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The camera mode available on your NookPhone in Animal Crossing: New Horizons makes it easy to capture memories. Some — including, admittedly, myself — have used it, and Gulliver’s early arrival, as a way of paying homage to Robert Eggers’ black and white horror film The Lighthouse.
The film, which focuses on two lighthouse keepers stranded at their remote post by a raging storm and their descent into madness, is as far as possible in tone from Animal Crossing, but the camera mode’s ability to switch into black-and-white make it less remote.
One of the key moments, in which Willem Dafoe’s character warns Robert Pattinson’s that it’s “bad luck to kill a seabird” has become a player favorite, as the early days of the game find a seagull character named Gulliver washing up prone on the players’ beaches. Though talking to him enough will eventually wake him up, it’s hard to pass up the chance the photo opportunity.
I seen you sparring with a gull. Best leave them be. Bad luck to kill a seabird. #AnimalCrossing #ACNH pic.twitter.com/xAYMviQJNs
— Skeleton McGhee (@SkeletonMcGhee) March 23, 2020
'Tis bad luck to kill a seabird! #AnimalCrossing #ACNH #NintendoSwitch pic.twitter.com/Xw5qnXJvYH
— Krysta Brown (@KonanXD_) March 21, 2020
“Bad luck to kill a seabird.” (2018)#AnimalCrossingNewHorizons pic.twitter.com/sDS4H2RzFc
— shaysa (@LoveShaysa) March 23, 2020
bad luck to kill a seabird pic.twitter.com/oCWcyDLbh6
— Sarah (@damainwayne) March 22, 2020
bad luck to kill a seabird pic.twitter.com/FGcz1ZSjRO
— courtney n. (@crvptozoology) March 22, 2020
Some players have taken things a step further, using the black and white camera mode (and inviting other players over) to try recreating other scenes.
Animal Crossing presents...
— Roberto Silva (@robsilva97) March 23, 2020
The Lighthouse pic.twitter.com/EdfOVbnPRr
#AnimalCrossing #ACNH #NintendoSwitch The Lighthouse (2019) Directed by Robert Eggers pic.twitter.com/Mf7L23fsMj
— Doc Crog (@DocCrog) March 23, 2020
what if i recreated shots from the lighthouse in animal crossing #ACNH pic.twitter.com/1qOyTPB6Oj
— adrian (@johns27a) March 23, 2020
The Lighthouse (2019) #AnimalCrossing #ACNH #NintendoSwitch pic.twitter.com/HrghSDKjyE
— wowitsbryce (@wowitisbryce) March 23, 2020
On a less obvious note, recreations of scenes from Portrait of a Lady on Fire have also taken off, which begs the question: What movie is next?
Coming soon to a Nintendo Switch near you, PORTRAIT OF A LADY ON FIRE: The Animal Crossing Cut.
— NEON (@neonrated) March 23, 2020
Courtesy of @Xiaoyi_no pic.twitter.com/PFyf5EMqDy