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I've seen some reactors who judge those tears as being sorrow that he couldn't do the same for Gwen, and... No. I mean, sure, there's probably an element of that. But that was *catharsis*, not *grief*. It is, as you say, the purest distillation of the soul of that movie.

For a whole mess of reasons, this would be a really good day for major positive movement on one/some/any of the various irons I have in various fires. There are so many people struggling far worse than I am right now, I know. But I would still like to be struggling less, and this would help. A lot.

Given that she was one of the celebrities who gleefully lent her voice and talents to the new full cast audio editions of the Harry Potter books, I'm not surprised at any other privileged, evil shit she pulls. And I used to be such a huge fan of hers. 😢

150,000 marched yesterday in London for trans rights. Opened the Sky News app. Scrolled and scrolled. Nothing. BBC News app. Nothing. Guardian app. Nothing. This is what actual silencing looks like.

I want companies that have profited from contracts with ICE to go out of business. I want companies that have gone all in on AI to go out of business. I want companies that cause nationwide diarrhea outbreaks to go out of business. I want companies that give money to fascists to go out of business.

Oh, definitely. It works for me there because, as you say, it was core to the story from the jump and it has a *reason* for being part of the story beyond "Wove.... Twue wove..." (Also, it's just a world of more overt magic overall.)

Huh. I actually tend not to mind that. I mean, I might not like it in certain stories or contexts, and I think there are other options that are often more interesting, but I don't object to it as a concept. I can definitely see why one would, though.

(I feel like I should clarify that when I say I loathe "anything involving reincarnation," I'm still speaking in the context of Dracula specifically. It's not one of my favorite plot devices overall, but there are *some* stories where it works for me. This ain't one, though.)

The 1931 film eschews that, thankfully, but it changes and omits so much else--including something like the last 20% of the book--that I can't fully get behind that one, either.

I abhor, to the heart of my being, any effort at turning Dracula and Mina's interactions into a love story. With bonus loathing for anything involving reincarnation. Since that's been a tumor at the heart of way too many adaptations, it makes it hard for me to enjoy any of them.

The 1992 Coppola movie is my favorite Dracula adaptation... for the first half. After that, it... um, isn't. (Although I'm a lot less forgiving of *most* Dracula adaptations than you seem to be, so I'm having trouble figuring out which I prefer, despite my problems with the back half of this one.)

Huh. I'd forgotten that Renfield was "just" a random guy in an asylum in the novel. I've so internalized the idea that he was Harker's predecessor (as per several of the films, including the 1992 one) that I'd mistakenly recalled it as being from the book.

As I recall, this change is in keeping with the 1931 Lugosi movie.

Millipede would work better. As a property, I feel like it has more legs.

THIEF'S COVENANT (the first book of the Widdershins series, but a standalone story on its own), for Renaissance-themed fantasy that skews just a little bit younger. LITANY OF DREAMS, a tie-in to the Arkham Horror board game, if you want something more Lovecraftian.

So as a non-comprehensive selection, some titles to look for: REMNANTS (a two-book series consisting of DUST and ASHES), if you're looking for sci-fi/horror. THE GOBLIN CORPS, if you're looking for trad fantasy with a villainous and humorous twist (described once as Tolkien meets Tarantino).

And I'm trying to add links, but for some reason they're not posting right. 😒

It's been a long time since I posted anything intended to inspire more of you to buy my books. ... Buy my books.

If you ever want to give an author whose book you've loved a magical free gift, recommend their book to someone.

(That said, I think Dracula: Dead and Loving It is actually stronger than Men In Tights, despite being slightly later, so I guess there was a bit of fuel left in the line. Still, that one isn't among his bests, either, and I think the overall thesis holds true.)