Perfect

[scripsi]

Title: Perfect (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory)
Pairing: None, really
Rating: R
Category: I think disturbing content is very apt here.
A/N: Thanks to japanpeterpan for beta.

Willy Wonka just wants his collection to be perfect.

The fabric is vast. Rooms and corridors stapled onto each other. Rooms within rooms, sometimes another one, making the whole of it a labyrinth. To keep people out. To keep people in.

He started his collection by coincidence. Nothing planned at all. He had just seen something he knew he had to have. The unusual, the perfect. It was perfection he wanted, and when he found it, he had to find it a place close by. The music, the art, the beauty. Each and every item in his collection was unique, without comparison. Treated with the utmost care. Presented in a setting that made them even more luminous. Carefully thought out to enhance, always to enhance.

They are all kept close to each other in a special part of the fabric. Not together, but still close. He wanders there most every day, listens and watches and delights in what he has. He is very good in keeping them and making them grow. True, there is a darkness that seems to be unavoidable, but darkness can be perfect too. The singer’s singing is just as lovely, only his voice is tinged with sadness. The beautiful love the mother has for her child only deepens. Oh yes, he doesn't mind it at all.

But sometimes he fails, and now he has to admit defeat with the dancer. She was the most exquisite form he had ever seen. Her movements graceful but fully controlled- even the smallest muscle worked in harmony with the other. He craved her as soon as he saw her, but she never danced again. He had tried to tempt her with music, every kind of music, but she never moved.

And then she stopped eating. Not even chocolate, the richest he could made, passed her lips. Nothing. She is so thin now, but, he finds to his surprise, still perfect. Her dark skin stretches over bones, delicate and beautiful, and he realises that she is not a waste after all. Instead of her movements, it's her stillness he has to preserve.

And when all the last shallow breathing is gone, and she is still, he actually goes inside. Not for long. Just to ensure that she is posed to his liking, and then he leaves. No living creature will ever go into that room again, because now he lets the cold in. Bitter cold that wraps her in tiny glittering ice crystal. Like diamonds they glitter in the light. So beautiful. Nothing but her beauty and the ice. Perfection.

He looks at her for a long time, before he wanders off to enjoy something else.

Comments

[velvetwhip.livejournal.com]

Whoa! That is exquisite! I am truly impressed!


Gabrielle

[dancing-salome.livejournal.com]

Thank you. I was very strange to write, actually.

[dancing-salome.livejournal.com]

It was, I mean.

[velvetwhip.livejournal.com]

It was worth the effort. I was quite taken with it.


Gabrielle

[lilbreck.livejournal.com]

Very lovely!



Tonya

[dancing-salome.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

Provocative althernate universe piece.

[theidolhands.livejournal.com]

It reminds me of how a child will try to catch a butterfly. I can see Willy keeping a very special collection of things, in fact all his things are probably such, but I wonder when he met this dancer, who she is and when all of this took place. Before or after the tour?

I admire the dancer for protesting her freedom by refusing to move though, even to the bitter end. It is she I like most in the tale, who in my opinion, steals the scene. I think it would be even more provacative if the crystalized ballet dancer were prehaps to actually be seen one day...only as a sort of statue, the looker never realizing that a real body lay underneath. Or perhaps that is my urge to want to see such a thing, as I envision her in my mind's eye.

Re: Provocative althernate universe piece.

[dancing-salome.livejournal.com]

I've been carrying this fic inside since I forst saw the movie- at times Wonka seem unable to realise that humans are just humans, with feelings. I would say that it takes place before the tour, though- I'd like to think that Charlie makes him a little bit less unaware of others. :-) Or perhaps not. In that case the dancer may be seen, I guess...

Re: Provocative althernate universe piece.

[theidolhands.livejournal.com]

That was a good response and I believe I saw what you saw about the lack of compassion as well as the effect Charlie creates. Depp was so very good at putting layers into the character through his reaction to things rather than having him just state what he was thinking.

Do you like to dance, while pondering this story further (fan fics tend to linger in my brain) I realized that with your icon perhaps you were into dance? Dancers do make interesting characters.

Re: Provocative althernate universe piece.

[theidolhands.livejournal.com]

Oh, there was another element that came to mind. Dancers, particularly ballet dancers can frequently struggle with their weight and I've run across groups of people in live journal who discuss eating disorders in general. While this fic does not directly concern itself with that issue, again upon my recollection, there was a romance to the starvation that I think has an appeal (as I initially discussed). Another eerie but elegant element in the tale.

Re: Provocative althernate universe piece.

[dancing-salome.livejournal.com]

I can't imagine anyone else than Depp playing Wonka now, just because he managed to give the charcater such a depth. ANd so subtle! ;y kid loves the movie- he is 7, and I'm sure he hasn't caught up on Wonka's more disturbing sides.

No, I don't dance, well, at least not as well as I could wish, but I like to watch dancing very much. I also once went to a school that shared eating facilities with a ballet school, and have seen and heard how the girls there sounded when eating. "Oh good, I've eaten two meatballs- I was only going to eat one." (Actual overheard conversation) So the starvation as an escape for the dancer felt pretty natural.

Re: Provocative althernate universe piece.

[theidolhands.livejournal.com]

I love imagining your son watching the movie. For myself, I am trying to remember how old I was when I saw Gene do the performance...rather young. What I remember was that I was fascinated and frightened by Wonka at the same time, I remembered wanting to be Charlie very badly and since I was poor and wore bad hand-me-down sweaters felt a sort of kinship with him (also I was an innocent youth). I kid you not, we were SO poor that my mother could not afford sweets!! She called it "junkfood" and informed us that they were "empty calories" and not afford to buy us things with no nutrition. I grew up very hungry. Hm...maybe I was your son's age, but I know every time I got a chance to see the movie I would watch it and Wonka would scare me and I would like it. I use that element in my storywriting and Depp made it all the better. Strangely, due to the experiences of my life, I have become far more like Wonka than Charlie and I use that knowledge in what I write too. At first, I couldn't explain why this movie gripped my imagination so tightly, but just my words here would explain a great deal of it. When I discovered the slash elements, a new taboo was introduced to me and I found myself intrigued with the ideas of it all; I began to see a plausibility in such a unique romance that I couldn't shake off. I don't need it to enjoy the tale, but I've certainly enjoyed playing with it.

There is so much to play with in this universe. I couldn't be more impressed with Burton's ideas and how it was all implimented. I'm terribly envious of everyone who worked on the set.

It seems that for the second half of my life, I have been listening to women go on about their food. I will say this, I don't like it and I've never said that to anyone but my mother. In fact, I am sick of listening to women obsess over what they eat and their wieight, however I will never shout about it because I know exactly how it happens to them and I pity that. I would beg them not to listen so much or go and on about it, I don't think it can't help them. I think obsessing over weight is very negative, that getting happier in life will tend to result in healthier patterns in general. And besides, I am not as tempted by less nurtritious food as many others; an interesting benefit to my strained upbringing. Funny how life works.

I shouldn't blather so. Forgive me, it's my nature. I have been seeing the frozen dancer in my head for days though.

May I ask, what is your icon from? It has always caught my attention.

Re: Provocative althernate universe piece.

[dancing-salome.livejournal.com]

I didn't saw Gene's version until I was an adult, and then I didn't like it. But the book was read on TV, with very good illstrations. The actor who did it was a very good one- but he could be really creepy at times, and sometimes the reading was far from child-friendly. It facinated me, though, and to me Depp's Wonka gave me the same facination.

I think the attutude to food is very disturbing in many corners of our Western world. Sweden and the US seem to be quite alike there. France embraces good food in a whole other way. Funnily enough I've never seen much overweight people in France.

I love blather. In fact, I hope you don't mind that I friend you. :-)

My icon is made from a painting by Franz von Stuck

That picture is terrific!

[theidolhands.livejournal.com]

I see a whole new meaing looking at it in the full version. Firstly I never noticed that the shadow was some strange sort of man or woman (nearly an exaggeratioin of a black person? The nose and lips seem very broad) and...s/he seems to be carrying a severed head with a halo. Is it Jesus? And it appears as if the cosmos is behind the dancer..in a grass skirt? Like a Hawaiin? But that doesn't fit the jewelry...Hm.

Oh good, you like blather! *applauds like a seal* Me too, I'll read it as fast as I'll type it. Of course I don't mind if you friend me. I'm weird, but I'm friendly. Let me go 'friend' you back so you can look at "my goodies".

Re: That picture is terrific!

[dancing-salome.livejournal.com]

Salome was the step-daughter of Herod, who lusted after her. She, on the other hand was in love with John the Baptist, who rejected her. Her mother, who wanted John dead, made her to promise to dance for Herod, in exchange for whatever she wanted. Which was John's head on a platter. She got her wish, but when she kissed the head, Herod was so disgusted so he had her crushed to death.

Oscar Wilde wrote a very good play about it, and it's from there I took my LJ-name.

Re: That picture is terrific!

[theidolhands.livejournal.com]

I don't think I knew that story and I love it. Thank you for telling it to me. I must say, I've found the reason people choose thier names/identities on Live Journal to be REALLY interesting; at least usually with creative types. They seldom choose their identities Willy nilly. I went Willy, but not "nilly". Oh dear, that was a pun worthy of the candymaker.

Re: That picture is terrific!

[dancing-salome.livejournal.com]

I really recomend Wilde's play, especially if it has the original Art Noveau illustration. By Abruey Beardley, I think. I've been facinated by Salome since I was a kid and saw Rita Hayworth play her. ANd then I grew into Wilde, and became a little more infatuated. You can read her in many way, as an intrigant, spoiled slut, or a young girl who are used by her peers for their own motives, and has to pay dearly for it.

See, now I'm yalking away. Well, strat me up on literature, or movies, and I'll go one forever.

Re: That picture is terrific!

[theidolhands.livejournal.com]

I appreciate it. I think multiple interpritations of that character would be great; the character does ask to be examined from more than one point of view (like another someone that I tend to enjoy).

What type of movies/literature do you tend to like. Do you have a journal entry about it? I tend to prowl through the journals of new friends eventually but feel free to give me direction if need be.

Re: That picture is terrific!

[dancing-salome.livejournal.com]

I've always been facinated withcharacters that can be both good and evil. WOnka is one of them, obviously. ANd Peter Pan and Captain Hook is another- most of my fics are about Hook...

I do tend to impose my thoughts of literature and music, but at pretty irregular occasions. I'm not really bound by any specific genres, but read and watch what takes my fancy. Anyway, my LJ is more about interests- to the point of pointlessness- than hwat goes on in my RL.

[initial-aitch.livejournal.com]

I've been waiting for this!
Beautiful nightmare-ish imagery. So chilling with "perfect darkness"--to break someone as delicate as a dancer. The ease with which he loses interest and moves on is particularly striking...and typical of a disturbed collector.
Have you ever read The Collector by John Fowles?

[dancing-salome.livejournal.com]

I have! I've totally forgotten, but it must have been in the back of my head. I read it, mostly by mistake, when I was 13, or so. I remember that it disturbed me deeply.

[initial-aitch.livejournal.com]

Oh good, because I wasn't sure if I was actually recommending that you read it or not! I mean, your Wendy usually suffers a similar imprisonment, but The Collector is a difficult read. I'd seen the film first, accidentally. The movie is actually rather erotic, but the book is highly disturbing. I'm afraid to read it again!

[dancing-salome.livejournal.com]

I don't think i would recommend it either. I haven't seen the movie, I haven't dared. Perhaps I should. Poor Wendy, I never thought about that- I can guess I can add The Collector to childhood influuences then...