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fannishlissChristopher Eccleston has just received a nomination for an International Emmy. What a great honor and so very well-deserved -- even though I've only seen clips, it's the kind of role he cares about, and when he cares about a role he knocks it out of the park. All you friends who are wondering, why is Liss in such a rage of Eccleston Marathoning -- I know his work is hard to come by in the US, but he is simply FANTASTIC. And he has an amazing body OF WORK. body of work!!! :D
I'm currently in the middle of Anchoress (1993, dir. Chris Newby, wr. Judith Stanley-Smith and Christine Watkins). Overall, the film is strikingly beautiful to watch. It is filmed in black and white in an old-fashioned, art film style. I read someplace that the film might be regarded as an homage to Carl Theodor Dreyer's "The Passion of Joan of Arc" (1928) and it does remind me strongly of that film, which I remember way back from auditing a film course in college. The landscape and the huge sky dominate the film (it was a Belgian co-production and may have been filmed in Flanders?). The story goes that a girl, Christine, begins to fixate on a statue of the Virgin, and falls into symbolic reveries while contemplating Her. The Priest, played by CE, offers to wall her up as an anchorite.
Once again, I can't believe that this film is not raved about more often! Halfway through, I guess there could be some stunning turn of events that would derail it, but I don't find that likely.
The Priest is a mixture of good and bad -- just the kind of character Chris excels at playing. As a Medieval Priest -- he is condemnatory of anything that seems to smack of witchcraft, and he hates Christine's mother, Pauline, whom he regards as a witch. In one exemplary scene, he denies Christine food because she won't make confession, and of course, she experiences her ecstatic visions of the Virgin in a loaf of bread or a cup of water or the sound of birdsong. Her spirituality is remarkably pagan and earth-based, which infuriates the Priest. He asks her what color are the Virgin's robes in her visions, and she says Red, and he's like NO THEY'RE BLUE BECAUSE SHE'S THE QUEEN OF HEAVEN!!!. So it's very much an interesting and feminist take on women's spirituality in medieval times. I'm looking forward to learning more about the real-life Anchoress of Shere -- her cell, connected to a village church in Surrey, is still there today!
For fans of Chris-- he is absolutely gorgeous in this movie. The black and white format, the lighting, his priestly robes -- everything conspire to highlight his dramatic bone structure and the ferocity of his eyes. And then, his lines are so fierce and Chris simply rocks in this movie, villain (as I suspect) or not. OM NOM NOM. The Priest would say I am such a foul daughter of Eve! Yay, I SO AM. :D It's so awesome when Pauline, the mother, totally PISSES AT HIM. \o/ Her actual piss is foreshadowed when she says "I piss at him" and THEN SHE DOES. one of the best feminist f* you moments ever.
Wow: The Shadow Line.
Okay, so, Chris is perfect as Joseph Bede. But this is not my kind of thing. Spoilers under cut.
EVERYONE DIES. EVERYONE. EVERYONE BUT THE ONE GUY WHO I LONGED TO STRANGLE WITH MY BARE HANDS. AND THEN KICK THE REST OF THE WAY TO DEATH. AND POSSIBLY STAB. OR ELECTROCUTE - NO, HE LIVES!!! AND EVERYONE ELSE DIES. EXCEPT MY OTHER FAVORITE CHARACTER, WHO-------- BETRAYS. ahhhhhhh.
ALSO, BABY DEATH!!!!! /o\ egad, DNW!!!!
This is the sort of show that makes me avoid drama. The whole thing is very convoluted and plot heavy. All the acting is stellar, I will say that, and I'm glad I watched, because I'm also a fan of Chiwetel Ejiofor.... though I do recommend Dirty Pretty Things above this for sheer intensity on his part. I did not have actual nightmares, but there was some loss of sleep. Sigh.
The way Joseph Bede came SO CLOSE, but then again TOTALLY NOT CLOSE AT ALL was so very heartbreaking. When he dies at the end, it's almost a relief, because you know it's an end to his suffering that was tearing him apart. And then, you wonder, how criminal was he before he found out about his wife's illness? It just makes me wonder if he didn't go crooked right when he found out. We don't have enough information, only that he's been completely clean except for this one deal that's been five years in the making..... and then the whole Pension Reveal kind of bothered me. Pensions are a huge problem in this country too.... just yesterday someone said on NPR that like in some city in California they could see the day coming when there's only one city employee, whose job is to pay pensions. :( And of course, the Post Office going down is largely due to pensions..... but still -- is counterpoint really valid social commentary?? I was left feeling somewhat unconvinced.
Let him Have It arrived on DVD, and Jude is still on order, and I think I'll try to watch "The Accused: Willy's Story" next which earned Chris the Emmy Nom. I am so happy for him!!! My other boy, Jensen Ackles, was shortlisted for an emmy nom, and we exploded with glee on that account. :)
I'm currently in the middle of Anchoress (1993, dir. Chris Newby, wr. Judith Stanley-Smith and Christine Watkins). Overall, the film is strikingly beautiful to watch. It is filmed in black and white in an old-fashioned, art film style. I read someplace that the film might be regarded as an homage to Carl Theodor Dreyer's "The Passion of Joan of Arc" (1928) and it does remind me strongly of that film, which I remember way back from auditing a film course in college. The landscape and the huge sky dominate the film (it was a Belgian co-production and may have been filmed in Flanders?). The story goes that a girl, Christine, begins to fixate on a statue of the Virgin, and falls into symbolic reveries while contemplating Her. The Priest, played by CE, offers to wall her up as an anchorite.
Once again, I can't believe that this film is not raved about more often! Halfway through, I guess there could be some stunning turn of events that would derail it, but I don't find that likely.
The Priest is a mixture of good and bad -- just the kind of character Chris excels at playing. As a Medieval Priest -- he is condemnatory of anything that seems to smack of witchcraft, and he hates Christine's mother, Pauline, whom he regards as a witch. In one exemplary scene, he denies Christine food because she won't make confession, and of course, she experiences her ecstatic visions of the Virgin in a loaf of bread or a cup of water or the sound of birdsong. Her spirituality is remarkably pagan and earth-based, which infuriates the Priest. He asks her what color are the Virgin's robes in her visions, and she says Red, and he's like NO THEY'RE BLUE BECAUSE SHE'S THE QUEEN OF HEAVEN!!!. So it's very much an interesting and feminist take on women's spirituality in medieval times. I'm looking forward to learning more about the real-life Anchoress of Shere -- her cell, connected to a village church in Surrey, is still there today!
For fans of Chris-- he is absolutely gorgeous in this movie. The black and white format, the lighting, his priestly robes -- everything conspire to highlight his dramatic bone structure and the ferocity of his eyes. And then, his lines are so fierce and Chris simply rocks in this movie, villain (as I suspect) or not. OM NOM NOM. The Priest would say I am such a foul daughter of Eve! Yay, I SO AM. :D It's so awesome when Pauline, the mother, totally PISSES AT HIM. \o/ Her actual piss is foreshadowed when she says "I piss at him" and THEN SHE DOES. one of the best feminist f* you moments ever.
Wow: The Shadow Line.
Okay, so, Chris is perfect as Joseph Bede. But this is not my kind of thing. Spoilers under cut.
EVERYONE DIES. EVERYONE. EVERYONE BUT THE ONE GUY WHO I LONGED TO STRANGLE WITH MY BARE HANDS. AND THEN KICK THE REST OF THE WAY TO DEATH. AND POSSIBLY STAB. OR ELECTROCUTE - NO, HE LIVES!!! AND EVERYONE ELSE DIES. EXCEPT MY OTHER FAVORITE CHARACTER, WHO-------- BETRAYS. ahhhhhhh.
ALSO, BABY DEATH!!!!! /o\ egad, DNW!!!!
This is the sort of show that makes me avoid drama. The whole thing is very convoluted and plot heavy. All the acting is stellar, I will say that, and I'm glad I watched, because I'm also a fan of Chiwetel Ejiofor.... though I do recommend Dirty Pretty Things above this for sheer intensity on his part. I did not have actual nightmares, but there was some loss of sleep. Sigh.
The way Joseph Bede came SO CLOSE, but then again TOTALLY NOT CLOSE AT ALL was so very heartbreaking. When he dies at the end, it's almost a relief, because you know it's an end to his suffering that was tearing him apart. And then, you wonder, how criminal was he before he found out about his wife's illness? It just makes me wonder if he didn't go crooked right when he found out. We don't have enough information, only that he's been completely clean except for this one deal that's been five years in the making..... and then the whole Pension Reveal kind of bothered me. Pensions are a huge problem in this country too.... just yesterday someone said on NPR that like in some city in California they could see the day coming when there's only one city employee, whose job is to pay pensions. :( And of course, the Post Office going down is largely due to pensions..... but still -- is counterpoint really valid social commentary?? I was left feeling somewhat unconvinced.
Let him Have It arrived on DVD, and Jude is still on order, and I think I'll try to watch "The Accused: Willy's Story" next which earned Chris the Emmy Nom. I am so happy for him!!! My other boy, Jensen Ackles, was shortlisted for an emmy nom, and we exploded with glee on that account. :)
