Random thoughts: License to thrill

I don’t want Richard Armitage to play James Bond.I think I've made that more than clear in the past.
Would he do a wonderful job? There’s no doubt! Would it be a smart choice? Unfortunately, I don't think so.

Yes, he'd look fantastic as James Bond, I know... Still don't think it's right for him, though!
Picture from Glamour magazine photoshoot January 2013
www.richardarmitagenet.com

I’m sorry if you’re a James Bond fan. I’m not. Ian Fleming’s stories are OK, but the films have never been my cup of tea. Honestly, the only really good thing about these films, is the music. James Bond theme songs really do belong to a separate genre, a unique style. I love the glamour of it, the constrained sensuality, the threatening passion beneath the surface. And although there have been some failures – Madonna’s Die Another Day still makes me cringe – most of these themes have become timeless classics. Here’s my personal top 5:

1. Sheena Easton – For Your Eyes Only (1981)
James Bond = Roger Moore




2. Tina Turner – Goldeneye (1995)
James Bond = Pierce Brosnan




3. Garbage – The World is Not Enough (1999)
James Bond = Pierce Brosnan




4. Gladys Knight – License to Kill (1989)
James Bond = Timothy Dalton




5. Adele – Skyfall (2013)
James bond = Daniel Craig




Do you agree? Disagree? Have I forgotten a fantastic gem of a song?
What’s your favourite?

What about the man himself? Who will always be James Bond to you? If I had to make a choice, it would have to be for the man with the most adorable accent: Sean Connery!

Richard Armitage, your fans are the best!

My goodness, I have not been here since Richard's 42nd birthday in August. I had no idea that it had been that long! *hangs head in shame*

For the last few months, I have been forced to take a step away from my blog. I'm sure we've all been there: real life tends to take over now and then, taking our attention away from what's fun and exciting, and making us focus on what's really important for a while. My time, my mind (and my sleep) have been monopolised by other things and that has not done my inspiration any favours.

So, for a while now, I've had to watch Mr. Armitage and my fellow fans from afar and the distance has given me great insights. The most important one is this: Richard Armitage has got the absolute greatest fans. If I were in his shoes (or should I say 'boots'?), I would thank my lucky stars every single day for their unrelenting love and support. honestly, we're the best! :-)

Allow me to illustrate that point with 2 examples.

We love you when you're ugly
In these digital times, you can't always control which pictures of yourself appear online. A friend might snap a shot of you at a party and post it on Facebook and you 'll be horrified to discover it the next day because your hair, clothes or face didn't look great in the picture. That's how I think RA must have felt when this picture was released onto the world.

Picture taken from the Richard Armitage France page on Facebook

Personally, I think it's not the best shot of him. But, great fans that we are, we loved it! The beard, the boots, the long legs, the thighs, the glimpse of chest hair (which I don't like, by the way), the iPad (don't pretend you're not on the internet, dear Richard, even you couldn't resist a peek at what people are saying about you and about your version of Thorin forever), the jacket, the jeans... they were all discussed in the most meticulous detail and it was quickly proclaimed to be the new favourite picture of the fandom. You do ugly well, Richard, you do tired and dishevelled well, Richard. And the fans love it!

Our loyalty is as fierce as Thorin's majesty
Let's be honest, dearest Richard, you haven't exactly done much work lately (that we know of). We haven't exactly been spoiled with new examples of your excellent acting talents for about a year or so. Yes, we love Thorin and we can't wait to see more of him very soon. And it looks like Into The Storm will finally be released next August, which will be almost 2 years after you worked on it. I look forward to finally meeting your Gary Morris. But we are still here.

Beautiful new poster for The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug,
starring Richard Armitage as Thorin Oakenshield

In the meantime, Aneurin Barnard got to play the dream role of Richard III and Batman went to Ben Affleck (I'm sure you were in the running for that role at some point, although I think you're capable of so much more than a rehash of a vintage superhero) and there's competition everywhere. Michael Fassbender, Benedict Cumberbatch and Tom Hiddleston, just to name a few other excellent actors who have been churning out the films and the stunning performances like a well-oiled machine.

It would have been so easy to forget all about Richard Crispin Armitage and be mesmerised by one of your enchanting colleagues. But I don't think you've lost a single fan to any of them. On the contrary! I personally have never even been tempted by them. Fassbender amazed me with his portrayal of Bobby Sands, I love Benedict's brilliant Sherlock Holmes and Tom gave us an excellent Loki, but none of that has made me want to join the Cumberbitches or make this blog about Tom Hiddleston instead.  

Our loyalty is as fierce as Thorin's majesty. And that is not about to change. 

Picture perfect or imaginary image?

This is supposed to be a new picture of Richard that was discovered on Tumblr yesterday. My first reaction was: It's a fake! Richard's head on somebody else's body!

Is it real or is it fake?

Apparently, I was not the only one who had their doubts and the case was swifly under investigation. According to the poster on Tumblr, this was an image from a photoshoot by Robert Ascroft, the same photographer who created this lovely portrait of Richard:

The real McCoy: Richard Armitage as photographed by Robert Ascroft

That settles it then, doesn't it? Mystery solved!
Well, not exactly... I'm not convinced. I still can't seem to shake the feeling that this picture is not real. I can't exactly put my finger on it but there's something not quite right about it. And I am absolutely sure that I've seen that chair before...

What do you think?

Random Thoughts: Coming clean

You may or may not have noticed that it's been rather quiet on this blog for the last month or so. That was not planned. I found myself completely overwhelmed with the constant influx of news about RA. As if there was no more room in my brain for anything creative while I was trying to absorb all the news, video, photoshoots, interviews... and of course the film: The Hobbit.  I've seen it (only) 3 times now, in 48fps 3D and I'm trying to stop myself from going to the cinema just one more time.

Promo poster for The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey with Richard Armitage as Thorin Oakenshield

The enormous media coverage has also caused an explosion of the RA fandom. The Armitage Army is no longer some marginal group of people from around the world who follow the career of some English guy that most of their friends and family have never even heard of. Our man is suddenly public property and, although it's exactly what I was expecting, it's still scary. Don't get me wrong, I welcome the change with open arms. It's so wonderful to see that Richard is finally getting the attention and appreciation that he deserves. And the more people know about him, the closer we get to convincing the entire world of Richard's extraordinary talent.

Richard Armitage in New York, at a photoshoot for Glamour Magazine

So, I don't mind sharing the fandom with the world, but the fact that the fanbase has grown exponentially has made me re-evaluate the place I want to take up in it. I feel the need to explain myself, to elaborate further on the kind of fan that I am. I don't know if that makes any sense at all, but it feels like the right thing to do. Please keep in mind that you don't have to agree with anything that I say in this blogpost. Actually, I hope you don't. Wouldn't the world be a horribly boring place if we all had similar opinions about everything? But I need to share my own opinions about certain things. I'll start by taking a stand on some of the ideas that have been going around in the fandom lately.  

Do I want Richard to play James Bond?
No. Please, no! Not that he wouldn't be a wonderful 007, but he's so much better that that. Stepping into a billion dollar franchise like James Bond would haunt him for the rest of his career. He'd be typecast for all eternity. And the interesting, challenging roles that he so desperately wants to play, would pass him by, because people would not be able to see past a certain spy... Lucas North: yes. James Bond: No.

To me, this will always be Richard's 'James Bond' picture, simply because of his casual elegance and obvious grace.
Behind the scenes at the 2009 BAFTA awards

Do I want Richard to star in a romantic comedy?
No. Please, no! Again, I'm sure he'd be wonderful at it, but there are so many more exciting roles waiting for him. Why should he waste his time on cheap, easy, romantic fluff? One book in particular seems to be circulating in the fandom these days: The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society by Mary Ann Shaffer. I haven't read it, so I don't mean to judge the book or the author, but if I had anything to say about Richard's career, I would advise him not to be a part of a screen adaptation of the novel. That's just my opinion, feel free to disagree.

Do I want Richard to play Matthew Clairmont?
Honestly, I have no idea who Matthew Clairmont is. I haven't read Deborah Harkness' books and I don't want to pass judgement on them. But I do know that Matthew Clairmont is a vampire. For that simple reason, RA should stay well away from him and leave the vampires to the likes of Robert Pattinson or Stephen Moyer.

Do I want Richard to play Richard III?
Yes. Yes, please. Richard III is such an interesting character to play because there is so much we know about him but there's also so very much we don't know, leaving the details of his character and the truth about his abilities as a monarch open to creative interpretation. Now that his remains have been found and the eyes of the world are on Leicester, the challenge would be to make Richard III a real man, giving equal importance to his many wonderful accomplishments and the horrible dark truths about his reign while giving them the historical context required for us to completely understand their significance. Let me quickly add 2 things:

1. If Richard ever gets to play RichardIII, I can only hope that this film or series also pays tribute to the women in this story: Cecily Neville, Anne Neville, Isabelle Neville, Elizabeth Woodville, Margaret Beauchamp, Marguerite of Anjou, ...the lust goes on and on. Their significance may have been overlooked by the history books, but these women play a vital part in the story of the wars of the roses. Ah, to play Anne or even Cecily - I wouldn't even mind sinking my teeth into such a challenge myself (wishful thinking, I know!)

A facial reconstruction of Richard III. Does it look like RA? Not necessarily. Is the resemblance enough for RA to be able to play him convincingly? Without a shadow of a doubt!

2. What if RA decides, as he has often said, that by the time this project actually happens, he will be "too tall and too old" to play the role? Fine by me, as long as he gets to make the decision for himself. He'd be brilliant as Warwick the Kingmaker or even as Richard's father, the Duke of York. Alternatively, he could produce the piece and I'm sure you'll agree that his storytelling abilities would benefit very much from having him in the director's chair. Ah, such a dilemma! (sorry for going on and on about this, I should really do a separate piece about the RIII thing) 

OK, enough confessions for today. I didn't mean to just be negative and I promise to also talk about other things that I would love for Richard to get involved in. In the meantime: is there anything you want to ask me? Anything you would like me to share? Please leave a comment and I'll do my very best to answer all of your questions.

Richard Armitage, this is your Fault!

So yes, I ordered the Winter issue of Fault Magazine with the special edition Richard Armitage cover. And although it was ridiculously expensive, I'm now convinced that it was a good idea. The video below will show you why. Best looking 41-year-old man I have ever seen! Not a 'fat dude' in sight, Mr. A, but I'm now beginning to realise what you mean by "I'm extremely vain"!  :-D

So I guess I'll just consider this a little Newyear's present to myself... as it will only be delivered somewhere in the second part of January. It's all Richard's Fault anyway... bad, bad man! :-))

What to look out for in the video? Designer stubble alert, the blue-eyed wonder, glorious fashion (yes, I did notice the clothes as well...), crinkles (yes!), the new hairstyle (which I still love, although the natural hair colour is now gone - but black just suits him so well, so it's all good!) and last but not least: the hands, those lovely long and elegant fingers...

Right, I'm watching this again!

Richard Armitage for Fault Magazine Issue 13 - Behind the scenes

Thirty Days to Thorin (22) - My new precious

With all the new pictures and videos that have appeared this week, it was not easy to pick a favourite. So, I gave myself 24 hours to make up my mind, and this is the one that I keep going back to.

Richard Armitage photoshoot in NY 5 December 2012
Picture by Victoria Will - Invasion - AP

Why this one? There are so many reasons why I love this picture, many of which would make no sense to anyone but me. I'll try to explain:

1. Richard looks tired. I can see the jetlag. He looks real. After the larger-than-life pictures from the many red carpet events over the last week or so, it's obvious that the hectic schedule is getting to him. Hey, if you had gone from LA (US) to Auckland (NZ) , to Wellington (NZ), to Tokyo (Japan), to Toronto (Canada) to New York (US) in only a week or so, you would be tired as well! The great thing is that RA is not afraid to show it.
2. I love the new haircut! Slightly longer on top and short along the sides. Just a little bit of wax and he's ready to go ;-)
3. Lucas' sideburns and designer stubble - no explanation necessary
4. The blue background makes his eyes sparkle
5. I love that smile (what can I say?)
6. The black hoodie again reminds me of Lucas North and black is not only my own favourite colour, it's also my favourite colour on him (although I must say that plum is also growing on me...I'll explain that in a later post)
7. Leather... he's wearing leather *sigh* The jacket is a Todd Snyder (NY) and it looks incredible on Richard
8. Last but not least: I have a very strange attraction to Richard's hands. When I see Richard on screen, my attention goes to his long, elegant fingers. The fact that they feature so prominently in this picture, makes me love it all the more...

So this is currently my favourite picture of Richard as himself, but the competition is fierce! He's on the limited-edition cover of the next edition of FAULT magazine and that picture took my breath away!

Oh, and this was my runner-up for favourite picture. It's from a recently published photoshoot for Glamour Magazine that shows Richard in different scenes involving taxies in New York City. The caption for one of the pictures just said it all: "Yes, it makes us want to be a New York cabbie too" :-)

A birthday countdown in pictures (#21)

It's tomorrow: Armitage Day! I still haven't figured out what I'm going to do to celebrate, but I'm sure I'll figure something out...

And, what's more, I can't help but wonder what our dearest Mr. RC Armitage will be doing tomorrow. Is he working? Has he made his way back to London to see his family or are his friends organising a surprise party? Whatever it is, I hope he has a lot of fun and he remembers how many people will be raising their glass to toast to his health and to wish him well.

So on this last day of the countdown, these pictures soothe my soul. I call them "A Rhapsody in Blue". I like him even better in black, but the blue matches his beautiful blue eyes *blushes*...

Richard Armitage turns 41 tomorrow. These pictures are from 2008.
You can find the, as always, in the Picture Gallery of www.richardarmitagenet.com

What's a birthday without a birthday present? But what do you get the man who's living his dream?
This year, consider donating to one of Richard's selected charities (Shelter, The Salvation Army, Childline and Barnardo's) - visit his Just Giving page. Thank you!

A birthday countdown in pictures (#18)

“Margaret liked this smile;
it was the first thing she had admired in this new friend of her father's; and the opposition of character, shown in all these details of appearance she had just been noticing, seemed to explain the attraction they evidently felt towards each other.”

(From North & South by Elisabeth Gaskell)

What can I say? I know how she feels...

Images from a 2008 Promo shoot
Supplied by the Picture Gallery at www.richardarmitagenet.com

What's a birthday without a birthday present? But what do you get the man who's living his dream?
This year, consider donating to one of Richard's selected charities (Shelter, The Salvation Army, Childline and Barnardo's) - visit his Just Giving page. Thank you!



A birthday countdown in pictures (#17)

We're at day 17. Armitage Day is almost upon us. I don't know about you, but I can't wait! I haven't quite figured out what I'm going to do on the 22th, but I'll definitely be sure to have a glass of wine to toast to the good health of a certain Brit we all know and love :-)

So why don't we take it easy for a change. We bow our head and think of all those things we love about Richard Armitage. Personally, I love him because he's genuine and humble (and incredibly talented and extremely handsome as well!). He once mentioned that he loved this song by Keane, and I love this beautiful picture - and they fit together so very well!

The originalof this picture can be found at www.richardarmitagenet.com
It's from the 2011 photoshoot for Project Magazine

I don't wanna be adored
Don't wanna be first in line
Or make myself heard
I'd like to bring a little light
To shine a light on your life
To make you feel loved

No, don't wanna be the only one you know
I wanna be the place you call home

I lay myself down
To make it so, but you don't want to know
I give much more
Than I'd ever ask for

Will you see me in the end
Or is it just a waste of time
Trying to be your friend
Just shine, shine, shine
Shine a little light
Shine a light on my life
Warm me up again

Fool, I wonder if you know yourself at all
You know that it could be so simple

I lay myself down
To make it so, but you don't want to know
You take much more
Than I'd ever ask for

Say a word or two to brighten my day
Do you think that you could see your way

To lay yourself down
And make it so, but you don't want to know
You take much more
Than I'd ever ask for

(Hamburg Song by Keane. From their 2006 album Under The Iron Sea)

What's a birthday without a birthday present? But what do you get the man who's living his dream?
This year, consider donating to one of Richard's selected charities (Shelter, The Salvation Army, Childline and Barnardo's) - visit his Just Giving page. Thank you!

A birthday countdown in pictures (#10)

Ten days into our countdown to Armitage Day and I still have so many pictures to share!:-)

Armitage Day, on 22 August, is Richard Armitage's birthday. He'll be blowing out 41 candles this year - unless he decides to sleep through his birthday again, like he did last year!

Back to today: It's Friday night, and I've got a date with this guy (I wish!):

The pictures from this photoshoot appeared in the Sunday Times in April 2006

I love the dark green colour of Richard's suit, dark but warm at the same time. The boots are lovely, but I would change the tie, though. Or he can just do without the tie... And I want that table for my dining room (with the gorgeous man on top, if you please!)

I especially like the fact that you can clearly see that this kind of photoshoot is just not Richard's cup of tea... He tries to put on his best 'I'm too sexy for my shirt' look, but I just see right through that. Oh, he's obliging the photographer by taking on this pose and staring right at us. He knows the picture will look great, but this is clearly not Richard, it's just an act. I can't explain why that's so clear to me from this picture, but it is.

A great start of the weekend! Have a good one!

What's a birthday without a birthday present? But what do you get the man who's living his dream?
This year, consider donating to one of Richard's selected charities (Shelter, The Salvation Army, Childline and Barnardo's) - visit his Just Giving page. Thank you!