Richard Armitage | RAFrenzy

Guy Strays — More Unlikely Duo

When I think about it, maybe these duos aren’t that strange. Guy is overtly sexy just like Britney and Lady Gaga.

The Lady Gaga video I linked in “Pheromone or Not to Pheromone” and the one below are the only two I feel comfortable putting up even though they pretty much strip the finer feelings from any perception of S3 Guy; however, this is an important aspect of Guy. What I think many of us (maybe not all of us but a significant number of us) didn’t think was that Guy could be sexier in Season 3. That was wrong.

There is a third Gaga video, but it really treats him like a piece of meat. Can’t quite bring myself to do that to Richard Armitage never mind Guy. You can figure out what it is from surfing YouTube if you don’t already know. The only hint I’ll give you is that Principessa55 and Romana55 seem to like the combination of Guy and Lady Gaga. Well, that and they like the number 55. Haven’t quite figured out what the 55 is about, but I did figure out Romana 55 is a pizza parlor somewhere.

April 17, 2010
Categories: Fanvids, Robin Hood . Tags: Guy of Gisborne, Richard Armitage . Author: RAFrenzy . Comments: 6 Comments

What makes a bunch of prissy period drama lovers become action fans?

THIS:

No, I don’t think every period drama lover is prissy, since I are one now. But I do find it funny that many of us who hardly ever watch something like Strike Back cannot wait for it to get here! I even read the book. Hope Chris Ryan is proud.

Oh, and, I saw video of the premiere over at RichardArmitageNet.com and have to share it. Here’s a screencap below. Love that profile! You can watch here or get your own copy here.

edit: For those of you who read this entry earlier, yes, I did have the video loaded on my page. But it was not syncing right, so I canned it and put up a link and a screencap instead.

If you want to download your own copy of any promo clips or screencaps of Strike Back, go to this page on RichardArmitageNet.com, which is run by Wendy and Ali. Along with Annette, who runs RichardArmitageOnline.com, they make up what I think of as the triumviRAte. You want to know anything about RA’s career, go to one or both of those sites. You will not be disappointed, and be sure to sign their guestbook!

Screencap is mine. I had to capture that profile.

April 16, 2010
Categories: Strike Back . Tags: action fans, hype, jawline, John Porter, period drama, Richard Armitage, triumviRAte . Author: RAFrenzy . Comments: 11 Comments

The Perfect Symphony

Previously, I said RA’s performance in the tea scene was like a maestro conducting the perfect symphony. I’m not sure what symphony that would be. Too many great ones to narrow it to one. But the symphony I was thinking of when I wrote that was The Firebird Suite by Stravinsky. It’s not too bold a statement to say that Stravinsky has probably influenced almost every modern composer in the last fifty years. When I first heard Martin Phipps’ score for “North and South,” I thought he might be influenced by Stravinsky. His use of chord progressions and his distinct use of rhythms was the giveaway. Oh, and how cool that I thought of a Russian but didn’t know at the time that RA seems to have an affinity for some things Russian — Crime and Punishment, vodka, brooding.

I was bummed to realize I couldn’t buy the “North and South” soundtrack. I’ve also noticed that if it’s put on any sites, it’s scrubbed in a fairly short period. Not sure if this is Martin Phipps or his producers. Whatever the case, they are quite thorough, and even if there is something I could embed at the moment, I don’t want to mess with putting up one of his pieces only to have the link go bad very quickly. However, there is plenty of Stravinsky up, so for your pleasure, the old master conducting The Firebird:

and another one of his pieces. This one forever changed music for me:

April 16, 2010
Categories: Musicilove, North and South . Tags: aesthetics, Firebird Suite, John Thornton, music videos, Richard Armitage, Russian, Stravinsky . Author: RAFrenzy . Comments: 1 Comment

Diary of an RA Fan — Part 6 Talking of Michelangelo

See Diary Part 5 here, or to access all entries, hit “The Diary” tab above.

Entry — a few years ago minus about four months:

I told the ladies I was fascinated with the tea scene, and the truth is that I couldn’t quit thinking about it for weeks. For some reason I haven’t fully discovered, I kept hearing lines from a T.S. Eliot poem when I watched it. It seems John Thornton albeit an important man in Milton doesn’t see himself that way, and the tea scene was the first time I got the sense he feels like an observer standing outside a window looking into a house he doesn’t believe he can ever really enter.

Hmmm. Have to watch again to see what else makes me think of that poem. I wish I were better versed in literature. I just always hated literature in school. It seemed like undue examination of the navel, and it ruined a piece of writing to examine it in almost a clinical way. But maybe I was wrong, and now I’m a little mad at myself for not slowing down and listening more to something that probably would have brought a richness to my reading.

A little while later:

John Thornton, who seems so decisive and sure of himself, stops and really ponders for the first time in the tea scene, and you can almost see the gears of his thoughts and the awkwardness of being in limbo with Margaret and how it fairly radiates from his eyes and the turn of his head, and then his tentative gesture at a handshake as the scene concludes. Oh, he gets on his high horse a bit with her, but that’s almost a relief for him. It’s a fight he understands, and so it’s a refuge from the uncertainty of not knowing how to proceed with her, how to enter the house, so that no one throws him out. That part of the scene is not what lends it such depth although it’s very necessary to show how he’s used to fighting for what he wants, and if it had just been his impassioned speech about his life’s experiences, then I doubt I would have thought about it for weeks. No this is more. It was the seemingly little things he did to convey being in over his head that have hung with me. It’s also very clear that he is the impetus of this scene and his demeanor changes the rhythm of the piece in a way that almost seems like a maestro conducting the perfect symphony, and the beauty of it continues to resonate in my head.

I wonder what else Richard Armitage has been in.

See Diary Part 7 here.

Screencaps courtesy of lauralorien in tempest_icons on LiveJournal.

April 16, 2010
Categories: North and South . Tags: John Thornton, Love Song, Margaret Hale, Richard Armitage, screencaps, T.S. Eliot quote . Author: RAFrenzy . Comments: 3 Comments

Diary of an RA Fan — Part 5 Toe in the Water

See Diary Part 4 here, or to access all entries, hit “The Diary” tab above.

Entry — a few years ago minus 2-3 months.

I started lurking the North and South board on IMDb the other day. I had to do something! Can’t keep watching this movie over and over. I need to hear about others’ reactions to it. Still not quite ready to weigh in myself because I feel like a fool watching it over and over. I’ve always laughed at people who said they watched a movie 17 times, and now I’ve watched North and South 20+ times. Don’t really know how many times.

I was also hoping maybe I could find out some other pieces that the cast has been in. I love Daniela Denby-Ashe. Nix everything I said about her character. Margaret seems like an old friend, and Richard Armitage is wonderful as John Thornton. I can even stand his opening scene now — cause I know how it ends!! :D I’ll have to check out his IMDb page while I’m at it. But I’m saving that one so I can really indulge myself. Going to check out some of the other cast first. Love the guy who plays Higgins. I must be nuts, but he’s sexy, and I know he’s not really supposed to be in this role. But hey, I’m human, and the man has a lot of appeal. Love his voice too.

About the only characters I don’t like in this piece are Margaret’s parents. Can’t quite figure out if they’re supposed to be annoying. If they are, then they’re doing a superb job with their characters. I’ve started skipping over some of their scenes; they are that annoying.

There are some really lovely people on the N&S board. Someone named Genie knows a lot about North and South, and there is a poster named Osoguante who could be a professional comic. Very clever. Forget N&S, I just love reading her comments. I really do LOL when I read them. LOL! See just thinking about some of the things she’s said makes me laugh.

There are some others there who are very thoughtful and fairly educated. It’s a real treat to read some of their comments, and everyone is very polite. I haven’t spent too much time on IMDb, but if the other boards are like this one, I might spend more time there. Still not ready to give my two cents though. I’m just enjoying the reading.

Oh, oh, and they also write stories about N&S. It’s called fan fiction. Whatever it is, I’m enjoying it. These ladies are really clever and are having a good time, and it’s a pleasure to be an observer. Thank you, ladies, even though you have no clue about me.

A few weeks later:

I couldn’t stand it any longer. I had to SAY SOMETHING. The ladies were talking about the first scenes that hooked them, and I had to jump in with mine. It felt good! And now they know I’m another rabid fan of this movie. I told them the tea scene was the first one to reel me in. The movie is going along at a steady clip, and then the rhythm changes. It slows down and focuses on all the things that are heightened when you’re falling in love. Sigh. Did I actually write the word sigh? What’s happening to me? Oh, I’ve always been a terrible romantic, but I’ve kept that so buried no one would know it. It’s hard to keep tamped down these days. Why I try to I don’t know. Always have, but maybe I shouldn’t.

Screencap courtesy of TheArmitageArmy.co.uk

See Diary Part 6 here.

April 15, 2010
Categories: North and South . Tags: fan fiction, Genie, IMDb, Osoguante, Richard Armitage, screencaps . Author: RAFrenzy . Comments: 7 Comments

Pheromone or not to Pheromone

Someone wondered* if Richard Armitage could transmit his pheromones through the screen. I don’t know, but something’s going on. He is seriously sexy, and I’m not that bowled over by actors. I base my sexy scale on my significant other who is also seriously sexy and has been since the day I met him. My SO is so sexy at times that I have to mentally slap myself from the daze he can put me in, and I would think it was just a number done on my head alone, but there are other women who have felt the same. Thankfully he’s faithful. If he weren’t, I might beat him with a really big stick. LOL! But I mention my SO to make it clear I have some traffic with the seriously sexy. I know what it looks like, and Richard Armitage has it.

But I’m writing this diary, in part, to find out what exactly it is that he has. I have never fully figured it out with my SO, and maybe I shouldn’t. Sometimes I think I know what it means to be that sexy. Maybe it will become clear as I go along. It is a little comfort to know that other women find RA so sexy. As for me, I thought I had been hit with a two by four. I would love to know your reaction. Maybe I need to hear it!

While you’re thinking about it, notice that Romana55 on YouTube definitely received a few pheromones from RA and is so kind to share her reaction with us. Or maybe she couldn’t help herself. LOL!

*Click again after it loads in order to enlarge.

April 15, 2010
Categories: Fanvids, PHWOAR!, Robin Hood, SO . Tags: Guy of Gisborne, pheromones, Richard Armitage . Author: RAFrenzy . Comments: 23 Comments

The Unlikely Duo

At least in my opinion. I would have never put Guy of Gisborne and Britney together. Huh? But it works! Britney is one of my guilty pleasures. Apparently, along with RA. I think it’s because they’re both earthy and so am I.

For your pleasure, and yes, there is a bit of SNARFU (Strict Norms of Aspect Ratio Fouled Up; that’s how I think of it) in some of these and maybe a few other technical difficulties as well, but I don’t care — well, mostly I don’t care. I love ’em. See what you’ve done to me, Elvira?! I love these, but I still think about that stuff. LOL!

This one below is hilarious. I don’t know how many times I’ve watched, and I still laugh at the part about the ring.

Gotta love Principessa55.

Stay tuned for further odd pairings that I love, and you probably will too. :D

April 14, 2010
Categories: Fanvids, Robin Hood . Tags: Elvira, Guy of Gisborne, Richard Armitage . Author: RAFrenzy . Comments: 2 Comments

Diary of an RA Fan — Part 4 Hide in Plain Sight

See Diary Part 3 here, or to access all entries, hit “The Diary” tab above.

Entry — a few years ago minus a few weeks:

I cannot stop watching North and South. Thank God I’ve got my own copy now. It’s becoming part of my daily routine. Learning to pace myself and not watch it all in one sitting anymore. If I watch one episode a day and some days more than one, I can easily get in two full viewings a week. I’ve been trying this out, and so far it works great. Usually do it really early in the morning or very late at night on my computer.

The family thinks I’m writing or doing some paperwork. I would die of mortification if they knew I was continually rewatching the same movie. If they ever figure out what I’m doing, knowing them, it will become a huge joke where I would probably be compared to someone like Jack Nicholson in “The Shining.” So for now I’m keeping it under wraps. Don’t want the distraction that would come with outing myself. But I’m really bugged by having to keep this on the QT. Oh, I did say something about what a great mini-series it is, but so far no one took that bait. Dang! It would be so great to watch it with the family. Then I wouldn’t feel like an idiot sneaking around.

One thing I know is that this movie has such a calming effect on me, and I get to squee at the ending. Squee! I have a love/hate relationship with that word. The first time I read it I thought of a bodily function. But it’s such a great word to describe my reaction at the ending. Squeee! I love writing it and would love to say it sometime. That’ll never happen.

Screencaps courtesy of TheArmitageArmy.co.uk

See Diary Part 5 here.

April 14, 2010
Categories: North and South . Tags: John Thornton, Margaret Hale, RA Lexicon, rationalizing, Richard Armitage, screencaps, Squee . Author: RAFrenzy . Comments: 5 Comments

Woman is always looking for a shoulder to put her head on

[note on Mencken below]

Per tyme4t’s request.

Here’s the best “shoulder” pic I could come up with (great jawline pic too; check out others here). Oh, there are other shoulder pics, but I thought I would just run the best one out there first. At least the one I think is the best. Feel free to disabuse me of the notion. :D

Continuing rationalization:

One of the first things I noticed about RA is his ability to use his shoulders and back to convey a message. Oh, yeah, actors can shrug to convey some emotions, but he goes way beyond that. I lost count of the times Guy used his shoulders with one of the most stunning times being when he flinches as Friar Tuck tries to comfort him (S3Ep1). I can’t watch that scene without being very moved by the grief and pain and just utter self hatred radiating from Guy’s shoulders alone — since we can’t really see his face. Wonderfully done scene!

Note: The quote in the title is from H.L. Mencken’s In Defense of Women. I didn’t like it the first time I read it — a long time ago. Not sure what I would think of it now. I do agree with that particular quote though — to some degree. Most of the women I know (young or old), love it when they actually meet a man. Men are few and far between, and it can be a rush to encounter one. Most women are drawn to that and want to rely on them. Notice I didn’t say male, but that I’m actually referring to someone who is a man — worthy to lean on but not lessening a woman’s worth by being so.

Screencaps courtesy of RichardArmitageNet.com and RobinHood2006.com

April 12, 2010
Categories: Robin Hood, Strike Back . Tags: Guy of Gisborne, In Defense of Women, jawline, Mencken quote, rationalizing, Richard Armitage, screencaps, shoulders, the Sexy Back . Author: RAFrenzy . Comments: 4 Comments

RAddicts-R-Us

So I’ve been sharing these diary entries in an attempt to show how someone descends into this madness, and I’m only just beginning. I have never spent as much time on something frivolous as I have this fangirling (is that a word?) over Richard Armitage. But of course I’m doing this as a public service, so that the rest of you don’t feel like such nuts. ;-)

I promise to throw in more media even if it’s something you’ve seen a thousand times. Can we look at these pictures enough?

I said I love his jawline, and this is where it started, and if you don’t know which picture is under the link, then you’re not really a fan of RA. LOL!

A few more for your pleasure: