Video: Dreaming of Dancing with Richard Armitage

Obsession

"Love is the bread of life"

Feeling a little romantic. A photo/vid with my three favorite men these days. Mostly Richard Armitage, some Aidan Turner, and a dash of Dean O'Gorman in their pre-Hobbit roles.

Music: Obsession - Bebo Valdes and El Cigala

Richard Armitage images from Richard Armitage Central, vid clips my own. Aidan and Dean from Google Images.

Armitage Hobbit Humor - FanstRAvaganza 4

For a man who is almost always described as shy and reserved, Richard Armitage has a witty, wacky, wild and wonderful sense of humor. 

He is very funny, often in unexpected ways and unplanned moments. His humor is  "of the moment" in response to what he's been asked or what he observes happening around him. He sneaks it in at a surprising moment and then often is back to being thoughtful and serious. You could describe it as a dry sense of humor. I think that's why fans sometimes miss the fact that he's joking.  

But if you observe Richard Armitage well you can sometimes tell the funny moment is coming by the twinkle in his eyes, or the slightly naughty look and smile on his face. 

What a gift to all his fans that this Adonis of a man has a "Woody Allen-ish" comic mind. 

So in the belief that it is even more fun to see and hear some of these moments all together, I've made the video below for FanstRA4:

Armitage Hobbit Humor

More Than Two Minutes of The Hobbit (Fan Video)

A fan has put together 7+ minutes of The Hobbit by using the trailers and all the TV spots that have been released so far.

Thanks to La Cosa Cine

Gisborne Revisited (Richard Armitage) and Hobbit Interview Plea

Ran again into this Richard Armitage interview at the start of filming Series 3 of Robin Hood and he also talks about Spooks. The interview was posted by RAFrenzy.

It is one of my favorite Armitage interviews and has everything I love about this man. Everything. (Even a tiny bit of Armitage Humor.) Makes me so look forward to the start of Hobbit interviews in the next few weeks and months. I hope they ask him interesting questions.

Hear me Charlie Rose, James Lipton, and all talk show hosts in North America, this is the man to interview about being Thorin in The Hobbit

Fabo's Faves: Video Blog #8 (Richard Armitage and The Hobbit Cast & Crew)

For Entire Vid Blog #8 from Peter Jackson go to:

http://www.theonering.net/torwp/2012/07/23/59683-hobbit-vlog-8-unleashed-and-it-is-kinda-awesome/

Richard Armitage Talks About His Fans

We’re in Day Two of the FanstRAvaganza 3 in THE FANDOM tagteam chain! If you missed Day One, check out the posts at Phylly's Faves and Feminema . Also in Day Two, see my partner’s post at Something About Love (A).

What is a fan?  

Fan, sometimes also called aficionado or supporter, is a person with a liking and enthusiasm for something. (Wikipedia)


Aficionado:  An ardent supporter or devotee. From Spanish, past participle of aficionar, to inspire affection,(Ask.Define.com)

Supporter: A person who contributes to the fulfillment of a need or furtherance of an effort or purpose. (Ask.Define.com)

 ...our community of 'friends' ... (Richard Armitage, Message to his fans, December 24, 2011, Richard Armitage Online)

Ever since the media became aware after North and South that Richard Armitage has a growing fan base he is almost always asked about his fans during interviews. Below is a video compilation of what Armitage has been asked and what he has said about his fans in various television and radio interviews over the past several years. 

For more of THE FANDOM In FanstRA 3 see my partner’s post at Something About Love (A).  Yesterday's posts are at Phylly's Faves and Feminema . Tomorrow The FANDOM tagteam continues at An Obsessed Fanatic and The Armitage Effect. All F3 links can be found here.

A Bit More Armitage Humor - Part Deux

There are many things I admire about Richard Armitage but I adore his sense of humor.  


So, I made another one of my videos, this one a follow-up to "A Bit of Armitage Humor" with more clips about the funny and adorable side of Armitage:

Part Deux: A Bit of Armitage Humor

Hope it brings everyone a smile on a  cold late autumn day.

As a bonus, I'm also posting one of my favorite RA interviews. OK, true confessions, I love all of RA's interviews, but this is one of my favorites, from the audiobook "Sheriff Got Your Tongue?" from 2006: 

Adios to Spooks

One of my favorite TV series of all time, Spooks (or MI5 in the US) will air its last episode tonight in the UK. I've watched it from the start, and that's not an easy thing to do if you live in the US. I miss Tom Quinn, Adam Carter, Ros Myers, and most of all Lucas North. But the heart of the show has always been Harry Pearce (Peter Firth) - good job Harry!


As the old saying goes,  all good things come to an end.


So today an old video/slideshow of mine to say my goodbye's to Spooks.

More Fun with Richard Armitage and Coffee - Video Part Deux

I hope Richard Armitage is enjoying some good coffee and tea in New Zealand to help him get up at dawn to get into makeup and costume to play Thorin. Lately I've been thinking of him in the morning and wandering how he spent his day.  I may have to read The Hobbit again because I can't remember if Thorin drinks coffee. I hope he does. 

When I'm having problems getting up early I have coffee with Lucas North, and maybe later in the morning a cup of tea with John Thornton.  Today I needed even more of my favorite RA Java Jive moments to start my day:

I think he needs to make  a coffee commercial. 

Looks like RA is enjoying good coffee in Wellington:

http://www.infonews.co.nz/news.cfm?id=77951&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+infonews%2Fall+%28infonews.co.nz+All+news%29

My Remedy for Lucas North Withdrawal

Spooks Season 10, the final season, starts in the UK tomorrow. I've been feeling a bit nostalgic about Lucas North (NOT John Bateman) and the only solution today for me was to make a video. I don't know why a video, just what I needed to do. I thought about Lucas and Beth, the good times, because Sophia Myles is also not returning to Spooks for Season 10.


When will we see the new and last Spooks or MI5 season in the US? Who knows? My local PBS station is repeating Spooks Season 5, I catch it once in a while late on Sunday. I know not all PBS stations show Spooks/MI5. So I might have to wait for the DVD as always.

I'll miss Spooks/MI5 and Harry and Ruth.  I still miss Lucas. 

The song is from the Finnish TV series RAID, the singer is Mari Rantasila.  I just like the song. 

Richard Armitage Talks about Richard III - King Richard Week 2011

A historical drama series about the life and times of Richard III? The real story. Sounds like a wonderful idea doesn't it? All lovers of historical drama, or good television, would love this series. So why is it such a long and winding road from the idea, to the script, to the actual production? 

In several interviews in the last few years Richard Armitage has talked about his desire to play Richard III and his interest and work in a television series or film that would explore all facets of the man and the king.  The video below is an attempt to bring together some of what Armitage has said about Richard III through clips from some of his television and radio interviews. 

Instead of another remake based on a remake of an old  and not missed television series, why not a  sweeping historical drama about the true story of the last Plantagenet King of England!

Please come back  and visit again later this week for more about Richard III and Richard Armitage as part of 

King Richard Week.

See more posts by my fellow contributors  to King Richard Week 2011 by clicking on the link below:

http://kingrichardarmitage.rgcwp.com/contributions/king-richard-week-2011/

Show your interest and support for a television/film  about the real Richard III by signing the petition at the link below:

http://kingrichardarmitage.rgcwp.com/petition-for-richard-iii/

Richard Armitage is turning 40!

What to get the man who insists he already has everything?

More work for our favorite workaholic.

Since watching his acting gives us so much delicious fantasy fulfillment, we thought we’d turn the tables with a fantasy present: the job that he’s most repeatedly expressed interest in doing — a retelling of the Richard III story.

We’re not agents or producers, and we can’t finance this project or cast him in it or write the scripts, so we’re doing the next best thing: a week of background, context, musings, and jokes about why we’re dying to see “our” Richard play “that” Richard.

Want to share the fantasy more actively? Sign the manifesto:

Richard III for Richard Armitage !

We hope you enjoy the week!

A Few Minutes with Thorin (Richard Armitage) and Kili (Aidan Turner)

So I thought this Wednesday evening after work I would sit on my couch with my laptop and catch up with all the photos and videos and reports and news from the exciting Captain America Premiere I saw LIVE last night in Los Angeles as RA Fest continues...and then late tonight in my part of the world, all Hobbit fans received an unexpected gift from Middle-Earth:

So here's a short video of clips from Peter Jackson's Hobbit Video Blog #3 of mostly our marvelous leader Thorin and his nephew Kili, or Richard Armitage and Aidan Turner

As Richard Armitage fans this has been an amazing time and I am full of wonder at all we have been so lucky to see and hear because of Captain America and The Hobbit.  Since Richard is on my side of the continent this evening, and only a few hours away from me right now, so near and yet so far, I am truly floating on air tonight.

Richard Armitage as Thorin
From New Dwarves Photo Released by Peter Jackson July 21, 2011


But back to Peter Jackson's marvelous gift to us on Wednesday.  The video is really dedicated to the dwarves, and what a marvelous and fun group of guys.  Thorin looks very different than the recently released photo , older, but with more gravitas and less bravado I think. Kili looks very different too, very cute, but his wig is a light brown, rather than dark brown of the recently released photo. We do get to see Aidan's smile a few times, and that's a bonus. 

Of course, I love listening to Richard Armitage talk about his characters, and we get to hear him talk about his experiences for the past five months, just lovely as always.  Has to be such a special experience for him for so many reasons. His career, yes, but there's more and you can feel it from him how special this is, to be part of bringing a book he loved as a child, part of his life for a long time, and now he gets to bring it to life for the world as one of the main and most unforgettable characters of this magical quest. He's working hard as always, but having the time of his life, and he's sharing a bit of it with his fans around the world.

I'm very excited, that's why it's 1:00am my time and I'm not asleep, and I still have to work tomorrow. But what a marvelous excuse to stay awake and enjoy the experience. 

If you haven't seen the entire video blog, please click on the link below. There are a few more surprises from Peter Jackson for all of us:

https://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=10150326323406807

Swordplay III - Sir Guy's Dance

I may have mentioned before that I grew up watching classic Hollywood movies on TV and many of my favorites were swashbuckling movies with lots of sword fights.  As I grew older I learned to appreciate the work involved in choreographing a good sword fight for a film or television show. I  imagine it is a lot like choreographing a ballet or big musical theater dance number.  


This week I heard again the music from Jose Limon's ballet, Moor's Pavane, based yes, on Shakespeare's Othello, and thought it would be fun to try and make another Swordplay video.  The music brought  to my mind Richard Armitage's role as Guy of Gisborne. Watching the sword fight scenes in Robin Hood, though never enough of them for me, I could always see the grace and elegance of Gisborne's movements and think it might be in part a result of Armitage's dance training, as well as his natural elegance of movement. So below is Swordplay III-  Sir Guy's Dance as my small tribute to the magic of   
Sir Guy and of the master choreographers of swordplay in the film and TV world:

I've always hesitated to make a Guy of Gisborne video, there are so many wonderful ones already, and I am just a dabbler and not a video artist as many are.  But I love a man with a sword, and Richard Armitage is a joy to watch.  As far as I'm concerned, he needs more movie roles where he wields a sword and wears armor, and I don't have words to express how much I'm looking forward to seeing him wielding  the great sword Orcrist as Thorin in The Hobbit. 

To see a slightly different version of the video with a little bit of Sean Bean and Errol Flynn, click on the link below:

http://youtu.be/lb0ImVZ_0Kk

Thank You

A Bit of Armitage Humor

Comedy is a very personal and often cultural thing.  I may find something hilarious that even my friends and family don't, and the opposite is also true.  One thing for sure, I love a man with a sense of humor, especially about himself and the world around him.


One man that I find has a great sense of humor and often makes me laugh when I least expect to is Richard Armitage.  A man who is  very serious and hardworking, yet you often find a twinkle in his eye and that slight and sometimes naughty smile when he's being interviewed. He has his own brand of RA wit and whimsy.

We have seldom seen this side of him in the roles he's played, though we did see some witty repartee between Lucas North (Richard Armitage) and Ros Myers  (Hermione Norris) in Spooks Seasons 7 and 8, and also enjoyed his comedy timing in the Vicar of Dibley with Dawn French.  Who didn't fall in love with RA as Harry Kennedy!  I hope producers out there cast him in more comedy roles! 

A small sample of the funny side of Armitage in the video below: 

An Old Video for a Saturday

Thought I would post something a bit...sweeter...for this weekend. An old video and a little romance.

and Sean Bean...

Harry and Geradline: If There Was No You (video)

Memories and Media: Richard Armitage and a Mid-Career Retrospective

Richard Armitage is on the threshold of world wide fame. As admirers of his amazing skills and talent I think his fans feel very proud that he was cast as one of the leads for "The Hobbit."  His success is much deserved, he's trained and worked very hard to achieve it. 


But like many, of his fans I worry about the scale of publicity and media and fandom that await him.  I worry that the poor guy will be asked the "circus" question constantly, in every language!


I thought a good way to put in perspective the issue of Richard's growing fame was to look back in video format at his TV and film career so far through the media coverage  he's received since he was billed as  "smug man at party" in  a 1999 film.  







So what do you think about the media coverage RA has received so far in his career? Are you looking forward to international media coverage and seeing him interviewed on your favorite talk show or by your favorite journalist outside the UK?  Would love your comments! 


Participating FanstRAvaganza Blogs:

Mulubinba at An RA Viewer’s Perspective

Avalon at Avalon Medieval

Christine at CDoart

Judiang at Confessions of a Watcher

Sarah Pawley at From the Quill Tip

Servetus at Me+Richard

Prue at Mesmered’s Blog

Pi at Nevermind Mr. Armitage

Phylly at Phylly’s Faves

Natalie at Richard Armitage Fan Blog

bccmee at Richard Armitage Vids & Graphics

Skully at Spooks Fan Blog

Traxy at The Squeee

Frenz at RAFrenzy

and me of course:

Musa at White Rose: Sincere and Simple Thoughts

The Eyes Have It

Yes, I'm playing with videos again.

My parents were great fans of Ella Fitzgerald and I grew up listening to her music. A voice like no other. I still uphold the family tradition and listen to Ella, especially when feeling blue. Listening to her version of the song "Angel Eyes" I thought about how television is such an intimate medium and how great actors use the slightest change in their eyes to convey so much emotion.

Of course when thinking about actors and the "eyes as a window to the soul" I thought of Richard Armitage and Lucas North, the role he played so vividly in the series "Spooks" (MI-5).  Below is my video tribute to Mr. Armitage and his expressive eyes:



Thank you for watching.

Swordplay- A Small Celebration of Sword-fighting in Film

I just love a man with a sword!

.

..and ladies, we can be just as good with a sword, or two!