ok, here goes...

isobel black · 01-05-2009, 06:06 AM

Hey all...

I'm a student from the Netherlands, I recently moved to a really small town called Gennep. I'm currently in the process of writing my bachelor thesis on J. Sheridan LeFanu's Carmilla. I study English language and culture (we don't really do majors here), focussing on literature, although I took some compulsory linguistics courses as well.

Unfortunately I just lost my crappy part-time callcentre job as a customer service agent, so I'm now looking into some free-lance translation, which is what I want to do after I finish my studies anyway.

My main interests are literature and movies, but I also spend a quite substantial part of my free time online, mostly surfing aimlessly (but luckily coming across quite a few interesting sites/bits of information in the process).

If I have to name a single favourite author I'd have to go with Thomas Hardy.

I'm really into movies of all sorts, including of course the the brilliant Tim Burton and the ubiquitous Tarantino, but my favourite genre would be (classic) horror. To name a favourite from each era, out of the German expressionists that would be Das Kabinett des Dr. Caligari and Bride of Frankenstein is my favourite 40's Universal monster movie. Skipping ahead to the (late 50's and) 60's, although I really enjoy the Hammer Horrors and Roger Corman's Poe adaptations, my very favourite from this period is The Haunting. Although I do enjoy some 70's exploitation now and again I wouldn't count these among my favourites. My favourite modern(ish) film is Hellraiser, parts 1 and 2.

I don't plan on getting married, but I was watching 'Westside Story' the other day and there was a really cute song with a marriage theme sung by Tony and Maria (I can be a bit of a sap sometimes) that I will keep in mind in the unlikely event it ever does happen.

And for my funeral, I want to go all out in a totally unoriginal way: In church (although I'm an atheist), Mozart's Requiem playing, in a seriously decadent coffin, of some sort of ridiculously expensive black hardwood, with silver handles, and preferably that in old-fashioned hexagonal shape they just don't seem to do anymore these days.

My death itself I hope will be quick and painless, and without to much deterioration preceeding it, but I wouldn't mind my corpse to be displayed in a gorey but beautiful way by some sadistic fuck with a feel for aesthetics, like the body on the cage in Silence of the Lambs. Maybe that would almost be worth dying in a less quick and painless manner for.

As for my favourite outfit, my musical tastes would be generally more industrial than goth, and I'm not really a girlie girl, so only pants and t-shirts/longsleeves for me. Since I got too fat for my collection of bondage pants from the late 90's just regular black pants combined with a tank, t-shirt or longsleeve. (Dirty little secret: I recently acquired a pair of Ugg-style sheepskin boots wich I've been wearing exclusively ever since. We had a cold spell here.)

I happen to be very much in touch with my inner child and regularly indulge in childish activities like watching Disney movies. I also believe I haven't completely lost the ability to regard certain things with a child's sense of wonder. What I do miss is a less complicated life, not having to worry about bills, the future, and things you have to do.

My favourite band, if I have to name one, would be Das Ich, though I must admit i haven't really been keeping up with their latest work. I own most of their albums up to Anti'Christ on CD and just didn't get 'round to downloading everything after that.

I signed up because I stumbled onto your forum 2 days ago and I got hooked on your community's particular brand of witticism, disdainful though it may sometimes be.

So I decided let go of the list structure, I mixed it up a little here and there but I think I answered all the questions. Sorry if I got a bit longwinded, I tend to do that, I blame it on my literary background.

Oh, and I'm female btw.

Underwater Ophelia · 01-05-2009, 07:40 AM

I like you.
Really.

JCC · 01-05-2009, 07:42 AM

Well, it could've been worse.

I give you a 7/10 so far, mainly for Cabinet of Dr. Caligari and Bride of Frankenstein.

Necrophagist · 01-05-2009, 07:44 AM

Another Hollander!

JCC · 01-05-2009, 07:46 AM

She doesn't want to fuck you, give up.

isobel black · 01-05-2009, 08:25 AM

Guess I feel it cou'ld've been worse as well, I was half preparing for serious flaming after checking some other intro threads. And Ophelia, what I've seen of your posts so far I like as well. Love the name too!

So points for cabinet and bride? Is that for just mentioning them or for favouring them over Nosferatu, or the Universal Frankenstein and Dracula? Overall I'm not dissatisfied with 7/10 mind you, just wondering. If I were going for points I would have thought Hardy would most likely have earned me some.

And Necrophagist (another name I really like), I take it you're Dutch? Sorry to take issue but Gennep is in Limburg. We don't much fancy being called Hollanders, but no hard feelings.

And although I feel in no way propositioned, unfortunately JCC's right with that last one, I really don't.

Now Ophelia on the other hand... (OK, that's probably points deducted for sheer cheese, but I couldn't resist)

jack_the_knife · 01-05-2009, 08:36 AM

I like your taste in cinematography. Welcome to the boards.

JCC · 01-05-2009, 10:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jack_the_knife

I like your taste in cinematography. Welcome to the boards.

Cinematography and movies are not interchangeable terms.

Quote:

Originally Posted by isobel black

So points for cabinet and bride? Is that for just mentioning them or for favouring them over Nosferatu, or the Universal Frankenstein and Dracula? Overall I'm not dissatisfied with 7/10 mind you, just wondering. If I were going for points I would have thought Hardy would most likely have earned me some.

I'm not very well-acquainted with Hardy's writing so I can't really form an opinion of it, but Cabinet of Dr. Caligari and Bride of Frankenstein being mentioned meant that you could go no lower than a 6/10, of course, then you mentioned that you wanted to be violently murdered by a psychopath and displayed, which is a little of a 'dark side' cliché but was cool nonetheless, so you're a 7/10.

If you participate in mine and Duckman's "Show us your tits!" competition, you get a 9/10.

isobel black · 01-05-2009, 10:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JCC

I'm not very well-acquainted with Hardy's writing so I can't really form an opinion of it

I can recommend both Hardy's Tess of the D'Urbervilles and Jude the Obscure for their fatalism and general 19th century bleakness. He wrote some decent poetry too.

Quote:

Originally Posted by JCC

If you participate in mine and Duckman's "Show us your tits!" competition, you get a 9/10.

Crap, my double nipple piercing rejected about a year ago and I took it out. That would've landed me a perfect 10 for sure!

exacerbatedpoet · 01-05-2009, 10:53 AM

Welcome isobel black.

JCC · 01-05-2009, 11:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by isobel black

Crap, my double nipple piercing rejected about a year ago and I took it out. That would've landed me a perfect 10 for sure!

Hey, don't give up on getting a 10, you don't know until you try!

isobel black · 01-05-2009, 11:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JCC

Hey, don't give up on getting a 10, you don't know until you try!

I'll be sure to give it a shot. Although the competition may be better served by my expertise as a judge.

harlow · 01-05-2009, 02:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JCC

If you participate in mine and Duckman's "Show us your tits!" competition, you get a 9/10.

LMAO, saw that coming as soon as I noticed she was Female. way to not let me down.

Welcome to the boards, keep a thick skin.

All Shall Be Judged · 01-06-2009, 04:27 AM

Nice to meet you isobel. I also enjoy Hammer horror films and Mozart's Requiem.

isobel black · 01-06-2009, 04:49 AM

Thanks, judge, and all who made me feel welcome. I expected to get shit about the Requiem being cliche but it's just so fucking beautiful, and really fitting for a funeral. And quite goth, really. (IMO)

All Shall Be Judged · 01-06-2009, 04:51 AM

It certainly is beautiful. Cliché be damned - self-conscious non-conformity is just another form of conformity.

isobel black · 01-06-2009, 05:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by All Shall Be Judged

Cliché be damned - self-conscious non-conformity is just another form of conformity.

Well put, and really something a lot of people in our sometimes too pretentious scene could stand to learn.

Devil's Darling · 01-11-2009, 04:30 AM

Hello again

)
And yes you are right Tim Burton is brilliant.

Maxim_Macabre · 01-11-2009, 04:58 AM

Welcome, Isobel Black.

What other bands do you like?

JCC · 01-11-2009, 05:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Devil's Darling

Tim Burton is brilliant.

Read as: Mediocre at best.

Apathy's_Child · 01-11-2009, 05:29 AM

Welcome Isobel, I've taken a shine to you.

mindless1 · 01-11-2009, 05:50 AM

Cool. Welcome to the forum.

Necrophagist · 01-11-2009, 06:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JCC

She doesn't want to fuck you, give up.

No one wants to fuck you in any case, JCC.

I don't want to fuck someone I don't know 'mkay?

isobel black · 01-11-2009, 06:17 AM

Thanks for the welcome, guys!

And JCC, although I admit it could be argued that brilliant is a bit of a stretch for his whole oeuvre, I personally certainly see glimmers of brilliance in his work, and would say any classification below 'above average' is too harsh.

But maybe we'll just have to agree to disagree.

isobel black · 01-11-2009, 06:52 AM

Oh, almost forgot about the bands.

While I will occasionally enjoy a little goth rock (the really predictable ones, predominantly Sisters, Bauhaus and the Cure) I tend to like the more electronic styles better.

Skinny Puppy is my favourite industrial band, although I enjoy the early Ministry stuff as well, and I got into all of this through Nine Inch Nails, and whatever you may say about them (him?) I still feel the music certainly has quality to it. And of course I have to mention the fabulous Thrill Kill Kult, they are my heroes.

Occasionally I'm in the mood for some noise, favourites here are Imminent Starvation, Morgenstern and Wintekaelte. It might be not 100% accurate, but I classify Esplendor Geometrico as noise as well.

For the electro stuff I'd have to go with Velvet Acid Christ as a favourite, I also like Hocico. There's also a dark electro act I really like called Necrofix, but to my knowledge they only ever released the one CD.

I know :wumpscut: can be a bit cheesy, not to mention repetitive, but I must admit I kind of like some of his stuff.

In EBM I like Front 242, Nitzer Ebb and Suicide Commando (again, probably not entirely accurately classified).

In 'modern' Darkwave my favourites are Das Ich and Deine Lakaien.

As you may have noticed my taste in music is sort of rooted in the mid to late nineties, which is when I was most active in the 'scene' (for lack of a better expression) and built the bulk of my collection. I've been trying to keep up with these artists but probably could've done a better job at it.

From what I've gathered, what seems to be called industrial nowadays for me lacks depth and originality. Granted, my tastes are far from original but what the cyber kids seem to like these days smacks of early nineties eurodance if you ask me.

'Newer' acts I tend to enjoy are Angelspit (although I feel they're trying a bit too hard, especially with the outfits) and, although they may be a bit poppy, Ayria and Emily Autumn.

So, that's about it, I'll go prepare for the flames now.