When I first saw the behind-the-scenes pics/video of Richard filming ‘Berlin Station’ wearing Converse brand All Star sneakers without laces, I was intrigued.
how did they stay on without slipping if there were no laces? I’ve worn similar shoes throughout the years and when I leave them untied, they flop around all over the place! over the next few days whenever I saw these pics of Richard in the shoes, I would ponder. then I saw a candid of Christian Bale in Converse brand All Star sneakers without laces
…what? this was too much of a coincidence. off to Google! and what I found is that Converse now makes ‘Chuck Taylor All Star Slips’
The Converse Chuck Taylor All Star Slip offers our iconic Oxford silhouette, but renders laces optional with an effortless, slip on design. Easy on, easy off. The washed canvas gives it a well-worn, lived in look. The classic All Star heel patch, vulcanized rubber sole, brushed metal eyelets, reinforced rubber toe cap, padded footbed and cultural authenticity remain intact.
and now it all makes sense! Just another day in the life of a fangirl.
What is it about certain actors that cause me to pursue them and follow their careers, while others pass me by or get left along the roadside? this is something I think about from time to time because the actors I follow do tend to have certain things in common, yet they can be very different at the same time.
‘if you even breathe the word “Circus”, I will leave you here!’
the way I initially become interested in an actor can differ. I may take notice of them after several projects or it may only be one that causes me to want to know more about them. in the case of Richard it was the latter, when I saw him in The Hobbit: an unexpected journey. it was his expressive eyes, his commanding stance, his soothing voice, and how he made me pay more attention to what was going on inside the character, that reeled me in to him.
and his sword. it is the biggest…
sometimes it’s the depiction of a true story, or a certain period of history, career, geographical location, etc. that peaks my interest and sends me off to find out more. the behind-the-scenes features and promotional interviews are vastly interesting to me and helpful in this regard. through the viewing of these, I might find something about the actors themselves that sparks my interest, whether that be personality traits, knowledge about the subject, or just general “off-screen” appearance. then it becomes a dual interest that sends me off in all different directions!
off-screen appearance: hot mess
that’s what happened to me this past week with the movie Unbrokenand it’s lead actor, Jack O’Connell. I have a fondness for movies that center around hope and the human spirit. this true story definitely fit the bill for that, along with it’s subjects of World War II (which I’ve always had a fascination with) and the sport of running (which my son is currently involved in). I was particularly impressed with Jack’s mastery of an American accent and the respect he held for the story itself, as well as the art of acting in general.
soulful eyes? check.
several years ago when I first watched the movie Atonement with James McAvoy, I followed a similar path. I became curious about the battle of Dunkirk, which played a part in the story, along with James himself. I found his general demeanor very likable, so I followed his career for awhile. I still enjoy James when I see him in movies but I never quite reached that level of curiosity that caused me to delve into the man behind the actor; he doesn’t have that special something, the umf! that reaches out and grabs me. no offense to James, of course. there have been many that I’ve taken an interest in that didn’t end up panning out in the end: Bradley Cooper, Gerard Butler, Sam Heughan, Peter Facinelli, Eddie Redmayne, just to name a few.
umf!
My WWII interest started at the age of 13, when I first became aware of Christian Bale in the drama Empire of the Sun. this led to another WWII related movie of his, Swing Kids, that introduced me to that era’s music as well. I love when movies spark my interest in a subject I’d never paid much attention to before, the trickle-down effect of books, music, etc. that following actors and their fandoms can bring.
P-51 Mustang, Cadillac of the Skies
I’ve always enjoyed war/military movies in general. Richard doesn’t share the WWII aspect specifically, but John Porter fits the military connection. Thorin embodies the “when the going gets tough, the tough get going” attitude rather well too. I used to think that redemption was the theme that ran through my interest in Richard’s characters, but lately I’ve pondered whether it’s not the act of lying instead- lying to others, lying to ourselves.
liar, liar, pants on fire!
what first impressed me about Richard in the promotional interviews for AUJ was his grasp of the subject matter. he was very well versed in Tolkien lore and the ramifications that surrounded that character. an actor that takes the time to research his role and really tries to understand it, will always impress me. the more I watched/read about Richard, the more I noticed how different from the character of Thorin he was off-screen. I think that’s the thing that intrigues me the most, when I’m able to see the depth an actor gives his characters through details of voice, body language,etc. in comparison to their real life self. Richard Armitage isn’t actually a serial killer and neither is Christian Bale, or Jamie Dornan for that matter…uh oh, I hope “serial killer” is not an emerging theme of my admiration. someone put Richard in a bomber jacket, quick!
close enough, for now
what connections can you make between Richard and your other interests? if you follow the careers of other actors, what do they share in common with Richard?
24.) movie musical you would like Richard to star in
The Sound of Music
Richard as Captain Von Trapp could be swoony, don’t you think? The gruff widowed father who has become detached from his gaggle of children because they remind him of his wife and much happier times, rediscovers life and love through their unconventional nanny. I don’t necessarily think The Sound of Music itself needs to be remade but maybe a loose adaptation, set in modern times.
and if a way could be found to keep the waltz in, all the better!
⭐
music question: a song you like from a musical/children’s movie
I’ve been happy to see the current popularity of this musical. It’s a good story, centering around the newsboys strike of 1899, with enjoyable dancing and catchy songs but like any adaptation, things have been changed. I don’t mind the changes much, except for when they took out my favorite lyric, the one that I instantly related to and has been near and dear to my heart for years. yeah, I didn’t like when they did that. at all.
When I dream on my own I’m alone but I ain’t lonely For a dreamer nights the only time of day
A few fun facts from the original movie version:
-it wasn’t popular with the masses when it was first released but the loyalty and persistence of the fans finally resulted in it’s wider release onto home video, years later.
-it wasn’t a musical when Christian Bale first signed on and initially he was not thrilled with the change but he threw himself into it, just the same. (seeing a 17 yr. old Christian Bale dance and sing, with an over exaggerated New York accent and his trademark lisp, is so worth it!)
-a few years ago, Christian spent some time in Santa Fe for work and said this song was on a running loop in his head, which was both humorous and annoying.
Nowhere in Particular RA 