There are many inspiring moments in all three Lord of the Rings movies, but there is great joy and satisfaction when finally, after all the struggles and tragedies, victory at last when
Urban Dictionary - BROTP: Similar to OTP, this refers to a set of best friends in a show, book or movie who are destined to be best friends forever.
(Yep, had to look this one up also)
When I looked up BROTP in the dictionary my choice was clear
Aragorn and Boromir
What would have happened if Boromir had lived? I have to think that he would have been a loyal friend and companion to Aragorn on their quest. The sons of Gondor would have come home together
Sean Bean and Viggo Mortensen are friends in real life as well
There was a time when the sun never set on the Spanish Empire, and the Alatriste book series by Arturo Perez-Reverte takes us back to those times.
Painting by Diego Velazquez
All empires fall and we find our hero, Diego Alatriste, at a time of corruption, intrigue, and the Inquisition. Alatriste (2006) the film is sumptuous and ambitious, visually stunning, taking the look from Spanish art of the period (17th Century). The film has all the elements of a satisfying period film based on historical fiction: a world of handsome men in period costumes, women wearing beautiful gowns and jewels, amazing settings and locations, many excellent sword-fights, star- crossed romance, and political intrigue.
In response to a question about his own films, Viggo Mortensen mentioned Alatriste as one of his favorite. I read a couple of the Alatriste books some time ago, but never finished the series. I prefer Perez-Reverte’s mystery books. But the interview gave me the desire to revisit the film, since I’m lucky to own the DVD.
The film covers a long period of time in the life of Captain Diego Alatriste, and several of the books if not most. We first meet Alatriste waging war for Spain in Flanders and rescuing the man who will become his protector in the Spanish court, the Count of Guadalmedina (Eduardo Noriega). Then we see him back in Madrid taking care of the son of his dead comrade in arms, ten year old Íñigo Balboa (played as an adult by Unax Ugalde). We follow Alatriste and his ward Íñigo through a decade or more, sometimes in the never ending wars, sometimes in the dangerous peace of home in Madrid. We see the boy grow to a man, and Alatriste trying to survive his political and military enemies.
Some of my favorite scenes are the many battle scenes and sword-fights in the film The director knows how to handle these large crowd and battle scenes well. Some of the scenes in Flanders with the Spanish soldiers in the trenches during the Dutch Revolt or the Eighty Year’s War is reminiscent of similar scenes in World War I themed films and TV programs, I’m sure deliberately so. The constant rain, the snipers, the lack of food, the illness, the petty arguments, all in the place Alatriste (Viggo Mortensen) describes as hell.
There are also love stories in the film for both Alatriste and Íñigo. I like the contrast between the illusions of the young lovers versus the world wariness of the older couple. Elena Anaya plays the young, beautiful Angelica, and Ariadna Gil plays Alatriste’s lover Maria de Castro (based on La Calderona, mistress of Philip IV of Spain).
Yet there is something about the film that manages to not engage me fully. Is it the complicated real history that is the basis of the story, yet too complicated for those not fully acquainted with it to make us understand? Is it Viggo Mortensen’s performance as the lead character Alatriste, too remote and enigmatic to make us care for the man? I would answer yes to both questions, and that is why, even if this film has all the elements I hold dear in a period film, I admire the work, but I can’t give this cinematic experience my full heart and soul.
Even so, I do recommend seeing Alatriste if you like historical fiction and grand period films. For fans of Viggo Mortensen the film is another chance to see him in a heroic role.
Martin Freman, Richard Armitage, Andy Serkis at SDCC 2012
From Warner Bros Pictures Website
In interviews during the just ended San Diego Comic-Con 2012, Richard Armitage said (I'm paraphrasing a lot now) how envious he was of the relative obscurity and seeming innocence of the Lord of the Rings Trilogy cast when they were filming in New Zealand over a decade ago.
So I thought it would be fun to go back to some of my favorite interviews of the LOTR cast from those days back in 2001 when a large part of the world had yet to encounter Hobbits, Dwarves, Wizards, and Orcs.
I should also mention, in case you're new at visiting this blog, that I'm a long time fan of Sean Bean and so I followed LOTR news as soon as he was cast. (Sean was in his 20's when I first became a fan, but amazingly I was just a toddler in those days).
Two interviews from Cannes 2001 when the movie industry insiders and the press got to see 20 minutes I believe of the Lord of the Rings:The Fellowship of the Ring and marked the start of PR for the film and the trilogy, much like SDCC just marked the start of major PR for The Hobbit:
Sean Bean (Boromir), John Rhys-Davies (Gimli), Viggo Mortensen (Aragorn) Cannes 2001
Sean Bean on the Frank Skinner Show (Part 1) trying, not entirely successfully, to explain some of LOTR's special effects without giving away any secrets...and can we say "action figure":
This holiday weekend I saw a very un-holiday film, A Dangerous Method, directed by David Cronenberg. Two of the main characters are men whose work has penetrated our subconscious and certainly our vocabulary in the modern world, yet I think I’m not alone in knowing little about their lives.
Keira Knightley and Michael Fassbender
The film follows two separate storylines that intersect through one of the lead characters, Carl Jung, played by Michael Fassbender.In 1904 Jung takes on a young woman patient at a Swiss clinic, Sabina Spielrein, played by Keira Knightley.Spielrein is a brilliant but extremely troubled woman who plans on becoming a doctor. Jung decides to try Freud’s talking cure with her, the first time he has done so with a patient.He is successful in returning her to a productive life and encourages her studies to become a doctor and psychoanalyst.The two eventually become more than doctor/patient and friends, a relationship that complicates life for the very married Jung.
Michael Fassbender and Viggo Mortensen
The second story is the relationship between the older founder of psychoanalysis, Sigmund Freud, played by Viggo Mortensen, and Jung, the younger and ambitious colleague. The two men finally meet and initially become close friends. Freud becomes Jung’s mentor and convinced he’s found his heir apparent to carry on his work after he’s gone. Jung first sees Freud as a father figure and collaborator and cultivates the relationship. As the film progresses it focuses more on Jung’s disagreement with Freud’s theories, and the development of his own school of thought. Their relationship is ruptured and yet always connected by their personal and professional relationships with Sabina Spielrein.
There are some great performances in this film from the leads and supporting actors. Michael Fassbender as Carl Jung goes from self-contained doctor and perfect family man to out-of-control lover so perfectly you are riveted any time he is on screen. Viggo Mortensen gives one of his best performances as the “legend” that is Sigmund Freud and brings to life this brilliant man with very human failings. The scenes between Fassbender and Mortensen are the best in the film. Supporting actor kudos goes to Vincent Cassel as Freud protégé and Jung patient Otto Gross. Sarah Gadon is also convincing in a small role as Emma, Jung’s rich and respectable wife.
Vincent Cassel
Less successful is Keira Knightley as Sabina Spielrein. Knightley as an actor lacks subtlety and this makes her performance more than a bit over the top. She’s a bit more convincing in her final scenes in the film as she reins in her performance and becomes more believable as the character. I also felt there was not enough chemistry between her and Fassbender to make us believe the inevitability of their relationship, though Fassbender is excellent at portraying passion and sexual obsession.
Michael Fassbender and Sarah Gadon
I highly recommend this film though it is definitely not for everyone. It deals with very uncomfortable and very human subject matter. Thanks to two very good actors and good performances Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung come down from their pedestals and become people living with the same temptations and shortcomings as the rest of us.
A Dangerous Method is based on the play The Talking Cure by Christopher Hampton, with wonderful music by Howard Shore. Method was filmed in Vienna, Zurich, and other beautiful locations. The film is rated R.
Update: "Bonus" Interview about the film with Viggo Mortensen.
cineol+net.jpg)
