Thursday, January 14, 2010

Fetishes



Ha! Gotcha! You thought this was going to be one of two things, a treatise on flesh fetishes, or something naughty penned by Lord Craven-Moore! Sorry to disappoint you. But it is about two, possibly three of my fetishes!



The last few months I've been researching; mostly late Victorian era society and fashion, along with the fantasy realm and folklore of the fae. It's been fun and enlightening. As with all research, one tiny kernal of fact can landslide into a free fall into weird and wanton places. During my research, I've continually come back to three of my secret fetishes...leather pants, old fashioned sunglasses and Bram Stoker's Dracula! I know...I'm weird.

But truly, I cannot tell you how visually inspiring Dracula has been to me over the years. Yeah, Reeves' performance as Jonathon Harker was wooden and all that, but the visuals...wow, and the barely tethered eroticsm....phew! I was drawn in from the very moment I watched it. And now I'm watching it again, mostly to get the feel for the vibe and tone I want for the Unseelie Court, as well as the dark, Gothic setting for the mass market historical I'm writing for HQN.



So, let's take Dracula. Sexy, sexy, sexy. Those three sexy vampires chicks? I love the costumes (what there is) and the jewellry, and their seductive ways. That really inspired the Unseelie Court in my Sins and Virtues series. It's decadent and sensual, exotic.

I also LOVE, love Gary Oldman as the count. Kristi will attest to my fetish with him and those damn sunglasses of his! Mmmm! The clothes, the gowns, the flimsy nightwear, the homes, the carriages...just everything is so inspiring for me.



Sunglasses....I have vowed for years that I am going to have a hero wear blue or purple lensed glasses and stare wantonly at the heroine behind those lenses. I have sworn over and over to do it. And now I've done it! Lord Black, the reclusive and mysterious hero in my historical (tentative title Dark Waltz HQN, Oct 2011) wearing them, and let me tell you, the heroine is smitten by him and those sexy glasses of his. But then, as I was writing Lust, I envisioned this Fey Prince standing in a perfumery, dressed in an embroidered frock coat, with little lace sleeves peeking out from beneath the cuff. He has longish dark hair, and when he turned his face to glance at his virtue, Chastity, he was wearing...sunglasses.

No, no, I thought! Too early for sunglasses. It couldn't be. So, off I went to Google, and consulted enclyopedias etc...and guess what? The Chinese have been wearing sunglasses since the 1200's...and since I'm writing in the 1790's well...sunglasses were an expensive, exclusive accessory for the rich. Naturally Lust must have them.
And now he can...

Leather pants. yeah, well, I saw one of the princes on horseback wearing black leather. I think it's continued reaction to that hottie on the cover of Velvet Haven. Man, he looks fine in his black leather trousers and ever since I've had absurd fantasies about leather pants! But in 1790? Hmmm, doesn't seem plausible even for a Fey.



Well....turns out leather pants, trousers, britches etc...have been worn by men for hunting and country fashion since the 1500's. Most were tanned color, but hell, I think my princes can come up with some black dye, don't you?

Oh, research! Sometimes it can so thrilling!!!! Now, I'm doing more research today. I've made myself some lunch, and I'm just about ready to pop my DVD in--Bram Stoker's Dracula, of course! I gotta have me some Gary Oldman in those sunglasses!!!

So, what movie has done it for you? Which one has captured your unfailing devotion? And why? Or, what book has captured your fancy with it's setting?

12 comments:

Kristi Cook said...

Yep, I'm totally with Charlotte on Gary Oldman and the blue glasses in Dracula (I *love* Gary Oldman in general!).

As for me, I guess you could say I have a Spock/Vulcan thing going on at present, LOL! Mostly I just like imagining all those powerful emotions, just simmering beneath the surface. I love to imagine Spock losing his tightly-reined control, romantically speaking. I think he might break things. [grin!]

Amanda McIntyre said...

First let me say that I absoluitely love Winonas clothes in this movie- in particular the black garb at the top of this blog post!
I did love this movie, admittedly for the tone it set.Many of the aspects of the moveie intrigued me-when Drac is watching her as she goes into the perfumery, accidenlty on purpoise running into her--

I'm not sure that its the men(though a decided plus) but the movie--
though I have to admit I dont have trouble remembering the men in these movies, either! LOL

Interview with a Vampire--period clothing, setting, tone-Brad Pitt

King Arthur-setting, music score

Much Ado About Love-setting, costuming,Denzel in leather pants-HELLO!

From Hell-amazing setting,seedy side of London, clothing and tone-
loved J Depp.

Mary Reilly-loved setting, brilliant performance by Malkovich

The Tudors-not a movie per se, but amazing acting, gorgeous costumes, and men!! Tone-music

those are but a handful;)
Amanda

Charlotte Featherstone said...

Amanda, we have VERY similiar taste in movies. But somehow Mary Reilly escape me. I'll have to get it. For some reason John M intrigues me. He's not handsome, but there is just something seething and simmering inside him. Love him!

Vulcan! You put a smile on face today...and breaking things???? Someone has been writing their Beltane novella..... ;)

Genella deGrey said...

Costumes by Colleen Atwood.
To. Die. For.
Almost makes me want to learn to sew.
Almost.
:)
G.

Unknown said...

It was difficult choosing only one movie/book that did it for me, but I love the following for the fashion, architecture, social customs, etc:

Gone With The Wind, The Ghost and Mrs. Muir, The Age of Innocence, Anne of Green Gables/Avonlea, and The Great Gatsby.

There's probably more, but these really hold a special place in my heart.

Hellie Sinclair said...

I love me some Gary Oldman too. (I even loved him as Sirius black--where he also wore some brocade and leather.)

Movies I can watch again and again for the clothing...

The Young Victoria is my new favorite. Even if the hair is hilarious, but accurate.

North & South (with Richard Armitage dressed in black, but looking like a thug dressed in a tux...hooooottttt!)

Sleepy Hollow (Johnny Depp)--I can watch it all the time. It's crazy.

The Patriot (music, characters, clothing...)

Braveheart (but not as fun to use in books because the clothing--kilts--weren't historically accurate for the time.)

prashant said...

Drac is watching her as she goes into the perfumery, accidenlty on purpoise running into her--

lingerie parties

Evangeline Collins said...

What's not to love about leather pants, hot guys in sunglasses and Dracula? LOL

I love Bram Stroker's Dracula, for the very reasons you mentioned. Reeves' performance...I just ignore him. The women and Gary Oldman - loved them! And the setting and the feel of that movie is just so fabulous.

The movie version of Potrait of a Lady does it for me. In fact, all of the movie versions of Henry James novels (Washington Square, The Golden Bowl, Wings of the Dove) are fab, but Potrait is at the top of the list, likely because it's directed by Jane Campion.

Veronica Bennet said...

I love this movie! Stoker's Dracula is by far the best movie of the history of cinema. The passion between the Count and Mina is shocking, disarming, exciting.
Not counting could not choose a better actor and attrente of Gary Oldman.

Ciao Amanda, as you see I can not go the your blog often, I'm working outside the home. But I think of you often, I hope you're well.

Amanda McIntyre said...

Its great to hear from you Veronica! Hope all is well!

So is it the gothic aspects of Bram Stokers Dracula or the vampyre appeal that is so alluring???

Amanda

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