December 9, 2010

Richard Armitage as Thorin(see Dwalin interview below) + The Belsnickel:) + New Spooks Vid + SeanBean/DawnFrench Pic + Series 8 Ep 1 + Gift Basket Poll + Pix Including the Laura Eye Contact Collection:)



This news is so interesting that it deserves to interrupt all the unnerving eye contact pics:)
In a recent interview Graham McTavish revealed that all the actors read as Thorin - he was then asked to return to tryout for the Dwalin role.  We know who ultimately won the Thorin Role -- hehehe -- wouldn't you agree that we deserve to gloat somewhat over our ability to pick winners. *wide gloating grin* ;)  Here's the link and excerpt from the interview...

>Question: That’s very good. Well, how did you end up auditioning for “The Hobbit?”

Graham McTavish(Dwalin):  My managers and agents had set the meeting up – the original one. And, I went in, and everybody, I believe, this is, I think pretty common in terms of other actors I’ve spoken to who went up for it, everybody read Thorin as a kind of test I suppose. And, what was interesting is that you were never aware that it was a test, which I kind of like, actually. And, you know, I read Thorin and it went pretty well. And, uh, the costume director asked me to come back almost straight away to read for Dwalin, and, um, which I did.<
http://www.theonering.net/torwp/2010/12/09/41267-torn-exclusive-graham-dwalin-mctavish-interview/

                     


Translator please:)...Lucas North Ojos Osi by Tassuett..

 

Spooks: Series 8, Ep 1..



****
Interesting information about Tolkien's Middle Earth..
Did Sean Bean make a guest appearance on Vicar of Dibley in an early series? Why is Dawn French in a wedding dress -- was it really her wedding he attended or did she have another dream as the Vicar?  Look at this adorable pic of the two of them..(Update: Musa provided the explanation for the pic: "It's a dream sequence in one of the VoD episodes. SB saves her from marrying the wrong man. She had to wait for Harry after all.")
Breathed a sigh of relief today when the complete Col Sharpe boxed set arrived for DH.  He'll be so surprised.  We'll watch one each week -- should hold us over until Game of Thrones begins early Apr.  Just noticed today that BBC-A will air The Tudors starting in Jan 2011.  All in all TV content should be far improved next year.  We don't watch very often, but with the promised better programming, will probably add to our brief list of shows. (Update: One below isn't the complete set but it certainly is a great photo of the Colonel...who I learned yesterday started as a Major in ep 1 of the Sharpe series)
****
Here's proof that compact can be gorg...err,, can't say it..not about Harry Potter;)..cute is more appropriate.  Still can't believe how strong the resemblance is to RA. 
Isn't this an unusual book cover for Stephen King's latest.  In this wk's Ent Weekly, the writer gave the 10 Fav Books that he's read in 2010..list below..
Starting w/#10: City of Thieves(David Benioff); The Help(Kathryn Stockett); Swamplandia!(Karen Russell); Blood's a Rover(James Ellroy); Matterhorn(Karl Marlantes); Last Night in Twisted River(John Irving); Savages(Don Winslow); I'd Know You Anywhere(Laura Lippman); Freedom(Jonathan Franzen); King's #1 fav is Infinite Jest(David Foster Wallace)






Been remiss in adding Christmas market links because webcams for such events are not nearly as common as they once were.  It appears the UK Guardian newspaper has been of some assistance..
Believe there are links to German markets as well at the Guardian website.  It's very appropriate for so many German-type markets to have opened for the Christmas season - it was Queen Victoria's consort,  Prince Albert of Hanover Germany, who introduced the first Christmas tree to Western Europe and of course the Saxons in the term Anglo-Saxon originally migrated from Germany. 

In the US, a few earliest immigrant groups, such as the Amish/Menonites (Lancaster, PA) and Moravians (Bethlehem, PA) brought their Christmas traditions from their 'fatherland' to their new homeland (their Father Christmas - the Belsnickel - visited 'good' children with gifts on Xmas Eve--he gave a piece of coal to those reported as a bit naughty during the year:)  Many late 19th century US immigrants had their origins in what was called Prussia at that time..believe it was in western Germany.  Hubby's maternal ancestors came from the area called Westphalia.  His paternal tree branch was from either Co Mayo or Donegal..still trying to nail that one down:)  One of his ancestors belonged to the Kaiser's Army(Cavalry)--a family member has a very tattered photo of him in military uniform astride his horse.  Don't believe he deserted:O but I do know he was anxious to flee the turmoil,  and subsequently instilled deep love in his descendants for his newly adopted motherland. 

****
Instead of 'visions of sugarplums dancing in his head' on the night before Christmas,  will one 'li'l boy' *cough* dream of...

15 comments:

Laura said...

Oh, sweet Jesus!!! I had three heart attacks looking at these!!

Ricrar said...

hahaha...great Laura - they're only some of RA's searing-eyes pix.

What thoughts must he entertain to conjure up that deep gaze into the cold, hard camera lens? Perhaps there's always a curvy, beautiful female behind it snapping the pix -- that would help get the desired smoldering stare:)

Hopefully he's not thinking to himself "I'm getting terribly bored & hungry..hope this is the last da%n pic for the day." Ruins the whole effect, doesn't it.

Laura said...

Ok, I'll admit it. It's me he's thinking of. :D

Laura said...

Oh, and you see that smile of contentment on the second-to-last? I did that, too. *wink*

Ricrar said...

hmmm, Laura, sounds as though you've been having some great day dreams or night...all good;)

Laura said...

my mother always taught me, if you're going to dream... dream big!

Ricrar said...

Mine too -- hubby is 6'4"
...recognizable pattern, isn't there;)

He also has a large personality and was professionally required to develop his speaking voice...only distinct difference I can think of is -- DH prefers vanilla flavored treats(including fragrance scents) while RA is a chocoholic like me.

Hope your enjoying the hustle & bustle of preparations -- only 2wks to go..yikes! I've almost given up on seeing VoD on BBC-A this time...ah well, we can't have everything(said w/tongue in cheek) Counting my blessings but ran out of fingers & toes:)

Musa said...

Isn't that a great Sean Bean and Dawn French pic! It's a dream sequence in one of the VoD episodes. SB saves her from marrying the wrong man. (She had to wait for Harry after all).

Love the caps of the BBCAmerica interview with RA. One of my favorite interviews, I think I watch it almost once a week!

Ricrar said...

The BBC interview - that was the first one I'd watched on youtube after receiving the N&S dvd as a gift. Richard impressed me as so darn sincere I kept thinking to myself "this guy is too good to be true." Decided to do more research on the crucial topic;) and actually, as you know, have never stopped. Unlike the 'meaning of life' quest, for some inscrutable reason(his voice comes to mind) never felt it was the right time to stop this research project.*how sweet it is*

RA's masculine gestures & deep hardy laugh during the BBC interview, didn't help fight off the growing interest. In fact, my first post at an RA forum was to state that upon discovering he was living with his girlfriend(at that time), my internal green light was triggered, and I was thoroughly convinced it wouldn't be wasted time to swoon about this particular actor.

I know you're interested in Sean Bean, so I'm going to post the cover from the Col Sharpe box set. Believe it's the same one that arrived yesterday for DH's Xmas gift. If not the exact set, it's still a great pic. I watched part of the first ep when he was out on an errand, just to check the quality, which is terrific. Can't wait til he opens it - The Sharpe books & dvds are among his absolute favorites.

Musa said...

RicRAR - I think your DH and I share a love for Sharpe! I hope you enjoy the series as well. I first saw a bit of the series on PBS in the 90's. I've seen all episodes several times as I have all the DVD's and have read all the Sharpe books. I would say my favorite Sean Bean role. Something about a man with a sword! Maybe I will watch a bit of Sharpe this month as well, it's been quite a while since I have.

Speaking of RA and his wonderful interviews, I see several of the actors in "The Hobbit" being interviewed and no one has asked him how he feels about being cast at Thorin. Way overdue I say!

Ricrar said...

I've seen many of the more recent eps, but never the very 1st of the series until yesterday. My foreign ears had a much more difficult time understanding all Sean's lines in ep1 than in the later ones. Patrick sounds the same throughout---have almost as heavy a crush on him as Col Sharpe. Love his sense of humor.

No need to mention the name, but are you aware who LN is on Twitter? I'm certain it's a female w/a raunchy & hilarious sense of humor. She's made me LOL a few times - for instance, last wk when sHE complained about a bent antenna..teehee..love the double entendres:)

OML mentioned a few mos ago that the woman was identified when Spooks9 began but all who knew the identity agreed to zip their lips. In the meantime, sHe's lured quite a harem of followers. haha...the banter is really funny.

Thought I saw somewhere today that there's an RA photo shoot in the UK Sunday Times? Maybe it's an interview about The Hobbit. Hope so.

Musa said...

Daragh O'Malley! Sharpe and Harper will ride again!

New RA photo shoot! Rescue for those of us suffering from withdrawal. Thanks for the heads-up.

I don't know who LN is on Twitter, but whoever it is, as you say, is very clever, funny, and smart. Very funny and fun for all of us. I do wonder who thought of all of them on Twitter- was it one person that had the idea, or a group. Whoever had the idea, very clever indeed. (Would make sense that it's a woman who knows qualities of the man in question well, and knows all of us well too -LOL!).

Musa said...

Ojos Asi

short translation of chorus-

I've been around the world and I haven't found eyes like that, eyes like you have (or eyes like yours).

Ricrar said...

Thx for the translation, Musa:)

It's not only the color of Richard's eyes, which are a gorgeous shade, but the size as well - they're extra large - in proportion to his stature in general. Of course, he uses them to great advantage during a performance. Often wonder how actresses keep their focus when those blue lagoons are staring so intently into her soul...that's how intense they seem anyway. What if the rivetting gaze is caused by him thinking..."what the h#ll is my next line--can't remember!" hehe

Must've been wrong about the RA photo shoot - perhaps the comment was made about someone else and I assumed it was RA. Why would they bother mentioning it, if it's not him. haha;)

Musa said...

...and those, long, long lashes...