"VANITY FAIR" (1987) Review

"VANITY FAIR" (1987) Review I found myself wondering how many adaptations of William Makepeace Thackeray's 1847-1848 novel there have been. As it turned out, this is one piece of literature that has been adapted countless number of times - in film, radio and television. I have seen at least five adaptations myself. And one of them turned out to be the sixteen-part television miniseries that aired on the BBC in 1987.

Since Thackeray's novel is a very familiar tale, I will give a brief recount. Adapted by Alexander Baron and directed by Michael Owen Morris, "VANITY FAIR" told the story of one Rebecca "Becky" Sharp, an impoverished daughter of an English art teacher and French dancer in late Georgian Britain. Determined to climb her way out of poverty and into society, Becky manages to befriend Amelia Sedley, the daughter of a wealthy London merchant. When both finally graduate from Miss Pinkerton's School for Girls, Becky is invited to spend some time with Amelia's family, before she has to assume duties as a governess to the daughters of a minor baronet and landowner named Sir Pitt Crawley. During her time with the Sedleys, she almost manages to snare Amelia's older brother, Jos, a "nabob" from India, as a husband. But the interference of George Osborne, the son of another merchant who happens to Amelia's heart desire, leaves Becky single and employment as a governess. However, upon her arrival at Queen's Crawley, the Crawleys' estate, Becky's charm and wiles inflict a shake-up with the family that would influence lives for years to come. While viewing "VANITY FAIR", it occurred to me that it is really a product of its time. Although not completely faithful to Thackeray's novel, it struck me as being more so than any adaptation I have seen. Most literary adaptations on television tend to be rather faithful - at least between the 1970s and the 1990s. Especially during the decade of the 1980s. Another sign of this miniseries being a product of its age is the quality of its photography. It is rather faded - typical of many such productions during the 1970s and 1980s. But for me, complete faithfulness to a literary source is not a true sign of the quality of a television adaptation. Nor the quality of the film it was shot on. So, how do I feel about "VANITY FAIR"? Remember the miniseries' faded look I had commented upon? I really wish it had been shot on better film stock. Stuart Murdoch and Mickey Edwards' visual effects struck me as too eye-catching to be wasted on film stock that quickly faded with time. Another problem I had proved to be the episode that centered around the Battle of Waterloo. I realize that it would make sense for the most of episode's narrative to be told from Becky Sharp Crawley's point of view. Yet, considering that it was able to feature the discovery of one dead character on the battlefield, I wish the episode had been willing to embellish the sequence a bit more. The sequence featured a great deal on Becky and Amelia saying good-bye to their respective spouses, along with Becky bargaining with Jos Sedley over her husband's horses. Overall, the entire sequence . . . nearly the entire episode seemed to lack a sense of urgency over the entire Waterloo campaign and how it affected the main characters. I have one last complaint about "VANITY FAIR" . . . namely the Maquis of Steyne. To be honest, my complaint against him is rather minor. I have a complaint against his physical appearance. Thanks to Lesley Weaver's makeup, I could barely make out actor John Shrapnel's features. He seemed to be a whole mass of hair and whiskers plastered on a slightly reddish countenance. On the other hand, I really enjoyed how the production went into full detail of Thackeray's novel. Was it completely faithful? I rather doubt it. I noticed how Alexander Baron's screenplay did not adhere to Thackeray's rather nasty portrayal of non-white characters such as Miss Schwartz. Thankfully. On the other hand, Baron, along with director Michael Owen Morris did an excellent job in their portrayals of the novel's main characters - especially Rebecca Sharp, Rawdon Crawley, Amelia Sedley, Jos Sedley, George Osborne, Mr. Osborne and William Dobbin. I will be honest. My favorite segments of the production . . . are basically my favorite segments of the novel. I enjoyed the production's re-creation of Becky's story that began with her departure from Miss Pinkerton's School for Girls to hers and Amelia's adventures during the Waterloo campaign. Despite the miniseries' limited photography, I must admit there are other aspects of "VANITY FAIR" that impressed me. I enjoyed Gavin Davies and Sally Engelbach's production designs. Both did an admirable of re-creating the production's setting of early 19th century Britain, Belgium, France and Germany. They were ably assisted by set decorations created by the art department, led by David Ackrill and Tony Fisher. But I really must commend Joyce Hawkins' costume designs. I found them colorful and tailor-made. I also thought Ms. Hawkins did an excellent job in her re-creation of the early 19th century fashions. There is one segment in Thackeray's story I found difficult to enjoy - namely Becky's rise in British society, her relationship with the Maquis of Steyne, the exposure of her as a cold parent and ending with the destruction of her marriage to Rawdon. It is not the fault of Baron, Morris or Thackeray. It is simply my least favorite part of the story. During this segment, Becky transformed from a morally questionable anti-heroine to an outright villainess. Perhaps this is why I found it difficult to revel in Becky's eventual fall. One, I found this portrayal of Becky a bit too one-dimensional for my tastes. Two, there seemed to be this underlying theme in Becky's downfall that she deserved it for being too ambitious, not knowing her place and not being the ideal woman. I realize that I should sweep these feelings away in the wake of her last crime. But for some reason, I cannot. A part of me wonders, to this day, if Thackeray had went too far in this transformation of Becky's character. I did not have a problem with the performances featured in "VANITY FAIR". If I must be honest, I found them to be very competent. Morris handled his cast very well. The miniseries featured solid performances from Fiona Walker, Shaughan Seymour, Gillian Raine, Tony Doyle, Malcolm Terris, Vicky Licorish, Eileen Colgan, Irene MacDougall, Alan Surtees, and David Horovitch. I also enjoyed the performances from the likes of Freddie Jones, who made a very lively Sir Pitt Crawley; John Shrapnel, who gave an intimidating portrayal of the Maquis of Steyne, underneath the makeup and wig; Siân Phillips, who struck me as a very entertaining Matilda Crawley; David Swift, whose portrayal of Mr. Sedley seemed to reek with pathos; and Philippa Urquhart, who was excellent as the malleable Mrs. Briggs. But there were those performances that truly impressed me. Robert Lang gave an excellent performance as the ruthless and ambitious Mr. Osborne, who seemed to be handicapped by his own stubborness. Benedict Taylor did a superb job in portraying the varied nature of George Osborne - his charm, his shallowness and selfish streak. James Saxon was equally impressive as the insecure, yet vain Joseph "Jos" Sedley. Simon Dormandy gave a very complex and skillful performance as the priggish William Dobbin, a character I have always harbored mixed feelings about. I personally think that Jack Klaff made the best on-screen Rawdon Crawley I have seen on-screen, so far. Although his character has always been described as an affable, yet empty-headed man who eventually realized he had married a woman beyond his depth. Klaff did an excellent job of conveying those traits more than actor I have seen in the role. Rebecca Saire seemed perfectly cast as the demure, yet shallow Amelia Sedley, who spent years infatuated with a man she never really knew or understood. It is not often I find an actress who does an excellent of portraying a girl in a woman's body, who at the end, is forced to grow up due to an unpleasant realization. If Saire seemed perfectly cast as the childish Amelia, Eve Matheson struck me as even more perfect as the charming and manipulative Rebecca Sharp. Unlike other actresses who have portrayed Becky, I would never describe Matheson as a beauty, despite being physically attractive. What I found impressive about Matheson's performance is the manner in which she conveyed Becky's ability to charm and seduce others, utilizing her eyes, mannerisms, the ability to cry on cue and her voice. Matheson managed to portray Becky as the most desirable woman around. I have never seen another on screen Becky Sharp who managed to ooze charm and seduction the way Matheson did. And yet, she also managed to convey Becky's unpleasant side without being theatrical about it. Someone had once described Matheson's Beck as "spunky". Oh please. Spunky? The 1987 Rebecca Sharp was a lot more than that, thanks to Matheson's performance. Dammit, the woman should have received some kind of award for her performance. She was that good. I have a few quibbles about "VANITY FAIR". Basically, I wish the miniseries had been shot on better film stock. And I wish that the Waterloo sequence had been a bit more . . . embellished. Otherwise, I feel that this 1987 adaptation of William Makepeace Thackeray's novel is the best I have seen so far. I am flabbergasted at how close I came to ignoring this production altogether.

5 TYPES OF DANIEL BRÜHL CHARACTERS

After watching 40+ of his works, I've noticed the roles that he plays often fall into these five categories...

#1 - because he's German, obviously, a Nazi. The bottom two are a little niche as he plays 'unwanted Nazi admirer'.

#2 - guy you can take home to meet your parents. He's played way too many of these—it's a given with that beautiful baby face—but these would be my top five. Bottom layer gets extra points for being a good friend to the elderly.

#3 - opposite that is the guy your parents warned you about. It seems Daniel has a lot of fun playing these, especially the top layer, which leans on the love-to-hate category. I can't tell if it's just my distaste for The Face of an Angel, but I also considered adding Thomas Lang. Could be why Chris in Cargo made it here as well... because what even was that movie.

#4 - now we have 'man in way above his head by the situation his political ideologies have gotten him into'. You almost always need a trigger warning for the films these characters are in as they will absolutely gut you. They're often based on real people and events. So you will learn something about history while Daniel gets tortured into a pulp.

#5 - and finally, 'expert in his field, kind of an asshole, but hella breedable'. Most of my favorite characters are in this category... I don't know what that says about me.

Is it cheating to place Zemo a second time? I don't care. He feels like an entirely different character.

Just saw someone on Quora saying that there weren't any queer figures in the American Revolution, and oh mah GAWD I yapped on for so long that my phone gained 67% more battery in that time.

Me and mah lil ol' yassified Steuben pfp yapped about lams and all the other ga-*GUYS for so, so so long😭

Anyways, tags go brr.

*burr

München, February 22, 1943 / 2024

«Einer muss doch schließlich mal damit anfangen. Was wir sagten und schrieben, denken ja so viele. Nur wagen sie es nicht, es auszusprechen.» – Sophie Scholl, Justizpalastes, München, February 22, 1943

«Die Verurteilte war ruhig und gefasst.» (Protokoll über die Vollstreckung des Todesurteils des Volksgerichtshofes an Sophie Scholl, München, den 22. Februar 1943)

«freiheit» (the reverse side (detail) of a document belonging to the Chief Prosecutors, February 21, 1943, with handwriting «freedom» by Sophie Scholl)

Sophie Scholl (May 9, 1921 – February 22, 1943), student Hans Scholl (September 22, 1918 – February 22, 1943), student Christoph Probst (November 6, 1919 – February 22, 1943), student Alexander Schmorell (September 16, 1917 – July 13, 1943), student Kurt Huber (October 24, 1893 – July 13, 1943), professor Willi Graf (January 2, 1918 – October 12, 1943), student

and

Hans Konrad Leipelt (July 18, 1921 – January 29, 1945), student Margaretha Rothe (June 13, 1919 – April 15, 1945), student Reinhold Meyer (July 18, 1920 – November 12, 1944), student Friedrich Geussenhainer (April 24, 1912 – April 1945), student Katharina Leipelt (May 28, 1893 – January 9, 1944), dr. rer. nat. Elisabeth Lange (July 7, 1900 – January 28, 1944) Margaretha Mrosek (December 25, 1902 – April 24, 1945) Kurt Ledien (June 5, 1893 – April 23, 1945), dr. jur.

«Das wird Wellen schlagen»

«Allen!»

(image: Sophie Scholl, ca. early-1940s, in Christine Hikel, Sophies Schwester. Inge Scholl und die Weiße Rose, Oldenbourg Verlag, München, 2013, p. 94)

as i was saying have some critters

tabby + white is washington's design (ill make him more norwegian forest cat shaped later)

colorpoint maine coon is Steuben (couldn't resist i needed the little pink nose)

orange tabby is some kind of.... middle of the night DuPonceau design?? idk im tired :p

sorry bout the shit quality btw

thanks tumblr

i think that you are the great exposer of bad bios of hamilton + burr - @theoburrsvirginitybalcony does the same for bad hist novels

True.

Tbf, theo (selkie) does a good job and is genuinely funny doing it and there's a lot of really bad fiction and "nonfiction" out there!

Btw I'm still trying to read the first torment of aaron burr book. Not easy. Harder than Von Steuben at a sans culottes party.

du ponceau: welcome to von steuben's pantsless party! no bottoms allowed

hamilton: *pouts and goes back to aide quarters*

New York State Society of the Cincinnati, on the death of Alexander Hamilton

At a special meeting of the the State Society of the Cincinnati, held at Ross's Hotel in Broad-street, in the City of New-York, on Tuesday, the 17th day of July, 1804: This Society, deeply afflicted by the death of their President-General, ALEXANDER HAMILTON, and earnestly desirous of testifying the high respect they feel for his memory (bowing with submission to the mysterious Will of Heaven) and feeling the deepest affliction at an event which has deprived them of their most illustrious Member—their Country of its most enlightened and useful Statesman—and the world of one of those extraordinary Men, which ages have rarely produced; unanimously agree to the following Resolutions: I. Resolved, That a letter be drafted and addressed to the Vice-President-General of the Society, and Circular Letters to the several State Societies, announcing this sad event, the deep and universal sorrow it has occasioned in this Society, and amongst their fellow-citizens of every description; and that the Rev. Mr. Linn, General Clarkson, Mr. Dunscomb, Mr. Hardie, and Col. Platt, be a Committee to draft such letters. II. Resolved, That the said Committee draft a letter of condolence to Mrs. Hamilton, which letter and letters, when prepared, are to be signed by the President and countersigned by the Secretary of the Society. III. Resolved, That Gen. Clarkson, Mess'rs Watson and Burrel, be a Committee to wait on the Rev. Mr. Mason, and request him to prepare and deliver an Oration on the 31st instant, in honour of the Talents, the Virtues, and eminent Services of that Great Man whose loss we deplore; and that the said Committee make such arrangements as may be proper on the occasion. IV. Resolved, That a Monument be erected in Trinity Church, by this Society, to the memory of Alexander Hamilton, its late President-General, with a suitable Inscription; and that Mr. Gouverneur Morris, the Rev. Dr. Linn, and Mr. Morton, be a Committee to carry this resolution into effect. V. Resolved, That the thanks of this Society be presented to Mr. Gouverneur Morris, for his prompt compliance with their wishes, in delivering an Eulogium at the Funeral Ceremonies of their deceased President-General, Alexander Hamilton. VI. Resolved, That the several Resolutions passed at this meeting, be transmitted to the Vice-President-General of the Society, and to the respective State Societies, and be also published. W. S. SMITH, President.

W. POPHAM, Secretary.

Source — Library of Congress, Digital Collections, manuscript/mixed material. Image 8 of Alexander Hamilton Papers: Family Papers, 1737-1917; 1804-1805

The New York State Society of Cincinnati - also known as The Society of the Cincinnati - is a fraternal hereditary society founded on June 9, 1783, to commemorate the American Revolutionary War that saw the creation of the United States. In order to perpetuate their fellowship, the founders made membership hereditary. [x] The Society has had three goals; “To preserve the rights so dearly won; to promote the continuing union of the states; and to assist members in need, their widows, and their orphans.” To achieve these aims, the Society called on its members to contribute a month's pay. George Washington was the first president general of the Society. The army's chief of artillery, Henry Knox, was the chief author of the Institution.

The organization was named after, Lucius Quinctius Cincinnatus, a farmer who left his farm to serve as a Roman Consul and Magister Populi (With temporary powers similar to that of a modern-era dictator). In response to a military emergency, he took over the city of Rome as a legitimate dictator. After the conflict, he gave the Senate back the initiative and resumed cultivating his fields. This philosophy of unselfish service is reflected in the Society's motto; He gave up everything to keep the Republic alive, or Omnia reliquit servare rempublicam.

The Society of the Cincinnati was founded by officers at the Continental Army encampment at Newburgh, like Major General Henry Knox. The first meeting of the Society was held in the May of 1783 at a dinner at the Verplanck House Fishkill, New York, (Which was Baron Von Steuben's headquarters during the Revolution) before the British evacuation from New York City. The meeting was presided over by Major General Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben, with Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Hamilton serving as the orator. The participants agreed to stay in contact with each other after the war. Mount Gulian is considered the birthplace of the Society of the Cincinnati, where the Institution was formally adopted on May 13, 1783. To this day the members of the organization meet annually at the Verplanck homestead. It is modernly known as The Mount Gulian historic site and looks very much as it did in 1783. There you will find the Cincinnati Gallery, dedicated to the New York State Society, with displays, artifacts, and documents illustrating the founding and activities of the Society during its continuous existence since 1783. Read more here.

While the NYSSOTC did erect the famous white monument on top of the grave of Hamilton, [x] in 1957 they erected another monument in Financial District in Manhattan in New York County engraved with; “To the Memory of Alexander Hamilton 1757 - 1804. Lieutenant Colonel, Aide de Camp to Gen. Washington And Those Other Officers of the Continental Army & Navy Original Members of the Society Whose Remains are Interred in the Churchyards of Trinity Parish” [x]

What’s your favorite movie/show from a each of the Skarsgards?

Ouuu, well some of these might be obvious, but I'll try not to write a novel about how much I love the Skarsgards in almost everything! Let us start with the king. Our beautiful, perfect, hilarious and talented Bill... AKA the man of my dreams. AKA Horror Daddy. AKA the most gorgeous man who has or ever will exist. This is such a hard choice, but I have to credit his role as Pennywise as what introduced him to me, or rather, what got me HOOKED. Bill cemented himself in the horror genre as a God with this role. Not only that, but both chapters of the film are some of the best horror that has ever been done, period. I wouldn't even be here if it weren't for IT. Honorable mentions goes to Villains because Mickey was sooo devastatingly charming and Bill was made for the role. I'd say Castle Rock too but then I might as well list everything he has ever done both big and small because I just love him in everything, always.

Now, onto my sweet baby Valter. Historically, I have rejected anyone's negative opinions about my BEAUTIFUL BOY and will continue to do so until the day I die. Okay, he's a bit of a brat, he's not as well-known as his father or brothers, but he is my 2nd favourite Skarsgard (sometimes in my brain he is number 1.) Valter Odd Skarsgard has this voice that narrates my fantasies, and lips I dream of often. So tall, mmph. So gorgeous! That smile, oh my GOD. My underrated man.

Valter dropped a nuke on me with his role as Faust in Lords of Chaos. This movie means more to me than the fact that Valter is in it. The story itself and the period of metal music in Scandinavia has always been on my radar, and then Valter shows up as my ACTUAL type and ruins me. Do I think Faust is a good guy? No. Do I think that Valter with long black hair, a leather jacket and a bullet belt is the most attractive thing on the face of the earth? Yes. Great film, directed by the legendary Jonas Akerlund... What could be better?

Now, when it comes to Gustaf Skarsgard, I feel like I cannot choose between Merlin and Floki. Both have such chaotic energy. Both were so well-played. Then there's the short film he did with his father, directed by Bill and Landon Liboiron. HE IS A SHAPESHIFTER. So talented. So handsome. Ugh, just ridiculously gifted in the art of acting. But I have to give it to Merlin because I have never wanted to be on an alcoholic wizard before. Would I rewatch Cursed over Vikings? I don't know. Would I watch a standalone series of Merlin? YES. Would I watch a standalone series about Floki? ALSO YEAH. Tough decisions here. Ahhh, give me that silly wizard man. I want him! Cursed was great and they were wrong to cancel it!

Then of course, there's Alexander. A Golden God. As talented as he is attractive. This one is very hard because he's been in a lot of really good shows and films that I love. I wanted to pick his role in Zoolander because I think it's one of the best comedy bits I have ever seen (ORANGE MOCHA FRAPPUCINOS) but I can't do him like that. I think I would have to go with Randall Flagg in The Stand, not only because it's another Stephen King adaptation with another Skarsgard, but because he annhilated that role and looked so damn good doing it. And also BEARD (idc if it's fake, he looks great.)

Now, Papa Skars is a TOUGH one to pick, but I have to go with Dune. Idk if it's because of Stellan that his boys can play evil pricks so well, but the Baron is like next level shit. He is so talented. I went over half my life not even realizing he's been in so many movies I've watched. But in recent times, since the Skarsgards have been on my radar, Dune knocked it outtttt and Stellan was a huge part of that. Thank you Papa Skars, for helping create your beautiful sons and unleashing them upon the world.

This could have been a lot shorter but oh well. My mens deserve all the shout outs. Thanks for asking! ❤️

Interiors of the Mansion of Baron A. L. Stieglitz (Main Staircase) by Luigi Premazzi

The Danny Bunch x Fistfights:

Daniel's characters often get beaten up but they don't typically instigate fistfights. If they do fight back, it's with wits. Should they choose violence, their weapon of choice is usually a gun.

If a brawl were to break out, however, Erik, Zemo, Checo, Laszlo, and Niki would probably have caused it with something they said or did, deliberately or otherwise. In my mind they're not necessarily a part of the scuffle, they're just pot stirrers. Arranged the likelihood of someone having diabolical intent from left to right. It peters out by the time it gets to Laszlo and Niki, as they mostly trigger conflict with the unfiltered truths they speak. While many of Daniel's characters would probably lose in a fistfight, I see Alex, Arbo, Tony, and Andrea going down after a single punch. Why these babies would be in a physical altercation, however, is beyond me. David from Lila, Lila was originally on this list but then I remembered he did beat up his tormentor in a mad rage. I was also tempted to add dorky ol' Marek but then he looks way too fit to be knocked out so easily. Marko would obviously win in a punching match. I'm willing to bet Horstmayer would, too. Ernst slugged someone in The Cloverfield Paradox (threw the first blow and all) but that was after this person directed multiple accusations at him. He has a temper but I don't think he readily resorts to violence. There is this feral quality to him though, so if he is in one, I see him winning. Zemo could take on a horde of non-enhanced fighters any day. Daniel (Weltz), Tobias, and Sebastian I see running away from shit they probably stirred, the scumbags. Zemo chooses his battles. He's a skilled fighter but against, say, the Avengers or the Dora Milaje, he knows he's better off ditching the scene or pitting them against each other. Lutz, Klaus, and Frederick go apeshit when cornered or scorned. They go from nasty to full-on Nazi. To Zemo, bombs are an acceptable means to an end—a literal tool in the arsenal. Should anything stand in the way of his mission, he will make them go BOOM.

*** p.s. if it isn't obvious already, Zemo appears four times because he changes tactics depending on the situation.

p.p.s. not sure who to credit for this concept since it's all over the internet but this alignment chart is adapted from THIS POST. I also do not know who coined the term "The Danny Bunch" but I've seen it in some posts. Tumblr's search system is no help, so I'm just borrowing it here.

Bron!!

Baron in NXT, applauding: 🥺🥺😭😭

Oh no, not Cedric. Why using him as a punching bag?

Bron wins super quick!

I saw the glitch!

München, February 22, 1943 / 2023

«freiheit» (the reverse side (detail) of a document belonging to the Chief Prosecutors, February 21, 1943, with handwriting «freedom» by Sophie Scholl)

«Die Verurteilte war ruhig und gefasst.» (Protokoll über die Vollstreckung des Todesurteils des Volksgerichtshofes an Sophie Scholl, München, den 22. Februar 1943)

Sophie Scholl (May 9, 1921 – February 22, 1943), student Hans Scholl (September 22, 1918 – February 22, 1943), student Christoph Probst (November 6, 1919 – February 22, 1943), student Alexander Schmorell (September 16, 1917 – July 13, 1943), student Kurt Huber (October 24, 1893 – July 13, 1943), professor Willi Graf (January 2, 1918 – October 12, 1943), student

and

Hans Konrad Leipelt (July 18, 1921 – January 29, 1945), student Margaretha Rothe (June 13, 1919 – April 15, 1945), student Reinhold Meyer (July 18, 1920 – November 12, 1944), student Friedrich Geussenhainer (April 24, 1912 – April 1945), student Katharina Leipelt (May 28, 1893 – January 9, 1944), dr. rer. nat. Elisabeth Lange (July 7, 1900 – January 28, 1944) Margaretha Mrosek (December 25, 1902 – April 24, 1945) Kurt Ledien (June 5, 1893 – April 23, 1945), dr. jur.

«Das wird Wellen schlagen»

«Allen!»

Hey what's your fav dracfeild head cannon??

ohhhhh idk !!!! I like so many! everyone creating art and fic (and other beautiful things) for this ship is so creative <333

drac treating renfield like a loyal pet dog when he's feeling generous is a big one <3 treating renfield real nicies in general tbh

love the over the top gorey and brutal horrible etiquette bdsm relationship hcs as well, so much potential with drac's magical healing blood and renfield's quasi immortality/unlimited revivability. so many possibilities to torture that poor little meow meow and make him suffer and bleed and sob and scream hehe <3

also masochist!renfield <3

and idk if it counts as a headcanon, but I love to see wolf!drac lovingly antagonising poor renfield A LOT too <3 (also plays into the masochist!renfield hc and him getting off on being shamed for his messed up desires etc) <3

also love the more emotional turmoil heavy headcanons, like dracula being way too proud to realise he might actually be dependent on renfield just as much as he likes to think renfield is dependent on him, unhealthy obsession type stuff, drac being unable to admit to any weakness, eventually getting broken down to admitting to being fond of his servant, etc. <333