Five Things Meme | Answers, Part Deux

LORELAI. Probably ever since I was a tween I have wanted to grow up to be Lorelai Gilmore? My number one issue with the show was always that she was so flawless and Rory sucked so unimaginably much and it made no sense - I mean, I guess if your mom is this awesome there's nowhere to go but down, but still. No excuse for Rory to be such a milquetoast. BUT LORELAI. The wit! The terrible '00s fashion sense! The pure undiluted sass

Somehow, without my intending it, Dan Humphrey became, like...the prince of my everything? Honestly I don't know that I've ever felt as strongly about a fictional character (though my overly-invested feelings for all the characters of GG has long been a problem) as I have about Dan. Lol, I remember in the bb days of fandom most of the time it felt like I was the only person who even liked him. It happened sometime around s2 - that wintery party they had when Aaron was around and Dan was supposed to have sex with Aaron's friend? Serena said something about sex being meaningful for Dan and his response was along the lines of 'yeah, especially when I haven't had it in a while' and it was just SUCH a dick thing to say and in that moment I fell in love. Then he sort of took over as my favorite on the show and I discovered that writing him was about the easiest thing ever for me. Writing Dan is probably what made him become so important to me. I definitely started to over-identify with him, and there's probably a lot more of me in my Dan writing than I'm even aware of. So....yeah. Somehow or other Dan Humphrey just took over for me.

I don't even understand how I didn't watch this show growing up - I guess I was too young for it? But I was so happy to re-discover it as a grownup because I am Daria Daria is me, etc. Shows from the 90s are just WAY SUPERIOR TO EVERYTHING ELSE

I debated about this for a long time. It's hard with BtVS characters because I love all of them, and I had decided to choose Buffy first as the sort of representative for the show (ended up sticking her in my ~honorable mentions for this). But really if I'm being honest, Xander is my favorite. I've said before in various posts how much I love characters like Xander (and Dan and Ron Weasley, etc) - the snarkiness, the insecurity, the good heart but jerky tendencies. I tend to identify with them the most. 

Also, there are a damn lot of brunettes up in this list. Interesting, self.

IT ERODES MORALE. JOANIE. Similar to BtVS, it's hard to pick just one character from Mad Men, but it's just...obviously Joan. I think it's a trufax crime Christina Hendricks has not won a damn award yet, because the things she does with her face as Joan are INSANE to me. I tend to like lady characters who are efficient and have a no patience for bullshit - I like that Christina brings something to Joan that is formidable and intimidating all tied up with her being ~sexy. And I love her strength (I feel like all the ladies on this show are strong in a very similar way) in that she keeps being handed endless crap to deal with and she just deals. She deals and puts herself back together and looks flawless doing so. She's only really broken down twice to my memory on the show (when she cried before leaving Sterling-Cooper after getting married and in the THERE'S AN AIRPLANE HERE TO SEE YOU scene that rules my heart) and I just find it very interesting, that combination in Joan that is emotionally locked-down and all business while simultaneously being the ~sex kitten. If that makes sense?

UGH. You guysss. I had to put dumb Blair on the list. If this was a couple of years ago she would be indisputably at the very top and her nosedive into sucking is the actual saddest for. I cannot even express how much eighteen year old me was obsessed with Blair. SHE WORE RED TIGHTS SO I WORE RED TIGHTS. SHE WAS MY WORLD. AND THEN CHUCK HAPPENED AND SUCKED THE LIFE OUT OF HER. Ugh. I will be upset about it forever, seriously

I was surprised upon re-watching somewhat recently how much Buffy as a character began to appeal to me. I'd always loved her but, as happens with main characters sometimes, you see a lot of them, they annoy you, etc. But really she's amazing - and I think definitely one of the best tv characters of ever, hands down. I think she was definitely more balanced in the early years, able to be powerful but also a total teenager, and funny and charming too. I think the show kind of lost sight of that a little in their desire to bring on the angst

This is definitely one of my favorite movies of all time. There is nothing about it that isn't perfect? I mean, she should have ended up with Jimmy, obviously. And, also obviously, sexism. BUT. The script is amazing and it is flawlessly acted and everyone has such beautiful chemistry. Katharine Hepburn is the actual queen of everything in this or any other universe. I wish she'd made other movies with Jimmy - their chemistry was so wonderful and I liked their dynamic so much, I would have loved to have seen it play out in other scenarios. I feel so spoiled by all the incredible Kate/Cary that I have to watch but I NEED MORE KATE/JIMMY.

Perfect movie? Perfect movie. Screwball comedies are my life's blood and I don't know that it gets better than this? There is a LEOPARD that Kate WRANGLES despite weighing like ninety pounds because she is a ferocious and amazing creature. They SING at the leopard. Cary wears a FEATHERED ROBE. Also featuring the most 1940s dog of all time, named GEORGE. Because what else do you call your dog in the 1940s besides George

William Holden. WILLIAM HOLDEN. I am not so into Gloria Swanson (though she had one hell of an interesting life) so Bill really makes the movie for me. Do actors like that exist anymore? Actors of the 40s had such an easy, masculine charm. I don't really know how else to explain it. There was something so nonchalant and funny about his energy, wonderfully appealing. His little romance with the scriptwriter girl is one of my favorite bits of the film, I love when they walk through the fake New York set and she tells him about her nose job. Precious. Also, did you know the house from this film was destroyed and is a parking lot or something now? I was so upset when I read that. I thought because it was in this and Rebel Without a Cause, it might have some classic film clout and survive so that people could go look at it. Sadly not so much.

I feel like I wept about the Heiress pretty recently on my journal? So...I've probably said all that can be said. EVERYONE JUST GO WATCH THIS FOR CRYING OUT LOUD, OLIVIA AND MONTY ARE BEAUTIFUL.

Thanks to the History Boys, I can fully recite from memory the final voiceover from this film in, IMO, a flawless Celia Johnson accent. This movie is so perfectly English in just about every way, I die for it. I remember after I saw the Heiress on Broadway (which was horrific) I came home and watched Brief Encounter and wept about how perfect it was. Conversely, the recent stage version of Brief Encounter? Incredible, one of the best things I have ever had the pleasure of seeing

Kind of cliché, but eh. I can't help it. I watched this movie so much as a kid and came to enjoy it in a totally new way as an adult and I can't help but love it entirely. I don't really care that it mangles the novel. I don't care that it gets all traditional romantic film at the end. I just treasure every eyelash of this movie, definitely my favorite of Audrey's earlier stuff

I think this movie is the best at capturing Marilyn's screen persona and really summing up why she made the kind of impact she did. She's gorgeous and glowy and funny and charming, exciting to watch. I kind of wish the male lead of the film was played by someone else, because his parts of the movie kind of edged towards too...try-hard funny, for me. Whereas Marilyn just breezed in with this unaware easiness and charm and stole the whole show. I think she needed someone more on her level, to be honest.

I'm kind of offended by myself that I have a James Dean movie on here but not a Marlon or Paul movie - because as much as I've come around on James Dean, I still don't really adore him, esp not the most out of that group of actors. Marlon is my prince, Paul a close second. But with them, its like...I tend to love the individual performance more than the film itself. So if this was ~five favorite performances of old Hollywood~ it would probably be all Marlon. But it's not, so. East of Eden is, if nothing else, an incredibly gorgeous film. The first time I saw it, I was really blown away by how visually gorgeous it is. It had such a lush, rich golden color scheme. And yeah, similar to the Seven Year Itch, I feel like it's the movie that showcases Dean's appeal at its absolute best

I'm kind of seriously stretching the parameters of 'old Hollywood' here with this, so let's just say anything pre-1970 is old Hollywood, mmkay? BARBRA IS MY GOD. This is not an exaggeration. The first time I saw this movie I was appalled at myself for never having seen it before. I really don't think there was anyone like Barbra before or since - she's hilarious and not ~Hollywood beautiful~ but she's also incredibly glamorous and I don't think we've seen anything like that since. The costumes in this film are gorgeous, as are the pounds and pounds of weave atop Babs' lovely head. I don't know, I could watch this woman do anything. Omar Sharif is fantastic, too. They looked like they really enjoyed each other

Now, as much as I adore Tiffany's, in my opinion this is Audrey's best movie. It's just such a great movie. It's interesting and well-shot, well-edited; I love how it weaves together so many different timelines so flawlessly. The acting is on-point - again, I think Audrey's best. It's unfortunate it doesn't get very much attention these days, because I think it's perfect. PLUS, Audrey doesn't wear any Givenchy so she looks totally different and gets to rock all these amazing late-60s looks, like metallic party dresses and black vinyl suits and crazy sunglasses

This is probably one of my favorite scenes in all cinema forever and ever, the end. I just think it's so beautiful. The starkness of the blue agains the rest of the film's yellow, the perfect choice of Elliott Smith's "Needle in the Hay" playing over it. Plus I'm a sucker for scenes involving mirrors/vanities, etc. I could watch people putting on makeup and stuff for hours. So I love the sort of...deconstructing his image part of it, like Richie can't stand the lack of change anymore, can't stand looking at himself anymore. I think the shot of the sink with all his hair everywhere and the blood coming slowly down his arms is beautiful, one of my favorite shots of all time. And I think it's...sort of poetically beautiful that he does it in Margot's bathroom, the same sink we saw her sitting on in the beginning, the bathroom she spent six hours a day in.

This scene is such a good example of Wes dialogue, I think. It perfectly encapsulates his style. This is probably the only movie I can still enjoy Natalie Portman in. I wish there was more of her character actually, because I think she's really interesting - though maybe she's interesting because we only get a brief look at her. I think her place in Jack's life is even more interesting once we meet his mother at the end of the Darjeeling Limited, because I feel like they sort of echo each other. I love the undressing bit of this movie, too, and how she's naked when he isn't. Ugh, just so good

This scene is a great counterpoint to Richie's. It's similar in that it's a defining moment for the character that's incredibly reliant on music - whereas Margot's is fast and discordant and choppy, Richie's is slow and melancholy. I don't have a ton to say about it, actually, it's just one of those scenes I look forward to every time I watch because it's so fantastic

WES KNOWS JUST HOW TO GIVE ME FEELINGS. I love the abruptness of the flashback - and again, Wes dropping this blue-heavy scene into the middle of all his Anderson yellows. I love the manic nature of the flashback too, the running around, the car, the suitcase - how you see how rattled they all are by their father's death and realize that they never dealt with it until this moment, the little boy's funeral. Really beautifully tied together

AND I CRY. Ugh, I just, I can't. When Chas puts his hand on Royal's forehead and Royal closes his eyes, at peace, it just destroys me. Their relationship was so fraught that it makes it all the more emotionally resonant that Chas is the one that gets to share this moment with his father, his final moment.

Just a good line. The first one I thought of for this.

Okay, you can argue with me but you will be wrong - is there any better film opener in the history of film? The running, Iggy Pop, the voiceover, EWAN. I fucking live and die for this movie and the beginning is just utterly, utterly brilliant

SECOND BEST OPENER IN FILM HISTORY. The way the camera tracks Barbra as she goes into the theatre - just her back in this fabulous leopard ensemble, until she stops at the mirror and looks in. And then slowly, slowly her face is revealed to us and she opens her amazing mouth and says, "Hello, gorgeous," to herself. FUCKING AMAZING. Moments like that make a character

SUCH A GOOD MOVIE. I haven't watched it in too long. This is basically a perfect summation of their relationship and its playful meanness, and how far they've come together

I love this line because I feel like it's as much for the audience at home watching as it is for Hedwig's audience in the show - whether you like it or not, here she is in all her ambiguous-gender glory pulling no punches and with zero apologies

None of these caps actually picture Dr. Cox whistling, because I am lazy. My love for this show is mostly undocumented on lj, but it is a strong and forever love. Dr. Cox's whistling was always something I was fond of because he's just such an asshole and it's such a perfectly asshole thing to do - that he would whistle to get people's attention, like he's calling a dog instead of a person. Perfect

I could watch this idiot awkwardly wave at people for the rest of forever. WHAT A DWEEB

LEE PACE. Why isn't he everywhere?? Why isn't he in everything?? He's such a good actor, I cannot. Ned's physicality was one of my favorite things, that he was so visibly awkward in his own skin. It was like he had no idea what to do with his body. It was exacerbated around Chuck because I think he was contorting himself to avoid accidentally touching her, and it's such great detail

I don't think this even really counts as a ~quirk, but whatever. I LOVE WHEN LADIES HAVE WONKY EYEBROWS. Like one of Darla's was constantly off in its own world doing its own thing. And Lady Mary's are by far the most gloriously bizarre, like what are they even doing half the time.

I miss Ugly Betty sooooo much. Marc and Amanda are obviously my favorites and the most superior and I love them. I love that they both have little stress quirks - that he uses his BEDAZZLED inhaler in a way that cannot be serving any purpose and she just runs for the food

Dream Caused by the Flight of a Bee Around a Pomegranate a Second Before Awakening, Salvador Dalí
My favorite Dalí. I just love the look of it.

The Immaculate Conception, Guido Reni
I'm using this as a sort of stand-in, because I really love religious art in general and don't really have a specific favorite. I just love the rich tones, those gorgeous blues and reds and pinks and yellows.

Young Love, Norman Rockwell
I'm a fan of Norman Rockwell in general and his whole Americana thing, but this is definitely my favorite of his. Those little melancholy kids on their date in their Sunday best. 

Andromeda and the Sea Monster, Pierre-Ètienne Monnot
I actually took this random drawing class at the Met in high school, where we basically all chose a piece of art and stared at it and drew it from all angles, etc. So I spent a couple hours a week staring at this sculpture. The picture really doesn't do it justice. The sense of movement to it was incredible, I don't understand how people can create movement out of a giant block of marble. The tossing of her hair, her arm, the monster in the water at her feet - it was so beautiful.

The Lady of Shalott, John William Waterhouse
I'm a giant Waterhouse fan in general - I love all his dreamy, pale, depressing ladies - but this was always my particular favorite

Ron Weasley
I don't even know, Ron Weasley is my fictional prince of everything. He is hands-down the funniest character in the books, so I would love him for that if nothing else. Thanks to him I will forever be on the lookout for lanky gingers and probs forever be disappointed they are not wisecracking slackers who also save the world and stuff. 

Donald Scripps
The History Boys is one of the pieces of fiction that has had an incredible impact in my life, and unsurprisingly Scripps is my main man. It's not just that Jamie Parker is the actual cutest and has that accent and is cute. It's also Scripps' dry humor and writerly detachment, that observer thing he has going for him that allows him to understand so much of what's going on around him but so little of himself, really.

Edith Wharton
EDITH. What a queen. I am so jealous of her writing, she was so incredibly clever and funny while at the same time able to be insanely heartbreaking. I think if she was around today she'd be a screenwriter - her dialogue is always so fantastic. 

Christopher Isherwood
Isherwood is probably the writer I most wish to emulate. He has that sneaky humor Edith has, this dry wit amongst his matter-of-fact prose and also these moments of amazingly beautiful imagery, these bursts of poetry. 

James St. James
Does anyone know who he is, even? Has anyone read Disco Bloodbath? It's called Party Monster now, since they made that awful movie of it. Fucking phenomenal book. James St. James is spirit animal, truly he and I are the same flashy overdecorated queen.