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maccharliedennis · 9 months

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Charlie is CANONICALLY, IN CONTEXT, some version of trans/nb and it is great

<3 sorry to say but if you disagree with that then you are just disagreeing with literal actual canon and might also be bad at media analysis!

Just because Charlie does not look directly into the camera and say "I, Charlie Kelly, identify as a trans person" doesn't mean that it is not CANNONICALLY TRUE.

He literally identifies as a woman occasionally. Sorry if you don't like that and not sorry if you don't like trans people existing in your media.

Does Charlie look like a complete weirdo when he says he only identifies as a woman when he goes to the bathroom? Uh yeah dude. That is because....Charlie Kelly? IS a complete weirdo. The joke here is not "lol trans women are freaks!" Its "charlie is a weirdo" and also (IN CONTEXT) "charlie is blurring the lines between what the gang thinks to be an Acceptable Trans Person and a Weirdo Trans Person". And in the end, the Gang has to concede to Charlie. They realize that the lines are SO BLURRY and SO UNDEFINIABLE that they determine the only way to make things fair is to create gender neutral bathrooms.

The ending of this episode is meant to be PRO-TRANS.

"But but but!" You may say "the whole point of the show is that they are bad people! Which MEANS that their debate is being framed to be ANTI-TRANS since they end up being accepting!"

Sorry but thats also false! And again, not good media analysis! Yes, The Gang are horrible people. But are they ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS in the wrong??? NO! They are not ALWAYS in the wrong! A stopped clock is right twice a day!!

Here's a great fucking example: The episode "Dee Gives Birth"

Y'all remember THIS MOMENT?

Awwww! This is beautiful, touching stuff! The Gang has their breath taken away by the idea of a baby being added to their weird little family. <3

But if the Gang is meant to be ALWAYS IN THE WRONG, then....this is saying what exactly?? That it's wrong to be emotionally touched by the birth of a child? No. Because that would make no fucking sense. (And also this is another huge pro-trans moment in the show. Dee's baby is adopted by Carmen and everyone agrees that she will be a wonderful mother)

Apply that same logic to The Gang Solves the Bathroom Problem and you can clearly see that the Gang are meant to be WEIRDOS but not CURRENTLY IN THE WRONG.

If your understanding of this show begins and ends with "The Gang is Always Wrong so anything they say and do must also Always be Wrong" then you have an extremely surface level take on it.

And y'know what else? Charlies gender is affirmed AGAIN in "A Womans Right to Chop" during the conversation with the veterinarian! Mac says that "Gender is so old school" and Charlie adds "Like, I dont even identify.,,.," before he trails off.

What could the ending of that sentence be, I wonder? What is the ONLY THING that could make sense IN CONTEXT that has already been confirmed previously about his gender???? If you cannot INFER THAT INFORMATION FROM THE CONTEXT OF THE CONVERSATION, then maybe you are not very good at picking up on subtext.

And again!!! The joke here isn't meant to be "haha they are dumb and so are trans people, dont they sound stupid?" The joke is "Mac and Charlie are having a bizarre debate about this dogs ability to give birth in front of a complete stranger and are forgoing dozens of societal conventions to do so" and "Mac and Charlie are projecting their own feelings about gender onto a dog whom is not even able to conceptualize gender".

Long story short: Charlie is canonically trans/nb and it was confirmed TWICE and it is not meant to be portrayed as a bad thing to be and the creators are all pro-trans so suck my fuck! If you don't like it, you can go jerk off ur friend dumpledore or something!!!

#iasip #charlie kelly #always sunny #its always sunny in philadelphia #moi

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marjanefan · 1 year

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Why I believe Reece and Steve (and Inside No.9) are NOT homophobic (spoilers)

OK I am just going to look at the accusation that 'Inside No.9 is homophobic. I will address particular concerns and try and look at particular characters in more depth. I hope I can make a good case it is far from homophobic.

Please note I will be discussing characters who are openly LGBT or who are shown to be LGBT. I will not be discussing characters whose sexual orientation is not indicated or discussed. It is actually interesting to note how many characters sexual orientation or marital status is not indicated. This shows how these play little part in the characters motivations and actions.

We should ask 1. are the characters made ridculous because of their sexual orientation 2. punished because of their orientaton. 3.Motivated to do bad things because of their orientation.

Please note many spoilers below

Wholesome LGBT Characters- that survive!

Stevie (Tom and Gerri), Bobby (12 days of Christine), and Robert (Zanzibar) may be somewhat camp but they are all deeply caring and considerate characters - and they all survive

And lets not forget Mark Gatiss got to play Callum, a happily married, professionally successful openly gay man, just as he is himself.(and yes Callum does survive the events of 'Merrily Merrily'). Callum is or was part of the gang just like Laurence and Darren and his sexual orientation is by the by. And the friendship between Callum, Darren and Laurence reflects the even greater frienship and brotherhood between Mark, Steve and Reece.

Martin (The referee's a wxxxer)

There is a gay character who does not die or who kills who does something questionable. Martin in 'The referee's a wxxxer' sets up his lover Calvin to ensure the success of his true love- the football team he supports. But the episode asks questions of the ongoing homophobia in UK league football and the alliegance fans at all levels have to their teams.

Episodes where LGBT characters die

Inside No.9 does not kill off LGBT characters more than heterosexual characters

In 'Sardines' it is implied Stu and Carl may die but this is alongside THREE heterosexual couples

In 'Wuthering Heist' Mario (Dino Kelly) dies in the final shootout but so do several other heterosexual characters.

In 'A Quiet night in' Sabrina is killed by Gerald- and the killing is shown in all its horror. But Gerald is also killed as are Ray and Eddie.

In 'Private view' Patricia (Felicity Kendall) is killed- as are several other characters.

I will come back to Simon Smethurst in 'Simon Says'

Episodes where LGBT characters are killers

Inside No.9 includes many many killers - but only two are (possibly) LGBT.

In 'How do you plead?' Urban is revealed to have killed a classmate as a young teenager. But it is clear he is deeply haunted by this and he actually owns up to it and accepts that he will face serious punishment eventually for this. He is trying to make amends by being a patient and caring person and it could be said that his outwardly camp persona is a way for him to defuse the darker side of his character and turn it into something better (see how he drops this persona when he goes to sort the fuse).

Brian in 'The Last Night of the Proms'joins in the killing of Yusef. But this is shown to be part of his latent xenophobia and of his failure to accept and be open about his true sexual orientation and desires.If he had been more self accepting he probably would not have participated. And part of the point of Brian's story is that Reece and Steve show that remainers are capable of being as racist and intolerant as Brexit supporters.

A few more thoughts on Carl and Stu

I wrote a whole blog about 'Sardines' but just want to say a bit here about Carl and Stu and their relationship. When we met them they are mid argument and it is clear that there are underlying tensions between them about Carl's fear of intimacy, because of the abuse he endured at Andrew's hands. But it is also evident that there is affection and in a moment that was cut from the episode as aired but in the script they reconcile.

The case of Simon Smethurst

In 'Simon Says' Spencer kills Simon during what appear to be an attempt by Simon to seduce him. But this is after Spencer has seen Simon apparently kill Gavin. He could well believe he is about to get violated and possibly killed. (Also worth noting there was a cut scene from earlier in the episode when Spencer considers smothering Simon as he has had enough of his blackmail).

What Simon's actual intentions are in this particular scene are debated by fans. There are signs he may have a romantic/sexual obsession with Spencer but he was performing a script (I may come back to this). But the point is that Spencer doesn't kill him because he may be gay but because he is afraid in that moment for his life.

Personally I could also discuss the portrayal of lesbian characters such as Felicity (The Understudy), June (And the winner is) and Patricia (Private View) - it seems no one cares very much about the L part of LGBT (I say this as someone with many Lesbian friends). But I don't hold this against Reece and Steve (too much!)

And arguably why can't LGBT character be as flawed and complicated as a heterosexual character

The vast majority of killers and indeed victims in the show are heterosexuals or do not have their sexual orientation indicated (like Maxwell, Dennis Fulcher, Viktor).

I previously wrote a blog about 'The Stakeout' which looks at amongst other things whether Varney being a vampire is code for homosexuality.

The Question of 'The Last Weekend'

This particular issue is being raised because of the forthcoming episode 'The Last Weekend' where Steve and Reece play a couple Joe and Chas. I am going to reserve my thoughts on the episode until I have actually seen it and had a chance to think about it.

Perhaps we need to examine our own feelings about what we expect from this episode and why we want the episode to play out a particular way.

Final thoughts

Reece and Steve have many close friendships with members of the LGBT commmunity (not just Mark Gatiss but people like Matt Lucas, Derren Brown and many others). Russell T. Davies has praised the show.

Inside no.9 explores the human condition and human fralities often in quite a profound manner. I am proud to be a fan.

#inside no 9 #reece shearsmith #steve pemberton

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ronearoundblindly · 9 months

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just checking in, i hope your july has been going well!! 😚🫶🏻✨️💕 it's been raining and storming where i am but i think we're finally getting some sunshine

a mister dobyne for u 🤏🏻

oh boy, it's finally a glorious, rainy day off for me here, and after several (very nice) demands for more Jimmy content, I'm gonna drop another drabble. Sadly, it is mostly just another tease because there's a lot of story setup and development that Mr. Dobyne and his professor need to go through. This is ROUGH in an editing sense, gang, and I'm sorry I can't be pumping out several thousand words a day for you. You know I wish I could! Instead, please enjoy the brief buildup to some naughty, dirty deeds in the Hamptons... WC 799 (see Common Education Masterlist)

Kelly is being flirtatious by the beach bonfire. You can’t blame her. Jimmy is a good-looking man sat beside her on a slightly chilly evening in the Hamptons. She’s twenty-years-old. You likely would shoot your shot as well…if you weren’t his professor. Jimmy is, however, closer to your age than Kelly’s and not even remotely paying attention to her.

His gaze is locked on the dancing flames and spitting embers. He looks lost, not only in thought but in purpose. He’s trying—he is really, really trying—to be a student in the traditional sense, to be social and spontaneous, but that’s just not Jimmy Dobyne. It’s written all over his faraway face: I don’t belong here. I don’t like this.

Someone shrieks about skinny-dipping, and the lot all strip like the wind is punishing them for every second’s delay, all except you and Jimmy. Neither of you are even the oldest out here. Some PhD fellahs working as TAs have been hanging around all weekend.

Kelly, skinny little thing she is, jumps into the sand beside Jimmy, knocking him out of his reverie. He’s startled to find her bare-breasted in front of him and begging for company.

You’re not sure you’d blame him if he chose to go. This is one of those quint-essential, youthful rights of passage—or so you’ve heard and read about—but he passes. Jimmy says ‘no’ as politely as possible to the half-naked twenty-year-old pouting over her dangling, perky tits.

You sit as shocked as Kelly, but the girl runs off the the water after shoving down her shorts and thong to moon you and Jimmy, the only two left by the fire.

The group is loud in the softly cresting waves. The echoes take away very few of the vulgar and stupid phrases they all shout at each other while limbs get accidentally or purposefully groped in the dark. It’s as unappealing as you thought it would be. Your grimace shows.

“You wanna go for a walk?” Jimmy’s voice cuts through your disgust.

Not disgust, actually, but not jealousy either. You realize the sinking feeling in your gut is mainly frustration that the kind of self-confidence and indifference to shame is wasted on the young.

“Teach?” Jimmy tries again.

“Yeah,” you jump up, “yeah, that would be nice.”

He walks along the sand with his hands in his pockets, and in the dim moonlight you are struggling to see. His footing is sure, his bare soles rough enough to easily traverse the sharper, grittier sands toward the dune line. You fumble around in the dark, almost toppling when your step sinks unexpectedly to the left.

Jimmy grabs your hand. “I gotcha.”

You grip him and try to correct but fail.

“Woah, girl,” he soothes.

“Jimmy, I’m not a horse,” you snip back, on the verge of laughing.

His other hand steadies your elbow, and he waits for you to get upright again. “No—“ you can hear the smile in his voice “—but y’are as stubborn as a mule.”

Giggling breaks past your lips, inevitable as the waves.

“Flattering,” you mumble and hope the sea-breeze takes the word.

“True” comes the firm reply. “There’s a spot to sit right up there,” Jimmy offers, leading you to a flat rock.

He can’t possibly have planned it, but the moon sits just above his head as you look up at him, light shining through his short, blowing hair.

You can still hear the louder, playful screams from the water, but the noise melds into the roar of the ocean well.

“Beautiful,” he says after a long moment.

“It is a nice night…”

Jimmy snorts. “For someone so smart…Wish you would listen to me like I listen to you.”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t hear anything else over the wind. Did you—“

His lips capture yours, leaning you back down almost flush with the rock, his knee by your hip as one big palm braces your head, the other bracing his (and your) weight. His words get rougher with the added scratching of your nails along the the back of his shirt.

“Ya goddamn know I want ya, Teach—“ and that’s evident by the hard bulge pressed to your thigh “—wanted ya to claim me in front of that girl. Can’t have her thinkin’ she’s got a chance around you.”

You would say he’s drunk, but you’ve watched him have one solitary beer the whole night. He hasn’t been staring though; he’s barely looked at you the whole night, and suddenly it dawns on you that Jimmy ‘Subtlety’ Dobyne spent all those hours ‘lost in thought’ thinking of you.

From the way he moves, with precision and purpose, he’s been specifically thinking of what to do with your body (and his) at the first opportunity.

A/N:...and then, they fuck obvi, and we WILL get there, I promise. Two POTS of passionfruit green tea later and I am screeching like a banshee for these two. It's going to happen. Thank you @whiskeytangofoxtrot555 for the gentle nudge! I really am sorry I haven't produced much lately.

Tags (shit, i never made a Jimmy list): @supraveng @1950schick @patzammit @yiiiikesmish @ashesofblackroses

#jimmy dobyne fanfiction #jimmy dobyne x reader #jimmy dobyne x you #jimmy dobyne drabble #jimmy dobyne imagine #common education #ro answers

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cha0ticr0b0tic · 1 year

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More Australian Gothic Movies

True History of the Kelly Gang (Justin Kurzel) – queer, punk, postmodern retelling of the famous outlaw’s story. This one is a lot, very emotionally heavy, pretty fuckin Freudian, but also cross dressing and bucket helmets!!

The Hunter (Daniel Nettheim) – Tasmanian Gothic film starring Willem Dafoe as an American mercenary-hunter hired by a military corp to hunt down the last living Tasmanian tiger. Very broody and beautiful in its starkness. Found family + care for the environment are major themes. Liked this one more than I expected.

Jasper Jones (Rachel Perkins) – coming of age film set in the 60s, dealing with all sorts of Gothic themes: murder in a conservative suburb, the decay of the family unit, ingroups and outgroups. Based on the YA book, which is also pretty good! At first I was like uh oh is this another “white boy learns about racism” story but it’s more than that – Toni Collette is in it as well and does a fantastic job, as per usual.

#movie recommendation #australian cinema #australian gothic #ned kelly #justin kurzel #willem dafoe #toni collette

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filmnoirfoundation · 4 months

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#NoirCity21 opens this Friday, Jan 19, 7:30 PM at Oakland's Grand Lake Theatre with our newest restoration project NEVER OPEN THAT DOOR. Eddie Muller will be signing his books up in the mezzanine, 6pm-7pm. Tix: http://NoirCity.com

Restoration performed by UCLA Film & Television Archive.

Program notes follow.

FRIDAY, JANUARY 19:

7:30

World Premiere FNF Restoration!

NEVER OPEN THAT DOOR | NO ABRAS NUNCA ESA PUERTA

Argentina, 1952. Estudios San Miguel. 85 minutes

Screenplay by Alejandro Casona, from two short stories by Cornell Woolrich (William Irish)

Produced and directed by Carlos Hugo Christensen

More noir films have been based on the stories of Cornell Woolrich than any other writer, and NOIR CITY is proud to present this brand-new restoration of one of the best of those adaptations. In “Someone’s on the Phone,” Ángel Magaña plays a man bent on avenging the death of his sister, driven to suicide by gambling debts. In “The Hummingbird Comes Home,” Roberto Escalada portrays a racketeer who brings the gang to his boyhood home to lay low after a robbery. His blind madre doesn’t approve. Originally a three-part anthology of Woolrich tales, Never Open That Door was released separately from the 73-minute If I Should Die Before I Wake, also adapted by Casona and Christensen. Benefitting from the incredible cinematography of Pablo Tabernero, this is one of the most evocative realizations of Woolrich ever produced, featuring masterful sequences of sustained suspense. Said Buenos Aires film critic Horacio Bernades, “Rarely has an Argentine film been more purely cinematic than this.”

CAST: Someone on the Phone: Ángel Magaña (Raúl), Renée Dumas (Luisa), Diana de Córdoba (Nelly), Nicolás Fregues (money lender), Pedro Fiorito, Orestes Soriani, Percival Murray, Rosa Martín , Arnoldo Chamot. The Hummingbird Comes Home: Roberto Escalada (Daniel), Ilde Pirovano (the mother), Norma Giménez (María), Luis Otero (Juan)

9:30

STREET OF CHANCE

United States, 1942. Paramount [Universal]. 74 minutes

Screenplay by Garrett Fort, based on the novel The Black Curtain by Cornell Woolrich

Produced by Burt Kelly. Directed by Jack Hively

The first case of amnesia in the film noir era comes with a typically intriguing Woolrichian twist. Frank Thompson survives a near fatal accident only to have the shock partially restore his memory! He realizes he’s lived the past several years as someone other than his true self. With the help of his incredulous girlfriend Ruth, Frank embarks on a nocturnal quest to determine his true identity. This modest offering from the B-unit at Paramount benefits from some A-list contributors, principally stars Burgess Meredith and Claire Trevor, and director of photography Theodor Sparkuhl, whose contributions to the look of early ’40s noir have gone largely unheralded. A wonderful gallery of supporting characters skitter and sneak through Frank’s waking nightmare, well rendered by journeyman director Jack Hively who had previously helmed many entries in RKO’s mystery series The Saint.

CAST: Burgess Meredith (Frank Thompson), Claire Trevor (Ruth Dillon), Louise Platt (Virginia Thompson), Sheldon Leonard (Joe Marucci), Frieda Inescort (Alma Diedrich), Jerome Cowan (Bill Diedrich), Adeline deWalt Reynolds (Grandma Diedrich), Arthur Loft (Sheriff Stebbins), Clancy Cooper (Burke), Ann Doran (Miss Peabody), Paul Phillips

#film noir #eddie muller #noir city #noir city 21 #film noir festival #film restoration #don't open that door #street of chance #cornell woolrich

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nobrakes · 2 years

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if you don't mind, would you explain kelly's latest story? As much as i understand, the video suggests he must be a criminal bc he went to an underdeveloped region? like wtf?

So, i had to go look this up because I don't follow her on social media but, from what I saw she posted two things: 1 - shared two posts from a brazilian ex olympic volleyball player turned far-right commentator, and 2 - shared the video you mentioned.

TLDR Kelly is spreading bigoted misinformation.

About the posts she shared: the first mentions a report by a journal called Gazeta do Povo (a Bolsonaro supporting """"news"""" company) where they talk about the history between Lula (the left wing candidate for president of Brasil, who also was the president during 2002-2010) and Daniel Ortega (Nicaragua's president, a described dictator). This is part of a recent strategy by Bolsonaro's campaign as they try to moral panic people into believing that Lula would bring a left wing dictatorship and that Brazil will "become like Venezuela or Nicaragua" which in their minds are poor, violent and ravaged countries where all women are pr*stitutes and gangs rule the nations.

This, obliviously, isn't true. I don't have time to debunk it all.

All of this is basically trying to gaslight people as if Lula is the one who would push for a dictatorship (even if he was in power for 8 years and all he's done was strengthen democratic institutions) while Bolsonaro literally has said that he would strike a coup. Go figure.

The 2nd post she shared was again from this commentator, who I'll say again: is a fascist volleyball player who became a political commentators for Jovem Pan. Jovem Pan is the Fox News of Brazil, they are horrible, all they do is lie and preach right wing, fascist, racist and homophobic content on tv. They are the channel of choice for Bolsonaro because it is, as the girls say, a right wing bubble. The news thing she shared was about Jovem Pan, and it's a report on how the Lula campaign allegedly was going to request maybe possibly for Jovem Pan to be shut down.

To my knowledge, this isn't exactly true. Jovem Pan is claiming "censure" from the Electoral Courts (we have a specific branch of the judiciary that takes care of organizing the elections) all because they keep lying about Lula, and calling him a "thief" and spilling so much fake garbage about him that the courts have repeatedly granted Lula motions to give him the "right of response" on tv against these false claims or demanded that the content be taken down by the publisher. You see, here in Brazil, sharing and spreading fake news about the elections and the electoral system isn't exactly legal. It's a practice that's being fought by the courts and prosecutors.

Just because we're in a democracy, it doesn't mean you can say whatever the fuck you want, especially if that is with the intention of benefiting a certain candidate on tv by lying about the other candidate. Campaign laws are very strict here and misinforming electors ain't allowed.

So essentially, because the courts are saying "nah, mate, you ain't gonna be allowed to just spread misinformation like that", this fascist news organization is saying they are being censored. And Kelly seems to be agree. Yeah. Shocker.

The third post she shared is indeed a video of misinformation connecting Lula with organized crime.

This is something that has been rampant since Lula decided to do a rally at Complexo do Alemão, a favela community complex in Rio de Janeiro. He wore a cap with the letters "CPX" on it, which means "Complexo" or "Complex". The hat was given to him as a gift by a group of supporters who have a small hat selling business at the favela. This is a poor region, predominantly populated by black and marginalized individuals, those who have been ignored by the state.

Bolsonaro, during covid, even went as far as saying that they would be fine, because they were "bathing in the sewer" and didn't die, so the virus wouldn't kill them. I don't even need to mention here that favelas were absolutely ravaged by COVID, do I? Do I also need to mention that favelas have a lot to do with the legacy of slavery in Brazil? Or that Brazil was the last country of the Americas to abolish slavery?

Favelas are notoriously viewed as dangerous places, where organized crime is rampant. I don't have any way of explaining the racist ways in which the drug war, racism and policing has made it so that those people have to live oftentimes in the middle of war zones that are constantly getting invaded by heavy armored police and being hit by "stray bullets", having their homes invaded and being executed without a trial by police officers.

The Bolsonaro administration has seen and supported some of the most horrific mass killings by the state at favelas.

I'll try to leave some links at the end of this post where you can learn more if you want.

Now.

The video she shared basically said that the reason why Lula was able to go up to the favela and have a rally was because he was a criminal and associated with criminals, who wanted him to get elected, and that Bolsonaro isn't liked by criminals because he's """tough on crime""" tc etc.

However, this is LAUGHABLE as, Bolsonaro is literally FACTUALLY involved with the Rio de Janeiro militia. Yes, the militia. Made up of dirty current and ex cops, mostly from dictatorship-time "death squads" that have taken over Rio and are destroying the state.

So, the video not only is racist and absurd as it insinuates that just because a politician ACTUALLY goes to where the vulnerable people live and is welcomed by those people, who have been suffering, particularly hard over the past four years, then he must be criminal, but also, completely dismisses the fact that Bolsonaro legit 1) has a son who employed the wife AND MOTHER of a milita chief on assistant roles on his cabinet (his sons are also elected officials) 2) LIVED on the same condominiums with a militia member who was implicated on the murder of Mariele Franco, a Rio de Janeiro city councilwoman who was a black, bisexual, favela born woman who was brutally murdered back in 2019.

This isn't about crime.

This is about race. This is about class.

This is about working people being seen and heard and given respect.

Lula went there and was received with love and joy, and didn't try to move away from them, he went there with the purpose of showing his support for those vulnerable communities during these absurd and hellish times.

And then Bolsonaro called all favela residents "criminals" on tv during the debate last Sunday.

Anyways, sorry this was so long.

I, obviously, get rilled up over this shit because I'm terrified of what's going to happen on the next few weeks.

I'll add some links you might wanna check out about some of the stuff I mentioned:

Reports about Bolsonaro’s involvement with the militia (a murderous cop mafia in Rio de Janeiro) X X

Report about the police killing people during operations at favelas X (HEAVY trigger warning here for blood and brutality)

Reports about how much covid ravaged the communities X X

Disclaimer: this post has been midly edited for grammar, clarity and to add some links on the bottom.

#anti kelly piquet #br politics #br #anyways #anonymous #answered

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brasideios · 1 year

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Thank you for the tag @aeide Great idea 🤍

Rules: 10 (non-ancient) books for people to get to know you better, or that you just really like.

So these are my current faves from the last century or so and limited to fiction. I left out the 19th C stuff - just know that I’m an English Literature nerd, and if it was written by the Bronte sisters, George Eliot or Jane Austen, I have read it at least ten times.

1. The Subterraneans by Jack Kerouac.

I have read all of his books, and I love Dharma Bums also, but the Subterraneans speaks to the theme that will always draw me in - hopeless love. The way Kerouac writes, the deep introspection and pawing over of his thoughts is really relatable to me, and the way he is always the destroyer of his own happiness… not to ignore that this book has issues (it’s deeply of it’s time, 1950’s US) but when it comes to emotional impact, I can’t think of a better example.

2. An Imaginary Life by David Malouf.

Malouf is a contemporary Australian author who often writes in a poetic way, and An Imaginary Life is perhaps his most poetical. Its the story of Ovid’s exile to the Black Sea. There are passages in this book about home, loss and memory that will never leave me. I like all of his work though, almost without exception.

3. Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas by Hunter S Thompson

I have probably read this book fifty times. It’s funny and messed up and wild - and there isn’t another book like it. I read this when I just want to laugh and don’t want to engage my brain too much.

4. Catch 22 by Joseph Heller

Like Fear and Loathing, I’ve read this book many many times. It’s wonderful though sad. The way it’s structured, so that you seem to circle around and around the story, as the story grows darker and darker… it’s truly an amazing piece of work. The movie absolutely failed to capture it.

5. The Secret River by Kate Grenville.

Another contemporary Australian author, the Secret River is historical fiction based on the white settlement of New South Wales in the early 19th Century. It is beautifully written and tackles the ugly side of colonialism head on. There are scenes in this book that made me sob. She also wrote the Lieutenant which addresses some of the same issues and it’s also very good.

6. The True History of the Kelly Gang by Peter Carey.

Another contemporary Australian author (though he lives in the US now) - as the title suggests, this is a book about Ned Kelly, the famous bushranger. It’s written in Ned Kelly’s voice, and it’s done so, so well. I can’t think of another work that is so bold in its use of voice.

7. All the Pretty Horses by Cormac McCarthy

I honestly struggled to decide which of his books to choose because I love his work for the way he puts words together, and he does it so incredibly well in everything he writes; however, All the Pretty Horses was the first of his I read, and it made me read all the others, so it seemed the right one to choose. No Country for Old Men and Suttree are other favourites of his.

8. Imperium by Robert Harris

The first in a trilogy - they’re all brilliant - retelling the life of Cicero. I love the way Harris writes - very clean, very light. I would give a leg to be half so good at writing to be honest.

9. The Gates of Athens by Conn Iggulden.

This follows the life of Xanthippus - Pericles’ father - during the 480s BCE. As with Harris, Iggulden’s writing is absolutely a benchmark for me. This is the first in a series and I haven’t checked in a while if the next one has been published. Note to self. He also wrote the Falcon of Sparta which was great, too.

10. The Song of Achilles by Madeline Millar.

I know there are issues with this retelling, and honestly I don’t care. The way it’s written is everything. The word craft is so beautiful; the feeling that permeates the whole story of impending doom; how every happy moment is in fact sad. It’s gorgeous. Its poetic. It speaks to that hopeless love trope I mentioned earlier. I also loved her Circe for the same reasons.

Tagging @sleeplessincarcosa @softest-punk @erzsebetrosztoczy @myriath @woodsman2b @mimbotomy @auroralykos @haythamk @theinkandthesea I want to read more from around the world so pls gimme all the recs ☺️ or ignore me - no pressure!

#tag game #books

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laufire · 2 years

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finished 8x03 and I'm walking away from the rage and despair Tyler's useless death always makes me feel to share a little theory I've always had about it.

the writers try to give it ~weight, to say that Tyler's death would really change things for Damon's standing with the MF gang... but we know that's not true. they know that's not true. Tyler knows that's not true, even if he says "no one" (meaning Elena) will forgive Damon for murdering him. Sybil has been on every crook and cranny of Damon's mind, there's no way she doesn't know it.

it's a fundamentally cheap, cowardly move. that's not completely unheard of in this 'verse, although it is less common than many would think. but it does make me wonder if at first they had another idea that would have carried that weight, but then backtracked.

you know whose death would've really shocked viewers? made them question where things would go for Damon and especially Delena in the future? truly had an impact on the story? while also being a perfect callback to earlier seasons, as they were clearly going for with many of their choices?

Jeremy Gilbert's.

of course, the fact that it WOULD have been impactful and maybe something they felt cornered by is why it would've been discarded lol.

(mind you, I don't want Jeremy to be dead either*, but at least the show would've made the kind of turn this episode supposedly hinted at doing in the first place)

* my ideal scenario would be one where they chose to kill Matt instead, of course. it would've been similarly cowardly (although they could've bragged about how "no one is safe", even the characters everyone thought were untouchable. and it could've played well with Vicki and Kelly's return, Vicki and Matt standing in the afterlife together, etc.). but Tyler would be alive and Matt would be dead. win-win for me xD

#talking to the void #my thoughts #plecverse thoughts #stackediaries #plecverse #the vampire diaries #tvd 8x03 #tyler lockwood #damon salvatore #jeremy gilbert #antimattdonovan for ts

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sl-newsie · 1 year

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Chapter Two: Run-in with a Stranger (Spot Colon x Female Newsie)

(Warning: a bit of swearing)

Alright, time to get to work.

“Extra! Extra! Get ya papers here! Triplets born in Harlem! Drunken man plummets from Brooklyn Bridge! New racehorse said to be unbeatable! Extra! Extra! Get yer juicy news right here, folks!”

Some stop to buy papes, while oddas sneak odd looks at me- ‘cause I’s a goil. I don’t mind, but it’s still annoy’n.

“How’s the news today?” A kind old lady, Lucillia, wanders ova.

I beam. “A few good things, not so many bad things. And just ‘cause you’s my best customer, I’ll sell it to ya fer half price!”

Lucillia takes her pape and smiles caren’ly. “Oh no, dear. You need the money more than I do. Here’s a nickel, and spend it wisely.”

Before I can protest, she walks off. “Thank you, ma’am!”

I continue ta wander down tha street, not hav’n many more patrons, when I hear Jack call’n my name. He has tha two new boys with him- broddas by tha looks of it. Tha olda one’s cute, but I can tell tha younga one’s gonna sell a lodda papes!

“Becs! Come with me and show these new guys how it’s done!”

“Fine. This place is a bust anyways.” I look tha boys up and down. “Who are yous?”

Tha oldest gives me a questioning look. “Jack, who is-?”

“You’re a goil newsie?” Tha youngest asks outta tha blue.

“Les!” Tha olda one scolds. But I just smile at his blunt honesty.

“Yeah, I’s a goil newsie. Name’s Becs. I’m basically Jack’s little sista. Now I asks again: who are yous?”

“I’m David, and this is my brother Les.”

Tha kid gives me a shy smile. Just like I thought: cute kid, good for sell’n papes.

“Becs here, she’s a natural at sell’n,” Jack compliments. “Ya learn from me, ya learn from tha best, as she’ll tell ya. Right, Becca?”

I grin. “You know it, Cowboy!”

Jack chuckles. “Yeah. But you learn from Becca- and you’s learn’n from a true performer! Becs can get a customer's attention from ten blocks away!”

“Well thank you Jack, for that wonderful encouragement! Alright, guys. Here’s how ya hook ‘em.” I begin to wave my paper again. “Extra! Extra! Get ya papers here! Drunken man plummets from Brooklyn Bridge! Mutilated corpse found in street!” I motion ta tha kid. “Les, can ya act?” I ask.

He nods.

“Good. Then imitate this:” I give a convinc’n cough. “Please, m’am! Buy me pape!”

He grabs a handful and takes off.

David looks at me in terror. “Those stories seem a bit far from true. What headline says that?” He begins to flip through tha pages.

“Page 8.”

He scoffs. “Dead cats? That’s lying!”

I shrug. “I ain’t ly’n, I’s just mak’n tha story sound more interest’n. Who’d eva wanna read ‘bout dead cats? If I don’t like a headline, I make one up! Right Jack?”

He nods. “That’s tha golden rule. Headlines don’t sell papes, newsies sell papes!”

Les comes back with a big smile on his face. I leave Jack ta deal with tha broddas while I continues ta sell papes.

Howeva it ain’t been long when I see an old rival: Slick Benny. Him and his gang is always try’n ta steal my papes and take my customers, not ta mention soak me once in a while.

“Hello, Kelly,” Benny struts over, a good foot and a half taller than me, but I don’t budge. “Me thinks ya got some papes fer us,” he motions at his gang, who surround me.

“Take a hike, little bo Ben, I ain’t giv’n you’s noth’n,” I growl.

“Aw, not even a kiss-?” He leans in, only ta get his foot stepped on by yours truly.

“Yow!”

I take my cue and split, duck’n unda Benny’s arm and tak’n off towards tha docks.

“Get that little bitch!”

I duck, dodge, twist’n turn- until I realize that I don’t know where I’s go’n! I can still hear Benny’s gang behind me, but I’s made some distance between us. I go ta turn a corner down an alley lead’n ta tha wadda when-

Smack!

I literally run into and fall down onto somebody. I look up and I’m suddenly staring inta pierc’n blue eyes. It’s a guy, anodda newsie. He’s wearing a checkered shirt, faded red suspenders, and a gray cap. Unfortunately, his shirt ain’t buttoned up all tha way, and my hand fell onta his bare chest. He looks both shocked and annoyed.

I blush. “Sorry.” I hurriedly get up and continue sprint’n down tha alley, with Benny’s boys still look’n fer me. Behind me I hear:

“Hey, you! Ya seen a goil newsie run by here?”

Oh God! Please don’t let them find me…

“Nah, can’t say I have,” comes a heavy-accented voice.

I frown. Was that the guy I ran over? Why would he vogue fer me? I owe him one, I put in tha back of my head.

Spot’s POV

I’s didn’t plan on com’n ta 'Hattan today, I just woke up and felt like go’n someplace different odda than Brooklyn, if I can believe it. I’s was just com’n from tha docks when-

Smack!

Someone stiff and small plows into me, send’n both of us onto tha ground. Tha foist thing I realise is: it’s a goil. And not just any goil, a newsie! She’s wear’n a faded blue shirt, black suspenders and vest, and a gray cap like mine. The next thing I notice is that her hand landed on my chest. But for whateva reason, I don’t get upset ‘bout it. Unsure what ta do or say, I just stare at her inta her big, brown eyes.

She blushes, and it’s kinda cute. “Sorry,” she muddas. She quickly gets up and sprints down tha alley. As I get to my feet, I hear:

“Hey, you! Ya seen a goil newsie run by here?”

It’s Ben, Slick Benny and his gang. It ain’t no surprise ta me that he’d be try’n ta scam a goil. Well, I’s can’t just nark on her.

“Nah, can’t say I have,” I says smugly.

Benny frowns. “Careful who you’s ally with, Colon. That goil’s trouble- ya see her and ya report ta me, got it?”

I step forward intimidate’nly, gett’n in his face. “I don’t report ta nobody.”

I then start walk’n back ta Brooklyn, certain that there’s noth’n more fer me here. Still, I can’t help wonder’n if the goil was ok. I’d seen plenty goils, but she seemed… different? Normally my spies woulda told me if there was a goil newsie in Manhattan. Who is she?

Rebecca’s POV

Afta wait’n ‘bout ten minutes behind a barrel, I decide ta head back ta tha square. And yet, as soon as I get there Jack grabs my shoit and shoves me forward, and I’m run’n again.

“Beat it! It’s tha bulls!”

“All this for once sip of beer?” Les asks.

I don’t question it, I just run. We keep run’n ‘til we get ta tha lodg’n house. On tha way up, I see Skippy sleep’n on tha stairs.

“Keep runnin!” Jack yells

“There’s a guy sleep’n!” David shouts back.

“Jump!” I use tha railing ta hop ova poor Skippy, then grab David’s arm ta drag him along. I see Les fall behind, so I pull him onta my back.

David looks at me in shock. “You’re a tough girl!”

“I’s gotta be when I’s tha only goil here!”

“He’s right behind us! He’s right behind us!”

Once we get onta tha roof and behind a wall, we hear:

“Sullivan, you wait ‘til I get you back to the Refuge!”

We scurry ta tha fire escape and keep run’n ‘til we get ta tha Irving Theatre. I stop ta catch my breath, certain that we lost ‘em.

“Snyder, eh?”

Jack nods, breath’n heavily. Snyder knows just how ta ruin everyone’s day…

“I’m not running any further, I want answers!” David demands. “Who was that guy and why was he chasing us? And what is the Refuge?”

Jack catches his breath. “That guy is Snyder- he runs tha Refuge. It’s basically a slammer fer kids. He’s try’n ta get me back,” Jack explains.

“But he called you Sullivan.”

“The name’s Kelly- you think we’s ly’n? Jack and Becca Kelly,” I back up Jack.

“Well you do have a way of improving the truth,” David remarks harshly.

I give him a warn’n glare.

“How’d you escape?” Les asks.

“Some big shot gave me a ride in his carriage.”

David ain’t convinced. “I bet it was the mayor, right?”

“No, Teddy Roosevelt. Eva hoid of him?” Jack bites back.

Then I hear: “What’s going on here? Out! Out!” A beautiful lady in a purple dress comes down tha theatre stairs, shoo’n us away with a feather fan.

Jack grins. “Aw, you wouldn’t send me away without a kiss goodbye, wouldya Medda?”

I smile widely. “Business been good, Medda?”

Tha energetic woman gives me a kind smile. “Becca! Jack Kelly! Where ya been, kids? I’ve missed seeing you up in the balcony.”

“And hang’n on your every word.” Jack kisses her hand.

I turn to David and Les. “This, friends, is Ms. Medda Larkson, tha Swedish Meadowlark and tha most talented singa in all of Manhattan.”

Medda curtsies, then notices Les.

“Oh, aren't you sweet!” She playfully tickles his nose with her fan. Les then does a fake cough.

“Buy me last pape, lady?” he begs.

Medda smiles wida. “Oh, you are good! Speaking from one professional to another, I’d say you got a great future! Just like Becca!” She gives me a wink. In return I give her a warn’n glance. Not now, Medda, not today! She gets tha hint.

“Do ya mind if we crash here for a while?” Jack asks, oblivious. “Just ‘til a little problem outside goes away.”

“Oh, yes! Stay as long as you like.” Medda leads us backstage.

A voice announces: “And now gents, the moment you've all been waiting for. The sensational songbird. The Swedish Meadowlark, Miss Medda Larkson!”

Medda spreads her arms with a wide smile, then begins ta sing:

“My lovey dovey baby

I boo-hoo-hoo for you.

I used to be your tootsie-wootsie.

Then you said 'tooldle-dedoo'...”

Throughout her performance I can tell David’s transfixed, and Les is enjoy’n tha free candy. I have ta smile, see’n how people can be so happy. After a while we recon our troubles are gone.

“Bye, Medda!” I call as we head out.

“See you soon,” she answas, partially directed at me.

I frown. Too soon.

What Jack don’t know about me is that I’s got anodda job: sing’n in Medda’s show. About a month ago I realised that I weren’t do’n as good a job as the oddas at sell’n papes, be’n that I’s a goil and everyth’n. So Medda gave me an offer as a singa. She says I’m good, but I’s still ashamed. Because I’s a goil, I get wolf-whistled and catcalled almost every week. I make decent money, but I’s still ain’t proud of it.

“So ya like that?” Jacks asks David. “Oh yeah, I liked that.” No kidd’n!

“Hey Les, why don’t ya shine my shoes fer me?” Jack asks casually as he sits down.

I frown. Great, Jack. Make tha kid werk even more afta today!

“So how do you know her?” David questions.

“She was a friend of our fadda’s.” Jack says.

“Well, we better go. Our parents are probably getting worried. How ‘bout yours?”

“Nah. They’re out west look’n fer somewhere ta live.” He pulls out a pamplet. “See that’s Santa Fe, New Mexico. When they find tha right ranch they’ll send fer us.” Jack tells tha same story he tells everybody.

“And you’ll be a real cowboy!” Les exclaims. I have ta laugh at that!

“Yeah, he will be Les!” I give him a quick, tight hug. He gives a yawn and goes ta sit on a bench.

Just then, I hear a commotion go’n on down tha block. We turn tha corner and see a trolly engulfed in flames.

“It’s tha trolly strikers! These couple-a dumbasses must be-!”

The yell’n gets louda and drowns him out, but I try not to stray too far.

“Looks like we might get a good headline tomorrow!” Jack excitedly yells ova tha noise.

I look ova at Les and see that through all tha chaos he’s fallen asleep. I pick him up and walk ova ta David.

“I think he’s tired,” I state like it’s obvious.

“Yeah, we should get home. Come back to our place- you can meet our folks,” David offas.

I pass Les ta Jack. “Go ahead, Jack. I’s go’n back ta tha lodging house,” I call as I walk tha odda way. On tha way back, I see Race sitt’n on a barrel.

“Hey! How’d yer day at the track go?”

He gives me a stern glare. “Rememba that hot tip I told ya ‘bout?”

“Yeah?”

“Nobody told tha horse,” he scoffs.

“Sorry ta hear that. But, just shows that you’s shouldn’t be gambl’n your life away.” I shrug.

“Yeah, yeah, whateva preacher! Get ta bed!” Race waves me off.

“G’night!”

In tha log’n house, Mush, Crutchy, Skittery, Boots, Specs, and Blink are tha only ones still up.

“Hey guys. How was sell’n taday?”

“Even’n, Becs. It was ok, I guess.” Boots answas.

I nod. “Crutchy, how’s tha leg?”

He sighs. “Still no good.”

I sit down and put a arm on his shoulda. “Don’t worry, it’ll be bedda soon. Now, I knows Race ain’t com’n back for a while, so who’s in for a game-a cards?”

Mush looks up hopefully. “No bett’n?”

I grin. “No bett’n!”

“Good,” Blink sighs, relieved. “I can’t afford to lose anodda cent to that maniac!”

That night before I fall asleep, I can’t help remember’n the guy I ran into. Who is he? Someth’n ‘bout him just puzzles me- and will I ever see him again?

I’ll get chapter 3 ready as soon as I can! Thanks for reading! :)

#Newsies #newsies 1992 #newsies musical #Jack Kelly #crutchy newsies #racetrack higgins #racetrack newsies #spot conlon #spot colon x reader #kid blink #skittery newsies #boots newsies #mush meyers #david jacobs #Les Jacobs #specs newsies #newsies x reader

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byneddiedingo · 1 year

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Gary Cooper and Grace Kelly in High Noon (Fred Zinnemann, 1952) Cast: Gary Cooper, Grace Kelly, Lloyd Bridges, Katy Jurado, Thomas Mitchell, Otto Kruger, Lon Chaney Jr., Harry Morgan, Ian MacDonald, Lee Van Cleef, Eve McVeagh, Morgan Farley, Robert J. Wilkie, Sheb Wooley. Screenplay: Carl Foreman, based on a story by John W. Cunningham. Cinematography: Floyd Crosby. Production design: Rudolph Sternad. Film editing: Elmo Williams, Harry Gerstad. Music: Dimitri Tiomkin. High Noon, as has often been noted, is a movie of almost classical simplicity, adhering to the unities of place (the town of Hadleyville) and time (virtually, with perhaps only a little fudging, the runtime of the film). There are no flashbacks -- the only expository moment involves a shot of an empty chair -- and no preliminaries or codas: It begins with the wedding of Will Kane and Amy Fowler, and ends with a shot of them riding out of town. It's what makes the movie enduringly satisfying, but also what once seemed to make people want to superadd a layer of significance by interpreting it as a parable about blacklisting. That would have been inevitable anyway, since screenwriter Carl Foreman had been called before the House Un-American Activities Committee and left the country before the film was released. But it strains the tight confines of the film's narrative. Not surprisingly, High Noon took some hits from critics on the right like John Wayne, but it was also stigmatized for a long time as "pretentious." Andrew Sarris called it an "anti-populist anti-Western," but that, too, seems to me to burden the film with too much message. (Anyway, aren't Westerns, with their emphasis on wandering loners, essentially "anti-populist"?) Sixty-five years later, it's possible to view High Noon as nothing more than a neat and tidy narrative about simple heroism, which is not at all "anti-Western," a phrase that suggests far more psychological complexity than the movie possesses. Will Kane is still the good guy and Frank Miller and his gang are black-hearted baddies. If you want moral complexity, go watch The Searchers (John Ford, 1956) or The Wild Bunch (Sam Peckinpah, 1969). It's true that High Noon was overpraised at the time, winning four Oscars -- for Cooper, film editors Elmo Williams and Harry Gerstad, composer Dimitri Tiomkin for the score and, with lyricist Ned Washington, the song "High Noon (Do Not Forsake Me, Oh My Darlin')" -- and nominations for best picture, director, and screenplay. But that the Academy should even have acknowledged the virtues of a Western, a genre it typically looked down upon, is significant -- even though it reverted to its usual indifference to the genre a few years later, when it entirely ignored The Searchers.

#High Noon #Fred Zinnemann #Gary Cooper #Grace Kelly

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papermoonloveslucy · 1 year

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MOVIES on TV!

Part 1 ~ The Movies of “I Love Lucy”

When “I Love Lucy” premiered in 1951, Lucille Ball was a bona fide movie star. By contrast, her creation Lucy Ricardo was a fan - idolizing film stars and Hollywood.

~FACTUAL FILMS~

THE TALL MEN ~ “Lucy Visits Graumans” (1955)

Other than this establishing shot, there is no mention of the film, which starred Clark Gable and Jane Russell. “Lucy” actors Will Wright and Harry Shannon were also in the cast. It premiered at Graumans on September 22, 1955.

BLOOD ALLEY ~ “Lucy and John Wayne” (1955)

The film is promoted by Wayne approving of a large poster of the film, which co-starred Lauren Bacall.

SABRINA ~ “Getting Ready” (1954)

LUCY: (on the phone) “Would you like me to give a message to any of the gang out there? You know, Clark or Cary or Van or Marlon? Oh, all right. (writing) Tell Bill Holden that Marion Van Vlack saw ‘Sabrina’ five times!”

Sabrina is a 1954 romantic comedy-drama directed by Billy Wilder, based on Samuel A. Taylor’s play Sabrina Fair. In addition to Holden, the movie starred Humphrey Bogart and Audrey Hepburn. “I Love Lucy” character actors Ellen Corby and Nancy Kulp play supporting roles.

THE COUNTRY GIRL ~ “L.A. at Last” (1955)

William Holden promotes his latest film co-starring Bing Crosby and Grace Kelly. Also in the cast were “Lucy” actors Sarah Selby, Frank J. Scanell, Gene Reynolds, Paul Fix, and Harold Miller.

THE BIG COMBO ~ “The Star Upstairs” (1955)

Cornel Wilde promotes his latest film co-starring Richard Conte, Brian Donlevy, and Alan Wallace. Also in the cast were “Lucy” actors Jack Chefe and William Conaty.

A PRIZE OF GOLD ~ “The Tour” (1955)

Richard Widmark promotes his latest film, his first for Columbia Pictures.

CAMILLE ~ “The Dancing Star” (1955)

While singing “How About You” with Van Johnson, Lucy mentions the 1936 film Camille, which starred Greta Garbo and Robert Taylor. Although Taylor never appeared on the series, Lucy claims to have met him at the Farmer’s Market and gotten his autograph on an orange. As for Van Johnson, he appeared with Lucy and Desi in Too Many Girls (1940) and with Ball in Easy To Wed (1946).

There are several other mentions of the film throughout the series, but it is unclear if they are referring to the character from the Dumas fils book and play or the film. This is also true of Gone With The Wind.

CAPTAIN LIGHTFOOT ~ “In Palm Springs” (1955)

Guest star Rock Hudson promotes his latest film co-starring Barbara Rush and Jeff Morrow.

THE SHEIK ~ "The Hedda Hopper Story" (1955)

MRS. MCGILLICUDDY: "Oh, and I must see the house where Rudolph Valentino lived. Oh, I'll never forget him in ‘The Sheik’. (sings) I'm the Sheik of Araby. Your love belongs to me..." LUCY: "You know, they're grooming Ricky to be another Rudolph Valentino." MRS. MCGILLICUDDY: "Ricky? Ricky who?" RICKY: "Ricky me. That's who." MRS. MCGILLICUDDY: "You? (mocking laugh) Why, you're not fit to touch the hem of his bernouse!"

THE IRON PETTICOAT ~ “Lucy and Bob Hope” (1956)

As Hope enters Yankee Stadium, a young fan (David Saber) asks him for an autograph. Before granting it, he asks the boy “Have you seen my latest picture, ‘The Iron Petticoat?’” The boy eagerly replies, “Yes, sir.” However, the film, co-starring Katherine Hepburn, didn't premiere in the USA until early January 1957, three months after this episode aired. It was produced and directed by Ralph and Betty! Not the Ramseys, but Betty Box and Ralph Thomas. Hope had appeared in two films with Lucille Ball, and would do two more.

LIFEBOAT ~ “The Celebrity Next Door” (1957)

Ethel gushes to Tallulah Bankhead that she saw her in Lifeboat (1944).

SAYONARA ~ “The Ricardos Go To Japan” (1959)

Trying to be savvy about Japanese customs, Lucy says she sat through Sayonara twice. The 1957 film details a romance between an Air Force pilot (Marlon Brando) and a Japanese woman (Miyoshi Umeki), winning four Oscars.

FOREVER DARLING ~ “Ricky’s European Booking” (1955)

The episode features the Pied Pipers singing the title song from Lucy and Desi’s upcoming fantasy film featuring James Mason.

At the end of the original broadcast of “Bon Voyage”, there was a tag scene to promote the film (and record). Although cut for syndication, the DVD restores this tag scene. Lucy and Desi [or is it Ricky?] are seen sitting in deck chairs.

LUCY: “Did you see the ship’s newspaper? They just raved about your new MGM record of ‘Forever, Darling.’ They said it’s gonna be one of the top records of the year. Let’s get them to play it on the public address system. I know how modest you are, but think what a treat it would be for the passengers.”

SEVEN BRIDES FOR SEVEN BROTHERS ~ “Lucy in the Swiss Alps” (1956)

LUCY: “You remember that picture 'Seven Brides for Seven Brothers'? Somebody shot a pistol and it caused a great, big avalanche.”

After getting trapped by an avalanche, Ethel asks “How'd they get out in 'Seven Brides for Seven Brothers'? Lucy replies that “They waited for the spring thaw!”

~FICTIONAL FILMS~

DON JUAN

The film that takes Ricky Ricardo to Hollywood is mentioned in dozens of episodes.

“Don Juan is all about love. It’s got nothing to do with marriage.” ~ “Don Juan and the Starlets” (1955)

SIGNORA LORENZO: “Hark! Do I hear a footfall? Is that you, Don Juan?” DON JUAN: “Yes, it is I, O lovely one. Would that I had the power to tell you what is in my heart tonight.” SIGNORA LORENZO: “What do you mean, my dearest?” DON JUAN: “I have come to say farewell.“ SIGNORA LORENZO: “No, say not so.” DON JUAN: “Would that I could ask you to fly with me, but I know that you’re devoted to your husband, Count Lorenzo.” SIGNORA LORENZO: “Yes, much as I love you, I must stay with him. He is old and feeble and he needs me.” DON JUAN: “But for him, I would sweep you into my arms and carry you over yon garden wall.” SIGNORA LORENZO: “Oh, that I could cut these ties that bind me!” DON JUAN: “Do not cry, my dearest. It was not meant to be. I had no right to win your heart. I had no chance to win your love. So, now, I’m afraid I must say farewell."

Lucy reads that Variety reports that Ricky’s Don Juan is scheduled to have a $3 million budget and be filmed in color. Errol Flynn played Don Juan in Adventures of Don Juan in 1948, which was also in color and budgeted at 3.5 million dollars. Douglas Fairbanks played the character in 1934, and John Barrymore was in a 1926 version that featured a young Hedda Hopper, before she turned to journalism.

MOON OVER BAGHDAD ~ “The Mustache” (1952)

A talent scout (John Brown) is casting a new film called Moon Over Baghdad, an Arabian nights-style Technicolor extravaganza. This is the first time we get a hint of Ricky’s movie aspirations, which will eventually take the foursome to Hollywood in season 4. Through tenuous connections (“My agent has a friend whose brother-in-law knows the talent scout’s wife.”), Ricky, Lucy (beard concealed), and the Mertzes all vie for his consideration. In the final scene, Lucy has finally managed to remove her whiskers and Ricky lands a screen test for the film, although we never hear anything about it again, even when he tests for Don Juan in season 4. There’s also an offer for Lucy.

LUCY: “I don’t care what they pay me. I am not going to play the part of your father!”

WOMEN FROM MARS ~ “Lucy is Envious” (1953)

Lucy and Ethel make money to fulfill a pledge by doing a stunt for an upcoming film, Women from Mars. The plot was most likely inspired by the 1953 film The War of the Worlds which is also about a Martian invasion. Two days before this episode aired, a British film called Devil Girl from Mars hit US cinemas. Also hitting the big screen in 1953 was Invaders From Mars, which featured Hillary Brooke (“The Fox Hunt”) and Richard Deacon (“The Celebrity Next Door”). America had Martian madness!

BITTER GRAPES ~ “Lucy’s Italian Movie” (1956)

On the train to Rome, Lucy is eyed by Vittorio Philippi (Franco Corsaro). Taking the title literally, Lucy investigates the wine-making business, leading to one of the funniest scenes in television history as Lucy stomps grapes.

After a tussel in the vat, Lucy proves to ‘blue’ for the role - a typical American tourist - which goes to Ethel instead. Lucy one bitter grape!

TROPICAL RHYTHMS ~ “Home Movies” (1954)

Ricky creates an audition film for a television project. Then Lucy and the Mertzes add their own home movie (a Western) to create a very chaotic film.

GUYS & DOLLS ~ “Lucy and the Dummy” (1955)

When the episode was running short, a preview clip of the upcoming MGM film musical starring Frank Sinatra was inserted into the Executive Show sequence. After one airing, the sequence was removed and has never been restored. The morning after the original broadcast, fans phoned a bewildered Sinatra to tell him he was on “I Love Lucy” last night - which he knew nothing about!

~UNMENTIONED TITLES~

Un-Titled Florida Project ~ “Desert Island” (1956)

Ricky announces that he’s going to be in a film about the history of the state of Florida. The movie will feature Claude Akins (as a giant native), Joi Lansing and Jil Jarman. Ricky says he will appear in the ‘modern’ scenes playing with his band in the hotel nightclub. In real life, Desi Arnaz got his start in showbusiness in a Florida nightclub.

CLUNY BROWN ~ “The Fox Hunt” (1956)

A few seconds of establishing stock footage of Berkshire Manor was taken from the 1938 Ernst Lubitch film Cluny Brown, which was filmed by 20th Century Fox in a Hollywood studio, but takes place in England. In the film, the home is named Friars Carmel Manor, but with the exception of the lettering bearing the name, the footage is identical.

STAGE DOOR ~ “Lucy’s Italian Movie” (1956)

LUCY: “The calla lilies are in bloom again.”

This is a quote from Stage Door (1937), which Lucille Ball always called her ‘big break’. It was Katherine Hepburn’s first line in the play within the film, and was repeated throughout the movie. Ball always admired Hepburn, and it is possible the writers included the line as an homage to her.

BUS STOP ~ “Lucy and Superman” (1957)

The Appleby’s come over for a social evening. As the scene opens, Caroline is in mid-sentence talking about a film.

CAROLINE: “And he picked up Marilyn Monroe, slung her over his shoulder and carried her off!”

Although the title is never mentioned, the film they are discussing is Bus Stop, starring Marilyn Monroe and Don Murray. It was released in August 1956, two and a half months before this episode was filmed. Frequent “Lucy” character actor Hans Conried has a featured role in the film.

HOW TO MARRY A MILLIONAIRE ~ “Changing the Boys Wardrobe” (1953)

The gang is heading to the movies to see “That picture we’ve been trying to get to for weeks with Marilyn Monroe.” The movie is either Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, which premiered in New York City in July 1953, or How To Marry A Millionaire, which premiered (just in Los Angeles) one day after this episode was filmed.

ETHEL: “Wasn’t that a wonderful dress she had on in the big number?”

Both films were musicals, so this doesn’t narrow it down very much. In either case, it is likely that the title goes unmentioned because Lucy and Desi had just filmed The Long, Long Trailer for MGM Studios and How To Marry a Millionaire and Gentlemen Prefer Blondes were 20th Century Fox pictures.

~FILM INSPIRATIONS~

MURDER AT THE VANITIES ~ “Lucy Gets Into Pictures” (1955)

Lucy finally gets a part as a murdered showgirl in an (un-named) Hollywood movie directed by Ricky’s friend Frank Williams (Lou Krugman). The film may have been inspired by 1934′s Murder at the Vanities, in which Lucille Ball had an uncredited role as a showgirl.

THE MAJOR AND THE MINOR ~ “The Kleptomaniac” (1952)

Under hypnosis (and with a knowing wink to Ethel), Lucy reverts to childhood, with a story and a voice doubtlessly influenced by Ginger Rogers in the 1942 film The Major and the Minor.

LUCY: “It all started when I was a little girl. I was riding on the streetcar one day and I looked up and I saw a box and it said, 'take one.’ So I took one. From then on, I took anything that came into my pretty head even though it didn’t say 'take one.' I took a bright new penny. I took a bicycle. I took a little boy. But my mother made me give him back.

DUCK SOUP ~ “Lucy and Harpo Marx” (1955)

The mirror routine between Lucy and Harpo was first performed by Groucho in Duck Soup (1933). Lucille Ball and Harpo had appeared together in Room Service in 1938 for RKO Studios.

DANCE, GIRL, DANCE ~ “Bullfight Dance” (1955)

The final look for Lucy’s bull costume was no doubt inspired by Ferdinand the Bull, the story of the bull who’d rather pick flowers, than face the picador. The character was integral to the story of Lucille Ball’s 1940 film Dance, Girl, Dance.

GENTLEMEN PREFER BLONDES ~ “Second Honeymoon” (1956)

The plot of this episode very closely follows the adventures of Lorelei Lee (Marilyn Monroe) in the 1953 film Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. In common with this episode and the film is extra Monty O'Grady, who played a passenger on both vessels! Also look for “I Love Lucy” actors Norma Varden (Mrs. Benson in “The Ricardos Change Apartments”), Elliott Reid (Edward Warren from “Face To Face”), and Bennett Green (Desi’s stand-in and veteran background player).

Lorelei’s dinner companion turns out to be a seven year-old boy, just like Lucy’s ping pong partner turns out to be young Kenneth Hamilton played by nine year-old Harvey Grant.

Lucy gets stuck in a porthole just as Lorelei did, also draping a blanket around her shoulders so passersby wouldn’t know what was really going on.

~FILM FUNNIES~

“Ricky Needs an Agent” (1955)

Trying to suggest possible film projects for Ricky, Lucy insert him into the titles of some of Hollywood’s best-known movies:

“Ricky, Son of Flicka” / Thunderhead, Son of Flicka (1945)

“A Streetcar Named Ricardo” / A Streetcar Named Desire (1951)

“Gone With the Cuban Wind” / Gone With the Wind (1939)

“Three Cubans in a Fountain” / Three Coins in the Fountain (1945)

“It Happened One Noche” / It Happened One Night (1934)

“Seven Brides for Seven Cubans” / Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (1954)

“Meet Me in St. Ricky” / Meet Me in St. Louis (1944)

“The Ricardos of Wimpole Street” / The Barretts of Wimpole Street (1957)

“Andy Hardy Meets the Conga Player” / Andy Hardy Meets Debutante (1940)

“Arsenic and Old Ricky” / Arsenic and Old Lace (1944)

#I Love Lucy #Lucille Ball #desi arnaz #William Frawley #Vivian Vance #Movies #Films #Richard Widmark #William Holden #Van Johnson #Rock Hudson #John Wayne #Tallulah Bankhead #Bob Hope #Cornel Wilde #TV

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qnewslgbtiqa · 1 month

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Bushrangers Moonlite and Nesbitt for heritage register

New Post has been published on https://qnews.com.au/bushrangers-moonlite-and-nesbitt-for-heritage-register/

Bushrangers Moonlite and Nesbitt for heritage register

The Heritage Council of NSW is considering listing the graves of bushrangers Captain Moonlite and James Nesbitt on the state heritage register.

James Nesbitt died in a shoot-out with police at Wantabadgery in 1879. When he saw James shot, Moonlite raced immediately to his dying friend, apparently oblivious to the danger to himself. According to the Sydney Morning Herald, “Moonlite wept over him like a child, laid his head upon the dying man’s breast, and kissed him passionately.”

Better known to the court as Andrew George Scott, Captain Moonlite would hang for his role as leader of the gang two months later.

The Moonlite gang had made its mark on colonial history.

…but about a century later, historian Garry Wotherspoon’s discovery of Moonlite’s death-cell letters made the story a whole lot more interesting.

It was always known that Moonlite and Nesbitt were close. They met in Melbourne’s Pentridge Prison and hooked up again on the outside. They formed a small gang of young outlaws and went on a crime spree across Victoria and NSW.

But the shoot-out at Wantabadgery spelled the end of the gang.

A lock of his young lover’s hair

Imprisoned in Darlinghurst Gaol, Moonlite wrote the letters declaring his love for James Nesbitt. He fashioned a ring from a lock of his young lover’s hair. He would wear it to the gallows. Moonlite also asked that the authorities bury him in the same grave as James Nesbitt.

“My dying wish is to be buried beside my beloved James Nesbitt, the man with whom I was united by every tie which could bind human friendship, we were one in hopes, in heart and soul and this unity lasted until he died in my arms.”

The colonial authorities ignored his request. Dead bushrangers did not rank high on the list of people they were inclined to grant favours.

However, in 1995, Andrew George Scott’s remains were relocated to a cemetery at Gundagai. He was reburied near the presumed location of the unmarked grave of James Nesbitt.

Aussie Bushrangers:

A Captain Moonlite Pictorial: the gay bushranger.

Groping a bushranger: Jimmy Kenniff and the sword-swallower.

Happy Birthday, Ned Kelly, though we never knew you at all.

Queer True Crime: Cannibal Convicts of Van Diemen’s Land.

For the latest LGBTIQA+ Sister Girl and Brother Boy news, entertainment, community stories in Australia, visit qnews.com.au. Check out our latest magazines or find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

#gay history

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mediaevalmusereads · 4 months

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True History of the Kelly Gang: A Novel. By Peter Carey. Vintage Internarional, 2000.

Rating: 3/5 stars

Genre: historical fiction

Series: N/A

Summary: In True History of the Kelly Gang, the legendary Ned Kelly speaks for himself, scribbling his narrative on errant scraps of paper in semiliterate but magically descriptive prose as he flees from the police. To his pursuers, Kelly is nothing but a monstrous criminal, a thief and a murderer. To his own people, the lowly class of ordinary Australians, the bushranger is a hero, defying the authority of the English to direct their lives. Indentured by his bootlegger mother to a famous horse thief (who was also her lover), Ned saw his first prison cell at 15 and by the age of 26 had become the most wanted man in the wild colony of Victoria, taking over whole towns and defying the law until he was finally captured and hanged. Here is a classic outlaw tale, made alive by the skill of a great novelist.

***Full review below.***

CONTENT WARNINGS: racism (including the n-word), homophobia/transphobia, child abuse, child death, blood, gore

OVERVIEW: I saw this book on a list of best historical fiction and tbought it would be a nice deviation from my usual reads. I know very little about the history of Australia, so I figured this would probably prompt me to go learn more. I did learn a fair amount, but even so, I can't say I was overly impressed by this novel. Though I respect what it was trying to do and the way in which it was written, I ultimately felt like the narrative progressed unevenly, so for that reason, this book gets 3 stars from me.

WRITING: Carey's prose is interesting but admittedly a little hard to read. It is meant to mimic the dialect and education level of a poor criminal, so there are a lot of run-on sentences and abbreviations, as well as a lack of punctuation (mostly commas and quotation marks). While I appreciate the intention, I do think the style made it harder for me to sink into the story, and at times, I was unsure of exactly what was going on.

There were also little things that bothered me but were probably stylistic choices rather than missteps. For one, Carey repeats the word "adjectival" a lot - no doubt as a stand in for a curse word. Still, the repetition was distracting. Carey also chooses to include the n-word without censorship, and while I know it's an imitation of 19th century racism and writing style, I couldn't help but be deeply uncomfortable.

PLOT: The plot of this book basically recounts the life of Ned Kelly from birth to age 25 (when he is executed). Ned Kelly is historically a famous bushranger who lived in 19th century Australia and is akin to a Robin Hood figure, and Carey's story seeks to recount his life and crimes from the perspective of Kelly writing to his daughter.

I really enjoyed the subject of this book and the way Carey showcased the desperation and poverty of 19th century Australian life. Characters would struggle over and over again to try to get to a place of stability, but because of the corrupt politics and so-called "Squattocracy," it was near impossible for people to make an honest living. I think Carey did a good job capturing that desperation and the unrelenting hardship, and by the end, I was fully sympathetic to Kelly's causes.

I also think Carey did a good job contructing a strong relationship between Kelly and his mother. Kelly is incredibly protective of his mother and the two remain devoted to one another, even when things get rocky. I liked that Kelly struggled with the fact that his mother kept allowing horrible men into her life but forbid her son from interfering. It made the relationship more interesting and the question of survival more complex, and it seemed to me that Kelly's love for his mother was the only unshakeable thing about this book.

I also saw a lot of value in avoiding a lot of courtroom or violent scenes. Carey is not interested in writing out a dramatic trial or detailing the day to day experience of a 3 years hard labor sentence; though Kelly is jailed a few times, he never describes what the experience of a trial or a long stint in prison is like. There is always a time skip so the focus remains on his life as a farmer or as a bushranger. Part of me thinks this is an interesting way for Carey to make Kelly feel more real (less mythical), and I'm glad we don't dwell on things thay have a tendency to be dramatized for shock value. But another part of me has to admit that it made for some really tedious scenes, and some parts of the book felt a little slow.

But my main critique has to do with the racism, sexism, and anti-cross-dressing attitudes (which elicit some homophobia). Though I understand that 19th century attitudes towards non-white people, queer people, and women in general weren't the best, most of the -isms in this book felt random or inserted for some gritty sense of historical accuracy. Intellectually, I understand that these moments serve a purpose, but they did dampen my enjoyment of this book. They didn't feel like they were inserted as a strong critique of white settler colonialism, and besides, I can't quite figure out what Carey is trying to do with masculinity in this novel. Maybe I have to think about it a little more, but for the time being, let's just say that it all feels icky.

CHARACTERS: There are a lot of characters in this book so I'll only discuss our narrator (Ned Kelly).

Carey's Ned Kelly is made out to be a sympathetic do-gooder whose only goal is to live in peace and make enough money on his farm to live a quiet life. Despite all his criminal activity, Kelly has a fairly strong sense of honor and seems to be one of the only men who has a problem with women being treated poorly (particularly his mother). As a result, he did feel like he was an honest man who just got dragged into conflict against his will.

I'm not entirely sure if we're meant to read Kelly as 100% sympathetic or if the idealistic portrait is supposed to prompt us to view him as an unreliable narrator. Maybe this ambiguity is good because it makes us think a little more about the narrative, but if I'm honest, I wasn't very interested in figuring out if Kelly was lying. Personally, the idealism made Kelly feel a little dull, and I wanted him to either have a little more grey morality or for the unreliableness to be pushed a bit more.

TL;DR: True History of the Kelly Gang is admirable for the way it seeks to capture the voice of an iconic historical figure while also demystifying his struggle with law enforcement. However, the racism, sexism, and homophobia combined with some tedious pacing prevented this book from being wholly enjoyable.

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