New Vid: "End" (X-Men films)

[giandujakiss]

Because I figured there weren't quite enough new vids for people to watch right this second. (This is what new fandom obsession looks like. *facepalm*)

Song: End by The Cure
Fandom: X-Men films

Summary: Yet each man kills the thing he loves.

Pairing: Erik/Charles

Sizes: 57.5 MB (720 x 480 .avi), 18 MB (420 x 280 .wmv)
Length: 3:42

Download from Sendspace: The .avi file is here and the .wmv file is here.

Watch on Vimeo

Password: grandiose




Lyrics (as edited)

i think i've reached that point
where every wish has come true
and tired disguised oblivion
is everything i do

please stop loving me
please stop loving me
i am none of these things

i think i've reached that point
where all the things you have to say
and hopes for something more from me
are just games to pass the time away

please stop loving me
please stop loving me
i am none of these things

i think i've reached that point
where every word that you write
of every blood dark sea
and every soul black night
and every dream you dream me in
and every perfect free from sin
and burning eyes
and hearts on fire
are just the same old song

please stop loving me
please stop loving me
i am none of these things
i am none of these things


Thank you so much to cathexys and danegen for beta-ing.

Comments welcome.

(Crossposted to LJ)

Comments

[cathexys]

I still maintain that there can't be too many XM vids, especially ones that look into Erik's psyche. You've already heard my slightly more in depth comments, but here's just: i've watched it several times this afternoon :) Oh the pain!!! :)

[giandujakiss]

I still maintain that there can't be too many XM vids, especially ones that look into Erik's psyche.

I'm really glad you think so :-). And I'm so happy you liked it enough to watch several times! Thank you so much for your comments earlier!

[umadoshi]

Ohh, very nice work!

[giandujakiss]

Thank you!

[mrkinch]

Wow. This seems to be the day that my heart gets ripped out. Clutching at straws, I can only claim with tears in my eyes that saying it does not make it true. I expect to watch this many times despite the pain.

(I worked all day on some meta that foundered on a single line, so I'm kinda bummed. Not sure I can abandon it, though.)

Do you think anyone will vid an examination of Charles's psyche? Or are optimists just too simple and boring?

[giandujakiss]

Oh, wow, thanks so much! I'm really glad the vid had such an impact on you!

As for Charles, I wish that were possible - because my favorite fics are the ones that really grapple with the extent of his power - but sadly, there's not much visual there for vidding. Maybe someone could do it, but I don't think that person could be me :-).

Anyway, I'm very glad you liked the vid and I hope you finish your meta!

[mrkinch]

my favorite fics are the ones that really grapple with the extent of his power

Yes, yes, a thousand times yes! With a side of BAMF in his own inimitable way, and being underestimated (as close to bullet proof as I get). Visually, I'm in love with Charles's response to Jean's attack in the final movie, but I feel deeply that it should have led to something, and it does not (did I miss it?) It isn't even clear what Magneto takes away from it. Bad director! Bad!

[futuransky]

Well, I am very happy for there to be all the XM vids in the world, especially ones like this. I loved it––the music is perfect for the darkness of Erik. I love the way the story weaving in and out of the different moments, but his pain and anger remain constant, and Charles is steadfastly there...

My heart broke at the clip of Mystique losing her powers in X3. That was one of the moments in the film that annoyed me most, but you made it work for you here!

[giandujakiss]

Thanks! I'm really glad you liked the song choice - I was very nervous about it :-). And I'm really glad you liked the Mystique moment - that's one of the earliest parts I vidded because it seemed to fit very well.

[futuransky]

The use of The Cure made me giggle a little when I saw the vid because of the teenage goth element, but once it started playing with the images... beautiful. And Magneto has a lot of teenage goth to him anyway, just with a lot more serious things to complain about!

[giandujakiss]

because of the teenage goth element

Yeah, that was my thought as well - right back to the days when everything in my closet was black. But I'm glad it worked for you in the end!

[yhlee]

Oh, wow--I've only watched one of the movies, but I knew I wanted to watch this because I love the way you paint with images, and I was amply rewarded.

[giandujakiss]

Oh, what a lovely thing to say - thank you so much! As for the movies, I do recommend seeing First Class if you haven't already - there's a reason there's been a mini fandom explosion over it :-).

[cesare]

Amazing. I love this song. I never would have thought of it as a match for this story, but it's an excellent choice and your editing is spot on.

The image that struck me most was juxtaposing Erik's tattoo with Cerebro rattling off longitude and latitude numbers: that so effectively compresses Charles and Erik's dialogue on the steps of the Lincoln Monument. Very powerful.

[giandujakiss]

Thank you so much! I'm really glad the song worked for you - I was a bit apprehensive about it. And I'm delighted you enjoyed the editing.

I'm also happy that you liked the tattoo/Cerebro moment - though my innate honesty compels me to mention that I am not the first vidder to use that image (for instance, it appears in Perfect Drug, which is awesome and I highly recommend, by the way). But I'm so pleased it worked for you in this vid - and yes, I was thinking about it in exactly the same way, that this is exactly what Erik meant during that conversation at the Lincoln Memorial. I'm so happy it came across that way to you!

[ratcreature]

This was a cool characterstudy of Erik. I enjoyed it.

[giandujakiss]

Thank you! I'm glad you liked it! (And I love your rat!Magneto).

[ratcreature]

Heh, certainly nobody is going to pull his helmet off in an attack with those ears in the way. (At least rat!Magneto actually *could* put the helmet on by first making the holes larger then smaller again, so his helmet is less of a problem with my character design than for some others, lol.)

[were_duck]

This is exactly the X-Men vid I needed. I love the clips you chose, the resonances between young and old Magneto's experiences in the film--the HANDS twitching!--and the constant string of disappointments and evil acts juxtaposed against them being TOGETHER... perfect.

[giandujakiss]

Thank you so much! The hands twitching shot of old!Magneto just kills me every time - I'm glad you liked it as well.

[tablesaw]

I actually haven't seen XMFC yet (I don't catch movies too often), but I've really been enjoying the different vids coming out. Because I don't have the source, I can tell what vids use new material, because I've never seen it before!

I also like the song pairing too. I wasn't familiar with the song before, so I didn't get flashbacks to high school, either.

[giandujakiss]

Thank you - I'm glad you enjoyed! As for the song - yeah, I love the Cure to pieces, don't get me wrong, but I do have some self-awareness of the role they play as anthem for disaffected goth teens. But I'm glad it was new to you :-).

[kore]

OMFG YES.

[giandujakiss]

Hee - thanks, babe :-).

[kore]

Also, GREAT song choice. //might have been an eldergoth-type in college //just maybe

[giandujakiss]

I'm so pleased people are enjoying the song choice - I was pretty nervous it was too ... well, you know.

[revolutionaryjo]

Ooh, this is fantastic. I really like how you seamlessly work in footage from multiple movies!

[giandujakiss]

Thanks! It's always a fear the footage won't work together - I'm glad you liked how it came out!

[isagel]

I am so glad you did make this in spite of all your concerns, because it is amazing. It breaks my heart, and it is so true, and your editing is fantabulous as always, and, just, yes. I knew your X-Men vid would be the one I'd want to keep.

[giandujakiss]

Aww, thank you! I'm very glad you felt it fit the character - I was concerned it wouldn't really make sense to anyone but me!

[(Anonymous)]

I loved this! I feel like it brought out something about how Erik sees himself - the possibility that he turns his anger inward as well as outward. Perfect song choice and use of all the films. Thank you.

[giandujakiss]

Thank you so much! Yes, I definitely wanted to portray all of the colors of Erik's rage, including rage at himself- I'm glad you read it that way, too!

[starlady]

This was excellent. I think you did a great job stitching a coherent story out of the canons, and like Anon above, I definitely felt that you were getting at what Erik must feel internally, both with respect to himself and to Charles.

[giandujakiss]

Oh, thank you! I'm really glad that it all made sense to you across the different films - I wasn't sure it was going to be coherent outside my own head :-)!

[stewardess]

*applauds* The final chorus is a terrific summation of Erik Lehnsherr's thoughts on love.

[giandujakiss]

Thank you! I'm glad you felt it worked for the character :-).

End

[eileenlufkin]

I really liked this. It's gratifying to be able to see bits of the third movie put to good use.

Re: End

[giandujakiss]

Thank you! Yeah, the third movie had ... problems - but it does have some striking visuals!

[bluesbell]

This is gorgeous and painful and I love the song choice!

[giandujakiss]

Thank you! I'm so happy to hear you liked the song - I was pretty nervous about it :-)

sending love

[(Anonymous)]

this is such a haunting powerful video.
it shows something that is often pushed aside in fandom but so central for the story, erik as a jewish character, as a surrivor.
for me this video is not that much about shipping, through we are animated to share his desperated "foolish" hope for a getting better. (peace was never an option) - with the way you use footage of them as old man, and how this was how we were introduced to them in the movies. backwards already getting to know all we will see happening before will not work out.
it shows so well what made erik the men he became the violence he had to endure.
thanks for this video.