Fern Wigfield
Bio
I make adventures happen at Merlin Entertainments | A coffee addict who owns too many books | “Without stories, we wouldn't be human beings at all”
Stories (8/0)
- Top Story - March 2020
Is Bojack Horseman an allegory of Tennessee Williams?Top Story - March 2020
Though much of the satire throughout the series can easily be traced back to real life (for example, Mr Peanutbutter's campaign for governor being a parody of Trump's presidential run), a perhaps more subtle yet still remarkably clear allegory throughout the show's existence is the striking similarities between Bojack Horseman and the life and works of Tennessee Williams.
By Fern Wigfield4 years ago in Geeks
The President and the Pin Up
When the name Marilyn Monroe is mentioned, two images are likely to come to mind; the skirt blowing scene of Billy Wilder's Seven Year Itch (1955), or the infamously breathy rendition of 'Happy Birthday' sung to John F Kennedy by Monroe in 1961. Both pop culture moments capture the image often associated with Marilyn; that of a beautiful, flirtatious woman who oozes sex appeal and knows how to use it. This image, though indicative of the Golden Age of Hollywood and the bombshells who thrived in it, is only a small part of the complex character Monroe was, and has largely damaged her reputation.
By Fern Wigfield4 years ago in Geeks
Marilyn’s Men: Mrs. Miller
Marilyn’s longest marriage was to Arthur Miller, the great American playwright. The couple had met while Marilyn was still married to Joe DiMaggio, an unhappy marriage in which Marilyn was seemingly being punished for who she really was. Arthur offered her love and appreciation for all that she was, every single aspect of her – not just the blonde bombshell seen by the press or the subservient housewife Joe had wanted her to be.
By Fern Wigfield4 years ago in Geeks
Marilyn’s Men: Mrs. DiMaggio
By 1953, Marilyn was fast becoming one of the biggest stars in the world. Her leading roles in hit films How to Marry a Millionaire, Niagra and Gentlemen Prefer Blondes had cemented her as a box office draw, and the scandal surrounding the release of her nude pictures had created a whole other image for her: she was officially a sex symbol. Though these nude pictures had been taken in 1949 when Marilyn was a struggling actress just starting out, and had been released in 1953s Playboy without her consent, they had succeeded in drawing the attention of Hollywood to her. Rather than denying that the woman in the photos was her, Marilyn simply shrugged the pictures off with a refreshing honesty – she had posed for the pictures because had no other choice, and did not see how that event could or should affect her current career. Of course, it affected it greatly.
By Fern Wigfield4 years ago in Geeks
Marilyn’s Men: Mrs. Dougherty
Jim Dougherty was one of the few people privileged enough to know Marilyn before she was Marilyn. He had been the next door neighbour of Grace McKee Goddard, long time friend of Marilyn’s mother Gladys and now legal guardian of the 15 year old Norma Jeane, when in 1942 Grace moved out of state due to her husband’s work. Due to state laws, Norma Jeane could not leave the state of California with Grace, and so was facing the daunting possibility of returning to an orphanage. In her turbulent early life, Norma Jeane had been in and out of a multitude of foster homes and orphanages, her mother unable to look after her due to her severe mental health issues, and during this time Norma Jeane had been subjected to physical, mental and sexual abuse by the very people who were supposed to be looking after her. The possibility of returning to this life was frightening to her, but Norma Jeane also expressed fears that she was too young to be a wife. Seemingly caught between a rock and a hard place, Norma Jeane married Jim Dougherty on the 19th of June 1942.
By Fern Wigfield4 years ago in Geeks
- Top Story - January 2018
A Century of CorruptionTop Story - January 2018
Last night at the Golden Globes, actors and actresses wore black to display their support of the Time’s Up movement, a campaign founded in response to the Harvey Weinstein allegations and subsequent Weinstein effect. The response in Hollywood since the watershed moment of the first allegations against Harvey Weinstein in October 2017 has been significant, but not surprising. Since Weinstein, there have been following allegations of abuse against a number of prominent names, including Kevin Spacey, Louis C.K., Charlie Rose, James Toback, Matt Lauer, Brett Ratner – the list is sadly exhaustive, and will most likely be continuously added to. But as appalling as these revelations are, they are far from shocking. Hollywood has been an abusive industry for its entire existence, forming over a century’s worth of heartbreaking stories of ‘casting couch’ abuse, manipulation and mistreatment, from the days of the silent era, through Hollywood’s golden age to the present day.
By Fern Wigfield6 years ago in Viva
Why Sadness in Disney Matters
In the eight decades since their conception, the Disney princess has become synonymous with the dream of a happily ever after. Early on in each Disney princess feature, the protagonist will sing their "I want" song, establishing their unhappiness with their current situation and expressing their goals, and as Disney and the world around it has changed and progressed over the years, so have the dreams of its princesses. But no matter what they now wish for, it remains to be guaranteed that they will have their happily ever after. Of course, it's important to focus on these happy endings, on the idea that "No matter how your heart is grieving/If you keep on believing/The dream that you wish will come true," but the euphoria that comes from this happy ending is arguably only because we have followed our protagonist on their journey to get there, because we have seen them struggle and rise above everything the world threw at them. As important as the happily ever afters are, I wholeheartedly believe that it is the sad moments that make Disney films so special — the moments when all seems lost, and the "I want" song seems to be nothing but wishful thinking.
By Fern Wigfield7 years ago in Geeks
Gallantry and Gumption: Scarlett O’Hara
Gone with the Wind is a film many know of but few have seen. Its running time of just under four hours discourages many, as does the controversial setting of a pre-Emancipation Proclamation United States, and the fact that it is now over seven decades old. But if one overlooks these perceived flaws and sets aside 238 minutes of their time to watch Victor Fleming’s masterpiece, they will find an epic story of love, loss, passion, pride, and — above all else — resilience. This theme of resilience finds its home in the character of Scarlett O’Hara, the narrative’s protagonist and possibly one of the most iconic characters in American cinema.
By Fern Wigfield7 years ago in Viva