#thinner (1996)

[fanofspooky]

What’s your favorite Stephen King adaptation?

[supercriminalbean]

Hey look I made gifs. No they aren't great but my first time so yay.

[sarcastic-clapping]

just saw one of those awful brain dead “standing next to art i could have made” tiktoks. about the portrait of ross. i’m going to end up on the fucking news.

[fandomsideworks]

favorite stephen king adaptations/works

x kingdom hospital (2004)

x the boogeyman (2023) ---> the night shift (1978)

x storm of the century (1999)

x the green mile (1999) ---> the green mile (1996)

x the cat’s eye (1985) ---> night shift (1978)

x rose red (2002)

x it (2017) ---> it (1986)

x the shining (1997) ---> the shining (1977)

x thinner (1996) ---> thinner (1984)

x misery (1990) ---> misery (1987)

[thezombiegeekinthehawaiianshirt]

[livingforstars]

Searchlight Beams from the Egg Nebula - January 29th, 1996.

"The dramatic and mysterious looking object revealed in this Hubble Space Telescope image is known as the Egg Nebula. It is an aging star about 3,000 lightyears distant, entering its planetary nebula phase of evolution. Surrounded by an expanding cloud of gas and dust, a dense cocoon of dust (seen as the dark band running diagonally across the center) encloses the star itself and blocks it from direct view. The searchlight appearance is created as light from the star shines more easily through the thinner parts of the cocoon. Dust particles in the expanding cloud scatter and reflect the starlight, making the beams visible. The sharpness of the HST image reveals a wealth of detail, which will help to understand this complex and spectacular part of the stellar lifecycle."

[homestuckreplay]

Webcomics at Day 100 #1: Kevin & Kell

Pages read: 9/3/1995 – 9/3/1996 & 4/13/2009 – 8/18/2009; about 380 pages

Reason for selection: Best I can tell this is the oldest webcomic that’s still running as well as among the first ones made. It updated every weekday from 1995-2000 and every day since then without breaks, totaling around 4500 strips as of 2009 and 10,000 strips as of 2024. This webcomic is older than I am and has been around for over 90% of the internet’s public history. While not originally intended as a ‘furry comic’ it quickly gained popularity among furries, who are an important internet subculture. K&K meetups happened at furry conventions in the 2000s.

Current status: This comic is an eternal truth of the internet

Content warnings: predator/prey dynamics

Overall thoughts: I think this strip is charming. It’s functionally identical to a newspaper strip, and there’s nothing about its presentation that couldn’t be done in print – which makes sense as its creator was already a newspaper cartoonist before starting this. Being published on the internet allows readers easy and instant access to the archives without having to buy the newspaper each day, although the sections I’ve read don’t take advantage of this by having long running storylines that require reading the archive. There is overall continuity, but jumping from 1996 to 2009 wasn’t super confusing. At the time of writing this the website is quick to load, well organized and really easy to navigate, so it’s no work at all to just start reading and get lost in the comic.

Content wise, the strip features anthropomorphic animals living in modern society (humans appear to be mythical creatures?) and includes a lot of jokes about animal traits manifesting in school, work and day to day life. Some specific jokes such as the hedgehog character getting stuck to things with her many spines are used often. Quite a few jokes rely on the fact that a significant portion of society are killing and eating the other portions on a daily basis, which is written in a lighthearted way but won’t be to everyone’s taste. I’d also describe the comic as ‘boomer humor’ in some places. Bill Holbrook began writing the strip in his late 30s so is older than the average early webcomics artist, and writes about family and technology from that perspective. The content also focuses on both nontraditional relationships and traditional family dynamics, and the ways these rub up against one another, while avoiding any genuinely controversial topics.

I love how Holbrook draws rabbits – Kevin and baby Coney’s designs are adorable to me and are the visual highlights of most strips. The character R.L., wolf and CEO of Herd Thinners Inc., is never shown in full – only his drooling mouth, fangs, and hands clasped on his desk are shown, which kicks ass as a villain design. Holbrook is also really good at conveying a character’s overall mood or vibe just through their body language in a still image, which is impressive considering how many different species he’s working with. The comic began in black and white and switched to color in 2000, and while I don’t think the color significantly improves the strip, it does make it easier to distinguish between characters of similar species as the cast has grown.

Connections to Homestuck: K&K doesn’t use the affordances of the internet (such as including gifs/sound in the comic) but it is definitely about the internet. It’s established imemdiately that titular couple Kevin & Kell first met and fell in love online, and that Kevin’s job is the system operator for the ‘herbivore forum.’ Kevin attends an online high school reunion, daughter Lindesfarne (INCREDIBLE character name) attends a virtual prom, and son Rudy stays in touch with his long distance girlfriend via email. Jokes about online life being inferior to digital are rare, and spending a lot of time online is normalized within the world of the comic, a decade or two before it became normalized in the real world.

K&K also plays with the boundary between digital and real space, and commonly depicts a character typing something into the computer to cause a physical effect in the world far away. Computers physically react to the digital content they are used for, such as Kevin’s computer starting to grow leaves and plants when he spends too much time on the herbivore forum, and digital phenomena are represented physically such as this depiction of a firewall:

I don’t think Rudy and Dave are the exact same archetype but Rudy does wear sunglasses 24/7 and is a different flavor of above it all coolguy whose feelings aren’t as secret as he thinks.

Continue reading? Probably! Despite being loosely drawn archetypes I did start caring about the characters quickly, enjoyed reading enough to go well past day 100, and have marked my place to come back to. It’s sweet and low effort entertainment that I can easily see myself digging into when I’m tired or sick.

I have sponsored today’s update which only costs $5 and is a small contribution to webcomics history.

[boag]

My mom has been referencing the movie Thinner (1996) my entire life bc she saw it on tv once when she was like 17 and I’ve never seen it . So for her birthday rn we smoked a blunt and we’re drinking tequila Red Bulls and watching Thinner (1996)

[brokehorrorfan]

Scream Factory has revealed the specs for its Thinner Blu-ray, which releases on January 23. Based on Stephen King’s 1984 novel, the 1996 horror film is directed by Tom Holland (Child’s Play, Fright Night).

Holland co-wrote with Michael McDowell (Beeteljuice, The Nightmare Before Christmas). Robert John Burke and Joe Mantegna star with Lucinda Jenney, Michael Constantine, Kari Wuhrer, and Bethany Joy Lenz.

Special features are listed below.

Audio commentary by producer Mitchell Galin and actor Joe Mantegna (new)

Audio commentary by film historians Lee Gambin and Aaron Dries (new)

Audio commentary by director Tom Holland and actor Joe Mantegna

Interview with director/co-writer Tom Holland (new)

Interview with actor Lucinda Jenney (new)

Interview with special make-up effects artist Vincent Guastini (new)

The Magic of Special Effects Make-Up featurette

Theatrical trailer

TV spot

Still gallery

Based on the riveting best seller, Stephen King’s Thinner stars Robert John Burke and Joe Mantegna in a story of supernatural terror as one man faces a countdown to the ultimate excruciating payback. A 109-year-old Romani man (Michael Constantine), hell-bent on revenge for the death of his daughter, exacts a shocking curse that compels its victim to gorge himself in an effort to avoid shrinking away to nothingness. With time running out from this bizarre and relentless torture, the accursed man must find a way to reverse his predicament, though death is quickly becoming his only option.

Pre-order Thinner.

[alanshee-keeper-of-realms]

Incidents on the Chronological Tree of Warner and Disney for my Off the Animation Table AU

1934-The Warner Siblings then known as James, Theodore (Teddy) and Angelina are imprisoned in the Tower upon causing a fire at the Warner Lots that took out 15 acres, 2 million (34 Million) in property damage.

1946- Max Goof is Born to Marcy and Goofy Goof.

1948- Bugs in a similar way to Tex Avery loses his sight in his left eye after something is thrown with toon logic and permanently damages it has to relearn a majority of his Tricks majority.

1959- Bugs and Daffy get married in a non legal ceremony

1966-Walt Disney Dies

1973- Donald, Panchito and Jose are caught off guard when they find 2 eggs viable Camilo and Maria hatch a month later.

1980-Tex Avery Dies

1983 Marcy Goof wife of Goofy is killed when a barrel of Thinner falls on her as a result of Goofy tripping over it, Disney quickly hushes the incident up.

1992- The Warner Tower Collapses leading to the rediscovery of the Warner Siblings. This is also when they were adopted by Bugs and Daffy while they recovered from the injuries received, Wakko is diagnosed Diabetic at this time. Dot is left with a permanent disability of her left leg due to damage to her spinal cord, Yakko is left with lung damage as a result.

1996: The Warner Siblings Parents are identified as Oswald the Lucky Rabbit and Ortensia the Cat after Ortensia identifies them and shows evidence in the form of photos and memories.

2003: After numerous years of keeping an eye out and testing, Wakko is the first toon diagnosed with a previously thought to be Human only genetic disorder Prader Wili Syndrome.

2011- Mickey and Oswald get into a fight outside the Disney Studios fracturing their relationship

2016- Bugs involved in hit and run incident

2023-Kidnapping of several Disney Kids occurs, Marian Mouse, Mickey and Minnies Eldest Daughter is Born, Max and Yakkos Eldest daughters Lillian and Blair Warner-Goof are Born a month after Marian.

2027- Mickey involved in Car Accident, Walter Mouse is born a month after.

2039- a Holiday firework misfires while being loaded at Disneyland the noise mistaken for gunfire fire spooks the crowds leading to a Crowd Collapse in Disneylands Mainstreet USA. Minnie Donald Panchito Jose, Max and Yakko, along with several of the kids are involved. Marian the eldest Daughter of Mickey and Minnie looses her right leg Yakko is paralyzed from the chest down,

2043- Henri Warner-Goof only Son of Yakko and Max, overdoses leaving him with permanent epileptic seizures.

[fanofspooky]

Horror movies of 1996

[supercriminalbean]

Half this movie is just unsub Dave and God I'm a whore I can't breath. Please he so caring and violent and swearing and oh I need him

[a-strange-inkling]

Hellcheer Ten Years Later/Recovery AU…

(So this tragic idea is eating away at my brain and distracting me. Thought I’d jot it down here for maybe a future story or inspiration).

tw: mentions of drugs, alcohol, addiction, od, eds and attempted s*icide.

.

.

.

There was never any Vecna or Upside Down, never a drug deal at an abandoned picnic table in the forest behind the school, and Eddie and Chrissy never met again after that fateful Middle School Talent Show. After graduation, Eddie did just what he said and ran like hell out of Hawkins and never looked back.

It’s 1996 and Eddie made a decent career for himself, touring and opening for big names, but always felt this unhappiness inside of him, this void that no amount of sex, drugs and rock and roll could ever fill. In his late twenties the drugs and alcohol spiral out of control to the point he wakes up in the hospital after an accidental OD.

Wayne takes him home and begs him to get help, try to recover, that he doesn't have the strength to bury any more family members. For his uncle's sake, to repay him for taking him in as a kid, Eddie eventually gives in and admits himself into a private recovery center somewhere in the hills of Illinois.

It’s rural and quiet, filled with rich and semi famous addicts. Eddie hates it upon entry… and well the withdrawal, being told what to do on a daily basis, and the group therapy doesn’t warm him up to it.

One morning, feeling weary and miserable, he takes a long walk outside on one of the trails. He stops in his tracks, pretty sure he’s hallucinating when he sees Chrissy Cunningham, the former Queen of Hawkins High and his crush of eight years, reclined on a bench, reading under one of trees... And she’s reading The fucking Hobbit of all things.

Stupefied, he slowly approaches and it’s actually her, thinner than he remembers if that’s possible, those sparkling blue eyes now dull, gray... sad. "Chrissy?" he asks in disbelief, startling her terribly.

“Sorry, sorry... I didn’t mean to scare you.”

She stares up at him with haunted eyes, trembling a little. It unsettles him for a moment, and he thinks he should just walk away, leave her alone... but he stays, tries again. Desperate. “Uh hey, hi…" Very smooth. "You probably don’t remember me; but we went to high school together—"

“Eddie Munson.” she replies softly in astonishment, eyes widening.

And for the first time in he doesn’t know how long, he feels life and warmth inside him again as they talk and reconnect on the bench, beneath the leaves. She’s still so beautiful. Sweet and kind. He makes her laugh and the sound causes his heart to skip a beat in his chest, only for it to sink a moment later when he notices the wedding ring on her finger, but he doesn’t let it show.

She’s Chrissy Carver now. She married Jason right after graduation and studied at IU with him for four years before moving back to Hawkins to be near her parents and start a family. She grows quiet and reserved, her smile disappearing when she mentions her husband. He watches as she recoils back into herself. She tells him that she's been struggling with an ED half her life as well as addiction and depression.

Jason admitted her into rehab after her last failed s*icide attempt earlier that spring. She’s been there for almost four months now.

Eddie listens silently as she slowly opens up to him. It’s awful to think that someone like her ended up in a place like this. Her life seemed so perfect back in school.

He asks if she’s found any healing during her stay.

She shrugs her shoulders saying that she’s away from her mother, so that is healing in and of itself.

They walk and talk together every day after that, sharing their scars and the dark ugly parts of their lives that led them there, finding companionship in one another.

He plays his music for her in exchange for her poems and thoughts. Falling in love in the most unlikely way in the most unlikely of places.

[fandomsideworks]

favorite horror movies– thinner (1996)

after an obese attorney hits an old woman with his car, he finds himself cursed by her father to grow 'thinner'.

[vintagegeekculture]

Kari Wuhrer in “Thinner” (1996)

[runwayrunway]

i really love your review of condor's stripey look. it could have been good, if only it wasn't bad

Yes precisely. It genuinely comes so close to being so-bad-it's-good but it just isn't quite ostentatious enough to stick the landing, in my opinion. I still respect that they tried something, but...

I will say, having looked at a lot more pictures of the condor planes it also depends pretty dramatically on the plane. Like, just the jarringness of the design as well as the aesthetics. The brighter it is the more offputting it looks and it looks a lot better on longer planes that make the stripes look thinner.

But, like, it's just...they really needed to let this idea bake for a bit longer. It feels like they had this great concept and ran with the first implementation of it they could think up, and I just think I would have brainstormed it a bit longer! Designing liveries isn't my job but I just cannot get over how haphazard a lot of these feel!

It's worth noting that in a broader way a lot of liveries are designed solely in-house rather than by professional design firms. Like obviously there are exceptions, most notably Landor liveries, which I think are pretty widely beloved. There are a few stinkers in my opinion, like the 1989 and 2002 JAL liveries, which I have covered, and the 2001 British Midland livery, which I haven't, but a lot of the Landor designs out there are like...the few really good takes on Eurowhite. A couple of other Landor liveries I've covered are the 1996 VARIG livery, which I think is alright, and the SAS belly stripes livery, which I like a lot. I have a bunch of them in the queue, but anyway, the point I want to make here is: Lufthansa's design, save for the font, was apparently done in-house. Southwest used like five different design studios and extensive focus-group testing and I think the difference is really apparent. Like, you can definitely stumble on something good without hiring a professional - I seriously doubt Flair shelled out for outside help - but I feel like we can take a lesson away from this: outside designers can make bad or even terrible liveries, and in-house designs can be pretty good, but you really do probably want to slow down and have an actual design process where you get at least a bit of a second opinion.

Sorry for taking this simple ask and turning it into an essay, but I've really been thinking about this a lot - both the condor thing and the Southwest spending a fortune on making sure their new livery was good - and the sort of general phenomenon of not even trying that made me so mad I started this blog.