22/10/2010

RA FRIDAY - FROM A MAVERICK TO A DWARF FROM MIDDLE EARTH!



I’ve been on a rollercoaster of emotions in the last few hours. Why do I have to be so involved in someone else’s life and  career? Mine are already so full of tasks and goals and troubles! Then, Lucas North is only a fictional character! But I felt sorry for Richard Armitage. He asked for a spectacular, unforgettable exit from Spooks! That's not fair ...  I can’t be cold and  detached. Not a bit.

 Yesterday  ( reading THIS )  I was like : “Gosh! I had got it right! I so wanted to be wrong… but, no, that’s what is going to happen. However, there is still some hope, maybe I am wrong. In Spooks nothing is actually what it seems. Let’s wait on, it can’tbe so foreseeable… but this BBC plot leaves no space for hope. He will leave. No series 10 for Richard! But , please, don’ let him go as a traitor. I ‘d love Lucas to leave the show with a chance for redemption. Not as a vile traitor, I beg you”.

Then today I got the good news and I feel almost… in  bliss. RA won’t be on set for Spooks 10 in February because at that time he will be on an international set for Warner Bros.  I’m so happy for Richard! I’m so sure he is very proud and gratified of being one of the main characters in this great production for the big screen . It is the adaptation of one of his  favourite books as a boy, THE HOBBIT by Tolkien. He will  play Thorin Oakenshield,   leader of the Company of Dwarves which sets off to reclaim the Lonely Mountain from a thieving dragon.  The first of 2 instalments will be released in December 2012. 

To be honest,  I ‘m  glad for him but not for me. I don’t like this kind of movies or books at all. But  since I've started, I’ll go on widening my horizons, don’t worry! After reading and watching stuff like STRIKE BACK, nobody will stop me!

Of Richard Armitage  Peter Jackson (director of the previous adaptations of Tolkien's cult novels) says : 

"Richard is one of the most exciting and dynamic actors working on screen today and we know he is going to make an amazing Thorin Oakenshield. We cannot wait to start this adventure with him and feel very lucky that one of the most beloved characters in Middle Earth is in such good hands." To discover the names of the other dwarves read THIS ARTICLE on line.

Wow! I ‘m so happy. Richard deserved more and here we go! I’m just puzzled by a fact … how can our gorgeous giant be turned into the leader of the Dwarves? LOL ! Funny,  indeed.
Well. this means I’ll have to start reading Tolkien. My sons and students have always asked me … why don’t you … ? Because I was waiting for such an occasion: Richard Armitage in a film based on one of Tolkien’s novels. It’ll be a hard task, I’m sure. This is so NOT my cup of tea! My students will be happy, though … and my sons will tease me. Gosh!  They’ve already started. They don’t know about The Hobbit yet. But husband and sons have bet I’ll go to the cinema to see Captain America. I told them I won’t. But they are sure they’ll win the bet.  O my goodness! How do they know me so well?
Let’s stop here. I’m so happy today,  I do not want to spoil my mood with their jokes.


Now back to  Spooks 9.  Episode 0905 was great, wasn’t it? I liked it , at least I enjoyed it much more than episode 4. It was awesome, brilliant, perfect till the last awful minute. How can  such a self- controlled, smart man change so much and become silly, boysh  and nonsensical when Maya is around? Do they want to tell us he is so much in love he gets to tototally  lose control? I’m sorry, it doesn’t work. Unbelievable and exaggerated. I’m romantic and I believe love can do magic  but … this just doesn’t work, thank you.
I wasn’t surprised by that final scene. Having read one of Laila Rouass’s interviews with hints to her being the partner of two handsome actors in Spooks 9, it was too easy to guess. I know,  I should avoid spoilers. But I’ve already explained I don ‘t mind spoilers at all.
This is also why yesterday I read the plot of 0908, that is this series final episode. And the result was ... I was rather sad last night, as I wrote at the beginning of this post. 

The circle is closed. My RA Friday post ends here.
Happy weekend to you all. Till next Friday. MG

6 comments:

JaneGS said...

I've read The Hobbit a few times, and made it all the way through LOTR a long, long time ago. I fell asleep during Fellowship of the Ring, but I will watch the Hobbit. Not my kind of fiction either, but sacrifices must be made...

MaryKwizMiz said...

I'm away for 1 day!!!! and it all happens at once. overwhelmed by the enws, and pretty much like you, in two minds about it. Glad he's finally found recognition but sad to see Lucas turn bad. then again, that writing has been on the wall for a while. Must digest all the news over the weekend.. and compute the implications. LOAD of pic ideas in my head now.
have a good one :)

Unknown said...

YAY! Richard in The Hobbit is wonderful news!

I had mixed feelings about the Beeb's 0908 spoilerish infos, mostly re: Lucas not being in next series (I'm still convinced he simply CAN'T be a traitor), but now I see why it won't be easy for him to film Spooks next year, having been cast in P. Jackson's stellar production.

I'm sorry for the Kiwis out there, but I hope rumours of a UK location for the Hobbit are true, so that Richard won't be so far from home - and from us :) - and possibly finding time for stage rehearsals (he promised he'll do The Rover next Autumn!) between takes.
Have a lovely weekend everyone,
ciao K.

Fanny/iz4blue said...

Well I won't feel so bad about NOT seeing him in Captain America on the big screen. I'll be happy to wait for it to come out on DVD and get it for free from the library.
But his lead in The Hobbit on the other hand might require multiple viewings...

Anonymous said...

I'm delighted with this casting. Thorin Oakenshield is such a strong character and one who will be in both movies and by Bilbo's side. And as I've said in comments on my own blog, casting away from type is perfect. We get to see beyond what we have come to know.
There's no doubt he can pull it off.
What I really do love though is that he probably won't look like the RA we all know. This will allow the acting to have so much weight and he will be judge on his ownership of the role. And MG, as you and I have a certain dislike for fan-talk on bodies, tatts, faces etc . . . it will be interesting to see what eventuates on the Net as images of filming gradually reach us.
As an aside, I hope NZ and Warner can sort out the union differences. NZ was so magnificent as Middle Earth, it deserves to retain the crown.

Mulubinba said...

I have longed to see RA in 'The Hobbit', though his casting as Thorin took me by suprise. He's loved this story since he was a boy and I think it must be a dream come true for him :) (imagine having an opportunity to act with Sir Ian McKellen!!).

I'm with Mesmered here - The Hobbit absolutely must stay in New Zealand! So many jobs depend on it.