'There is a key scraping the inside of the lock, and the door was swinging open, the monster standing inside of the doorway, blocking any other view. He is smiling, his horrible fangs fully shown, in the flickering candlelight of the room.'
The established king of vampires is, and always will be, Dracula.
Since 1897, it's been adapted time and again, becoming the fundamental core of vampire fiction and media.
The latest adaptation of Dracula, by the BBC, (I think you can get it on Netflix in the US, not sure about elsewhere) is one that I loved - partly because it was so contradictory.
It's both the most and least faithful adaptation I've ever seen. Yup, at the same time.
It's both clever and... not so clever.
It's both heavy and light on the horror elements. (Although, if you're someone who doesn't like horror, I def. wouldn't recommend it.)
And it has good Queer rep and bad Queer rep.
Dracula's always been Queer btw - the subtext is the 1897 version of a neon sign.
It's just that in 1897, it wasn't possible to be openly Queer in a book.
But even Stoker went lighter on 'Bury your Gays' than this adap. does. #JustSaying
Still, problematic though it is (and pretty much everything involving Dracula is problematic somewhere along the line,) I really loved this adaptation.
Not least because of the nun, Agatha, who is amazing.
What I love about fics based on this series is that fanfiction authors are twisted li'l demons (in the best way) and all of the fics are dark.
(Also: fanfic authors work quick, ok? This is a 2020 series!)
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So, this demonic-author frenzy has resulted in a bunch of Dracula horror fics.
...And I'm loving it!
So, yeah. This fic is pretty goddamn heavy on the horror elements.
And, as you'd probably expect for something Dracula-based, there's a butt-tonne of blood. So heads up on that one!
Ok, I'm going into a SPOILER zone now - both book and series. Ok?
SPOILERS EVERYWHERE!
THOSE WHO WANT TO AVOID SPOILERS - YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!!!!!!!!
This fic is about making Jonathan Harker feed.
In this series, Dracula turns Jonathan into a vampire... and later kills him. Which doesn't happen in the book. (Neither thing.)
This fic takes the decision that most fics are taking that the whole killing-Jonathan thing doesn't happen, but the turning-Jonathan-into-a-vampire thing does.
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Jonathan and Dracula have a twisted romantic/sexual relationship
...which, because it's 2020, we get to see a little bit on-screen, but then we have to kill Jonathan.
Because it's 2020, and Queer folks don't get to live and/or have happy and healthy relationships. #SpillingTea
But, y'know, M/M relationships between vampires with toxic relationship elements?
Forget December 25th, this was fandom's Christmas! Lol.
(Jk, you know I love Christmas. But Moffat and Gatiss have also clearly handed fandom a lovely gift tied in a bow!)
OK, so just a reminder for this awesome fic: horror elements, problematic relationship, blood/killing people.
Ok? Ok
This week's fic, then, is:
no eyed girl by 2space_lesbo1
Have you seen this adaptation? What did you think?
What's your favourite adaptation of Dracula?
Talk to me! 💋💬
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Last updated: 20th Sep 2021
I remember learning about Dracula in my Victorian lit course last year, and it took about five minutes before the professor mentioned that Dracula is indeed gay. I mean, we all knew it. It was nice that a professor actually acknowledged.
ReplyDeleteLol, fair enough! He def. has a thing for both the ladies, and for Jonathan Harker, in the book! (And he *def* has a thing for Jonathan in this series!)
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