Happy!

The colour Yellow makes me happy.  Balloons make me happy. Books make me happy -- even just the thought of books!  Reading books, talking about books, showing books, owning books, looking at books, yes. Books make me happy.

Here are a couple of my favourite children's book characters by Roger Hargreaves (England's 2nd bestselling author of the last decade -- after J.K. Rowling as reported by The Guardian in 2009).

Funnily enough, they are both yellow and balloon-shaped.

May I present: Mr. Happy and Little Miss Sunshine!








As readers of this blog can attest, I also love pictures of a certain actor (especially those rare shots of him smiling)...  So when I find a picture of said actor reading a book and smiling!... BINGO!  All systems are GO!

Richard Armitage performing the audio book Hamlet 
adapted by A. J. Hartley, and David Hewson for Audible.

Music also makes me happy...

This is a song which I sing to myself quite a bit when I need a little cheering up.
I really like this version sung by (not only) June Carter, of the Carter Family fame but with the bonus of her husband Johnny Cash and their daughter Carlene.

Keep on the Sunny Side (Blenkhorn and Entwistle)



I remember this next song from my childhood and it brings back many happy memories.
I didn't realize until recently that it was written by Marvin Hamlisch.
I saw a documentary about him a couple of months ago.
He certainly knew how to make himself happy.  He gave up a promising career as a classical pianist to write music for Broadway plays and soundtracks for films. 
He met Barbara Streisand when she was performing Funny Girl on stage, and later worked with her when he wrote the sound track for the movie The Way We Were.  He also worked with Woody Allen for the sound track of his movie Bananas.
He earned many awards over his lifetime, but better even than that -- he enjoyed his work,
which was essentially - entertaining the public (making people happy).

Sunshine Lollipops and Rainbows (by Marvin Hamlisch)

Notice that singer Lesley Gore is wearing yellow?
And yes, that song is so sweet it could rot your teeth.


Here is my favourite summer camp song:

If all the raindrops were lemon drops and gum drops,
Oh what a world it would be...
Standing outside with my mouth open wide
Ah, ah, ah-ah, ah, ah, ah-ah, ah, ah-ah!
If all the raindrops were lemon drops and gum drops,
Oh what a world it would be!

That really would rot your teeth!


Then there were those delightfully crazy yellow minions from the Despicable Me film and its sequel.
They certainly made me happy -- hilariously so!

I didn't realize there were so many animated short films about these critters!
Here is one where they are fighting over a banana.



Despicable Me 2 had such an upbeat song (which should have won the best song Oscar instead of that overwrought outpouring from Frozen! --Don't hit me!)
I know the song has been overplayed on the airwaves but I'm not sick of it yet.  I love the Youtube version with Pharrell Williams in it, but I can't resist this version either.

Richard Armitage -- HAPPY / by Crystal Chandlyre



Lately, it makes me very happy to read so many stage door fan encounters with Richard Armitage as he plays the role of John Proctor in the Old Vic's production of The Crucible. There is even a blog which collects all those experiences!  http://thecrucibleexperience.wordpress.com/
and a Facebook page called 'Richard Armitage in The Crucible' Appreciation Page
The play has been getting rave reviews from critics, regular theatre attendees and fans alike.
I thank Servetus @ Me + Richard Armitage blog and Perry @ Armitage Agonistes blog for keeping the fans up-to-date with the flurry of tweets, instagram pictures and Tumblr posts after each performance.
This is one of my favourite bloggers reactions to seeing The Crucible:  Maria Grazia @Fly High .

Judi, who blogs at Confessions of a Watcher  imagines Richard Armitage's feelings about the opening night success of his current play: The Crucible at London's the Old Vic in a lovely story called Happiness: http://www.jagrant.com/watcher/happiness/


Yes folks, Richard Armitage has come a long way
from his long ago (but never-to-be forgotten) stage role as a dancing banana!

 Forgive me if I resurrect one of my old videos!
Well, I'm no Bccmee -- but he's yellow! (That's all I'm sayin')...

I really couldn't resist this!

I've been meaning to post something for ages...  There is nothing like a good belly laugh to finally get me motivated!

Voice-over Switch: The Hobbit / North & South / by Buchjj

Thanks to fellow RA well-wisher Teresa Armitage, 

who posted this on The RA Friends Network Facebook page.

Musical greetings for Armitage Day

Although this blog's main preoccupation is my favourite actor, Richard Armitage, the second most interest (if you go by the tag cloud on the right sidebar) is music.  So I thought it would make sense to have a musical birthday celebration of his favourite bands.

Awhile ago I was reading a post over at Ancient Armitage (one of the newer blogs I've discovered thanks to Servetus @ Me + Richard Armitage) where Obscura (the blogger) discusses an interview where Richard names a few bands he likes.
The interview is by Aubry D'Arminio from 2008, so his musical tastes have undoubtedly changed since then.

What’s your favorite music group? At the moment I’m really into Coldplay just because that last album was so good. But I’m really into Keane and Radiohead. The Feeling are great at the moment, I really like that band.

I have previously posted quite a large collection of RA fanvids done to Coldplay songs.  I was thrilled to find them, as I really love that band's sound.  But I was not as familiar with the other two groups mentioned.  So, of course I needed to see if there were any fanvids set to those band's tunes!

Bingo! Lovely fanvidders never disappoint me. I especially love the lyric to the following song "You Don't See Me" which seems appropriate to this fandom:

Oh, truly we are a fortunate few, who turn on your axis, revolve around you

Read more: Keane - You Don't See Me Lyrics | MetroLyrics 

Richard Armitage Fan Video / by Luigina Ongarato

music by Keane: "You Don't See Me"

The lyrics to this next Keane song are so heartfelt and seem somehow very appropriate for RA.

Hamburg Song /by Luigina Ongarato



And here is the only fanvid I could find with a song by Radiohead.


Guy/Marian Exit Music Robin Hood fan video / by tsora17
Radiohead : Exit Music (For a Film)


Also I am glad he mentioned the name of the band The Feeling because (I'd never heard of them and) they were responsible for the song, Fill My Little World, which was the song they played right after Harry Kennedy and Geraldine Granger said their vows at the end of The Vicar of Dibley!

Here is a link to a clip, (I believe it will start at the beginning of the song).
The Feeling, Fill My Little World (The Vicar of Dibley)
If you wish to watch more of that clip just start it back at the beginning.

In one of his many interviews after the success of The Hobbit movie, Richard Armitage happened to mention that he enjoyed the music of Goyte.  How excited he must have been to be one of the presenters at Australia's Aria Awards where he was able to hand over the Best Pop Release to none other than Goyte!

ARIA Awards 2012 - Best Pop Release - Gotye / video by Bccmee

Last month fanvidder candy varty put Goyte's big hit together with some clips of RA's interviews and here is what she came up with!

Richard Armitage Fanvid ~Somebody That I Used To Know / by candy varty

I really appreciate all the fanvidders out there.  I hope everyone enjoyed Armitage Day.  I have only watched 2 new birthday videos so far and they are both excellent!  In case you missed it - this was a fabulous birthday surprise.... Bccmee is back!!  Check out her fabulous video here!

Meet Fayzabeam:Teacher and RA fanvidder

This is the second part of the previous post where I featured the fanvid set to Loreena McKennitt's recording of The Highwayman, featuring the BBC television series Robin Hood's characters of Marian Knightly and Guy of Gisborne (played by Richard Armitage).

Watch video here

Welcome Fayzabeam!  I was so happy to find your video.  

Please tell me how you came to create this video.
The Highwayman fan video was a classic example of me trying to shoehorn my obsessions into my teaching,  (I teach 11-18 year olds here in the UK). My Year 8 class (who are about 12/13) were doing the poem with me in class and, as they were so lovely I wanted to make them something that would help them to remember it!
I also made a comic strip/storyboard using screencaps from Robin Hood to use with the class.

So your students are aware of your interest in RA?
Most of my students know, by now, what a fan geek I am! It seems like lots of us who work in education have fandom tendencies ;). The screensaver on my laptop that kicks in occasionally when I'm projecting something on the whiteboard in the classroom is basically choc full of RA pictures and quotes, which they find hilarious. I've also made three videos for 'Macbeth' using RA's Gisborne as Macduff for the benefit of my Year 10 GCSE class, blending footage from Robin Hood and the BBC's other recent fantasy drama, Merlin, to try to tell the story of the Scottish play. There may even be a moment or two of Doctor Who footage in there, too!

Watch the general Macbeth trailer: HERE

Macbeth Act 5 Scene 8 trailer

 I was never really completely happy with the third one, so I didn't upload it to Youtube. Perhaps I'll reopen the project and tweak it a bit sometime soon. Would you like an exclusive if I do? ;)
I certainly would! Thanks for asking. :)

Do you get your idea first and then search for music to fit, or are you inspired by the music to create a video?
I mostly get an idea first when I see the film/tv show, and then try to think of music to fit what I want to achieve (this was particularly true for 'Is This Love?', my first Guy/Marian vid, and most of the other vids I've done), but one or two vids have been done because I liked the songs first. One instance, the vid I did for Guy Ritchie's Sherlock Holmes, I'd heard the song (Will Young's 'Jealousy') and was desperate to do a vid, any vid, for it. When I saw the second SH film, it just fell into place! Also, 'All Coming Back to Me' and 'Love Story' (both G/M) were songs first, visuals second (although, of course, as they're both shippy vids, that wasn't too tricky!).

Behind the scenes in Robin Hood

 How did you first "discover" Richard Armitage?
I discovered Richard Armitage when I was watching the BBC's Robin Hood back in 2006. I've always been a Robin Hood fan, and I was really interested to see what the beeb would do with this new interpretation. Oddly enough, Guy was my favourite character from HTV's Robin of Sherwood when I watched that as a kid, and so I was pretty sympathetic to the character, anyway! I was really impressed with the way Richard played him, and obviously captivated by the dynamic between him and Lucy, who played Marian. I think what impressed me the most about him was they way he just threw himself into that role - despite the fact that at times the scripting was ropey and the writing of the character was inconsistent (can you tell I'm an English and Media Studies teacher?!). He absolutely seemed to live every moment of the character, and when he was onscreen, you just couldn't look anywhere else. There was a subtlety to his acting that really appealed and showed the light and shade of Gisborne beautifully.

RA in Spooks / MI-5 series 8

 What other roles have you seen him in? 
To be honest, I've not seen much else that he's done - mostly through lack of time than anything else! I've seen a few episodes of Spooks, where he did impress me again, pretty much for the same reasons as above, but although I've bought North and South on DVD, I haven't watched it yet, although I read the book last summer and can't imagine anyone else as John Thornton. I've also yet to see The Hobbit! I'm sure, when I do get the chance, though, I won't be disappointed. I did watch the BBC's 'Shakespeare Retold: Macbeth' a year or two back, where Richard played Macduff, and I enjoyed that a lot, too. Possibly seeing that led me subliminally to cast Richard in my own Macbeth trailers! And, being a Brit, The Vicar Of Dibley is a firm favourite - he and Dawn French played off one another so well :).

As Macduff in Shakespeare Retold's version of Macbeth

 I do know how busy teachers can be - and bravo for reading the book - but you really MUST watch the miniseries of North and South!
Irrationally, I think I'm nervous about seeing N&S now! As I read the book, I could see Richard and Daniella in my head (I've watched quite a few Youtube vids, even though I haven't seen the whole of N&S yet!) and so I'm nervous that it won't match up to what I've 'seen' in my mind's eye. Weird, I know! I should have more faith in Richard and Daniella, I think! Incidentally, it's the same with Chris Ryan's 'Strike Back', which I read last Autumn and I'm still not brave enough to watch... On a more personal level, I've also been really impressed with how he comes across in interviews as a really down to earth, lovely person; a representation of himself which I find really endearing. And of course, he's pretty easy on the eye ;).

You are from the UK, I gather. Can you tell us which city you call home?
I'm from the South West - a village about 20 miles from Bristol, down in Somerset, land of Cheddar cheese, ley lines and amazing cider ;).

 How long have you been a teacher? 
 Ten years this year - although I took a break for a year to have my first daughter (she's now three) and I'm about to go off again in June to have my second girl :).

 What are some of your hobbies?
 Reading, writing, (naturally!), vidding, and, when I'm not about to have a baby, I like to jog in the countryside.

Out jogging Thornton? (photo courtesy of RACentral gallery)

 Have you ever participated in a fandom before? If so, please tell us! And do you find the RA fandom any different from the other(s)?
 I'm a bit of a fandom veteran, these days - my first fandom experience was back in 1997 when the internet came properly online (I was at university) and that was for a cartoon called 'Dungeons and Dragons'. Since then I've written, vidded and joined in fandoms for quite a few things, including Robin of Sherwood, Doctor Who, James May, various films etc. Most of the fandoms I've been in seem to be pretty friendly and full of lovely, enthusiastic people - perhaps I've been lucky I haven't really stumbled across any completely mad, scary ones!

 Do you participate in any of the forums? Read blogs? Watch fan videos or read fanfics? In general, how do you get your RA fix?
 Being a vidder I tend to watch quite a few vids from other fans, and I've recently discovered tumblr (although I'm still not quite sure how it really works!!). I've been a member of livejournal for years, so quite a few comms on my friends list are Robin Hood/RA related. I'm still a bit of a lurker on the Armitage Army forums - not been brave enough to post much, yet! The Hobbit RPF scares the heck out of me, having read a few, although I'm not averse to RPF in general, so long as it's in character and not too explicit! I've even dabbled a bit myself (again, Robin Hood related), although mine was more of a 'I wonder what happened' take on Marian's death scene, and didn't involve any shipping!

This isn't the ending Richard was expecting either!

Please follow this link to read this excellent RPF which has Richard and Lucy Griffiths discussing and practising for their last scene together in the heartrending  2nd season-ender.
 http://archiveofourown.org/works/589122

 Have you ever met any other fans in Real Life?
 Not for the RA fandom, but for others, yes, and it's reassuring to find out that they're lovely, sane people :).

 Do you plan on watching The Hobbit? Or any other of his roles? 
 Oh yes, when I get time, but teaching and being a mother mean time is pretty limited for me. The Hobbit's definitely on my rental list!

 What other roles would you like to see him take on? 
 I'd love to see him on stage - Stanhope in RC Sheriff's 'Journey's End' for instance, or some Shakespeare - perhaps playing against type as Oberon! Oddly, in terms of film, I'd like to see him act opposite/alongside Bradley Cooper in something - I think they seem to have a similar approach to their work, and a similar intelligence and intensity. And of course, there's always the next Doctor Who!

Do you think RA is a good role model for young people?
 That's a tricky one! I mean, of course, he seems hardworking, dedicated and very nice (and humble!) but I think 'role model' puts unrealistic expectations on someone - I'm not sure I would want to class him as that!

 Have any of your students become RA fans because of your interest?
 *G* I'm not sure they'd tell me if they did! They like to tease me about my obsessions - in the nicest possible way, of course!

 How do your family and friends react to your RA "enthusiasm"? 
 My husband just rolls his eyes and writes it off as just another obsession, but then he knew he'd married a fan geek! Friends have a good laugh (but some of the girls secretly agree, I think!). I did make a Gisborne/Marian vid to Meatloaf's "All Coming Back to Me" because a friend of mine suggested it; they like to indulge me!  The rest of my family just put it down as one of my quirky things!

All Coming Back to Me: A Guy and Marian vid (BBC Robin Hood)

Thanks so much for telling us a bit more about yourself and for sharing your videos and fanfic with us!  Your students are very lucky to have a teacher who is able to make the study of English literature and poetry more accessible to modern students!

I am sure you will be very busy this summer with a new baby to care for.  Please drop by and let us know how you and baby are doing!   I hope you will have some time later to watch The Hobbit, or finally break open that North and South DVD.  :D

The Highwayman

I have been really lazy about blogging lately.  But it's almost the end of April and I didn't want to miss posting something for poetry month!

Many of us Richard Armitage fans have seen some resemblance between the character of Guy of Gisborne in the BBC's television version of Robin Hood and The Highwayman of the poem by Alfred Noyes.

I've been thinking about posting this lovely wall paper for quite some time.

Wall paper by TygerMag

Then, last month there appeared another tie-in between Richard Armitage and The Highwayman that was discovered by the blogger at The Heirs of Durin. Please follow the link and check out her post.

One of my favourite Canadian songstresses is known for setting the poem to music. Recently, I stumbled across this fan video set to Loreena Mckennitt's song. I was extremely pleased.  It has been around for almost 2 years now, so I don't know how I missed it.

The Highwayman starring Guy of Gisborne and Marian of Knighton (BBC Robin Hood)

/ by fayzabeam

I was so happy to find this video that I had to contact its creator.  She very kindly provided me with her storyboard for the video which she shared with her middle school class.  

Stay tuned....  Soon I will be posting an interview 
with the creator of this fanvideo -- fayzabeam!

Jingle Jangle Phylly

Roger McGuinn of The Byrds

I've always loved the sound of The Byrds.  Something about their sound has always really appealed to me.  Of course I loved their harmony, but it wasn't only that.  I wasn't sure what it was until I really thought about it, and when I heard a song similar to theirs I realized it was the guitar music with that jangly sound that I liked so much.

I have been hearing this type of music almost my entire life, but I never really thought about what made it different than any other type of music. I knew plenty of songs I loved, but I never really made the connection to what they had in common.

Mr. Tambourine Man / The Byrds  

In the early '80s my husband and I saw a movie where we enjoyed the soundtrack so much we tried to purchase it but it was always sold out.  The movie was Valley Girl with Nicolas Cage.  Here is one of my favourite songs that was played on that soundtrack.  You can hear that jangly sound in it.

I Melt With You / Modern English

This next song was also made famous by the Valley Girl movie.

A Million Miles Away / The Plimsouls

So for years I was loving that jangly guitar sound without even realizing it was anything but a certain style of playing guitar.  (I didn't even know for sure it was a guitar sound until I asked my husband about it once).  Then one day, as I was listening once again to Free Falling by Tom Petty, I realized he had that same sound and I just had to know what it was that made me like it so much.  I decided to do a Google search for "jangle music" and what a surprise I had!  I learned that Jangle Pop is an actual genre of music!

Here is the definition (according to Wikipedia):

Jangle pop is a genre of alternative rock from the mid-1980s that "marked a return to the chiming or jangly guitars and pop melodies of the '60s", as exemplified by The Byrds, with electric twelve-string guitars and power pop song structures. Mid-1980s jangle pop was a non-mainstream "pop-based format" with "some folk-rock overtones". Between 1983 and 1987, the description "jangle pop" was, in the US, used to describe bands like R.E.M., Let's Active and Tom Petty, and a subgenre called "Paisley Underground", which incorporated psychedelic influences.^[1] In the UK the term was applied to the new wave of raw and immediate sounding melodic guitar-bands collected on the NME's C86 (and laterCD86) compilations.

Here's a great blog post on the history of the Rickenbacker 12 string electric guitar (which is what gives Jangle pop its jangly sound): 
Jingle-Jangle Revolution: How Rickenbacker Guitars Changed Music 

So to celebrate this fave genre of mine, I would like to showcase a couple of Richard Armitage fanvids which feature jangle pop tunes!

Richard Armitage - The Golden Hour / by maraiad72

Losing My Religion / R.E.M.

And here is a fanvid I was originally going to use in a winter-themed post.  I realize the season has moved on but actually the song still works anyway, as it does refer to the seasons changing.  Besides, I shouldn't be so northern hemispheric, eh?  For you folks Down Under, this fits in quite nicely!

But, of course the real reason I have chosen it today is for the sound.  This song, "A Hazy Shade of Winter", was originally written by Paul Simon and performed by Simon and Garfunkle.  The cover is by The Bangles, who are listed in that Wikipedia article as a Jangle pop band!  Who knew?  Certainly not me (until just a little while ago).

Spooks/MI5 - Lucas North by KatSw3
Hazy Shade of Winter / The Bangles

Had you ever heard of the term "Jangle Pop" before?  How do you feel about that sound?

Elton John fanvids

Elton John was my first real musical love.  I still love his music just as much today. Since it was his birthday today yesterday,  I have found a few songs made into fanvids starring various characters portrayed by my fave actor - Richard Armitage.

This first video was my favourite Elton John song for a very long time.  Usually I don't like it when someone else covers a favourite song.  I didn't like Ewan McGregor's version in the movie Moulin Rouge.  In fact, it was the straw that broke the camel's back for me.  I turned it off and refused to watch any more of that movie.   But when I heard this singer's version of the song, I changed my mind.  It is so different, it is almost like a new song.  Of course it works much better with a female voice in this fanvid. 

Your Song - Richard Armitage Multi-role video by angieklong

song performed by Ellie Goulding

This next fanvid is by a Spanish vidder and it looks like it was made as a birthday present for someone.  What a sweet gift!  The song has no words but its title is very fitting for Guy of Gisborne.

Song for Guy / by cuatrobesos

I am very fond of this next video as it fits so well with Lucas North's character in Spooks/MI5. 

I Want Love / by ialmajacobus

I hope I can find more RA fanvids to Elton John songs some day.  

If you know of any more, please let me know!

Pick up the phone!

Why hello there!  Thank you for calling.

This is one of my usual sorts of posts, combining my love of music and popular culture with my current obsession fascination with actor Richard Armitage.  New visitors just here for RA stuff can scroll down to the end of the post where I finally get around to mentioning the real reason you are here...

My love of songs about phones goes way back... All the way back to a Warner Brothers cartoon that we got to watch in movie theatres before the main feature (back in the day before advertisements took over).  Later on it showed up on television on the Bugs Bunny Show, but there's no bunny in it.  Just a very unusual frog.  A singing frog!

I used to sing this song like crazy when I was a kid!

The next video was brand new to me, but apparently was a hit in 2009.
It is by a Canadian band from Toronto, Ontario.
It's very catchy, and has been remixed for dancing but I prefer the original version.
See what I learn when I do these posts?

Pick up the Phone / Dragonette

Phylly's Favourite Phone songs:

My all-time fave!

Operator/ Jim Croce

My second-most fave!

Brings back my teen years! It hit #1 in Canada in 1976.  I used to hang out in a local restaurant and get my friend, who was waitressing there to play this song over and over and over...

Telephone Line / ELO

Other Faves:

This song is such a classic and brings back my childhood.  I just noticed that it has been covered quite nicely by R.E.M. but Campbell's version still does it for me

Witchita Lineman / Glen Campbell

Call Me / Blondie

Now, this song brings back memories of viewing Richard Gere's full frontal in American Gigolo. I sat through that movie twice so I could catch another glimpse!  But Blondie's music really can stand on its own.  She was a fabulous singer with an original sound that was captivating!

Sylvia's Mother / Dr. Hook
This song is so pathetic it is almost funny.  But I love it very much.  It is great fun to sing!

I have to give the RA fandom credit for introducing me to Lady Gaga. I hadn't heard of her until I started watching fanvids back in 2009.  There are at least two RA fanvids to her song Telephone.  One I have already featured on my blog in my fanvid tribute to La Gaga.  Here is the other one:

Telephone- Lady Gaga (Lucas fanvid) by  Behind Blue Eyes - mixed Armitage roles

Many fans of Richard Armitage have noticed his characters seem to spend quite a bit of time on the phone.  In fact someone has devoted a whole blog to just this theme!

Richard Armitage on the Phone - Tumblr

Here is RA fan blogger / graphic artist and fanvidder Bccmee's contribution to this theme which she featured on her blog awhile ago:

Please follow this link to her blog post: 

http://fanvideos.wordpress.com/2012/06/16/lucas-north-vs-john-porter/

I love it when a fan turns one of his commercial voice-overs into a video!

Richard Armitage reads 02 Offer ("Better Connected") advert / by NotEvenAnOuch

Oh yes!  Before I forget... Check out this page at Richard Armitage Central for 
Richard Armitage's voice on a Ringtone!
RAC RA Ringtones

I've got to try one of those!

One more song I just love to sing is
I just called to say I Love You /  by Stevie Wonder
I can't help it! I love this song right down to the "cha-cha-cha"!

So I couldn't help myself... I had to make this video.  (Please forgive me!)

If the sound doesn't work - try this link: http://vimeo.com/61946623

Do you have any favourite songs about telephones?
And... which ringtone would you prefer?

This has been my second contribution to FanstRA 4. Please click on the banner above to be directed to the Hub page where you will find many more contributors this year. 
If you are interested in any of my previous FanstRA posts
you can click on the category FanstRAvaganza in my tag cloud listed under Favourite Things.

Heart to Heart

In case I didn't mention it before, I am a Library Technician in a small elementary school.  I run a one-person library and rely on student helpers to do the little, but time consuming jobs like re-shelving picture books and novels, some cutting and pasting for displays and other simple things that they enjoy doing.  It frees up my time to do the many other tasks that fill my days. But since the Ontario government decided it was time to pick on teachers' unions I haven't been feeling very happy at work lately.  This work to rule situation means that I have to stick to my very limited job description (which does not include supervising students).
So my contact with students has lessened quite a bit.  Adding to that is the fact that our school, which used to be very open is now (since the latest school violence --which I don't want to mention - but I'm sure you must have heard about) under a very tight lock down.  The library is at the very end of the building next to a locked door - so there is much less traffic than usual.  Is it any wonder that I feel a bit lonely lately?

I cheer myself up by reminding myself that I have a wonderful husband who still manages to love me (in spite of myself!), two well-adjusted, polite, witty and good looking grown children (who also seem to love me) and a wider group of extended family and friends that are great for entertainment purposes and the odd favour or two.

Perhaps I need a bit more distraction?  Well, I have no better place to turn than The Armitage Army!  Yes that amazingly talented group of fans of Richard Armitage are always ready with all sorts of pictures, gifs, videos, blog posts, fan fiction - a regular potpourri of anything a fan could wish for!

This was the latest treat that arrived in my YouTube mailbox today...

A Valentine video from mezzym01

Did that get your heart going?  It certainly helped mine!


And now (because I feel the need) here is a blast from the past -- a hit from 1973
 (back when I was a teeny bopper).  This group was Canada's answer to The Osmonds.

Heart Beat, It's a Love Beat / The DeFranco Family




I've never been much for guitar or drum solos but this song will always be a favourite,
especially for the last lyrics at 1:30.

The End / The Beatles



And now my heart feels much better.
You might say it is overflowing with happy thoughts
which might possibly look something like this?

Phylly's Day Off

I love when several of my interests merge themselves into one example.  Here is a video I recently happened upon that shows a scene from a very popular '80s teen movie that takes place in an art museum and has a beautiful soundtrack song from The Smiths.

The scene was filmed at the Art Institute of Chicago, which I have never yet had the pleasure of visiting.  I do love to visit art galleries and museums and I can see by several of the works showcased in this clip, that it would be a real thrill to visit this one.

Museum Scene from Ferris Bueller's Day Off

I like the song even better with lead singer and lyricist Morrissey's distinctive voice singing the very meaningful lyrics. Another RA fan obviously thought the lyrics fit very well with Guy of Gisborne's relationship with Marian in the BBC's Robin Hood series.

Guy of Gisborne - Please let me get what I want / by hedgeypig

Most of us RA fans have our own collection of "art" taking up quite a bit of computer memory.
But wouldn't it be fun to see some of it displayed museum-sized on a wall?

...Just one of the places I'd visit on Phylly's Day Off!


If you would like to see some real RA fan art visit Deviantart.com
where you will find artwork like this one :
by  ~Essinvrok

Vindicated!

While catching up with The Hobbit worldwide premiere tours and the gorgeous pictures and exciting videos along with blog posts from fans about it all that  are deluging my email and Facebook accounts, one particular video finally stopped me in my tracks.

The interview in Japan with Peter Jackson, Andy Serkis, Elijah Wood, Martin Freeman and of course Richard Armitage, kindly made available by RACentral, in particular Part 4.

(Any underage readers please skip this next bit...)  Peter Jackson's words of praise for Richard Armitage actually gave me an eargasm!  I don't know how else to describe it.  Have you ever been brought to tears by a particularly strong orgasm?  Well that's kind of what it was like to hear Peter Jackson's praise for Richard Armitage!

It's a good thing that I was alone in my house when I saw it because I immediately burst into uncontrollable sobbing.  How wonderful to finally hear the things we fans have been trumpeting out into cyberspace from a world class Director about a performance which will illustrate to the world what we have known all along!  I feel vindicated!  It was a "See! I told you so," kind of moment, but so much better!  Because that feeling was tied up with so many others.

It has been rather a lonely experience being a Richard Armitage fan.  I have treasured the virtual contact with his fans from all over the world which has been a truly unique and creatively stimulating experience for me.  Still it is disheartening to endure the blank looks I encounter when I mention his name in my real life relationships.  (Except for family members who usually roll their eyes while thinking, "There she goes again, I'll just humour her and pretend to listen!")  I have been longing for the day when I can have a discussion about him in the real world and now I'm realizing that the moment is almost here for me.

But never mind me!  I am also so excited and overjoyed for Richard Armitage himself!  What must it be like for him to see all his dreams finally reaching fruition?  It's just such an overwhelming emotional tsunami!

Here are Mr. Jackson's words which I needed to transcribe because I was so pleased with them:

In many respects I look on the characters Bilbo and Thorin as the heart and soul of the story.  And if Bilbo is the heart, then Thorin is the soul. We auditioned the role, saw many, many actors and Richard really managed to capture for us the very important ... the sense of nobility because essentially he is playing a king. But also the conflict as to whether or not he has the ability to lead these dwarves on this very difficult quest - a small number to fight a dragon to reclaim a homeland.  That's a very noble thing he's trying to do and yet he doesn't really have the resources (if you like) to do this.  And so it's...  And also with the character, there's a sense of honour that Richard - (that sort of quiet honour) that Richard carries which I think is absolutely superb.  And as an actor, Richard is one of those very rare actors which ummm... he uses stillness and he uses quiet to draw your eye.  That there can be a lot of things happening on the screen and many characters on the screen and yet Thorin - in his stillness draws your attention.  It's a very, very rare skill.  He's somebody who, when he's on the screen that your eyes go to that you want to watch.

I couldn't agree more, Mr. Jackson.  Richard Armitage is a very rare actor indeed.  But I counter that even though he does have an innate sense of nobility and honour, he was definitely drawing on that natural ability to the nth degree in this role.  As for using stillness and quiet, that is exactly what he does so admirably!  I have never seen an actor that can speak such volumes with the merest flicker of an eyelid!

He is so like a movie star of old, with his star quality.  I have likened him to Cary Grant, and Gary Cooper! (Thanks to Face in Hole). :) In other posts I have pointed out his similarities to Rudolph Valentino, and Paul Newman. There are many more screen stars of Hollywood's heyday that I haven't gotten around to comparing him to yet, but the fact is he has been star material since he first strode across the cotton mill floor in North and South.  Yes, our eyes gravitate to him.  When he is in a scene he holds our entire attention.  (Who would want to look anywhere else?)

This reminds me of one of my favourite fanvideos which was recently updated for RA's birthday. 

Here is GiztheGunslinger's second fanvideo to the tune of Filmstar by Suede.

And now he really is a Film Star!
Whether fans like it or not, (but hopefully he likes it) - that is how it is going to be.

Source: RichardArmitageNet.com

Superman!

(This post was begun August 17, 2010!  I am so glad to have finally finished it. I haven't really said all I could about Superman, but at some point - I've just got to stop, take a breath, and press that annoying button "Publish Post")!

Thanks to the folk who bring us Comic-Con for the much needed impetus!

Is there any hero more fantastic than a comic book hero? Superman was  my favourite hero. I also liked The Flash for a brief period, but always Superman was the one for me. (I guess I like fast men?) :)

Let's see, what was it about Superman that intrigued me so much?  Well, he started out in a small town with older than normal parents -- I guess we had that in common! But that wasn't it.  He was an refugee alien from a dying planet who came to earth as a helpless infant and was lucky enough to find loving foster parents. (That's quite a story, isn't it? Very intriguing!)  In order to appear like a normal Earthling, he has to hide his super powers under an alter-ego. Now that's where things get complicated! Although his real name from his parents on the planet Krypton was Kal El, on Earth he goes by the name Clark Kent, the name given to him by his adoptive parents. Because he is such a good person, he can't help but use his powers of flight, super speed, super strength, xray vision, imperviousness to bullets or any other known human threat --  to help save those who are threatened by any danger. I actually used to wonder sometimes when I heard about disasters on the news about how Superman would have been great to have around. He seemed very real to me somehow. Thinking about it as an adult I can see what an awful obligation it must have been to be always on duty. Unless...oh yeah, there was that Legion of Superheroes group. I guess they could have given him a break now and again?

The history of Superman is told in "Look, Up in the Sky!: The Amazing story of Superman".

(The previous clip keeps disappearing as the uploaders' accounts get challenged by those who hold the copyright.  I wish therefore to let it be known that I actually now own a copy of this DVD, which I would not have even known about had I not first seen this clip on Youtube.  So that means, that by repressing this video clip, the company is actually limiting possible future sales!)

Siegel and Schuster were the team who created the comic book hero. Canadians love to lay some claim to Superman as Joe Shuster was originally from Toronto, Ontario and a cousin to another famous Canadian of the comedy duo Wayne and Shuster. Here is a commercial from the CBC network in a series called Heritage Minutes which celebrates Joe Schuster's creation.

This next video is from the CBC Digital Archives (which I hope you will be able to view) with lots of great background information including Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster's long struggle to win compensation from DC comics and their parent company.

There were many actors who portrayed the caped superhero over the years on screens both large and small.

 Kirk Alyn (1948)

George Reeves (1951)

Unfortunately, George Reeves believed himself to be typecast as Superman and was never able to move beyond that role.  He had a string of bad luck which eventually ended with his own mysterious murder.

George Reeves was portrayed by Ben Affleck

in the biopic Hollywoodland

The most famous Superman of them all -- Christopher Reeve became a superman in real life by showing what great strength and fortitude really is, even at the worst time in his life.  After a horse back riding accident caused him to become a quadriplegic, Chris never gave up fighting to walk again.  He began a crusade for new treatments to help regenerate nerve tissue which has helped countless people so far and will help even more in the future.  Unfortunately, his struggle finally ended nine years later with his death on October 10, 2004.

Christopher Reeve (1978)

Here is a tribute to Christopher Reeve, a true superman on screen and in spirit. The video is set to the song Superman (It's Not Easy) by Five for Fighting.

What was I saying again...?

Oh yes, what intrigues me about Superman the most, was how he was able to handle his real persona, and his alter ego (who seemed to be such a wimpy guy). Well, I actually liked Clark Kent (of course I was in on his secret). But he was still the same hunky guy, just hiding(?) behind a pair of glasses. I never could understand how Lois Lane couldn't see the resemblance between the love of her life -- Superman, and her best friend and colleague -- Clark Kent!  Sheesh! "Go for Clark!", was what I was always thinking. Of course, he made himself seem unattractive by acting as cowardly as possible. I remember reading a certain issue of the Superman comic which was all about various scenarios where Lois marries Superman and / or Clark. I read and reread that issue more than any other. I think I must have finally decided I had read it enough and traded it for a newer issue (yes, I used to trade comics with my friends). I usually could trade a comic and get it back later, which is probably what I thought would happen. Well, I never saw that issue again...  (The things I go on about!)

Lois and Clark (sans glasses) in Superman II.

Lois chooses Clark over Superman

After Christopher Reeve retired his cape, the best representations of Superman 

were to be found on television.

Lois & Clark (1993-1997)

Starring Dean Cain and Teri Hatcher

 Smallville (2001-2011)

Starring Tom Welling

I guess besides my fascination for the main character, my main interest is the love story between Lois and Clark.  This next fan video does a great job showing highlights from their relationship in various recent movie and television portrayals.  The song is Vindicated by Dashboard Confessional.

Lois and Clark over the Decades - Vindicated / by KEakaCK

 

Don't we all wish we could fly like Superman?

Well, apparently he wasn't always capable of this feat. Originally in the comic books, he was described as being able to "leap tall buildings in a single bound".  But when Fleischer Studios began to make the first animated series of Superman movies in the early 1940s, they realized that merely jumping around wasn't nearly as impressive for a superhero as flying!

(Fly Like) Superman / The Kinks by TrenRojoCruzandoo

If you'd like to enjoy some great fan art and retro comic book covers here's another video featuring the original version of the song later covered by R.E.M.  It's the 1969 version by The Clique of (I Am) Superman.

There has been a renewed interest in making Superman movies  in the last few years.

My son is a fan of the comedy writer/director Kevin Smith and not long ago he showed me this monologue about how he was hired to write a script for a Superman movie (which thankfully was never made!). It is a hilarious portrait of the craziness of Hollywood and a producer who is clueless about the importance of the Superman legend to pop culture tradition.

If swear words offend you, then you won't like this clip.  But if you are at all interested in this topic, it is well worth watching!

Thank G*d that movie never got made!

I was quite excited when Superman Returns came out. I can't say I didn't like it, but it did leave something to be desired, and I can't even put my finger on what exactly that was. Perhaps it just didn't live up to the hype.   

Superman Returns (2006)

Starring Brandon Routh

I have heard a lot of buzz about the newest Superman movie, Man of Steel which is due to arrive on movie screens in June next year.  It looks good, I think I'll like it.  My biggest problem with this movie is that Amy Adams is playing Lois Lane.  Now don't get me wrong, I LOVE Amy Adams, and I would watch her in almost anything.  But wouldn't you think her lovely auburn tresses would make her more suitable to play Lana Lang (Superboy's early love interest) than the raven-haired Lois Lane?   Well, they messed around with that in Smallville too, where Lana had the dark hair and Lois was a dark blonde.  I did love it in television's version of Smallville that Mrs. Kent was played by the original red-haired Lana Lang from Christopher Reeve's Superman movie - Annette O'Toole.



On the left, here she is with Christopher Reeve in Superman 3, and on the right she plays Martha Kent, (Superboy's mom)!




Man of Steel (2013)

Starring Henry Cavill

Nothing was more disappointing to me then when they had a comic book storyline for the Death of Superman.  Although I hadn't been a reader of the genre in years, just the idea of it saddened me. The following song by the Canadian band Crash Test Dummies, was written before this storyline appeared in print.

I love this song so much.   
This video is my whole excuse for this post. 

Superman's Song / Crash Test Dummies

Here is another sad Superman song by the Stereophonics.  It is also a fanvid about the character of Lucas North in Spooks/MI-5.  He was a hero that turned out not to be one after all.

Spooks -- Richard Armitage - Superman / by utubeacct2008




But I'm holding out for a hero. Luckily John Porter from Strike Back fits the mold very nicely!

Lucas North & John Porter - I Need a Hero / by Tassuett

But this got me to thinking about Harry Kennedy who could easily pass for Clark Kent.  Could he have a hero hidden inside him?

What if our dear Harry Kennedy had an alter ego?

See that phonebooth in the back there? 

After removing the glasses and changing outfits...

Yeah, I know.  It won't happen. But a girl can dream...

 Just in case anyone thinks I am taking this Superman thingy too seriously -- have a look at this video: Superman Song That little kid is very entertaining!