I ask for so little, just let me rule you...love me, fear me, do as I say and I will be your slave
Happymaking List of Win.
#1. OMG OMG OMG. I renewed my account for another year and just found out I got five userpic spaces! I totally forgot about the bonus userpics, this is so awesome! Just in time for me to express my love for my new fandom, too! *giddybounces*
#2. Ha, I think I've come across a term that near-accurately describes my taste in ships: Foe Yay. *gigglesnort*
Foe Yay implies that there are certain sexual emotions that have been sublimated by the characters, in this case, two nemeses. The idea being that because of their defined roles, the two characters must fight, but would subconsciously rather be doing something else that starts with an "F".
Okay, so that's more applicable to anime and comic books where the hero/villain battle it out for ten million seasons, but it does address my OTPs' initial interactions very well- I do adore shipping two people that seem to absolutely loathe each other at first. :D Every single ship of mine has started off snapping and snarling at each other before ultimately deciding they do kinda have a thing for one another.
Mulder/Scully- 'I was under the impression that you were sent to spy on me'
Sam/Jack- 'Just because my reproductive organs are on the inside instead of the outside doesn't mean I can't handle whatever you can handle' *g* Oh, that line has haunted Amanda ever since!
Hermione/Snape- 'Put your hand down, you silly girl'. From the taunts in the classroom- 'insufferable know-it-all'- and her wilful defiance of his rules, not to mention participating in schemes that were directly or indirectly against him, these two clashed for a number of years! I do adore the idea of them trying to forge a relationship beyond mere teacher/student dynamics, it's so complicated and messy and yet so thrilling and entertaining!
Janeway/Chakotay- um, the fact that she was sent to arrest him? I always thought they glossed over that too quickly, everyone played Happy Families after like, two episodes. Where is my delicious tension? Where is the badass Maquis renegade? *sighs*
Jarod/Miss Parker- holy crap, the epic angst and love-hate of these two! Mother never understood it and I did a terrible job explaining, 'Well, she's sent to capture him...no, she's not a bad person, really- okay, well, she is trying to return him to the people that treat him as a lab experiment...but she does care about him, even if it's buried deep, deep inside her frozen heart...it goes back to their childhood, you see, they were friends but then she got brainwashed and he's trying to free her from the shackles of the Centre, mainly by foiling her cunning plans and playing practical jokes on her...um?'
Roslin/Adama- bwahaha! The fact that they competed for the loyalties of his son and pseudo-daughter as well as fighting for control of the Fleet, ending in a gods-damned MUTINY during which he IMPRISONS HER...well...
---
#3. Saw Up in the Air the other day.
It was supposed to be just the adult women, but I guess mother took pity on me and let me tag along with her, Ma and my aunt. Aren't I special? *preens*
Okay, well, the first thing I have to get out of the way is that I am so disappointed. I loved this movie all the way til the end- when we find out that Alex is married with kids. *headdeskwallfloor*
I turned to mother and muttered, 'Of course, it wouldn't be nominated for an award if it had a happy ending.'
The next second, Ma turns to me to say, 'It wouldn't have been nominated if they lived happily ever after.'
Lol! The two Annie's are in sync. We spend wayyy too much time together...*eyeroll*
I just think the art of the happy ending has been lost. People think it's against their artistic integrity or something to let the characters be satisfied in a loving, rewarding relationship. It's always gotta be angst and heartbreak and frankly, I'm sick of it. I mean, this movie Precious? Up for a ton of awards and it's about a girl that's abused by her mom and raped by her father and has to deal with a baby-by-incest. How cheerful, just exactly the kind of thing I'd love to fangirl and get all squeeful about, oh yes. *eyeroll*
I think it'd be less predictable if Ryan and Alex had ended up together, I totally guessed that she was involved- though the kids were a slap in the face, after her conversation earlier about what she looks for in a man, acting like she wasn't with anyone. I think if it wasn't a big deal, why did she hide her family from him? She acted like it was his fault, he was too immature to be given a chance at a real relationship when maybe he wouldn't have been involved with her if she had told him upfront what the deal was. Maybe he'd've slept with her anyway, I'm not under any illusions about his character, but at least she wouldn't have led him on like she did- going to a wedding as his date?! What kind of impression did she get from that? Meeting his FAMILY, FFS. *rage blackout*
So yeah, that totally ruined the whole movie for me.
Adding another few lumps to the crapfest of that ending was Natalie quitting because her delicate sensibilities were too wounded by her job. O. M. G. The poor little female was just too fragile to handle the pressure of her job- so she comes up with this innovative, game-changing idea and now they're going ahead without her, because she couldn't cope. WTF. I hated that so much. You'd never find a guy who quit for those reasons, it's so bloody sexist.
I did like the letter that Ryan wrote as her recommendation, it was very sweet, and guys, I know it won't come as any surprise, but I totally wanted these two to hook up. For all Anna Kendrick's protestations that it was a relief not to have to deal with the stress of a romance with George Clooney, I think it would've been so cool. But anyway.
I really like Anna's role in New Moon- I think she was Jessica? She was so funny and vivacious and her sarcasm slayed me dead with laughter. I wouldn't mind her as the star of that franchise, she's so much more interesting than Bella and has far greater range than Kristen. *ducks and runs from the howling fangirls* I hope she succeeds in the industry, she has so much promise and I'd love to see her move on to even bigger and better things- though what could beat working with George Clooney, I don't know!
Gotta say, much as I like Anna, I really loathed the scene where she started wailing post-breakup. It was adorable seeing Ryan so flustered and unsure how to comfort her, but still, those shrill hysterical sobs made me want to shred her vocal chords out, pissed me off so much. >:[
But the interaction between her, Ryan and Alex was great. Before I realized she was evil, Alex was such a great character and she was so funny as the sympathetic maternal figure, playing mom to Ryan's dad as they deal with Natalie's shredded ego. Getting drunk and crashing parties...novel approach, but so much fun!
---
#4. Sense and Sensibility. Pretty decent movie, though I admit I'd never pay attention to it were it not for Alan Rickman as Colonel Brandon. I always thought his relationship with Marianne got shortchanged- one minute, she's mooning over the dastardly Willoughby, the next she's with Brandon. Imagine my delight at stumbling across Colonel Brandon’s Diary by Amanda Grange.
I have to say, my first reaction was ‘who is the dude on the cover and why is it not Alan Rickman?!’
Because I am utterly lacking in bias when it comes to my choice of cover model, lol.
I skipped the first half of the book, because I had no interest in Eliza and wanted only to learn more of the relationship between Brandon and Marianne, since it is pitifully lacking in the movie and, I believe, the book. [Because the author couldn't think of a way to make it believable, according to snide dissenters who were outraged she didn't get a fairytale romance with the asshat that took advantage of a young girl, oh yes, prime husband material]
I mean, honestly, we see one scene where they’re out in the garden together before they're married. *scoffs*
Though I do admit to feeling like my heart would burst of happiness listening to him read poetry to his beloved, and then her flattering dismay at the news of his departure. 'You will not be away long?' D'aww! From barely being able to tolerate his presence to wishing he would stay by her side and never leave!
I never believed she deserved him, after judging him on his age alone ['when is a man free from such wit if infirmity does not protect him?] and callously dismissing him all throughout the movie. Ma and I were casting rude aspersions upon her character and intelligence the whole time. Oh, how I cringed in sympathy every time she slighted him. *winces*
But then when we saw the wedding scene, I was all ‘Aww!’ and Ma was like, ‘That’s nice, he got the girl in the end’. Make no mistake, I don’t approve [I secretly believe he and Elinor make a better couple] but he wanted Marianne, she makes him happy and so I was glad for his sake.
On the whole, I prefer the movie, I think. Yes, the novel has some sweet exchanges between them- not least a discussion where they finally make their relationship official...
x:x:x:x:x
Friday 11 September
Elinor and Edward were married this morning.
As they set out on their wedding tour, Marianne said, ‘You are a good friend to all my family, Colonel. Without you, Elinor’s marriage could not have gone ahead, for she and Edward would have had nowhere to live.’
‘I hope that, one day, you will see me as something more than a friend,’ I said to her.
‘A second attachment for both of us,’ she said. ‘I do not know exactly what happened in your past, only that you had an unhappy love affair…do not speak of it if you do not wish…’
But I found myself telling her about it, ending with Eliza’s death.
‘She died in your arms,’ said Marianne. ‘To think, I judged Willoughby on his handsome face and engaging manners, believing him to be a romantic hero because he carried me home when I sprained my ankle. But beneath his smiles and teasing he was a wastrel. And yet I dismissed you entirely, though you were ready to elope with your love when your father forced her into a hateful marriage, and you sought her out and protected her when she needed you most, caring nothing for the fact that she had fallen into disgrace. You looked after her daughter, fighting a duel in order to protect her honour, and then brought her here, where she could be happy. You have loved and suffered, and yet it has not made you bitter, for you have the courage to love again. it is you who are the figure out of romance.’
‘Marianne,’ I said. ‘I have no right to hope. You have your life before you…’ I became suddenly tongue-tied. Now that the moment had come I was unaccustomedly nervous. ‘But if you ever- if I might- if you think- I am putting this badly- but if you should ever want my hand as well as my heart, it is yours.’
‘You have given me so much already that I should decline, but I cannot deprive myself of such a gift,’ she said, her face turning toward mine until our lips met.
At last we parted, and she blushed.
‘Am I to take it that you will?’ I said.
‘Yes, thank you, Colonel-’
I smiled to hear that word, for the last time, on her lips.
‘James,’ I said.
‘James,’ she said. ‘I accept.’
x:x:x:x:x
...but I think that the movie had greater highs and lows that aren't included in the book, which sort of plateaus, while the movie swings crazily from one extreme to the other.
For instance, I love the scene when he lifts her up in his arms and brings her in from the rain, and then angsts moodily ['What can I do? Anything, or I shall run mad'] while she languishes on her deathbed. *kicks her* [Although I am amused that no hero ever slings the woman over his shoulder, even though it is much more convenient and less of a strain on the back- because it's not romantic]
But the 'diary' makes the relationship more realistic- they have discussions on their mutual interests and his experiences while traveling, Marianne comes off a lot more compassionate and sympathetic rather than the shrill, self-absorbed brat she is in the movie, and I actually like her in print rather than the way she was portrayed by Kate Winslet. If they only had expanded on the romance a little more in S&S, it'd've been so much cooler. *sighs wistfully*
---
#5. How do you disable author alerts on ff.net? I think I should, before I get into more trouble. *facepalm*
Apart from the annoyance of getting messages for fics you're not interested in, there's the threat of being taken over by a new fandom if one isn't careful- and I am so weak that way. I kept getting random emails about some author posting Labyrinth fics- I deleted each one, but the name imprinted on my brain, and now and then I'd wonder what the big deal was about this Sarah and Jareth [it was his name that caught my eye, since it reminded me of Pretender's Jarod] and why the hell that author wasn't writing for the fandom I put them on alert for, right?
The other day, I wiki'd it, figured 'oh, teenage girl takes on Goblin King in epic fantasy quest to save her brother from his evil clutches'. Hmm, it has potential, why not? I was intrigued, since it's so rare for fantasy movies to be made these days starring girls, let alone letting them be the sole protagonist instead of sharing the limelight with an undeserving, less capable and immature guy. *coughHARRYPOTTERcough*
And now...I am hopelessly enchanted. I haven't seen the movie yet, but dear god, the fanfic is incredible. I am so in love!
I adore the fact that she gets to be the hero of this grand adventure. She faces danger and overcomes obstacles on her own, she befriends potential enemies and gets them to help her when they should be hindering her, she displays ingenuity and competence...it's really quite marvellous. Indeed, there's only one fact I absolutely can't stand...
...I totally want to beat the writers over the head for making Sarah a kid- fifteen years old, wtf? WHY THWART SHIPPERS THIS WAY?
I mean, it wasn't that they wanted her to be too young for any romantic spin on the movie, because by god, they encouraged it. The dialogue, the interaction between them, the way their scenes were staged...
You don't create a character that is dangerously seductive and whose job it is to DISTRACT SARAH THROUGH FLIRTATION if you want to avoid any sexual implications. That ballroom sequence [oh-so-pretty!] is about her struggle between her emerging desires, the temptation to accept what he's offering even if she's a little too innocent to fully understand what that is, and finding the strength of will to pull away and continue on the rescue of her brother.
He pleads with her to love him, FFS, to stay with him and he'd do anything for her- I'm pretty sure the writers weren't exactly OBLIVIOUS to the messages they were sending with that. *raises eyebrow*
But at least you understand why he might be intrigued by her. I usually roll my eyes at the whole immortal falls for ordinary human girl storyline, especially for the flimsiest, most ridiculous of reasons [FREESIA SCENTED BLOOD! *rofl*] but Sarah's character is rather impressive- she braves the perils of the Labyrinth and with every obstruction she comes up against, she emerges triumphant.
Well, except for that hideously poofy-sleeved dress. *facepalm* One problem she couldn't solve, lol.
Still, despite the handicap of that ballgown, I think Sarah carried herself off well and she's so compelling to watch that I kinda forget that fashion travesty. I'm itching to rip her sleeves off now, though.
I just really wish she'd been old enough for there to be a suitably romantic end to the movie, but at least it was left open-ended.
And fandom abhors a vacuum, meaning there is a plethora of fic dealing with the two of them meeting a few years later, when a relationship is more appropriate.
My faves so far:
Dryad13- Into the Rose Garden
Ergott- Dramatic Orchestrations
Knife Edge- What You Wish For
Scattered Logic- The Enticement
Also! Amusing but kinda-wrong icons...by iconzicons. Lol.
And I must quote this hilarious and much more eloquent review of the movie:
x:x:x:x:xI don't know what it was about this movie that attracted me as a young pre-teen...
..but I remember being so upset that Jareth and Sarah didn't end up together. It was so obvious to me that he was in love with her (three words for you people: the. ballroom. scene). Of course at the time I didn't know that there were laws against a fifteen year old being with a middle aged man. Today, we call that gross, but to my twelve year old sensibilities it was luv.
I always appreciated that even though Sarah was whiny and sometimes annoying, she didn't need to be rescued. She defeated the Goblin King, she got her brother back, and she even turned down an offer from Jareth to let him be her slave. I love my brother, but if David Bowie/The Goblin King/his crotch asked me to fear him, love him, do what he says, and he'll be my slave I'd be on that so fast.
x:x:x:x:x
I'm full-on obsessed with these two now. It might be wrong for so many reasons, but it's right for me and I adore it.
But yes, I fully realize that my ships have officially become creepy. woodchoc_magnum and I were talking a while back about 'appropriate age-differences'; she was for them, I was...how do I put it so that I don't sound like a perverted sicko? Um...more open-minded, shall we say?
And on the bright side, doesn't this make Hermione/Snape look more normal in comparison? :P No? I'm just twisted, end of story? Righty then...
---
30 Day Meme: snurched from labrt2004.
Day 03 → Your favourite television programme
I'm gonna go with Castle. I love having a show-approved ship, instead of fighting against TPTB, it's such a relief when they agree that my couple is meant to be. I would have said Mentalist just a few months ago, but I love that the whole team gets to shine here, with Beckett actually cracking cases along with Castle instead of standing back and admiring his genius the way Lisbon's forced to, plus as mother says, 'There's a lot more blatant UST'. *g* I love it when my mother talks like a fangirl!
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Vidspam:
This was the first Labyrinth vid I saw, and convinced me that I definitely needed to join in the fandom. It's so very well constructed, especially considering the limited amount of material to work with, and it's so full of emotion and thrills and excitement, I love it!
#1. OMG OMG OMG. I renewed my account for another year and just found out I got five userpic spaces! I totally forgot about the bonus userpics, this is so awesome! Just in time for me to express my love for my new fandom, too! *giddybounces*
#2. Ha, I think I've come across a term that near-accurately describes my taste in ships: Foe Yay. *gigglesnort*
Foe Yay implies that there are certain sexual emotions that have been sublimated by the characters, in this case, two nemeses. The idea being that because of their defined roles, the two characters must fight, but would subconsciously rather be doing something else that starts with an "F".
Okay, so that's more applicable to anime and comic books where the hero/villain battle it out for ten million seasons, but it does address my OTPs' initial interactions very well- I do adore shipping two people that seem to absolutely loathe each other at first. :D Every single ship of mine has started off snapping and snarling at each other before ultimately deciding they do kinda have a thing for one another.
Mulder/Scully- 'I was under the impression that you were sent to spy on me'
Sam/Jack- 'Just because my reproductive organs are on the inside instead of the outside doesn't mean I can't handle whatever you can handle' *g* Oh, that line has haunted Amanda ever since!
Hermione/Snape- 'Put your hand down, you silly girl'. From the taunts in the classroom- 'insufferable know-it-all'- and her wilful defiance of his rules, not to mention participating in schemes that were directly or indirectly against him, these two clashed for a number of years! I do adore the idea of them trying to forge a relationship beyond mere teacher/student dynamics, it's so complicated and messy and yet so thrilling and entertaining!
Janeway/Chakotay- um, the fact that she was sent to arrest him? I always thought they glossed over that too quickly, everyone played Happy Families after like, two episodes. Where is my delicious tension? Where is the badass Maquis renegade? *sighs*
Jarod/Miss Parker- holy crap, the epic angst and love-hate of these two! Mother never understood it and I did a terrible job explaining, 'Well, she's sent to capture him...no, she's not a bad person, really- okay, well, she is trying to return him to the people that treat him as a lab experiment...but she does care about him, even if it's buried deep, deep inside her frozen heart...it goes back to their childhood, you see, they were friends but then she got brainwashed and he's trying to free her from the shackles of the Centre, mainly by foiling her cunning plans and playing practical jokes on her...um?'
Roslin/Adama- bwahaha! The fact that they competed for the loyalties of his son and pseudo-daughter as well as fighting for control of the Fleet, ending in a gods-damned MUTINY during which he IMPRISONS HER...well...
---
#3. Saw Up in the Air the other day.
It was supposed to be just the adult women, but I guess mother took pity on me and let me tag along with her, Ma and my aunt. Aren't I special? *preens*
Okay, well, the first thing I have to get out of the way is that I am so disappointed. I loved this movie all the way til the end- when we find out that Alex is married with kids. *headdeskwallfloor*
I turned to mother and muttered, 'Of course, it wouldn't be nominated for an award if it had a happy ending.'
The next second, Ma turns to me to say, 'It wouldn't have been nominated if they lived happily ever after.'
Lol! The two Annie's are in sync. We spend wayyy too much time together...*eyeroll*
I just think the art of the happy ending has been lost. People think it's against their artistic integrity or something to let the characters be satisfied in a loving, rewarding relationship. It's always gotta be angst and heartbreak and frankly, I'm sick of it. I mean, this movie Precious? Up for a ton of awards and it's about a girl that's abused by her mom and raped by her father and has to deal with a baby-by-incest. How cheerful, just exactly the kind of thing I'd love to fangirl and get all squeeful about, oh yes. *eyeroll*
I think it'd be less predictable if Ryan and Alex had ended up together, I totally guessed that she was involved- though the kids were a slap in the face, after her conversation earlier about what she looks for in a man, acting like she wasn't with anyone. I think if it wasn't a big deal, why did she hide her family from him? She acted like it was his fault, he was too immature to be given a chance at a real relationship when maybe he wouldn't have been involved with her if she had told him upfront what the deal was. Maybe he'd've slept with her anyway, I'm not under any illusions about his character, but at least she wouldn't have led him on like she did- going to a wedding as his date?! What kind of impression did she get from that? Meeting his FAMILY, FFS. *rage blackout*
So yeah, that totally ruined the whole movie for me.
Adding another few lumps to the crapfest of that ending was Natalie quitting because her delicate sensibilities were too wounded by her job. O. M. G. The poor little female was just too fragile to handle the pressure of her job- so she comes up with this innovative, game-changing idea and now they're going ahead without her, because she couldn't cope. WTF. I hated that so much. You'd never find a guy who quit for those reasons, it's so bloody sexist.
I did like the letter that Ryan wrote as her recommendation, it was very sweet, and guys, I know it won't come as any surprise, but I totally wanted these two to hook up. For all Anna Kendrick's protestations that it was a relief not to have to deal with the stress of a romance with George Clooney, I think it would've been so cool. But anyway.
I really like Anna's role in New Moon- I think she was Jessica? She was so funny and vivacious and her sarcasm slayed me dead with laughter. I wouldn't mind her as the star of that franchise, she's so much more interesting than Bella and has far greater range than Kristen. *ducks and runs from the howling fangirls* I hope she succeeds in the industry, she has so much promise and I'd love to see her move on to even bigger and better things- though what could beat working with George Clooney, I don't know!
Gotta say, much as I like Anna, I really loathed the scene where she started wailing post-breakup. It was adorable seeing Ryan so flustered and unsure how to comfort her, but still, those shrill hysterical sobs made me want to shred her vocal chords out, pissed me off so much. >:[
But the interaction between her, Ryan and Alex was great. Before I realized she was evil, Alex was such a great character and she was so funny as the sympathetic maternal figure, playing mom to Ryan's dad as they deal with Natalie's shredded ego. Getting drunk and crashing parties...novel approach, but so much fun!
---
#4. Sense and Sensibility. Pretty decent movie, though I admit I'd never pay attention to it were it not for Alan Rickman as Colonel Brandon. I always thought his relationship with Marianne got shortchanged- one minute, she's mooning over the dastardly Willoughby, the next she's with Brandon. Imagine my delight at stumbling across Colonel Brandon’s Diary by Amanda Grange.
I have to say, my first reaction was ‘who is the dude on the cover and why is it not Alan Rickman?!’
Because I am utterly lacking in bias when it comes to my choice of cover model, lol.
I skipped the first half of the book, because I had no interest in Eliza and wanted only to learn more of the relationship between Brandon and Marianne, since it is pitifully lacking in the movie and, I believe, the book. [Because the author couldn't think of a way to make it believable, according to snide dissenters who were outraged she didn't get a fairytale romance with the asshat that took advantage of a young girl, oh yes, prime husband material]
I mean, honestly, we see one scene where they’re out in the garden together before they're married. *scoffs*
Though I do admit to feeling like my heart would burst of happiness listening to him read poetry to his beloved, and then her flattering dismay at the news of his departure. 'You will not be away long?' D'aww! From barely being able to tolerate his presence to wishing he would stay by her side and never leave!
I never believed she deserved him, after judging him on his age alone ['when is a man free from such wit if infirmity does not protect him?] and callously dismissing him all throughout the movie. Ma and I were casting rude aspersions upon her character and intelligence the whole time. Oh, how I cringed in sympathy every time she slighted him. *winces*
But then when we saw the wedding scene, I was all ‘Aww!’ and Ma was like, ‘That’s nice, he got the girl in the end’. Make no mistake, I don’t approve [I secretly believe he and Elinor make a better couple] but he wanted Marianne, she makes him happy and so I was glad for his sake.
On the whole, I prefer the movie, I think. Yes, the novel has some sweet exchanges between them- not least a discussion where they finally make their relationship official...
x:x:x:x:x
Friday 11 September
Elinor and Edward were married this morning.
As they set out on their wedding tour, Marianne said, ‘You are a good friend to all my family, Colonel. Without you, Elinor’s marriage could not have gone ahead, for she and Edward would have had nowhere to live.’
‘I hope that, one day, you will see me as something more than a friend,’ I said to her.
‘A second attachment for both of us,’ she said. ‘I do not know exactly what happened in your past, only that you had an unhappy love affair…do not speak of it if you do not wish…’
But I found myself telling her about it, ending with Eliza’s death.
‘She died in your arms,’ said Marianne. ‘To think, I judged Willoughby on his handsome face and engaging manners, believing him to be a romantic hero because he carried me home when I sprained my ankle. But beneath his smiles and teasing he was a wastrel. And yet I dismissed you entirely, though you were ready to elope with your love when your father forced her into a hateful marriage, and you sought her out and protected her when she needed you most, caring nothing for the fact that she had fallen into disgrace. You looked after her daughter, fighting a duel in order to protect her honour, and then brought her here, where she could be happy. You have loved and suffered, and yet it has not made you bitter, for you have the courage to love again. it is you who are the figure out of romance.’
‘Marianne,’ I said. ‘I have no right to hope. You have your life before you…’ I became suddenly tongue-tied. Now that the moment had come I was unaccustomedly nervous. ‘But if you ever- if I might- if you think- I am putting this badly- but if you should ever want my hand as well as my heart, it is yours.’
‘You have given me so much already that I should decline, but I cannot deprive myself of such a gift,’ she said, her face turning toward mine until our lips met.
At last we parted, and she blushed.
‘Am I to take it that you will?’ I said.
‘Yes, thank you, Colonel-’
I smiled to hear that word, for the last time, on her lips.
‘James,’ I said.
‘James,’ she said. ‘I accept.’
x:x:x:x:x
...but I think that the movie had greater highs and lows that aren't included in the book, which sort of plateaus, while the movie swings crazily from one extreme to the other.
For instance, I love the scene when he lifts her up in his arms and brings her in from the rain, and then angsts moodily ['What can I do? Anything, or I shall run mad'] while she languishes on her deathbed. *kicks her* [Although I am amused that no hero ever slings the woman over his shoulder, even though it is much more convenient and less of a strain on the back- because it's not romantic]
But the 'diary' makes the relationship more realistic- they have discussions on their mutual interests and his experiences while traveling, Marianne comes off a lot more compassionate and sympathetic rather than the shrill, self-absorbed brat she is in the movie, and I actually like her in print rather than the way she was portrayed by Kate Winslet. If they only had expanded on the romance a little more in S&S, it'd've been so much cooler. *sighs wistfully*
---
#5. How do you disable author alerts on ff.net? I think I should, before I get into more trouble. *facepalm*
Apart from the annoyance of getting messages for fics you're not interested in, there's the threat of being taken over by a new fandom if one isn't careful- and I am so weak that way. I kept getting random emails about some author posting Labyrinth fics- I deleted each one, but the name imprinted on my brain, and now and then I'd wonder what the big deal was about this Sarah and Jareth [it was his name that caught my eye, since it reminded me of Pretender's Jarod] and why the hell that author wasn't writing for the fandom I put them on alert for, right?
The other day, I wiki'd it, figured 'oh, teenage girl takes on Goblin King in epic fantasy quest to save her brother from his evil clutches'. Hmm, it has potential, why not? I was intrigued, since it's so rare for fantasy movies to be made these days starring girls, let alone letting them be the sole protagonist instead of sharing the limelight with an undeserving, less capable and immature guy. *coughHARRYPOTTERcough*
And now...I am hopelessly enchanted. I haven't seen the movie yet, but dear god, the fanfic is incredible. I am so in love!
I adore the fact that she gets to be the hero of this grand adventure. She faces danger and overcomes obstacles on her own, she befriends potential enemies and gets them to help her when they should be hindering her, she displays ingenuity and competence...it's really quite marvellous. Indeed, there's only one fact I absolutely can't stand...
...I totally want to beat the writers over the head for making Sarah a kid- fifteen years old, wtf? WHY THWART SHIPPERS THIS WAY?
I mean, it wasn't that they wanted her to be too young for any romantic spin on the movie, because by god, they encouraged it. The dialogue, the interaction between them, the way their scenes were staged...
You don't create a character that is dangerously seductive and whose job it is to DISTRACT SARAH THROUGH FLIRTATION if you want to avoid any sexual implications. That ballroom sequence [oh-so-pretty!] is about her struggle between her emerging desires, the temptation to accept what he's offering even if she's a little too innocent to fully understand what that is, and finding the strength of will to pull away and continue on the rescue of her brother.
He pleads with her to love him, FFS, to stay with him and he'd do anything for her- I'm pretty sure the writers weren't exactly OBLIVIOUS to the messages they were sending with that. *raises eyebrow*
But at least you understand why he might be intrigued by her. I usually roll my eyes at the whole immortal falls for ordinary human girl storyline, especially for the flimsiest, most ridiculous of reasons [FREESIA SCENTED BLOOD! *rofl*] but Sarah's character is rather impressive- she braves the perils of the Labyrinth and with every obstruction she comes up against, she emerges triumphant.
Well, except for that hideously poofy-sleeved dress. *facepalm* One problem she couldn't solve, lol.
Still, despite the handicap of that ballgown, I think Sarah carried herself off well and she's so compelling to watch that I kinda forget that fashion travesty. I'm itching to rip her sleeves off now, though.
I just really wish she'd been old enough for there to be a suitably romantic end to the movie, but at least it was left open-ended.
And fandom abhors a vacuum, meaning there is a plethora of fic dealing with the two of them meeting a few years later, when a relationship is more appropriate.
My faves so far:
Dryad13- Into the Rose Garden
Ergott- Dramatic Orchestrations
Knife Edge- What You Wish For
Scattered Logic- The Enticement
Also! Amusing but kinda-wrong icons...by iconzicons. Lol.
And I must quote this hilarious and much more eloquent review of the movie:
x:x:x:x:xI don't know what it was about this movie that attracted me as a young pre-teen...
..but I remember being so upset that Jareth and Sarah didn't end up together. It was so obvious to me that he was in love with her (three words for you people: the. ballroom. scene). Of course at the time I didn't know that there were laws against a fifteen year old being with a middle aged man. Today, we call that gross, but to my twelve year old sensibilities it was luv.
I always appreciated that even though Sarah was whiny and sometimes annoying, she didn't need to be rescued. She defeated the Goblin King, she got her brother back, and she even turned down an offer from Jareth to let him be her slave. I love my brother, but if David Bowie/The Goblin King/his crotch asked me to fear him, love him, do what he says, and he'll be my slave I'd be on that so fast.
x:x:x:x:x
I'm full-on obsessed with these two now. It might be wrong for so many reasons, but it's right for me and I adore it.
But yes, I fully realize that my ships have officially become creepy. woodchoc_magnum and I were talking a while back about 'appropriate age-differences'; she was for them, I was...how do I put it so that I don't sound like a perverted sicko? Um...more open-minded, shall we say?
And on the bright side, doesn't this make Hermione/Snape look more normal in comparison? :P No? I'm just twisted, end of story? Righty then...
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30 Day Meme: snurched from labrt2004.
Day 03 → Your favourite television programme
I'm gonna go with Castle. I love having a show-approved ship, instead of fighting against TPTB, it's such a relief when they agree that my couple is meant to be. I would have said Mentalist just a few months ago, but I love that the whole team gets to shine here, with Beckett actually cracking cases along with Castle instead of standing back and admiring his genius the way Lisbon's forced to, plus as mother says, 'There's a lot more blatant UST'. *g* I love it when my mother talks like a fangirl!
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Vidspam:
This was the first Labyrinth vid I saw, and convinced me that I definitely needed to join in the fandom. It's so very well constructed, especially considering the limited amount of material to work with, and it's so full of emotion and thrills and excitement, I love it!
Click to view