Kevin Jay Stanton - Favorite Love Story

I realized that while I do watch a lot of romantic movies, I tend to think of the romance as somewhat secondary. The forerunners for this project were initially two of my favorite movies - The Fifth Element and Ever After. But neither of them really resonate for me romantically. Frankly I just like Bruce Willis, Milla Jovovich and Drew Barrymore kicking ass. All of my ideas revolved around heroic poses of them.

So I went back and decided on A Very Long Engagement, which can truly be called a romantic movie. In highschool I would sigh about how deep Mathilde's love for Manech was and how strong their bond was, and think about that mournful tuba. Also, Marianne Cotillard is a serious badass in this, and I'm all about that. Oh and for anyone who hasn't seen the film - "MMM" stands for "Manech aime Mathilde" and is carved into the bell of a church where the lovebirds grew up.

At the moment I'm trying a bunch of new techniques to flesh out ideas and this seemed like a good opportunity to do so!

Jenna Kass - Favorite Love Story

My absolute favorite love story, Beren and Lúthien, comes from The Silmarillion. (spoiler: I'm a huge Tolkien nerd.)

To be as brief as possible: He was a mortal man, and to be worthy of the daughter of an Elven king, he vowed to get a Silmaril from the crown of Morgoth (Sauron's old boss). Lúthien follows him, and they journey together, surviving by each others' strength. They do actually get the Silmaril, but Morgoth's wolf bites Beren's hand off still holding it.

The wolf is slain, and the Silmaril recovered, but Beren dies - and as a mortal, it is a final death. Except that Lúthien tells him to wait in the Halls of the Dead, and goes to the lord of that realm, and is so eloquent in her grief that she is allowed to bring Beren back to the land of the living, as long as she gives up her own immortality.

Sarah Gay - Favorite Love Story

Marla Singer + Tyler Durden

(Fight Club)

Amanda Atkins - Favorite Love Story

I have always adored E. E. Cummings and the elephant valentines he drew with crayon and oils yearly for his wife, Marion Morehouse. The New York Public Library can teach you more about these beautiful gifts of love.

I love the idea of a specific animal acting as a sort of symbol for the love shared by two people - something that can be called upon again and again as time goes on.

Stacey Lee - Favorite Love Story

"Conversation, like certain portions of the anatomy, always runs more smoothly when lubricated."

I'm not really a fan of romance, and I tend to avoid love stories like the plague.  Except for Quills. Maybe it's because it's main character is brilliantly filthy.  Maybe it's because he speaks to the sinner and the saint in all of us.  Maybe it's because Joaquin Phoenix is a total babe.

Jason Cheeseman-Meyer - Favorite Love Story

I'm old enough now that Romeo and Juliet feels like a story about impetuous youth self-destructing through their adolescent view of reality rather than a love story.  But Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash -- that's a love story.  Two people, married to other people when they met, famous, self-destructive, painfully addicted, but they pull it together, and endure for a lifetime, living together, working together, rarely leaving each others' side.  It's not a pretty story, but it's a powerful one.

Lee Moyer - Favorite Love Story

Craig Maher - Favorite Love Story

Oh Molly, you'll always be my favorite.