Transylvanian Concubine

Ten minutes ago I finally published my disturbingly long review of the YA novel Twilight, which I read a couple of weeks ago. It took me almost as long to write the review as to read the book, and honestly, I could have said more, but my fingers were exhausted.

I have recently become obsessed with making music videos (or video remixes, whichever is more PC), for no goddamn reason other than I like to edit and I have nothing else to edit right now, so why not take a movie that isn't mine and a song that isn't mine and put them together and see how long they stay up on YouTube before I get called out for copyright infringement.

I made the following video remix for several reasons:

• The aforementioned too much free time.

• I've had Twilight on the brain since seeing the film and reading the book and otherwise being assaulted by it everywhere on the Internet from Amazon to the Huffington Post.

• I really love the song Transylvanian Concubine by Rasputina and, by god, those two go well together.

• My Firefly music video hasn't been getting very many hits and I thought I'd capitalize on Twilight's popularity and try to draw more people to my other YouTube video.

And thus,

The Twilight Music Video - Transylvanian Concubine

was birthed.



Here are the Transylvanian Concubine lyrics, to heighten your viewing pleasure.

If you want to know how
To fly high then go now
To the place where all the concubines...

Meet and converse with them
Marvel at their pale skin
Wonder how they chew on their pointy....

Teeth and hair are beauty
They know it's their duty
To be Countess in their hearts and their....

Minds that have to whisper
See in them a sister
Look into their eyes and you'll become

Transylvanian Concubine
You know what flows here like wine
Stay here with us, it's just time

Transylvanian Concubine

Sorrow is their master
Cackling with laughter
Now he's having just one piece of....

Cakey is their make up
Catholics try to shake up
All the things that form their lives, but they're....

Dead, their sighs their song
They know what they do is wrong
Stay here with us, it's just time
Transylvanian Concubine

Candelabra's lighted
Satan has been sighted
Never has there been an evening like....

This is what they wanted
Always to feel hunted
You can never be to rich or too....

Thin. The blood had run out
Fangs ruin any cute pout
Morning has come now they've flown
What have you learned from what has been shown?

With Arms Outstretched (to Joss)

While on vacation from the perils of adulthood (rent, taxes, and reality), I like to keep myself busy, hoping that the more I accomplish, the longer my vacation will feel. It's possible that this is faulty logic, but it's the only logic I know.

If I were to do real work (n: employment, as in some form of industry, esp. as a means of earning one's livelihood), then the week would no longer classify as a winter vacation (n: a period of suspension of work). Thus, the "work" that I do is enjoyable; something that provides mirth or amusement (also known as "fun").

As established in previous posts, I love Joss Whedon's tragically short-lived series Firefly. It's a fabulous 14 episodes set sometime after "Earth that was" has been abandoned for other solar systems, following a rag-tag crew of mercenary thieves and the spaceship they call home. The cast is probably Whedon's most compelling ensemble of motley characters, all of whom come together in their need for and devotion to the ship Serenity.

As established in previous posts, I love the indie rock band Rilo Kiley. My favorite Rilo Kiley song is the playful campfire-esq, With Arms Outstretched, where Jenny Lewis sings It's sixteen miles to the promised land / And I promise you I'm doing the best I can, and is joined in classic sing-a-long fashion by several male voices before concluding And if you want me, you better speak up, I wont wait / So you better move fast . . .

I can't help but think of Firefly when I listen to the song. It's a combination of the guitar strums, the yearning lyrics, and the harmonious comraderie of the voices, that feels so very in tune with Whedon's space western.

And thus, while on vacation, I made my first Youtube-a-licious music video: Firefly - With Arms Outstretched.

I'm still trying to master uploading to Youtube without losing major quality. I tried compressing a number of different ways with the mpg4/h.264 combination, but am not really pleased with the results. Any other suggestions on how to get a cleaner upload?