First candle, second year: Hobbit trailer premiere!

Dear Mr. Armitage:

Congratulations! Now we (and the many fans of longer duration than I) will be able to say we “knew you when.” You were stunning! There were tears in my eyes — no one deserves the success more than you do.

Your fan,

Servetus

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A link to last year’s post, including a link to me singing Ma’oz Tsur. New reflections follow.

Richard Armitage menorah, first night: Richard Armitage and one candle. Okay, technically there are two candles on the first night, the first candle and the shamash candle, but you get the idea. I’ll do better tomorrow. Actually, John Porter (Richard Armitage) limps back into the orphanage after rescuing two little boys in Strike Back 1.4. Source: RichardArmitageNet.com

Last year I posted pictures of various menorahs (technically, the Chanukkah menorah has an extra branch and is called a chanukkiah) on the different nights. This year I think I’m going to go for an Armitage menorah. This may sound strange to non-Jews, but there are tons of different menorah styles designed to appeal to different interests — ballerina menorahs and baseball menorahs and so on. A bit like these Nativities, I suppose. This year I also made potato latkes for my family, and I haven’t lit the menorah yet but I will soon. I’ll watch it with a lot of joy, tonight.

Another Richard Armitage menorah, first night: Richard Armitage with one candle. Actually: Thorin Oakenshield (Richard Armitage) as he begins a song in the trailer from The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (December 2011). My cap.

I think that (with the help of Peter Jackson) Richard Armitage gave us the big Chanukkah gift this year. It’s amazing to listen to him sing in this looser style (he sang in Clarissa, but he is clearly singing an art song, and also acting a particular role while doing so, in that role). Actually, the way that section of the trailer starts, it almost sounded like he was starting to sing one of the holiday blessings.

I’m beside myself. I don’t think we’ll have to worry about the makeup and prosthetics hiding his expressive face. His voice is as wonderful as ever. He has a commanding presence on a horse. I hope the film really turns out the way that the trailer implies, with a sort of triangular tension between Gandalf, Bilbo, and Thorin. It really suggests that the script will have some of the adult dramatic tension that the book lacks, and the construction of the trailer makes Thorin seem like a lead — like they’re really trying to promot Mr. Armitage. And it totally makes me want to see the movie. (Not like Captain America, where I was sort of seeing it because of Armitage). What a huge gift to fans — a piece that we’ll really want to see from the get-go — but also, what a huge gift for Richard Armitage, to have this kind of chance. The excitement will really be building now.

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It’s that time of year again: a point at which we think about the needs of others in the midst of gratitude for the gifts we have received. Here’s a link to Mr. Armitage’s recommended charities at JustGiving and a link to Act!onAid, a child sponsorship organization for which he recorded a voiceover in December 2010. In 2011, Mr. Armitage also participated in fundraising efforts for Christchurch Earthquake Appeal. You can also generate a donation by doing any amazon.co.uk or Book Depository shopping that you do for the holidays via RichardArmitageOnline.com, or amazon.com or amazon.co.uk shopping via RichardArmitageNet.com, as these fansites both donate earned commission to charities that Armitage has endorsed. Fans have also donated in honor of Armitage to Oxfam International.

~ by Servetus on December 21, 2011.