I liked George’s more serious approach to this Hobbit movie insterview, how he delved into the core of the story and allowed Richard to show his geeky side. Richard talked a bit about Tolkein’s background during World War I and how he thought that greatly influenced the story, particularly the character of Bilbo.
The idea of the small man stepping outside of his front door and being asked to go into great danger and fight, is pretty much what the Hobbit is about
Tolkien’s religious background was touched upon as well and how that influenced the chivalry and nobility expressed through kindness and mercy aspect of Tolkien’s writings. George then went on to talk about the subject of redemption and how in this story it was hard fought. George, have you watched Richard’s other work? Hard fought redemption is a recurring theme. Guy, Porter, Lucas…
I also liked that the subject of leadership was talked about and how Richard said that he learned about the kind of leadership he wanted to portray in Thorin, to inspire loyalty instead of command it, from Peter Jackson himself.
George didn’t weigh the whole interview down in seriousness though, he lightened things up by giving the whole audience Gandalf hats to wear and then talked about how the wizards were high all of the time! Then there was the fanvideo, purposely meant to poke fun at Richard a bit. He bashfully took it in stride and then turned it around to show appreciation for his fans instead, by embracing however they choose to follow and celebrate him and his work. a class act.
when I was 14 I liked the two Coreys; Corey Haim and Corey Feldman (who didn’t?!)
so I watched “Dream a Little Dream” multiple times, thus becoming familiar with the Van Morrison tune “Into the Mystic”. I really liked it and asked my mom who the singer was. she said I’d like him, so I bought his greatest hits…and I’ve liked Van Morrison ever since. what sets Van Morrison apart for me are the little things, those unassuming details brought about by his use of mandolins and other instruments while throwing in the occasional nonsensical word or shout-out. In this song, right before the line when that foghorn blows, it’s that soft ascending change that causes me to tilt my head along to the music.
Hello all! I’ve been thinking… (my husband dreads hearing that sentence from me!) so I thought out loud to Guylty, because that’s what friends do (listen politely to each other’s insane ramblings). instead of running away though, she actually took my thoughts seriously! not only that but she built upon them, and after a few e-mails back and forth, a legitimate idea was formed between us. We’d like to share that idea with you today.
The end of an era is nearly upon us. The premiere of the final installment of the Hobbit trilogy is only two and a half months away. Most of us are looking forward to it with one eye laughing, and one eye crying. Another film with Mr A in it, that is surely a reason to be happy! But at the same time, we can anticipate not only Thorin’s fate in the film but also the end of three (or more) years immersion in Middle-Earth. It will be sad to reach the end of this long journey.
And if that makes us sad, then how sad will that be for the man who lived Thorin and acted in Middle-Earth? Is there a way of thanking him, who provided us with many hours of entertainment, who delighted us with his talent, who made Thorin come alive and who drew so many new fans to Tolkien’s world? How can we mark this end of an era in a meaningful way? With something that goes beyond the usual feedback that he receives for everything he does, and expresses the deep impact his work has had on us; hopefully brightening his day at the same time.
Guylty and I thought it might be a neat idea for us to share with Richard a celebration of Thorin, and what he has meant to us. We would like to ask for submissions of fan quotes for a coffee table type book that we will compile, print, and send off to Richard in time for the premiere of BOTFA. Our thought is for it to be a keepsake, a special memento for him. It is our intent for it to be a gift from the fans; not bringing attention to what any one of us might say but to express our gratitude as a collective whole, for his great work in the Hobbit trilogy.
We would like the contributions to be in your words, focusing on what it is about Richard’s Thorin that resonates with you, inspires you, touches you in a meaningful way. This does not exclude lightheartedness but will hopefully go beyond the mere extolling of Richard’s (admittedly) attractive exterior! The plan is to compile the fan quotes in a book, illustrated with photography that fits the themes/quotes. These thoughts can be as long or as short, as personal or as general, as polished or spontaneous, as passionate or reserved as you see fit. (for variety we might break up the longer quotes and sprinkle them through-out the book.) all fans can participate, no matter which platform you are active on or whether you actively blog or not.
This proposed book is about the message and not about the messengers, and therefore we would like to keep the spotlight on the quotes and credit them only in a list of contributors at the back of the book. credits on this list can be by real name, internet handle or anonymously. some examples:
“I admire Thorin’s dedication to his people and upholding the legacy of his family. He shouldered the responsibility of carving out a life for them in the Iron Hills but couldn’t rest until he tried to get back their good name. What lay ahead of him was perilous in the extreme, not only physically but also mentally for the affliction that destroyed his grandfather’s mind. That level of honor, to sacrifice what is already known, or safe, for something that is so much bigger than yourself, is something of Thorin that will always stay with me.”
“Thorin’s sassiness with Elrond, ‘Indeed? he made no mention of you’, always makes me laugh! It’s a perfect mix of dwarfish haughtiness and endearing charm.”
If you like this idea of ours and would like to contribute thoughts to be included in the book, I have set up a tab at the top of this blog which will take you to a page dedicated to this endeavor. There is a contact form there that you can use to send me an e-mail with your submission. you can reply with general thoughts about the project in the comment section on that page as well. we hope to hear from you soon! ~Kelbel75 & Guylty
p.s. I think it goes without saying that we would like this to be a surprise for Richard. so while we welcome and hope you help us spread the word throughout the fandom, please remember not to tag Richard directly about this in any tweets you might post on Twitter.
ETA: submissions for The Thorin Project are no longer being accepted. The book is completed and has been sent off to Richard.
15.) your favorite female interviewer: greendragon
I like the greendragon interviews because we get to see Richard geek out about Tolkien, but also because her style is a nice mix of casual and professional.
greendragon has done several print interviews with Richard Armitage for TheOneRingnet. I especially enjoy when the conversation turns to Richard’s portrayal of Thorin, and his acting process in general. In their first interview for The Hobbit: an unexpected journey, they talked about how Richard incorporated Shakespeare into his characterization of Thorin Oakenshield:
“…the whole idea of the rallying cry of a leader on the battlefield is very much Henry V; the self hating deformity of Richard III was sort of relevant; and also the Macbeth figure when it comes to the gold lust- this man who believes he is doing the right thing and gets corrupted by something which ultimately destroys him…I just felt that those three figures were all going to be pretty useful for me to have in my head.”
In their interview for The Hobbit: the desolation of Smaug, greendragon gets Richard to talk a bit about his acting history, the pros and cons of “learning on the job” vs. organized classical training, and also how much of himself he brings to his roles:
” […]sometimes if it feels like too much ‘acting’, it can really pull you out of character. That was the thing about Thorin; there were times when I really felt like I was acting; and I’d go to Pete and say, ‘can we go again?’, because it just felt like I was ‘doing’ the character. The moments which are the most real and the most moving were the moments where I just wasn’t acting; I was just inhabiting what was literally another being, a whole body of clothing and a whole new face.”
I find all of the interviews from TheOneRing.net team interesting. I think Richard sharing his thoughts about Thorin with people who are already familiar with the history and feel of Middle Earth, allows him to delve in at a deeper level than he would normally feel comfortable doing. greendragon brings out a relaxed honesty with her questions that keep things from getting too heavy, as shown in her first report with Richard when he shared his thoughts about Tauriel:
“The older audience can grunt and snarl about it, but at the end of the day, she’s a great character and she’s female! There are so few female characters- aspirational characters- in this, you know? I’m saddened that he hasn’t created a demonic female orc! I think that would be kind of interesting…”
this song has become a kind of affirmation for me. the lyrics are inspiring and validating at the same time. I want to be as honest as I can be with my words, not only to others, but to myself as well. I don’t want them to hurt, although I know that will sometimes inevitably happen; I want them to be freeing. free from silence, free from stress, free from masks.
28.) Edge of Your Seat: the moment you found most exciting
The Hobbit: the pines
That was super duper exciting the first time that I saw it! and even though I know what’s going to happen now, it’s still exciting because I know what’s coming and look forward to it.
Ohh, look at that determination, that taste for revenge! Some joke about Thorin running down the log in slow-mo with his hair blowing in the wind, saying it’s the cliche hero moment; but it IS the hero moment… because Bilbo unexpectedly steps in and defends Thorin! Preface all of that with the Dwarves being stuck in the trees and the fire and the Wargs;
There’s something about Thorin that causes me to go against my usual proclivities. The long hair, the majestic air, the solid no nonsense of the man (whoops! he probably wouldn’t like to be called a man 😉 ) is not something I usually find attractive; but with him, I do. When you add that deep raspy voice into the mix, that’s just the cherry on top!
I find Thorin very sensual.
*shivers with delight!*
Just in case you’ve forgotten what Thorin sounds like,
here are a few examples:
Oh, that speech! When he says, “not for me”, that was my moment, the moment he captured me.
Nowhere in Particular RA 