Don't Fight in the Snow
| Vid | |
|---|---|
| Title: | Don't Fight in the Snow |
| Creator: | L'Abattoir |
| Date: | 2003 |
| Format: | DVD |
| Length: | |
| Music: | |
| Genre: | |
| Fandom: | see list below |
| Footage: | |
| URL: | |
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Don't Fight in the Snow is a songtape collection that was released both on VHS tape as well as in limited DVD format. The vids are a collaboration between two vidders: Gwyneth and feochadn who vidded under the name L'Abattoir.
The collection contains 10 vids across a variety of fandoms.
Title Origin
The tape was named for an anonymous comment that was given to feochadn's Band of Brothers vid, Ebben? Ne andro lontana. See "Don't Fight in the Snow".
Series
This vid is part of a collection.
- Don't Fight in the Snow
- Bride of Don't Fight in the Snow
- Son of Don't Fight in the Snow
- Gozilla vs. Don't Fight in the Snow
Review: Laura Shapiro
The following vid review was written by Laura Shapiro in April 2003. Vid Collection Review: "Don't Fight in the Snow": laurashapiro, Archived version
Those who enjoy heartfelt vids with great control of mood and storytelling, minus the frenetic pacing and superfluous special effects currently enjoying popularity, would do well to check out Gwyn and Jo's "Don't Fight in the Snow." Here follows a list of the vids and my thoughts about them.
Never Left (Tombstone) -- The first of many vids on this collection to shows/films I've never seen. As is usual for Gwyn and Jo, though, she's made it intelligible to me. What I liked best about this vid was that it went beyond the "See! See! They love each other!" non-theme of most slash and shipper vids to tell a story about these specific characters, individually and together. Gorgeous visuals! Normally I'm nonplused by vids to movies (not enough options for source, often the vidders just retell the movie's story without any spin of their own), but you avoid the obvious pitfalls, and you take advantage of the fact that movies are so visually lush. Yummy!
Ebben? Ne andro lontana (Band of Brothers) -- As one of the few people who didn't "get" this vid when it premiered at Escapade, I can abashedly admit I get it now, but unfortunately it still doesn't work for me. I understand intellectually what Jo was trying to do, but I remain ambivalent. However, I can see the beauty of it, and I applaud the experiment.
My Beautiful Reward (Firefly) -- Oh, this is so touching! I really like the relaxed pace of this vid (particularly refreshing after the frenetic Firefly vid Deb and I made), the way the vid slowly builds up examples of things Mal might be rewarded with, leading us eventually to the real answer. Excellent selections and the way the vidders work with the show's natural palette make this vid shine.
3 Libras (BtVS) -- I am sorry, I have to confess to Spuffy fatigue. I have seen so many Buffy-Spike vids in the past few months, and they're all blurring together in my mind, and it's totally not this vid's fault. I watched it yesterday and remember that I enjoyed it, but I can't think of a single specific thing to say about it. I'm going to have to re-watch this later and comment then. I have this feeling that Buffy-Spike is going to be the Duncan/Methos of the 00's.
Soul for Every Cowboy (Mag 7) -- Wonderfully tight editing here. I love the way it uses the drum fills. I don't know these guys, but I want to cuddle them. (:
Come Around (La Femme Nikita) -- A vid with edges for a love story with edges. Considering all the softness of the colors and the dissolves, this feels darkly sharp to me. Again, not a show I know except through vids, but it feels to me like the vid says things in a new way here. This is very sensual and I like it a lot.
Stranded (Due South) -- I have this on a tape, so I'd seen it several times before. I'm always struck by the haunting pain of it. This is a show I know so well that I sometimes find the clip choices difficult to decontextualize, but the cumulative impact of the vid is still very strong. The thing I normally curse DS for as a vidder, the lack of specifically visually slashy moments, works to the vid's advantage here as every small gesture and glance is magnified, and the whole thing is brilliantly subtle. The song's ambiguous trailing-off ending works perfectly with the final clip.
Cum Lacoudhir (Witchblade) -- Since "Coming Up From Behind" I have wondered what the heck this character is really about, and I have to thank Gwyn, Merry, and Jo for telling me her story so succinctly and beautifully. This is a great example of what can be done without (English) lyrics, how the music itself can be your best partner in visual storytelling.
Night Vision (Second Sight) -- I really wanted to hug this guy. His life clearly sucks. I kind of regret having read the vid notes before I watched, because I think the vid alone would have told me what I needed to know, but now I'll never be sure. Both the song and the clip choices are incredibly evocative, and it's interesting and ironic that a vid about going blind is so visually rich. I hate Suzanne Vega with a passion, but I will happily watch this again.
When You Come Back Down (Mag 7) -- Without context, this didn't do as much for me as it might have otherwise, but I still felt the story of the one man getting the other guy's back (a partner dynamic my slasher heart adores), and the unswerving loyalty between them. I love the song!
Overall thoughts: This is a very satisfying collection of top-notch work that feels comfortable and accessible, yet still challenging. I'm looking forward to re-viewing these so I can get at the additional layers of meaning I know are there.