Dark Side Of A Berlin Station Fangirl

A spy never comes clean. Unless it is a fangirl. 

My spy codename is Soft Face, for reasons Eye Ball can only guess...

My family worries about me, because ONE blogpost about 'your friend' RA is understandable, but MULTIPLE blogposts???? Real friends left me for same reasons, so the road is clear to go spying...
I hang out with fangirls on different 'platforms' who form 'communities' in pseudonimity.

It is great that RA does another spy show (don't mention Lucas North in Spooks/MI5) and it is nice that he filmed it in Berlin instead of London for a change.

I was hesitant of pre-early reporting any reviews. As 'test audience' I could have revealed spoilers/ intel. I watched the first two episodes (1rst. twice, 2nd. once) which were temporarily available online, before they became 'area restricted' (many fangirls are 'area limited').

I was happy to have watched the promo talks. I found out that the Berlin Station makers had private jokes about the 'Armitage Army' which they didn't want to share. Maybe it had to do with the reputation of RA's fandom. (Where to find them is where they were looking. On Twitter.) Fact, I dropped two Berlin Station Cartoons on Twitter. (My bold and naughty Geist was back again. That is a good sign). Of course this is very egotistical and insecure thinking, very much along the lines of fangirl behaviour. I could have made some 'casualties' in my enthousiasm...

To mock this further:

"The much feared reputation of RA's fandom reached a new low, 

for he had to apologize profusely to his fellow BS colleagues, 

and company line was to ignore these cartoons on Twitter in loud unisolo silence." 

"Now THAT's what I call a fangirl."

(Choice of pic, gesture and calendar moment very intentional, clue-worthy fangurl blogmanship).

Good writing is uncomfortable. Shakespeare wrote Real Fiction. I might have embarrassed some.

The Berlin Station spy looking great.

RA is having great fun promoting this show. 

P.S. 

In reality I am a follower.

Feel free to come back to this blog and read my other great posts.

Note to EPIX:

The world is big. It is not only US of A. 

Overseas fangirls would love to see Berlin Station. Immediately. And talk about it together.

At the moment however, EPIX is rarer to find on digiboxes than RA pics on the web. 

Please, sell this show overseas.

Images: Berlin Station promotion material

Review Hannibal 312 Do You See Me

A review written with the book Red Dragon by Thomas Harris in the hand, ethical knowledge in the head and an illegal internet source giving the eyeful.

***

Dear Bryan, I understand your point of view with this Hannibal episode, but please... do not call me a liar and bite off my lips, because I owe you awe....

OMG, this was the most sick, perverted, gross und geil episode of The Armitage. That is horny without horns and with a Dragon tail. GRRRRRR!! 

Now repeat after me. I am writing this review in one go, so it will be published before 313 airs in the UK. It will be different from my previous reviews, it is performance art.

'Is this art?'

In this episode again The Experts, of one is The Police I now learn, poke with deliberate help from Will Graham and a 'fool', the renowned writer dr. Chilton, They lure the Tooth fairy with an unfair review on him in the Tattle Crime, a supermarket tabloid, to kill Will Graham. But instead dr. Chilton gets a bite and a burning wheelchair treatment by The Great Red Dragon. Will Graham has some moral issues by this and talks to Bedelia, former lover by Hannibal, who is made nuts by becoming his prisoner in her mind. Hannibal mentions the 'Wrath of the Lamb' to Will Graham, clever for sure. 

The great thing about this episode was that I almost unfollowed @RCArmitage on twitter. Because someone who plays that, must have a similar character flaw in real life, n'est pas? On FB I found likewise souls, but after a counsel session with our madre familias admin, we all concluded it was a case of great acting. Impressively frightening, but also funny by its outragiousness. 

On the other hand, I checked out Raul Esparza on YT and I watched his singing to get idea. Fear not, I am not a musical lover and I doubt I will ever become one. But I am happy to watch the earlier episodes of the Hannibal show just for his scenes.

According to dr. Chilton and Will Graham, 

the Tooth Fairy is a 'vicious pervert and sexual failure.'

T-shirt design.

D negotiating a new book deal with dr. Chilton.

Name the title correctly: The. Great. Red. Dragon.

Quote of the week
Fear is not what you owe me. You owe me awe!

Eyeful: D again in shorts

Best: dr. Chilton's frightful reactions to D/Red Dragon, the Red Dragon crawling to dr. C.

Funny: the high/low status shift in dr. Chilton's dialogue, the Red Dragon showing his tattoo.

Worst: I can not believe I watch this show

Heartfelt: Reba tries to contact D again by visiting his home, while he is entertaining dr. Chilton

Eeeww: Red Dragon biting off Chilton's lips, Hannibal eating one of these lips posted to him

Clever: I can not say anything clever, mention of the 'Wrath of the Lamb'

Prop: pantyliner, can of soup, a pair of lips, dia projector 

Hope: D solves his narcissistic control issues with Reba

Verdict: this show is too sick for the Emmy's

Review Hannibal 311 Get Your Hat, Francis

A review written with the book Red Dragon by Thomas Harris in the hand, ethical knowledge in the head and an illegal internet source giving the eyeful.

***

I have the same thing as Dolarhyde. While he tries to control the Dragon from entering his existance, I try to control the monster that is called Exploding Head. Every Red Dragon episode sofar has that impact on me. After seeing an episode of insanity, I want to scramble the bits of my brain off my attic floor. Then I have to write a review, which to my standards must have more moronic content than 'Yeah, it was watchable.' So I have my initial conclusions directly ready after watching, Then in the course of the next one or two days, my old faithful self, my internal dialogue, tries to reset my brain to initial settings. In that process odd - refrase smart - thoughts pop up. Furthermore, I do not grand myself the joy of watching a whole episode or even one scene at a time. No I pause after every sentence and I write the whole stuff down in a notebook first and then assemble my casual thoughts in a structural blogpost. Then in the last minute, I add images of what I found the most remarkable Dolarhyde moments. Before Exploding Head emerges again, I throw my review online, slamming that door of Blue Beard's room-of-the-week. But because I watch this via an illegal source online to keep up-to-date with the US, Canadian, Korean and UK watchers, I cannot wait too long.

Picture this. 

We. Have. To. Play. Along. With. Bryan. Fuller. 

In. His. Mental. Mind. Palace. 

Or. He. Will. Hide, Our. Dolls. 

And. Then. Cut. Our. Braids.
No. He. Is, Nicer. Than. That.
He. Likes. To. Smear. Snot. In. Our. Hair.

We have to play along. An innocent, dark show on murderers with a bit of comedy on the side. I am in too deep. I found that this episode was really in balance and finally on the whole, very understandable for an outsider, coming to this mind palace only for the Great Red Dragon storyline.

'Admit it. You crave change, shy boy.'

In this episode the authorative, but dangerous Experts summon Hannibal that the Tooth Fairy should kill himself and that Hannibal should aid to that. The Experts find out that Hannibal has been speaking to the Tooth Fairy by phone, under the guise of being his lawyer Metcalff, but Hannibal has not been contacted by his lawyer in years. In one of the first scenes Dolarhyde gets counselling from Hannibal as if they were in a room, but the scene begins and ends with a phone. D opens up on his fears for the Dragon as a seperate entity and Hannibal coys him by playing into D's madness, saying 'Save yourself, kill them all.' So D goes to Will Graham's family at night and tries to kill them. Yet mother and son escape. Although mother ends up in hospital, where the son watches baseball on TV, because his real dad loved baseball. Will Graham visits them there, where his wife tells him she knew it was the Tooth Fairy, because she reads that magazine, Tattle Crime. Will Graham feels conned by The Expert that watches over him. Helpful and honest Hannibal reminds Will Graham that Will is letting his family die, by not minding his privacy settings. After his anger, Will Graham wonders if this is some competion between them. Hannibal says that the Great Red Dragon did not murder those families, he changed them, because he craves change.

Oh, and D and Reba are breaking up. Reba predicts that they will not be a match, because she as a blind woman is a burden to men. D is scared by her he says, but he does allow her to touch his face. Reba walks away in tears. They tell each other the truth. It is heartbreaking, because it is the truth from their own perception. If only they talked about it some more they could have overcome this. Or, they could have spared each other.

The blind viewer Teresias in the Greek tragedies says that truth will bring no good. The metaphore of the Greek tragedy is that making mistakes is part of the human condition. The cravings of Hannibal, Will Graham and Francis Dolarhyde to do Dragon predictions is a denial of the true identity of these murderers and leads to some sort of blindness. The lesson of the Greek tragedy is that responsibility for this human factor should be accepted and that truthfinding should come first. Searching the truth may be the only true complete human freedom.

I crave this scene change. (Reminds me of The Crucible play).

I don't crave D hanging around in my back garden.

I guess some actors crave a hanging scene. 

Hannibal would say: 'Everyday you learn something new'.

Pic refers to The*Hanged*Man.

Tweeted by RA on 17 August 2015 after 

(1) a remark by @manatee73 who tweeted

'@RCArmitage did that handstand unassisted repeatedly' 

(2) to which I replied 

'@manatee73 (..) @RCArmitage You forgot the 'hanging by his ankles' bit.'

Quote of the week

A living woman. How bizarre.

Eyeful: D physically wrestling with the Dragon
Best: so many good quotes here
Sad: Reba and D are breaking up. Reba predicts that they will not be a match, because she as a blind woman is a burden to men. D is scared by her he said. This rings a bell to me as to the blind viewer Teresias who says that truth will bring no good.
Scary: D was not alone in the room, scary for this reason.
No way: last episode Hannibal phishing contact information by phone as written in the book, this episode he refers to Will Graham as to mind your privacy settings, implying internet?!
Not buying: Reba can see remarks adding extra tension to this show. OK, she could see when she was young, but could she have seen the dogs on the film screen at D's house? Then in the film lab, she could tell that D was sitting in the dark, yet she did not feel the lightswitch when she entered?!
Clever: bit was that Hannibal steers the Tooth Fairy into killing Will Graham's family, a plot twist that did not occur in the book. Also for convenience sake, Reba does not get attention by other males. Also Freddie Lounds is a woman and not appearing in this episode.
Prop: notice hanging in veterinarian waiting room to report of pet mutilations, sign on lab door  
Hope: D will not give Reba to the Dragon
Verdict: no way back

Review Hannibal 310 See How Magnificent You Are

A review written with the book Red Dragon by Thomas Harris in the hand, ethical knowledge in the head and an illegal internet source giving the eyeful.

***

You would, after being swallowed whole, and digested by Team Hannibal, think you got a clue what they like. Wrong, It it pitchdark in their intestines and although they drink cocktails with Debussy music in the background, I fear I am going mental. What was the case? After postponing to write review 309, I managed to finish it and went straight into watching 310 and within another day 311. Try say anything sane after that.

Episode 309 I found not evenly balanced, only the Dolarhyde scenes were up there. Episode 310 to me as outsider was finally from beginning to end entertaining and the minor storylines were understandable. And to compare it, episode 311 was even more jawdropping. But back to 310.

While I was about to watch episode 310 I had to re-read the Dolarhyde chapters in the book. How easily little facts are overlooked. Still after two readings and this book covered in marking stickers, I was surprised and amazed what Team Hannibal wired into the show.

Online I read dislikes on the borrowing from other movies, but also joys of recognition. To me, the result of hussling bits from the Red Dragon book, was not as bad as how The Hobbit book was turned into three movies. I see what was done with the Hannibal script and while I missed clues, explanations and introductions in the previous Red Dragon episodes, this episode was insanely well balanced, even more in 311. What was showed, was going back and forth. What I liked was that one thing unfolds into another. Plus that background matters just as much as the drama.  This episode came up to steam, even in the mood. The storyline of Team Sassy Science was kept to a minimum.

'Only you would understand.'

Dolarhyde finally meets Hannibal in this episode. But is it in his mind or for real? Is it a fan fantasy of 'D' - as he is called by Reba McClane later on - having a meaningful conversation, even getting recognized in motives and even getting counselled by Hannibal? Before that we see him making preparations of relaying phonewires in a switchboard, wearing a SureTalkTelecom shirt, as if he was a phone comp guy.

In another scene D takes Reba to the Zoo where he arranged a meeting with a tiger for her. The blind Reba touches the tiger while D is observing her. In the show Reba touches the softness of the tiger's ear and 'mouth of the beast' with the sharp tooth. In the book, it was the private parts region. D has never seen that in real life before. Sorry, my sensors say I should watch my language. Then Reba makes the cocktails at D's home and as they get more comfortable on the bench to very comfortable in grandmother's bedroom, I was thinking I was watching an American soft porn sequence from the seventies. That could be not far off of the intention in the book which was published in 1981. In the heat of the moment, Reba transforms into a 'woman clothed in sun'. The sequence ends with a tear in the eye of the love depraved man, described as shy by Hannibal.

In the night, Reba is sleeping and D is awake as if he has realised the effects of a change. He picks up her hand and caresses it over his most dehumanising part of his face, his cleft palate. In doing so, he allows her to touch his face, something she had asked for in the previous episode. That moment was a mixture of acceptance and control, because she, being blind and asleep, could not sense the control over the conditions of the acceptance of her request.
The morning-after, D finds out that the bed is empty. He searches the house, first going to the attic where he did his flexing and then finds Reba downstairs already dressed. She wants to go home.

D also has his bad side. Hannibal analyses the murder on the Jacobi family with Will Graham. Also the Mah-jongg sign of the Red Dragon and the William Drake references get explained. Cue the interior of the Brooklyn museum. Funny thing, in the book and on the website it is mentioned when the museum is closed on a particular weekday for the public, yet researchers are allowed. So in this episode this was mentioned by a museum worker to Dolarhyde. A classic buildup, seventies-style, followed. D slams the museum worker to sniff, stroke and eat the William Drake painting. Meanwhile Will Graham has arrived at the museum, also for this painting. They clash, of course, but D escapes, for sure.

'This is not an unfair review.'

Watching Hannibal causes unwanted side effects. For instance, when I tried to get the hang of Dolarhyde's motives, my question on a RA FB fanpage 'Why he didn't have another go AND film it himself?' almost breached their rules. Yet I was only doing a 'Bryan Fuller', doing everything to please the sensors. To him spitters are quitters.

Quote of the week

Hannibal: So what are you becoming?

Dolarhyde: 'The. Great. Red. Dragooooon!'

Eyeful: romantic moments between D and Reba
Heartfelt: D caressing his cleft palate with Reba's hand
Best: the scene where Dolarhyde meets Hannibal and how it is visually portrayed.
Worst; there is no worst, only Wurst and deep throating.
OHHH: 'Actually I think of them as unfair reviews.' I hope D approves my review.
The devil is in the details clever: SureTalkTelecom shirt worn by D, counsel room, double D
Art: either a flash of a Hieronimus Bosch or a Pieter Breughel painting. 'Hannibal says: 'Before Dante one did not spoke of the gates of hell, but of the mouth of hell. My year of damnation began when I was swallowed by the beast.' Beautiful background music by Debussy.
Disturbing: not in this episode. D throws Will Graham against the wall and knocks a museum worker
Hot: go to the zoo with D and find out if you are a woman clothed with sun
Hope: Dolarhyde and Reba make love tapes for each other
Verdict: watch this on a Chinon Pacific movie projector

Hannibal Review Ep 309 Ride With Me... For My Pleasure

A review written with the book Red Dragon by Thomas Harris in the hand, ethical knowledge in the head and an illegal internet source giving the eyeful.

As RA follower I am new to the Hannibal series and being no fan of the horror genre, this is the second episode of the Red Dragon story I was so lucky to watch early on. Trust me, I am smiling.
It is no fastfood-formulaic show like Crimescene. It is not about solving a crime within the episode. Team Hannibal serves this show as if it was an exquisite dish for insiders.
I feel like I am on the plate, undergoing the rite of passage of being eaten as an Ortolan, refrase Hannibal Hermitage garden bird. As one of the tiny birds - captured alive, force-fed, then drowned in Armagnac, refrase Armitage - I felt roasted whole and eaten that way, bones and all, while the diners - Team Hannibal - draped their sardonic smiling heads with a linen napkin to preserve the precious aromas and, some believe, to hide from God. (Paraphrasing quote from The Wine Spectator).

The tableaus morte - definately not vivant - I do not intend to be a part of. Dishing Hannibal's character with some girl who he talks into committing a murderous act left a bad taste in my mouth. The female newsreporter had peppered moralities for Will Graham on the murder site which brought much needed balance back into this episode. Cat-and-mouse play in dialogues can come across as clever, but also tiresome. The third and following storylines were not always helpful getting to know the show, so for me it was hard to follow the who's and what's.

Then the main story for the episodes that I am following is the Red Dragon storyline. So happy to conclude with my narrow focus on RA's scenes, that those scenes were the most dramatic. What a great subtle expressions and verbal nuances were given in the Francis Dolarhyde and Reba McClane scenes!

This episode was about getting closer to Francis Dolarhyde. To get to know him more. Does he accept a touch? No, but a blind woman softens him to accept a prum, coffee and pie. Dolarhyde does not want you to know. Do not ask too many questions. Do not mention speach impairment. And why did he have to interact with people? News bites on him in the Tattle Crime, are they telling the truth on the mass-murderer or are they shallow assumptions from profilers? Hannibal speaks of the Tooth Fairy like he is a naïve, incompetent pupil.

Link to this issue Tattle Crime

Similar to watching this show I read the book Red Dragon by Thomas Harris, which was the basis for this show. This book, the Red Dragon episodes and the spoiler vids of upcoming episodes spark more personal thoughts on the background of Dolarhyde than this frame of review allows me to. While I was writing this post I found it mentally hard to write these personal thoughts in. To compare every Dolarhyde scene with the scenes in the episodes would feel like hard work too. It is more like I kinda know Dolarhyde. I compare him to the lonesome, eccentric characters I witnessed in my life. But does that mean they automatically are psychopaths? No not in the least. The animal killings in Dolarhyde's youth in the book and other minor valued, yet disturbing offences, do definetely point to psychopath. 'Revenge is a dish best served cold' is written on Dolarhyde's toothbrush.

Biting poster at busstop where Dolarhyde picks up Reba McClane.

Quote of the week:

Trust me, I'm smiling.

Eyeful: kinda hard, because it was Dolarhyde in dark environments, yet tense and s-speaking
Prop: newspaper Tattle Crime, red plume, red pie, knifes left and center
Don't get: why it is not the Red Dragon show
Disturbing: this episode asked less vomiting of its viewers
Flashbacks: Will Graham on the phone with his wife as if he sits on the bed with her
Clever: Reba McClane waiting at a busstop while Dolarhyde picks her up with a van and we see the poster in the busstop, implying she is up to no good destiny.
Best scene: the ink-licking scene plus the whole sequence of scenes with Dolarhyde and Reba McClane, but best one is the kitchen table talk scene with the physical hesitations of Dolarhyde.
Hope: Dolarhyde likes Reba
Verdict: fingerlicking hesitating

Images: Hannibal, Tattle Crime, poster via Bryan Fuller

Review Hannibal 308 Give Red Dragon A Hug

A review written with the book Red Dragon by Thomas Harris in the hand, ethical knowledge in the head and an illegal internet source giving the eyeful.

***

The screen brings violence back where it belongs - in the home, according to Alfred Hitchcock, late filmmaker of horror movies. As a volunteer in theatre, witnessing a lot of onstage domestic quarrels - scarsely brutal violence - and as random TV and film watcher - too much violence, I say it is better to vent anger elsewhere or otherwise, like physical in acting or sports, or mental in storytelling, by analysing and exposing the mechanism of violence.

As nature would have it there are souls out there who take violent acts as an example of how to be more violent. Hannibal and Will Graham, the two murderous leads even impose others. Newbie Francis Dolarhyde is a fan of Hannibal. Reading the book, which was first published in 1981, I wondered where it all went wrong. The book drops news bits through dialogue and discription. The TV series does it with visual eyefuls and in different order. Yet the characters are what they are.
Of Hannibal it says he is a intelligent, evoking psychopath who is locked up for life, yet stabs eyes out in an unforseen moment. Will Graham is a similar soul and both have conversations on thought provoking murder investigations. Francis Dolarhyde is described as a curious loner, who has a facial disformation - a cleft lip - and childhood traumas. Now Francis Dolarhyde also collects newspaper clippings of  'Tooth Fairy' in a scrapbook....

The TV series presents Dolarhyde in moving images. Moving in two meanings. Emotionally touching, because his face is badly misformed and he is by himself. Moving, not speaking. He works on his body. Flexing to gain strength. Gets himself a tattoo and scary dentures. Makes impaired vocal noises with dentures in. He distroys the mirror, because he can not bare to face his image. Apparently he either wants to change his current state of existing or he has given in to his urges. He sits reading a newspaper, crawing his hands. The images only paint the mood of these moments. Whatever he does, it is extraordinary. It all looks so heartbreaking. Best to run from him we learn when Will Graham enters the brutal murder scene of the 'Tooth Fairy'.

Most clues were given in images. Aesthetic, clever visuals which could be explained best by someone who knows their history of film finesses. The moon references caught my attention. Hitchcock-style cinematography repeats of hidden themes. Three times the camera zoomed out forming one thing into the next, such a flashlight into a big white round - moon. A visual gem for a Fannibal. Later on it was said that Dolarhyde murders on full moon nights. A real breathtaking gem was when Will Graham was at the murder site and the camera panned round him to get the background - forming two wings of red dreads - in place. New meaning to the 'Great Becoming of the Red Dragon'. The best scene was not when Dolarhyde was flexing in his attic. No the best scene was the projector fight scene. It went from Dolarhyde watching film on his projector. He then gets mental and fights the material, getting film around his head, then stands still, beaming light from his eyes and mouth. Becoming the projector!?

Hold on, I have seen this one before. 

Yep got it.

The crux of the matter is that Dolarhyde is played by a handsome actor - he disagrees - who was damaged by prosthetics professionals. So the acting tragedy must be underneath the broken image. The internal story was so heartbreakingly on display, that next clipping of Tooth Fairy will thus be 'Fannibals are Armitaged.'

Dolarhyde searching for his contact lenses.

*** 

Quote of the week

More like a dog-like croon of the single vowel between O and U

Eyeful: Dolarhyde flexing. I know RA looks gorgeous! Still to see him like that after his comments on a clip of him sporting Speedos in a infamous Canadian chat show, I never thought he would repeat it - albeit in a better dressed shorts.
Prop: scary dentures
Don't get: why he is so messed up
Disturbing: the abundance of blood in the murder scene with explicit details.
Wanted to see more of: Dolarhyde's nakedness in frosty moonlight
Flashbacks: Hannibal having comfortable chats in cell vs. Italy
Clever: references in visuals: three moons, Graham in red dreads as wings of Red Dragon, overlay of images on crime scene when flashlight shines on it and in shadow, showing the corpses and the police markings as visual remnants of the crime scene
Best scene: the projector fight scene. I have seen similar image before. Other inside jokes from the horror genre were spotted so I was told, but then I am not into that, although I liked Twin Peaks.
Hope: Dolarhyde finds love. Poor him, pre-internet days in this Hannibal universe.
Verdict: empathy, not sympathy for Dolarhyde

Images: Hannibal promotional pictures, screencaps, monster 

Do I Want To Be In This?

"Where have you been? We should be acting right now."

If it is Mr. A's quest to bring the true story of Richard III to screen, then I can vouch that I also have a quest to do something with comedy, such as a skit, a sitcom or a film. I like the fast delivery, the look-who's-saying-it subtext and the colours of the characters. Furthermore I share my birthday with Lucille Ball and I sure can act funny in front of the mirror. But, that is still in the back of my mind.

If you read my previous posts, I have mentioned that I chance visited some sets. At the moment I can´t get it out of my head that it would be great to be visiting an international set. Even playing along, in the background, why not? I know, I`m way too shy, prudish and insecure, so I`ll do my best, despite the nerves. So to get out of my comfort zone, next to doing improv acting and following workshops, like physical acting and standup, I had a chance to be an extra in a comedy pilot (which hasn´t aired yet) Vrienden*dienst (2012). Also I got an audition and writing experience amongst 300+ fellow writers, and others for the first dutch user*generated film Steek*spel (T*ricked) (2012). This was a heavy marketed project, fronted by dutch Hollywood director, Paul Ver*hoeven. He later said he not only liked working with young enthusiastic film makers, but he preferred that to filming in Hollywood where he had trouble getting a couple of movies financed.

Just after I had talks with my improv group about my progression, the news that the Richard III TV serial plus film plans are in the next phase, felt like a sign. Answering the question ´Do I want to be in this?´ with a ´Yes´, became very appealing. However I recall some British institution (forgot which one) saying it will never allow foreign actors acting on UK TV, unless it is filmed abroad like in Belgium and Hungary, then they´re ´fit to be extras´.

Thankfully, films are made internationally (okay, it depends). The Richard III film is getting plugged by Mr. A himself in Hollywood and there´s a major distributor on board, but it´s early days. I have no doubt his passion for his interest in the true story of  Richard III will open doors. But who to ask who can also say: ´Do I want to be in this?´. Like The Hobbit´s director Peter Jackson said (on casting Barry Humphries) (paraphrased): ´It is always a bit scary to ask the person you admire, to work with you. The person you admire, can be disappointing, so then you have to lower your level of admiration.´ At least RA can ask ´Mr. Wellywood´ about the pitfalls of Hollywood.

Best to leave the fourth wall alone, but boy, would I like a part (as extra) in Richard III ! Maybe I could ask The Universe for a lot more. I have a hunch that paths cross in mysterious ways, sometimes in synchronicity. Say, with an actor who takes the effort to understand the unspoken.  

 

Let me smile ´Thank You´ for this little interaction.

A nose rub to my favourite screen kiss. (Spooks S9.3)

A thought for Valentine's Day:  

Was this kiss filmed in the 'extra time' RA asked for 'to experiment'?

*****

Top image: screen cap from trailer of short film Staged (1999).



Driving For Fanstra 3

We followers love to be in a car with RA, a very comforting driver... Driving For Fanstra 3

This look was meant for me... I guess... Thank you!

I keep playing this music (hope no negative meaning hidden in this song)

Prefab Sprout - Cars And Girls

Find the many contributors of Fanstra:

Fanstravaganza 2012

Fanstravaganza 2011

Meanwhile, between Hobbit Holes And Dwarf Beards...

"You will looooooooove every RA drought! Wait, I´ll take a sip."

It may be imminent, that EricV, embedded blogger on the Hobbit set, will come with Hobbit news. He joined the crew to visit the front, and has already spoken with Mr. A and Aidan Turner, but that is so much as the leaks on his twitterfeed can tell. If his set-pictures get the "go ahead", we will read his latest adventure on hairy feet any day now.

On the set of Flik*ken Maas*tricht

EricV may be happy to be embedded on the Hobbit set for two months, he did not get there by crashing hobbit holes. Lately I visited Maastricht on a day trip and ran into the set of Flik*ken Maas*tricht! Did I in an earlier post tell about my visit on the set of Dr. Chee*sy, I now could compare a bit the way cast and crew worked. Another reason to witness the activity, was that I challenged my writing by joining a contest. And for daring, I did an audition too! It was a true confidence boost! Not that I expected anything to come out of it. Mantra: "office joooooobs"! Yes, and less blogging. There is homework to be done.

Flik*ken Maas*tricht is a tv-series that runs for 5 seasons on Dutch and Belgian public television and is filmed on location. It is a police show and has a lot of banter between the two leads, who have something going on. Have seen some episodes and currently I´m catching up!

 

**

Like to say this in German (auf Deutsch) "Die Stars der TV Show, Vic*tor Rei*nier und An*gela Sch*ijf".

The German border lies fairly close to Maastricht, and the German prononciation of "Stars" implies

an unreachable distance to people who are on TV for a living.

While in my country there is a whole ´nother perception: "Act normal, then you´ll act crazy enough". 

**

I was alerted to this set by a 60-something year old couple of which the man with a grey ringbeard and a huge professional camera enthousiastically told me he had to leave the set, because of his camera.

Filming was going on for some time already when I came close. Passers-by came and went, and stood still for minutes to catch a bit of the magic. The magic was not at all there. Between shots makeup was done, hair was fixated with hairspray and a hot-water bottle helped to remain comfortable.The passers-by were also taking pictures with their smart phones and digital cameras, so a lot of delicate clicking sounds was heard. Picture taking was okay while in rehearsal. I stood at 10 metres distance and could not quite hear the conversation.

This shot was taken several times, very swiftly.

**

The contra shot in which the leads get interrupted by an American security guard type. It was important this man stood at the correct spot. A closeup of the conversation was taken twice.

Because a ray of sunshine appeared between the clouds, the collection of shots was quickly added with an extra shot, of them walking in the street, up to this corner. 

Then it was off to lunch, a temporary campement of long tables and vans parked behind the church.

**

In the background are two churches. 

One of them had four vehicles parked outside with American numberplates.
Contemplating why this was, I got tapped on the arm.
A very small, but intrigued American lady with flickering eyes asked me who was visiting the church!

In Spooks series 9 they called this person "Lighthouse". Made me think of that episode on the spot!

Inside the church, big lights stood ready for later to be shot scenes after lunch.

 In the other church, next to this one, in a tomb, two young women with nail pistols were preparing a scene by nailing blankets to a wooden trunk, to hide this VIP for dangerous reasons..Had a friendly chat about the scene, their company and their profession (interns to become director).

They revealed it was all for the latest episode of series 6 to be broadcasted in March 2012.

**
So, if you consider working outdoors, and are very patient, then consider working for a tv series.

Screencap of Spooks 7, DVD extras on set in Russia (RACentral)

Pictures Flikken Maastricht latest episode of series 6  (MyVeryOwn)

On An Aesthetic Drip

Causing a lot of inspiration are all the recent splash of interviews for Captain America, The Hobbit and in general that solved my RA drought. I made these drips. Have to make the August calender yet.

Above DRIP is from Spooks ep. 9.8 wherein hero spy Lucas North shows his dark side and puts colleague Ruth on an anesthetic drip. I probably have heard it wrong! The quote is also inspired on a previous read goal: "To have as many to entertain as possible" (help me out here, this is my vague memory recalling). Meanwhile to keep other memories alive, I am on a solid drip addiction, prescribed by Mr. A. and followers.

Above DRIP is from the Project Magazine´s photoshoot and the quote is from Lucas North to his boss Harry Pearce in that epic rooftop shootout of Spooks ep. 9.8. Don´t say the syntax is wrong!
I am thinking to make a similar one with myself in it. Maybe I will put that collage in the background of this blog coming month. Because why? The Man is hitting 40 in August and guess what, so will I !

Above DRIP is also from the Project Magazine´s photoshoot and the quote is from Me, nailing the nailement of Mr. A. who understands what it is to have been constructed in 1971 and facing it all: "I have a life, career,  family, friends. I don´t need you". Ahem.. sorry, wrong counter quote from Lucas North´s former girlfriend Maya to Lucas in Spooks. Sidenote - according to a zodiac book, in referance to my birthdate in 1971, I should need the use of others more, instead of doing it all alone. When asked about 22th August of 1971, it was the same advice. Anyway, above DRIP is a moving fantastic inspiration for upcoming posts August Is Hot! Getting sentimental at my age! GRRRR!!!

Upcoming: August Is Hot blogposts

Will I be talking about The Beard, Thorin and Heinz? Mark your calendar!!

If you kind of feel left out of what I am talking about,

then hook on to http://www.richardarmitagenet.com/ to get your daily drips of RA dose.

Harry/Lucas: The Fall Out - Part I - First Breach

The Tazbeks don´t know what to make of the rogue actions of Lucas North. Previously overlooked information was re-studied and found clues were broken into segments. Infiltration in section D´s archives proofed to be necessary. CCTV footage was copied, filed and distributed among all Tazbekian spies, like Katja who should have written this report much earlier.

First day on the Grid after 8 years of imprisonment:

Lucas: Harry, you´d better arrange a flat with no bathtiles for me, ´cause a bathroom freaks me out!

Harry: I see you´re settling in.

Flashback to years of torture:

Lucas: I can´t take it any more... *sighs*

Meeting Ros en route:

Lucas: Ros, is comfort in my flat too much asked? Harry refuses Russian bath ducks.

Ros: Harry hates baths. Hairnet and tweezer are on the house. Alright, designer stubble too.

Secret tete-a-tete with former prison visitor:

Kachimov: You shouldn´t expect Russian bath ducks from Harry.

Lucas: I also expect soap and an apology!

Operation Seat Change aka Loo Roll:  

Lucas: A toilet! Even in shitty locations I have to pull!

Lucas: Harry would wish my sheet to be so clean as this toilet!

 Lucas: Concentrate! Practice opportunity for delicate handiwork!
OK, intel where are you? In the loo roll?!

Operation Russian Whisper:

Russian Whisper: If you get me a drink, I will tell you were to find your package!

Lucas: Alright, but my real package is tax free!

 Lucas: A kitchen! In operation Shakespeare Retold at least I killed the cook!
Now, where´s that package with my fake passport?

Back to the airport:

 Lucas: I will scheme up something wonderful for Mr. Pearce as he doesn´t know me that well!

Lucas: Who am I today? Ah, Matthew Unwin, from Moscow to London!
~~~~~~~~~~~~

Screencaps: RAcentral, Spooks ep. 7.1, 7.2, 7.3, 7.8 and 9.8