"The Hobbit" Trailer is UP!!!

Some visitors to this page know that I am a fan of Richard Armitage, the luscious actor from across the pond. I first became a fan after watching the BBC miniseries "North & South" in the last decade - I highly recommend it, and you can stream it on Netflix. Richard's star has been in ascension and he has made a name for himself in various UK TV shows - he was the villain you can't stop loving, Guy of Gisborne, in the recent "Robin Hood", starred in "Spooks", and made his US feature film debut in "Captain America", albeit briefly. My favorite role of his, as Guy of Gisborne, is totally understandable. See pictures below.

A friend of mine runs a fabulous website about Richard, which you ought to visit if you'd like to find out more about him. It's here. Well, Richard has been cast as Thorin Oakenshield in Peter Jackson's "the Hobbit", and the trailer was released a little while ago. Richard is 6'-2" but plays the lead dwarf, and damn, he even looks tall in this video. He sings, too, which is a thrill, but we have to wait another year to see him onscreen!

If you click twice on this video, it will expand. You can also find the video at Youtube here.

Good Night, Sweet Redeemed Villain

SPOILER!
Rest in Peace, Guy of Gisborne. What a fantastic journey it's been to watch your magnificent self these past three years. Thanks to the miracle of bittorrent, I was able to watch the show with the United Kingdom as you redeemed yourself after three years of being such a gorgeous badass. I will miss you and your shades of dark textured and tormented leather, your hair, your big sword, and above all, your amazing face and eyes. To Richard Armitage, thank you for being so gloriously over the top (ahem) as you created an unforgettable character that I almost hated to love. Or loved to hate...same thing.

There Are No Words

Except for two: Richard Armitage. Not the former Secretary of State, but this Guy, British actor. I'm a deranged fangurl all over again; it was David Cassidy 24/7 once upon a time in the last century, but for the last two years it has been this Guy. That's a very sad pun; he plays Guy of Gisborne in the BBC's Robin Hood series, which will be on its third (and last?) season this spring in the UK, but who knows when it will hit the States. This is a picture of Guy's new look, which for me is a welcome change from the black leather of the last 2 seasons. Hey, there is nothing wrong with black leather on a handsome man, but it was getting a little repetitious and not more than a little unhygienic. It's such a relief for the eye to look at colors and textures that vary, and as they have a new costume designer this season, he/she was probably eager to make their mark. On Richard. And who wouldn't?


This still is from Season 2, with Keith Allen as the Sheriff of Nottingham and Lucy Griffiths as Marian. Don't let's get started on what she's wearing! Maybe I'll do another post on a deconstruction of series 1 & 2's costumes, which play fast and loose with history, to say the least! Le's just take a moment to admire the sleek shiny goodness on the left that we hear has been sent to wardrobe storage oblivion.


Season 1 was notable for the presence of the textured mustard yellow neck wrap that added a surprisingly 1980's touch to Guy's racing leathers. The embossed black leather Australian outback coat has NOTHING on those gauntlets with their wolfs-head brass knuckles.

If you don't know Richard Armitage, you can check out this comprehensive and dignified website. After you've done that, your absolute first required viewing is this gem.


In North & South, Richard plays John Thornton, a cotton mill owner in mid-19th century Northern England, who meets and falls in love with Margaret Hale, a young woman from the South of England who has come to town (Milton) with her ex-minister father and ailing mother. Much drama and heartache follow (I'll say no more in case I spoil the plot for you) but it's perfectly told and photographed, acted and designed. The novel from which this four-part drama is adapted, "North & South" by Elizabeth Gaskell, escaped my radar when I was reading English novels in high school and college; it's a wonderful story and notable as a portrait of a man's unshakable love for a woman that he believes that he cannot have. No one plays longing as Richard can, (see photos above for proof) so if you adore this kind of thing but haven't yet discovered either N & S or the sensationally talented Mr. A., run, do not walk to the library or your computer for Netflix, or if you need immediate gratification, YouTube. I envy you if it's your first viewing! Come back and let me know what you thought!

Because I'm too busy with my hands, I made a bunch of widgets as an outlet for my obsession. There are some here and here.