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lunaajade · 3 years

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Everything You Need to Know about “Shadow and Bone” on Netflix (*UPDATED: POSSIBLE LANGUAGE OF THORNS ADAPTATION INFO)

Since it’s recently been confirmed that we’d be getting S&B content in a few days (finally!), I thought I’d compile and summarize as much info as I could to refresh everyone’s memories! Please spread the word/share this post to those who aren’t up to date! (I’ve seen some people online who are worried about how it’s going to turn out, and I’d like to be able to hopefully reassure those people)

Now, there’s a LOT of stuff, so there’s always the chance I missed/forgot something. This post will be split up into categories based on type of info, so here we go! I went back and listened to/watched both of the big live streams (NYCC and the S&B Charity Competition), went on the Grishaverse Reddit, etc. to find as much (extra/bonus) stuff as I could. (If I missed anything/got something wrong, please feel free to leave a comment!)

Update: A lot of people have been asking where it was confirmed we were getting content soon. I found out from one of the update accounts I follow.

Thanks for reading, everyone!

General/Key Info About the Show

-This first season will be adapting both “Shadow and Bone” and what has been dubbed a “Book 0″ (most likely meaning prequel/backstory/set-up) for “Six of Crows” -In relation to the above point, the timelines are being brought together for the show. (Normally in the books, the two series are set two years apart)(We don’t know how exactly or what this means for the story, but I have a really interesting theory that I thought up in relation to this, message me if you’d like to hear it.) -Leigh acknowledges and understands that some of us have doubts and are worried about the show, but she has publicly assured us (numerous times) of how much she loves the show and cast, how well she thinks the crew/writers did in bringing the Grishaverse to life, etc. See a later point below in the Facts/Tidbits section -The first season will have 8, one-hour long episodes -Alina has been made half Shu (half Asian) for the show! Leigh stated that was decided on after she and Eric had a lengthy discussion on Alina’s character. -The main cast (as in confirmed to be in all episodes) is comprised of Jessie Mei Li (as Alina), Archie Renaux (as Mal), Ben Barnes (as the Darkling), Freddy Carter (as Kaz), Amita Suman (as Inej), and Kit Young (as Jesper) -Wylan and Nikolai are NOT in the first season. (Nikolai didn’t appear until the second book, and Leigh confirmed that at this point in the story, the Crows had not met Wylan yet.) -Other cast members include Danielle Galligan (as Nina), Calahan Skogman (as Matthias), Daisy Head (as Genya), Sujaya Dasgupta (as Zoya), Luke Pasqualino (as David), Julian Kostov (as Fedyor), Simon Sears (as Ivan), Zoe Wanamaker (as Baghra), and more! -The Darkling will also be called “General Kirigan” in the show. From what we know, The Darkling will be the “enemy” to Ravka (so in essence, General Kirigan is his alias/fake persona (what he’ll most likely be referred to for most of the show), and no one knows that he’s actually their enemy. (Meaning it’ll most likely a super big moment when they learn their general was actually the Darkling in disguise)). -The show was shot on location in Budapest, Hungary. (And additional filming took place this past fall in Vancouver) -In order, the 8 episodes are titled the following: “A Searing Burst of Light”, “We’re All Someone’s Monster”, “The Making at the Heart of the World”, “Otkazat’sya”, “Show Me Who You Are”, “The Heart is An Arrow”, “The Unsea”, & “No Mourners”.

Other (Fun) Facts/Tidbits About the Show

-Upon seeing Jessie’s audition, Leigh loved her audition/portrayal of Alina so much that she apparently stated that she wanted her to play Alina or she’d be out of the project. She was sent five auditions to watch, Jessie’s was the third, and she said she didn’t bother watching the rest of them. -Leigh stated that she and Eric Heisserer (the creator of the show) said they were on the same page from the first meeting. All other past meetings with producers and companies about possible adaptations had left her with a bad feeling, but she said they’d had the same ideas about inclusion, story, staff, etc. She said she’s loved the respect he’s shown towards the work (and, in a way, to us the fans) -Netflix apparently also has the rights to adapt “The Language of Thorns” , though we’ve gotten no info on that adaptation yet. (UPDATE: I just watched a Leigh Bardugo event from Feb 2019 (a few weeks after the show was first announced, I think): As of that day, she said that she thought that they were going to use LoT more for "texture” (IMO that might mean worldbuilding?) in the show. And I don’t know if she was talking about LoT specifically because she was very vague, but she said that there were certain things in the show that she thinks readers will be really excited about. Again, this was over a year ago, back when they were still in pre-production and stuff, so don’t take my word for it. Besides this, I couldn’t find anything else relating to a possible LoT adaptation. Maybe they’ll have the stories from LoT appear as actual folk tales told in the show, and that’s the “adaptation”? IDK. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qpHnw8Ygw5c&t=1906s)) -Leigh is an exec. producer on the show! I’m no expert, so I don’t know how much say/power she had in the process, but she definitely had some. -There is a RAVKAN edition of the “Shadow and Bone” book that Leigh says makes a cameo in the show! -Jesper’s guns had custom etchings done on them by a Hungarian antique gunsmith! (And they were so good that Leigh and Eric said that it looked like it belonged in a museum--they were also described to be quite heavy!) -Eric Heisserer is the creator of the show, he is an award-winning writer, well known for “Arrival”, “Bird Box”, and more. (If I remember correctly, Leigh said that he’d reached out to her about making the show!) -A DeKappel painting (maybe the one owned by Van Eck?) was confirmed to be in the pilot episode. -Pekka Rollins and Tante Heleen have been confirmed to be in the first season, but their casting has (up to this point) not yet been revealed. -Bo Yul-Bayur is confirmed to be in the show! (Though Kuwei has not) -Leigh will have a cameo in (I think) Episode 5! She will be wearing a Materialki kefta and will be opening a door, if I remember correctly. -A lot of the crew was also extremely passionate about the project and fans of the books -The “Lives of Saints” book that was published in October is an actual book/prop that is appearing in the show! -I’m personally fine with Mal, but Leigh says that Archie is going to change everyone’s minds with his portrayal! -The costume designer for the show is Wendy Partridge, known for her work on “Thor: The Dark World”, “Pompeii”, and more! -The composer for the show is Joe Trapanese, known for composing for “The Greatest Showman”, “Straight Outta Compton”, “Lady and the Tramp”, and more! At the NYCC Grishaverse panel, they revealed a little bit of the score (”Grisha Theme”): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KFxIEbsHKJA

Fun Cast/On Set Stories/Facts

-The cast all loves each other, and are all extremely passionate about this show, which is great! (Leigh said that on her second visit to the set, she heard them singing together) -Leigh says that Ben Barnes once snuck up behind her on her first day on set and scared her by whispering “Fine, make me your villain” -Freddy’s favorite Grishaverse book is “Six of Crows”, but most specifically the first line of chapter 2 (”Kaz Brekker didn’t need a reason.”) -Jessie would apparently come to set on some of her days off to support the cast and crew! -Sujaya has stated that her favorite Grishaverse character is Nikolai! (#Zoyalai) -Freddy has become famous/popular with the fandom, one of the reasons being because he often comments on posts/live streams asking something along the lines of “What was it like working with Freddy Carter? xoxo” -Danielle loves Nina and her journey in “King of Scars” -According to a Tweet, Freddy and Leigh said that there had been a scene with “a very pesky gate”--Freddy said that it “wouldn’t be proper to tweet the expletives [he] used that day” and that he thinks he “scarred” Amita and Eric. -Amita’s favorite thing about Inej is her silence, and her favorite Grishaverse book is “Six of Crows” (as of May, where we learned this during a live-stream, she said she’s read it three times and listened to the audiobook twice.) -There was a waffle truck on set on the last day of shooting! -Calahan says that if he could play any other Grishaverse character, he’d want to play Nikolai! -While she did work with the trainer to get more physically fit, Amita learned most of her knife techniques by herself! -Leigh said she cried a lot while on set! (She said there was one scene they were shooting that she has a very clear, vivid memory of writing many years back--based on the context of which she was talking about it, if I had to guess, I’d guess she’s describing the Winter Fete.) -Leigh also said that on one of her first days on set, it was funny/weird to see all the extras in First Army uniforms chilling on their phones, drinking coffee, etc. -One of Calahan’s favorite character dynamics in the books is the dynamic between Kaz and Matthias -There was a moment where Amita was fully in costume and doing amazing, graceful knife work, only to trip and fall when she’d finished. -Amita and Jessie and Sujaya were best friends on set. -Sujaya loved everything about playing Zoya. (Especially her confidence) -Leigh says one of her favorite props was Kaz’s cane, especially because of what it meant to her and the story. -If he could be any Grisha order, Calahan says he’d want to be a Corporalki -Calahan loves Matthias’s journey/arc. -Kit’s favorite Grishaverse book is “Crooked Kingdom”!

Links

-https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X65iI1YXrbU (NYCC Grishaverse Panel) -https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KHou5rVs6o0 (S&B Talent Show Charity Live Stream ft. the S&B Cast!--the IG video got taken down because Archie deleted his IG account and switched to a new one) -https://www.netflix.com/title/80236319 (”Shadow and Bone” on Netflix!) -https://twitter.com/shadowandbone_ (Official “Shadow and Bone” Twitter!) -https://www.instagram.com/shadowandbone/?hl=en (Official “Shadow and Bone” Instagram!) -https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cRh-Pmbynww (Annoucement made by cast when filming wrapped! (can be found on the social media accounts, but here’s a link to YT)) -https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1bpY8uLtyB4 (A S&B Cast Crack video by HeartPhantom--it highlights a lot of the inside jokes and memes that we’ve gotten to witness among the cast, and also just generally shows off how hilariously chaotic everyone is (this cast is the definition of chaotic good, lol))

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dwellordream · 3 years

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“...When Mary returned to London, at the end of August 1558, she entered her apartments in her favourite St James’s Palace and never left them alive. This was not, of course, a likely or predictable outcome at the time, but her existing health problems seem to have been compounded by the influenza epidemic.

She began at this point to suffer increasingly from fevers, with growing physical weakness adding to her existing depression at her personal and public situation. Her decline proved to be gradual but remorseless, although it was not until the end of October that those around her began to fear that she would not survive.

In 1558 and 1559, an extraordinary number of Europe’s leading figures left the political scene through death. Mary was particularly affected by the death, on 21 September, of her mentor Charles V, with her own former adviser Bartolomé Carranza at his bedside. A month later, and while the news of the Emperor’s death was still permeating Europe, Charles’s sister, Mary of Hungary, also died, as she was preparing to return to the Netherlands from Spain.

These intimate losses were not confirmed to Philip until 1 November, and by that time it had been made clear to him that his own wife was mortally ill as well. He seems to have decided, however, that arranging the obsequies in Brussels for his father and aunt, as well as the continuing search for peace with France, would prevent him from coming to London.

Emmanuel Philibert, no doubt still smarting from his encounter with England’s royal family, as well as the long-term loss of his duchy of Savoy, was refusing to continue acting as regent of the Netherlands, and this added to Philip’s burden. Nonetheless, Philip was still King of England, and as his wife floated in and out of delirium he knew that he must do all he could to secure a smooth succession there.

If he did not, France and Scotland were waiting, newly inspired by the marriage alliance of Mary, Queen of Scots and the Dauphin, and although the Pope now at last appeared to be friendly, he could certainly not be relied on to remain so. Another reason for Philip’s not coming to London was that a peace conference with France started at Cercamp on 8 October. Instead, he decided to send, for the third time in 1558, his special envoy Gómez Suárez de Figueroa, count of Feria.

In the meantime, Mary herself had belatedly begun to make arrangements for the future. In her will, dated 30 March, she had explicitly prepared for childbirth, providing only for the heir of her body to succeed her. She had made Pole her leading executor, had left £1,000 as alms for the poor, and had made legacies to the newly restored religious houses – the Carthusians at Sheen, the Bridgettines at Syon, the Observant Franciscans at Greenwich and Southampton, the Benedictine monks of Westminster, the Dominican friars of St Bartholomew, Smithfield and the nuns of the same order at Langley – as well as the Hospital of the Savoy and the universities of Oxford and Cambridge. On 28 October, now seriously ill, she added a codicil, witnessed by, among others, her physician Thomas Wendy.

The world of the sick and dying can, in one way, become more confined, but in another it expands, and now Mary finally acknowledged that she would bear no child, and would have to accept Elizabeth as her successor. Yet even now, she could not bear to name her half-sister, instead referring to her just as ‘my next heire and Successour’, whom she instructed to carry out the terms of her will and testament.

On 5 November, parliament reassembled, somewhat depleted by the epidemic, and quickly turned to the question of the succession. Probably as a result of pressure from parliament, which was communicated to her in a lucid period, on 7 November Mary summoned the Speaker of the Commons, William Cordell, to her bedside.

The next day, the comptroller of her household, her old East Anglian retainer, Sir Thomas Cornwallis, and the secretary of the Privy Council, John Boxall, travelled to Hatfield House to tell Elizabeth that her half-sister had finally named her as heir to the throne. The future countess and later duchess of Feria, Jane Dormer, later claimed that at this stage she herself took some of Mary’s jewellery to Elizabeth, together with a request, in accordance with her will and codicil, that she would pay Mary’s debts and ensure that the English Church remained Catholic. It soon became clear that Elizabeth’s assurance on this matter was insincere, to say the least.”

- John Edwards, “The Providential Queen Released.” in Mary I

#mary i of england #mary i #elizabeth i of england #tudor #history #john edwards #renaissance

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absolute-immunities · 4 years

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Innocent and Sweet

I’m thinking about Elizabeth Gold today.

Gold is the love interest in John le Carré’s The Spy Who Came in from the Cold (1963). She’s a minor character, but we know a few things about her. She is tall, ungainly, somewhere between plain and beautiful, and young, maybe twenty-two or twenty-three. And a Communist.

When people talk about Gold, they usually come back to the same few words. The Guardian calls her “innocent”; The Atlantic, “trusting”; The Spectator, “idealistic”. A Film Comment editor calls her “a sweet-natured librarian who comes to Communism out of youthful idealism”. That’s how the author remembers her, too, as an “idealistic Communist” and "an innocent woman librarian from London".

I think we should rethink that.

Elizabeth Gold joined the Communist Party of Great Britain in 1954 or 1955. By the time we meet her, she is a Branch Secretary, and relatively untroubled by a request to visit East Germany and meet her counterpart in the East German Communist Party.

Something always troubled me about this timeline. It meant that when Gold joined the Party soon after the 1953 East German uprising and remained a member after the 1956 Hungarian Revolution. By then, the realities of Communism were apparent to everyone.

Nikita Khrushchev’s Secret Speech of February 1956 -- printed in full in the New York Times and the Observer that June -- admitted what non-Communists had long known of Stalin’s crimes. It was different for Communists. It was different to hear it from the head of the Soviet Communist Party, the leader of world Communism, and Stalin’s old companion.

The British Communist Eric Hobsbawm wrote about its impact in his memoirs:

What disturbed the mass of their members was that the brutally ruthless denunciation of Stalin’s misdeeds came, not from ‘the bourgeois press’, whose stories, if read at all, could be rejected a priori as slanders and lies, but from Moscow itself. It was impossible not to take notice of it ... Even those who ‘had strong suspicions ... amounting to moral certainty for years before Khrushchev spoke’ were shocked at the sheer extent, hitherto not fully realized, of Stalin’s mass murders of communists. (The Khrushchev Report said nothing about the others.) And no thinking communist could escape asking himself or herself some serious questions.

The CPGB ignored the speech. The party membership found it harder to ignore. Dissenters rebuked the party’s “slavish adherence” to Stalinism, and its “past uncritical endorsement of all Soviet policies and views.” The Secret Speech had challenged their faith: “the exposure of the grave crimes and abuses in the USSR ... [has] shown that for the past 12 years we have made a political analysis on a false presentation of the facts.”

That was the first blow. The Soviet invasion of Hungary that October was the second. The Soviet repression of the Hungarian Revolution shocked the conscience of even the most committed Communists. “For Communists outside the Soviet empire,” Hobsbawm later wrote, “the spectacle of Soviet tanks advancing on a people’s government headed by Communist reformers was a lacerating experience, the climax of a crisis that, starting with Khrushchev’s denunciation of Stalin, pierced the core of their faith and hope.”

Peter Fryer, the Daily Worker’s reporter in Hungary, was so appalled that he publicly criticized both the repression and the international Communist response. His Hungarian Tragedy, published that December, was about two tragedies: the tragedy within Hungary and the tragedy in British Communism. “It is the tragedy that we British Communists who visited Hungary did not admit, even to ourselves, the truth about what was taking place there, that we defended tyranny with all our heart and soul.”

Fryer wrote to redeem the British Communism, which had “betrayed Socialist principles and driven away some of its finest members by defending the indefensible.” He was expelled. The other dissenters were expelled. Hobsbawm stayed.

British Communism had always been a small world. There were about 30,000 Communists in the early 1950s, and most of them paid little attention to broader world. “My mother ‘wouldn’t have dreamt’ of having a close friend who was not a Communist,” as one old Communist put it. “My own friendships ... were exclusively with Communists or people I was trying to win over.”

The events of 1956 struck this small community with the force of an atom bomb. Hobsbawm remembered the year as a moment of trauma:

Even after practically half a century my throat contracts as I recall the almost intolerable tensions under which we lived month after month, the unending moments of decision about what to say and do on which our future lives seemed to depend, the friends now clinging together or facing one another bitterly as adversaries, the sense of lurching, unwillingly but irreversibly, down the scree towards the fatal rock-face. And this while all of us, except a handful of full-time Party workers, had to go on, as though nothing much had happened, with lives and jobs outside, which temporarily seemed unwanted distractions from the enormous thing that dominated our days and nights. God knows 1956 was a dramatic year in British politics, but in the memory of those who were then communists, everything else has faded. Of course we mobilized against Anthony Eden’s lying government in the Suez crisis together with a for once totally united Labour and Liberal left. But Suez did not keep us from sleeping. Probably the simplest way of putting it is that, for more than a year, British communists lived on the edge of the political equivalent of a collective nervous breakdown.

By 1958, the CPGB had lost a third of its members, a third of the staff of the Daily Worker, and most of the old Communist intellectuals of the 1930s and 1940s. The old Communist and his mother, whose only close friends had been Communists, left the party that year.

Elizabeth Gold stayed.

II.

Elizabeth Gold is Jewish. Gold has anxieties about German antisemitism -- worried that the antisemitic Germans had not been deposited entirely in the West -- but seems unaware of Communist antisemitism, which was pervasive in Communist Europe, and not only in Germany.

Stalin had always been an antisemite -- “In our Central Committee there are no Jews!” he boasted to a visiting dignitary in January 1948. “You are an anti-Semite, you too are an anti-Semite!” -- but Stalinist Russia had not always been officially antisemitic. Jews were useful to Stalin. Poles, Ukrainians and Germans might be nationalists, more loyal to their homelands than Soviet Russia. They might need to be removed or destroyed. They might need to be broken. But Jews had no homeland. They only had Russia.

That changed with the war. Stalin had embraced the Russian nation, bringing Soviet thinking in line with traditional Russian nationalism, with its deep antisemitic currents. That made Jews suspect. If the Soviet Union was rooted in the Russian people, it could not be rooted in the Jews.

In public, the Communists were as explicit as their doctrine allowed. The Soviet Union led anti-cosmopolitan campaigns, anti-Zionist campaigns, or anti-bourgeois nationalist campaigns. The message was the same. The Jews were the enemies of the Russian people.

In January 1949, the Soviet Union stepped up the campaign. Pravda began attacking “cosmopolitans without a fatherland,” “rootless cosmopolitans,” “persons without identity” and “passportless wanderers.” These intellectuals -- sometimes collectively referred to as “the Levins” -- simply did not understand the Russian people. “What notion could Gurvich have of the national character of Soviet Russian man?”

The Soviet Union ultimately murdered more than a few members of the Jewish Anti-Fascist Committee. After a secret trial in the summer of 1952, fourteen of fifteen defendants, all Jewish, were executed. The words of the investigating colonel, Vladimir Komarov, revealed Soviet thinking better than anything else: “Jews are low, dirty people, all Jews are lousy bastards, all opposition to the Party consists of Jews, Jews all over the Soviet Union are conducting an anti-Soviet whispering campaign. Jews want to annihilate all Russians.”

The Communist satellites purged their Jewish leaders too. Romania purged Ana Pauker, Czechoslovakia purged Rudolf Slánský and ten other Jewish leaders, the East Germans and Poles did the same. The Slánský trial was public. The Czcechoslovak prosecutors and witnesses did not mince words. Slánský was “the great hope of all the Jews in the Communist Party,” and “Jewish origin” or “Zionist origin” were marks of guilt. Eleven of the fourteen accused were sentenced to death and executed.

During the trial, the Prague Communist press announced that “the Judas Slánský” was betting on “these alien elements, this rabble with its shady past” to perpetrate his Zionist plot against the Czech people. No Czech could have done those crimes: “only cynical Zionists, without a fatherland ... clever cosmopolitans who have sold out to the dollar. They were guided in this criminal activity by Zionism, bourgeois Jewish nationalism, racial chauvinism.”

That was November 1952. The final Stalinist campaign came a few months later, announced in Pravda in January 1953. Three Jewish doctors were accused of murder, conspiring with Anglo-American bourgeoisie, and advancing the cause of Jewish nationalism. The rhetoric was not subtle. This was how TASS announced the Doctors’ Plot in January 1953:

Most of the participants in the terrorist group (M. S. Vovsi, B. B. Kogan, A. I. Feldman, A. M. Grinshtein, Ya. G. Etinger and others) were connected with the international Jewish bourgeois nationalist organisation, ‘Joint’, established by American intelligence for the alleged purpose of providing material aid to Jews in other countries. In actual fact this organisation, under the direction of American intelligence, conducts extensive espionage, terrorist and other subversive work in many countries, including the Soviet Union. The prisoner Vovsi told investigators that he had received orders ‘to wipe out the leading cadres of the USSR’ from the ‘Joint’ organisation in the USA, via a Moscow doctor, Shimelovich, and the well-known Jewish bourgeois nationalist, Mikhoels.

Stalin died in March 1953, before the trial. His successors dismissed the charges. In the Secret Speech, Khrushchev admitted that the Doctors’ Plot had “fabricated from beginning to end,” although he said nothing about Jews, Zionists, or cosmopolitans.

In May 1956, Khrushchev would defend the Soviet Union against charges of antisemitism, but he admitted that the Doctor’s Plot had been “given a Zionist, Jewish colouring.” But even that was not Stalin’s fault. “That was one of Beria’s machinations.”

None of this troubled Elizabeth Gold.

III.

We know a few things about Elizabeth Gold. She’s not a laborer. She doesn’t like organizing. “She hated that side of party work,” she says, “the loudspeakers at the factory gates, selling the Daily Worker at the street corner, going from door to door at the local elections.”

Gold prefers Peace Work. That made sense to her. “You could look at the kids in the street as you went by, at the mothers pushing their prams and the old people standing in doorways, and you could say, ‘I’m doing it for them.’ That really was fighting for peace.”

What was Peace Work? Perhaps the most impressive piece of Soviet cultural diplomacy in the early Cold War. The Peace Movement was Stalin’s baby, and became the leitmotif of his foreign policy. “All the real friends of peace ... the majority of the people in every country,” were friends of the Soviet Union, his Foreign Secretary had said in November 1947.

The Peace Movement itself was launched at an August 1948 “World Congress of Intellectuals” in Wroclaw, Poland. There were several “Peace Conferences” after that, in Paris, Prague, and New York. The Peace Movement itself was led by non-Communist figureheads, but controlled by Communists at the committee level and coordinated with the Cominform. Few critics of Soviet foreign policy were invited, and those that criticized the Soviet Union were shouted down.

The Movement gathered millions of signatures in Western Europe and tens of millions more in Eastern Europe, while the Movement itself pressed home the message that the Soviet Union was for peace, while the United States and its allies were for war. It was powerful message, and one to which Western Europeans were sympathetic.

The demands of the Peace Congresses were the demands of Soviet foreign policy: In 1950, they demanded an immediate end to the war in Korea, including a withdrawal of all foreign troops; a complete ban on atomic, bacteriological and chemical welfare; a peace treaty with a united, demilitarized Germany; and for Communist China to take the Chinese seat at the United Nations.

But those demands were as flexible as Soviet foreign policy. In 1953, after the Soviets tested their first thermonuclear device, the old demand for the “outlawing of atomic weapons as instruments of intimidation and mass murder of people” was suspended. The Peace Congresses followed the party line.

That was the work Elizabeth Gold preferred to do.

IV.

How should we understand Elizabeth Gold? Was she an innocent? Was she an idealist? Maybe that’s how she and her lovers thought of her. I don’t think we should think of her that way.

What does she believe in? "History,” she said. She did not like party work, but she liked talking about that. "It was easy when there were a dozen or so together at a Branch meeting,” she said, to “talk of the inevitability of history.”

What does she mean by history? That “peace and freedom and equality,” defined and proven by the Party, existed outside people. They were facts. They were “demonstrated in history.” And they were inevitable: “individuals must bow to it, be crushed by it if necessary.”

That was what made her a Communist. That was why she defended Soviet foreign policy to mothers pushing their strollers and old people standing in doorways, because she was a member of the Communist Party, and “the Party was the vanguard of history.”

It made it possible to ignore Stalinist crimes and the Hungarian Revolution, and their Communist victims. It made it possible to ignore Communist antisemitism until she saw it in person. (“Jews are all the same,” her guard tells her in East Germany. “We don’t need their kind here.”) History made it possible to ignore everything else.

Here’s how we should understand Elizabeth Gold: She believed in history, the force to which individuals must bow or be crushed. She just wanted to be on the side doing the crushing.

Sources: John le Carré, The Spy Who Came in from the Cold (Victor Gollancz, 1963); idem., “The Spy Who Liked Me,” New Yorker, April 8, 2013; Eric Hobsbawm, Interesting Times (Allen Lane, 2002); Richard J. Evans, Eric Hobsbawm (Oxford UP, 2019); Frances Stonor Saunders, “Stuck on the Flypaper,” London Review of Books, April 9, 2015; Peter Fryer, Hungarian Tragedy (Dennis Dobson, 1956); James Eaden and David Renton, The Communist Party of Great Britain since 1920 (Palgrave, 2002); Raphael Samuel, The Lost World of British Communism (Verso, 2017 [2006]); Milovan Djilas, Conversations with Stalin, trans. Michael B. Petrovich (Harcourt Brace, 1962); Tony Judt, Postwar (Penguin, 2005); Benjamin Pinkus, The Soviet Government and the Jews, 1948-1967 (Cambridge, 1984); idem., The Jews of the Soviet Union (Cambridge, 1988); Nikita S. Khrushchev, The Crimes of the Stalin Era (New Leader, 1956); Peter Calvocoressi, Survey of International Affairs, 1949-1950 (Oxford UP, 1953); Guenter Lewy, The Cause That Failed (Oxford UP, 1990).

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germanaustriannoblesandroyals · 5 years

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House of Hohenzollern: Princess Wilhelmine of Prussia

Friederike Sophie Wilhelmine, simply referred to as Wilhelmine, was the third child and first daughter of “The Soldier King” Frederick William I. in Prussia and his wife Princess Sophia Dorothea of Hanover, the daughter of the later King George I. of Great Britain and Ireland. She was their first child to survive into childhood and is older and favourite sister of Frederick the Great.

During her childhood, she was abused by her governess Leti. She beat her almost everyday. It got even worse when Wilhelmine started to respond only vaguely to questions about her mother’s and maternal grandfather’s marriage plans for her. Leti had been bribed by Friedrich Wilhelm von Grumbkow and Leopold I, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau, to convince Friederike of a marriage to The Prince’s nephew Frederick William, Margrave of Brandenburg-Schwedt. Only when Madame de Roucoulles, the governess of the Prussian princes, explained to Wilhelmine’s oblivious mother in 1721 that she would probably one day become disabled from all those beating, Leti was let go and Dorothea Luise “Sonsine” von Wittenhorst-Sonsfeld was employed in her stead.

Wilhelimne knew of the escape plans of her brother Frederick which failed in the August of 1730. Like her brother, she had been friends with Hans Hermann von Katte. He two had known about the escape plans and would ultimately become the scape goat for Frederick William’s fury. While Frederick and Hans were imprisoned at Küstrin, Wilhelmine was locked in her room. For over a year, she and her brother had to fear to be executed. In the end their father decided to only execute Hans but made Frederick watch the execution. Wilhelmine on the other hand was to be married off. Her governess was told to make the princess obedient to her father’s orders. If she did not succeed, she would be put into a correction facility with the public whores.

Some contemporaries say that Wilhelmine’s husband was initally intended for her younger sister Princess Sophia Dorothea of Prussia, who would later become The Margravine of Brandenburg-Schwedt, but other’s say that Frederick, The Margrave of Brandenburg-Bayreuth, had always been intended to be Wilhelmine’s spouse. They were married on November 20th, 1731, in Berlin. When Wilhelmine left Berlin for Bayreuth on January 11th, 1732, she was already two month pregnant. Her only child Elisabeth Friederike Sophie was born on August 30th that year and would later be called “the most beautiful princess in Europe” by no one less than Casanova himself.

But Wilhelmine did not like her new home particularly much. It was simpler then the Prussian court she was used to and her thought the castle to be dark and in bad condition. However, to her parents and her brother she wrote positively about her welcome in Bayreuth, unlike in her memoires.

In her time as Margravine, she built many things in Bayreuth that still atract many tourists today. Next to building, Wilhelmine was a passionate champion of the arts and practised most of them herself. She loved to paint and act and was also a talented musician from early age on. Wilhelmine even composed her own pieces including an entire opera. But she was also interested in science and philosophy and corresponded with Voltaire.

There was also a time when her relationship with her young Brother Frederick the Great soured for a time. It all began when Wilhelmine decided to get rid of Wilhelmine Dorothee von der Marwitz, her lady-in-waiting turned mistress of her husband, and arranged a marriage for her with the Austrian Count Otto von Burghauß. Austria and Prussia were enemies at the time and Wilhelmine Dorothee’s inheritance from her Prussian father would by this marriage go to Austria. Frederick was not amused about this since the Prussian nobility was forbidden to marry outside of Prussia without the King’s approval. As a consequence, Frederick disinherited Dorothee from her father’s inheritance. Another issue that soured their relationship was that Austrian diplomats tried to influence the Prussian court via Bayreuth and Wilhelmine’s open admiration of Maria Theresia who was the ruling Archduchess of Austria as well as Queen regnant of Bohemia and Hungary at the time. The two women even met during the Slesian war in 1745. Wilhelmine and Frederick met one another in person the last time in June 1745.

Wilhelmine died on October 14th, 1758, in Bayreuth; the same day her brother lost Battle of Hochkirch in the Seven Years War and also lost his friend James Keith in the same battle. Ten years after her death, Frederick built the Temple of Friendship in Sanssouci Park to remember his sister. From 2008 to 2016, the city of Bayreuth gave out the Markgräfin-Wilhelmine-Preis der Stadt Bayreuth für Toleranz und Humanität in kultureller Vielfalt [Margravine-Wilhelime-Price of the city of Bayreuth for tolerance and humanity in cultural diversity] in her honor. Wilhelmine’s life is well documented thanks to her self-written memoire, although it should also be taken with a grain of salt since it was written later in life and only reflect her personal opinion at the time of writing and not neccessarily the truth, as it is with every memoire. The autobiography has been published in at least French, German and English.

// Anna Willecke as Wilhelmine von Preussen in Friedrich - Ein deutscher König (2011)

#historic women #women in history #period drama #perioddramaedit #German history #Wilhelmine of Prussia #Frederick the Great #Friedrich der Große #House of Hohenzollern #Royal Women of Prussia #sisters of Frederick the Great

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countryshitposts · 5 years

Text

me: Germany x Russia is a cute ship, but i don’t really ship it

my brain: Russia and East Germany were dating during the Cold War and East was Russia’s bodyguard

me: OH MY GOD RUSSIA AND EAST GERMANY WERE DATING DURING THE COLD WAR AND EAST WAS RUSSIA’S BODYGUARD

headcannons i made during class:

- Russia formally met East after the Cold War, and she was told by her father to not talk to the 'facist' until she's proven to not be a threat

- the first time they talked was when Russia lost the ushanka her father gave her and she looked for it every where in the streets

- there she asked East and her uncles if they've seen her ushanka anywhere, and when they told her they haven't seen it, Russia almost broke down to tears to the fear that her father might punish her for losing an object

-East reassured her that they can both look for her ushanka, and they found it in a dumpster

- Russia thanks East and runs towards her home, while East just stands there, realizing she had talked to one of Soviet Union's children

- the third time they met was a meeting with the Warsaw Pact, and it was Russia's first time to witness how politics work

- Russia and East made eye contact with each other and sat side-by-side together during the entire meeting

- East didn't even listen to Soviet or the others talking, her eyes just focused on Russia who was absorbed with Soviet's speech

- when East was called out due to not listening, Russia defends her by telling her father that she was taking notes, and Soviet, suspicious, let it slide

- Russia and East became friends that day forwards, and they started to hang out, and hid their friendship from Soviet

- Russia and East started to develop feelings for each other, despite East being described as 'dislikeable' by others, but Russia described her as the 'best person she's ever met'

- Soviet Union found out about their relationship, and instead of telling both of them off immediately, he bides his time until both of them did something crucial

- one time Russia and Soviet Union had an argument about East, and Soviet Union black mail his daughter to keep her mouth shut, unless she wants everyone to know about her and East

- Hungary and the others from the Warsaw Pact approve of East and her relationship

- when East told Russia she was going to attend the Pan European Picnic to meet her brother, Russia didn't really approve of her decision, since she still sees capitalism as fascism

- she and East began to drift apart once East spent more time with her brother, and ultimately ended their relationship after East and West's reunification

- Russia never really sees East nowadays, and the only time she saw her was at Soviet's funeral where they all took turns spitting on his body, but that was about it

also read something i wrote while at the bus:

The sound of the kettle screaming pierces through the air, and East turns the stove off without a second thought. She pours the steaming hot water into two cups with coffee powder already in it, and starts to stir it. She has a guest on her small, tiny apartment today, and she doesn't want to disappoint her. She looks at her Highness, who was sitting in one of her only sofa, the only luxury she can have in her life. Russia's hands were on her lap, , as she kicks her feet and hums to herself. Her serene smile makes East's heart thump as she approaches Russia with both cups of coffee.

"Um, do you want some coffee, Miss?", East asks, referring to Russia formally, afraid of provoking her or making their awkward situation even more awkward. The situation was already awkward when Russia asked East if she can stay with her last night, during a thunderstorm, but it got even more awkward when she and Russia had shared a bed to conserve their warmth.

"Oh, thank you East", Russia says as she takes a cup from East's hands. She and and East drink their morning coffee, the sun's rays shining, letting them witness what a cold and frosty night can become in a sunny morning. There was a peaceful silence settling in East's apartment, a stained glass adorned by colors and geometric shapes, lined up to this moment with she and Russia.

"How did you know my address?", East suddenly asks, and Russia perks up. "I mean, we've talked before, but not really about personal stuff."

"Oh, well, I was actually going to random doors and asking them if I could sleep in their homes tonight", Russia's eyes linger to the only picture frame East has; it was of her and the members of the Warsaw Pact, happily smiling at the camera. It was one of the only times they smiling at a camera. "I didn't really know that you stayed here; sorry if I was being a bother to you last night."

"No, it's fine, Miss", East says as she places her empty coffee cup on her small china table.

"You can just call me Russia, it's fine", Russia replies, as she stands up from where she was sitting, and places her coffee cup on the china table as well. "All right, I should probably get going now."

There was something inside of East that deflated once she heard Russia going home now, but she gulps it down and nods. "Would you like me to accompany you?"

Russia shakes her head. "No, it's fine, I'm just going to meet up with my sisters in one of the parks we always visit." She hugs East, and the latter, though initially shocked that Soviet's daughter is actually hugging her, hugs back tentatively, feeling Russia's warmth coursing through her. After they break apart, Russia says, "I'll give you your clothes back after I wash them myself."

"No, it's fine, you can keep it", East replies, and Russia smiles and chuckles, and East can feel her heart beat faster, and her face warm.

"Oh, no, I can't just take your clothes", Russia replies, as she opens the door, "I'll see you again." Russia exits and closes the door, leaving East there, feeling as if she has to soar high above the clouds, and that she won't plummet down to earth with this brand new feeling.

#Countryhumans #mine #HEADCANNON #writing #countryhumans east germany #countryhumans russia

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the-revisionist · 6 years

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Well, reading those was already a journey... hm, but how bout 1 or 19. Or, you know, BOTH.

Okay then, BOTH! And also harkening back to @ylizam‘s request for 19 as well. (For reference, list of prompts here.)

LTiH, Gillian/Caroline, post series 4-ish.

Note: the film that Gillian describes at length is acomplete fabrication; Night of the Lepus,I’m afraid, is the real deal.

the most important three seconds in the imaginary history of cinema

Not unlike a great musician merging with an instrument, thetelly remote has, to Caroline’s strangely aroused dismay, become a mightyextension of Gillian’s hand. She points it with thrilling command, like D’Artagnanfacing Cardinal Richelieu in a battle for the soul of France; then throttles itviolently while cursing her son and his infernal Xbox, which she believes to bethe rightful cause of the nonfunctioning black screen that mocks them.

“That b-bloody stupid pillock, always messing about with thesetup—” Gillian snarls and gives the remote another useless shake, demonstratingthe same impatient, childlike rage at insensate objects that Caroline haswitnessed in her granddaughter, who delights in twisting and slamming arounddolls with unrepentant, rugby-player-on-steroids glee.

As Caroline waits for the temper tantrum to subside,questions as to her romantic suitability with this exquisite maniac once againarise. She notes for perhaps the thousandth time that there is no such thing asthe perfect partner and her expectations have always been loftily, unrealisticallyhigh whilst at the same time acknowledging that shagging one’s stepsister onthe side is perhaps not a personal best and more suited to a troubled but minorheadline in Woman’s Weekly. So she hasopted not to think of Gillian as Gillian per se, but rather My Nice-SmellingIllicit Secret Girlfriend Who Can Change the Oil in my Jeep But if My MotherFinds Out She Will Kill Us Both and Have a Stroke Maybe at the Same Time. Itmakes for unexpected headaches, complicated secrecy, and increased whiskeyconsumption, each aspect of the conundrum feeding off of and prompting theother.

Courtesy of family members who have actual lives, who goplaces and do things and aren’t grumpily absorbed into demanding,time-consuming jobs, they are alone for an entire weekend. It’s Saturdayevening and the day has passed in a happy hedonistic blur of shagging, eating,drinking, and going for a long walk. Over dinner Gillian proposed watching afilm afterward and Caroline agreed, thinking that after Round 2 (or 3, shewasn’t certain how to classify those ten minutes in the barn except to acknowledgeher culpability in startling a lamb), she was more than sexually sated for thetime being and she could endure whatever third-rate monster movie or Tarantinoretrospective thrown her way. But while cleaning up Gillian bent over toretrieve a napkin that had fallen on the floor and as far as Caroline’s criticalfaculties could discern those three seconds of glorious, blue-jeaned ass were acinematic masterpiece rivaling the complete oeuvre of Hitchcock and Kurosawaand Truffaut and any other pretentious fucker with a fancy name and Carolinedecided then and there she really didn’t need to see another movie perhaps fora long time but most certainly, definitely not tonight because with renewedvigor she was now chomping at the erotic bit for Round 3 (or 4).

Alas she finds herself in a tangled sprawl with Gillian onthe sofa as a prelude to movie-watching, her chin forlornly propped against Gillian’supper arm while the latter growls “fuckity fuck fuck fuck” at the remote, andthen Caroline arrives at the momentous decision that intervention—in the formof a long, deep, heated kiss—is required. The first time they kissed like that,Gillian dropped trou faster than the closing curtain at the last performance ofa Carrie musical revival. So sheseizes a handful of plaid shirt, pulling the startled Gillian closer, andkisses her just so. While Gillian makes the same girlish whimpering noise nowthat she did then, she does not merrily surrender all clothing as her passportto ecstasy and instead breaks off the kiss to glower again at the unresponsivetelevision.

Caroline has never been so deeply disheartened at a displayof focused willpower in her entire life.

“I know I DVR’edthis,” Gillian says, arm ramrod straight as she once again thrusts the clickerat the dead screen while furiously jabbing random buttons with her thumb.

Caroline waits for a light saber to come shooting out of theremote. When it doesn’t, she tugs at Gillian’s shirt again, engaging them inanother wet, lingering kiss. “What’s it again?” she mutters around theconfluence of the kiss.

“It’s a—psychological—suspense—thriller,” Gillian breathesinto her mouth.

“So—” Caroline initiates another kiss. “—total—shit—horror—movie.”

“No,” Gillian replies with a kiss of her own. “It’s.”Another kiss. “Not.” This time with an added nip. “It’s more than that.” Thistime longer, gentler, sweeter. “I want you to see it. It’s really good.”

Caroline shifts tactics and goes for the vulnerableerogenous zone of the ear while slipping a hand under Gillian’s shirt. “What’sit about?”

“About t-this guy, he, he gets stranded in Hungary—”

Caroline puts her moves on hold. “What kind of knobhead getsstranded in Hungary?” Quietly she curses her natural curiosity and advocacy of rational,well-planned behavior, even in fictitious characters from all parts of theworld, including Hungary. “There are maps, trains, buses—”

“People get stranded in Hungary, where is it written thatpeople don’t get stranded in Hungary and I know what you’re up to, stop trying to undo my bra.”

Defeated, Caroline withdraws her hand. “Kissing still allright?”

Gillian pauses before uttering “proceed” in her bestJean-Luc Picard tone.

“Okay,” Caroline mumbles into Gillian’s neck as shebrilliantly conducts kissing, nibbling, and licking with the exactitude of aMozart string quartet, but then thinks maybe it’s not brilliant because she’snot getting any reaction—until she notices Gillian’s breathing has gottenawfully shallow. “So. Idiot stranded in Hungary—“

“H-he meets this mysterious family who live in a castle—”

“Vampires,” Caroline supplies confidently.

“No, not vampires. Don’t be so clichéd.”

“Werewolves.”

“Cliché.”

“Writers for the DailyMail?”

“Fuck sakes, Caz.”

“All right, sorry—so what—?”

“Satanists.”

Abruptly Caroline rears back. “That’s not clichéd?”

“They’re like a cult,” Gillian says haughtily, as if highlyorganized secretive Satanists somehow merited originality and legitimaterespect rather than the garden-variety kind of devil worshippers one mightencounter after midnight at Tesco buying candles and snacks and bottles of hotsauce for phony pentagram and animal sacrifice rituals to alarm their elderlyand easily freaked-out neighbors. “See, the whole setup, it’s kind of a modernHungarian version of The Masque of theRed Death except without dwarves or black plague or Vincent Price.”

“Well I simply cannot commit to a film without dwarves orblack plague or Vincent Price, so perhaps we should give this a pass.”

“There’s also a psychedelic mini-musical when the countessmarries Satan. They sing ‘Kiss Them for Me’ by Siouxsie and the Banshees,messing with the lyrics—‘it’s all for me/at Satan’s gift registry.’ Wonder theydidn’t get sued. Actually, maybe they did. I should google—” Gillian lookslongingly at her mobile, which is far away on the coffee table.

Caroline sighs. “You do realize that by tomorrow morning ourentire families are going to converge on this house and we probably won’t haveanother opportunity to be completely alone until Flora and Calamity go touniversity.”

“Aw bless, I love how optimistic you are. ’Cause you knowCalam is going to be a druglord. That’s how she’s going to support me in mydotage.”

“Great, so you’ll have plenty of time in your ‘dotage’ towatch bad horror films.” She tries to pry the remote from Gillian’s hand, anexercise in futility, she knows, recalling a time she tried to reclaim analmost-empty bottle of really excellent cabernet sauvignon from Gillian anddiscovered that the woman has the iron grip of an Olympic weightlifter. Thenthe mask of her own stubborn idiocy falls away when she sees a flash of realdisappointment on Gillian’s face. “You really want to see this, don’t you?”

“More like—“ Gillian shrugs self-consciously. “I, well, justwanted to share it. Wanted you to see it.”

Caroline’s guilty conscience finally asserts itself. Shegives the remote a gentle tug. “May I?”

Curious, Gillian hands it over. Caroline sits up, pops openthe back of the remote, pulls batteries out of her pants pocket, quicklyinserts them into the empty chamber from whence they came, snaps the cover backinto place, and guiltily awaits judgment.

Gillian’s reaction is, of course, better than any movie,including the imaginary Warholian masterpiece of three seconds of denim-coveredass: Her face encompasses a rollercoaster of reactions beginning with unbridledshock and fury, detouring through astonished admiration and reluctantamusement, and back again to hostile, narrow-eyed territory. “You. Fucking.Evil. Bitch.”

“I’m sorry. Really, I am. Really, really sorry. I was goingto make a go of watching a movie, honest, but after dinner you bent over andyou know I’m weak—”

“You sex fiend.” Gillian enunciates it with the same puritanprecision that Celia employs in saying lesbian.

“Oh, I’m a sexfiend, Great Slapper of Halifax?”

“Shut up, I so rarely get a chance to be judgmental likethis and I’d like to bloody well enjoy it.”

“It reflects very well on you, though. Or on your ass, atthe very least.”

“Piss off.” Resolute, Gillian folds her arms; glaring defiantlyat the telly screen, she sulks for an agonizingly long minute. “Despite your f-flatteryand, and okay, your evilness is weirdlyturning me on, we are watching this fucking movie. All right?”

“All right,” Caroline agrees dreamily as she watches Gillianget up and stomp to the kitchen. The things we do for—love? Lust? The perfectass, the secret girlfriend? At the present moment it’s more than she’s willingto contemplate and so she sets it aside; not out of denial, but rather sherealizes that what exists between them should remain safe, thriving until itcan withstand the glare and scrutiny of the world at large. At last, and forreasons unknown to her at the moment, she finally sees potential in what theyare.

“I might make you watch Nightof the Lepus as well,” Gillian threatens from the kitchen.

“Surely there are more pleasurable ways of punishing me?”

This salacious salvo is ignored. “Shut up, I’m makingpopcorn.”

Caroline slumps deeper into the sofa, looks at the remote.With a few button presses she’s in the DVR menu and, cheeks burning withpleasure, smiles at what she sees listed there. “Oh ho ho. Somebody has DVR’ed University Challenge for me.”

Gillian slams a pan on the stove. “Who says it’s for you?”

“Who else in this household would watch it?”

“Raff.”

“Don’t lie.”

“Don’t read anything into it.”

“I’m totally reading everything into it,” Caroline trillstriumphantly—even though it’s completely wrong to gloat after so much badbehavior on her part. “You are smitten.”

“You are delusional.”

“Mad about me.”

“You’re mad, period.”

“You absolutely adore me.”

The tell-tale silence ends with Gillian’s softly gruntedadmission: “Maybe.”

Caroline grins.

“But you’re still a bitch.”

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xoombscom · 4 years

Text

New Post has been published on News Media - Fun and Entertainment

New Post has been published on https://www.xoombs.com/music/midnight-sky-miley-cyrus

Midnight Sky "Miley Cyrus"

“Midnight Sky” is a song by American singer Miley Cyrus, released on August 14, 2020, by RCA Records as the lead single from her upcoming seventh studio album She Is Miley Cyrus. The disco, synth-pop, electropop, and pop rock song was written by Cyrus, Ali Tamposi, Ilsey Juber and Jonathan Bellion with song’s producers: Louis Bell and Andrew Watt.

Background and release

On August 4, 2020, Cyrus posted on social media a clip of the music video for her song “Start All Over” with the hashtags “#sheiscoming” and “#butforrealthistime”, in reference to her long-delayed seventh studio album She Is Miley Cyrus. Later that day, she shared a preview of “Midnight Sky” on social media. The track was released on August 14 as planned. The song and video were inspired by other female musicians, such as Stevie Nicks, Joan Jett and Debbie Harry, specifically, Nicks’ song “Edge of Seventeen”. Cyrus reached out to Nicks before release, asking for her blessing of the song. In an interview with Hits 1, the singer explained the song’s background, stating:

You just definitely want to feel like you are just in control of your own life and not trying to control anyone else’s, so for me to be able to really have a good, clear understanding of the last two years, which there was some traumatic experiences – losing the house in Malibu and going through a really public breakup – I think I just really needed some clarity. And so it was just really important to me to be able to like really sit with my thoughts.

Composition and lyrics

“Midnight Sky” is an uptempo “Prince-esque” disco, pop, synth-pop, electropop and pop rock song with “gritty”, “raw” arena rock vocals and “pristinely glossy” production. Written in the key of E minor, it has a tempo of 110 beats per minute, with Cyrus’ vocal range spanning from the low note of D3 to the high note of D5.

Its lyrics are inspired by Cyrus’ divorce from Liam Hemsworth and relationships with Kaitlynn Carter and Cody Simpson, and show the singer “tak[ing] back her narrative” and being confident in herself. She also revealed in an interview in Alex Cooper’s “Call Her Daddy” podcast that her desire was for the song to be an anthem that normalized Pansexuality and provided visibility for those living in fear of rejection over their authentic selves.

Cyrus described the song as a “reflection of everyone kind of having this personal kind of woke moment” during an interview on the Zach Sang Show, where she declared:

I feel like a lot of us are waking up. And you know, the midnight sky, I think is kind of a road that feels like it could be nice to take with our head up in the clouds. You know, I feel like right now in society, we don’t want to live with our heads in the clouds. But I think in time that’s maybe why I’ve created worlds like this. Because this is kind of my idea of living with my head in the clouds of my own kind of fantasy and the world I wanna create.

So I think that it’s a cool message, to tell people to create the environment and the world that you wanna live in and I think that’s happening on a very political level right now. But also we can do it especially in this quarantine time, in these intimate spaces of our home that we have a place that feels like we’ve created our own environment, our own head in the clouds, so this is mine.

Critical reception

“Midnight Sky” has received critical acclaim from music critics upon its release. Alex Gallagher of NME described the song as an “assertive disco-tinged bop”. Praising its lyrics he stated, “The lyrics to ‘Midnight Sky’ see Cyrus asserting control and independence, with the singer declaring ‘I was born to run, I don’t belong to anyone/ Oh no, I don’t need to be loved by you,’ on the track’s rousing chorus”.

Michael Cragg of The Guardian called the song a “disco-tinged, post-divorce banger”, commenting that it “sounds suitably refreshed after the double-meh of 2017’s country singer rebirth and last year’s, erm, ‘Cattitude’, ‘Midnight Sky’ is everything all that wasn’t: impassioned, energised and delivered by someone brave enough to sport a platinum-blonde mullet”.

Nina Corcoran of Consequence of Sound described “Midnight Sky” as a “Flashy Synthpop Number” stating “Midnight Sky is a flashy synthpop number that’s arguably sleeker than anything Cyrus has released before”.

Mike Wass of Idolator described the song as a “Dreamy Disco Anthem”. He praised the personal lyrics stating, “The first taste of MC7 is a deeply autobiographical account of the pop star’s emotional journey post-divorce”.

Promotion

A preview of “Midnight Sky” was released to coincide with the launch of Instagram Reels, a video-sharing service similar to TikTok, on August 6, 2020. On August 31, the Midnight Sky Truck, an experiential pop-up, appeared in Los Angeles, with various influencers sharing photographs and videos of themselves in the truck.

Commercial performance

In the US, “Midnight Sky” debuted at number 14 on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming Cyrus’ 14th Top 20 hit in the country and 50th entry on the chart, making her one of the artists with most Hot 100 entries. The song also became her best solo debut on the chart since “Malibu”, which took 10th place in 2017, although in the meantime the singer had also reached 13th place with “Don’t Call Me Angel”, along with Ariana Grande and Lana Del Rey.

In its first week “Midnight Sky” was the 20th most heard song in the United States in streaming and the third most downloaded legally. The single debuted at number three on Billboard Hot Digital Songs chart after only Cardi B’s “WAP” with Megan Thee Stallion and Morgan Wallen’s “7 Summers”, another release of the week.

In the United Kingdom, the song debuted at number 15 on the UK Singles Chart for the issue dated August 21, 2020 and reached the number 10 in its fourth week there, becoming Cyrus’ sixth Top 10 hit in the country.

“Midnight Sky” also debuted at number 16 in Australia, number 13 in Canada and number four in Scotland.

Music video

An accompanying, self-directed music video for “Midnight Sky” was released on August 14, 2020. It features Cyrus in various settings, such as a room with mirrors, a “colorful” gumball pit and a neon disco setting with streamers and Technicolor statues of jungle animals, while wearing a mullet, glittery makeup, black Chanel bodysuit, Swarovski gem-covered black gloves.

In a radio interview with Chris Kelly for Toronto’s KiSS 92.5, Cyrus said that the bubblegum in the video represents “[her] being lost in the bubblegum pop scene” and that the disco ball reflected that “it’s this kind of broken pieces that were put back together to make something whole again”.

Live performances

Cyrus performed “Midnight Sky” for the first time at the 2020 MTV Video Music Awards on August 30, where she swung on a disco ball, in reference to her 2013 song, “Wrecking Ball”. The next day, she performed the song on Live Lounge. On September 10, she performed the song at the The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.

Charts

Chart (2020) Peak position Bulgaria (PROPHON) 1 North Macedonia (Radiomonitor) 2 Belgium (Ultratip Wallonia) 3 Hungary (Single Top 40) 3 Scotland (Official Charts Company) 3 Panama Anglo (Monitor Latino) 4 Croatia (HRT) 6 Israel (Media Forest) 6 US Rolling Stone Top 100 8 UK Singles (Official Charts Company) 10 Ireland (IRMA) 11 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40) 11 Iceland (Tonlist) 12 Malta (Radiomonitor) 12 United Arab Emirates (Radiomonitor) 12 Canada (Canadian Hot 100) 13 Canada Hot AC (Billboard) 13 US Adult Top 40 (Billboard) 13 US Billboard Hot 100 14 Australia (ARIA) 16 Canada CHR/Top 40 (Billboard) 16 Latvia (Latvijas Top 40) 17 Lithuania (AGATA) 18 Costa Rica Anglo (Monitor Latino) 19 Czech Republic (Singles Digitál Top 100) 19 Hungary (Stream Top 40) 19 US Mainstream Top 40 (Billboard) 20 US Adult Contemporary (Billboard) 21 Global 200 (Billboard) 23 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade) 24 Canada AC (Billboard) 25 Norway (VG-lista) 25 Global Excl. US (Billboard) 26 Slovakia (Singles Digitál Top 100) 26 Estonia (Eesti Tipp-40) 27 New Zealand (RMNZ) 27 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders) 32 Netherlands (Single Top 100) 35 Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40) 38 Germany (Official German Charts) 41 Portugal (AFP) 44 Spain (PROMUSICAE) 52 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan) 69 Italy (FIMI) 80 France (SNEP) 123

#electropop #lyrics #miley cyrus #pop #rca records #synth-pop #Music

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dweemeister · 7 years

Photo

Sissi (1955, Austria)

Germany’s annexation of Austria in World War II devastated Austria’s domestic film industry. Either its best directors, producers, and writers fled to neutral or Allied nations or they were absorbed into a centralized, Nazi-run film company named Wien-Film (”Wien” is German for Vienna). Wien-Film rarely distributed propaganda, but its light comedies had anti-Semitic and Fascist undertones. Following Axis defeat, Austria’s film industry – unlike Italy’s neorealists, Poland’s directors examining national identity, or French New Wave directors advocating innovation – looked backward with period pieces and musical comedies as the Austrian public sought escapism, not reminders of their daily struggles. Some writers and historians of cinema might dismiss this demand for escapism as resulting in unchallenging films. But just because Sissi – the first of a trilogy based on the early life of Empress Elisabeth (”Sissi”; pronounced “SEE-see” not like the word “sissy”) of Austria – is not a thematically or cinematically complicated piece, does not mean its initial and enduring popularity is worthless.

Think of Sissi as a delectable, artisanal box of chocolates. Think of Ingmar Bergman movies as broccoli – Swedish broccoli. The latter is healthy and you may just like it (I certainly do); the former may do no favors for your health, but is it not enjoyable?

By 1955, Austria was still in the throes of economic recovery with the Marshall Plan’s assistance. Still occupied by Allied forces, Austria reestablished its sovereignty on July 27, 1955. Five months later, Ernst Marischka’s Sissi was released, becoming one of the most successful German-language movies of all time. Sissi and the two movies following it – which will receive write-ups after this – have since become Christmas staples in German-speaking countries and Hungary. All of that enjoyment begins in the first installment. For Austrians prideful of their history and national identity, it is a romanticized, sanitized yuletide treat. For everyone else, Sissi begins the story of a sumptuous royal drama with the sense of humor of a live-action ‘50s/’60s Disney film (without the juvenile intentions), the production quality as beautiful as any Western film in these difficult years for Europe.

It is the mid-1850s in Bavaria (at the time part of the ineffective German Confederation with close ties with the Austrian Empire, also a member of the Confederation). Princess Elisabeth (Romy Schneider; henceforth referred to as “Sissi”) is the second-oldest daughter of Duke Maximilian Joseph (Gustav Knuth; “Max”) and Duchess Ludovika (Magda Schneider, Romy’s mother). Sissi is sixteen years old, running about her parents’ lakeside estate among the forests and green mountains, living through a wondrous childhood. One day, eldest sister Helene (Uta Franz; “Nené”) travels with their mother, Ludovika, to Bad Ischl, a summer retreat of Austrian Emperor Franz Joseph I (Karlheinz Böhm). Nené is to be engaged to Franz Joseph, an arrangement engineered long ago by his mother, Archduchess Sophie (Vilma Degischer; Sophie is Ludovika’s elder sister). Despite not being invited to court due to her tomboyish ways, Sissi joins her mother and elder sister out of curiosity for new sights and experiences. While wandering the forest, Sissi accidentally encounters Franz Joseph, beginning a succession of events that sees them falling in love, the audience reeling in secondhand embarrassment for Nené especially, and ending with Sissi’s marriage and crowning as Empress on April 24, 1854.

Other important characters include Franz Joseph’s father Archduke Franz Karl (Erich Nikowitz) and Franz Joseph’s brother Archduke Karl Ludwig (Peter Weck). Serving as comic relief are two fictional creations: the overly presumptuous Gendarmerie-Major Böckl (Josef Meinrad; whose character appears in the two successive Sissi films) and the Postmaster of Ischl (Richard Eybner).

There are some historical inaccuracies for those wanting to compile a definitive list of such things: Sissi was actually the fourth child of Max and Ludovika, not the second. Also, there was never any clandestine mountainous flirtation between Franz Joseph and Sissi; instead, he just happened to find Sissi more attractive than Nené (if Nené had a nicer temperament, then his motivations might be suspect). Of all the Sissi films, this first installment – the entire trilogy was written by Marischka – is the one rewriting history the most. The narrative contrivances to extend the romantic drama are too convenient and too silly to be believed anyways. This fits with the tenor Sissi is attempting but is ultimately as clichéd as any romance could be.

However, depending on how enjoyable and charming a piece of narrative art is, even the most generic of storylines and developments get an occasional (or frequent) pass. The opening half-hour of Sissi sees the titular princess and her siblings frolic like the spoiled countryside urchins they are – think “Do-Re-Mi” from another film allowing audiences a glimpse of beautiful Austrian backdrops. For all of the traditional stiffness that Archduchess Sophie attempts to enforce, the gleeful spontaneity of Sissi’s family (and Sissi herself) provides a light-hearted juxtaposition that, in the two subsequent films, becomes the center of personal dramas. The 1955 Sissi is hinting at the disappointment and sadness that is to come, but there is nothing like a first love for people to forget life’s difficulties, and what must be endured and tolerated as years pass. The audience can sense the tension between Sissi’s dedication to Franz Joseph and her fear of the trappings – and traps – of the imperial duties she must perform.

Throughout this trilogy, Romy Schneider takes the part of Sissi and allows us to see the Empress’ generosity, forbearance, and endurance. By the time the final Sissi film was released in 1957, Schneider would occasionally be referred to as, “Sissi” in German-language media. All this for good reason – Schneider becomes Sissi on the first try. Her warmth, derived from her too-perfect parents and too-perfect family, is here in abundance, even in times where her character faces the obstruction of royal ways and Archduchess Sophie’s initial coldness toward her. As Franz Josef, Karlheinz Böhm – ten years Schneider’s elder, the two became great friends during production – is less charismatic here, but his better performances will come as political intrigue strikes in the upcoming movies.

Elsewhere, Vilma Degischer plays Archduchess Sophie as a stickler for tradition, almost offended by her son’s indiscretions – Sophie convinced her husband to abdicate the throne in 1848 to Franz Josef, positioning herself as arguably the most important person in the Austrian Empire. Degischer is unmoving, calculating, but never acting against her son’s or the Empire’s interests. Degischer allows audiences to understand Sophie’s intentions – a lesser actress might have interpreted Sophie as too antagonistic. A subplot where Gendarmerie-Major Böckl believes Sissi to be a nefarious individual before her first encounter with Franz Joseph is an overstretched punchline, but at least Josef Meinrad’s energy and comic timing is excellent.

The first Sissi film is, thematically, the least interesting in the entire series despite being the least flawed overall. All of the conflicts – political, personal, familial – that make this series worthwhile are all developing in the background, to be fully articulated once Sissi understand the imperial experience of being a public leader. This film is most like the stereotypical conception of a Disney princess movie, with romance that is flighty, and drama that is, in some sense, smiled away.

Unless written otherwise, many of the craftspersons about to be mentioned served for the entire Sissi trilogy because they were Ernst Marischka regulars around this time. Everyone mentioned here contributes astounding work.

Cinematographer Bruno Mondi (co-cinematographer on Fritz Lang’s 1921 film Destiny) shoots much of this film outdoors, as the first Sissi is more dependent on exteriors and on-location footage than the others. Thankfully for Mondi, the on-location exteriors lend to this film’s (and the trilogy’s) epic, postcard-picture-perfect scope. Seeking out locations Princess (later Empress) Elisabeth lived in her youth, Marischka wanted to shoot at the family estate of Possenhofen Castle on Lake Starnberg. However, the castle was in such disrepair at the time that shooting moved to Fuschlee Castle in Salzburg instead. Other locations include the Tyrolean mountains, Schönbrunn Palace in Vienna (Franz Joseph’s summer residence; Schönbrunn will be prevalent later) and St. Michael's Church in Vienna.

In other technical areas, the costume design by Leo Bei (Marischka’s 1954 film The Story of Vickie, various 1960s Disney productions set in Austria), Gerdago (The Story of Vickie), and Franz Szivats (Szivats is the only credited costume designer who did not work on the third film) is magnificent. Alternating between simpler – but upper-class – casual attire to the courtly gowns and suits found in the ball scenes, the amount of costumes needed for Sissi alone is incredible to see. Art director/production designer Fritz Jüptner-Jonstorff has obviously completed extensive research to implement as many details as he can to Sissi’s family’s lakeside home as well as the royal residences.

The music score by Anton Profes (The Story of Vickie) concentrates around Sissi’s theme, which appears across the trilogy typically as transitional music. The motif never tires itself, and Profes knows to arrange the theme slightly depending on the situational contexts of the previous or upcoming scenes. Otherwise, if one despises Viennese waltzes, be warned that Johann Strauss II’s Roses from the South waltz might be stuck in your head once completing any of the Sissi films (as is a recurring theme in this write-up, there will be more waltz music and musical interest in the sequels; know what you are getting into in all facets of the filmmaking before committing). Oh, and for you history sticklers, Roses from the South is an anachronism; Strauss composed the piece in 1880.

Not only did Sissi become an instant cultural phenomenon in Austria, a sort of reclamation of a glorious past through cinema. But it also proved popular in an unexpected place. For Chinese mainlanders who lived through the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976), the film’s appearance on mainland Chinese television spurred Chinese interest in Austria. The first Sissi – I have no independent confirmation about the popularity of the entire trilogy – needed no censorship because of its lack of politics and fluffy romance. On China’s equivalent of the IMDb, Douban, Sissi is very well-rated and popular for a 1950s Western movie (China, for various reasons including the government’s censoring prickliness, does not have as strong a cinematic tradition that values classic movie fandom as many Western nations).

In North America, Sissi is relatively unknown, as is the name Romy Schneider – Schneider later appeared in a handful of Hollywood productions, but felt most at home in Europe. All three Sissi films are now available on Blu-ray thanks to New York-based Film Movement. Film Movement is an organization that distributes non-English language and independent films (theatrically and monthly on home media) that have been ignored by North American audiences. On Halloween this year, Film Movement released the box set of the entire trilogy with a new 2K restoration. These are the versions that aired on Turner Classic Movies (TCM) on October 18, and on which this review (and the two later pieces I will write to complete the trilogy) is based on.

Sissi has all the sweetness of the most heartwarming fairy tales and is deserving of its status as a cultural touchstone. Along with some liberties in the storytelling, the craftswork and the performances enliven these historical individuals and moments described in books, depicted in portraits, regarded by the Austrian people.

My rating: 7.5/10

^ Based on my personal imdb rating. Half-points are always rounded down. My interpretation of that ratings system can be found here.

Also in the Sissi trilogy: Sissi: The Young Empress (1956) and Sissi: Fateful Years of an Empress (1957)

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cleopatrarps · 6 years

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After Viktor Orban’s Victory, Hungary’s Judges Start to Tumble

The sudden resignation of so many key council members may squelch the announcement, prevent the council from taking action against her, and free her hand even more.

If the council can no longer function properly, “then there’s no more hope that judges will be able to operate and rule independently,” Judge Sandor said. “It would mean that there are no more ways to control the work of Tunde Hando.”

The moves have alarmed some of Hungary’s roughly 3,000 judges, who have struggled to retain their autonomy since Mr. Orban won power in 2010 and began to turn Hungary into what he terms an illiberal state.

For the past eight years, Mr. Orban’s nativist policies, coupled with his autocratic instincts, have made him a hero to the leaders of the global far right, including President Trump’s former strategist Stephen K. Bannon.

Mr. Orban’s broadsides against Hungary’s democratic institutions, including its Constitution, electoral system and news media, have provided a template for other like-minded Western leaders — not least in Poland, whose government has mimicked many of his measures since 2015.

As part of those changes, the independence of the Hungarian court system has gradually been undermined but, to Mr. Orban’s frustration, never destroyed.

Newly galvanized by a bigger electoral mandate, Mr. Orban or his loyalists may now be able to change that — either by placing the judiciary under the direct control of the Justice Ministry, or by undermining the National Judicial Council.

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Ms. Hando is an old friend of the prime minister’s, and her husband heads Mr. Orban’s caucus in the European Parliament. Because of changes made by Mr. Orban in 2011, she was subsequently made president of the National Judiciary Office.

In that role, Ms. Hando wields broad control over court finances, senior judicial appointments and disciplinary procedures, though her powers were slightly moderated following pressure from Europe’s leading rights watchdog.

Within the judiciary, her decisions can only be challenged by the National Judicial Council, a panel of 15 judges elected by their peers.

For years, the council did little to obstruct Ms. Hando’s activities. But after new members were elected in January, the council began to challenge her authority, announcing an investigation into her hiring practices.

Then Mr. Orban won the election. Four days later, Agnes Rendeki, a newly elected council member, stepped down for what she said were personal reasons. A second member followed the next day. And then the day after, a third.

Less than three weeks later, five council members had stepped down, as well as six reserves who could have taken their place. There are now conflicting assessments of whether the council has enough members to meet.

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A protest in Budapest in April against Mr. Orban’s government. Credit Zsolt Szigetvary/MTI, via Associated Press

Istvan Lovas, a prominent commentator who supports Mr. Orban, said it was “ridiculous” to claim Ms. Hando had gamed the judiciary in favor of the government.

“I can give you many many examples that show that Hando appointed judges who are absolutely against Fidesz,” said Mr. Lovas, referring to Mr. Orban’s party. “Out of 10 decisions by the Hungarian courts, eight go toward the opposition.”

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The controversy comes at a critical moment for Mr. Orban and Fidesz. Mr. Orban is due to meet on Wednesday with senior members of the European People’s Party, an alliance of conservative political parties to which Mr. Orban belongs, along with Angela Merkel, the German chancellor.

The leadership of the European People’s Party has done little to restrain Mr. Orban since 2010, but increasing numbers of its lawmakers in the European Parliament have had enough.

Should Mr. Orban fail to win them over on Wednesday, some of those lawmakers could vote to enforce disciplinary measures against Hungary in September, in a process known as the Article 7 procedure.

This might in turn prove off-putting to some foreign businesses, particularly German ones, which play an important role in the Hungarian economy, said Otilia Dhand, an analyst of Central and Eastern Europe at Teneo Intelligence, a financial and political consultancy.

“The courts will be a key part of the discussion on Wednesday,” said Dr. Dhand. If Mr. Orban is unconvincing, “it might increase the risk that Hungary faces an Article 7 procedure, which could have a knock-on effect on investors’ thinking.”

Mr. Orban’s case is helped by the fact that most of the judges who have resigned from the National Judicial Council have cited personal reasons for their decisions.

But the timing of their departures, as well as the speed at which they occurred, has led other Hungarian judges to wonder whether something more sinister was afoot.

Shortly before her resignation, for instance, Judge Rendeki was seen in tears following a meeting with Ms. Hando.

“Forced resignations may be too extreme an expression,” said Peter Szepeshazi, a serving judge who is frequently critical of how the Orban government has managed the judiciary. “But they may have been approached by people close to Tunde Hando, who may have conveyed the message that it would be best if they stopped.”

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Asked whether they had been pressured into resigning, two of the five departing judges declined to comment, two did not respond, and the fifth — Judge Rendeki — stood by her original explanation.

Gergely Gulyas, the parliamentary leader of Mr. Orban’s party, released a brief statement suggesting that the council’s work was free of political interference.

“As judiciary in Hungary is independent, Fidesz does not have a position on recent resignations” from the council, he said in a message sent via a spokesperson.

Neither Ms. Hando nor Mr. Orban’s office responded to multiple requests for comment about both the resignations and her general conduct. Contacted by telephone, an official at the Justice Ministry asked for requests to be emailed, but did not respond to subsequent emails.

Suspicions have been raised about the resignations because Ms. Hando has the power to instigate disciplinary procedures against high-ranking judges — including several of those on the council — as well as overall control over who gets promoted to senior positions within the judiciary, and the resources given to their departments.

That might make some ambitious judges wary of crossing her, for fear of wrecking their careers, Judge Sandor said.

Before Mr. Orban took charge, senior judges were appointed by an autonomous panel. But though that is still nominally the case, Ms. Hando can in practice now reject the council’s choice, appoint her preferred candidate in an acting capacity for a year, and then install the person on a permanent basis.

Critics fear this process — which Ms. Hando embarked on 28 times throughout 2017 — will gradually allow her to install loyalists throughout the system.

“It’s not that they tell you what to rule in a particular case,” Judge Sandor said. “But how cases are assigned, how people are promoted, and how disciplinary proceedings are made against judges — all of that depends on Tunde Hando herself.”

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