Thirty Days to Thorin (1) - The Crush

As I type this, the last minute of 12 November 2012 is officially over. In exactly 30 days, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, the first film from a new trilogy by director Peter Jackson will officially be released in Belgium.

I'm good at countdowns, apparently, so here's another one. For the next 30 days, I will be writing about The Hobbit, the film(s), the book and especially about Thorin Oakenshield and Richard Armitage (of course!) every day. Join me in counting down to the moment that we have all been waiting for for so very long.

Before I start, let me just warn you that this countdown may contain spoilers about the original story by J.R.R. Tolkien and about the film(s). It's quite impossible to talk about both without giving away any details from the storyline. So, if you haven't read the story and don't want to know what happens before you see the film, please don't read any further.

Even though the title of J.R.R. Tolkien's story is The Hobbit, or There and Back Again, it could just as well have been called Thorin Oakenshield, the King Under the Mountain. It's Thorin Oakenshield who goes on a quest to reclaim Erebor, the kingdom in the Lonely Mountain and vanquish the dragon Smaug. He's the character that goes on a journey of redemption, to liberate his homeland and claim his heritage. He's the character in the story that goes on the most profound, life altering journey. To me, he's the real hero of the story (although I admit that my judgement may be slightly blurred by the fact that RA is portraying him.)

It's over 2 years ago now that I first learned that Richard Armitage was going to be playing the role of Thorin Oakenshield in Peter Jackson's film(s). I was so very happy for him, but at the same time couldn't really wrap my head around the idea that this tall man (He's 6 foot 2 inches - and a half! - or 189.23cm) would be playing a 5'2" dwarf - that's about 157.5cm. How would this man, who was used to towering over people and having others look up at him, cope with being short? Wasn't PJ just complicating things too much? So many things to worry about! I'll write more in the coming days about how I slowly started to believe that this was actually a good decision.

The first thing that set my mind at ease was this picture of Richard as Thorin. I hate to admit it, but I've had a huge crush on this dwarf ever since! *blushes*

Richard Armitage as Thorin Oakenshield, the King Under the Mountain

 

 

Question: Can you name all 13 dwarves that take Bilbo Baggins on this adventure? No cheating allowed!

 

Start practicing now and I'll see you tomorrow... :-)

 

Sweet dReAms!!

Remembering sergeant Armitage

Today, on Remembrance Sunday, I would like to pay my respects to those who sacrificed their lives, their future and their freedom for future generations. I have always been especially interested in the stories behind World War I and II, both the grand strategic and political decisions and the personal stories of soldiers, civilians, families and villages. I’ve travelled to places like London, Paris and Berlin to understand how these cities and their people were affected by the wars and I’ve visited the important landmarks and memorials in my own country (e.g. Tyne Cot cemetery in Paschendaele, Menin Gate in Ypres, the woods of The Ardennes).

When I visit a war cemetery, I try to stop at as many graves as I can to read the name that is on the gravestone out loud. It’s my own personal way of honouring them and thanking them for their sacrifice.

Last week, I visited the Commonwealth War Cemetery at Hotton (Belgium), where I found this grave.



Final resting place of Sergeant P.S. Armitage

The text on the gravestone reads:

1809956 sergeant

P.S. ARMITAGE

Air Gunner

Royal Air force

2^nd March 1945 Age 21

 

The Lord is my shepherd

I shall not want

He maketh me to lie down

In green pastures

 

The records of Hotton Cemetery provide the following information:

ARMITAGE PETER SPACKMAN

VI.A.3. United Kingdom Sergeant ( Air Gnr. ) 1809956 Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve.
2nd March 1945. Age 21. Son of George Henry and Louise Hilda Ellen Armitage of East Barnet Hertfordshire. Unit: 622 Sqdn.

The War Cemetery at Hotton (Belgium) is the final resting place of 665 British and Commonwealth soldiers killed during WWII and the Battle of the Ardennes. Among them was one Belgian who fought with the 53^rd Welsh Division.

I’ve seen the name Armitage in these war cemeteries before. I distinctly remember standing by a grave at the WWI memorial cemetery Tyne Cot near Paschendaele here in Belgium and I recently found out that the Tyne Cot memorial contains sculpture by a man named Joseph Armitage.

The Tyne Cot Memorial that surrounds the cemetery (unveiled on 20 June 1927) now bears the names of almost 35,000 officers and men whose graves are not known.  

“They shall not grow old, as we who are left grow old

Age shall not weary them nor the years condemn

At the going down of the sun and in the morning

We shall remember them”

 

Lucas North (Richard Armitage) wear the poppy, the symbol of Remembrance, in Episode 1 of Season 7 of Spooks (BBC)

 

I can't get you out of my head...

“Though they go mad they shall be sane,

Though they sink through the sea they shall rise again;

Though lovers be lost love shall not;

And death shall have no dominion.”

(From: And death shall have no dominion by Dylan Thomas)

If you know me, you know that I’m not easily impressed. I tolerate a lot of things, I’m open-minded about changes and new ideas and I always give people the benefit of the doubt, but once you’ve lost my regard (or my attention, or even my respect), it’s incredibly hard to get it back.

Imagine this: My sister and I are at our third Chris Isaak concert. This man’s concerts are some of the very best live experiences I’ve ever had, apart from *Live* and maybe Metallica (yes, my taste in music is very diverse). So we usually don’t really pay attention during the opening act. We simply want whoever it is to keep it short, stop trying to be funny (nobody’s interested in your jokes, get over it!), sing a couple of songs while we wait and please do take our polite applause as an encouragement – for you to get off stage as soon as possible.

On walks some guy with a guitar… “Hello, my name is Paul Freeman, I’m Welsh.”

Well, the Chris Isaak concert was brilliant. We had so much fun, there are no words that would do it the justice that it deserves. The man, the music, the band… even the silly dance moves – I loved every second of it!

So, I wake up the day after this brilliant concert and I’m still feeling great about this wonderful night. I’m singing in the shower and while I’m having breakfast it suddenly dawns on me: I’m not singing a Chris Isaak song! The song that’s been in my head all morning is called Tightrope and it’s by Paul Freeman…

“There's no way back if I let go

You’re where I’ll land

So here I go

Cause I just want to live

And I just wanna feel it”

(From: Tightrope by Paul Freeman)

Yes, I enjoyed his five-song mini concert, and so did the rest of the crowd, judging from the louder-than-average applause after, and the attentive silence during the songs. But only the morning after do I realise exactly how much of an impression this man has made. I HAVE to know more!  

I am absolutely certain that I had never even heard his name until about 2 weeks ago. And now, I just want him to come back to Belgium and play for me again – I feel as if I didn’t pay enough attention the first time and I’d like to experience it again to see if he can impress me a second time.

So what is it about Paul Freeman that made him able to wipe away a wonderful Chris Isaak concert and make his way into my subconscious? His boyish good looks and radiant smile? Although he definitely has those, it’s the music that impressed me.

First of all, it all seems so very genuine. That’s the biggest cliché ever and it could very well be an act, but his words really spoke to me. His lyrics are smart without trying to be complicated or clever or heavy-hearted. They are intelligent without pretending to be the greatest thing ever written. I love simplicity, but I love intelligence even more!

“It's easier to compromise when everything has gone

And it's hard to make amends when all the damages are done

And to everyone I've ever hurt, I'm sorry

But I was wrong”

(From: That’s how it is by Paul Freeman)

When I got a chance to meet Paul after the concert, he was just as sweet and genuine as he seemed to be on stage and he’s as intelligent as his lyrics. He won my undying respect a few days later when I found out that he likes Dylan Thomas. Thomas was known to be a great admirer of William Blake which almost makes us kindred spirits. (Hey, can you believe I just found a link between Paul Freeman and Richard Armitage? I knew there was a reason I liked this man!)



Right back at you, Paul!!

Another thing that caught my attention is the way Paul sings his songs. Every time he started playing, it was as if he went into a world of his own. There was such dedication and joy in the way he performed; it makes me smile to even think about it. But don’t take my word for it, here’s the proof. This is Paul’s performance of Tightrope at the concert that I attended in Brussels.

It’s that joy that woke the room up and Paul managed to grab the attention of people who would usually just see him as the reason why the main act of the evening wasn’t there yet. By the third song, he’d won them over. When he finally walked off the stage, I felt a sense of loss…and the applause continued longer than I have ever seen it last for an unknown opening act.

 

So Paul, when exactly are you coming back to sing for me?

Nice to meet you...

... Gary!

For weeks now, we have been wondering whether Richard Armitage’s character in the new film ‘Black Sky’ would be another ‘John’, a name that so many of his most memorable characters have shared: John Thornton in North and South, John Standring in Sparkhouse, John Bateman in Spooks, John Porter in Strike Back, John Mulligan in Moving On…

Todd Garner, producer of the film, has been tweeting pictures of RA on set, in character, making us fans extremely happy. Thank you, Mr. Garner!

Richard Armitage as 'Gary' on the set of Black Sky
Picture shared on Twitter by the film's producer, Todd Garner

Today, Mr. Garner also solved the mystery of the character’s name, in answer to a question from fellow blogger Gratiana Lovelace on Twitter. To my extremely great pleasure, it’s not another John. RA’s character in Black Sky is named ‘Gary’. It sounds very American to me, for some reason, but that’s OK as RA will also be rocking an American accent in this film.

But does the name fit the character? Well, let’s have a look at the meaning of the name ‘Gary’:

The masculine given name Gary is derived from the word 'spear' in Germanic (gar = spear), meaning a 'spear bearer' and the name (also spelled Garry) is an "acceptable" Anglicised spelling of the Scottish Gaelic and Irish Gaelic personal name Garaidh which, like Gary, is also pronounced gæri.

In German the meaning of the name Gary is: Gentle. Modest and brave Sir Gareth was a legendary knight of King Arthur's Round Table.

People with this name have a deep inner desire to use their abilities in leadership, and to have personal independence. They would rather focus on large, important issues, and delegate the details.

Well, now you know what to expect! ;-)

I, for one, am very much looking forward to this film (we will have to wait until 2013, unfortunately). It may be ‘just another tornado movie’, but Richard Armitage’s talent will take any old disaster movie to a completely different level (in my own humble opinion, that is). And it’s another chance to see my second favourite man (after my own sweety, of course!) on the silver screen. I’m sure Mr. Armitage is also enjoying the chance to play a ‘normal’ character after going through life as Thorin Oakenshield for The Hobbit for almost 2 years!

Thank you Todd Garner – and please keep sharing those pictures!
You can follow Mr. Garner on Twitter @Todd_Garner

Oh yes you are!

"I'd rather be a could-be if I cannot be an are; because a could-be is a maybe who is reaching for a star. I'd rather be a has-been than a might-have-been, by far; for a might have-been has never been, but a has was once an are."

- Milton Berle

 

 

 

A few lucky ladies have recently had a chance to visit the set of the film 'Black Sky' in Michigan (USA) and to meet Richard Armitage. Pictures of Richard with his arm around a fan and smiling brightly to the camera have been all of the web in the past few weeks. How thoughtful of Richard to make some time in his busy filming schedule to come out and say hello to his fans. You're a true gentleman, Mr. A!

 

When the husband of one of these ladies mentioned that this would be his very first picture with a movie star, Richard's reply was: "I'm no movie star..."

 

Oh dear, sweet, Mr. Armitage, humble and modest as ever!

 

If you're not a movie sar yet, you definitely will be one once the world gets to know Thorin Oakenshield and when they realise that you are the real star of this film (of all 3 of them, if you ask me, but I admit that my judgement may not be completely objective).

 

Richard Armitage as dwarf Thorin Oakenshield, The King Under The Mountain,
in Peter Jackson's upcoming The Hobbit trilogy

 

 

You may not be a movie star in your own mind yet, this picture sure makes you look like one... Clooney who?

 

Richard Armitage backstage at the BAFTAs in 2009
 

 

As usual, pictures were taken from the excellent Picture Gallery at www.richardarmitagenet.com



My favourite picture for your birthday...

Happy Armitage Day to Richard Armitage fans across the globe...

And HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Richard Crispin Armitage, actor, heart-throb (yes, you, Mr. A!), dandy (very suave, when he's in the right frame of mind), circus worker (yes, he slept next to the elephants, get over it), dwarf (the tallest dwarf, in every way!), professional spy (I love Lucas North, did I mention that?), and Nazi saboteur (He's the only person who would want to make a cartoon character - Heinz Kruger in Captain America - look like more than a one-dimensional bad guy: Erich Gimpel, your biography is now on my reading list as well!)

After 21 days of counting down to this day, I owe you my favourite picture in honour of RA's birthday. so here it is:

Picture courtesy of the excellent Picture Gallery at www.richardarmitagenet.com

Why do I love this picture?

- It's Richard, as himself. No character to change his features, his voice or his actions, he's his very own, adorable self!

- His hair is short, and it's his natural colour

- The beard... what can I say? THE BEARD!! *I'm controlling the urge to run my fingers across his jaw*

- That incredible Belstaff leather jacket that fits him so very well - actually, I can't believe that the brand has not asked him to be their poster-boy (or man, I should say) because their jackets and coats look exquisite on him!

- He's talking about his role in The Hobbit and I am eagerly awaiting the day when I can finally see RA as Thorin on the big screen, in high-definition 3D!

- He's being serious: he's giving one of his incredibly intelligent, well thought-through answers to some interviewer's not-so-very-original question...

- His voice, yes his beautiful, deep, velvet, dip-me-in-chocolate, tingles-down-my-spine voice. Of course, you can't hear that voice in this picture, so I would like to share a video as well. A minute of Richard Armitage - thank you bcc mee for creating this!

I hope you've enjoyed my countdown to Armitage day and my selection of pictures. I've had a wonderful time going through the picture gallery and finding my favourites to share... Thank you all for visiting my blog, commenting on the pictures and for taking part in all the birthday fun!

Thank you Mr. A for inspiring me! Whatever you are doing to celebrate this day, I hope you enjoy it. Happy Birthday, Richard!! x

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!