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FrancesL @4rancesl.bsky.social · 10/10/2026

#Shortober Here's a vampire short that actually IS from the 1920s! It's significant as not only the oldest known horror fan-film, the closest we'll ever get to seeing London After Midnight, but as Gary Don Rhodes says in Vampires in Silent Cinema, is likely the USA's first supernatural vampire film.

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London After Midnight - Amateur home movie shot in 1928

YouTube video by Historic Films Stock Footage Archive

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FrancesL @4rancesl.bsky.social · 10/10/2026

#Shortober Here's Drakula 1920 (2013), a 'recreation' of a long-rumored 1920 Russian version (which almost certainly never existed). Many fell for it. This actually has a lot going for it as a hoax; choosing a non-dramatic scene, making Drac look like Vlad Tepes. Too bad Харкер's hair is so modern.

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Drakula (1920)

YouTube video by Clara Stanic

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FrancesL @4rancesl.bsky.social · 09/10/2026

On FB & x, this image has been pushed as real by Trumpers for Banned Books Week. I don't know what's funnier; that it's supposedly from a library but clearly Barnes & Noble, that none of those books are banned, multiple covers for one book, or that even x admits it's AI. Persecution Fantasy, much?

So, what happened to all the recent Trumper spiel about Hitler being a Left Wing Socialist? Or Democrats being Anti-Semitic for not supporting Israel? How is that "doing it right"? It's almost as if this Anglo Chud person's ideology is faulty...

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FrancesL @4rancesl.bsky.social · 09/10/2026

Who says the current administration has no Halloween spirit? With the upcoming televised #Hasan #execution, they've made Robert Bloch's story 'Die--Nasty' and Deathrow Gameshow into documentaries.

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FrancesL @4rancesl.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

#Shortober. This 1934 British Pathe short features not only one of the earliest videos for a horror novelty song (Leslie Holmes's "I'm the Monster of Loch Ness" which has slightly different lyrics here), but also the first screen appearance of Nessie, played by a legit freaky, kelpie-like puppet.

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Leslie Holmes (1934)

YouTube video by British Pathé

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FrancesL @4rancesl.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

Picture I took yesterday from the bridge. If it was a red balloon, this could honestly make for a great minimalist cover for a Modern Library edition of It.

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FrancesL @4rancesl.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

Just picked up the new #MarvelMidnight line. I was prepared to make a joke like "And they are Mid, indeed!", but honestly, two of the three were pretty good. Thoughts in the image text.

Midnight X-Men is filled to the brim with inscrutable relationships, unsympathetic characters, bad metaphors, decades worth of drama that must feel baffling for newcomers--and it's supposed to be a jumping on point! So basically, a regular X-title in vampire-drag. Not bad, but I'll wait for the trade. Love the Fright Night cover though.

Midnight Fantastic Four is actually pretty intriguing. It takes cues from Ultimate and Heroes Reborn FF (and oddly enough, Corman's 1994 film), but the fact that we aren't supposed to necessarily like these iterations of the characters (except maybe Johnny) adds possibilities. There's also a VERY cool new take on Doom that will have the Chuddites seething. Kev Walker's art has an almost Richard Corben-vibe at times; stumpy and cartoonish, but also very gritty and well-shaded. Anyway, it succeeds way better at being a horror take on FF than anything in Trank's bomb.

Midnight Spider-Man is my fave of the lot, and best nails the vibe of DC's Absolute line. It offers up a novel reason for Peter to develop his complexes about guilt and responsibility from an early age and has a cleverly modernized take on how he fails Uncle Ben. It also pushes the horror stuff to the most extreme and almost rivals Absolute Green Arrow for the best anti-corporate satire. There are a lot of 'retelling' cliches here where everything stems from a common point, and like the Webb movies there's unnecessary focus on Peter's parents, but this has potential to be the most subversive of the three titles.

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FrancesL @4rancesl.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

#Shortober lives! Here's Slavko Vorkapich's The Furies (1934), a very genre-themed short that was grafted onto the very non-genre Claude Rains film Crime without Passion. It nevertheless features some of the most hauntingly beautiful horror imagery of the 1930s. Universal's best couldn't compete.

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The Furies (1934) Vorkapich

YouTube video by Films by the Year

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FrancesL @4rancesl.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

Damn, CVS is really going all out for Halloween this year. And I thought Lowes put out some crazy decorations.

I really love how hard she is to notice at first, it made seeing her unexpected and actually kinda creepy.

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FrancesL @4rancesl.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

The only Altman whose opinions on #AI we should care about are Robert's. Sure, he died in 2006 and that was long before the advent of AI, but the guy who directed both 3 Women AND Popeye would definitely have some interesting things to say via Ouija.

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FrancesL @4rancesl.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

#Shortober continues with Run (2021) directed by Jeph Porter. The set up is simple; an escaped maniac pursues a young woman, but the execution (heh) isn't. A brief but brilliant mix of suspense and comedy.

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RUN! | Short Horror Comedy Film

YouTube video by Maplight Filmworks

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FrancesL @4rancesl.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

#Shortober continues! The Impatient Patient (1942) pits Daffy Duck against 'Dr. Jerkyll' and is notable as the first Jekyll-Hyde version to make Hyde ['Chloe'] a hulking giant. I first saw this on a compilation hosted by Grandpa Munster, here are three different 'restored' versions simultaneously.

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The Impatient Patient VHS & Digital/Blu-ray Comparison

YouTube video by Josh366lol2

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FrancesL @4rancesl.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

Saw this at Total Wine. Along with Angry Orchard and Fanta, Scream is now hitting the vodka market! I usually avoid novelty drinks if they exceed 10 bucks, but the price ain't bad.

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James S. Pumpkins @jspumpkins.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

Even if you take the trans issue out, the foundation of their logic on bathrooms is still rotten dumbshittery. People who think a gun law won't stop gun crime believe that a bathroom sign will stop someone determined to assault a woman.

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FrancesL @4rancesl.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

#Shortober continues! Here's Michael Dougherty's Season's Greetings (1996). This is where his Sam character from Trick r' Treat debuted. It's beautifully drawn and was a delight to see on the big screen during the TrT re-release last year, but this original unrestored version has a special vibe.

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Trick 'r Treat Season's Greetings (film)

YouTube video by Horrorsquadlive

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FrancesL @4rancesl.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

'tis #Shortober; month of horror shorts! Here's The Execution of Mary Queen of Scots (1895). Lotta firsts here: THE first horror film, the first gore film, the first fact-based horror, first American horror, first to start a series and the first to feature crossdressing (Mary was played by a man).

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The Execution of Mary Stuart (Alfred Clark, 1895)

YouTube video by Early Cinema History

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FrancesL @4rancesl.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

I was jogging this morning and a passing car played Laura Brannigan's Self Control. You know what? With a video featuring a Phantom-like villain, a creepy doll and lyrics about "creatures of the night" (though she meant junkies and hookers), that's not a bad song to start October off with!

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Laura Branigan - Self Control (Official Music Video)

YouTube video by RHINO

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Nathan Newman @nathansnewman.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

That Bannon says that about Newsom should be the kiss of death for his nomination prospects. Definition of an acceptable nominee is someone who is Steve Bannon's worst nightmare.

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FrancesL @4rancesl.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

If you see this, post a vampire that isn't #Dracula. (Hard mode: Post silent film vampires that aren't Orlock or The Man in the Beaver Hat)

(Top and bottom left: Loie Fuller (1902). Middle top: Vampyrdanserinden (1912). Bottom middle: The Vampire (1913). Top right: The Afterlife Wanderer. Bottom right: Lillith und Ly (1919). The last two are sadly lost films.

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FrancesL @4rancesl.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

"Generals gather in their masses, just like witches at black masses. Evil minds that plot destruction. Sorcerer of death's construction..."

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FrancesL @4rancesl.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

This month, we saw the president rename a lake and post AI cosplay of himself, Ed Sheeran get cancelled, Tupac's killer convicted, Pee-Wee Boebert caught again, a possible cancer cure, Jake Paul enter politics, GWAR's founder die and a new cat species discovered. And we still have 4 days left...

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Bryan Toporek @btoporek.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

The only thing out of Dems’ mouths for the next six weeks should be: Donald Trump single-handedly drove up gas prices by starting a senseless war, and it will only get worse if you re-elect Republicans

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Gianmarco Soresi @gianmarcosoresi.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

Can’t wait to find out which musicals it was this time

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FrancesL @4rancesl.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

Happy #BatmanDay. Today I finally read the full "Where Were You on The Night Batman was Killed?" arc. Batman 'dies', so the rogues hold a trial to see who gets the credit. Along with Detective 61's 'Three Racketeers', this was clearly an influence on BTAS's 'Almost Got 'im" episode. A silly delight.

Two-Face acts as prosecutor in the arc and is more or less the 'hero'. His portrayal feels much like a precursor to his recent solo series by Christian Ward. This would seriously be a contender for one of the best Two-Face stories if it wasn't for a twist.

The judge and jurors. First, you gotta love that Signalman and The Spook were once considered major villains. Then again, go look up how many appearances Ivy, Freeze and Scarecrow had made before this. Second, Ras actually kinda looks like Liam Neeson here. Third, notice how Mad Hatter is clearly Wonderland-obsessed. This mustachioed Hatter was later declared a separate character from the original 1948 villain because he was obsessed with hats instead of Alice. Here though, he's clearly obsessed with both.

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FrancesL @4rancesl.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

Also read the long-unpublished Joker story from the 70s. It's actually kinda transgressive. Joker makes a deal with The Devil (played by Elton John) to escape a lobotomy so he can kill the JLA, makes The Flash OD, lynches Wonder Woman with her own lasso and promises to reveal his childhood. Wild.

Do I even need to make any jokes here? I was gonna make a Robert DeNiro/Murray Franklin joke because of the 'Lou Cipher' name, but the original is still funnier.

A scene that could have been written by Garth Ennis. Also possibly the first mention of amphetamines and speed in a non-educational/Very Special mainstream story in comics.

Who says the 80s invented violence against women in comics? Black Canary's death is even more sexualized.

He was a Drinker and a Fiend, I'm guessing.

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FrancesL @4rancesl.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

Went to see the re-release of Batman '89, and despite a bad audience and more ads than a regular release, it was worth it seeing everything on the big screen, transformative actually; Keaton & Basinger are adorably awkward now, Nicholson becomes almost as scary as Ledger and the sets awe-inspiring.

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FrancesL @4rancesl.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

Finished Absolute Green Arrow #5. Wow! I was expecting Merlyn's involvement, but him speaking Tibetan (inferring a League of Shadows/Lazarus Pit connection) opens up possibilities beyond Miraclo. Ollie really may not be out! Connor's sus 'death' is too obviously a red herring, so my money's on Mia!

Google translate says he's saying "Goodbye".

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FrancesL @4rancesl.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

www.youtube.com/watch?v=iwrA... AI is a resource-wasting, effort-discouraging scourge that has become a tool for promoting hate and propaganda. "Self awareness" should be our LAST worry. But fuck, this video is funny. It's an old, old joke, but it works. Dr. Evil being Loomis is Chef's Kiss.

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I Replaced Michael Myers With Mike Myers in Halloween (1978)

YouTube video by Alternate Reality Movies

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Shaenon K. Garrity @shaenon.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

When reactionaries advance some bullshit, the FIRST thing to do is identify the framing and reject it They're selling this as "trans rights vs. women's sports" when they hate both those things and want to ruin them both Accept the frame and you've lost Reject the frame and call bullshit

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Eb @ebthen.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

People saying Lady Gaga's baby should be called Googoo but they're missing the better choice, which is obviously Radio.

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Al Kennedy @alkennedy.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

From the brain trust that brought you "we couldn't figure out how to make a movie about a guy in sunglasses killing vampires"

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Transphobes Can't Read @lordaslan.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

BEHOLD, the master race

A post of a shirtless guy getting a Charlie Kirk tattoo with the caption "e have started #Kirkiversary off VERY strong Hubby decided to turn his emotional pain intc somethina permanent with a new tattoo. I'1I be documenting his emotional journey as the day goes on, so stay tuned. There's no telling where this arief will take him next. Continue to keep him lifted in praver!
#RIPCHARLIEKIRK #Forever31
#ForeverlnOurHearts"

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Christine Valada @mcvalada.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

Today, September 10, is the 9th anniversary of Len Wein’s death. It is gratifying to me to see that many fans and friends have kindly noted the day with good stories. Len would have preferred to live on in our house, but it is nice that he lives on in his work.

Head sketch of writer Len Wein made by artist Bill Sienkiewicz in 2017. Len is bearded, wearing glasses and a baseball cap.

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FrancesL @4rancesl.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

This day, people of all political affiliations need to come together and remember the anniversary of when a good man died. He had some problematic views and far right affiliations, but he gave his life fighting for what he believed... So let us remember Skurge, who stood alone at Gjallerbru. Skol!

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FrancesL @4rancesl.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

This is sorta funny. I was re-reading Norman Spinrad's The Iron Dream (a book which imagines what kind of sci-fi Hitler would have written), then saw The Orange Man's idiotic Starship Troopers/Lanterns AI slop. Sometimes you really have to be glad that favorite books of yours never went mainstream.

As you can see, the fascist imagery is even LESS subtle than Starship Troopers

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Florence, Queen of Queer Tokusatsu @spookyflo.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

Pretty sure if they endorse anti-trans politicians they are, by definition, not equality orgs.

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FrancesL @4rancesl.bsky.social · 05/09/2026

I really love when something pops up that I couldn't believe I didn't know about; Heavy Metal has been relaunched and is already going on 5 issues! Got 'em on eBay. Not only that, it's all pretty good! As the cover makes clear, there's a lot of pandering to fans of the movie, but that's not a prob!

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FrancesL @4rancesl.bsky.social · 30/08/2026

Guess that one kid who really hated Barney won the lotto. Jokes aside, #Buddy is a lot of fun. Everything is telegraphed early on, but it's surprisingly creative. Really appreciate how they made it initially feel like an actual kids show instead of an innuendo-laden parody or creepy from the start.

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FrancesL @4rancesl.bsky.social · 28/08/2026

...and yet another aerial phenomenon is obscured by wildfire smoke. Joe Yannetty said it best, all it takes is one moron throwing a cigarette out the window and half the state burns. www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4Ul...

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Joe Yannetty - Shortie

YouTube video by Denis Leary

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BACK ISSUE! Magazine @backissuemagazine.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

RIP Tim Curry. My hometown of Santa Cruz was one of the first cities to embrace midnight showings of Rocky Horror Picture Show in the 70s. The showings started at the Sash Mill and still show today at the Del Mar for the UCSC crowd. Rocky has been an important part of a lot of my friends lives. 😢

The Rocky Horror Picture Show: The Comic Book #1, July 1990

Photo of Tim Curry as the sweet transvestite from transsexual Transylvania, Dr. Frank-N-Furter.

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FrancesL @4rancesl.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

Wow, two icons in a row. RIP Tim Curry, whether he made you laugh, cry, scream or sing along (sometimes all at once), you can never forget him. Pretty sure my first exposure to him was Pretorius on The Mask cartoon, then the show Earth II. He had a rough go of things the last few years, peace.

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Ron Filipkowski @ronfilipkowski.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

As ridiculous as these posts are, they still actually get covered as real news by TV networks and not treated like the rantings of a demented fool.

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FrancesL @4rancesl.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

RIP Dolly Parton. Besides being a great singer and a timeless beauty (and giving Tennessee a non-Knoxville attraction), she also helped fund free literacy programs for kids, passionately supported LGBTQ rights AND helped get Buffy on air. Now THAT's an icon.

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FrancesL @4rancesl.bsky.social · 23/08/2026

Canada has undeniably given us some great things to celebrate, and some not-always-great things that also deserve celebration, like Tom Green, Kevin Spencer and pre-JLP Alanis: www.youtube.com/watch?v=njhf...

Would be a contender for greatest animated shows of all time if it had ended with Season One.

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Kate Armstrong @brainchain.ca · 22/08/2026

Also - please join me if you will in flooding Bluesky with Canadian culture. Music, art, film, TV. Let’s show the vibrancy of this place I’m proud to call home.

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FrancesL @4rancesl.bsky.social · 23/08/2026

Yet another contender for Defining Image of 2026. I'm sensing a disquieting pattern here...

Somewhere, Daily Bugle employees are learning that Jonah's first initial stands for "Jerkin'"

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FrancesL @4rancesl.bsky.social · 23/08/2026

There's a new oatmilk brand out called Jolene funded by a musician, and said musician ISN'T Dolly Parton, it's Anthony Kiedis. The crazy thing though? It's actually good. Red Velvet Oatmilk by way of The Red Hot Chili Peppers isn't a combo I ever expected to like.

"Jolene, Jolene, Jolene Jolene. I'm begging of you to please buy this can..."

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FrancesL @4rancesl.bsky.social · 22/08/2026

Saw Ramper der Tiermensch (1927). A stranded aviator at the Pole mutates into a Yeti then gets captured. The early Arctic scenes feel like the Walton chapters of Frankenstein, then it becomes an Elephant Man-style social drama. The monster makeup is...something. www.youtube.com/watch?v=cFBm...

Not M'Baku. Note the poster, which depicts a creature not unlike the Six Million Dollar Man's Sasquatch. It's worth noting that before the 50s, Sasquatch as a concept were either just ordinary Native Americans, dwarves or giant cavemen. Them being ape-like brutes came later.

Believe it or not, the best shot of him in the YouTube print. It's worth mentioning that several reels of the movie are lost.

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