Will Mr Armitage succeed in conquering the male audience his new modern drama is addressed to ? Will he manage to make them forget his being considered a heartthrob? Because Mr Armitage's strategy in choosing roles lately has given many of us this impression. He wants to get rid of the cliches attached to his career so far. The new Mr Darcy, the heartthrob, the bloke sent by Heaven and so on ... We, all of us , who met and started admiring his talent as John Thornton in North and South, will keep our fingers crossed for him and his STRIKE BACK and will wish him the best of luck and great success.
...Get rid of the clichés but not of us, though! Mr Armitage should know what he has caused in our lives since he has, by chance, entered them from a TV screen. He should know his faithful admirers have undergone radical changes in their tastes, habits and even attitudes following him. They are flexible, very curious and patient, and they adore to widen their horizons. He will not get rid of his ... loyal "army" so easily. Chris Ryan - the author of the best selling novel on which this new drama is based - has never had so many female readers, for example. So, I imagine many of them will also see the six episodes of this action drama with their partners/husbands or alone.
I don't want to sound self-centred but I 'll give you an example of how much a sensible ordinary woman , always by the book, rather rational and reserved, has changed since she started following RA's career. If it is not clear I'm going to tell you about myself.
I hate hammering advertising. I hate advertising in general. I feel it as invasive, as a sort of brainwashing my dignity and my independent will totally abhor. Why do I not only accept but even appreciate this advertsing campaign? Why do I, on the contrary, thank God for all this advertising stuff around the new drama from British Sky 1? Why do I stare in admiration at the photo of the cast arriving at the Premiere (April 15th )? I'm quite unrecognizable to myself . You know who is to blame for all this! I'm even a bit angry with my new self, the silly one, betraying the other's deepest and more firm convictions! But what can I do, I must forgive her. She is really interested in the ...product. Sound schizofrenic? Maybe I AM starting suffering from a form of dissociation.
So, what I want to say is ... do you think his admirers - including me - will be discouraged by the fighting , the explosions, the chasing or torture scenes in Strike Back? I don't think so.
So, what I want to say is ... do you think his admirers - including me - will be discouraged by the fighting , the explosions, the chasing or torture scenes in Strike Back? I don't think so.
All of you will have heard of Sky1 Strike Back Premiere held yesterday afternoon. Richard Armitage left the set of Spooks 9 to be at View West End, London. While he smiled at the photographers, hugged and joked with his colleagues, answered the reporters' questions, and seemed to have real fun , on the forums and sites RA dedicated pics and news came out one after another. Enthusiastic comments all over. The show business machine, the red carpet thing, the least interesting part in RA's job - to me, at least. But I find impossible not to get involved. He was there yesterday and I wanted to see if he looked well (seems tired , doesn't he?), safe and sound, as fit and gorgeous as usual. So I joined the chorus of "Awwww"! and "I wish I was there"
Are you ready to see our lovely and caring Harry J. Kennedy transformed into a war machine? Broody millowner in love, John Thornton - still competing with Mr Darcy in many hearts - transformed into a tough and rough soldier in action ? I bet many of you are and can't wait for that! May 5th is near, luckily. But only for British audience. The others we'll have to wait for the DVD released in June.
Anyhow, don't expect simply a Rambo all muscles and rage, Richard's John Porter will have a soul and a compelling background story .
Richard himself - as he usually loves doing - underlines the complex human aspect of his character in a short interview he released (you can listen to and watch it HERE or HERE) :
""He (John Porter) starts off as somebody that’s absolutely black and white, by the book, top of his field and then it starts to fall apart. He makes an error of judgement - it’s seen as an error of judgement by the people he works for- and it falls out as ending his career. He goes on a journey of atonement looking for the reasons why that happened, within himself, and in the world that he’s working in, because he always believes he made the right judgement."
I'm ready for John Porter. What about you?
My previous posts about STRIKE BACK
(including names and photos of the cast)
14 comments:
It will be interesting to see him in a more modern action role. I have a hard time picturing it, but I don't mind either! :) Thanks for sharing and keeping us all updated.
Confession time, MG? ;-)
But you haven't to be worried by this new self of yours: you're not alone, as you probably already know!
And, as you rightly point out, WE are flexible, very curious and patient, and WE adore to widen OUR horizons.... wait a minute! :-O Patient? Me??? I can't wait for may 5th to come!!!!!
have a nice w-e,
xx KB
I was really happy I had convinced myself I wasn't going to watch this work of RA, 'cause I didn't like what I read out there of the story, so I was returning to a more reasonable self, like I was in the past. And I was happier 'cause I really like war stuff, so not watching it was a double prize. But then I watched the bloody trailer of "Strike Back". I shouldn't have done that! Now I want to watch it! Sad indeed!
Honey, I am a totally sane, respectable middle-aged woman who never squeed over actors as a teenager, and yet the amazing Mr. Armitage introduced me to a whole new, wonderful world of fandom and I, for one, salute and celebrate his efforts to avoid being pigeon-holed into the romantic period hero roles. He's much, much too gifted of an actor to do so. And yes, I am totally squeeing over all the press machine is offering us re Strike Back.
And thinking this RA DVD may actually be one spouse will watch with me. (And yes, I have read the book, too, not normally my type of reading). I sincerely hope this WILL bring Richard many new fans of the male persuasion in particular. More people need to realize our favorite actor is a hell of a lot more than eye candy. (And considering how brilliant he is in the action stuff in Spooks, I have no doubt he will be fantastic in this role).
@Karen, mimbecky, Luciana and fedoralady
Hello, girls. Thanks for commenting and sharing my enthusiasm, trying to calm down my worries about my mental health or making me feel less lonely in this "transformation" of mine. Do you know? I tend to feel very much like Mr Darcy... "In vain I have struggled ...it would not do. My feelings would not be repressed. You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love ... RA. Indeed as a rational woman I cannot regard it as a suitable behaviour but it cannot be helped! Maybe, fedoralady, you felt touched and even offended by my words but they referred to me and to me only. Maybe I would have concealed my struggles but ... disguise of every sort is my abhorrence".
Have a splendid weekend you all!
Great post MG! I love that you made that Darcy quote about you and RA! Very clever-- and so true!
@Phylly3
Thanks, Phylly. It's a warming sensation that of finding so much sympathy in my blogger mates. I know many of you ... understand me completely!
LOL! Didn't you say that you weren't good at remembering quotations, or lines? ;D
Twice in a row is... quite amazing: I'm all astonishment! :P
As I will be laid up with my treatments I am so glad I have worked out how to use the record setting on my cable machine. It means I will not miss a heartbeat. MG I would not worry about concealing your struggles over RA. I have given up and my husband thinks that I do not love him any more and only have eyes for RA. There again I am in RA overload and I have to thank him for getting me through this difficult time. My last treatment (yesterday) was made all the more quicker by watching an episode of N&S on my iPod. My first treatment was made all the more quicker by the listening of Sylvester. What will my next treatment have in store? Watching an episode of Stike Back is the more probable at the moment. Thanks again for letting me know that I am sane and that there are a number of us like minded ladies out there.
@Karen
You know me so well that, without being that amazed, you should have understood I ... cheated!!! :P
I've learnt lots of tricks from my students!
@Ellejay
It's not that I hide my admiration for Mr Armitage so well, don't you think EJ? Here I am with you every Friday. I just like joking about my unexpected behaviour ... unexpected to myself. You mention husbands... poor them! But I don't need hiding from mine , luckily. Richard has become one of the family ! "Are you watching a movie with Richard?" Are you writing about Richard?" My husband is my family, man, friend while Richard is ... Richard is ... Does he really exist? ;-)
Best wishes for your treatments and ... I admire you for being so strong. Big Hug, EJ!
Can't wait for Strike Back! :D
Another great RA Friday post, MG. I think it can only do his career good if men start watching him, and this series gives him that opportunity! I can hardly wait, though I won't get to see it on TV.
Hi MG!
Another great post about RA! Your RA Fridays certainly relieves me off my stressors. LOL. Thank you.
I'm exceedingly interested in watching this new work of RA but will just have to wait for the DVD. Take care!
@Traxy
Same here! But there's a slight difference between the two of us: I live in Italy! On my Sky1 channel they broadcast different stuff!
@Servetus
Thank you! I agree with you, I understand Richard's choice and sincerely hope he'll get more and more success.This is a great opportunity to him. See SB on TV? Maybe it will be bought by Italian SkyTv but it will be dubbed first. And I really can't bear to watch to Richard disturbed by another actor's voice. Watching and listening to Italian Gisborne was a ... shock! So...I'll see it in English, even if I had to wait till June.
@Jac
Hi, J. You are stressed, poor girl? I can imagine. My best students, too, are really stressed at the moment, especially those preparing their school-leaving exams. But you have to hold on! And watching (period) dramas can help a lot.SB DVD will be released in June. Not so soon, unfortunately!
BTW, teachers, too. work hard and need help for their stress. I can assure you!
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