Locksley of Sherwood: Allies and Enemies

Robin Hood always has his nemesis--and often more than one. In this particular incarnation, he has three-- and two of them are ones that every Robin Hood aficionado is familiar with.

First, there's Guy of Gisbourne. Traditionally, he is Robin Hood's ultimate nemesis--a bounty hunter who is usually in the pay of the Sheriff of Nottingham(my favorite portrayals of this character have been done by Basil Rathbone and Richard Armitage. Google them, I'll wait...). Sometimes, he is also given Robin Hood's title--Earl of Huntingdon--when Robin is made an outlaw. This is the case in my version. Gisbourn is the Earl of Huntingdon, and also Ravenna's father. He returns to Nottingham to a)root out the latest Locksley spy(which I will talk about later; and b) marry Ravenna off to the Sheriff of Nottingham. Gisbourne was a tough character for me to figure out. While he's still a  sly, calculating jackass too prideful for his own good, he's been softened a tiny bit by fatherhood(he cares about his kids maybe 2% more than he does about himself, as they're actually great to use as pawns in order to win this little game he's always playing) and he knows all of Locksley's tricks, which is unhelpful, but also really fun! The celebrity who has the honor of portraying him in my head is:
                                                           

Adam Croasdell.  He's in the CW's "Reign" and I'm not gonna lie, that show is my guilty pleasure and I kind of really like the way he looks and I also love his voice. Like, a lot. He can play both the harder as softer sides of a character, and he can be sympathetic even when we as the viewers hate his guts--which, in my opinion, take talent. The song I hear when I write Gisbourne? This one( I wish I could find something that wasn't a cover, but I can't, so..):

Speaking of hating guts, here's the next enemy that Locksley and co. have to deal with: Josse DeClaire, the Sheriff of Nottingham.  DeClaire is younger, angrier, and more rash than Gisbourn--and he's a snake. He's also Cassian's nemesis. In my head, he's:
                                                            
Toby Kebbell, aka Koba(Dawn of the Planet of the Apes), aka Massala(Ben-Hur; I don't care, that movie was FABO; go away). He's played villains, and anti-heroes, and his accent is killer, so I know I'd love to hear it whether he's spitting venom at Cassian(which he does), or trying to seduce Ravenna(which, again, he does--Ew. Ew, ew, ew). This song is GREAT for DeClaire's personality:

Also, I know he's willing to undergo combat training(see Ben-Hur/Apes for refrences), so there's no problem there. Plus, a "Spider-Man" vs "Massala" fight? Yes, please! Especially if this was playing the background:

If there's one of the badies I hate writing though(even if it's necessary--grrrr) it's the third of the enemies of Locksley and Cassian. I hate him. He's a weasel. His name is Etienne Malbete and he's a mercenary hired by King John to assist DeClaire to maintain order in Nottingham. This makes casting difficult, because I don't really want to hate the person who portrays this character. But, needs must, and when I finally got around to it, I realized that my choice was perfect:
                                                           

This is Rossif Sutherland, and yes, he's also from "Reign". He's also been in a couple of Candian indies which I've seen clips of, and he's played villain/anti-heroes in this indies and is utterly brilliant and can do this thing with his voice that just makes him sound--icky. I know he can play a weasel. Plus, he knows how to sneer. And Etienne sneers a lot. His theme song? This one:

Right, so much for the villains. In the Robin Hood legends, Robin Hood has scores of allies, named and unnamed. So too, in my version, Locksley has allies. The first is  not in the original story. He is Gisbourn's son, and his name is Tarquin. Tarquin is supportive of Locksley's cause and can't stand DeClaire. He's also got a snarky mouth--another tendency I have with my male characters. And this is the beautiful face that fills my head when I write Tarquin:
                                                               
Yeah. That's Rob Stark(Game of Thrones), aka Prince Kit(Cinderella), aka Richard Madden. He's also Scottish, which is one of the reasons I love listening to him talk. And I know he can pull off the snarky sarcastic bits of Tarquin's character. AND, I love the idea of his being related to Adam Croasdell; don't ask me why. For some reason, Tarquin's got an "Angels and Airwaves" vibe. Hence his theme:

Locksley's second ally is one y'all are familiar with: Friar Tuck.  According to tradition, Tuck is a Friar/Lay Brother/Churchman, who assists Robin and his Merry Men in various capacities, depending on the storyline that is chosen(my personal fav is the "fighting friar" portrayed by David Harewood from the BBC version). However, in MY version, Friar Tuck isn't a person at all. "Friar Tuck" is a pseudonym for the spy in Nottingham. Someone who reports all his findings to Locksley; someone Cassian found in London and recruited; someone Gisbourn, DeClaire and Etienne all want dead.

Who is he?
                                                                 

I'm not going to tell you.

A writer has to keep some plot spoilers to herself. 😜

Locksley of Sherwood: My Lady--In Honor of Valentine's Day

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY DARLING PEOPLE!!!!!!

In honor of this day, Imma share another tidbit of "Locksley of Sherwood" with y'all. One of the archetypal plot points of the Robin Hood legend is that of LUV!!!! And my adaption is no different--there is romance in this story, and not just between Marion and Locksley. Let me introduce you to the two lovely ladies that will be swept off their feet in Nottingham.

Locksley and Marion have a son. Locksley's nemesis Guy of Gisbourn has a daughter--Ravina(more on Gisbourn coming soon). Ravina is fierce and fiery--and has caught Cassian's eye. She's grown up in London, and is affianced to the Sheriff of Nottingham, but that doesn't mean she's meek and easily cowed.   I think of her a little bit as a snarkier "Junior Marion". And in my head, she looks like this lovely lady:
                 

                               
This is Rose Williams, from the tv show "Reign".  She's amazing. I love her ability to portray an ingenue, or someone who can look after herself, but still get swept off her feet. And I'm not going to lie, I love her theme song:

The second lovely lady is a Romani and a healer who lives in Nottingham, and is called Tirzah. Her personality is a tiny bit rougher around the edges. And she has caught the eye of  Jean-Luc.  This is who's playing Tirzah in my head:

                                               
Holliday Granger, aka the step-sister from "Cinderella", aka Estella from "great Expectations, aka Bonnie from A&E/HISTORY's "Bonnie and Clyde". Gorgeous, sassy, and phenomenal. Tirzah can take the heat and give it and she's so great with Jean-Luc. And yes, she has a song:

Also, because there are couples, there are couples songs. I know, I'm a soft hearted little mushy romantic whatever. I happen to like making up "Love Soundtracks" for my couples; and since this is the Day of Hearts, here are the songs I have come up with for these couples:

Cassian and Ravenna

Jean-Luc and Tirzah

Bonus: Both Couples, because why not?!

And there you have it, the Ladies of Sherwood--my Valentine's Day presi to you all. You're welcome!

Locksley of Sherwood: The Extended Family

In the throes of research I made another discovery.

Will Scarlett is also known as "Will Scathelocke".

And "Scathelocke" means "lock smasher".

Which means Will, Robin Hood's second-in-command, could have been a very passionate, hot-headed, impetuous little--person. And so much fun to write.

In some versions of the Robin Hood tale, Will is related to Robin Hood in one way or another(his cousin, his nephew, his half-brother--thank you Kevin Costner, Alan Rickman and Christian Slater for that one), and this particular re-incarnation is no exception--he's Locksley's older brother.

And of course, because Locksley and Will are related, the celebrity models in my head have to look related in one way or another too, yes? Yes.  AND he has to have the ability to play both the passionate and the mellower side of Will's nature--which was actually easier to find than I thought. The delightful European male who has the honor or portraying will in my head is:
                                                        
Colin Morgan. Those of you who are as obsessed with BBC costume dramas and the like will recognize this gorgeous Irish man from the films "The Huntsman: Winter's War" and "Testament of Youth"; and also as the title character in "Merlin"(which, by the way, is one of the BEST adaptions of the Arthur story I've ever seen, and not just because of the eye candy 😏😛) with Santiago Cabrera(Lancelot). No, this was not intentional casting, just interesting. And I think this song is perfect for his personality:

Because this is a sequel and Locksley and Marion are married, why not have the same thing happen to Will? And to make it even more interesting, why not make Will's wife, Elodie, a former assassin and yes, there is an very interesting story to how they got together, and one day I'll write it).

Here's the thing: because Will is so much of a firebrand(and also because Marion is Locksley's equal), the actress who gets to portray Elodie has to be someone who could hold her own no matter what and be as compatible to Will as Marion is to Locksley. Someone who looks likes this:
                                                                   
Ladies and gents, this is Lea Seydoux--aka the lastest "Bond Girl"(she was in "Spectre", with Daniel Craig), and also the fabulous Belle from "La Belle et La Bete"(also staring Vincent Cassel from "Shrek", Black Swan" and "Ocean's Thirteen"; and released in 2014). She's from France(I'd kill for her accent, no joke); and from her other work I already know she can portray someone hold her own and she doesn't take crap from anyone.  In other words, an excellent companion/wife for Will. Also, her theme song is in French(and I suppose it's also kinda Marion's song as well). For those who don't speak French, "F.T.T.: Femme Tout Terrain" means "girl's territory".

Robin Hood can't be Robin Hood without Little John, so of course in my version there is a "Little John". Only he's not a "giant". He's Will's oldest son, Jean-Luc; and his mother calls him "Petit Jean". Jean=John and therefore Petit Jean=Little John. You're welcome. Jean-Luc has inherited Will's suspicion of everyone and is constantly butting heads with Cassian(I LUV writing those parts!)

Casting Jean-Luc was harder than I thought; and I'm not gonna lie he changed several times. The guy who finally won is someone I've seen play characters both sinister and romantic and I love to hear the sound of his voice.

This is Harry Richardson. He's currently in BBC's "Poldark" and he was in Julian Fellowes' "Doctor Thorne". He can spit venom or wax poetic or just walk into a room and steal the scene with his presence(and I love me some actors who can draw attention by just standing still). In other words, Jean-Luc to a tea, as is this song:

Summer 2019 Update:  Celebrity Models change, and I recently saw an adaption of the novel "Ophelia", which had yet another model for Jean-Luc:

This is Devon Terrell, who also had the title role of young Barack Obama in the film "Barry". He's the current model, but this might change again, because it happens.

Will and Elodie's younger daughter happens to fulfill two things: this other tendency I have as a writer--to create a character that's just plain adorable, and wouldn't harm a fly--unless she had to; and allowing me to put an incarnation of Alan-a-Dale(the fun-loving, happy-go-lucky minstrel of Robin Hood stories)  and Much the Miller's son into this awesome story. Only in this instance, her name isn't Alan-a-Dale or Much(well, unless it's Jean-Luc talking to her). It's Braelyn.

Because Braelyn is adorable and innocent and has that awesome Scathelock/Locksley fire I needed someone who could embody all that. Someone who looks adorable but can bite if provoked. Someone like this:

                                                             
Saoirse Ronan, from "Hanna", and "Brooklyn" and "City of Ember". She's fierce, she's fiery, she's more than capable of holding her own, and she's so freakin adorable . And this is Braelyn's song:

And there you have it: Locksley's extended family. More Character Models and Tidbits coming soon....

Locksley of Sherwood: Family Portrait

As I get into the first round of revisions on "Locksley of Sherwood"(aka the Robin Hood play), little tidbits have hit my muse en masse and they're fighting to get out, so here goes the first round.

Y'all have probably noticed by now that I celeb cast everything, and write to soundtracks; and this is no different. I guess it sort of helps that several of the characters this time around are people every Anglophile/Robin Hood fan is familiar with, so I don't really have to give too much backstory on Robin and Marion: the Outlaw, his Ladylove and--in the case of this story--the Outlaw's Son--or as Gisbourn calls them, the Wolf's Head, his She-Wolf and his Louveteau[which is French for Wolf Cub].

                                                         

What I CAN do is give you a glimpse of the awesome faces in my head right now; and this time they come complete with their own theme songs.

To start, I blame BBC's Musketeers.

Why? Because the celebrity models for Locksley and Marion are in this show. Shameless plug: if you haven't seen this show HULU IT NOW because....WOW!!!!! I'll wait.....

In my head, at least, the Outlaw has to look the part(because in Perfect Writer's Pipe Dream World, you can make this kind of thing happen). Locksley is swashbuckling, debonair, cocky-as-all-get-out. But in this case, he's also a dad; and the picture in my head needed to fit that image. I needed someone who looks like this:

This is Santiago Cabrera, aka Lancelot from "Merlin", aka Aramis from "Musketeers". Does he or does he not look like a cocky outlaw? I think he does. AND he has a theme song:

 Marion has gone from the Great Lady in the Castle to the Wife of a The Outlaw and Queen of Sherwood Forest(yes, I said QUEEN). As such, she can hold her own as well as Locksley can, and has attitude to boot, but she can be syrupy sweet and loving when the occasion calls for it.

This gorgeous woman is Maimie McCoy aka Milady from "Musketeers". This woman can hold her own and has a bark that's equal to her bite(plus, she's GORGEOUS). This is what I hear whenever Marion's on the scene:

As this is a sequel, not an origin story, in this version Robin and Marion have offspring. And this offspring's name is Cassian. Cassian was an interesting surprise. He's grown up in a Hero's Shadow(literally) and is cocky and feisty and well-- kind of a brat. An endearing brat; but still a brat. Cassian is still trying to figure out who he is, while also living under the delusion that because he's Robin Hood's son, he's more or less untouchable. And the adorable person who has the honor of playing Cassian in my head is:

Tom Holland. I saw him in "In the Heart of the Sea", and in "The Lost City of Z", but what makes me really happy is that he's the new Spider-Man! And he's cocky, and cute and everything that the son-of-a-hero needs to be. My little muse has no problem seeing this face when I think about Cassian. And it helps when I have this song to help illustrate his personality:

So yeah. That's the first of the deluge of tidbits running around in my head. Back to the Writing 

Cave, and Revisions.......

Quirky Monday: BIG Entrances

The earliest drafts of Angels Alley began with Gyp being thrown out the window.

I watch the Fast and Furious movies because they start with a fight and/or a car chase--all the time.

West Side Story is among my favorite musicals because it starts with a fight.

Supernatural began its series with a fire.

Every single other show I've written has someone springing from nowhere in a really big way--one way or another.

Why?

Because I have a thing for big entrances.

I blame Disney. Some of the first movies I remember seeing--Beauty and the Beast, Peter Pan, The Sword and the Stone--they all had someone who got a dramatic introduction. I saw the Disney 1993 version of The Three Musketeers began with A) a torture scene and B)a fencing match followed by a chase scene. Those are big dramatic entrances.

And I love them!

On the one hand, big entrances tend to come off as cornball, which is a delicate balance that writer's have to keep, because on the other hand, big entrances are REALLY REALLY FUN!!!! Like this one:

Which is why my newest project begins with so many of them.

Quirky Monday: Austen Rant

Ok, soapbox time.

I recently saw Pride and Prejudice and Zombies with a friend. AND I LOVED IT. You know what the best part was? It made several things blatantly obvious that are hidden beneath the layers of the original. Not the least of which is:

Elizabeth Bennet is a conceited prig.

There, I said it, and I’m not taking it back.

Why? Well, first of all, because it’s the truth. Having been a fan of Austen from the time I was—eight(I KNOW!!!!); I have had/overheard countless conversations with friends/peers about her books. Chief among the subjects is something like this—“Mr. Darcy is a selfish arrogant snob that doesn’t deserve Elizabeth, blah, blah, blah.” But never never is Elizabeth faulted. Everything is laid at Darcy’s door, and some of those peers—who, understandably, have little understanding of Austen’s culture—deem him the villain of the piece. He isn’t. Not by a long shot.

Elizabeth is.

Here’s why: the class system of Austen’s world meant that those who were raised in the upper echelon of society were taught a form of etiquette where one of the rules was this: you do not speak to anyone who has not been introduced. Now, call me quirky, but if I had been raised by those rules my entire life, I’d have trouble “conversing with those of which I have no acquaintance”.  It isn’t snobbery; it isn’t anti-social behavior; it’s etiquette.

Additionally, if I was raised in a middle-class family with a scheming, rather embarrassing mother and a father who wanted to be left alone(and didn’t care a jot for society); and four sisters that were—well, they all had a fault of some kind—I would  certainly want to hide my hurt with something we all hold a little too dear at times. That something is called Pride. And when our pride is damaged, when tend to do and say stupid things, sometimes with the best of intentions.

It is a truth universally acknowledged that those of us with faults tend to tar others with the same brush. People familiar with both the book and the film will remember Elizabeth’s words to Darcy when he first proposes to her: “Your arrogance, your conceit, and your selfish disdain convinced me that you were the last man in the world I could ever be prevailed upon to marry!”

She calls him arrogant, conceited, disdainful. Anybody wonder if she picks those out because sub-consciously she has those faults herself? That’s called prejudice.; and it’s something Elizabeth developed long before that jackass Wickham came into her life. 

And ok, if someone I was attracted to(yes, she was attracted to him!!! it’s in the book)said I was “not handsome enough to tempt [him]”; and I was already aware that my fortune and family wouldn’t exactly get me the best match, I’d be ticked off too.

Pride and Prejudice doesn’t just get its name from the faults of one of it’s characters; the title comes from the faults of two. Both act—in part—according to how they were raised; and both have to overcome the faults in their upbringing to get their happily ever after.

The end.

Descending soapbox.

This post was brought to you in part by “Pride and Prejudice and Zombies”, now playing in theatres and one of the few adaptions where the screenwriter gets both Elizabeth and Darcy right.

Quirky Monday: Week of Mush

You know how I theme read? I also theme watch. And since it's Valentine's week, here's a little Valentine quirk for you: 

I watch chick flicks and period films the whole month of February.

I'm one of those types who plunks down in front of the screen ready to squeal at period romance and mourn over the fact that so few people behave like this anymore(that's for a later post)

So for you reading pleasure, below is a list of the films I indulge in this month--with a new one recently added, because Sean Bean in frock coat. 

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

 Follows the coming of age of a young governess, Jane Eyre, and her love for her master, the enigmatic Mr. Edward Rochester. Read so many times both covers are torn off, pages are dog-eared, and binding held together with—wait for it—packing tape.

Originally published: October 1847

Adapted for Film/Television:   adapted thirty-four times between 1910 and 2011

Adapted for the Stage/Radio: Adapted 22 times between and 2013 including radio adaptions, and web series

Most Famous Adaptions:

Film: Starring Orson Welles and Joan Fontain; 2011 Starring Michael Fassbender and Mia Wasikowska

Stage: Adaption by John Caird and Paul Gordon, starring Marla Scheffel  and James Stacy Barbour

Television: 1983 BBC starring Zelah Clarke and Timothy Dalton; A&E 1997 starring Samatha Morton and Ciaran Hinds; Masterpiece Classic 2006 starring Toby Stephens and Ruth Wilson(personal favorite)

Radio: Campbell Playhouse 1944 starring Orson Welles and Loretta Young; BBC 1994 starring Ciaran Hinds

**NEW**Clarissa by Samuel Richardson

Note: Hardest classic I’ve ever read. I have developed an intense dislike of epistolary novels.  Follows the lovely Clarissa Harlowe, and her seducer Robert Lovelace.  Also has the ability to makes me cry quarts--at the villain’s demise of all things

Originally Published: 1748

Adapted for Film/Television: Once in 1991

Adapted for Stage/Radio: Once in 2010

Most Famous Adaptions:

1991 BBC Starring Sean Bean as Lovelace(and that, ladies and gents makes 102 on my stupid list!!!!)

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

The lives and loves of the Bennett sisters, particularly Jane and Elizabeth, the latter of whom catches the eye of the proud and misunderstood(yes, I said misunderstood)Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy. I could go on a whole spiel about why Darcy is so misunderstood—but that’s another can of worms altogether.

Originally Published:

Adapted for Film/Television: Eleven times between 1938 and 2005

Adapted for Stage/Radio: Nine times between 1935 and 2014(I happen to know the playwright of the 2014 adaption)

Most Famous Adaptions:

1940 Starring Greer Garson and Laurence Olivier(and containing the BEST Lady Catherine/Elizabeth showdown ever “I like her. She loves you Darcy; she’s the one for you.”  Eeek! Why was that not in the book?!

1995 A&E/BBC Starring Jennifer Ehle and Colin Firth(with that LAKE SCENE!!!! why was THAT not in the book?!)

“Furst Impressions” Wishbone episode starring the darling Jack Russel Terrier as Mr. Darcy(if you haven’t seen it, Youtube it—SO CUTE!!!)

2005 Starring Kiera Knightly and Matthew Macfacdyen (Confession: I am not a Kiera Knightly fan, but this movie was one of her good ones—and the little thing with casting Collins as a shrimp—loved it!!!)

2014 by Melissa Lelani Larson. Premiered at BYU in Utah for the 50^th anniversary of the Fine Arts Building

The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Orczy

Follows the story of the dashing masked hero, Sir Percy Blakney and his wife Marguerite St. Just, as they rescue French aristocrats and foil the plans of the slimy Chauvelin.  Read the first book in four hours—lost sleep due to how good it is. Sequels? Not so much.

Originally Published: 1905

Adapted for Film/Television: Eighteen times between 1918 and 2006

Adapted for Stage/Radio: Adapted three times between1950 and 1997

Most Famous Adaptions:

1934 Starring Leslie Howard(playing the fop to the hilt!!!)

1982 Masterpiece starring Anthony Andrews, Jane Seymour and Ian McKellan(SO dashing as brunette, and fabulous foil for Anthony Andrews!)

1997 Broadway Musical by Frank Wilderhorn and Nan Knighton originally starring Douglass Sills, Christine Andreas and Terrence Mann

1999; 2000 A&E Adaption starring Richard E Grant, Elizabeth McGovern and Martin Shaw(some fans hate this—I happen to LOVE it. All of them! It’s called poetic license people. Deal!)

North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell

The most famous of the Gaskell novels, follows the somewhat snobbish Margaret Hale as she moves from the south of England to the North, where she also catches the eye of mill owner John Thornton.

Originally Published: 1855

Adapted for Film/Television: Twice; 1975 and 2004

Most Famous Adaptions:

2010 BBC Starring Richard Armitage and Daniela Denby-Ashe

Mansfield Park by Jane Austen

Note:  my personal favorite Austen

Fanny Price is sent to live with her rich relatives at Mansfeild Park, where she observes that just because you’re rich, it doesn’t make you happy. She also falls in love with her cousin, Edmund.

Originally Published: 1814

Adapted for Film/Television: five times between 1983 and 2014

Adapted for Stage/Radio: three times between 2003 and 2014

Most Famous Adaptions:

1999 by Patricia Rozema starring Francis O’Connor and Johnny Lee Miller

2003 BBC Radio starring , Felicity Jones,  Benedict Cumberbatch and David Tennant(and Benedict and David make stunning brothers!!)

Wives and Daughters by Elizabeth Gaskell

Originally Published: serialized 1866

Adapted for Film/Television: twice in 1971 and 1999

Most Famous Adaptions:

1999 BBC starring Keeley  Hawes, Justine Waddell, Tom Hollander and Anthony Howell(I personally don’t find one of the leading men all that stereotypically attractive, but hey, to each her own. His voice makes me squeal.)

Quirky Monday: MAY THE FOURTH!!!!!

Ok, so once a upon a time(fine, several posts ago) I told a tiny little tidbit of a story of how I was introduced of one of the best franchises of nerdom in the universe. Something that has a huge fanbase, and has created more memes and gifs and all that other stuff than I want to count. There are comic books, and action figures, and video games and cartoon series, and novelizations and it all came from eight little words:

"Long ago, in a galaxy far, far, away...."

Yeah. For you people still out of the loop(question: WHY?!?!?!!?) it's Star Wars. 

You guys, this is where my nerdom began. As a seven year old with my cousins, watching two men try and kill each other with lightsabers. Had I heard of Star Wars before this? No. Did I understand what was going on? Not exactly. Did I want more? OH HECK YES!!!!

I saw Return of the Jedi when I was seven, with my cousins. Then I saw A New Hope with my sister at my grandpa's house; and The Empire Strikes Back for my sister's birthday. I loved the stories so much! I didn't exactly understand them(watching them out of order does that) but I loved them!

When the awful prequels came out--yes, I did go see them. All of them--the first two in theatres and that last one after the DVD release(will I ever get those three hours back--probably not).

I've seen the cartoons they made back in the 80s; I've watched my brother play Force Unleashed at least twice(I have yet to actually play it) and yes, I have had plastic lightsabre battles--both with the old toys and the new ones. I know all the famous quotes(the good ones and the corny ones) and these guys? I love them. Totally, completely love them:

 Oh yes, and last Christmas, I saw the Star Wars Christmas Special. That song, guys. Oh, that song.


And today is the day we celebrate that.


Now, I will say that it took me a little bit to get into it, but once you get bit, there's no going back. And if the nerdverse wants to make a national day to celebrate said amazing franchise, that's awesome with me!

Why So Serious: Or Why SPN(and Other Things) Didn't Crash and Burn---As Much As They Could Have

I will be the very first to admit my fandom of the television show Supernatural borders on obsession--to the point that I bought the first five seasons on DVD within a week of seeing the Pilot. Yeah...I was a late SPN fan. I saw about twenty minutes of one episode from the first season in high school; but I didn't seriously get into it until my second semester in college. And now I can't get enough of it. Only now it's on "hellatus" and so I have to wait. Boo.

Season 10. They are on Season 10, with an eleventh season already on order. HOW?! A lot of the shows I used to watch went off the air, or got cancelled(Boy Meets World, Home Improvement, Red/Green--gosh, am I that old?), but it looks like Supernatural isn't going anywhere. Sure, there were those two---questionable seasons where ratings....plummeted. But, even with that, the fan base is still strong, and it's still on tv. Why? Well, part of it could have something to do with this:

DEANMON!!!!!!!

My cousin and I talk about this, a lot. We used to text each other during SPN episodes with our own commentary, and no one wants to sit near us at family holiday gatherings, because of our running commentary about how amazing this show is. But what makes it so amazing?

 Better question, what makes television shows, or plays or films, so amazing, and why--even if they crash and burn at say, the box office, do they still get a fan base and become "cult"?

Being a film and television buff, I want entirely too much TV. Maybe it has something to do with a class I took back in my sophomore year when we had to watch a movie a week and analyse it to within an inch of it's life(the process of which I will discuss in a future post). I have seen some shows that were really really good get cancelled due to the newtworks poor airing choices(*cough* Firefly *cough*), or the studio head doing something stupid(Star Trek), but sometimes it is easily solvable. EASILY.

Guys, here's the secret: DON'T TAKE YOURSELF SERIOUSLY.

Ok. Show of virtual hands: who sat through ever single episode of SPN season six and went "...what...(insert appropriate words here)is...this..."? Me! Me! And you know, even back in season one, some episodes were just....BAD. Like, "why did I waste 45 minutes of my life" bad. The premise is awesome--two brothers traipsing across the country killing monsters--so much yes!!!! And the first five seasons had a great story arc, and a great ending--but the network ordered more, so what do you do? You say yes! And they did! And the sixth season was....ok. All right, see previous quote. Ratings are dropping, and you've got two incredible actors you have to pay and you can let the show tank. So, writers, what do you do?  RELEASED A FULL ON META EPISODE THAT'S WHAT THEY DID!!!!!!! And people ran with it, because it worked.

Second example. The new TMNT movie. Yes, I did go see that film, and yes, I  did buy it on DVD. For two reasons. One, secretly, I am twelve years old and will probably stay that age for the rest of my life. And two, it didn't take itself seriously. I went and saw it the day it came out with two of my friends(who are just as nerdy as I am--probably moreso) and we sat through this two hour movie. Because it was two hours of fun. That's it; every single member of the cast was enjoying the heck out of every second of screen time.  Like this(hopefully it works, but in case blogger's bring stupid here's the link--https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJ6UT3w-aEE):

Guys, the tv series, the comics, the films are about walking talking turtles. That know ninjutsu. That isn't something that is supposed to be taken seriously. But it took off. This comic that was created as a joke took off and is expecting a reboot sequel next year(Side Note: I will be seeing this one too, because Beebop and Rocksteady. That's all.)

And then there are those shows that don't take themselves seriously and are strictly cult. These I LUV because they don't have to prove anything to anybody. There are no expectations, no "target audience", no nothing--just one or two writers that want to entertain themselves. Ladies and gentlemen, this is how Red Dwarf was born.

The cast of Red Dwarf: Cat(yes, I said "cat", as in the animal), Rimmer(hologram), Lister(last man on earth--literally) and Kryten(android)

I've already mentioned Red Dwarf in a previous post, so what I'll say here is that these two writers Bob Grant and Doug Naylor just wanted to have fun. So they wrote nonsense about four men. In space. And they got TEN SERIES out of it. Probably because of little gems like the above clip. It has no storyline, makes no sense and yet---it's an amazing way to entertain yourself!


So all you little "failing" films and tv shows out there, here's a tip. There will be people who hate you. Fact of life. Stop trying so hard. Entertain yourself. Have fun. Maybe your ratings will boost? Just a final thought, brought to you by Red/Green, because childhood.

A Fan's Perspective: Crossovers--Just because

So. Last night I re-watched the retrospective documentary of the tv show Supernatural. I love this network; and I love all of it's shows--that I happen to have seen. Now, Supernatural has been a HUGE obession of mine from it's pilot episode, and I am super impressed by how this show has evolved, even to the point where it doesn't take itself seriously and goes completely meta(because---YES!!!!) I quote from Jared Padalecki last night: "Supernatural has done things that no other show has done." Truth! They've done fan convention episodes; they've done "book series" episodes; they're even doing a musical next week!!!!! But you know what they haven't done? A CROSSOVER!!!! AND THEY TOTALLY SHOULD!!!! So here, for your reading pleasure, and because I am a fan and can pipe dream, is my proposal for SPN and other CW show crossovers. Obviously, Reign and Jane the Virgin would be kind of a stretch, but some others not so much. Observe(in ascending order of what I'd like to see):

3. Supernatural in The Vampire Diaries
This and the following are the easiest, because in this case, there are monsters galore--aka vampires, aka something for Sam and Dean to hunt. Or not. I've always been fascinated by the episodes where the Winchesters let the "monster" go, as he or she isn't really "bad". Youtube has also taken this by storm(yea for fan videos!!!!), and I've always wondered what it would be like if this happened:

You know, because that would be really fun--for gooey romantics, like me.  On the other hand, it could be done with the same set of monsters in a different city, as in:

2.Supernatural in The Originals
Klaus and Elijah going against Dean and Sam, or allying with them to protect Hailey? Or Hailey teaming up with Sam to take down---Mikael? That would be awesome! And we could get Crowley in on this one too. Crowley and Klaus together? Possibilities!

Joseph Morgan as Klaus and Mark Sheppard as Crowley

So now we get to the best one; by favorite one; really, the one I would really seriously love to see for so many reasons--and would be soooooo difficult to pull off--for so many reasons which I will not go into in lieu of potential spoilers/major confusion to those who don't watch this show. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you:

1.SUPERNATURAL IN THE 100!!!!!!!
Yeah. That was all in caps. Because it would be so sick!!!!! Check this, people on earth after a nuclear apocolypse--ok, Sam and Dean did this is Season 5; they are experienced. The Grounders in The 100--all right, they aren't monsters, but hey, there could be some supernatural something or other somewhere, right, what with all the reaper experiments and the Mountain Men and everything? And they don't know how to hunt--and the Winchesters do! And also because of this:

Devon Bostick as Jasper and Jared Padalecki as Sam--the nerds ^_^

Bob Morley as Bellamy and Jensen Ackles as Dean

Jasper and Sam would be fun to see together because both start out basically the same way--innocent and cute "little kid" types; Jasper is a nerd, so is Sam. They'd mesh, they'd be the ones telling everyone to chill; they'd figure this out. It be sick.  But not as sick, at least for me as Bellamy and Dean. 

See, I would LOVE to lock Bellamy and Dean in a room and see what they do. You know, if it was just the two of them, how long would they butt heads--because they totally would! Both Bell and Dean have amazing leadership skills, they can get people to listen to them and they have kick-A fighting skills. 

 Also, in this fan's opinion, Bellamy and Dean would be an amazing duo because they are so dang alike! Check this: 

A)Both Dean and Bellamy do things they do(so at least, they say so) too look out for a younger sibling--Octavia, and Sam--and would do anything for them

B) They play tough, but they can get all squishy on the inside in a way that makes you love them more

C) They both have a huge guilt complex. Like all the time. 

(If I was video edit savvy, I would totally to a Bellamy/Dean fan vid, just because. But alas, video editing and me don't get along. So sad.)

Yes. This is why it is called a pipe dream. But it's so fun in my head, and if they're all on the same network, it'd be so cool to see them mesh! Right?!

My New Obsession

Meet my new obsession. Rebel BadA and Leader. Raph and Leo. Sean Astin and Jason Biggs. Need I say more?

Do You Know Who This Is?

This is Corey Sevier(above, in his teens; below, as of 2012.) I had a crush on him when I was in my early teens, simply because I saw an adorable adaptation of Wilson Rawls' Summer of the Monkeys. I must have seen this movie fifty zillion times before my VHS broke and I am still  trying to find a copy on DVD. I was recently re-introduced to him on Netflix, where I have been watching the "Little Men" series he did in '98, and both episodes he did of "Psych".  I'll go into more detail about this talented actor on his birthday(July 3rd), suffice it to say, his is currently the face that is dancing around my head as the protagonist in my next play, which will go up after "Like Wolves"(except the character looks more like the top image than the bottom one, but whatever). This guy is AMAZING, and I really wish he would do more work so that I can enjoy him more often.

UPDATE 2/13/13: I lied. This is Davey. This is what Davey Callahan looks like. Don't know what I'm talking about? Check this!

Quirky Monday: Why I have an entire SHELF of Silver Screen Hollywood, and why I like them so much more than movies in color:OR Why Modern Hollywood has the Potential to Ruin Movies

So, as of...now, I have an entire shelf of DVDs that are from 1933-1950, roughly, and yes with one exception(Quo Vadis 1950, starring Robert Taylor, Debroah Kerr and Leo Genn) are in black and white. As a kid, I never really like black and white movies. They were boring to me simply because I couldn't see any color, and that to me was a BAD THING.

Not so now. Silver Screen Hollywood has become another one of my obsessions, not just because there were a lot of really attractive people involved(see my earlier posts on Cagney, Leo Gorcey, etc.), but because, well, there's a lot, so how bout I make a list? Here goes:

1. Focus on STORY not SPECIAL EFFECTS. Not to put down modern Hollywood or anything, but a lot of the movies I've seen recently have a macho amount of special effects. This isn't bad, necessarily, because they're cool to look at. But it seems like a lot of new Hollywood directors seem to go over the top with special effects and pay no attention to the story(opinion: it is that kind of thing that ruined the movie Eragon--and only one of the many reasons..but that's for another post). The story is lost and the characters are flat and uninteresting--unless they're really attractive, but that only makes the movie about 10% more enjoyable than it actually is, in my opinion.

Silver Screen Hollywood had almost no access to special effects. The most advanced thing they had was what I call "the disappearing effect" where they could make characters playing ghosts or something appear and disappear. Another "special effect" was used for comedy purposes, such as see how many people you could fit in a phone booth(see clip below.) So in order to get audience attention, the stories had to be REALLY good, something that almost anybody in the audience can identify with. The themes were universal, and not a complicated mess.

2. Simple storylines, tight plot, under deadline. Today, movies can be made whenever, wherever and can take however long they need to take(as long as they do whatever possible to stay within budget. or whatever). Not so in Silver Hollywood. Universal and Monogram Studios, who were famous for thier "B" flicks, cranked out several many movies a year, shooting a single movie in 6-14 days. DAYS. Warner Brothers was almost as busy. Because they were working under deadline, or budget, depending on the studio, writers were given tight deadlines, and so had to keep stories simple. Yes, this had a couple of drawbacks, such as plots with rough edges, which occurred in the East Side Kids and Bowery Boys films, but you know what? Bowery Boys has the longest running series spot in history. This is largely due to the simple storylines the series adapted.

Other films kept the same thing as far a plot goes: they kept it fairly simple. Winchester '73 is about a gun, and the two men who want it. Mayor of Hell is about a reform school and the ex-con who changes it. Fighting 69th about a cocky guy who grows up after joining the Army in World War II. Strike Up the Band about a high school band. Simple see? No frills, no big explosions that last fifteen minutes just cause it's cool(and yes, I have seen one of those. Bleg!) And because the plot is simple, it's so tight.

3. Strong Characters. Because Hollywood was in it's "Golden Age" the characters in these movies would be considered stereotypical if/when done today. This is because these types have been done over and over with very little originality. The difference between now and Silver Screen Hollywood is that these characters had clear motivations, strong relationships with each character, and even the villains of the pieces were easy to identify with. There was a definite protagonist, a definite antagonist and a definite conflict. Take 1942's Vivacious Lady, starring James Stewart and Ginger Rodgers. Protagonist: James Stewart, in love with a nightclub singer(Ginger Rodgers). Antagonist: James Stewart's father, who is highly conservative and not that easy to talk to. Conflict: James Stewart has to tell Dad he's married to Ginger Rodgers. Two other movies--The Fighting Irish and The Torrid Zone both starring James Cagney and Pat O'Brian, revolves around the two aforementioned actors butting heads either over a girl(Fighting Irish)  or a banana plantaion and the pesky outlaw who is trying to destroy it (Torid Zone). Simple, simple. Easy, easy, easy. Strong, strong, STRONG!!! See, see, see?

4. Very Little Visible Ego.  Frankie Darro. Bobby Jordan. Leo Gorcey. Alan Ladd. Kay Francis. Pamela Blake. Richard Benedict. Buddy Gorman. Huntz Hall. Gabriel Dell. David Gorcey. Frankie Burke. Hally Chester. James Stewart. John Garfeild. Edward G. Robinson. Micky Rooney. Marie Wilson. May Robson. Ann Sheridan. Pat O'Brian. Allen Jenkins. Humphrey Bogart. Lauren Becall.  James Cagney. Stanley Clements. I'll bet you anything you've only heard of a couple of these actors, and not just because you've been reading my blog. What all of these brilliant people had in common was that they were all talented, yes. But they never slapped their ego all over the screen. Yes, I am in the theatre world, so I know that people have egos(hello? it's human!). But for whatever reason, I never saw or heard from anyone that any of these people were egomaniacs. Yes, I know that several of them also had highly publicized negative moments in their lives, for whatever reason, but they never showed it on the screen. I've heard of very few diva moments, from the above listed especially. They all had talent. They all worked hard.  And some of them were still highly unappreciated. Note the bloopers:

...All right, so maybe four isn't a lot. But it's pretty dang good when you know how many movies were actually produced in a single year in Silver Screen Hollywood(I figured it out once, but can't remember the overall number off the top of my head--other than Monogram, and I already told you that in #2 above.) Anyway, the post of this whole post was to explain to anybody who's listening why I have so many movies and black and white. And why I  get so upset when a remake backfires.

RD BD: CRAIG CHARLES!!!!

EEK!! So, I'm kind of excited today. This day is the day that one of my favorite BBC/ITV actors was born. He has two beautiful daughters, and DJs regularly in the UK. He is also the star of the 1980s cult series "Red Dwarf"(which returns to TV screens in September/October of this year), and a regular cast member of the UK Soap "Coronation Street"(he returned July 2nd!).

He was the winner of a poetry contest when he was twelve(TWELVE!) and the second place winner was 32. Not a joke.

This man has the wonderful ability to always make me feel good. Whenever I'm depressed, or don't want to think, or whatever, I just have to pop one of his DVDs in the player and enjoy myself. Of course, it helps that he's also got clips all over Youtube!

He is also one of those annoying people that age and still look REALLY GOOD. It helps that I find his accent sexy, I guess. And that he had a wicked hairstyle in the 80s(his Lister Locks!).

Yes, he may be old enough to be me dad, but ohmigosh he still looks SEXY GOOD!!!!

Happy 48th Birthday Craig Charles! VIVA LISTER AND LLOYD!!!!!

Craig Charles, then, as Lister, 1988

Craig Charles, as Lloyd, now, 2012--no change with age, yes?

Media Bender

It's always this time of year that my "past movie year" gets it's title. First semester of college, I didn't watch much. But then the library got a completely new building, where media got it's own floor, and--I was gone ^_^. I've been through a Romance Year, Sci-Fi/Fantasy year, and Coming of Age Dramas. Last year was my Television Series year: M*A*S*H, Bewitched, Chuck, House, Supernatural, Gossip Girl, TVD, you name it, I probably watched it. This past year(2011), I went on an "oldie bender". Part of this is because I happen to have Turner Classic Movies on my cable this year.  And my current obsessions are Humphrey Bogart and James Cagney. And I've always liked Mickey Rooney. So below I have complied a list of what I think are the greatest oldies of all time.

1. The Mayor of Hell
2. The Torrid Zone
3. Angels with Dirty Faces
4. National Velvet
5. The African Queen
6. Casablanca
7. The Fighting 69th
8. Huckleberry Finn staring Mickey Rooney
9. City of Conquest
10. Harvey
11. Arsenic and Old Lace
12. It Happened One Night
13. Philadelphia Story
14. It's a Wonderful Life
15. Horatio Hornblower(1950)
16. Dead End
17.Winchester '73
18. Meet Me in St. Louis
19. The Canterville Ghost(1940)
20. Call Northside 777
21. The Big Sleep
22. The Maltese Falcon
24. Treasure of Sierra Madre
25. Some Like It Hot
26. Ceiling Zero
27. Footlight Parade
28.Johnny Come Lately
29. Rear Window
30. Vertigo
31. Dial M for Murder
32. Arsenic and Old Lace
33. Quo Vadis
34. Frenchman's Creek, staring Joan Fontaine
35. British Agent
36. Robin Hood, starring Errol Flynn
37. Robin Hood, starring Richard Todd
38. The Sword and the Rose
39. The Slipper and the Rose
40. The Three Musketeers, starring Oliver Reed, Michael York, Faye Dunaway and Richard Chamberlain
41. The Four Musketeers, starring Oliver Read, Michael York, Faye Dunaway, and Richard Chamberlsin
42. The 39 Steps
43. The Secret Garden
44. What's Up Doc?
45. Bell, Book, and Candle
46. It's a Wonderful Life
47. You Can't Take It With You
48. Ballots or Bullets
49. The Awful Truth
50. The Shop Around the Corner
51. The Human Comedy
52. Johnny Eager
53. Rebel Without a Cause
54. West Side Story
55. My Fair Lady
56. Sabrina, starring Audrey Hepburn, Humphrey Bogart and William Holden
57. Treasure Island, starring Bobby Driscoll
58. The Woman in Green
59. Sherlock Holmes, starring Basil Rathbone
60. The Scarlet Pimpernel, starring Leslie Howard
61. Only Angels Have Wings
62. Bachelor Mother
63. Sunset Boulovard
64. The Roaring Twenties
65. To Catch a Thief
66. Charade
67. For Whom the Bell Tolls
68. The Magnificent Seven
69. The Ten Commandments
70. Broken Arrow
71. The Stratton Story
72. Highway in the Sky
73. The Defiant Ones
74. The Sweet Smell of Sucess
75. The Big Sleep
76. Here Comes the Navy
77. Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
78. Next Time We Love
79. Pot O' Gold
80. White Heat
81. Buck Privates
82. Dracula(1931)
83. Boystown
84. Men of Boystown
85. Footlight Parade
86. Blood on the Sun
87. Yankee Doodle Dandy!
88. Each Dawn I Die
89. G-Men
90. Mutiny on the Bounty(starring Marlon Brando 1960)
91. Great Guy
92. Santa Fe Trail
93. Green Light
94. The Robe
95. The Public Enemy
96. Dark Passage
97. Come Live with Me
98. To Have and to Have Not
99. One Way Passage
100.  Made For Each Other

Please note that all the above have either, James Cagney, Tony Curtis, Pat O'Brian, James Stewart, or a combo of these. Media Bender? I think yes!

RD and CORRIE- My Lastest Obessision and Source of Entertainment

Now, I am the type of person that gets easily obsessed. Like, really SCARILY obsessed. And I forget this. A lot. So when I typed "Red Dwarf" into my Kindle Fire a couple of weeks ago, I had no idea what the result would be.
It was really interesting.
See, I got into "Red Dwarf" kind of by accident. I was in a show over the summer and one of my fellow cast members kept saying "smeg" whenever he screwed up. When I asked him what that meant, he gave me a look and said "It's from Red Dwarf." I then got a ten minute crash course one the show--which I didn't understand at all--and from then on sort of got what "smeg" meant. When I moved back to my apartment in August, I was still kind of curious, so I stayed up until 10:30 on a Saturday night just to watch one episode. The episode was called "Backwards", and even though I'd had a crash course on the show, I still didn't entirely get it. My first impression was that it was a sci-fi comedy about a robot, a dead guy, a cat, and a monkey floating around in space(yes, I totally thought Lister was a monkey, which is why part of me REALLY hopes no hardcore RD fan reads this because they might shoot me.)
Flash forward to end of this month(January 2012). I have seen all nine series of RD, put my favorites on my Youtube channel, read every single article I can find, and am currently waiting on pins and needles for the next series (RD X) to air in Sept-Oct of 2012. On a side note, I am working my way though the series for the third time in almost as many weeks. Can you say OBSESSED?! And the next series airs in EIGHT MONTHS AWAY, WHAT AM I GOING TO DO?
Good question. Here is my answer: "Coronation Street"
Now, I will be the first to admit that I am not a soap fan. This could be because I was raised on US soaps(which--in my opinion--are REALLY BAD). However, I am a fan of Craig Charles(yes, that guy who plays Lister on RD, and who can blame me, that guy can act! Plus, he's forty-seven and STILL looks pretty good ^_^) Anyhoo, I typed his name into IMDB, because that's what I do when I really like actors and shows and things(I did the same with Chris Barrie, Danny John-Jules, and Robert Lllewellyn), and "Coronation Street" popped up. I looked it up, but didn't really watch any episode until I stumbled across and article that Craig Charles wrote with regard to a particular episode in which he gets into fisticuffs with another character. Now, this is something I wanted to see. I spent the next hour on Youtube trying to find it. When I did, I ended up watching the next four episodes(for anybody familiar with "Corrie", it was the epic tram crash of December 2010) and got hooked. This show isn't like the soaps I'm used to. It's not just drama, and screwed up love affairs and stuff. It's actually heartwarming and funny. There are REAL people in this show, not one-dimensional over dramatized soapsuds(no offense, just my opinion).
And Craig Charles is in it. Playing a totally different character to the one he is in "Red Dwarf."  But he's gone for a little so he could film RD 10, so in the meantime, I can catch up on the show til he comes back( 3 more eps of 2011, and then I can start on 2012. I'm only a month behind!). But not only is Craig Charles in this, but there are a lot of other really awesome actors in it. Simon Gregson, for example. I'd never heard of him before, but now I really wish he did more than "Corrie", cause DANG is he really talented.
So, my plan is to continue watching RD(all the episodes available anyway), and "Corrie" on Youtube over the summer.  Then, I can still see a good show with a good actor while I wait for my favorite cult series to return. And then I will buy it on DVD, just like I bought the others, so I can own all of the episodes and watch it whenever I want (Red Dwarf, not Coronation Street. That's what Youtube is for.)
Wow. I really need to find a new obsession.