whereforewoof

[whereforewoof]

Are we interested in critical writing on New Vegas in 2025 or has the moment passed?

[whereforewoof]

"The Midwestern Tragicomedy" on Substack

At my great aunt’s funeral, my uncle spiked a football on the altar while giving her eulogy, nearly knocking over her handmade mahogany coffin while shouting, “Touchdown Nancy Deibley!”

Read the full piece here!

[whereforewoof]

Do you like the 1996 movie version of Romeo & Juliet?

I LOVE this topic, so thanks for asking!

I do like it, and I think a lot of the things people don't like about it (mostly the modern setting) are because of other adaptations or productions that try to recreate its style. Luhrmann has said he was aiming to create a movie he felt Shakespeare would make if he was a modern director, and described it as a "movie movie", and "Shakespeare would make a surreal, loud blockbuster if he made movies in the 20th century" is a very valid take based on an understanding of the historical audience for Shakespeare's plays. It's not perfect, and I see why parts make some people cringe (the guns that are labeled "Sword"?) but overall, Romeo and Juliet is a fast-paced surreal nightmare, and I think Luhrmann's bombastic style captures that perfectly. There's some truly brilliant moments - I make everyone who wants to talk about Shakespeare films watch the opening with the news broadcast - and I maintain that this is the version to show high school students, especially ones that haven't been exposed to Shakespeare, because it's a fun watch. Harold Perrineau gives a definitive performance as Mercutio and the soundtrack is bangers all the way down.

I think the mixed reception to the film comes from a few places. You have young DiCaprio at his absolutely most young DiCaprio, which can be difficult to get on board with, especially if you're not predisposed to the charms of Pussy Posse DiCaprio. Baz Luhrmann's directing style is a lot, but I personally am not a huge Luhrmann fan and think this is the film where he best applies his artistic flair. The usage of this film in high school English classes has definitely aged the piece poorly - you'll definitely find people who think this is the most "cool teacher trying to prove to you that Shakespeare is lit actually" movie ever made, and to an extent it deserves that reputation, but it also absolutely nails the pacing, urgency, and tragic optimism of the original text. I don't think Luhrmann's intent was to make a film that was useful for English classes, and I think it gets that reputation because it's a pretty successful modern translation of the text and therefore a useful educational tool.

Part of why I'm so fascinated by Will is because it clearly drawing inspiration from Luhrmann's stylistic choices and treatment of the text, but fundamentally misses that Romeo + Juliet is not actively trying to teach you that Shakespeare is cool. Part of why it works is that it commits entirely to its premise and doesn't bother to ease you in to the language or aesthetics. It throws them in your face and dares you to keep up. Will wants it both ways - it wants to have fun, punk aesthetics, but it's too afraid to commit to the anachronistic world they've created to make Shakespeare relatable to modern audiences, and instead takes the, "sonnets are like rap, actually" approach.

[whereforewoof]

"Will" Scholarship Retrospective on Substack

I’ve always had an interest in cultural criticism and academia. That combined with my fascination with “Will” and my uncertain career path lead me to one conclusion: I had to become the world’s foremost “Will” scholar.

Read here!

[whereforewoof]

Chapters: 1/? Fandom: Fallout: New Vegas, Fallout (Video Games) Rating: Mature Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence Relationships: Male Courier/Original Female Character(s), Male Courier/Original Male Character(s) Characters: Original Fallout Characters Additional Tags: Canon-Typical Violence, Mormonism, New Vegas, New Canaan (Fallout: New Vegas), Fallout: New Vegas Spoilers, Ghouls, Childhood Trauma, Abusive Parents, Kidnapping, Sex, Caesar's Legion (Fallout: New Vegas), NCR | New California Republic, The Strip (Fallout: New Vegas) Summary:

A former con artist turned Mojave Express courier takes a routine job, with the hopes of getting a paid trip to New Vegas out of it.

It doesn't go as planned.

An alternate take on the events of New Vegas featuring new (original) characters, and a wildly different storyline. Occasionally intersects with the events of the game, but this is largely an original story that springboards off the opening and goes in its own direction.