GEORGIA

SPOILERS AHEAD Ballet and the gothic have quite a lot in common: they both originated in Italy, as all good things seem to; they both desire to evoke emotion; and they seem to have perfectly intertwined in Darren Aronofsky’s (pretty controversial) masterpiece, Black Swan. Whilst on the surface this just seems like a psychological thriller, if you pay attention you’ll find a million and one different features of the gothic implemented to build up the terror. And it certainly worked— I’ve never been more on edge.  CHARACTER Whilst Nina Sayers is the main character of Black Swan, there are two other characters in this film who play key roles in bringing to life it’s gothic elements: Lily, Nina’s rival; and Thomas Leroy, the choreographer behind it all. All three of them fall into at least one traditional gothic role. Nina and Lily occupy each end of the Madonna-Whore dichotomy, respectively. With her childlike innocence, pristine appearance, and light colour-scheme, Nina very much con...

I'll preface this by saying that this is my subjective opinion. And sure, maybe technically Legally Blonde isn't THE best film ever. But we aren't talking about technical elements today! No, just its vibes, mostly. But let's get on. Legally Blonde is a 2001 rom-com/chick-flick if you want to place it in a box, directed by Robert Luketic and starring Reese Witherspoon.  As I literally just mentioned, Legally Blonde would probably fit into that absolutely delightful (and I'm being serious) genre of girly, cheesy, and incredibly pink 'chick flicks' that are actually a lot more influential than people like to pretend. In 2020, many of these films are still quoted today (and I personally don't remember a single quote from The Godfather) and even the current fashion trends are very much influenced by the styles worn by characters in chick-flick comedies. But given the sheer number of these films that were made, it's impressive that Legally Blonde remains o...

Ever since it's publication in 1897, Bram Stoker's iconic Gothic Vampire novel Dracula has been retold and repurposed hundreds of times. From classic- although unlicensed- horrors such as Nosferatu, to cartoon comedies like Hotel Transylvania, despite being staked through the heart, the aristocratic Count will live on forever in popular culture. Today, I will be comparing the 1992 Francis Ford Coppola directed film Bram Stoker's Dracula (original title, I know) to the 2020 BBC three-part adaptation Dracula (yet another ground-breaking title) and deciding which one I prefer. I can give you a hint now: it's the BBC version. Sorry to all the film bros out there, who would probably consider that as blasphemy. I will be exploring the reasons for this preference via three main areas: the storylines/aesthetics of the whole thing put together, the women (mainly Mina and Agatha, respectively), and the formidable Count himself. So, let's take a journey back through time, to t...