I don't normally follow the Romancing the Gothic book group, because the BST/PDT time difference makes it impossible to attend the meetings. That said, Grief Eater (by Emma Osborne) was brilliant, and depressing, and I'm very glad that I read it.

Marin-san had the only possible answer when @romgothsam.bsky.social asked which of the twenty-five or so texts from this semester was our favorite.

As an American, there's only one responsible thing to do at this point. Allez les Diables Rouges! 🇧🇪🇧🇪🇧🇪🇧🇪🇧🇪🇧🇪🇧🇪🇧🇪🇧🇪🇧🇪

The cinematography in this film is just STUNNING. #TransformationsOfTheGothic

Heh. Got a helicopter. Smirk. #TransformationsOfTheGothic

Yes, I can see how he'll have a much easier time proving his innocence if he's carrying a police service revolver. #TransformationsOfTheGothic

Question from my wife: "Does Rutger Hauer just automatically get Vangelis-adjacent music?"

That embarrassing moment when you realize that you're watching entirely the wrong movie. Now joining the correct movie already in progress. #TransformationsOfTheGothic

PROFESSIONAL DRIVER ON CLOSED ROAD DO NOT ATTEMPT #TransformationsOfTheGothic

Another 4th of July that's less about celebration and more about remembering what we've lost and remembering that this too shall pass. We're all still here. The sane America — the nation that spent over 200 years pulling ourselves out of slavery and provincialism. Time to do it again.

Oh, Holmes! You are so wise and brave and not at all the sort of person who fed a Canadian aristocrat to a dog for funsies. #TransformationsOfTheGothic

"You can't arrest me, Holmes!!" Dude's got a point! Did the movie just forget that Holmes and Lestrade are different people? #TransformationsOfTheGothic

Sorry, Watson, could you help Sir Bait home, here? I've got shit to do. #TransformationsOfTheGothic

That dog is having SO MUCH FUN. Always nice to see an actor who genuinely enjoys their craft. #TransformationsOfTheGothic

You know, for a mire that's claimed victim after victim, none of these people spends half a thought thinking about the wisdom of just wandering through it after dark. #TransformationsOfTheGothic

MAKE THE ROMANTIC SCENES STOP!!!!! #TransformationsOfTheGothic

No Zither Stairway to Heaven! Denied! #TransformationsOfTheGothic

OH FOR FUCK'S SAKE HOLMES, this bullshit is embarrassing when you do it in London. You're just here to mortify Watson, aren't you? #TransformationsOfTheGothic

THANK YOU WATSON YOU SPEAK FOR US ALL in stopping this half-assed half-written romantic subplot. #TransformationsOfTheGothic

And now I hate Sir James. "It'll be fine, my dear! Let me just patronize you a bit more." #TransformationsOfTheGothic

Mr. Frankland is my favorite character in this so far. He's a jackass and a litigious bastard and so far he's right about basically everything. #TransformationsOfTheGothic

Surprisingly sensible ancient man who seems to get that maybe grave-robbing doesn't actually get better if you just wait a few generations first. #TransformationsOfTheGothic

So many stage-trained actors STATING THEIR LINES LOUDLY ENOUGH TO BE HEARD IN THE CHEAP SEATS. #TransformationsOfTheGothic

I think my standards for "in need of repair" aren't quite what they were before I watched Crimson Peak. #TransformationsOfTheGothic

Yes, sir Henry, that is certainly _an_ accent. Not a Canadian one, but... you know, AN accent of some sort. #TransformationsOfTheGothic

At this point Watson has had three consecutive lines of the form "WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON NOW?????" #TransformationsOfTheGothic

It's Sir Henry and His Enunciating Extras!! #TransformationsOfTheGothic

And this ends the #TransformationsOfTheGothic read-along by Watson, Holmes, and Dr. Mortimer.

Apparently this is a flashback to the Backadder II episode "Beer." #TransformationsOfTheGothic

Oops... screwed up the hashtag ... that was the most flirting-coded interaction between Watson and Holmes ever. #TransformationsOfTheGothic

... that was the most flirting-coded interaction between Watson and Holmes ever. #TransformationOfTheGothic

There's been a LOT of "trust me"s by massive fonts of terrible ideas here at the end of this. #TransformationsOfTheGothic

Dude... this is NOT the time to introduce Lucille to the concept of polyamory. #TransformationsOfTheGothic

"Trust me, one last time." Based on... what, exactly? #TransformationsOfTheGothic

Least effective rescue party since The Shining. #TransformationsOfTheGothic

"I have to get out of here!" Runs directly into the movie Frozen, already in progress, in her nightie. #TransformationsOfTheGothic

If I'm ever dramatically investigating something, I'll have to call out every piece of period technology by name in case anyone's watching from over a century in the future. #TransformationsOfTheGothic

They have hot water, but not oil lamps? #TransformationsOfTheGothic

"You mean a mountain of bright red clay is called Crimson Peak? DAMNIT!" #TransformationsOfTheGothic

My wife (who grew up with a father who restored antiques) is now becoming very irritated. "Why are the cylinders in ancient cases when they can't possibly be more than twenty years old?" #TransformationsOfTheGothic

My wife: "Why is gilded-age house falling apart when they're actually living in the gilded age?" #TransformationsOfTheGothic

"Let me spookily show you our book-edge porn stash" may be one of the weirder scenes so far. #TransformationsOfTheGothic

This universe desperately needs a building code for washrooms. We have Daddy's Murder Bathroom and Tubs On Raised Tile Platforms Are Fun. #TransformationsOfTheGothic

And the bathtub is apparently connected to the shower from Hogfather. #TransformationsOfTheGothic

Ghost of the mother reappears: "OH FOR FUCK'S SAKE I TOLD YOU TWICE." #TransformationsOfTheGothic

The floor was wet. He fell and smashed his head into the sink four or five separate times. Obviously an accident. #TransformationsOfTheGothic

And my wife is very excited that the music was from an Edison cylinder machine, given that they're from Rochester and the factory was in upstate NY. #TransformationsOfTheGothic

Ah, and here's a scene they hired Tom Hiddleston to be Tom Hiddleston in. #TransformationsOfTheGothic

I keep getting distracted because I've never seen this many genre actors in a major film. They're doing a great job and I'm just sitting here going "So Loki's talking to Bobby Singer?" #TransformationsOfTheGothic

"It seems she's a Baroness." Nice to see that "mean girl background voice from Beauty and the Beast" is still finding work all these years later. #TransformationsOfTheGothic