisbluespirit]

No, it was nervous breakdown, rape, extortion and substance addiction and probably I could have managed something but I just went ARGH and asked for a new one, which paid off, really, as that one is much more workable and quite easy to combine the squares, too.

As you may remember, I defeated the other one by putting Silver in it!

[astrogirl]

Wow, yeah, I don't blame you for wanting to nope out of that one.

Although Silver can perhaps make just about anything workable. :)

[sovay]

And combining Renfield and Van Helsing is also a thing... that you can see why most productions avoid.

All right, that is not a decision I would have made. Please let me know what David Suchet salvages from it!

[thisbluespirit]

All right, that is not a decision I would have made. Please let me know what David Suchet salvages from it!

It almost works, except there is no reason I can see why Van Helsing would have actually carried out Dracula's errand, but anyway. I'm not sure this production is much into logic. However, I was much nearer the end than I realised, so basically that was a ridiculous lack of David Suchet. Questionable interpretations are one thing, but hiding your best actor in a cupboard and only letting him out with about ten minutes to go is just being silly.

It was entertaining, but they wasted a very good cast there, which makes it more of a shame.

[strange_complex]

hiding your best actor in a cupboard and only letting him out with about ten minutes to go

That does sound criminal! Still, I'm kind of fascinated by the merging of Van Helsing and Renfield, though. That could actually be kind of amazing, as you see him struggling between his noble duty of fighting Dracula and a much deeper irrational urge to serve him. But I do entirely believe that this production didn't make the most of it!

[thisbluespirit]

It took me forever to realise that was what they had done, but, yes, potentially interesting, as was the syphilis thing, but, er, not like this? At least I think not anyway! And not having enough David Suchet when you've gone and cast him as Van Helsing is definitely a theatrical offence!

[ruuger]

You know, I was just thinking about you last Sunday when I visited a Dracula exhibition at a local museum. There was a wall of movie posters of vampire movies over the years and when I was looking at it, I found myself trying to remember which one was the one with fainting men that you once mentioned :D

[thisbluespirit]

LOL, it is only one fainting man. Well, two maybe. :-D

It probably wouldn't have been in the display anyway, as it was a TV episode, made for Thames TV (ITV) back in 1968. It is the one I am currently giffing to pieces now that I have a new and better method for it.



I have not reached the fainting yet, but I feel Dracula just knows that Dr Seward is the fainty snowflake type.

[john_amend_all]

I initially misread the first prompt as "capes", which... sort of fits.

[thisbluespirit]

Ha, it would, really! (Although now I'm trying to think whether or not 2006 Dracula even had a cape or not.)

[paynesgrey]

Good luck with hc_bingo. I totally get asking for another card. Some of the prompt are... well, they can be harsh.
I didn't ask for any vetos, and got some pretty benign prompts myself.
I hope you figure out what crossovers you want to write about!

[thisbluespirit]

Thanks! Oh, and good luck with yours! I do enjoy the amnesty challenge - and, yes, my original prompts were rape, extortion, substance addiction & nervous breakdown, and that just didn't sound like fun. :-D

[scripsi]

I've missed that version of Dracula. Seems I shouldn't be upset over that?

[thisbluespirit]

Not too much, no, although if you get curious, it is a good cast and reasonably entertaining, just more than a bit silly!

[scripsi]

I can live with silly! :D