Media Consumed

[olivermoss]

* I finally saw Nightmare on Elm Street. My classical horror education slowly continues. No wonder it's the one the Duffers name check when talking about the teen's storyline on Stranger Things. Nancy is very, uh, Nancy coded.

* I read Red, White and Royal Blue.

It's really well written! I was actually recced this a few times and didn't check it out because the blurb gave me a weird vibe and also I wasn't sure I was up for a no-Trump-AU. I mean, I'd love to live in a no-Trump-AU but especially as someone who feels that he's more informed about the electoral process and certain political realities than most, if this was too idealistic or too... many different things it would have annoyed me greatly. There were a few times I had to close it and toss it aside because my brain was reminded, well, of our actual timeline. But, overall a lot of things are handled really well, it's really cute and some parts are really funny. The banter is very well done.

I hope in the Netflix adaptation they nerf how much of the plot involves tripping, outside of the initial fall. It works in the book because of how strong the writing is, but it might not translate to the screen.

It doesn't follow the standard romance novel formula. The biggest variance is that rather than going 'they are together, cut to black' there is a long section after going over all the details, people, loose ends, weeks into the future, weeks more, etc. So much more satisfying.

It's not quite my sort of dynamic and for me this is not escapism. Escapism is supposed to be it's biggest selling point, but for me this is full of painful reminders of reality. Less of a comfy blanket and more like a cactus. But I did really like it and am glad I read it due to the strength of the writing.

Comments

[mistressofmuses]

Hooray for finally seeing the classic! I enjoy it as a slasher, crappy cast member of the first one notwithstanding. But yeah, the influences are kind of EVERYWHERE, and Stranger Things definitely shows quite a few off.

I'm glad to hear that about Red, White, and Royal Blue! I think I'll nudge it back up on my interest list. I'd been wanting to read it, and then sort of did the same thing where I just kept backing off on it. I think a lot of it was that most of the reccs I've seen are about the "wholesome escapist sweet vibes", and that sort of rec has gotten a bit soured for me of late, plus the "no-Trump AU" aspect, which yes, would be nice IRL, but feels more taunting than escapist in fiction, heh. Hearing that the writing is actually strong makes me a lot more interested!

[olivermoss]

I just saw the second and visually ST season 2 borrows from it a lot. Also, you couldn't convince me before that the Steve/Billy rivalry wasn't supposed to have homoerotic undertones and now I am feel very vindicated. My plan is to watch through 3 since from the subtitle Dream Warriors I have a feeling it's also relevant.

The Netflix film for Red, White and Royal Blue comes out it under a month. I figured if it was getting an adaptation it had something going for it and might as well read the book first. But yeah, for escapism I'll crawl into fantasy worlds or Stranger Things.

[mistressofmuses]

I need to rewatch some of the Nightmare on Elm Street films. It's been a lot of years since I saw most of them. (They were one of my favorite of the big slasher franchises, though.)

And YES, I'm glad you feel vindicated over that, because SERIOUSLY.

I vaguely knew that there was going to be a RW&RB movie, but didn't realize it was coming out quite so soon!

Yeah... I don't find a lot of real-world stuff to be all that escapist. I can still often LIKE it, but it doesn't scratch the escapist itch.

[olivermoss]

People not seeing the undertones to the Steve and Billy scenes always baffled me, but now also knowing the visual references it's just funny.

Yeah, some of the specific things about the electoral college being referenced in plots takes me to bad memories. Or worse, good memories from a very different era.

[mistressofmuses]

Right? The homoerotic undertones seemed pretty obvious to me, but periodically I'd see someone talk about how there was ZERO subtext there, and it was delusional for someone to "read into it", and like... lol okay.

Yeah. Real world stuff that's happening in a "better timeline" just feels taunting to me. Kind of the opposite of escapist. There's plenty of stuff set nominally in the real world - urban fantasy, contemporary horror, etc. - that doesn't tweak that same feeling for me... but I think it may be that I need "not a political hellscape" to NOT be the biggest difference between the work and the real world.

[olivermoss]

Yeah, taunting is a good way to look at it. Urban Fantasy tends to be very grounded in social and political realities, sometimes even about them. I'll be curious what you make of the book.

[mistressofmuses]

Urban fantasy is an often pretty socially-conscious genre, whether in a literal or metaphorical sense. I think I have an easier time finding escapism in a story that looks like our world but hey, there are werewolves! or faeries! or vampires! as the fantastical element. A story in which the most fantastical element is "the politics are less of a demoralizing hellscape" feels... a lot sadder, heh.

I will slot the book back on my tbr list, though who knows when I'll get to it, ha.

[olivermoss]

Yup, same. Weirdly my escapism needs to be pretty grounded or it just feels bad in a variety of ways.

[mistressofmuses]

I either want my escapism grounded-but-somehow-fantastical, or fully sci-fi/fantasy so that it isn't real world at all. "The real world but less bad" just feels like... wish unfulfillment.