Wednesday, May 26, 2010

The EYES have it!

 To Brood is defined as: "to focus the attention on something moodily and at length."


 Famous Brooders:


Rudolph Valentino 
Please click on his name to learn more
about this amazing actor from the silent film era.
The Latin Lover




The Sheik 
(1921)

 remind you of anyone?







Some time ago I was commenting on AllthingsRichardArmitage Blog about Spooks Season 8.5 and how expressive are Richard Armitage's eyes as the character Lucas North. The screencaps here are very good in showing his emotional turmoil as he discovers that his lover is not quite what she seems.


 More brooders:
 
Yul Brynner
as the King of Siam in The King and I (1956)


and as Ramses in The Ten Commandments (1956)

Here is a fansite dedicated to Yul Brynner:


Omar Shariff
I think this screen cap is from Dr. Zhivago (1965)


Johnny Depp
as Jack Sparrow in Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean (2003).


But nobody can brood like this guy!
Richard Armitage
as John Thornton in North and South BBC 2004.

And here he is again, brooding up a storm as Guy of Gisborne,
a thwarted lover to Maid Marian, in the BBC's production of
Robin Hood (2006-2009)

This is my first ever Youtube video, (although it's really only a slideshow set to music) using Window's Live Movie Maker, so it's pretty beginner stuff, but I hope you like it anyway.


And he's still at it, brooding again...
this time as John Porter in Sky1's production of  
Chris Ryan's Strike Back 2010.

Wouldn't you like to know what he's thinking about? 
(Make sure your screen saver is in working order...
or he might just burn a hole right through your computer screen!)


22 comments:

Maria Grazia said...

Awww! Brooding handsomeness...Thanks Phylly! I just needed something like this! I'm just in a brooding mood but on a short break at school, and I feel as if I myself can burn a hole right through any of my students if I happen to meet one!
Need a holiday, need some rest!!!
Hugs
MG

tyme_4_t said...

Congrats on your first video!! I think it's great! Love the Canadian content -wink-

Unknown said...

So true, no one can brood quite like Richard Armitage...though everyone else in your post does a pretty good job too. :)

Phylly3 said...

@Maria Grazia -- Sorry to hear you are so worn out! It won't be much longer until summer vacation, right?
@tyme_4_t-- Thanks so much! Yes, I've been wanting to use this song for awhile. I love The Guess Who and Burton Cummings is a bit of a brooder too!
@Ruth--So true! Glad you agree!

Maria Grazia said...

Unfortunately it will! Lessons are going to stop on June 12 but school leaving examinations fro our older students (thise going to uni next September) start on June 23 and will go on till mid-July. Then our school is planning summer courses for younger students who failed in one or two subjects.
"But I shall conquer this"! OR, better, I will survive!!!

Nat at RA FanBlog said...

LOVE brooders! All the period films I enjoy have a brooding leading male and you're right... RA is the best. I've always loved "The King & I" and "The Ten Commandments" but now I know WHY. I never really thought Yule was hot, but I do love his brooding and was therefore attracted to his characters.

Traxy said...

He does give a right good brood, that Richard... hawww. Orson Welles was pretty good too. Toby Stephens broods for Britain as Rochester. But just as a good all-round brooding expert, can't beat the Armitage! <3

Phylly3 said...

@MG -- Summer School! That's just too cruel!
@Nat -- Yes, I've always loved those movies. Yul was the only bald actor I ever thought was handsome. (Certainly NOT Telly Savalas!) Oh..there I go dating myself again!
@Traxy -- I love that you think Orson Welles is sexy! Now that's going waaaaay back! LOL
If I'd had more room I could have mentioned him and your Toby Stephens really did a great brooding session as Rochester. I almost mentioned that German actor you blogged about, but I had to edit him out. What was his name again?

Avalon said...

Rudolph Valentino is so sexy! You know us natives go for dark skinned men. RA does favor The Sheik! Cool you caught that. Oh yes, Jack Sparrow....but you forgot Orlando! And your video was good. I commented and voted on it, looking forward to more.

fitzg said...

AH - great post and video! RA has it all, though: eyes, voice, height!

Lovely blog site, Phylly, count me as a new Phylly blog fan. (And I date back to Savalas; and refuse to be embarrassed about having an actor crush).

Traxy said...

You mean Michael Fassbender? He's half-German/half-Irish, and the new Rochester. :)

And Orson Welles - I KNOW! :O I rarely see people in old b&w films and think "woah, HOTNESS!" but with him, oh yes. Crikey, him as Rochester...! If he'd been around today, at the age he was in '44, I truly believe he would've been one of the most swoonworthy actors around!

And now I feel like watching "Jane Eyre" again. Dangit, why does that keep happening?

Phylly3 said...

@Avalon -- Glad you like Valentino -- he is a Hollywood legend that we need to be reminded of with every new generation. Orlando Bloom -- yes, very handsome I agree but to me a brooder needs a few more years under his belt, then he really has more to brood about, eh?
@fitzg -- Welcome to my Blog! Glad you found us, bring some more friends along with you!
@Traxy -- I am going to have to watch that version of Jane Eyre with Mr. Welles, you are making me very intrigued. I have only seen him in a few movies, after he had beefed up quite a bit, so the Phwoar factor was definitely missing! LOL
Oh, and by the way, the German actor you blogged about was Horst Buchholz in yourTiger Bay post:
http://thesqueee.blogspot.com/2009/12/tiger-bay-1959.html

JEMAA said...

I really loved your video - it's a favouite song of mine and you capture the sentiment so well! Go Canuks all round!

Phylly3 said...

Thanks JEMAA and welcome!

Mulubinba said...

Great video, Phylly !!! Congratulations! I like brooders too. I seem to remember the late great Paul Newman being able to brood with those blue eyes of his too.

fitzg said...

@Traxy - So happy you are a Welles fan! I'm especially devoted to "The Third Man", possibly because we had a two year posting in Vienna. In the film, not only is Welles a "brooder", the entire city broods! I could go on here, but, enough for now.

@Phylly - Do catch Welles' other productions. Citizen Kane and The Magnificent Ambersons are critically reckoned as his best. So,I'm a "minority report" here.

As for Great Brooders, Wuthering Heights ruined me for life! (Prefer Harry Kennedys to Heathcliffs, in real life, though.)But anti-heroes and conflicted and communication-challenged (I think that was Servetus' phrase)protagonists are always more interesting than squeaky-clean Ivanhoes - more fool he, for preferring insipid Rowena to smart Rebecca....

Traxy said...

phylly3: Oh, you meant Horst Buchholz! Yeah, he did a lot of brooding in "Tiger Bay". :) I've seen the pictures of the considerably larger Orson Welles, so I know what you mean. I meant before that. He was perhaps never skinny, but as Rochester, gosh, he sizzled! :)

fitzg: I think I've only seen him in "Jane Eyre", to be honest, and heard three (?) radio adaptations of it with him, but I'd love to see more! With "Ivanhoe" - I prefer Sir Brian, but that's because I'm a big Sam Neill fan, and I've only ever seen the 1982 adaptation. ;)

fitzg said...

Traxy: right with you on Sam Neill! First-rate actor. (Ivanhoe himself was boooring).

ladykate63 said...

Congratulations on your first video! :) I'm usually not a fan of videos that use stills rather than clips but this one is great because, well ... the stills are gorgeous! Love the look of your blog. I love Orson Welles in "The Third Man." Oh, and Sam Neill is awesome.

Phylly3 said...

Welcome LadyKate and thanks for your kind compliments. I wish I had the knowledge and software to make real videos, so for now I'm going the musical slideshow route. Glad you liked it!

DEZMOND said...

I must practice brooding in front of my mirror then :)

Phylly3 said...

Ha!Ha! Let me know how that works out for you Dezmond. Welcome to my little home in the Blogosphere!