Yesterday, I spoke about Mr. Armitage as a miracle.
Now, after seeing "The Hobbit" and the late interviews with him about it, I can definitely say, he is.
Richard Armitage interviewed in London (YouTube - RACentral, 12.12.12), predicts my reaction to seeing the film (at about [3:00]):
It ["The Hobbit" film by Sir Peter Jackson] will make you want to come back and see it again.
Seeing it once is not nearly enough.
I want to see the film again and again and again to grab every little and lovingly created detail of the film. It is so much a world of its own - and you know, I don't really like J.R.R. Tolkien's story of "The Hobbit", but I very much like, what Sir Peter Jackson made of it.
I won't reveal anything about Thorin or the story now, when some of you did not yet have a chance to see the film so far, but can reveal that I have not been left down in my high expectations and entirely love the first part.
Too long? Whoever said or implied that, did not get the grip of the story. Every second is well worth it and it ended much too soon for my liking.
What I don't like about J.R.R. Tolkiens story, gets a sense, a connection and is embedded in its background, to make it a round and sound story with full grown characters, which - sorry J.R.R.Tolkien fans - it is not in the author's version.
I can also report and assure you, I had no sign of motion sickness during the eintire film! (Saw it in 48fr 3D) And I must admit, I am heavily plagued with it and mostly remember places we visited in my childhood because of ... (I won't get into any more details ;o)
IngeD3 posted a wonderful report about her seeing "The Hobbit" here. (Without spoilers, so can safely be read, even if you have not seen the film yet.)
So have fun with "The Hobbit" and if you like, share your own experiences with me.
Almost one year ago, I wrote something, which came back to me in a clash, when I read a late interview with Mr. Armitage about his role as Thorin Oakenshield in "The Hobbit".
You know, I especially admire his singing as revealed in the trailer published on December 21st 2011. New video of the song published by The1neRing on YouTube:
RA's comment about what he intended and what image he had in his mind when singing this song, attracted my closest attention:
RA was asked the following question in the L'Ecran Fantastique Interview, 24.11.2012: Which are your favourite Thorin moments that we will get to see in this first episode?
[...] this song all the Dwarves sing together in front of Bilbo is a moment of fervour almost religious in nature, which marks the beginning of their quest towards the Blue (sic - Misty) Mountains. When I recorded this song, I imagined it had been sung to Thorin time and time again when he was still a little baby in his crib, and that it also aroused a strong emotional identification amongst the other Dwarves. [...] It's a very beautiful sequence.
(Quoted after Lexie171170's translation for RichardArmitageNet.com)
Why especially this quote, when in his latest interviews, RA might have told lots of more spectacular things?
Because for me it holds the quintessence of what makes Mr. Armitage so singular and for me so important in my life. For me, this small comment shows the greatness of RA's talent.
If you compare my comment about what I experienced in reaction to RA singing this song at the end of my last year's christmas wish post, you will understand, that the similarity of the projected image just hit me like a thunderbolt.
How can he send me such an intense picture with his voice alone - and not with his normal speaking voice, but with the limited, because strongly regulated, repertoire of his singing voice?
How can he, as actor, tell a whole story with his voice alone?
I had the image of a child in the crib in my mind, while hearing him sing this song.
And I think I have mentioned, I am not the most visual of persons, as my eyes are rather lazy and build pictures comparably slow and rudimentary.
So you will understand, that I was quite stunned, when Mr. Armitage in the interview revealed this image, which seemed to come right out of my head ;o)
This marks a really great actor and was the most stunning fan-experience for me.
The effect of the song, whenever I hear it, is devastating on all my senses and this song alone will guarantee that the evening of seeing "The Hobbit" today, is well spent.
(I still hope, Sir Peter Jackson will consider a separate production of songs accompanying the marketing of "The Hobbit": "The History of the Dwarves, sung by their king Thorin Oakenshield, i.e. Richard Armitage).
I gladly spend the day, celebrating such a wonderful actor.
As I have mentioned, I don't care if the film is good (the only thing I hope is, that I will not suffer motion thickness like I did in the 3D "Ring of Fire" production, of which I was not even able to see 1/3, but it will not stop me from hearing the song in super - what is it called? - surround quality ;o) ).
I go to celebrate Mr. Armitage today !
Cheers and I hope you all can join in on the celebrations soon !!!
If the English towns can't decide where to bury King Richard III, I would suggest some neutral ground.
Perhaps Bavaria?
You smile? - Believe me, it really would have some points in its favour, e.g.
it has rough climate, which is associated with the English north,
the people are naturally grumpy, which also is said to be part of the Northern mentality of England,
Bavaria has lovely catholic churches enough to chose from
it is neutral ground, as King Richard had no bad experiences, enmities or betraials from Bavarians whatsoever
and in addition, Bavarians nowadays love their Kings, even when they had their bad sides as well
Bavarians only revolted and rose up, when their kings tried to swap or sell them or the kings had 'affairs de coeur' outside their marriage, so King Richard is at no danger at all here.
Füssen - Artificial lake in front of Castle Neuschwanstein
King Richard really could feel at home in Bavaria and relax.
As both towns, Leicester and York temporarily were against King Richard and his family, Bavaria, which never opposed him, but together with the emperor even sent some soldiers to his aid, really could start a 'rescue party' ;o)
I sit back and am curiously watching the escalating fight with now a new party. (I must extend my rose analogy somehow, as now there are Westminster, York, Leicester and Worksop, fighting more or less for the king.)
In my opinion the whole fighting has one really good side, it keeps King Richard III at the top of the news, when otherwise the interest would have gone down, till the results of the mtDNA research come in. So it is an excellent marketing technique for our 'forgotten' king under a carpark and seems like he has his hands in it somehow.
But regarding otherworldly and magical influences, we will hear more soon ... After all, Halloween is fast approaching ;o)
... only this time, there are three roses involved.
Should this tell us somehow, that there is a freemasons' conspiracy behind this all?
Even "Spooks" visually brought in the topic in connection to politics, by placing the Home Secretary William Towers (= Simon Russell Beale) in front of a freemasons window with different significant symbols.
York for sure is the white rose,
Leicester might take over the red rose from Lancaster, as it is where the victor placed King Richard III,
but what colour would the third rose have?
If we follow the freemasons symbolism, it has to be a pink rose.
The underlying symbolism behind the three roses:
White = The beginning, the birth, the start into life, the purity, the innocence Pink = the life itself, its joys, as well as worries and burdens, the mixture of light and darkness in reality Red = the death, the ending, the resolution to it all, the fulfillment
These are only a few of the potential readings of these symbols, but I don't want to give you a lecture about the freemasons roses, but about the new War of the Roses.
Leicester, York and Westminster (London) are fighting over King Richard III.
Leicester = red York = white London = pink
In a poll on KRA you now can chose freely where you would see the fitting resting place for King Richard III. As supporters of King Richard III, we have discovered our king long before politicians and the marketing departments of the tourism industry.
By reading any further, you state, that you are at least 18 years old.
The following content contains violence and situations, which might be offensive for some readers.
So be warned and do not read on, if James Bond like situations do not appeal to you.
A bonus-video today. Please excuse the obsession of a London- and ship-lover ;o)
Al hid in a church, not one he was very familiar with, but his hiding in a catholic church off the main tourist tracks would ensure, that nobody would likely know him or connect him to ‘Lucas North’.
Night fell and he stayed hidden during the night. He avoided unnecessary movement from his hiding place to avoid setting off the most certainly installed alarm system. When in the early morning hours the church was opened again, he came out of his comfortable hiding place in the priest’s seat of a confessional, remained in a church bench for a while longer and then unobtrusively left the church.
The city already began to come alive though it was still dark. He moved closer to his meeting point, where he had arranged to be picked up. Closer to the Thames embankment and closer to the parliament building and his old working place. Where better to hide than in close sight?
A self-conscious smile crossed his face, before he collected himself and walked on to hide beneath the bridge, where he would be picked up in about an hour. The sound of an approaching motor boat got him to full alert. It was still long before the arranged time. A police boat came upriver. He hid behind a barrier, but the boat drove on, but minutes later returned with full speed.
They turned the boat around again, departed some way up the river and came back again as if in search of something.
When they slowed down the boat near the bridge and cut off the motor, he heard them speak.
“… not up to speed. Turn it round and let’s try again farther upriver …” before they departed for the final time.
They were just testing new police equipment. Al silently released his breath in utter relief.
When the boat he waited for took him up an hour later, he was quite sure that Harry must have kept silent about the wrong body. Otherwise his troups would be all over London by now.
Al was still not sure about Harry’s motives, but time would have to show.
His way lead him via a trailer boat upriver, where he met another one, with which he in disguise as a helper would go back downriver to the international freight harbor farther down the Thames River.
There he would get on the vessel he really intended, with which he would leave the country. The cargo ship with the destiny …
By reading any further, you state, that you are at least 18 years old.
The following content contains violence and situations, which might be offensive for some readers.
So be warned and do not read on, if James Bond like situations do not appeal to you.
‘Lucas’ was on high alert, when he heard the sound of an approaching helicopter. Had all his scheming been for nothing and had Harry figured out that all was a fake so soon?
He hid behind a car, cracked open the back lid and looked up, to see the helicopter. It came closer in a direct line to him as if it knew exactly where to find him. He evaluated his possible escape routes, where no helicopter might follow. He had well memorized all possible streets and routes, where no observation cameras were installed.
The small dot grew and with some relief ‘Lucas’ recognized it to be a military helicopter. No danger from that part so soon. They had announced major troup transfers and that pilot must have a soft spot for the sights of London, before he left for Afghanistan or some other crisis in the world.
There was no connection to him and he wondered how Harry would react. Would his curiosity win over his interest to hunt him down? His making it public that he, ‘Lucas’, was not dead, would make all Harry’s efforts to find out the truth obsolete, as it would leak out, as all the rest of their secret operations lately had and he most likely would not be the first to get hold of ‘Lucas’ for questioning. If anybody else would find him first, there would be no time for questioning him any longer as those forces sniffing around them would most likely want him dead. This was the reasoning, ‘Lucas’ depended on. He was sure Harry would come to the same result and that Harry’s curiosity about his real motives would win. The only weak spot in his calculations was, that this reasoning depended on Harry not being the leak himself and with what he had found out about him lately, he was no longer sure about that.
The helicopter indeed turned and in a straight line descended to disappear on the wide horizon over the Thames River.
With relief ‘Lucas’ left his hiding spot and continued on his way.
London - time to say good bye. He would not come back for a while, if he could help it. And as it seemed, at least for now, no-one would hinder his departure.
He took a deep conscious breath and slowly released the air again. Spring blossoms made the breeze sweet. He would miss London, as he had missed it during his time in Russia. Though his work schedule always had been harsh and left him no time for a private life, still the atmosphere of hectic activity the city emitted was unique to him.
He had never before recognized that he held sentimental feelings for the town. In Russia he had simply thought it was freedom he craved and that he wanted to evade further torture, but it was more than that. Here he felt at home, here was the place he grew up and had started to fight his way up in the world.
By reading any further, you state, that you are at least 18 years old.
The following content contains violence and situations, which might be offensive for some readers.
So be warned and do not read on, if James Bond like situations do not appeal to you.
Intrigue - The Beginning
The ending of "Spooks 9" - where it all began...
Harry Pierce stepped back from the rim of the building.
Absolutely in shock he ignored the ringing of his mobile phone.
Lucas, he still thought of him as Lucas North, had rather killed himself than to shoot him and escape.
The picture of the body in that unnatural position on the top of a car down at the street remained glued in front of his eyes.
More than his own son he had felt Lucas to be one of his own. To see his development in the service, his brilliance emitting from all his actions, his coping with difficult situations in the job. To observe each of his progresses had made him feel incredibly proud.
His own son with his drug addiction always had refused his influence, his caring, his support. He had evaded his influence wherever and whenever he could. Lucas on the contrary had always cherished even the least sign of his attention.
Harry Pierce grimaced as if in pain. He on purpose had withheld his feedback and fatherly guidance. He had felt he had failed Ros with his guidance to always do her ultimate best. She should have left the building, when she could. But instead of saving her life, she had died in trying to rescue the home-secretary in foolhardy bravery.
Harry heavily felt the burden of having failed to save either her or him or, as it was, his son, who always was so close to total ruin.
Since Lucas’ return from Russia, no real discussion or chat among friends had occurred. He had drawn back behind a wall, to keep his feelings safe and in the process had ignored all the problems around him, instead of solving them.
It had been wrong of him to let Lucas cope with the traumatic experiences of his imprisonment all on his own, but it had woken deeply buried fears of his own, about his time of imprisonment in Ireland. For a short time he had been held prisoner and had been tortured. He had not been able to walk upright for a whole month, after he had been able to escape his guards. The nightmares still kept him up some nights and he still only could manage to cope with it by evading every thought about this time. The therapist back then had declared him fit for service again, as he had gone through all his nightmares in detail, but when they came back, he just escaped by totally refusing to think about the whole event.
His old fears had prevented him to safe Lucas.
Absolutely depressed, he took up the phone, which was ringing nearly without any pause, and answered it.
It was Ruth telling him in a suppressed voice that the bomb at the railway station was indeed a fake, as Lucas had already revealed to him. Her almost too calm voice told him, that not all was well with her. He had failed her as much as his ‘children’, for which he felt responsible.
He promised Ruth to come in. Ruth would send a car to pick him up.
Slowly he went down to the street. Till he came to the ground floor, the ambulance already had arrived and examined the body. They confirmed the death of Lucas North, as he provided the name.
His team of forensics would take over the body for further examination.
They would also try to find out more about the tortures Lucas went through during his Russian imprisonment. Harry pushed these thoughts aside. They were too torturous for him to contemplate now.
When Harry came closer to the body of Lucas, something startled him. He could not directly place the cause for his irritation. He averted his gaze from the shattered body and turned to the waiting car, which brought him back to the grid.
I just cannot stop thinking about the lovely time in London and have to continue a bit longer about my discoveries:
A quite interesting comment about the Spooks-setting of MI-5 headquarters in Thames House is on the M-5 website here: MI-5 reference to Spooks-setting
[Edited (27.10.2012):The original link has changed and now MI-5 has a short note regarding Spooks at the end of this page:MI-5 new reference to Spooks-setting.]
The Freemasons Hall was a 'must see' for me, as it had been on my first visit to London, years ago. Freemasonry was a major topic of research during my history studies, so I took the photo without reference to Lucas North, but it just gets much more purpose and effect with him there, expecting him to come round the corner at any minute.
Freemasons Hall, London (Spooks - MI-5 headquarters)
This is, contrary to what one could expect, not the main entrance. The entrance of the building is at the left side street. The museum and main temple are well worth a visit, even without Spooks and MI-5 background, so if you come to London, try to get in there. The district around also is very lovely and Seven Dials has a nice shopping area with a delicious cheese shop. Mhhhh.... what a lovely lunch that had been at a bench on the Victoria embankment ;o)
Here some more Spooks-related impressions from London. I think no further explanation is needed:
Waterloo Station, in Spooks mostly shown from bird view
London Eye
As Ingrid kindly pointed out, Thames House is the hidden building at the dark spot at the right side of the following picture. Thames House in Spooks got the entrance from Freemasons Hall.
The nearly hidden "Gurkin".
Once again the Exhibition Hall with the London Eye at the right side.
And what is London without the Houses of Parliament and its national anthem.
Since my last visit to London (I will not reveal how many ... years that lies in the past ;o) the town has greatly changed. I loved London back then, but now, I just adore the town (and because of a wrong bus I must admit I have seen quite a lot of it, even the southern outskirts and I have even found a hill !!! (For a Bavarian used to mountains as hills not such an easy feat!
But I must admit, Richard Armitage also has enhanced my appreciation of the town.
Otherwise why on earth would one take such a picture ;o)
But I even saw the bookstore Waterstone's near Picadilly filmed in Spooks 8.3 and the Festival Hall, where Lucas North meets with Sarah Caulfield. Here I would most likely have taken the photo even without Lucas North, but with him it is just much more fun ;o)
But strangely the closest connection with Spooks and the role of Lucas North I felt, when by accident I discovered, that St. Martin-in-the-Fields is not somewhere far out, but right in the middle of town at Trafalgar Square. I went to a choir concert there and though Lucas North was not filmed in there, I still felt close to his role at this special place.
As you can see, the weather was beautiful during the week, though still quite cold.
But for all fans of rainy London weather, I also have a quite foreboding picture with clouds.
My love for London still grows and the friendly weather whenever I visit the town is really very welcoming.
Now I am back home, really tired and exhausted and will need some time to recover...
