Sudden "rush" of readers for my stuff on AO3. Curious to think I'd be benefiting, so to speak, from the new movie, but I have to assume that's what it is. Anyone else seeing an increase in readership action?
I've seen a slight up-tick this month, but that's only in terms of kudos (as you get an email whenever, so it's easy to compare) because I don't really keep an eye on anything else.
I'm currently writing a mid-length movie fic on the kink meme so it'll be interesting to see what happens with that when I post it on AO3.
What's interesting is the amount of interest the movie has stirred regarding the TV series. We have new writers showing up doing an excellent rendition of Solo and Kuryakin as we know and love them.
I have to admit I'm getting a lot of traffic in both ff.net and AO3. King from UNCLE has gone crazy with prompts and people are rising to the cause. It's sort of great to see all the new influx (although there are some stinkers mixed in).
Yeah, I'm getting more kudos and counts for most of my UNCLE stories on AO3. Only one comment on the Madhouse, though. I imagine most don't know about it.
The new readers seem to be slash only as far as I can tell from my stories--which makes sense as the film fandom seems to be all shipping all the time.
Strikes me the only value of fanfic for the movie would be putting two hot guys together, but that's me being crotchety - after all, I haven't even seen it. :-)
Ritchie covered all bases. There's just enough innuendo for the slashers. There's a just barely unconsummated romance for Illya and Gaby (the female lead), and for the daring, there's always the possibility of an ot3 ;)
Juding from tumblr, the IK/Gaby ship is at least on a par with the NS/IK ship. Not a whiff of gen anywhere.
The film exists in a stylized 60's, the plot is very generic and sloppily written, the whole thing feels oddly weightless, there's no passion, except maybe in the design/fashions. It doesn't have the underlying framework the series had with UNCLE.
I was talking about it to a friend and it occurred to me that in a lot of ways it reads like the (very expensive) pilot for a TV series. The fans of the movie are clamoring for a sequel in which they could really get to know the characters, where IK and Gaby really kiss, where IK and NS really become the best of partners, best of friends, etc.
It's not just Ritchie, a lot of movies seem to be trying to set up franchises. But that irritates me, I expect a theatrical film to be a complete whole--show me what you got. If you have something to say, say it. Don't "save" it for next time a few years down the road (if at all). But I'm not the intended audience so... :D
I feel sure you're quite right. Movies are no longer movies (hell, books seem to be like this too): they're the start of a franchise. I'm beginning to really hate that word. It's one more formulization of something that is already so formulaic you can tick off each of the little events before they happen: the meet-cute, the smart-ass exchanges that are presumably meant to tell the audience these two won't end up in a clinch (though of course they do), the hint of backstory during a pause in explosions, the little moment, usually at night, when everyone's quiet before the big climactic battle and the heroine (or co-star) "stumbles" across the hero (or co-star) for a little heart-to-heart ... it's painful how formulaic they all are. They're even visually formulaic.
Sigh. Yes. I'm old. Like you, I'm not the intended audience. When all I can see is the nuts and bolts, I'm no longer interested in watching.
EDIT TO ADD FURTHER RANT. And another thing ... how quickly can we get the female character's clothes off while still pretending she's an actual character and not just a piece of ass for everyone to ogle ... sigh ...
*Edit to add: I should point out this is about your generic blockbusters or wannabe blockbusters. There are interesting and offbeat movies being made.
Yeah, there are still good movies. But they tend not to hit the 10-Plex at the Nanuet Mall :)
Formula is comfortable, for the studios as well as the audience. It can be used in clever ways, but it usually isn't. I can enjoy a film/book/tv show on its surface level if pushes the right buttons, but I also have this urge to dissect underneath that, just to see why/why not it works. English lit major, we're such killjoys ;)
The two main women in the movie come off quite well. Underwritten, but not sex objects. There's an obligatory sex object for Solo to play with, they couldn't help themselves. But it's a very short scene and weirdly unsexy.
I'm really generalizing - I haven't even seen this film! - and there are exceptions, I know it. People like what they like.
However, I certainly noticed that the promos for the UNCLE film featured one of the women [or, more accurately, the ass of one of the women] in (very non 60s) underwear. I just am so tired of women characters being about their tits and their asses, rather than the person. STOP constantly taking their clothes off, you brain-dead male movie-making jerks. Unless the men spend equal time in their skivvies.
no subject
Date: 29 August 2015 04:31 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 29 August 2015 05:06 pm (UTC)I'm currently writing a mid-length movie fic on the kink meme so it'll be interesting to see what happens with that when I post it on AO3.
no subject
Date: 29 August 2015 05:40 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 29 August 2015 06:06 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 30 August 2015 11:47 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 8 September 2015 10:46 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 11 September 2015 03:09 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 12 September 2015 03:13 pm (UTC)Juding from tumblr, the IK/Gaby ship is at least on a par with the NS/IK ship. Not a whiff of gen anywhere.
no subject
Date: 12 September 2015 08:25 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 13 September 2015 04:41 pm (UTC)I was talking about it to a friend and it occurred to me that in a lot of ways it reads like the (very expensive) pilot for a TV series. The fans of the movie are clamoring for a sequel in which they could really get to know the characters, where IK and Gaby really kiss, where IK and NS really become the best of partners, best of friends, etc.
It's not just Ritchie, a lot of movies seem to be trying to set up franchises. But that irritates me, I expect a theatrical film to be a complete whole--show me what you got. If you have something to say, say it. Don't "save" it for next time a few years down the road (if at all). But I'm not the intended audience so... :D
no subject
Date: 13 September 2015 04:45 pm (UTC)Sigh. Yes. I'm old. Like you, I'm not the intended audience. When all I can see is the nuts and bolts, I'm no longer interested in watching.
EDIT TO ADD FURTHER RANT. And another thing ... how quickly can we get the female character's clothes off while still pretending she's an actual character and not just a piece of ass for everyone to ogle ... sigh ...
*Edit to add: I should point out this is about your generic blockbusters or wannabe blockbusters. There are interesting and offbeat movies being made.
no subject
Date: 13 September 2015 05:32 pm (UTC)Formula is comfortable, for the studios as well as the audience. It can be used in clever ways, but it usually isn't. I can enjoy a film/book/tv show on its surface level if pushes the right buttons, but I also have this urge to dissect underneath that, just to see why/why not it works. English lit major, we're such killjoys ;)
The two main women in the movie come off quite well. Underwritten, but not sex objects. There's an obligatory sex object for Solo to play with, they couldn't help themselves. But it's a very short scene and weirdly unsexy.
no subject
Date: 13 September 2015 11:26 pm (UTC)However, I certainly noticed that the promos for the UNCLE film featured one of the women [or, more accurately, the ass of one of the women] in (very non 60s) underwear. I just am so tired of women characters being about their tits and their asses, rather than the person. STOP constantly taking their clothes off, you brain-dead male movie-making jerks. Unless the men spend equal time in their skivvies.