Various Things

[thisbluespirit]

New comm! 51pluscrossoverfandoms Prompt table to write 50 crossovers; see comm for the specific rules.

yuletide is on its way! Posts have gone up (including the official schedule at yuletide_admin). I'll have to decide what to nominate/request/offer soon. I am all undecided, except it will definitely include Shadow of the Tower again. I actually got a ficlet last year, so I take that as encouragement. :-D

I did do some small things in the summer - I made some more Elements posts over at tumblr (Fermium, Aluminium, Iridium, Amethyst & Bismuth). sovay prompted me the first and I used a combination of john_amend_all's generator and my list of fic for Original Elements to do ones for Elements that have been written for. Well, unless I just got inspired. (I don't think anyone's written Amethyst yet.) I am very happy to take more suggestions! They're very satisfying and soothing and yet imaginative to do on bad days.

As I shared here, I made various Dracula gifs, and have started another gifset series entitled (cunningly) Dracula adaptations watched so far. (There are more gifs for each of the three I've done, just click on the tags and hopefully tumblr will not have obliterated them and you will be correspondingly drowned in obscure Dracula gifs. You're welcome.)

(I think I may be watching all the Draculas? I don't know how this will work out. I have most recently watched Bram Stoker's Dracula (aka Bram Stoker's Dracula but what if we gave Dracula the Mummy's backstory) of which more anon (I hope) but generally I found it pretty lolsome and spent most of the first half feeling that what I was really watching was some kind of random expanded version of the Literal Total Eclipse of the Heart video.)

Comments

[sovay]

I did do some small things in the summer - I made some more Elements posts over at tumblr (Fermium, Aluminium, Iridium, Amethyst & Bismuth).

I don't think I've seen all the others! *heads over* Nice.

How many of the Draculas have you watched?

[thisbluespirit]

Thanks! ♥

As to the Draculas, ummm, the 1933, 1958, 1968, 1977, 1992 and 2006! I'm not sure how many more I'm going to do, but I seem to have started a thing. I've got the 2013 TV series, although only because it was very cheap and had Victoria Smurfit in it, but as of the ten minutes I've seen, it does seem to be the "and what if we took the 1992 and made it a series? Only less like a 1980s pop video." So I have no great expectations! As long as I get a reasonable amount of Victoria Smurfit, I'll survive.

[sovay]

"and what if we took the 1992 and made it a series? Only less like a 1980s pop video."

I thought that was its primary virtue!

(I've always wanted to see it for Tom Waits, regardless.)

As long as I get a reasonable amount of Victoria Smurfit, I'll survive.

Good luck!

[thisbluespirit]

I will report back! At some point...

[auroracloud]

have most recently watched Bram Stoker's Dracula

Wait, that's the 1990s one with the Slut!Lucy and Dracula/Mina the Epic Romance, right? Ugh, words cannot express how much I haaaaaate that film. I maybe would hate it slightly less and just roll my eyes if it wasn't the version that 99 % of the people I meet know, due to my general age group and the fact that nobody in my country (except me and some of my friends) will read a 19th century book but most of them will watch a bad Hollywood adaptation any time. And then they think that is the real Dracula. Seriously, I recently went to see a Dracula/vampire themed exhibition in a prestigious Finnish museum, and it was glaringly obvious that the person who had written about the book had only seen the 1990s movie. And then went on to analyze Bram Stoker's depiction of sexuality and women based on Slut!Lucy and MeekSpinelessRomantic!Mina. *facepalm*

[thisbluespirit]

Yes, that's the one! I recommend the BBC 1977 it's lovely. (And of course my fave the TV 1968 one). Both are on YouTUbe - one is 1970s lavish and beautiful and faithful and the other has v nice Mina/Lucy (but is not very faithful) and neither have Dracula having the Mummy's backstory.

I have to say I found the 1992 very 1980s pop video and it was so ridiculous I laughed a lot. It still isn't quite as bad as the 2006, though, although that's probably largely because the 2006 put David Suchet as Van Helsing in a cupboard until the end while the 1992 did not do that with Anthony Hopkins. Although, OTOH, Sophia Myles is a hundred times better than 1992 Lucy. It just depends how you feel on the terribleness of the idea of "Arthur has syphilis and joins a weird blood cult to summon Dracula and Renfield is Van Helsing" vs "Mina is Dracula's reincarnated wife, have some absinthe". I think I enjoyed the 2006 more overall, but it's a close thing.

Basically, I spent the whole first half thinking of this and giggling, so I think I got my £1's worth, really. :-D

It really is about time the BBC did another, but I don't trust them these days, so best stick to the 1977. It's a treat.

[auroracloud]

Ahhh, bless you, I'd forgotten that video! I had many a good laugh watching it again. I wonder how many times the singer had to practice that before she could sing it without cracking up. Arthur Fonzarelli's got an army of clones! (And just... 1980s music videos, WTF? What were they doing with the original video?)

I think I would have a much better tolerance for Coppola's Dracula if I didn't constantly see it praised as Excellent Film, Faithful Adaptation, rather than tolerated as weird crack with memorable visuals that bears an occasional resemblance to the story of Dracula. And that Lucy is just terrible, from the beginning to the end. I still cringe at the memory of her voice and her hair colour, the actress has clearly never as much as spent a day in the same building as acting, and just WTF do they intend with that portrayal of the character. I mean, they're at least trying to pretend that it takes place in the Victorian times and that she's an upper class woman, and... *flails* (For the record, I don't usually go around calling women sluts no matter how they behave, but that's the only appropriate way to characterize that version, because that's clearly the one and only thing they specifically wished to portray.) Well, it was crack all around, but that was particularly glaring.

By the way, I found the Mel Brooks version of Dracula highly entertaining. And more accurate than the actual This Is a Serious Dracula Adaptation versions I've seen. I do have to get around to watching the 1977 and 1968 versions, though!

[thisbluespirit]

Arthur Fonzarelli's got an army of clones! (And just... 1980s music videos, WTF? What were they doing with the original video?)

To be fair, some modern music videos have continued to be baffling, although there was definitely a special genre of them in the 1980s! :-D

Yes, Lucy was terrible, and rather baffingly, more in the performance than even the script even. Although I suppose when an actor has to randomly wear an Elizabeth ruff they might give up generally! It doesn't seem to have the greatest reputation in the circles I move in, though, so I was the reverse - I was surprised by how much it did stick to the book - it's the only one I've watched so far that had all three suitors. It's a shame it couldn't have been better.

I do have to get around to watching the 1977 and 1968 versions, though!

:-D LIke I said, I'd straight up recommend the 1977 to anyone who wanted a faithful Dracula, even if they weren't normally into old TV (it was about as lavish a project as the BBC got back then, so it feels a little more filmic), and as you can cope with creaky 1960s TV, you might at least enjoy a bit of Mina/Lucy from the 1968! I mean, I just like it because it was my first Dracula, and James Maxwell faints ridiculously a lot, which is obv. not everyone's cup of tea, so if you can see only one, go for the '77. BUt Susan George in the 1968 is definitely the best Lucy I've seen as yet.

[singe]

No love for Hammer's Dracula? Christopher Lee is weeping bloody tears over that.

[thisbluespirit]

Oh, I enjoyed it, but if you're looking for a faithful Dracula, the BBC 1977 is unquestionably the best there is. And when it comes to unfaithful Draculas, the 1968 has my heart for multiple reasons.

But I'm getting to Hammer now. I would certainly never leave Lee and Cushing out of the equation and Lee might be me favourite Dracula-the-charater so far:

[singe]

Imagine him snorting when he opens his eyes...

[thisbluespirit]

Well, he's already been drooling a bit as it is!

[astrogirl]

I like crossovers, but writing them for 51 different fandoms seems entirely too daunting!

I should probably try to think if there's anything I want to nominate for Yuletide. Usually, I miss out on noms due to, I dunno, laziness or lack of imagination or something, and then half the time I decide there's not enough fandoms I feel comfortable writing and skip it. But I always do find Yuletide a lot of fun when I actually participate.

[thisbluespirit]

Oh, yes, do nominate something! I know we don't usually hang around in the same Yuletide-level fandoms often, but i've missed you doing it.

Well, it's only one fic at a time, but, yes, true. It's one of those long-term table things, which doesn't suit everyone. I like having one or two on the go, as they're laid back, but I think I'll keep going with 100fandoms and crossoverbingo rather than that one for now. And I need to do that last genprompt_bingo to get my border bingo!

[astrogirl]

I know we don't usually hang around in the same Yuletide-level fandoms often, but i've missed you doing it.

Aww, aren't you sweet. :)

I don't think I really hang around in many Yuletide-level fandoms at all, really. But some of mine may or may not be just small enough to qualify, if I actually bother to check. So I should maybe do that.

I do often seem to think of fun possibilities for things I might have been able to write/wanted to request five minutes after nominations close, and then by the time the next year rolls around, I've lost interest in them. It's some kind of fannish Murphy's Law, I suppose.

Well, it's only one fic at a time, but, yes, true. It's one of those long-term table things, which doesn't suit everyone.

Yeah, I think having five prompts at a time for a bingo is more my speed. More than that can maybe get a little overwhelming, and I'm likely to end up never doing much with it at all. (I can't help thinking of my attempt at that 500 prompts meme thingy, which met a rather sad fate.) Plus, I'm not at all sure there are that many different fandoms I'm capable of writing! Possibly even counting ones I can fake just long enough for a drabble. :)

[thisbluespirit]

But some of mine may or may not be just small enough to qualify, if I actually bother to check. So I should maybe do that.

Sounds sensible to me!

Of course, you should just note down the appropriate small fandoms when you think of them, and instead of only remembering them just after noms have closed, you can finally find the list again just after noms have closed (because Murphy's Law is eternal).

Failing that you can always do S&S again. I'm sure you wouldn't end up stuck in a cafe in space again. I mean, almost sure... ;-p

Less flippantly, I suppose you could always look through the brainstorming & promo posts - sometimes once everyone starts talking about their ideas, it jogs stuff lose about what your ideas actually were! Or, of course, you get sucked into a ridiculous 5 minute fandom of some kind, that's always a Yule-peril, worse than the bears.

The thing about me and those long prompt sets is I'm very determined and slow to put things back down, and I can't work out in that context whether that makes things better or worse. It's often much better to just move on and do a shiny new thing!!

Bingos are great, though. I think we can all agree on that. *sheepishly eyes unfinished bingo cards lying about the place*

[astrogirl]

The thing about me and those long prompt sets is I'm very determined and slow to put things back down, and I can't work out in that context whether that makes things better or worse

I dunno, it seems likely to be a good thing to me, at least a lot of the time. Slow and steady actually accomplishes something.

Bingos are great, though. I think we can all agree on that.

Bingos are fun! And really nice compromise between something high-stress with a scary deadline and something so low-stress and deadline-free I'll never actually be motivated to finish it.

[thisbluespirit]

I dunno, it seems likely to be a good thing to me, at least a lot of the time. Slow and steady actually accomplishes something.

Well, it's true, but it also means that you can't ever put them down and then they hang around forever like ominous unfinished homework reproaching you from signing up for anything else.

DO ALL THE BINGOS!!

[astrogirl]

That does sound potentially unpleasant, I will admit.

[theseatheseatheopensea]

I looooove those Element moodboards, so very cool! Also: yay Dracula! Yay Yuletide! And yay friday! I hope you have a great weekend! : D

[thisbluespirit]

Aw, thank you! <3

[liadt]

First a ficlet, then the 100,000 word fic;p

Watching all the Draculas will keep you busy! Is the original 'Nosferatu' included as it got into copyright trouble with the Stoker family?

[thisbluespirit]

I don't know, my Dracula watching is not enough of a plan for me to have decided what is and isn't included. It just seems to be happening to me gradually but relentlessly...

First a ficlet, then the 100,000 word fic

I'll be very happy with just 10k!! :-D (Or less. A drabble. Anything!)

[paynesgrey]

Ooh that crossover community looks interesting! I am definitely looking into that.

Love the Dracula gifs. They just played the Bela Lugosi one on Svengoolie tonight (it's a horror spoof show popular in Chicago) and I almost forgot how awesome this version of Dracula was. And I love how the last scene is basically the beginning of Dracula's Daughter, which I also love.

[thisbluespirit]

New prompt comms are always good! :-D

And, thanks. Hopefully, I'll do Horror of Dracula next, but giffing always goes by random fits and starts with me.

[singe]

Thumbs up to all three - Dracula, Dracula's Daughter, and Svengoolie!

[paynesgrey]

Yes! Svengoolie is basically a part of our family. We watch every Saturday night, and have met him, and my 2 year old even loves him.
I'm so glad when others know about Svengoolie. <3

[singe]

I discovered him when he started to air on MeTV. It was a Where have you been all my life? moment.

[paynesgrey]

He's amazing, isn't he?
There's a local punk bar near me that has a Hearse show sometimes during the summer with bands and pimped out hearses, and he always makes an appearance. In another suburb near us, they close down the downtown during Halloween and play out a zombie invasion and he shows up to that too. He's awesome and he's so active in the community.