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Zagreus

@bigtalkingbird.bsky.social

190 followers 430 following 390 posts

Goth Whovian. General SF/fantasy/horror nerd. Librarian. Cares too much about The Lore.

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Zagreus @bigtalkingbird.bsky.social · 28d

If you like weird, sad poetry that tells a story, you should check out my new chapbook from Bottlecap Press!
$10 for a physical copy
$3.50 for digital
Free to recommend to your local library
bottlecap.press/products/dre...
#amwriting #independentpublishing

Zagreus @bigtalkingbird.bsky.social · 3h

Genuinely? I think it's the space communism. It's hard to make a fan-pleasing Star Trek movie that doesn't take place in an extremely diverse socialist utopia, and that scares executives--especially at Paramount.

Zagreus @bigtalkingbird.bsky.social · 1d

The spinoffs I like (SJA, Children of Earth) hooked me with charismatic protagonists who'd already been introduced in the main show, and kept my interest with good writing. Modern UNIT doesn't have a single character I care about, and McTighe's track record as a writer doesn't inspire confidence.

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Zagreus @bigtalkingbird.bsky.social · 1d

Spooky season's over, so it's back to Doctor Who!
No More Lies - A sweet love story buried inside a confusing timeloop story. This era of Eight has been very musical, and they've consistently hired musicians who can pull off the tunes! Can't wait to find out what Lucie's deal is.
#BigFinishDW

Reposted by Zagreus

Moby Dick @mobydickatsea.bsky.social · 1d

A short life to them, and a jolly death.

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Reposted by Zagreus

William Shakespeare @shakespeare.lol · 1d

[Exit Clown.]

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Zagreus @bigtalkingbird.bsky.social · 4d

Vampires: Father Paul is the best of the blood-sucking priests. So well-meaning, so weak and conflicted, so good at talking himself and others into horrifying things. The "Angel" is my favourite of the modern Nosferatu-style designs, especially in the Easter chasuble. Brrr!
#31NightsofVampires

Zagreus @bigtalkingbird.bsky.social · 4d

And ending Day 31 with an enduring favourite.
Miniseries: Unironically very important to my spiritual journey of the past 5 years. Flanagan's magnum opus. A powerful meditation on sin, guilt, faith, the hope of forgiveness, and the evil of twisting that hope to unworthy ends.

Poster for Midnight Mass (2021). A church with lighted windows stands in the middle of a storm, with dead trees all around it. A man is silhouetted in one of the windows.

Zagreus @bigtalkingbird.bsky.social · 4d

Day 30
Movie: A hilarious send-up of vampire tropes, and also a heartwarming story about learning to live with people. A Halloween favourite.
Vampires: All fun in their own special ways, like the archetypes they're parodying. Vladislav the Poker gets the best jokes.
#31NightsofVampires

Poster for What We Do in the Shadows (2014). Portrait of Viago, a wall-mounted goat head, Vladislav, Deacon, Petyr, Nick, and Stu (counter-clockwise from top). Above them, a bunch of quotations saying "hilarious." Tagline below title says, "Some interviews with some vampires."

Zagreus @bigtalkingbird.bsky.social · 5d

Day 29
Miniseries: Could've done without quite so much small-town drama before the vamps show up, but once they do, it's riveting. Barely feels like 3 hours. MC is a deadbeat, though.
Vampires: Very creepy, even the bucktoothed Master. Can turn you cold without turning you.
#31NightsofVampires

Poster for Salem's Lot (1979). A shadowy vampire raises his arms above a creepy moonlit house, like he's about to give it a great big spooky hug.

Zagreus @bigtalkingbird.bsky.social · 5d

The great thing about dressing up as a classic Doctor for American Halloween is that no one can criticise your costume's inaccuracies.

Me as the First Doctor. The wig is too short and curly to be proper, but I do have a monocle.

Zagreus @bigtalkingbird.bsky.social · 6d

👻🦇👻🦇

Two shots from The Batman (2022). Top image: the Batman turning as the police chief speaks. Caption reads: "This must be your favourite night of the year, huh pal?"
Bottom image: police chief, with an exasperated expression. Caption reads, "Happy fuckin' Halloween."

Zagreus @bigtalkingbird.bsky.social · 7d

Day 28
Movie: Early del Toro that already contains all his trademarks, for better & worse. Feels slow for its length, & Ron Perlman is a cartoon. Still lovely & moody overall.
Vampire: A fantastic look. Love the backwards suit & peeling skin. And he sticks to his morals!
#31NightsofVampires

Poster for Cronos (1992). A golden scarab floats in blackness. Part of it is cut away in red to reveal clockwork gears inside. Blood drips from the cut-away bit.

Zagreus @bigtalkingbird.bsky.social · 7d

Look, Tolkien had his share of problematic beliefs, and we can't say what his politics would be if he were alive today. But we can be sure he would hate the weaselly little Nazis using his languages to name their evil machines, because they're all clones of the people he despised most in life.

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Zagreus @bigtalkingbird.bsky.social · 7d

Coming from the man who wrote Children of Húrin, abandoning a plot line for being too depressing really carries a lot of weight.

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Zagreus @bigtalkingbird.bsky.social · 8d

Day 27
Movie: Dark, sexy Gothic horror, oddly infused with slapstick comedy. Never heard so much slurping in all my life.
Vampire: Basically just an average Catholic running out of excuses. I feel a good conversation with Louis du Lac could fix him (maybe even her).
#31NightsofVampires

Poster for Thirst (2009). A man in a priest collar and a woman in not much lie on opposing sides of the frame in high-contrast shadows. The woman has her hands around the man's throat.

Zagreus @bigtalkingbird.bsky.social · 8d

Wrote about the new Frankenstein. Apologies for spoilers. No apologies for loving this movie to an irrational degree.

Frankenstein’s saviour

Most days, I would list Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein as my second favourite novel of all time (the #1 spot is reserved for The Lord of the Rings). It’s a concentrated blend of everything…

wizardattheclicks.wordpress.com

Zagreus @bigtalkingbird.bsky.social · 9d

Day 26
Movie: Kind of like a less annoying, gayer Goonies. Can't believe it's rated R--had kids' adventure movie vibes for me. Cory Feldman's Batman voice was a highlight.
Vampires: They're just a happy family that likes to party! Kids should've left them alone.
#31NightsofVampires

Poster for The Lost Boys (1987). A bunch of the coolest 25-year-old teens the 80s has to offer. We're talking mullets, sunglasses, earrings, bleached hair, and leather jackets. Tagline reads, "Sleep all day. Party all night. Never grow old. Never die. It's fun to be a vampire."

Zagreus @bigtalkingbird.bsky.social · 9d

So annoyed at all the people saying the "we shall be monsters together" line in del Toro's Frankenstein sounds like Tumblr.
It's FROM THE BOOK, people! Admittedly, Mary Shelley would definitely be on Tumblr if she were alive. But STILL.

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Zagreus @bigtalkingbird.bsky.social · 10d

And Sinners! (Well, he was defeated eventually, but only by the power of Black music, which I feel is a dignified defeat.)

Zagreus @bigtalkingbird.bsky.social · 10d

Irish vampires remain undefeated!

Zagreus @bigtalkingbird.bsky.social · 10d

Day 25
Movie: Case study in how writing for teens progressed over 30 years--and how lighting & effects regressed. My question is, how did 2011 Tumblr survive shirtless goth Doctor Who??
Vampire: A little smarter, and a lot prettier, than the original. Pity about his true form.
#31NightsofVampires

Poster for Fright Night (2011). Anton Yelchin (RIP) in the foreground with an axe. He looks exactly like Tom Holland (actor, not director) and it's creeping me out. Above him, red-eyed Colin Farrell licks blood off his hand in a sexy way, and David Tennant and Imogen Poots mug for the camera.

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Zagreus @bigtalkingbird.bsky.social · 10d

Day 24
Movie: Much as I dislike Mina & Dracula being in love, I have to admit I'd also pick suave Gary Oldman over stoned Keanu. A pretty, misogynist, over-long fever dream, just like the book!
Vampire: Hate the backstory, love the shape-shifting. The bat form was my favourite.
#31NightsofVampires

Poster for Dracula (1992). Gary Oldman and Winona Ryder embrace in black and white, surrounded by gargoyle-looking representations of the rest of the cast. Tagline is "Love Never Dies."

Zagreus @bigtalkingbird.bsky.social · 11d

The only way a person could believe this is if they have never interacted with Star Trek fans in real life, visited any fanfiction sites, or done any research whatsoever on the franchise's history. In other words, not a real fan.

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Zagreus @bigtalkingbird.bsky.social · 11d

It was just as beautiful as I knew it would be.

Zagreus @bigtalkingbird.bsky.social · 11d

So incredibly seated for Guillermo del Toro's Frankenstein.

Me in a Frankenstein shirt in front of the Frankenstein poster.

Screen at the Mayan Theatre in Denver, CO.

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