Lionheart (Beauty and the Beast newsletter)
| Zine | |
|---|---|
| Title: | Lionheart |
| Publisher: | Lionheart Fan Club |
| Editor(s): | Beth Blighton was the head editor, Pat Almedina was the co-editor |
| Type: | newsletter |
| Date(s): | 1992-1994 |
| Frequency: | |
| Medium: | |
| Fandom: | Beauty and the Beast |
| Language: | English |
| External Links: | |
| Click here for related articles on Fanlore. | |
Lionheart is a newsletter for Beauty and the Beast (TV) fans.
Each newsletter contained fan letters, a bit of fanart, essays, fan discussion, poetry and interviews with the actors and TPTB. Many issues contain poetry and vignettes from Shakespeare, and romantic writers (such as Walt Whitman), as well as song lyrics from modern songs.
The newsletter was published four times a year.
The Fan Club
While it was affiliated with the Lionheart Fan Club, also run by Beth Blighton, it appears that this newsletter was the main component of this club.
The Lionheart Questionnaire
Issue #8 contains The Lionheart Questionnaire.
Focus
While other characters could be discussed and mentioned, the focus of this publication was the beast, Vincent Wells.
The editor also had very strong and strident feelings about fan conflict and statements that were not positive about and supportive of the show. This was due to to many fans' disappointment over the show's perceived quality and direction, and the ensuing fandom discussions. See The Beauty and the Beast Wars.
Be Positive
Statement from the editor in the first issue:
The staff of Lionheart would like to express its gratitude that you have decided to join us in this new venture. We're going to be trying something a little bit different with this fan club/letterzine and we hope you will find it to be a welcome change.
First and foremost, Lionheart is not going to be a "newsletter." We will try to include as many interviews and as much pertinent, up-to-date information concerning "Beauty and the Beast" as we can, but bringing you the latest-breaking "scoop" is not what this 'zine is about. There are several fine hotlines and newsletters which can provide you with that.
What Lionheart does aspire to do is provide you, the reader, with a place that is totally and unconditionally supportive of both the character of Vincent and the whole of the "Beauty and the Beast" experience.
We are not saying that you cannot have any and all the opinions you please. Everyone, including the editors and staff of this publication, has the right to their own personal opinions. But, there are some opinions that we will not allow to be printed in this forum -- namely negative or hurtful opinions.
There are other publications available for fans to vent their less-than-positive views concerning "Beauty and the Beast," and we encourage our readers to make use of them, if they so desire. We, as a staff, also reserve our right to do exactly the same. But you will not find such negative opinions within these pages, ever. That is the goal of this 'zine. That is what we are all about. And we will have precisely that.
We do not find this to be an unreasonable goal. We are all fans of "Beauty and the Beast." One would not expect it to be a difficult task to come up with something positive to say about it. Perhaps our slogan in this should be "To love something does not require an equal and opposite hate." All we ask is that you celebrate the aspects of the show that you loved and be tolerant and considerate to the fans who enjoyed the aspects that you did not. Possibly, through this sort of dialogue, we can all come to a greater understanding of each other. No peace has ever been forged through the language of threat and intimidation. In this publication, each "side" if you will, is expected to "give" a little bit for the betterment of this fandom. If we can do this, how much more can be accomplished?
With this goal in mind, how do we plan on keeping Lionheart firmly on positive ground? First, we ask that you keep all letters, articles, etc. very character-oriented. Since Vincent is the main focus of this fan club, we also believe that our letters should address some aspect of his character.
We would be more than happy to accept letters supporting any of the other characters, but would like to keep those discussions focused as well on how they loved, inspired or just generally related to Vincent.
[topic ideas, snipped]
Secondly, we do realize that whenever a conversation arises about Vincent, certain comparisons to Ron Perlman are inevitable. We understand and accept this eventuality. But other than that, we must ask that you keep your letters focused on the characters only and that you not drag the celebrities, writers, producers, etc., into our discussions. Debating the actions of the real-life people behind the scenes is counter-productive to our goal and has proven to be the root of many of this fandom's problems in the past.
We are not interested in tabloid-style reporting or what anybody thinks they know about these individual's lives, loves or problems. These matters never have been nor ever will be anything that we can prove or change and are certainly none of our concern. So please, let's stick to what we can safely conjecture about -- the characters.
Thirdly, while it may seem as if we have a very strict set of rules, we must also stress that we hope, by creating this "safe" atmosphere, that people will open up and be able to express themselves more freely, without the threat of ridicule or persecution hanging over their heads. We are willing to discuss anything about these characters you wish, so long as they fall within our stated parameters. If you wish to explore Vincent's sexuality, that's completely acceptable. Just keep the language on a non-pornographic level. Feel free to theorize what might have happened in the future to these characters. The possibilities are as boundless as our imaginations. Just remember - nothing is off-limits, as long as we're not trying to use our theories to hurt or stifle each other's opinions.
Your letters may be serious or comical. Whether you want to discuss the deep socioeconomic ramifications of Vincent and his tunnel world or simply write a three page ode to his thighs, it's all up to you, the readers. All we ask is that you keep your letters to under three pages, typed space and a half. If you would like to write a longer piece, please contact us and we will see about giving you space for an article.
[snipped]
And lastly, but most importantly - we will not accept any letters that are negative towards any character, actor/actress, writer, producer, creator, or season of "Beauty and the Beast." We will also not accept letters that cruelly single out any fan or any particular fan publication for harsh and unnecessary criticism. If you have a problem with another fan or 'zine, that is between you and them and will not be taken up between these pages. These rules are absolute and will be adhered to without exception. Any letter we receive that we feel violates the guidelines as stated above, will be promptly and privately returned to it s sender without further debate. The Editor's decision in these matters will be final.
Lionheart does not take the position of supporting any one season, storyline or "Beauty" over another. There will be no preferential treatment for or prejudice against any aspect of "Beauty and the Beast." As stated earlier, our goals are clearly focused on being positive and supportive of everything that the world of "Beauty and the Beast" encompassed.
It is our hope that these standards of conduct, being equal to all, will make for a more positive experience for everyone. The future of a "Beauty and the Beast" project, at this moment, looks uncertain. We cannot control that. But the fate of this fandom rests in our hands. It will be, in the days to come, only what we make of it. We can lose it all to pettiness and bickering, or we can build from the common love we all share - Vincent.
Time is running out. Let's all take this brave first step into our future together.
Farewell
In the final issue the editor in May 1994, Beth Blighton announced she was ceasing publication and was leaving fandom. The July 1994 issue of The Helpers Network Gazette had an editorial by Nan Dibble. In it, Dibble wrote:
I'm about to commit my annual (more or less) editorial. As many of you now know, Beth Blighton of the marvelous artwork, wicked sense of humor, X-rated zines, and Lionheart, has decided to retire from fandom at the end of the year. In the most recent issue of Lionheart, she ascribes her decision to the backbiting, divisions, and general decline both in numbers and highmindneess in this fandom. I've received several calls from people seriously dismayed and depressed at the prospect of Beth's unique voice leaving us. And she definitely will be missed, by me as much as anyone. But she's entitled to go: she's certainly paid her dues with nearly five years' love and imagination invested in B&B. However, it's unfortunate that Beth felt she had to publicly do the equivalent of stomping off in a huff, blaming her departure on the fact that the good old days, when everybody was loving and numerous, are now gone.
I'm afraid I have news for Beth and for anybody else who's convinced things are going downhill at a breakneck pace. The good old days are a myth.
[See more of this essay at The good old days are a myth. We've always been a contentious fandom.] [1]
The closing of the newsletter and Beth's departure prompted one Gazette reader to write a farewell poem for the September 1994 newsletter, an excerpt of which is quoted below:
- Your calendar hangs on my wall,
- Your nightshirt's on my back.
- I can find you in my T-shirt drawer
- And my "favorite drawings" stack.
- You say you're giving up on us~
- You're tired, you're done, you're through.
- Don't leave us altogether, Beth
- 'Cause we can't forget you! ~ Pat Farrar [2]
Issue 1
Lionheart 1 was published in February 1992 and contains 35 pages.
The topic discussion appears to be "What are your thoughts about "Dark Vincent"?"
- intermittent poems and quotes from Shakespeare and other non-fan writers
- Editorial by Beth Blighton (1)
- Letters (3)
- The Reality of Enchantment by S.K. Dapoz (essay about fairy tales) (14)
- The Annotated Beast by Beth Blighton ("The purpose of this continuing column will be to take a look at the different letters to Catherine that were read by Vincent on the now defunct 900 number. Since these messages were written by Ron Koslow and were performed for public consumption, in character by Ron Perlman, I do consider them to be a part of the "Beauty and the Beast" canon. With that in mind, what "The Annotated Beast" seeks to bring into conversation is how these letters affect the "Beauty and the Beast" storyline as we know it and possibly, in the process, shed more light on the character of Vincent.") (17)
- The Creator Speaks: Interview with Ron Koslow, CFRB Radio, Toronto, October 16, 1991 (transcription) (21)
- about the rumored possibility of a "Beauty and the Beast" (Ron Koslow, interviewed by S. Wiltse, November 11, 1991: reprinted by permission from "Pipeline") (29)
- review of Disney's Beauty and the Beast movie, by Beth Blighton (30)
- fan birthday dates (32)
- signed publicity still of Vincent (34)
Issue 1: Excerpts from Letters
I was delighted to receive your letter concerning the new B&B fan club that you and Pat are planning to start! I was happy to see that you read my letter in OUT...IN. I agreed with you then, and still do now, about B&B fandom and its need for a "safe place" for fans, especially lately! And now, with the latest news about the progress (or lack of it) toward our B&B movie, I feel I will appreciate "Lionheart" even more. This new club will, I hope, provide many fans like myself a forum to express our love for B&B and our beautiful Beast, and will keep us together in the face of the possibly long, hard months of waiting we have ahead. I, too, have grown weary of all the controversy in our fandom...but I have refused to give up on the fandom of B&B entirely. I will NEVER cease to love the show or its characters, no matter what. .. and will always hold dear the memories and image of Vincent, my favorite of ALL the B&B characters.
One of the purposes of the fan club is to have a place where fans can write their feelings as a fan about Vincent. I wish I could wax poetic about him, but whenever anyone asks me to explain how I feel about Vincent, my vocal and written communication skills immediately cease, my eyes glaze over -- developing a far away, dreamy look and I get this silly grin on my face. However, I have a typewriter that, on occasion, can wax poetic or whatever.... So here are a few thoughts on the subject.
What a wonderful idea -- a fan club for Vincent!
Any actor could possibly have performed the role of Vincent, but then, we would have had an entirely different Vincent. It took Ron Perlman to find the heart and breathe life into the character we have come to know and love as Vincent and bring out and endow him with a spirit of such beautiful nobility. And that nobility of spirit has spread itself over most of the fans of "Beauty and the Beast." There is a small cadre of 'fans' who, claiming to love all that is beautiful within Vincent and "Beauty and the Beast," seem bent on destroying it. Fortunately, they are being drowned out by all the good works and beauty and creativity that the rest of fandom have taken to heart.
Now, if you want to talk about the "sensual Beast" and what do I think about that aspect of Vincent -- my comment is simply (Long, straight from the heart, sigh) "yeahhhh!" (OR [plug, plug] read my fanzines "Flame and Shadow 1 and 2." OR take a peek at Beth Blighton's "The Fire and the Rose"! (Warrior 1); OR put all of his clothes back on and just imagine Vincent, moving toward you through the soft glow in the candlelit Tunnels, walking in that marvelous sensual way that is his alone. I think you'll get the drift.
First of all, I'd like to compliment both of you for your desire to create a forum to discuss the characters we so enjoy in a positive, supportive fashion. I wish you both all the best in this endeavor.
Now then, after having thought about just what seems to end up being the main topic of conversation when the name "Vincent" is mentioned among friends and fellow fans, darn if it doesn't end up being sex. Uh Oh -- I think I can now hear a pin drop! What I'm going to do is toss some questions into the ring and see what you folks have to say.
Why did Vincent withdraw from sex? Was his encounter with Lisa really so traumatic that he couldn't face the idea again? We've all been rejected at one time or another, sometimes gently and sometimes not. I'd venture to say very few of us have chosen celibacy as an answer to rejection. Why did Vincent make that choice? What were his deeper motives, his fears, other than the obvious?
Did Father instill such stringent moral values that once Vincent "crossed the line" and in being rejected, grabbed the object of his affection with enough urgency to inflict some nasty scratches, really fall into such depression because of it that he lost himself in the "darkness" from sheer guilt? Or was it something else that drove him "mad," something in his physiology?
Father had a child out of wedlock with Grace. Obviously he himself didn't think (at least at the time) that extramarital sex was wrong. Did he teach others a double standard? One thing right for him and wrong for everyone else? Sounds too inconsistent for a man with Father's strength, after all he founded a world below the city streets. What do you think?
Or perhaps, did Father know much more about Vincent's physical makeup than he let on -- remember him saying to Catherine, "a part of him (Vincent) is a man." And the part that is not? What did Father really know? How much was he hiding? Did he teach Vincent to abstain from contact with "human" women because he knew that Vincent was something "else?" Or did he?
I'm looking forward to hearing your views on this rather controversial side of "our mane man." Until then ...
Since your format is to be the character of Vincent, I would like to open a discussion on that part of him we tend to gloss over in our rosy haze of the romance -- Dark Vincent. In watching the episodes (excessively) and reading the zines (also pretty extensively), it seems, for the most part, Dark Vincent is treated as a separate entity that surfaces to kill -- the sword of justice, if you will. I think this perspective over-simplifies that aspect in its importance to his overall nature.
Rage, peace, love, hate -- all the empassioned arenas of life -- when directed solely by the intellect, will remain moderate and within the bounds of 'civilization.' Vincent is a creature of deep passions. When provoked to rage, he doesn't simply· 'punch the guy out,' he eviscerates him [re: "Once Upon A Time In New York," the basement]. When at peace, he isn't simply calm, there is a sublime oasis for a twenty foot radius [re: "Nor Iron Bars A Cage," the last two minutes]. Vincent's loves and hates reach as deeply. He doesn't just love Shakespeare, he quotes it chapter and verse -- ALL OF IT [re: ANY zine writer]. His hatred, when evoked, seethes with undeniable clarity and focus [re: "Invictus," when Gabriel tells him the doctor killed Catherine].
I feel it is the Dark Vincent that gives his passions, both light and dark, their incredible depths and Vincent's intellect that provides wisdom and temperance but, sadly, not acceptance for those passions. An invincible mind has been deadlocked with undeniable emotions to create the fatal flaw for dramatic impact in this character.
However, I would enjoy seeing more of the writers take a deeper look at the day-to-day influence Dark Vincent has on Vincent's activities. I think he's there, he's interesting, and I don't think he' s evil.
Don't misunderstand. I am not referring to resolving the conflict because it would diminish the power of the character. Also, I am not suggesting we "banish the beast" in these attempts because I feel he is an integral part of Vincent's strength. But I would like to see him get credit for something other than killing and terrorizing.
I object to the proliferation of this notion of the Dark Beast, and to the apparent acceptance it has gained in fan mythology, because it diminishes Vincent, one of the most truly noble characters ever conceived. To depict Vincent's psyche as one severed into discrete realms of Dark and Light is to repudiate his fundamental complexity and reduce the magnitude of his victory; for in all but the most extreme of circumstances, Vincent very nearly attains that state of grace to which he so fervently aspires.
Issue 2
Lionheart 2 was published in May 1992 and contains 40 pages.
The topic discussion appears to be "What are your favorite "Vincent episodes"?"
From the editorial:
...the recent interview with Ron Perlman on El Entertainment has certainly got Fandom buzzing again. Looks like we've got a brand new postcard campaign to look forward to. (Beats the heck out of the latest presidential campaign.) See our "That's A Wrap" section for more details.
- Editorial (1)
- Letters (2)
- Jung at Heart: Beast as Anima, essay by S.K. Dapoz (11)
- The Annotated Beast by Beth Blighton (inspired by Dial-a-Beast, see description of this column in issue #1) (15)
- Movie Reviews for "Sleepwalkers" and "The Cutting Edge" by S.K. Dapoz (18)
- Reviews... Now on Video: "The Bride" by Beth Blighton (20)
- illo by Barbara Gipson (21)
- The 58th Episode: Satire, meta fic by Kathy Millington (22)
- Lionheart Exclusive: An Interview with Howard Gordon (very lengthy!) (One excerpt: "How much effect did CBS, the ratings, Witt-Thomas, Ron Koslow, even the fans, have on the storyline?" I would have to say that CBS, the ratings, Witt-Thomas, all of the above, had really very little impact on the storylines. Occasionally, when ratings dipped, we would get directives from the network to make it more action oriented and we tended to subscribe to those. I would say that we listened to them, but for the most part the direction of the show was staff directed. That we really decided amongst ourselves what stories to tell, what direction to go. Near the very beginning CBS did have their concerns, and we certainly were mindful of them, but soon enough on, we sort of got our own legs and our own feet and felt that we could go where we wanted to."(27)
- Fan Birthday Dates (35)
- Fan Campaign to inundate TPTB with emails and postcards demanding a Beauty and the Beast movie ("I'm not saying this will change anything, or make the movie any more likely to happen. But this kind of little post card campaign certainly isn't going to hurt anything and might just put us back in the media spotlight a little bit. Remember bombarding CBS with thousands of telegrams? Remember tying up Fox Broadcasting's switchboard for days? Remember giving Jeff Sagansky a real bad first day at work? Warm an old radical's heart. Let's inundate E!'s mail room. Just a postcard that says "I WANT A BEAUTY AND THE BEAST MOVIE!" should do... It's been a long time since we've flexed our writing muscles. Let's see if they still work.") (36)
Issue 2: Excerpts from Letters
One of the things which came to mind while I was reading was the ever-impossible "blooper reel." Remember that at TunnelCon I two years ago, then at South of Oz last year, the subject of a blooper reel was brought up - would there or could there be one of the out-takes from the show? Victor Lobl and company said "No," and everyone presumed that was that. Well .... I've gone through a few old issues of past letterzines, and a wicked idea formed. We fans are the best boo-boo spotters - we could even spot the "missing scenes" in the episodes Family Channel aired. So...why can't someone compile (with help) a list of OBVIOUS errors, make a videotape of these miscues, and add a brief narrative (much like "Funniest Home Video's") to give the viewer an idea of what to watch for? We could include such classics as the scene (from "Masques?") where Vincent bids Father good-night, pats him on the shoulder, AND HIS HAND DOESN'T HAVE THE MAKEUP ON IT! Is there someone "out there" who has done such a thing, or could do such a homemade blooper reel? Just wonderin'.
I didn't discover fandom until after the final cancellation and as such was not around for the "big fuss" that went on in fandom, which was a shame since I truly love a good discussion/debate/argument. From what I can gather, it seems that a few brought their differing views down to a personal level which must indeed have been a sad thing to witness.
Now perhaps I view things too simply, but to me the dissension regarding "third season" is moot. It happened, it exists -- now we can work around it, through it, over it, under it, in between it, behind it- "The possibilities are as boundless as our imaginations" (where have I heard that before?) but to "split up" over it is unproductive, it serves no useful purpose...forgive me, my Vulcan heritage is showing!
Now, my thoughts on the thoughts expressed in issue one of LIONHEART.
Regarding Vincent's "dark side;" I'm reminded of the Star Trek episode when the transporter malfunctioned and Captain Kirk was split in two -- the "good" Kirk and the "evil" Kirk. As the show progressed, you learned that the divided Kirks could not survive; both halves were needed together to form the persona of Captain Kirk. The same is true with Vincent. The more he tries to separate from the "dark side" the closer to death he comes. How about this theory: the thing that makes Vincent most human is "the other," while his resistance to the "dark side" is what keeps him the beast?
...you're right that Vincent wasn't dependent on a woman's love for his survival -- that is until he met Catherine! He didn't know this type of love before -- and what you don't know, you don't miss. Once the "bond" was formed, Vincent was dependent on Catherine's love for survival, even in third season -- "though lovers be lost, love shall not. .." Vincent survived because of Catherine's love manifested in their son. Had there not been a child, I truly believe that Vincent would have died. In fact, I would have expected it - otherwise all those words of "she is my life" would be meaningless and Vincent would become another one of those weekly crime heroes with a new love each episode. YUCK!
I've just received my first issue of LIONHEART. Thank you for giving us "Vincent-lovers" a forum all our own....free from criticism for our single-minded focus. I really enjoyed the analysis of the "Letters to Catherine." Can't wait until you get to Number 8!
Oh rapture! At last a club wholly devoted to that most unique and inspiring and gorgeous of men, VINCENT! Now follows a semi-coherent letter as I attempt to go in all directions at once. Actually, considering that Vincent and the Tunnelworld were the only special features that raised BATB from other TV shows to the stratosphere, LIONHEART is long overdue. To Beth, Pat, et al -- deepest gratitude.
For me, Vincent is the "truth beyond knowledge." There is only one truth; to say as some do, "this is your truth, and that's my truth," is nothing but sophistry. Repress it, distort it, ignore it -- in the end the real, one and only truth will come out. E.g., Vincent is a lifeline to our souls, a strong, fiery, never-extinguished torch in the darkest tunnel. If the show had been called "Beauty OF the Beast," it would have been very accurate. But of course, Vincent is a glorious man. "Beast" is only metaphorical. And we don't want or need him to be transformed into some stupid 'prince' -- he is a prince now, handsome and superlative. Long may he and his LIONHEART flourish! Be well, Be safe.
Congratulations! From the adorable front cover all the way through the last page, LIONHEART is truly a class act and an excellent publication. It's the morning sun burning away the clouds of a dark and lonely night, carrying the promise of a bright and beautiful day.
For so long, we've been on the outside, our noses pressed against the window of a wondrous world. LIONHEART has opened the door to that world and invited us in, welcoming us to become a part of that world. There are so many people, Above and Below, whose lives were barely touched upon, whose stories had hardly begun to be told. With LIONHEART, you've given us the opportunity to explore the lives of these people from those we truly love to those we'd love to hate. And for that opportunity, you have my deepest gratitude and heartfelt thanks.
Issue 3
Lionheart 3 was published in August 1992 and contains 45 pages.
The topic discussion appears to be "When did you start thinking of Vincent in a sexual way?"
From the editorial, which is mostly metafic describing the show's characters and hot summer nights:
... this issue of "Lionheart" is going to be a horse of a different color. For lack of any other holiday more interesting than, say, Labor day, to base our theme upon, we've decided to simply celebrate the sultry evenings ahead with our own version of "A Midsummer Night's Lust, Love and Sex Fest!" (And won't George R.R. Martin be just thrilled that his interview ended up in this one!)
While it's true that some of the articles in this issue will be taking a rather adult tum for the time being, you don't have to worry about this being a permanent change. "Lionheart" will go back to being the very soul of decorum just in time for this year's final holiday issue. Hey, we said we hoped to have a little something for ail our subscribers...
- Editorial (1)
- Letters (2)
- full page illo, not credited (15)
- Tunnelcon II, con report by Kate Thomas (16)
- description and transcription of Ron Koslow's remarks at Tunnelcon (17)
- "That's Not An It, That's a Him..., essay by Beth Blighton (the sexual and romantic appeal of Vincent, essay is pretty negative about the female canon characters) (20)
- The 57th Episode: The Throat Convergence (satire) by Kathy Millington (28)
- Interlude in Hell, fiction by Marilyn Durham (26)
- fan birthday dates (30)
- Lionheart Exclusive Interview: George R.R. Martin (31)
Issue 3: Excerpts from Letters
This is my first LOC, so please bear with me. I have always felt there are others out there in fandom that are more articulate than I, so I have stayed among the silent members of fandom. First, I would like to thank all of the people at Tunnelcon II. It was such a wonderful weekend. I needed the infusion of friendship and love that was present there more than anyone could know.
[...]
Now, what about the con? Was it wonderful or what? The news we received at the banquet should keep us all on cloud nine for a while. It was wonderful to get the confirmation that the movie is indeed going to be a reality, wasn't it? And the chance to see Ron Koslow in person was such a bonus. Can you believe he was really there? What about the news from Artie Ripp on the new albums of Ron Perlman? So much positive news all at once!
I love Linda Mooney's idea about a "blooper video." Gosh. I would like to have even just a list of bloopers. Does a list already exist? If so, how can I get a copy?
Keeping in line with the serious thoughts and opinions that have been expressed in Lionheart, I wish to pose a question. A good friend and I were discussing the fanzine "Thighs and Whispers," when out of the blue she expressed her surprise that Vincent was depicted as being circumcised. Well, since that thought had never, ever crossed my mind.... we suddenly realized from where we were drawing our expertise and in that moment knew more about each other's husbands (and perhaps the artist's husband), than we cared to know. But think about it. Surely, Father wouldn't have circumcised the sickly baby Vincent, when he was first brought below. Then when he was well enough, since Vincent was different, would Father have risked an unnecessary operation? And as Vincent matured it doesn't look like he allowed anyone to cut his hair never mind his _______! [See the editor of response.
There is more to this story than romance and happy endings. Someone named Betsy Hearne has written a book on the fairy tale. To her, Beauty and the Beast is about things like: the search for inner beauty, people not being what they seem, redemption, anti-materialism, imagination, a male-female role reversal, learning to be nurturing, giving and patient, dealing with fear, and longing for love.
I know of people who became fans because of the third season. Borrowing tapes, they are taking our magical journey backwards. I'm glad for them, but I think they'll miss all those delicious expectations and the hopeful anticipation we savored. So aren't you glad it wasn't a book, you who peek at the last pages? Why you might not even have watched at all. I think the journey was well worth the pain. (It's always worse to feel nothing.) Besides, the staff was good enough to re-edit. "Invictus" was so emotional. My eyes keep creeping to the clock, as the precious hour ebbed away. I really lost it when Catherine's face appeared at the end.
After TLBL faded a bit, the arc got better and better. G.R.R. Martin is wonderful. He sure took Elliot out brilliantly, in true Hollywood, heroic fashion, with a wise crack on his lips. (Though, maybe he isn't quite dead?) Elliot was truly redeemed by love. Vincent didn't need to be. The Beast was Good and Noble before he met Catherine and her death did not diminish him. I loved the way his voice shook, when he held his son at last, and their looks of mutual wonder. He was sexier than ever, prowling that cage like a real lion, and in chains, yet! Get a grip on yourself, girl!
was the first time I ever saw him.' But the more I thought about my initial response to seeing Vincent for the first time, the more I realized that it was an emotional reaction, not a physical one. (For those of you who don't know me, the first time I saw Vincent was in "Walk Slowly".) I experienced an overwhelming need to comfort this suffering man, to try and ease his pain. So in thinking back to the beginning and the scrambled order in which I saw the episodes, I realized that the first time I saw Vincent, when my heart started to pound, when my temperature climbed a few degrees, when my toes curled up, was when he walked into the ballroom in "Masques." The look of wonder in his eyes as he surveyed the room, his awe at being offered caviar, "from Russia," talking to Bridget as though they were old friends, being absolutely comfortable with himself and his surroundings, that's when my thoughts first turned to lust. Except for the bit of unpleasantness, we spent a wonderful, magical evening in the city. When the dawn came and Vincent left Catherine to go Below, he wasn't all that upset at their parting. He wasn't alone. I was with him. In his pocket.
Your stunning artwork and your endeavor to keep fandom together in a joyful and productive way is commendable. Recently, I was loaned a copy of Lionheart. I sincerely hope the economy and my pocketbook recover soon, so that I may subscribe.
You stated emphatically that Lionheart should be kept positive - no nastiness or hurtful words, no prizes for the most sarcastic writer; well, I must say I am relieved to know that others feel as I do. How can a show that teaches tolerance and love, arouse so much ugliness in people? Vincent and Ron Perlman are grateful too, I'm sure! Remember Ron's warning? "Don't hurt each other!"
You've requested that our letters should focus on the characters only, and not to drag the celebrities into our discussions, but accept the fact that inevitable comparisons will be made to Ron Perlman. With that thought at the forefront, I can't help but wonder how Ron Perlman can be ignored in all of this. Yes, he is an actor who played a role, did his job each day and went home each night and was paid well for it. It could be left at that, yes, but I simply can't ignore the fact that without this man, Vincent would never have BEEN, as we know him! Ron Perlman' s life experiences and gentle heart inspired him. Koslow dreamed up the character, Rick Baker, the make-up. Ron Perlman gave him a soul, he gave him...life! Each and every emotion was wrenched from his heart! He related to Vincent, as no one else could. Yes, Ron is a man of the world; ambitious, a temperamental artist, an athlete. A child once, a son; a husband and lover, a father, a man of learning and a man of faith. All of the things that he is, as a result of the losses he has suffered, the rejections, and the trials of his everyday life, were the well that he drew Vincent from. I truly believe that his destiny and his shinning moments, as an actor, were accomplished with this most perfect and beautiful of roles.
With my humble gratitude to him, I would like to celebrate the man, Ron Perlman, for the incredible gift he gave to us...he gave us a part of himself...and I am forever grateful and humbled by him.
A reliable source, (who shall go unnamed), revealed that Ron Perlman is convinced that we, the fans, don't see him - that when we look at him, we see Vincent. Therefore, with that thought in mind, and even though he has always been gracious and kind, he has, in a sense, detached himself from any adoration or offerings of love from the fans. How wise he is. But, in his great wisdom, he didn't count on one thing! We got to know Ron Perlman, the man, and we've found him to be a "really neat" guy! I love Vincent with all my heart, but only because of Ron Perlman. I can't imagine anyone else in that role, and that includes Robby Benson. Through it all, Ron Perlman emerged... and I am very fond of him. I'm sure I needn't tell you about his unfailing charm and wonderful sense of humor, his kindness to all, the pride he has in all aspects of his life, not to mention his stature and grace, his sexy voice, and his wonderful face and smile...those eyes! I can only hope that someday we can convince him of that! There is so much to this man! I think he's the hunk of the century! I, for one, no matter whether he ever plays Vincent again, (Oh, please God, let it happen!) will be waiting for him outside the stage door.
In your wonderful sketch of Vincent (lst issue of Lionheart), I see Ron Perlman's face. The look of pride and gentle humor is there, because you see all of these things in Ron's face and eyes. I've never seen Vincent look more like Ron...
I think it is a wonderful thing to have a club for people whose main focus of B&B is Vincent. I may be wrong, but it often seemed to me that I sensed a certain shyness in people, a shyness to admit that Vincent was their main focus in B&B. (First of all, I sensed that shyness in myself, of course.) From the very beginning, Vincent spoke to a very sensitive and vulnerable spot in our souls, in my soul (I ought to speak for myself), and that's why I felt compelled to protect that spot, to "protect" Vincent and thus protect myself by hiding it (him) from others.
Once, a friend of mine (a non-B&B friend, as her question will show you, but the only one with whom I could talk about it anyway) asked me, "What is the point of loving Vincent? Who do you love when you love him?" I had no answer to that, not then, but after having read "The Reality of Enchantment" in LHI,I have begun to see some things in a new light. I am very grateful for that insightful article that provided some interesting and even helpful theories. Thank you, S.K. Dapoz.
It never occurred to me that there could be others like me that were drawn to the same dream, called by the same voice. When I discovered the American fandom, by stumbling on an article in Starlog Magazine, a new world opened up before me. No rift, no name-calling could take the feeling from me that, suddenly, I was part of something miraculous, something that cast a different light on words like "addiction" and "obsession" that hang like a dark cloud above my head.
When I was asked to write about the attractiveness of Vincent, or what I found the most alluring qualities about him, I wasn't sure what I could say that hadn't already been said before Then I thought I'd cut through all the obvious reasons and talk about Vincent's influence in my life on more personal terms. To be sure, I fell in love with the sound of his voice immediately. In the beginning, that was all we were allowed to know about him. His voice was not only beautiful, it embodied the promise of hope, something I used to have long ago. I couldn't wait to see his face, and when I did, I was completely enamored. Still, there was so much more to Vincent other than the way he looked and the sound of his voice.
As time went on, I became obsessed with my weekly dose of "Beauty and the Beast." Through Vincent, I learned that nothing is impossible, that life is full of beauty and love, if we look for it. He helped me find that part of myself I'd forsaken years ago.
Vincent made me realize that I was much too involved with my piece of the pie and winning the proverbial rat race. I'd bought into the theory that your worth as a person was defined by what you had, how much you had and how hard you fought to keep it. I had to look long and hard for the "kinder, gentler" me because it was buried under the frosty exterior I'd adopted to get along in the "real world."
People who have never been fans can't understand the passion and energy we feel about the particular show or actor or character we've dedicated our attentions to. To them we seem silly at best, bizarre, if not downright wacko, at worst. But the fact that so much talent has poured from every fandom just goes to show that a nerve has been touched, a talent has been rediscovered, a desire to share whatever you have has been rekindled. Those are good things, at least they were for me. The people I've met, the experiences I've had and the things I've been able to accomplish writ ing fandom would not have happened if Vincent hadn't entered my life.
I've transferred a great deal of that fire and passion to other areas of my life now. "Beast" fandom was an excellent training ground for other pursuits and I will never again underestimate the importance of dreams ... of having them and following your heart. Vincent had the amazing ability to bring magic into every life he touched. I think he made all of us feel special and inspired in some way.
For the vast percentage of women, the dark-haired good looking Joe and the handsome, slightly nefarious Elliot, pale in comparison to the overwhelming attraction of a not-quite-human, golden-haired, caped crusader who facially resembles a lion! Now cats are beautiful; I, myself, have two, who I love dearly; but I've certainly never thought of my male moggy as anything other than a beloved pet!
So what on earth is it about Vincent, ladies? What turns a relatively normal section of women, some of whom are old enough to be his mother, into a bunch of horny, dewey-eyed, jelly-kneed romantics? I mean, we can all waffle on until Doomsday (or whenever the movie comes out, which could be the same time) about the show's wonderful music, poetry and romance - all the old values for which we'd surrender our videos (well perhaps that's going a mite too far) to see return to the deteriorating world in which we live - and it's all true! But let's not kid ourselves, ladies... it's Vincent we lust after! One glance from those jewelled eyes, one phrase uttered in that fravel/whipped cream voice, a shake of that amber mane as our tortured hero delivers a few gasping breaths, and the clock turns back 20 or 30 years to the days when we stood outside the local movie theatre (or inside if we were lucky!) clutching an album sleeve or photo and hoping to catch a glimpse of John, Paul, George or Ringo. The only difference I can see in the way we feel about our beautiful Vincent, is that if we were lucky enough to get close enough to speak to him, our ability to do so would depend merely on our emotional state, rather than the fact that in the 60's we spent the entire concert screaming at our heroes until we were literally speechless. You'd think a generation and a half on, we'd be older and wiser but no...just older.
As we gaze in open-mouthed adoration at HIM on the screen, iron-shaped scorch marks appear but go unnoticed on blouses which cost us a week's pay, the laundry can pile up to the ceiling and the tuna casserole we promised the 'other half for dinner is unlikely ever to see the inside of the oven, let alone his stomach. We want to see what HE's wearing in this episode (only the third today); will it be the quilted grey vest; the white chunky sweater or the drawstring shirt and tunic; will those powerfully muscled legs be sheathed in the long russet boots or the shorter, suede ones with the fringed cuffs? Will his hair be straggly and wild, or straighter and t1owing sensuously over his shoulders, as if he's just allowed one of us to brush it for him. Whew!
But why does he affect us this way? I, for one, have been passing for normal and, for the most part, getting away with it, between adolescence and 1987!
After rock stars we moved on and 'fell in love' with movie idols...often classically handsome heart-throbs like Mel Gibson, Tom Selleck, Burt Reynolds or Robert Redford (younger readers please substitute Tom Cruise, Charlie Sheen or Patrick Swayze), and this was entirely 'acceptable', even 'normal' to our non-fan friends. But to find Vincent sexy... gorgeous... downright adorable? No way! To those outside our wonderful B&B fandom, the concept is, frankly...weird! We've all seen the sideways looks from friends when we dare to voice a toned-down version of our opinion of HIM, haven't we.... followed by the glazing of their eyes as we try yet again to communicate to them the wonders of our beloved show.
Whilst I have no doubt that the men in our 'Family' also speculate with some curiosity on the magnetism of Vincent's sex appeal, I suspect they have a sneaking admiration for the character, and even experience a twinge of envy at the unique blend of power and compassion, strength and vulnerability, nobility and courage which draws us to Vincent as surely as moths to a flame.
Vincent is as near perfect as a person can get. His few flaws only serve to enhance his appeal. He's our fantasy in an all too often starkly realistic world. Ron Perlman deserves our loyalty and gratitude for bringing him into our lives and enabling us to spend 56 precious hours with him; it could never be enough, but that's (literally) all they wrote guys. And as we watch his riveting portrayal of our hero, we're transported into the magical world of Vincent, Catherine, Father, Joe, Elliot, Mouse, Mary and all the other characters who have become so familiar and dear to us over the last few years. We can watch our favorite scenes, experience the fantasy over and over again as often as we like. Everyone needs to escape. Perhaps members of our fandom make that journey more often than most, but so what? Vincent has enriched our lives. I know I had other 'loves' before Vincent - but for the moment their names escape me!
[...]
So, don't let anyone sway you. We will get him back on our screens where he belongs one day. Until then, keep on dreaming We will endure...we will.
Issue 4
Lionheart 4 was published in 1992 (the cover says November, the interior says December) and contains 36 pages.
The topic of discussion was "Vincent: a rose by any other name?"
From the editor:
And so we end LIONHEART'S first year of publication, and what a year it has been!
A little over a year ago, I'd literally reached the end of my fandom rope-tired of having to bicker back and forth with virtual strangers over entirely personal opinions, weary and discouraged by all the nastiness and militant hatred that was fast becoming the hallmark of fandom across the country.
And so, I sent my very last angry letter to "Once Upon A Time Is Now," determined that if the sandbox was to remain all muddy, it was not going to be from any more mud pies I’d flung. In that letter, I said that I still believed a place existed where fans just wanted to support "Beauty and the Beast " and be positive about it. I wanted, no, I needed to find that place where the word "fan " could be synonymous with "friend " once again. I said even then, at the lowest point of all of this, that a place like that could exist, even if I had to create it for myself. And so, with the help of a lot of other dreamers, namely you, our subscribers, that's exactly what we did!
We hope that we have honored the promises we made to you in our first issue; that we kept this publication free of attack/counter-attack letter wars and the blanket accusation/blame game that rent the very fabric of this fandom in two. At the least, we hope we have provided a pleasant diversion for our readers, one you looked forward to having in your mailbox when you came home from a busy day. And at most, we hope we've laid a foundation, one based on all that was good and right in "Beauty and the Beast," to build a new fandom upon, one stronger, more tolerant, and yes, wiser for having stood its test of fire. Either way, and whatever it may mean to each of you individually, LIONHEART has given me personally a reason to have hope for our future again. And after all the pain and frustration, anger and abuse. I can hold this publication in my hand and know that a shared commitment, based on tolerance and love of one extraordinary television series, continues. The brighter path has prevailed and it's all been "worth everything."
Please let us know if you've enjoyed the issues we've been able to bring to you so far. We need to know what aspects of LIONHEART you liked best and why in order to keep in line with the wants and needs of our subscribers next year. Also, our first batch of LIONHEART T-shirts have been sent. Since we must order these shirts in batches of 24 or more, any order placed after October 15th will be held until we have enough to place our next group order.
Thank you again for sharing your friendship with us. We'll see you again next Valentine's Day. Be well, be safe, and be happy...
- long excerpt from The Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens (1)
- Letters (3)
- The Annotated Beast by Beth Blighton (inspired by Dial-a-Beast, see description of this column in issue #1) (11)
- lyrics to Living Proof by Bruce Springsteen (16)
- full page illo by Pam Tuck (not numbered)
- News and Views, review of "The Last of the Mohicans," photos and bit about "The Chronos Device" with Guillermo Del Toro (17)
- lyrics to The Dance by Tony Arata (20)
- full page illo by Pam Tuck (not numbered)
- fan birthday list (21)
- Lionheart Exclusive: Interview with Judy Evans (show costumer) (22)
- Editorial (36)
Issue 4: Excerpts from Letters
What's in a name? Well, to answer my own question, everything and nothing. If some five years ago I'd heard someone call the name 'Vincent' across the room I would not have batted an eyelid. Today, for me and for hundreds (perhaps thousands) of females, it's another matter. Those two syllables 'Vincent' are enough to stop a conversation completely in its tracks and cause my heart to thump in a very peculiar way.
Would the names 'Mark,' 'Michael,' or 'Steve' have had the same effect? Truthfully, the probable answer is yes. Given such beauty of face, form and character, our 'Beast,' whatever he had been called, would have been a success. But why?
Reams have been written on the subject of Vincent, his form and character analyzed and psychoanalyzed. Here I can only answer with certainty for myself, though; I would hazard a guess that my answer may well ring true for others. Put quite simply, I needed a Hero. Someone composed of all the ingredients pulled from a thousand dreams. Strong, compassionate, gentle, but with more than a hint of untamable wildness; the list could go on and on. Above all MY hero needed to be unobtainable, that way I could have my proverbial cake and eat it, too- my own happy marriage. Nice home and generally pleasant life, but with my 'Hero' there to fill those little empty places we all tend to have.
Why Vincent with his very different Leonine visage? It's in that face that the answer to my 'Why' mostly lies. Quite apart from the fact that I think his is the most beautiful, sexy face I could ever have imagined, Vincent's face is uniquely his own. O.K., so it's built around Ron Perlman's, but I always forget that. (And here I must say bless you Ron Perlman for breathing life into Vincent.) But when I see Ron Perlman in other roles, I don't instantly think, "that's Vincent." You will never see Vincent except as Vincent. Other actors successfully portray our current and past heroes, but then they move on (quite rightly and naturally) to other roles, taking the 'face' of our hero with them. And often, very irrationally, comes the feeling of betrayal. Our 'hero' can then become a wimp, a drug addict or mass murderer.
Vincent because of his very 'make-up' can never become anyone else. He quite simply remains himself, true to whatever ideals and dreams have been woven around him. To his own self he will be true; and for me and for you and hundreds of others ....
Well, it's a year now since I've had the privilege of writing to, speaking with and meeting some very wonderful fans. And you all have covered the entire range of the ideological spectrum of fandom with me. In most cases, your words have only served to reinforce and enhance opinions and conclusions I had independently come to in my year of aloneness, before I knew that you existed. In other instances, you gave me new insight to situations that I hadn't previously considered. I like to think that I do have a pretty liberal and open outlook about most of the characters; admiring their strengths and understanding their weaknesses. But there is one thing I can never accept, that Vincent is a beast/other-than- human character.
While I do accept the concept that Ron Koslow DID intend for us to see the 'bestial' aspect of Vincent, I think he failed miserably. For one thing, Rick Baker made Vincent look too human, too beautiful to be a beast.
For another, Mr. Koslow used the wrong actor. I totally agree with Glenna Mayer's assessment of Ron Perlman's abilities and sensibilities. It was Ron himself, more than ANYTHING the words and makeup tried to convey to the contrary, who made Vincent real, believable, sexy and most importantly, HUMAN.
[...]
Who among us, at one time or another, didn't have the need for extra inner strength in coping with the stresses of everyday life? Don't we all, at some point, find ourselves fighting our own personal demons, whether it be something as major as trying to overcome the effects of physical or mental or substance abuse, including food and tobacco; to trying to find the right words to use when writing a story or LOC and the frustration of not being able to find them; to the more mundane, like having the urge to throttle the idiot who parked his car so close to yours that your vehicles exchange paint swatches? Why is it understandable and acceptable for those of us who do not possess fangs and claws, to have a nervous breakdown when we can no longer rationally cope with life, but when it happened to Vincent, we are told that it is his 'bestial' nature?
[...]
So, Mssrs. Koslow, Martin, Gordon and Gansa, if we never understood or accepted the bestial aspect of Vincent that you wanted us to, you have no one but yourselves to blame. You made Vincent real and you made Vincent human. I may be made to believe a lot of things. You may make me believe that Catherine Chandler is still alive. You may make me believe that Vincent will find love and happiness with Diana Bennett. But you will never make me believe that the moon is made of green cheese. And you will NEVER make me believe that Vincent is a beast.
Issue 5
Lionheart 5 was published in February 1993 and contains 42 pages.
The art is by Beth Blighton, P.S. Nim, Barb Gipson, and Pam Tuck.
From the editorial:
For our new subscribers- Lionheart will continue to be unconditionally supportive of the character of Vincent and the whole of Beauty and the Beast. We will not play host to any sort of nastiness or negativity aimed at any part of this series- on camera, behind-the-scenes or in this fandom. I am proud to say that in the last year, we were never forced to return anyone's letter because of inappropriate content. And we hope, through your sincere cooperation and understanding, that we will be able to continue to provide here the safest and most civilized forum possible.
- long excerpt from Phantom of the Opera (2)
- Editorial (3)
- Once Upon a Time, collage of words and phrases by Linda White (4)
- Letters (5)
- poems by Deborah C. Shanks: "Dark Brother" and "Heart's Reply" (19)
- lyrics to Love Song for a Vampire, by Annie Lennox (20)
- full page by illo by Pam Tuck (21)
- news about Ron Perlman (22)
- review of the for-profit Beauty and the Beast novel by Nan Dibble called "Beyond Words, Beyond Silence (23)
- The Annotated Beast by Beth Blighton (inspired by Dial-a-Beast, see description of this column in issue #1) (26)
- review by Beth Blighton of the movie "Bram Stoker's Dracula" (31)
- many clippings from magazines (34)
- info about "Innovation's" Beauty and the Beast comics (38)
- Editorial (40)
- Tunneltoons, cartoon by P.S. Nim (41)
Issue 5: Excerpts from Letters
Some of you already know I write fourth season Diana/Vincent fanzines. But that's not why I'm here. I just wanted to get that out of the way ahead of time. I'm one of those poor unfortunates who started watching the show in third season, got hooked, then had it ripped out from under them. I had to wait almost a year before re-runs came to the Family Channel, then started over. Believe me, it was just as magical for me as it was for any- one...though I think it is true that in a sense things are seen from a different perspective when the series is viewed that way. Had I been able to choose, I would have watched it from the first...but though I didn't, I love it all, just the same. To me, every season is magical, though for very different reasons- and every episode has a certain power and truth. I love every hour, every minute.
I have been unable to subscribe to Lionheart until now, but some of my wonderful B&B buddies have loaned me theirs to read, so I wouldn't get too far behind. I don't know about you guys, but I MISS VINCENT. Our show is being shown here, in Duncanville, but only at 11:30 pm on Sunday nights, and it's just too hard to stay up. I watch my tapes sometimes, but I fear overuse is going to snap the living daylights out of them! And it's so hard to watch the shows by yourself. I really wish I had all of you here to share them with.
I'm getting to the point where I'm so frustrated about the lack of possibility of a movie that I could scream. Are they going to wait until Perlman is too old to do more than play Father? I want my BEAST back. I loved Catherine. I loved Diana, too. But I don't care if they have him with anyone.. .I just want my Beast. (Kind of improbable, huh?) There are more stories out there, Ron (both Rons)...we fanzine writers have proved it...and lots of people who want to see something with our mane man on that silver screen. C'mon!
I'm getting to the point where I'm so frustrated about the lack of possibility of a movie that I could scream. Are they going to wait until Perlman is too old to do more than play Father? I want my BEAST back. I loved Catherine. I loved Diana, too. But I don't care if they have him with anyone.. .I just want my Beast. (Kind of improbable, huh?) There are more stories out there, Ron (both Rons)...we fanzine writers have proved it...and lots of people who want to see something with our mane man on that silver screen. C'mon! I have often laughed about how people think we're nuts, because we think of Vincent and the show as "real." But what they don't realize is that we, the fans, have made the tunnel world and its inhabitants real. Haven't they ever read The Velveteen Rabbit, for heaven's sake? We have loved them so long, they have become real...and we won't ever let them become unreal again. How can something that is not "real" influence so many lives? My life has changed because of Beauty and the Beast. I have changed. I think we all have, in some way or another- some more than others. The thing that is so wonderful- so magical- about this change is that it comes from within, and spreads, like ripples on a pond. We cast forth the love that Vincent reminds us is all-important (and I'm not talking simply romantic love, here)- a little like children tossing stones into the Mirror Pool- and the ripples spread.
If that's not being "real," then there is no reality. Every time I watch an episode- no matter which one or which season- I laugh, I cry. I feel. Whether it is the first time (never again, sadly) or the 500th. The magic never changes.
Hello, my friends. I'm home. Remember. The Dream is still in the dreaming, and the promise in every day.
I couldn't let another issue of Lionheart go to press without congratulating all of you for a truly wonderful addition to BATB fan literature. I have both enjoyed it immensely and been utterly intimidated by the quality of the material that has appeared: sensitive, thought- provoking, and often humorous as well. In the midst of a truly awful year, Lionheart was a reminder of things bright and beautiful. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, to all of the people who worked so hard to make it a reality. I hope that we can keep it alive for a very long time to come.
Another portion of the Outer Darkness is reserved for those who willfully inflict great pain upon the innocent, and there are times when I would gleefully consign the various writers of the Trilogy to an eternity there. Despite whatever crimes or sins he believes he committed, Vincent is innocent of any evil. Perhaps the fact that those three episodes so move me is a testament to the power of the writers' dramatic skills, but it is no less than agony to watch Vincent in such torment. He is so decorous and reserved and private, I am almost ashamed to be yet another witness to the unavoidably public display of his fragility.
And yet, wrenching though it is, at least his deterioration is presaged by events in earlier episodes. Whether or not Mr. Koslow planned Vincent's emotional collapse from the inception of the series, it is consistent with what we are shown of the way in which Vincent views himself and with the unresolvable dilemma with which he is repeatedly faced. To preserve the safety of the people he loves, time and again he must violate the most fundamental tenets of his philosophy, must embrace aspects of his nature that he both fears and abhors. He must buy their very lives with pieces of his own soul.
Like Rosemarie Hauer, I believe that the rupture of the Bond is no more than a device enlisted by the writers as they desperately tried to cobble together a story from the tatters of their original idea. In many respects they did admirably well; but with all due respect to George R.R. Martin, I feel more betrayed by this one aspect of "TLBL" than by any of a hundred other wounds that they inflicted.
I suppose some of GRRM's comments in the excellent interview in this same issue helped to fuel the preceding paragraphs. In particular, his remarks on economic realities and the concessions that were often necessary for survival of the series reinforced my believe that a number of artistic compromises were made in an effort to remain on the air. After all, BATB provided a substantial portion of the income for a large number of people, including Mr. Koslow.
I guess I just get a little miffed when I sit around and let my mind wander to all the sweet and tender moments we will never get to see because of television ratings! Of course, we will always have our zines to help fill in the gap, but somehow even as well written as many of them are, they still cannot replace seeing Vincent and Catherine up on the screen week after week.
I guess what I really miss is the anticipating of every episode. Checking the TV Guide the moment I buy it and immediately flipping to Friday at 8:00 P.M. to see what will be happening in the tunnels this week. Clearing all of my work out of the way so that I can be right in front of the old boob tube from the first note of the romantic theme music to seeing the last end credit roll up off the top of the screen. Then sighing with relief that everything has once more worked out for my two favorite characters.
I take solace now in my collection of zines, and many times my mood can be uplifted by reading one of the really sweet stories, but for some reason it doesn't last too long.
I guess I will be doomed to miss the anticipation that I felt every week for so long. It must have been addictive to some measure, or I couldn't possibly wish I could feel it just once more! I have to wonder if other fans out there miss the anticipation of each episode as much as the actual show itself? I would love to hear how others feel about this.
Ron Koslow didn't give us Vincent - Rick Baker gave us the Vincent we know and love. To clarify my heretical statement, I went on to relate the following:
Ron Koslow created Vincent from his mind and gave him the words and the actions. Rick Baker reached into his mind and came up with the outer image that causes female hearts to stop beating. Without his image of Vincent, Vincent would definitely not be the magical creature that he is. Margaret Beserra performed the necessary magic on the face of Ron Perlman each and every week to keep that image before us. Ron Perlman breathed life into and gave form and the third dimension to Vincent. And we cannot leave out the marvelous costuming of Judy Evans. (That black cloak has become a beloved trademark identified only with Vincent.)
We have fallen in love with the final result of all these separate images that melded into the what and who of Vincent. I concede that had Ron Koslow not dived into his own creative mind to come up with this marvelous character, the others would have had nothing to work from. But to my mind, the originator of the outer persona that is Vincent goes to the inner vision of Rick Baker. I thank the powers that be (not CBS, Republic, or Witt-Thomas) for seeing that all these separate people came together at the right time and the right place to combine their separate imaginations and talents to give us the most memorable fictional hero of our, or any, time. At my first sight of Vincent, I breathed a sigh of relief and whispered, "He's here, at last!" I felt as if a very familiar and beloved friend had finally returned.
First and foremost, thank you for Lionheant. I love it. It filled a void and keeps dreams, love, and hope alive. I look at the letter section first; letters from fans just discover- ing they are not alone in their emotional reaction to this very special show and unique character and the older or original from-day-one fans like myself, just thrilled to have a new forum to express our feelings, thoughts, and speculations. By the way, the interviews are pretty good, too. The artwork is great, of course, but how about more of it? Anyway, thanks, Beth - you've done it again. Lionheart is a winner!
I don't intend to sound argumentative, but as impossible as it is for you to see Vincent as anything but human is how impossible it is for me to see him as anything but the "man-beast" the media called him back at the beginning. I don't see him as just a man who looks a little unusual, has a few extraordinary qualities and some psychological problems due to an overprotective parent (although that's a very important ingredient in the mix, as we all know.) Some of my favorite fanzine stories have described the workings and reactions of his animal mind, most notably passages in At the Mirk and Midnight Hour by Jena Snyder. I believe he is something else, that he does have an animal's primitive/primal mind/instincts/emotions. I agree that the show didn't bring that out much except in depicting the enraged violence and his empathic sensitivities.
Issue 6
Lionheart 6 was published in May 1993 and contains 44 pages.
The art is by Rosemarie Hauer and P.S. Nim.
The topic of discussion was: "What are your thoughts on the lack of mothers in the series?"
From the editorial:
Well, that's it for this issue. We hope you've enjoyed our little foray into the parenthood department. But now, as you may have guessed, it's time to spin the tumblers again and see which door we're gonna open up next time....What do ya know! It's apparently time to do our Second Annual Hot August Knights Issue! And you all know what that means....
In our next issue, we'll be looking into the passionate, the steamy, the undeniably sexual nature of Vincent and Beauty and the Beast. And since the first Hot August Knights issue was the most popular edition Lionheart ever put out, I hope that we'11 be seeing all sorts of contributions from our subscribers. (Consider this a none-too-subtle hint.)
Come on now...send us your thoughts. We know this subject is far from being exhausted. Just think about it... those thighs, those eyes, that walk, that chest...! Hot summer breezes and open fields .. .lying in the cool shade of a tree with cheese and bread and a jug of wine. Listening to that rumble beneath your cheek as he passionately reads "A Midsummer Night's Dream," feeling each breath he takes, drowsily plaiting wildflowers in his chest hair.... Mmmm...oops...uh, well.... Oh...you're still here, aren't you... Excuse me.
What can I say?
Just consider it an all-too-brief break from the daily grind and be glad it's not another Joey Buttafoucco story!
The poem "Frustrated Fan" references Textual Poachers: Television Fans and Participatory Culture, a book that had recently been published:
- I am a "textual poacher"
- To this I'll truly admit.
- My writers - Gansa and Gordon-
- Have left me in a great snit.
- My idols - Martin and Koslow -
- Vanished with nary a plot.
- I miss my Beast and his Catherine:
- Their romance to me meant a lot.
- Pipe-tapping Pascal and dear Mary
- Were folks I could really adore.
- Sweet William, Jamie and Geoffrey -
- Paracelsus was never a bore.
- I wait in vain for a movie
- That never seems to arrive.
- Republic's so slow with releases
- I hope I'll still be alive!
- Time's getting short - I'm impatient!
- Zines bare]y keep me on hold.
- I want Catherine, Father, and Vincent.
- Please, Perlman, we're both getting old.
- Like Mouse, I'll continue to tinker
- With rhymes - I'm a B&B slave.
- C'mon guys- let's get the film out
- Before I'm six feet in my grave!
- Letters (3)
- Frustrated Fan, poem by Caryl Traugott ("apologies to Professor Henry Jenkins for purloining his book title") (17)
- The Man the Beast Would Own, poem by Maxine Myer (4)
- Another Word for Safety, poem by Deborah C. Shanks ("Dedicated to ROY DOTRICE: Thank you for showing me what a Father should be.") (5)
- The Perlman Page, news about Ron Perlman (It includes "a light moment behind-the-scenes of Beauty and the Beast as told by Jo Anderson to the audience at the German Halloween Convention and as reported by Kevin Waters in the fan publication "The Chronicle."") (6)
- In the Name of Love, fiction by Beth Blighton (23)
- song lyrics (30)
- illo by Rosemarie Hauer (31)
- review by Beth Blighton of the pro book, "Phantom" by Susan Kay (32)
- Aloneness, Vicent's Life as an Adoptee, essay by Beth Blighton (34)
- More Than My Heart, transcript by Rosemarie and Gerhard Hauer (a report of Jo Anderson's appearance at the German Hallowe'en Convention in October 1992 in Solingen, Germany) (38)
Issue 6: Excerpts from Letters
I am sorry that it took me so long to decide whether I'd renew my subscription or not. Well, you see I couldn't stand the thought of not supporting a club dedicated to Vincent. Lionheart is a beautiful publication, carefully done, with exquisite artwork. One thing that made me hesitate, though, was the disappointment that the last two of the announced articles by Sandie Dapoz didn't show up as promised initially.
I enjoyed Lee Minoff's LOC in Issue #4 very much. It was insightful, intriguing and thought-provoking. Words like hers help me feel Vincent, his spirit, his soul. Don't get me wrong, I cherish his physical appearance VERY much (how could I not?). It's just that the "surface" is but a small part of who he is. It's his inner being that affects me in the first place, and therefore I missed Sandie's articles terribly.
I just wish there were more LOCs, but hardly anyone seems to have time enough for writing these days.
Now, to the very interesting question you have posed about the rather dramatic lack of mothers in B&B. Hmmm. Isn't it curious that no one has made an issue of this before now? We have analyzed this series to death, have hashed and rehashed it, have nit-picked it to pieces and yet, this glaring absence of mothers has never been men- tioned. I can't wait to read what others have to say; I am hoping they will offer some insightful mythological and psychological discussion.
You notice that I am leaving that to greater minds than mine! My first
thought was to consider the source of the characters, to take a look at the writers who created them. I think we can safely assume that each one of the writers had a mother at one time or another in their lives; but at the time they were doing Beast, weren't they- including Mr. Koslow- not only living away from home (and their own mothers), but also unmarried and childless? In other words, this group of men were absorbed in their careers and were quite successfully living relatively womanless lives. Now, I'm not trying to make some sexist social statement, I'm just suggesting that, since you write about what you know about, it is possible that they just hadn't considered this extra baggage to be an important factor in their stories about a male-dominated society. (Were those bristles I heard being raised?)
I don't think the show lost anything due to its shortage of moms. And there must always remain that intrigue and mystique about Vincent's mother- who was she? Where is she now? That sort of thing.
I find it totally wonderful that after "Beauty and the Beast" has been off the air so long, that interest, loyalty and dedication to this "cult series" is so high. Certain grey areas of this fandom have folded, yes...but the hard core fans will never let go because this unique program has come into their lives and turned it around- awakening inside each of us an awareness of life, love, need and compassion. Once you have found these qualities, you aren't going to let them go. It's too precious, too special and that means we won't ever give up.
Ron Koslow gave birth to his baby - Beauty and the Beast - and we have this legacy which we all must help bring up to full adulthood. The fanzines now coming out are of the highest quality and could easily stand shoulder to shoulder with the best of writers world wide. The art has become breathtaking - two in particular in my opinion are Barbara Gipson of Harlingen, Texas and Rosemarie Hauer of Austria. The way these women draw Vincent and Catherine takes your breath away. And just when you think they could never get better, they do. Talk about seeing the drawings come alive....
It may be soon or it may take a while to have our dream of a movie, but we have to have faith and remember faith can move mountains. Fandom has to show itself as a strong body, not blowing hot and cold. We have to make sure the people who can make our dream come true still know we're out there. We have to be vocal. You only have to look at other programs that have lowish ratings, and they are kept on. But our Beauty and the Beast has had bad innings since day one. If the feelings of the public then could have been as they are now, what a different story we'd be writing about now.
This fandom is special. We are something that has never been. We must go with care. We must use the strength within ourselves we learned we had, when this program was new, to guide our days, our letters, our loyalty. We must support this lifeline we have, in fanzines, letterzines and fan clubs. Don't turn off the life support machine. Pray for a miracle and together we'll come through this darkness which for now engulfs us. Look forward, see the light at the end of the tunnel and go towards it.
An awful lot of psychological waffle has been written about Vincent by fans needing to dig into his innermost being. Fine; I enjoy reading anything about him, and I feel myself literally come alive when I'm with other fans talking about him. But my feelings for Vincent are very simple: I love his looks; I love his mind; I love his body; I love everything about him.Like thousands of other women, I know that Vincent has changed my life; not in any earth-shattering way, but just made it so much more enjoyable and stimulating. I used to feel guilty and embarrassed about how much time I spent watching HIM; thinking about HIM and generally fantasizing about HIM, but now...what the heck? I'm not hurting anyone; I still manage to get to work and concentrate all day...okay, that's a lie! The ironing eventually gets done and my husband hasn't starved to death...yet. But I've discovered something else. For five years I wrote fiction: a full-length novel, two novellas and a lot of short stories. I was sure I could write- only the editors at magazines and publishing houses didn't have my faith. Finally, just as I was beginning to lose confidence and wonder if perhaps they were right after all, I had two stories accepted by a national magazine. It was the most wonderful day of my life and, flushed with success, I sat down at my trusty word processor and wrote a new short story especially for them; only to have it returned addressed, "Dear Author" (the acceptance letter had read "Dear Avril"!). I was devastated. In my naivete, I had actually thought: "This is it! Stand back Jackie Collins and Danielle Steele!"
And this is where Fate stepped in. This is where I "connected" with something I had never heard of before...fandom. Oh, I'd loved B&B from the very beginning, but I wasn't "in love" with Vincent; wasn't obsessed with him and the show in the way I have been now for the past three years. I'd contacted the English fan club though, and when the Editor of our newsletter learned I wrote fiction she suggested I write a story for them. Well, the rest, as they say .. .is history. Four fanzines on, I've learned that I can write fiction that people enjoy; I'm writing from the heart and I suppose it shows. Since writing my first B&B story back in 1990, I've never attempted to write commercially again; I've had no desire to. Writing about Vincent satisfies me in a way I would never have thought possible. Ron Perlman said that Vincent was the best role he could ever imagine having in his career, because it embodied all the things he'd ever wanted to play and also satisfied his desire to do Shakespeare.
I know what he meant. Vincent gives me more pleasure than I would have believed possible. True, I still don't let family and non-fan friends/colleagues know the real extent of my devotion to our beautiful caped crusader, or the fact that probably up to 90% of my life is connected to B&B related activities...we all know what they'd think...that there's something missing from my life; that I'm using a TV character as a substitute for not having children (they said that when I got married twenty years ago and shocked everyone by saying I preferred cats!). Who cares what anyone else says? Are they as happy with their lives?
Probably not.
There's been a lot of talk lately about the decline of BATB fandom. I feel this is due not so much to a loss of interest but to a lack of funds. I know, in my own case, I do not have the buying power that I had several years ago when I discovered this fandom- the little extra that was mine to spend as I pleased is being diverted to cover the increases in such necessities as medical/dental coverage and car insurance (I have a teenage son!). Six months ago, I was confident that I would be attending Great Expectations- now I'm just hopeful. Once a fan, always a fan - once touched by Beauty and the Beast, always touched. But when faced with "Do I buy a $30 zine or pay a bill," you'd best pay the bill. All those fans that no longer participate actively in fandom are still out there waiting - waiting for the $3.00 paperback BATB novel to appear at B. Dalton - waiting for the movie - waiting for the dream to continue.
The striking lack of mothers in B&B...amazing. I had noticed, but I guess not really thought about it. I'm sure the lack of a mother did affect the way Vincent would relate to women. I have been told (though admittedly I am woefully ignorant on this) that strangely enough, a boy learns a great deal about how to react to women in relationships from his mother rather than from his father. I'd like to hear more about this from someone who has more knowledge in this area. I'm sure you're right in that there might be a reason for it- or at least resonances we can find in myth- or psychology. (Our writers did seem to do very little without a reason). It does seem to be a bit more than random, but perhaps it was merely convenience on the writers' part.
At first glance, your request for reasons behind the lack of mothers held absolutely no interest for me. But like anything you try to ignore, that's what you keep thinking about. Aside from Olivia, Lena and Diana's sister Susan, who were the only practicing mothers we saw, and Joe, who made mention of his mother's cooking prowess, none of the other peripheral characters had mothers either. Think about it. Bridget O'Donnell, Mitch Denton, Tony Ramos, Eddie and Charles, Rolley, even Steven Bass had all lost their mothers. OK, Brian had a mother, but she didn't want to be burdened with him, so I guess that makes him only semi-motherless. Oops, I almost forgot. Cameron did have a mother but Dale didn't [in "The Hollow Men"]. So just why was there a continuous mention of people who had lost their mothers? The only reason I can think of is that maybe we were subtly being set up to accept losing Catherine. Maybe, and I know this is really stretching things, Koslow & Co. always intended for Catherine to leave Vincent in some way. Maybe Vincent and Catherine were destined to never be together in the end, and by continuously showing us women who leave and mothers who die, they were laying the groundwork to prepare us for that loss.
Issue 7
Lionheart 7 was published in August 1993 and contains 44 pages.
At least one fan found the covers of this issue too spicy: "Not insulting - but I had to put a cover over the Issue #7 cover. It seemed slightly pornographic." [3]
Many of the letters were con reports for Great Expectations, see that page.
- untitled non-explicit erotica (2)
- Letters (includes 'Nonny Miss, New York: August 1998, Tunnelcon V) (4)
- con photos from Great Expectations (16)
- Great Expectations Convention Update by Paulette Edwards (post con progress report) (18)
- two poems by Teresa Panizo: "An Uncommitted Passion" and "Parting" (20)
- "To Fall in Love with Vincent", poem by Elisabeth Auer (21)
- The Real World as I Skew It, essay by Beth Blighton (includes "Thirty-Six Subtle Reasons Why Vincent is the Superior Man") (22)
- song lyrics by Peter Gabriel (26)
- illo by Beth Blighton (27)
- The Annotated Beast by Beth Blighton (inspired by Dial-a-Beast, see description of this column in issue #1) (28)
- Movie Review: Much Ado About Nothing by Beth Blighton (32)
- The Perlman Page (includes a letter from David Schwartz thanking Great Expectations con-goers for their generous contribution to the Pediatric AIDS Foundation, this letter also contains a blurb about The Caliendo Tapes) (35)
- Lionheart Exclusive: Interview with David F. Schwartz, part one, interviewer was Beth Blighton (35)
Issue 7: Excerpts from Letters
Dreams! I have never had a dream about BATB in any way, shape or form. I loved the show and especially Vincent from the first episode. I was there through it all. Through every campaign. Hundreds of letters. Telegrams. Phone calls. Phone bills! Conventions. Meeting most of the actors in person. Wow! Plane trips which scare me to death. Zines. Memorabilia. Empty piggy banks. Visa bills! It was the other half of my life (the best halt) when I wasn't at work. And I will unabashedly admit that BATB is still the happiest part of my life as a whole. But never in all these years, has anything BATB-ish appeared in my dreams. I tend to dream about people or relive events of days past or present. But no BATB, or BATB actors or events, ever. I don't mind; I'd rather have them in my waking life anyway. It's just that I don't understand it. Has anyone else experienced this? Can anyone explain it to me? Be well, everyone!
Issue 8
Lionheart 8 was published in December 1993 and contains 34 pages.
The cover is by Beth Blighton. There is no interior art.
This issue contains a questionnaire, and the results were to be printed in the next issue.
From the editorial:
We at Lionbeart have been a little disheartened by the low number of re-subscriptions that have been coming in of late. Last year at this time we had approximately 100 subscribers re-upping their memberships by this date, as compared to only thirty this year. Frankly, we're not sure what to make of this. Intellectually, we know that times are tough and the economy is not the best. Sometimes fan enthusiasm waxes and wanes. But a responsible editor can't help but wonder -- is it something we've done? Is it something we haven't done? Is there something here that's missing? To that end, we are including in this issue a separate sheet which contains both a re-order form and a short questionnaire. We hope our readers can find the time to fill out at least part of this survey, the results of which will be published in our next issue.
[...]
Now, those of you who know me know that I have no desire to drag out my tin cup or resort to the worst kind of emotional blackmail to get our readers back. (I might try bribery or arm-twisting coercion, but never blackmail.) The simple fact of the matter is, financially, there needs to be a certain number of subscribers to support Lionbeart or else it becomes a problem. We have all faith that this number will be reached eventually, but until that time, I'm sure there will be a lot of pacing and hand-wringing on my part. But don't let the fact that I have a three foot deep trench paced into the ground between my front porch and the mailbox influence your decision in any way. Just understand that we would really like to know who we have coming along for the ride again by January 10th so we can order photos, cards, etc., to cover everyone. There. Now that's done. No begging. No pleading. No breast beating or teary renditions of "You'll Never Walk Alone." No guy named Guido in dark glasses who happens to possess a large packet of incriminating photos that you might not want hubby to see ....
But about the "Disheartened Fan Syndrome," I feel I must add this. Though I'm not one to spend a great deal of time blowing sunshine up anybody's skirt, I do feel this new sport of dwelling on fandom's waning interest is harmful. And though everybody knows, if you look up the word "cynic" in the dictionary you'll find my picture, I just can't believe that things have gotten as bad as all that. And if they have, we've no one to blame but ourselves.
Yes, there have been disappointments. A "Beauty and the Beast" major motion picture has not plunged onto the scene at quite the speed we had wished. Certain fannish editors and publications have let us down rather badly and as many times as not Satisfaction hasn't always been Guaranteed. But we can't allow that to affect those who remain, those who have fulfilled their obligations, those who have kept plugging away long after the others have folded up their tents and scurried away.
Good grief! Be PROUD of yourselves! You're still here! And as long as we have people who still care, still want to be involved, still give a damn, then there will be a fandom.
But you must remember this: If you want it, you’re going to have to really work for it.
The days when 90% of this fandom could just sit comfortably back and take a passive role are long gone. That was fine two or three years ago when there were probably more than 2,000 active fans and having only 10% of them really out there writing the letters, creating the zines, keeping it all together for their groups tallied up to several hundred people. But now, there are only a few hundred active fans, which leaves the burden of keeping things going on only about twenty or so people. We need your help. We need your involvement and enthusiasm. We need your letters and thoughts and comments.
We need you to decide for yourselves that you really want to keep this fandom alive, viable and moving forward.
How did the fans keep things alive for their favorite shows, fandoms like "Man From U.N.C.L.E.," "Robin of Sherwood," "Equalizer?" There are still viable fandoms for "The Fugitive" and "Andy Griffith" and "The Rocky Horror Picture Show." Why? What makes them any different?
I think the answer lies in their general consensus to simply have fun with it. We can’t let all our hopes hinge on the condition of getting a movie, getting Linda Hamilton’s Catherine back, getting a new B&B album or anything else we might latch onto for hope. We need to do it for the sake of doing it, have a fandom for the sheer joy we bring to it, not what we can get back from it. Our "Great Expectations" have to shift from the anticipation of having something "big" happen to the simple enjoyment of Beauty and the Beast which comes with being able to share it with friends who’ve been there and understand. It’s called fellowship, and that’s what we have to build upon.
But enough of that. The entire staff of Lionbeart does want to thank you for all your love and support in the last year. We hope you’ve enjoyed this year’s issues and we do hope we can have all of you back for next year. We’re really trying to cook up some special things and we would love for you to join us.
- essay by Henry Dyke on "keeping Christmas" (not fannish) (2)
- Letters (3)
- two non-fannish poems (8)
- Human Enough to Have Faults...?, essay by Avril Bowles (reprinted from Purr-de-Lion, "the U.K. Vincent Fan Club") (9)
- Thirty-One Reasons Vincent Would Be Impossible to Live With (humor "from the Cincinnati Beast Preserve") (11)
- The Perlman Page by Beth Blighton ("Our adorable Mr. P. has been so busy these last months playing various and sundry thugs and cutthroats that it seems we're hardly able to keep up with him!" -- a report of Perlman's current roles, all apparently as characters who are cruel, ugly, evil, and despicable) (12)
- photos of Perlman from "The Untouchables", along with Beauty and the Beast, with captions (13)
- Music Video Review by Beth Blighton (review of "I'd Do Anything For Love (But I Won't Do That)") (This video is NOT a BatB video but instead the official video for the Meatloaf song; Blighton points out that the theme and visuals are very gothic and remind many fans of Beauty and the Beast, Phantom of the Opera, and Bram Stoker's Dracula.) (15)
- book review by Donna Koich, subject is "Forests of the Night" by S. Andrew Swann published by DAW Books (17)
- Lionheart Exclusive: Interview with David F. Schwartz, part two, interviewer was Beth Blighton (19)
- information about the cancellation of The Caliendo Tapes (32)
- Editorial (33)
from issue #8
from issue #8
from issue #8
Issue 8: Excerpts from Letters
I got the biggest laugh, and the biggest case of the blushes, that I've had in a long time when I read my letter in the #7 issue of Lionheart. I've enjoyed the different touch you add to your zine by blocking some quote or phrase from each letter within the letter. It's usually something pertinent and it does draw your attention to it. That's why I had to laugh, and blush, when I saw what you'd culled from my letter. I couldn't help but envision Ron Perlman reading just that block and what he would think, when the main point I was leading up to was what I wrote later in that same paragraph, that I believed there is no role Ron P. could play that would reflect negatively on Vincent. Maybe I should be grateful you didn't decide to pick out what I said about if Vincent himself got a part in a revival of H air and let his barriers and his clothes down, that he'd be the biggest thing on Broadway. What a hoot!
I just finished my seventh fanzine, Tbe Mirror of Our Dreams, in which I explore the issue I brought up in a previous letter: the drawbacks of the bond for two extremely private individuals and how it would affect a relationship (Vincent/Diana). It's more a story of love than lovers and more of relationships than romance. I had a lot of fun writing it and hope that people enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. However, it brought to mind other interesting questions concerning the bond in reference to Vincent and Catherine as well.
It has always puzzled me that Catherine seemed so "accepting" of the bond. In going back and watching the very early episodes, it occurs to me that Catherine really hadn't any idea at all of how strong the bond really was and just how much Vincent really was aware of her feelings, her dreams and desires. Nor was she at all aware of how much he truly loved her--at least for a very long time. After all, Vincent was never one to voice his inner feelings to Catherine. He showed her he loved her in a million ways, but never verbally until "The Rest is Silence." Surely this would have been very confusing for her. I don't know about anyone else, but I like a little verbal and physical reassurance once in awhile. As I believe I've stated before, it seems obvious that from Catherine's side, the bond was much weaker- almost non-existent, in fact- with her only receiving vague impressions of something wrong" at times. So therefore, this poor woman was stumbling around in this relationship without a clue as to what her love was feeling. It's no wonder that in "Siege" she tells Vincent oh-so-innocently that her marrying Elliot wouldn't "change" anything between them! The woman obviously hadn't a clue just how deeply he loved her or how much he was hurting at that point. It was equally obvious that at that point she was not considering him in a romantic way.
My best time to fantasize is on those nights when you're tired but simply cannot fall asleep and you allow your mind to enjoy itself. One of my favorites is the "Catherine and Vincent get to take their trip to the lake scenario. In my fantasies, I am Catherine.... I wonder, does that make me a "classic fan?
Anyways, they --- er -- we are staying at this quaint cabin that has a lovely hammock strung on the porch. Vincent is sleeping in the hammock when I sneak up and jump in with him. Now, in real life the hammock would simply flip over and dump us on the floor, BUT not so in fantasyland. I'm laughing and tickling him, while Vincent is trying to maintain his "gentlemanly" composure. When we both suddenly realize that the confinements of the hammock have placed our bodies in a very compromising position...that's when I fall asleep...and dream...and since I don't wake up while I'm dreaming about Vincent, I don't remember what happens next!
One of the features I have most enjoyed over the past two years has been "The Annotated Beast," and I've wanted to write something about the questions raised for quite some time. But something held me back, something kept nagging at me that I couldn't put my finger on. And I finally realized what it was. Granted, Vincent's letters to Catherine were written after the fact; however, we have been told that the letters were given to Catherine by Vincent "during the course of their time together." Are we supposed to believe that Catherine neither opened them nor read them? Because that's the only way I can accept her subsequent lack of action. We heard the words that came from Vincent's soul, revealing the depths of his feelings, trying to come to terms with all of the new thoughts and sensations he was experiencing because of Catherine's entrance into his life. And what sort of response do we get from her? DUH? Or was there supposed to be some sort of unspoken understanding between them that the contents of the letters were never to be referred to? Or perhaps, sometime in the future we will be permitted to see Catherine's letters to Vincent, letters in which her heart would be opened to him. Then the contents of Vincent's letters wouldn't annoy me so much. As it is, my feelings for Catherine are of the love-hate variety, and without any kind of reasonable explanation for her apparent indifference to his words, my reaction is of the profoundly negative variety.
Now that that's off my chest, I am really surprised that no one has started a dialog about "The Annotated Beast" before now, and I may very well regret my decision to be the first one on the block to do so, but here it goes.
Issue 9
Lionheart 9 was published in February 1994 and contains 27 pages.
From the editor:
I write this article on January 21, and as of this date, we are still down by approximately 100 members. But we did gain back sixty more people than we had in December, and we have not lost hope that some of our dear friends and subscribers will return along the way as happier financial times return.
Also:
A little good news for a change . . . David Schwartz has graciously agreed to do an interview with Ron Perlman for all the friends and fans who read Lionheart. Please bear in mind that this interview will only be conducted at both Mr. Perlman's and Mr. Schwartz's convenience, so there is no absolute time table set down. But questions and tapes have been sent [4], and we hope that David and Ron will be able to get together soon. We look forward to bringing you this interview sometime in the coming year, and Lionheart wishes to thank both of these generous gentleman for even considering this.
So, here's to keeping our fingers crossed, and may David and Ron's paths cross very, very soon!
- A Meeting of Minds: The Results of Our 1994 Lionheart Survey (results of The Lionheart Questionnaire) (3)
- F.Y.I.: A Finder's Guide to Beauty and the Beast Fandom (info, phone numbers, addresses for fan clubs and more) (10)
- Letters (11)
- How Sexually Compatible Are You? A Quiz (Or, could you and Vincent share the sheets without scratching each other's eye's out?), meta, not credited, but likely by Beth Blighton (15)
- poem and a word find puzzle (19)
- The Perlman Page, news, many photos of Perlman in a role where he is a soldier on a horse (20)
- A Journey Through the 'Shadowlands', essay by Beth Blighton (22)
- The Annotated Beast by Beth Blighton (inspired by Dial-a-Beast, see description of this column in issue #1) (24)
- That's a Wrap, editorial (27)
Issue 9: Excerpts from Letters
Beauty and the Beast came into my life when I needed hope. Vincent was that for me. His way with words gave me knowledge while his delicate voice made me stronger. His dreams of a different life gave me the desire to dream. For me, Vincent was breath and the courage to draw the next one.
So when CBS deemed it necessary to take that from me, things once again, became very difficult. You see, Beauty and the Beast is the essence of life. Or at least a very important part. But thanks to some very wonderful people like Nan and Beth, as well as countless others, I have once again found my "safe place." Thank you Lionheart and all of this fandom for giving me sanity in my insane world. Remember .. . share the magic.
As I sit and stare at my computer, I think about several issues I feel should be covered regarding fandom and what Beauty and the Beast truly stands for.
First off, regarding Beth Blighton's commentary (That's A Wrap, December, 1993, Issue #8) I agree wholeheartedly with her in that fandom seems to be waning. Since I moved from Chicago to California, I have lost all contact with fandom, aside from Lionheart. I used to belong to a local B&B fan club and the International fan club, who could not keep up with my constant moving (four times in one year). I have found that trying to locate fan clubs or other fans has been nearly impossible. We, as a group should think about this. What is fandom about? Certainly a movie would renew interest and bring us joy, but that is not what we represent. We are not about classic or third season shows, we are not about a movie or writing nasty letters or conventions. It is my opinion that we, as a group, should represent what Vincent stands for: love and compassion for others. The world of the tunnels was built on helping others less fortunate. It was built on the belief that everyone, no matter their race, creed, or appearance, has a place in the world. We are all in this together and should do what we can for others. Compassion is what Father built the world of the tunnels on.
I think we should take stock of ourselves and resurrect fandom and proclaim the beliefs of the tunnel world as our own. Beauty and the Beast should live on simply because of what it stands for, and those who lose interest in fandom have missed the whole point. I, too, would like to see a movie, or more fan clubs and fanzines, but if this never happens, I will never lose my faith in B&B, because it is something I carry in my heart and try to live by.
Secondly, I think it would be interesting if people would write in and tell how the spirit of B&B has helped them in their personal lives. For myself, I have gone through divorce, relocation to another state, loss of friends, and now, in my mid-thirties, I am attending college full-time to acquire my BA in English. My goal is to become a junior high school teacher. It is difficult, since I am on my own supporting myself with a part-time job and student loans. What I do when I feel discouraged is watch an episode of B&B and it helps me understand that I will someday be able to help young people, not only through teaching them the wonder of books (I wish Vincent could read poetry to my class!), but perhaps I can show a discouraged youngster that dropping out on drugs are not the answer. Like Vincent did with Mouse, I hope that I can make a difference in someone's life. I try to keep the beliefs of the tunnel world in my heart always, and it gives me strength to continue.
I wanted to address your comments in That's A Wrap. You may use this letter in the next Lionheart or not ... I'll probably write again in any case, and you can choose.
Beth, don't feel too downhearted about low subscriptions. Try not to, anyway. It is Christmas and it's been a hard year for most people. I hope by now your subscriptions are up to par so you can continue with this marvelous publication. I know I'd be very disappointed if I couldn't look forward to it.
I suppose the number of active fans out there has decreased markedly since B&B was cancelled. I imagine that new fanzines coming out will sell far fewer copies than they might have, say three years ago. But I know this as well: I only became aware that B&B fandom existed in April, 1992. I only became a fan of the show in third season (as I've said before, A Time to Heal was my first episode). In the time I've been a fan, I've written seven fanzines, several short stories, and probably thousands of letters. I probably write about seventy fans of this show on a regular or semi-regular basis. And I haven't really seen any true slowing of interest in the two years I've been involved. I still get new orders from "new" people and my regular fans are still staying faithful. (Thanks, pals!) In that time, I have also done a program at a local library on fanzines and I have "found/recruited" about five fans who had no inkling that such a wonder as B&B fandom existed. Only one of those fans has become active in the fandom, but there are four others out there who would love to see the show/movie back again.
My point is this: How many thousands of silent fans are there out there? Fans who love the show, but know absolutely nothing about fandom itself? I'd say there are a lot. Probably more than we suspect. I was one of them, so I know. B&B is currently not in syndication, so for the moment, there's a hiatus. It's hard for "new" fans to be made when they can't see the show and don't know about what is available out in fandom.
I have a mission for us .. . each of us. Can you think of any way to let "closet" fans know we're out here? It's fun to suddenly discover another friend. It's exciting to see their delight when they, too, discover that they're not alone. To share your tapes with someone and discuss it all again with yet another fresh viewpoint. It's easy. Wear your B&B T-shirts. If you write fanzines or write for fanzines, ask at a local library about doing a program on writing fiction/articles for fanzines. Not necessarily B&B only, but fanzines in general. I was even asked to do a talk at my son's school for the young authors' group on writing fanzines. I wasn't able to do this, as we moved, but I feel it was a lost opportunity. I heard there were a lot of B&B fans in the faculty .. . and who knows the inspiration it might have been for the students.
However, all this aside, Beth is quite right. We don't need a movie or an album to keep us going. We just need our own brand of Love and Hope. I see the love and the hope every day in my mailbox. From the letters I receive and send to friends I'd never have made if I hadn't discovered fandom. My B&B buddies have kept me going through thick and thin (and believe me, the last two years have definitely been thin!), and I hope I have done my part to help them do the same. We have learned the Helper's code of giving help and support to those who need it and accept help in return.
It's just a television show. Yeah. But we're not. We're Real, Now. And remember--what has been made Real by love can never be Unreal again. Be well.
I knew I had to respond [to That's a Wrap].
I thought I'd share my thoughts in general. I've been a fan of B&B since the middle of the first season. I'd be embarrassed to say exactly how many "zines" I own, but easily over 100 the last time I counted. I share your concern and empathize with you over the lower number of re-subscriptions so far to your wonderful publication. As a fan, I've cut way back on the number of zines I order each year and have become very selective, staying with authors whose work I know I liked in the past. Overall, I have rarely been disappointed. I also subscribe only to Lionheart and Once Upon A Time Is Now and I order an updated Q-Fer through Nan Dibble's Helper's Network only once a year. I'm not an "active" fan in the sense that I don't go to conventions, meetings, or write. I just loved the TV series, still follow the real-life actors' work, and enjoy reading about new insights into the series and reading exciting new works of fiction based on the series. There are so many talented individuals in fandom who do such extraordinary work that help keep the dream alive." I'm very appreciative.
Economics affecting fandom? For me, you betcha! California is financially stressed and this has directly affected me. While I love my job at a local community college, I haven't had a raise in 3 years ... and I have one daughter in college and another planning to start next Fall. I'm real careful with money and will continue to be. Also, sometimes I'm discouraged at the lack of presence of B&B out there. (I, too, loved MeatLoaf's new release and made the same associations.) I also find it depressing to see Ron Perlman's talents wasted. Also, are we running out of original tales about our favorite characters? After a while, I weary of reading similar stories in so many zines. Maybe I've just read too many and have to take a break. Then, I luck out again and read a new one that renews my interest. Example, recently received and read Possibilities 5: A Beast on Broadway and fell in love all over again. I rarely (only twice in the past) write letters to be published in the newsletters or zines. I just don't make the time and I don't feel I have much new to say. Others usually have better insight and say what I'm feeling or thinking better than I could. So, I enjoy reading their letters. Can fandom survive with silent fans like me? I don't know. Im sorry, but it's the best I can do.
My thanks to you for your hard work and for sharing your talents. I think I've read and/or own anything with the Blighton, Almedina, Dibble signature on it.
Issue 10
Lionheart 10 was published in May 1994. It was the last issue.
In it, Beth Blighton announced she was ceasing publication and was leaving fandom.
It is likely that Blighton was discouraged by declining subscriptions to the zine (something that had been observed in several issues), the failure of The Caliendo Tapes, the fact that the Beauty and the Beast movie never materialized, lack of a clear path forward with the newsletter as illustrated by responses in A Meeting of Minds: The Results of Our 1994 Lionheart Survey, minimal fan comments on the lengthy interviews she'd conducted and printed, and a desire to return to the good old days when fans and fandom was better. See Farewell.
References
- ^ Bluebird, Archived version
- ^ Bluebird, Archived version
- ^ from A Meeting of Minds: The Results of Our 1994 Lionheart Survey
- ^ The mention of "tapes have been sent" refers to Blighton sending blank cassette tapes in the mail to Schwartz, a courtesy that fans did for other fans so that the person providing a service of taping (both audio and video) did not have to foot the bill by purchasing them themselves.