PWN teen writers share their favorite books, movies, TV shows, and more every Friday to inspire young writers. We believe that the best way to become a stronger writer is to immerse yourself in other storytelling forms.
This week, teen writer Xander Smith shares a favorite show, movie, and graphic novel.
Peaky Blinders
Created by Steven Knight
Peaky Blinders is by far my favorite show. Taking place in England during the Prohibition Era, Peaky Blinders revolves around World War 1 veteran Thomas Shelby and his family, who took their experiences in France and became a razor gang in Birmingham, going by the title The Peaky Blinders. If you’re a fan of history, crime shows, or even just things that are well written, then I suggest logging onto Netflix and checking out this phenomenal show!
Dracula’s Daughter
Directed by Lambert Hiller
We all know the classic universal films—Bela Lugosi’s Dracula, Boris Karloff’s Frankenstein, and Lon Chaney Jr.’s Wolfman—but I feel that this film has unfortunately been lost to time, and it’s truly a shame because this film is definitely up there as one of the best Monster Mash films. In fact, a lot of horror historians will tell you that it was the last of the classic universal horror films that was actually horror before the movies became campy. The movie itself revolves around the title character, Countess Marya Zaleska, who is the daughter of the infamous Count Dracula. She is struggling with being a vampire and wants to be free of it, since she sees it as a curse. Will she overcome the curse, or will she succumb? If I haven’t convinced you to watch this movie already, I don’t know how I can!
Batman: The Long Halloween
Written by Jeph Loeb
This graphic novel is the comic book that influenced Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight, and like most things, the source material is much better than the movie. The book revolves around Batman teaming up with Commissioner James Gordon and Harvey Dent, the DA, to take down Don Carmine Falcone, the mafia boss of Gotham city, who’s reach is so vast that it is compared to the Roman Empire. The book is not only a phenomenal introduction to the Batman universe, but it is also a good transition for the characters themselves, as when the mafia falls, a new type of crime rises, and that crime results in the supervillains that pop-culture has come to know and love.
Bridge Ink 