Character studies.

[bzoppa]

Attention fandom friends: I'm looking for recs in character studies.

I don't see many on my list so they're probably hidden away in fandom communities I don't belong to, or on journals I don't have friended. bop_radar and norwich36 write a lot, but they tend to be on Smallville, which I don't watch and can't properly appreciate-although I do love Bop's picspams and

Comments

[madolan]

I have no response because I have no resources or ideas. I think the only things similar to what you're asking for that I'm familiar with would be TWOP recaps that digress or editorialize within the article itself. Sorry!

[bzoppa]

TWOP recaps that digress or editorialize within the article itself

But not like Jacob! My god, I read his recap on the whatever-ep-finale of BSG season 3 when the final four were revealed and wanted to rip my eyes out and cry, in any order. It was horrible. Digression is an understatement. I started a posty trying to rip his commentary into pieces but it was even worse than his writing so I saved myself the embarrassment.

I think the folk on my flist who are more into fandoms might be able to help. I think they're all asleep right now, though. One of the most active girls lives in Australia, while others are on crazy European times and might be in bed already.

[swankyfunk]

Can't really help you on essays and such, but you mentioned Asian dramas, and even though the area isn't my usual thing, I will definitely watch something for a good story. So I recommend to you 3-Iron (I actually mentioned it in my LJ a while back, but couldn't find the best way to tout it, so I just blabbered about it kind of vaguely). If you want character study, oh boy, you'll get character study in this one. Be forewarned that it's almost like a silent movie, hardly any dialogue at all -- all what needs to be understood is in the actors' expressions (nice eye candy, admittedly) and actions and the recurring themes. I actually found it riveting and beautiful, and it actually took on a kind of fairytale-like, transcendent feeling toward the end.

[bzoppa]

I think I remember that post. Was it a guy who broke into a house to squat, and found an abused wife, then they hooked up? And they played golf, hence the 3-Iron title.

I'm sure it's about as difficult to get as mastering torrents, with the added step of subtitles. The people who watch them have recommended so many, from straight sword-and-sorcery settings to bizarre Murakami/fairy-tale/fucked-up-ness. The asians have such awesome creativity right now, I hate how the U.S. can't come up with anything. Even The Departed was taken from a foreign source.

[swankyfunk]

Haha yeah, that's pretty much it, except the golf part. It was the abusive husband who played it, and soon the boy gets this weird obsession with it that becomes a little disturbing when you see what the wife does. There's definitely symbolism there, but I only realized the themes well after I saw the movie. You should see it.

And yeah, everything seems to be based off of some Thai, Korean, Japanese, etc. flick that had come out years ago and are never said to be as good as the original. There's this new one, "Shutter," a creepy ghost story, and I'm like, again with the American remakes!

[lizamanynames]

There's an entire community devoted to character-study meta: idol_reflection and it's all very handily tagged and memories'd by fandom, I beleive.

[bzoppa]

*leap for joy*

Thank you! I didn't know where to look or who exactly to ask or what term would deliver up what I wanted. I knew someone on my flist would know.

Sally Sparrow thanks you, especially as she was to be the subject of one of the many studies I've had running through my head.

[lizamanynames]

OH, man, I wanna read that.