Eight Days of Happiness: Context Is for the Pure of Mind

[thefourthvine]

I love vids. Even more, I love the twisty minds that vidders have. Okay, first, they must watch, like, a lot of source. A lot. Whenever I consider what it takes to be a vidder, the very first thing that stuns me is - holy shit, these people have to watch stuff all the time. I myself do not have the necessary brain power to watch that much, so it's kind of stunning.

But it's the way they watch stuff that is so especially wonderful. Your average ordinary viewer might watch 45 minutes of a TV show and be like, "Well, the plot was pretty good, but I could have lived forever without that upskirt shot, and I really wish we could have seen more Peregrine and Tucker." (Note: names not from an actual fandom as far as I know.) Whereas I imagine a vidder watching those same 45 minutes and, at about 21:13, sitting bolt upright, groping feverishly for the remote control, and shrieking: "ORGASM FACE ORGASM FACE ORGASM FACE YESSSSSSSS!" Or, "Oh my god, the backgrounds look exactly the same, and the motel beds look exactly the same - I can cut that so they look like they're lying in the SAME BED even though they're in different rooms." Or, "Did she seriously just lean in, smile, and then TURN HER HEAD? The gods smile upon me."

Vidders, in short, must be experts at taking things out of context. It's their gift! (One of many, actually.) And because they also sometimes have, well, ever-so-slightly dirty minds, very often what they do with their out of context shots is - well. As follows. (Note that you don't need to know the fandoms for any of these vids. You just need to know what two hot guys do when they're alone.)

The One That Will Likely Someday Win a Prize for Best Ever Use of Unicorn Horns out of Context. Reach out and Touch Me, by solanyxe. Merlin, Merlin/Arthur Pendragon. (And how.)

Sooooooo. I don't really know how to summarize this one. I mean, I could say, "Here we have Arthur setting his sights on Merlin, hunting him down like an exceptionally hot and tasty unicorn, and then fucking him into the ground." But that would be - hmmm. Accurate, actually.

And yet it all uses footage from a show that airs on regular television. Now, admittedly, it's British regular television, and probably they have mutant British-style rules. (Like, I don't know - maybe "It's totally acceptable to show two guys getting to third base in prime time if they're celebrating their country's victory in the World Cup." Could be anything, is my point. They're wild and crazy over there.) Still. I'm pretty sure that if they had actually shown footage of Merlin and Arthur having sex, someone would have told me. (And if that did happen and no one told me: really, people. I'm hurt.)

This vid, in short, is a masterpiece of taking shots that a number of people - actors, directors, editors, the guy who gets the coffee for any of the above - saw and thought were perfectly clean and PG-rated and suitable for showing to nuns and grandparents, and turning them into something you have to watch twice to be sure there's no actual penetration shown.

The One That Takes the Phrase "In My Pants" to a Whole New Level. One Where You Will Probably Hurt Yourself Laughing. Supernatural (In My Pants>, by deirdre_c. Supernatural, Dean Winchester/Sam Winchester (plus assorted inanimate objects and light breezes).

I have to wonder what the creative process was for this vid. I'm guessing it was, "You know, Sam and Dean make a lot of funny faces. I bet I could do something really evil with that." Where "really evil" means "likely to cause neighbors to call the police because of the prolonged hysterical laughter."

Because. Okay. We had to declare a moratorium on all Supernatural vids for about two weeks after Best Beloved and I watched this, because we'd be watching this very deep, moving exploration of Dean's anguish, and the camera would zoom in on his face and he would look tormented and then, inevitably, one of us would mutter, "in my pants." Or just hum a little. And then we'd both collapse into giggles. What I'm saying is, this vid destroyed my ability to take manpain seriously. I'm not sure if this means we should bottle deirdre_c and sell her, or if it means we should lock her up for the good of fandom. Maybe both.

This vid also has one of the best builds I've experienced in recent memory. At first, I was like, "Oh, yeah, Sam/Dean, I get you, but what is with this song choice? I seriously do not get why...okay, I see why, but that doesn't explain - okay, it kind of does, but...[COLLAPSES LAUGHING]." I suspect that will be your experience, too.

The One Where the Cars Are a Metaphor, but Not a Very Subtle One. Mmm Papi, by talitha78/talitha78. Whatever it is that we're calling The Fast and the Furious fandom these days, Brian O'Conner/Dom Toretto/a whole bunch of cars.

I admit it: I haven't seen Fast and Furious. I want to! I do! But I have an eleven-month-old earthling. The idea of getting two hours to watch a movie is far-fetched. The idea of going to a theater without the earthling and spending upwards of three hours there is - well. It's also entirely possible that sometime this month I might win a lottery, despite never buying a ticket. The odds are roughly the same.

But, nonetheless, I heard the squee - and suspiciously ecstatic moaning gasping noises - that shot around fandom when the movie came out. There were a lot of incoherent posts along the lines of, "I - I did not - did they seriously - OH MY GOD BEST MOVIE EVER!" I assume some day I will get to see why.

Except I already kind of have. Because, for one thing, I've seen the first movie, which should have been titled, The Fast and the Furious: It Makes Perfect Sense Provided You Assume They're Fucking. (I'm guessing the fourth one is secretly called Fast and Furious: Now Even We, the Filmmakers, Have to Assume They're Fucking.) For another - well. I've seen this vid.

I admit that Talitha78 didn't have to take things very far out of the context for this one, since 40% of the first movie consists of longing stares between Dom and Brian, and a further 20% consists of very loosely disguised metaphors for sex between Dom and Brian. (I can only hope the fourth one measures up.) But. Still. This vid takes the essence of the movies (Dom and Brian: so in love and so totally doing it) and makes them reality.

Plus, there is a sequence that makes it very clear that the whole thing with the cars is not so much repressed homoeroticism as it is a chance to do some explicit man-on-man action without the MPAA getting all het up.

Comments

[smilingslightly]

I adore how I get every bit as much out of your descriptions of fic/vids that are already known to me as I do those to which I'm being introduced to for the first time. I swear, five paragraphs describing a movie and vid that I've each seen eighty bazillion times more than once shouldn't be half so silly-grin-and-high-pitched-squee inducing. Which is to say, you have something of a way with words. ♥

::goes to check out Merlin and SPN recs::

[thefourthvine]

*beams*

Thank you! Words are my main fandom, I sometimes think.

(And I do believe you will like the Merlin and SPN vids. Don't be drinking anything while you're watching the latter.)

[2naonh3_cl2]

You are brilliant, and these vid recs are awesome. I'd seen Mmm Papi, but not the others, and obviously I've been bereft. Thank you for correcting that. ^o~

[thefourthvine]

Thank you! And, wow, I would not like to imagine a life without Supernatural (In My Pants) and Reach out and Touch Me. That would be a sad and drifting existence almost certain to end in you staring out to sea on a cold foggy day, wondering where you went wrong. I'm glad I could provide the links to prevent that. *g*

(Also: OMG THAT'S A HIKARU/AKIRA ICON. <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3!)

[dine]

these are terrific, and more proof of your excellent taste! I hadn't seen the SPN vid before, but admit to laughing my ass off at your description, and upon viewing.

one question - how do you manage to code users so they reflect to the correct journal? example: talitha78 above has the LJ/DW symbols linking to the different journal - is there some magic way to get it right you can teach?

[smilingslightly]

like so:
Dw — <user name="dine"> gets you dine
LJ — <user name="dine" site="livejournal.com"> = dine

You can also put insanejournal.com and journalfen.net as your site=" "

[thefourthvine]

I see the question has already been answered (although I do it without quotation marks and it seems to work equally well - hmmm).

And I'm so glad I could point you to the SPN vid. Everyone needs that. Especially someone with a mind as dirty as yours. *g*

[kahaniyan]

Just wanted to let you know that I've been reading your recs for a while now (I love them!), and am adding you now so I don't have to remember to check back.

Also, whenever I watch "Reach Out and Touch Me", I also have to watch danegen's If I Was Your Girl. They're like a matched pair in my head. :)

[thefourthvine]

Thank you! Hi! Welcome!

And, oh, I can totally see the link. (And now, of course, I'm going to have to go watch If I Was Your Girl. That was your plan all along, wasn't it?)

[rheanna]

They're wild and crazy over there.

We are. It's true. The entire country is Party Central. We just don't advertise it.

[thefourthvine]

I know this to be true; I've been there, and I uncovered your secret revels. AND NOW I WILL TELL THE WORLD. No one can stop me.

[ajatshatru]

I'm friending you, I hope that's okay :)

[aurora]

I love talitha's vid so much!! *goes to check out the other two*


Whatever it is that we're calling The Fast and the Furious fandom these days
I, too, would like to know what the proper acronym is for this fandom.

[apetslife.livejournal.com]

I'm just sticking with "F&F." Covers all bases and the whole lot of the movies!

[apetslife.livejournal.com]

Your timing is sublime: I JUST finished watching "Mmm Papi" and clicked over to the friendslist and LO, IT IS HERE!

(quite frankly, the second...fourth...you know what I mean! movie is mostly a continuation of Dom And Brian's Epic Lovestory [With Cars] and doesn't even try very hard to pretend otherwise. It's AWESOME.)

[thefourthvine.livejournal.com]

I really admire the creators of the Fast and Furious franchise; they seem to have found a way to make teenaged boys think it's cool to watch a gay love story. (ADD CARS.) I salute them!

[tex.livejournal.com]

I have to admit - none of these are my fandoms. But your description of the Fast and the Furious vid was too fun to resist. Plus, Paul Walker is illegally pretty!
Downloading now.

[thefourthvine.livejournal.com]

They don't have to be your fandoms! Or, let me put it another way: they are for slash fans. The fandom here is guy-on-guy sexin', totally. And I think that's a fandom you and I share!

And yay! You're downloading. *very pleased*

[jamethiel]

I showed a friend The Fast and The Furious and afterwards there was about five minutes silence.

"It just makes no sense unless they are fucking like bunnies." was K's assessment of it.
"Yep."

Then later on that night we went to the movies and decided on a whim to go see the latest one. And, NO LIE, there were times in the movie where I had my hand over my mouth going "They did NOT just do that" We kept turning to look at each other with wide eyes and there was this moment where Dom puts a hand on Brian's knee, and, just--BOYFRIENDS, hand to god.

Thanks for the rec! I am going to watch that vid!

[thefourthvine.livejournal.com]

K is, of course, entirely right. What I want is to know what people who don't see a gay love story are seeing. Because I just cannot make it make sense any other way.

Then later on that night we went to the movies and decided on a whim to go see the latest one. And, NO LIE, there were times in the movie where I had my hand over my mouth going "They did NOT just do that" We kept turning to look at each other with wide eyes and there was this moment where Dom puts a hand on Brian's knee, and, just--BOYFRIENDS, hand to god.

I cannot wait to see this movie. I mean, obviously I'll have to wait, but - I just love how every person who talks about it talks about the Scene of Total Proof of Dom and Brian's True Love, and every person is talking about a different scene. I don't see how they can top this one except by making the inevitable kidfic into a movie.

[kyuuketsukirui.livejournal.com]

If you liked Jizz in My Pants, have you seen Like a Boss (http://community.livejournal.com/pulltheplug_tk/18975.html)? (Dean-centric, another song by the same group.)

[thefourthvine.livejournal.com]

No, I missed that! *downloads immediately*

(Although I have to admit that I'm kind of stunned that that group HAS another song. After you've written "Jizz in My Pants," where is there left to go, creatively speaking?)

[busaikko]

Whereas I imagine a vidder watching those same 45 minutes and, at about 21:13, sitting bolt upright, groping feverishly for the remote control...

erp. um. I have been known to do this. And I saw SPN in my pants on YouTube but *never knew* I could download it! Thank you for the link!

[thefourthvine.livejournal.com]

erp. um. I have been known to do this.

I HAD SUSPECTED AS MUCH. Although I'm embarrassed; I know you for your stories, of course, but I did not realize you were also a vidder. You have many layers! Awesome ones!

And I saw SPN in my pants on YouTube but *never knew* I could download it!

And it's definitely the kind of vid you want to keep close by you. I mean, suppposing YouTube goes away? You would not want to lose access to your pants vids!

[hackthis.livejournal.com]

Okay, you know, I'm not an F&F fan. I mean I find it entertaining, but it never really pinged my buttons. And the latest installment I did the same thing that I do with most movies, I put it on Netflix and moved on (I will be seeing Star Trek, but that's another story). ANYROAD. When these recs came up I was like, hmmm, yeah, interesting, but not into F&F and the little voice was like, yeah, but TFV said... and then I read your rec and I was like, well.... you know, watch it.

IS IT REALLY THAT HOMOEROTIC? BECAUSE THAT WAS REALLY... Like. They weren't thinking about it, they'd done, and were still doing it. Early and Often. Oh, wait you haven't seen it either, but based on both of our non-viewingness, we've both reached the same conclusion based on this vid, haven't we? Yes. It really is THAT gay.

[thisisbone.livejournal.com]

Darlin', you and I need to talk. Knowing what I know about you and your kinks, these flicks might do it for you up one side and down the other.

YES IT REALLY IS THAT HOMOEROTIC.

It is THAT GAY. I have NO IDEA how people view it who don't see it as The Epic Love Story of Dom and Brian.

If you doubt it, go read my fast & furious tag (http://thisisbone.livejournal.com/tag/fast+%26+furious)

[ariadne83]

That SPN vid is evil. The first time I downloaded it I found myself watching it twice a day.

[thefourthvine.livejournal.com]

Evil but awesome! And, yes, I've watched it a somewhat unconscionable number of times, myself.

[animeartistjo.livejournal.com]

I adore your take on Fast and Furious. Your little alternate titles are so true! <333

[thefourthvine.livejournal.com]

Thank you! And, really, from all I've heard, it's like they looked at the first movie and said, "How could we pack MORE homoeroticism into two hours?"

I approve of this movie-making strategy immensely.

[winter-elf.livejournal.com]

Those are just way to awesome! Thanks for reccing!

[thefourthvine.livejournal.com]

They really are amazingly cool. I'm glad you liked them!

[dslartoo.livejournal.com]

I had never heard the S&L song until watching that second vid and split my sides laughing. For that alone you win the internet prize for today. The awesomeness of all three vids just makes it even better.

cheers,
Phil

[thefourthvine.livejournal.com]

Any one of these vids would be almost unbearably awesome; I was taking a real risk that people would die of awesomeness overdose by putting them all together like this. BUT I AM NOT SORRY. IT HAD TO BE DONE.

(And your icon makes me deeply, deeply happy, for the record. <3!)

[bluemeridian]

Plus, there is a sequence that makes it very clear that the whole thing with the cars is not so much repressed homoeroticism as it is a chance to do some explicit man-on-man action without the MPAA getting all het up.

That review pretty much covers it. TOTAL WIN. ♥

(Sorry, not particularly useful comment but- OMGVID.)

[thefourthvine.livejournal.com]

I have to admit I am impressed with the filmmakers. Who knew cars were the key to lower MPAA ratings?

And yes - OMGVID pretty much sums it up in my head.

[solanyxe.livejournal.com]

Hi!
Thank you very much for your rec! :) I'll check out the other two as well..
I have to admit I do watch the episodes more or less the way you described. ^.^;;
I hope I can take the ever-so-slightly dirty minds as a compliment. XD
It's actually surprising how many things can be done with solely the clips from the show. Some time ago (after I plucked up the courage), I constructed a Merlin/Arthur BJ scene in a vid...

[thefourthvine.livejournal.com]

Thank you very much for your rec! :) I'll check out the other two as well..

I think they will appeal to you, based on your obviously excellent and prurient tastes!

I have to admit I do watch the episodes more or less the way you described. ^.^;;

I KNEW IT. Vidders: not like ordinary people. (Better. But still different.)

I hope I can take the "ever-so-slightly dirty minds" as a compliment. XD

Around here, it's one of the very highest compliments.

Some time ago (after I plucked up the courage), I constructed a Merlin/Arthur BJ scene in a vid.

OMG WHICH VID? I have not seen that and I need to!

[jessibot.livejournal.com]

Hi! Been back and forth in your journal a few times now (a lot of people rec your recs), and I love your fan picks and descriptions so I am about to press the friend button. It's weird when people friend without saying anything, so this is my awkward hello. ;)