Alan Rickman Guestbook
(March 1 - - March 31, 1997)
Start reading at bottom of page.
Ah yes, but does anyone know if the BAFTAs will be broadcast in the States?
Ann K. <ackosins@umich.edu>
Ann Arbor, MI USA - 03/31/97A at 20:10:55
Greetings fellow Rickmaniacs. I recently looked up the BAFTA's on the net and found out that they will be presented on April 29. The ceremony will be aired on the BBC.
Deb Aalbers <maalbers@uniserve.com>
Sardis, BC Canada - 03/31/97A at 19:24:23
I would guess that *The Winter Guest* would not be released until this autumn at the earliest, say late November? Can anyone tell us when the BAFTA ceremony will be held?
Melissa <masmith@law.harvard.edu>
Cambridge, MA USA - 03/31/97A at 18:45:52
Does anyone know when "the Winters Guest is comming out?
robin
san diego, ca USA - 03/31/97A at 13:49:46
Quick correction: Brenda Blethyn was in The Guardsman, not The Guardian.
Deb <ddnm@msn.com>
OR USA - 03/30/97A at 17:42:13
Hello everyone! I was on vacation (holiday to those of British influence) and couldn't believe how much has been added to this guestbook in just two weeks. I loved Ann K's story of her close encounter of the best kind. Good for you Ann for being so
brave and collected! Awhile back I was telling Melissa or Suzanne that I was certain I must have seen AR in 1978. You see (and I'm dating myself here), I spent the second semester of my junior year of college in London. One of my classes was Introduction to Theatre in London. Last year when I found out AR had been in The Tempest in 1978, I seemed to recall that that was one of the many plays I had seen. I have been trying to locate all of my materials from that time and have had no luck until this weekend. I finally found the missing box behind all the Easter paraphernalia I pulled out for my 2 1/2-year-old. Sure enough, there was the RSC's playbill for The Tempest, and inside was Ferdinand,son to the King of Naples--Alan Rickman. If ever I could
live a few hours of my life over again, that would be the time! I hate to admit it but I have no recollection of him at all! Of course, the 20 years in between is a real problem. Ah well. At least Ann won't have the same problem 20 years from now! There was some information about him that we don't have in his resume that Karina may want to use when she updates again. His entry reads (capitalization here is italics there): Alan Rickman FERDINAND Theatre: Daniel in THE CARNATION GANG, title role in
NIJINSKY, Rubek in WHEN WE DEAD AWAKEN, title role in SHERLOCK HOLMES, Jaques in AS YOU LIKE IT, Laertes in HAMLET, Mere Ubu in UBU ROI, Uriah Shelley in A MAN'S A MAN (does anyone know if this is what we have as MAN IS MAN?), Wittipol in THE DEVIL IS AN
ASS (Repertory), THE DEVIL IS AN ASS (Edinburgh Festival, London and European tour). Television: Tybalt in ROMEO AND JULIET. This gives us some insight in that some of the plays we have as pre-1985 are in fact pre-1979. Also gives a few more roles.
As I went through all my playbills, I found even more actors whose names are now much more familiar than they were in 1978. Ruby Wax was also in The Tempest. She played in The Way of The World too. Brenda Blethyn was in The Bedroom Farce and The Guardian. Nigel Hawthorne was in Privates on Parade and Elizabeth Spriggs (Mrs Jennings in S & S) played Lady Fidget in The Country Wife. I also saw Davy Jones and Mickey Dolenz of The Monkees fame in The Point, Sir Ian McKellen (Nicholas in Rasputin) as Macbeth, and Diana Rigg in The Guardsman. I do remember quite vividly Albert Finney in The Country Wife. I was in the first row and at one point in the play, Finney's character, Horner, delivered a passage directly to me having something to do with the female sex. If only it had been AR!!!!! I know this is long but I thought you'd all enjoy.
Deb <ddnm@msn.com>
OR USA - 03/30/97A at 17:32:49
I never truly wanted to be somebody else, but Ann, having met AR and Ralph Fiennes you make it hard not to get carried away.
________
Melissa's
post about the one-track minds in Hollywood can make us see red, but those films *are* about making money
first (and sometimes only),
which is why Anthony Minghella's recognition
and success with TEP is all the more reason to celebrate.
It's a pleasure to think that AR helped shape that wonderful film.
Box-office American screen actors (Harrison Ford, Tom
Cruise) often
don't have the stage training and talent that so many British actors
do (AR, Ralph Fiennes, Kenneth Branagh), so it's no wonder that
Hollywood misvalues such accomplished and gifted people.
__________
A bit off-topic, but of interest to so
me, I know: the two signs held
up by RF at the Oscars. One said, "Hello Ivanov Babes" and one said
"Hello Becky." Despite intense wishing (on the net and otherwise) on the part of many women who were lucky enough to trek to the Almeida to see RF, I believe the sign was directed at his two female co-stars. The second sign was directed to his administrative assistant, with him since at least his Hamlet run on Broadway.
AR's presence was missed at the Oscars, wasn't it.
renie <reniept@hotmail.com>
CA, USA - 03/29/97A at 17:44:41
Long Story Short, Part Two: Raed about Alan and Emma at http://www.geocities.com/Broadway/8487 under heading Emma Thompson Made Me Tea. Or link to page from http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Lofts/6176. Karina, you are indeed a wonder woman
debbyg <debbyg@hotmail.com>
USA - 03/29/97A at 06:58:49
Check out the story on the British in Hollywood in The Sunday Times Magazine of March 16 (No More Mr. Nice Guy, p. 17), which says [quoting now] that contemporary Hollywood hands out Oscars by the shovelful to British talent, only now the Brits are not
the stars. Even when they play leading roles, they're not heroes. They do a nice line in eccentrics, ineffectual men, evil manipulators, megalomaniacs and insensitive prats... Alan Rickman's coldly calculating villains are of infinite variety... An American studio executive is *outspoken in his impatience with British talent* and says The British don't understand the American movie business...don't know that when you have a hit film, you're supposed to follow it up with another one...to reach an even wider audience. It's sound business sense...[they] see films as an offshoot of the theatre--though of lesser quality--and an art form. It isn't. It's a big business. So when you get actors like Fiennes or Alan Rickman or Day-Lewis who are worried that they
are denigrating their art in Hollywood, they are seen to be pains in the ass. Mr. Business-Not-Art then goes on to trash British actresses who dare to *diss the glamour, which is what Hollywood is all about*.
Melissa <masmith@law.harvard.edu>
Cambridge, MA USA - 03/28/97A at 17:28:09
Long story short: My 17 yr old daughter is currently an exchange student in Scotland. Last November she crashed the set of "The Winter's Guest" and met Alan and Emma. You can read her whole report (she wrote about it for her school newspaper back home-
she's their "foreign correspondent- at her home page. Go to my page and
link to her or go directly to http://www.geocities.com/Broadway/8487.
It
will be posted on her page tonight. And yes, she says he is a very sexy man in person.
debbyg <debbyg@hotmail.com>
USA - 03/28/97A at 16:42:14
I feel like it's been months since I last contributed. I'm having so much fun reading everyone else, I haven't thought of anything to contribute! Very small note: I noticed on Fine Lines Films schedule page (www.flf.com) "The Winter Guest" is listed
with a TBA release date. At least we U.S. folks know that there is an interested distributor, even if we don't know when. Also, thank you to the two wonderful women who sent me suggestions for my upcoming London trip. I'm working your advice into my itinerary. Back to an earlier film discussion: In "Close My Eyes", there seems to be a lot of sexual/psychological/financial power brokering going on. Richard("this must be the brother") feeling intimidated by Sinclair's job, lifestyle and possessions, then being floored when Sinclair asks for help at the picnic. (I realize Sinclair was dropping huge hints about the affair, but I still can see a second level of suprise in Richard's eyes.) A friend pointed out the sexual power play between Sinclair and Natalie. She has uninhibited, naked sex with her brother, but wears a nightgown with Sinclair. But notice the bedroom scene with them. My friend remarked that it looked like Sinclair was being assaulted: He's on the bottom, flailing around(yes I know we've discussed AR's flailing before!), unable to control the situation until afterwards when he retreats to his book. Comments? Raspberries?
Sandra <SYJackson@aol.com>
Alexandria, VA USA - 03/28/97A at 16:19:51
As a writer, I am amazed at the in-depth and profound analyses of Mr. Rickman's movies on these pages. Having written several screenplays and short stories and articles, I give you all an A+++ for literary interpretation. If some of you were movie critics, perhaps we would have more knowledge of this man's phenomenal abilities in the States. I am currently trying to sell a movie that I wrote just for "HIM", so if you would all cross your fingers and pray, perhaps my dream will come true (and I will
send you all tickets to the premiere. There is power in numbers, you know.
Beth Muhlhauser <zerabeth@aol.com>
Hamilton, OH USA - 03/28/97A at 16:07:59
Anne from Sydney, I very much enjoyed your words on TMD.
Your writing is very moving and very much in the same key
as the movie itself. Thank you for such a lovely analysis.
My favorite scene is when Jamie's friends are having a
concert, and the house is just crammed with people...which
are helping Jamie. Kindest regards,
Emma
Princeton, NJ USA - 03/28/97A at 14:44:40
Lucky lucky Kate!!!Well, I've done it again and gone to sleep with a headache after crying through the end of TMD. You guys really got me going with the cloud talk, so I had to have another look (any excuse). As usual, I've come away with some new ideas about the film. I think the clouds represent two things - Jamie and Nina's romantic private world, and the present reality, life moving along like the clouds. Note that the cloud mobile Jamie gave Nina was static - an object representing their love at that time. Those clouds could never change shape - they were constant. Their relationship was too, until Jamie died. I think that Jamie didn't really come back on a mission to help Nina move on. I think their love brought him back, as he 'couldn't bear to
see her grieving'. I think he had every intention, in the beginning, of staying, of not moving on at all. However, he had an early realisation that this new arrangement might not work when he looked at the clouds so wistfully after their cloud game. I felt that he then had an inkling that he was like those clouds now, free and a spirit, not really meant to stay. He looked sad for a fleeting second as the first moments of doubt began to form. That was his world now, though he wasn't quite ready to admit it. Nina also wanted to keep him in their own world and keep the rest of the world out (not going to work, not letting her sister in). So, the realisation that they must move on came after they were reunited, not really as a mission as Jamie's purpose for returning. This is why it's so heartbreaking when he wipes the tear away and waves her goodbye. If he was alive, he wouldn't let her go. Now, though, the spirit life is too incompatible with Nina's life, they have changed too much, and other forces are pulling them. They both know that the universe is giving them no choice but to move on into the natural order of things. They can't hold back the power of the real world from that place where there is only their love. To love and to let go is so desperately
hard - I think this is why this movie has captured us all.
Anne
Sydney, NSW Australia - 03/28/97A at 04:31:35
Not everyone copes as well as Ann K with the excitement of meeting AR.
In Classic FM Magazine (Feb/March 1996) Kate Winslet was asked about S&S:
So what was it really like working with...Alan Rickman?
"He was the only one I had any problems with because I just think he is so gorgeous,
such a brilliant actor, and suddenly he is walking into the make-up bar and I can feel my face
flaming bright red. I said: "Oh, hello, I'm Kate." And I felt like this pathetic young fan of his
who just didn't know how to react. And I had to bloody marry the guy on the first day we met!
"We hadn't said two words to each other and then we had to film the final marriage
scene. It was very bizarre."
Thank you Karina for all your work. Can anyone advise how to get a copy of Closet Land in
England? I have had no luck so far, and you are all making me feel really deprived!
Jean
Jean <geoff.cram@virgin.net>
Leeds, England, USA - 03/27/97A at 17:46:10
To Melissa: It was rather a long nite of the Oscars. They could start them a little earlier, if only for the east-coast viewers!!! Anyway, Ralph Fiennes' message was either "I love Ivanov Babes" or "Hello Ivanov Babes", something like that, honestly the exact wording escapes me, as I was struggling enough to keep my eyes open until the end, never mind retaining much of what I saw.
Pam
NJ USA - 03/27/97A at 16:58:21
1. By the time I had flung the cat off my lap in my attempt to see Ralph Fiennes's secret handwritten message the *long* night of the Oscars, the camera was off him. Who out there was fast enough on the draw to see exactly what it was? 2. Thanks to Mandy for correct Almeida pronunciation. 3. Is there anything one can do about the unsolicited e-mail messages engendered by registering in this guestbook? I've managed to cut down dramatically the volume of damnable telemarketing calls I get by writing to the Direct Marketing Assn., but now this new technology is spawning yet more intrusive stuff!
Melissa <masmith@law.harvard.edu>
Cambridge, MA USA - 03/27/97A at 11:05:05
Interesting site, even if I'm experiencing it in free text-only browser mode via library connection. Through my library also I've found a piece of audio heaven: AR's reading of Hardy's _Return of the Native_. His reading is lucious and his voice so
perfectly matched to Hardy's prose. Or is it the other way around? At one point, AR sings a French tune, "Au point du jour." As I was fortunate enough to live in France for several years, I can state with accuracy that AR's French is excellent. Enjoyed the site! I wonder how many of you first saw AR in a romantic role (as I did, in TMD on Bravo or maybe even Disney Channel?) and how many first saw him in a sexy villian role? Needless to say he was also sexy in TMD, and funny. I was surprised to note his age in your bio. I thought he was 7--10 years younger. He's actually older than I am! Is it makeup or clean living that keeps him so young? Rave on, Mary
Mary Feeney <marymug@net-info.com>
Prior Lake, MNMNMn USA - 03/27/97A at 00:24:08
Whoops! Winter's GUEST, not Winter's TALE. Duh. Too much studying for my Shakespeare class.
Ann K. <ackosins@umich.edu>
Ann Arbor, MI USA - 03/26/97A at 22:25:50
I adored Ralph's message at the Oscars! Of course, the big question, is: Just who are these "Ivanov Babes"? I'd like to think he was referring to me and the rest of the lucky women who have had the opportunity to meet him at the Almeida while performing Ivanov; however, it was probably meant for his Ivanov costars. Is there a release date set for Winter's Tale? (There, I wasn't completely off-topic--just incredibly uninformed.)
Ann K. <ackosins@umich.edu>
Ann Arbor, MI USA - 03/26/97A at 22:21:10
To Suzanne: thanks for the transcript. To Chris: thanks for the tip on the site. To Eva: I saw the little card Ralph Fiennes held up to the "Ivanov Babes" I believe, and I just laughed. Speaking of the Oscars, did anybody get a kick out of the "STELLA!!!" clip in one of the movie montage things they did earlier on? It wasn't his, of course, but now I see where he got it from!
Pam <Bagdzinski@Worldnet.att.net>
NJ USA - 03/26/97A at 21:32:20
Elysse: I hope you're right & TMD is re-released as a feature film. I'd love to see it on the big screen.
Jennifer <qmkr21b@prodigy.com>
Houston, TX USA - 03/26/97A at 20:21:16
Hello- I'm English!Please talk to me, I'm an Alan fan too!!!!!!
shaz <gately@unclemonty.demon.co.uk>
Bexhill, East Sussex UK - 03/26/97A at 16:51:15
Hello, I'm back, I used to come here. is there anyone there who wants to speak to me, I'm English!
shaz <gately@unclemonty.demon.co.uk>
Bexhill, East Sussex UK - 03/26/97A at 16:49:21
Pam: You can find the full text of Elizabeth Barrett
Brownings Sonnet from the Portugese Number XXXIX (which
is the source of the Closet Land quote) at:
http://www.inform.umd.edu/EdRes/Topic/WomensStudies
/ReadingRoom/Poetry/BarrettBrowning
/SonnetsFromThePortuguese/because-thou-hast
Chris <ckwible@ptd.net>
NJ USA - 03/26/97A at 10:32:28
Did anyone notice Ralph Fiennes message to Almeida/Ivanov at the Acadamy Award? Regarding TMD I am happy to inform you that Danish Television will air the film on April 6 on DK 2
Eva
Copenhagen, Denmark - 03/26/97A at 09:15:39
Now that The Winter Guest is probably near completion, has
anyone come across any news regarding AR's upcoming projects?
I remember reading on this page several months ago that he
would be in The Moon and Sixpence (on film, if I remember
right).I certainly hope he continues acting between
directing jobs!
Emma
Princeton, NJ USA - 03/26/97A at 08:33:25
Re Jennifer's comment: "No doubt", TMD will be rereleased
as a feature directed by the "Academy Award Winning Director
Anthony Minghella". Well, if it gets more people to see a
truly magical and completely romantic movie, then that's
great.
Elysse <egberts@worldnet.att.net>
Boston, MA USA - 03/25/97A at 23:11:40
Pam—Every single time I watch CL, I gain some new insight. Re. transcript: Because thou hast the power and own'st the grace to see through and behind this mask of me against which years have beat thus blanchingly with their rains and behold my soul's true face.
Suzanne K. <skurtz@cvtv.net>
Hallettsville, TX USA - 03/25/97A at 21:52:57
It's amazing what this Alan Rickman stuff has done for me. For once in my life I was able to recognize the name of an Oscar-winning director *before* he won the award. I feel so accomplished now. ;-)
Lisa
Riverside, CA USA - 03/25/97A at 19:47:24
To Jenny: I truly hope that The Winter Guest next year will be like TEP this year!!! Can you imagine!!!
To Penny: CL was riveting, captivating. I sat there on the edge of the couch, absolutely fascinated by it. I think I definitely need to see it again to get down deeper into some of the meanings, but his performance was incredible, especially when he was playing 3 different people at one time. The film itself was incredible, dark, but great; I'm the co-founder of the Amnesty Int'l chapter at my school and this is the sort of stuff we campaign against all the time, but to see a portrayal of something like this...words can't describe how I felt. Once I've watched it again, if I've still got questions, I may venture to bring them up for discussion; but, I'll hold until then. But, I will ask this, can anybody give me a full transcription of "My Soul's True Face"? I couldn't make out everything on the film, or the wav file for that matter.
Pam <Bagdzinski@Worldnet.ATT.Net>
NJ USA - 03/25/97A at 19:46:39
I can't help wondering how the marketing for TMD would have been different (at least here in the US), if it had been made after TEP. I can hear the trailers trumpeting, "From the Academy Award winning director of "The English Patient...." Oh well, we can only hope that "The Winter Guest" is to next year's Oscars what TEP was to this year's.
Jennifer <qmkr21b@prodigy.com>
Houston, TX USA - 03/25/97A at 14:35:21
Melissa: The Garth Pearce Book on RH:POT doesn't have any lost scenes in it, alas. It's a very thin book with a considerable amount of photos. Its chapters focus on each of the main characters with a short bio and a few standard quotes from the actors
and directors. However, there is one photo of Alan sitting in a big wooden chair, laughing maniacally and holding a goblet. He has rings on almost every finger. However, this scene, along with the others on the cutting-room floor, was not discussed in the
book. I wish Kevin Reynolds would open up and tell what really happened between him, Costner and the other producers that caused him to leave just before completion of the movie. Unfortunately, I don't know where you can find this book now. Barnes and Noble had it on their bargain shelves last April; that's how I got mine. I would say don't feel bad you don't have it because you have seen most of the photos from the book elsewhere, and the focus is on Costner, really. If you or anyone would like, I could
scan in the above-mentioned photo, jpeg it and send it to you. It's kind of fuzzy, but I can clean it up a bit.
Gilda <PrisAB234@aol.com>
CT USA - 03/25/97A at 09:54:09
Almeida is pronounced Al-may-da, (at least by
locals).
Mandy
London, UK - 03/25/97A at 04:48:00
Katrina B - I really appreciated your views on TMD with the idea that the supernatural can touch us in an every day way, not necessarily with lightning bolts. I thought you might like to know this real-life story. My best friend's father recently passed away, and my friend misses him terribly. He always used to like my friend's book collection and would spend long times just standing there looking at the shelves. Since his death, my friend has sometimes 'felt' his father's presence, and at that time, his cat stands up and STARES, not at the bookcase, but at something near the bookcase. We all know how psychic cats are, and I'm sure it senses a presence. This is another example of the supernatural living side by side with us, like TMD, I feel, and that
is a nice knowledge.
Anne
Sydney, NSW Australia - 03/25/97A at 03:55:17
Lisa-I received my thank you note from Breda Daly today too. Very impressed. I've been pronouncing it Al-mee-da but don't know if it's correct. Who knows for sure?
Pam, how did you like CL?
Penny <Penny@pitnet.net>
Milwaukee, WI USA - 03/24/97A at 23:49:59
It would appear that my goal for the day was to see how many times I could pop up here. Has anyone seen this: Robin Hood, Prince of Thieves, The Official Movie Book, by Garth Pearce, Hamlyn Press, London, 1991? Any remote possibility that it could contain snippets of AR's scenes edited out of the final cut?
Melissa
USA - 03/24/97A at 18:17:57
I have been a big fan of Alan's since I first saw Die Hard back in 1988. I hope someday Mr. Rickman will get a chance to view this fantastic tribute to him!
Christine Wilkins <GSXR7502>
Grand Rapids, MI USA - 03/24/97A at 15:05:02
I got my thank-you note from the Almeida this weekend. It's really nice of Breda Daly to send all the information along with it. I've really got to get there soon.
I was wondering though, exactly how is Almeida pronounced? I have been saying Al-may-da, but someone told me that they thought it was Al-mee-da.
Lisa <pubdefrv.lwagner@co.riverside.ca.us>
Riverside, CA USA - 03/24/97A at 14:05:17
Re: Rats and TMD. I agree that the rats signify the depths of Nina's depression. One of the things I really like about TMD is that it has a very "everyday" quality despite its many magical/supernatural elements (for example the cloud motif that has received so much attention suggests religious/hevenly connotations without hitting you over the head with them). I think the rats fit in well with all the other things that are going wrong with Nina's place: bad plumbing, kithchen cabinet problems, subsidence in one of the supporting walls. We could consider all these things to be very "realistic" while also suggesting that life goes on and you have to deal with problems as they occur. But, they are also all related to Nina's attempt to rebuild a life for herself. Before actually arriving on the scene, Jamie's comments tie Nina's well-being to her house as when she explains that he always tells her to take care of herself (not only by brushing her teeth correctly but also by locking the back door). In
the end when she says that the apartment "could be beautiful, will be someday," she seems to be refering not only to her place but to herself.One of my favorite lines in the film is when her sister asks "how can you have rats?" and Nina replies "personality defect." I found this hillarious as my mother is always commenting on something one has little control over, like acne for example, as though it's a character flaw. In a sense, however, the rats are part of Nina's personal problems. At one point
she says that her place had been infested by rats and is now infested by ghosts. When the rats come back at the end the ghosts have gone but she still has work to do in getting her life in order. At least that's what I think. . .
Katrina B. <kgboyd@indiana.edu>
Bloomington, IN USA - 03/24/97A at 13:47:29
The Almeida Theatre is not the only institution benefiting from our collective...interest in international trade. Videoflicks in Toronto reports with surprise that their recent sales of MESMER have been remarkably brisk. Inexplicable...
Melissa <masmith@law.harvard.edu>
Cambridge, MA USA - 03/24/97A at 13:16:31
Loved Alan in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves and Truly, Madly, Deeply. Can't wait to see more of him!
Elly <eliya@eartalliance.com>
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia - 03/24/97A at 11:25:29
The Sunday Weekend Edition program on National Public Radio yesterday concluded its series on the five nominees to win the Best Musical Score Oscar tonight, and the critic said his choice was Elliot Goldenthal's score for MICHAEL COLLINS. Let's hope for this, and for the cinematography award as well (though I'm afraid I would have had to vote for FLY AWAY HOME, which was visually breathtaking).
Melissa <masmith@law.harvard.edu>
Cambridge, MA USA - 03/24/97A at 11:25:20
I *love* the way this worldwide group has really--really--come through for our favorite tiny theatre with big artistic ambitions. If Rickman isn't flattered by all our now-empty piggy banks, he is a heartless cad! Loved too that Chris and Ann shared their you-are-there accounts of the Almeida and the goings on in its glam-packed courtyard. Anyone who sets foot at the Theatre in future has to PROMISE to come back with more stories.
Melissa <masmith@law.harvard.edu>
Cambridge, MA USA - 03/24/97A at 10:19:51
I have seen Michael Collins and it was wonderful . I love it and I´m going to buy it when it´s been released on video immediately. Sorry, I´m not so good at English.
It´s something special with Ireland, don´t you think? The green hills, the songs, the actors...
Love you all
Catherine
Sweden - 03/24/97A at 08:19:51
Hey, it's been awhile since I have come in here for a
visit . Well I thought I would share my interesting news with you guys . I talked to someone in a chat room that said he was Bruce Willis . I of course went on about
my amore for Alan and he said he would proably see him at the golden globes . Well the night after the awards I talked to this person agian and he said he told him that a young lady in Tn. was smitten with him . Bruce said he
blushed and wished me well . I know this is silly but it at least made my evening . Well I will stop typing for know and read up on our boy .
kally <kallycamille@hotmail.com>
knoxville, USA - 03/23/97A at 15:07:10
Just in case anyone wonders, I do go through and periodically clean out the duplicate messages. You have not been seeing things.
When you send a message, if you get the "Here's what you've posted" response, you're message is in the guestbook. You may need to reload the page on your browser to see it. Using the Back icon ain't necessarily going to show it to you, depends on the browser.
Also (and I actually think this is more relevant): There is no facility to change your message. Once you get the above mentioned reply, it IS IN THE GUESTBOOK. Going back and making corrections to it and reposting will only add in a second copy of the message with your corrections in it.
karina <karina@fred.net>
USA - 03/23/97A at 09:38:11
Alan Rickman is so good...I could hear his voice for hours...(looking for the audio book). I just saw Sense and Sensibility...WOW...I am going to move to England ASAP!!!
Kelly <KlKlSHMlKl>
Visalia, CA USA - 03/23/97A at 02:58:43
I would like to put in my 2 cents worth on why I think people end up with multiple copies of comments ( I just read 3 copies of the same paragraph). It seems that after a guest ads a comment, they immediately try to read that comment in the guestbook.
Well, the internet gods don't work that fast. I would just tell people, "Relax, be assured your comment is being registered, and hold your horses. You're comments will arrive soon enough. And yes, I speak from experience!!
suzanne <SzieQ@aol.com>
los angeles, USA - 03/23/97A at 02:46:48
I thoroughly enjoyed Alan Rickman's portrayal of Brandon. I feel like I have become a fan forever.
Joyce Janicek <janiceks@nol.net>
Missouri City , TX USA - 03/22/97A at 22:58:12
According to the Brit papers, Rima will not be standing for election. "Some 150 miles to the east of Blaenau Gwent, ROBERT ATKINSON is about to try and win the safest Tory seat for Labour on a patch that includes Kensington Palace, Harrods and the Royal Albert Hall." (snip) "I think the national mood even here is ready for a change. People appreciate that the Labour challenge is credible. I've been getting the best responses on the doorstep I've ever had," said Mr. ATKINSON, Labour leader on Kensington and Chelsea Council. (snip) "I am interested in being involved in national politics, let's put it that way," he says, with all the tact needed of a man who may soon be putting Labour leaflets through the doors of more millionaires than his predecessor had votes."
Looks like no canvassing for the Rickers. Pity that.
RobynR22 <RobynR22@aol.com>
Miami, FL USA - 03/22/97A at 22:19:34
Karina, Just checked out the new sound gallery. Too bad "sound garden" has been taken by a rock group----that would be very appropriate, as well !!!!! Nice Touch.....:) Well done!!
amy
OK USA - 03/22/97A at 18:33:16
Melissa, thanks for the "Blind Corner" info. I'm such a doofus! The reason you couldn't e-mail me was that I went and put my name in front of my e-address. Can I blame that on the thought of AR getting me all flustered? Anyway, I received "Native"
from Britain a few months ago and just LOVED it. Two or three weeks ago I called Chivers to order BC but they wouldn't sell it to me because I'm in Canada. They referred me to S and B Large Print and Special Books in Toronto (416-234-5015), their Canadian agent. But when I phoned there, they'd never heard of "Blind Corner" and wanted all the info about it that I asked for here. Thanks! Now I can try again. Deb A.
Deb Aalbers <maalbers@uniserve.com>
Sardis, BC Canada - 03/22/97A at 18:26:49
Ann K - Ohmygod ohmygod ohmygod!!!!!!I nearly fell off the chair - thankyou for your wonderful story. To have seen those eyes which arrest us on the screen directed to you in your own special moment!!!! When I was 16 I had the thrill of meeting my hero
(not AR, but someone special to me) at the time, and it is something I will treasure always. Even more wonderful was the fact that only the next day I saw him again! and he recognised me and gave me a big smile. So, your story brought back happy exciting
memories for me. I'll read it many times. I loved the part where BOTH men looked at you. How did you retain your composure?? Even at the old age of 27, I don't have that kind of control. I would have to walk away because I would just babble something, I
think. There's so much pressure, isn't there, because you know this is probably your one and only chance. You wrote so well. I really thought I was there. Anyway I have one thing in common with our AR - and that is the Australian Outback. I went out there
on the Indian Pacific Train when I was 10 and even at that age I found it very moving. So many Annes on this page - are we naturally inclined to adore Alans? - Such rotten luck eh? Bye for now!
Anne
Sydney, NSW Australia - 03/22/97A at 04:37:28
Okay, perhaps I have been too hasty in my judgments. Can we leave it at that, please?
There have been a spate of Rasputin videos on television of late, but I would like to recommend two books to Robin Hood fans. It will be a welcome antidote to the many anachronisms that permeated the film. The first is "Robin Hood" by J.C. Holt, London,
Thames and Hudson, 1995. The second is "Outlaws of Medieval Legend" by renowned scholar Maurice Keen. It was published by Routledge and Kegan Paul, Ltd., in 1987.
And let us not forget that in the orignial version of the legends, it was Robin who not only killed Guy of Gisbourne, but cut off his head and stuck it on the end of his bow...
Also, another medieval ballad "Robin Hood and the Potter" or some such like (I no longer trust my memory) mentions the Sheriff of Nottingham's wife... hmm...
SKFMyers
W. Palm Beach, FL USA - 03/22/97A at 00:27:14
I have added the .wav files that Rebecca sent me in the Sound Gallery. They are all from Closet Land. If you have Windows 95, it is very obvious how these could be used as your sounds.
Karina <karina@fred.net>
USA - 03/21/97A at 22:32:47
Ann K. You are brave,courageous and bold...and lucky! We've had some technical difficulties here, and I've missed several days of news lately. Thanks for all the AR WAV advice. I think I'll be ok when I get my software in line. See you after spring break!
Debbie
Lakeland, TN USA - 03/21/97A at 20:13:33
Back after a couple of days and am thrilled to find so much money raised for the Almeida! Amazing. I plan to rent Closet Land this weekend, and hopefully AABA. I've seen AABA once and really didn't like it -- however, I think that may be due to some
of my own issues. So I'm going to try again, keeping all this fascinating discussion in mind and hopefully I'll see some good in it this time. On another note, being in politics myself, I'm really interested to know if Rima Horton is standing for Parliament in the upcoming UK elections. I finally got the Labour Party website up, and she is not a candidate in Kensington-Chelsea (where she was in the last election, too long ago to remember). But I believe that it is possible in the UK to stand in various constituencies in various elections. Anyone know any more? (and my hand would have been raised had I been around).
BC
Washington, DC USA - 03/21/97A at 15:55:06
Karina, thanks for the update..Let me be the first to ask how we can get our hands on a copy of that program without having to fly to London. That would be my preference, of course, but a little out of the question right now. I'm proud of us all and especially thankful to Karina for providing us the opportunity to be a part of something this exciting. Ann K., I'm so jealous. Your story was wonderful and may you have happy dreams the rest of your life. Anne of Sunnvale and Lisa of Riverside, RIGHT ON! and Pam, re CL be prepared to see AR's amazing acting ability and a very chilling story.Not only did I just get AABA in the mail this week but my copy of RHPOT came in. I'm going to go pick it up now and look for the codpiece scene.
Penny <Penny@pitnet.net>
Milwaukee, WI USA - 03/21/97A at 15:33:51
I spoke to Breda Daly at the Almeida this morning. The breakdown, as of the
twelfth of March was $1058 and £581 which work out to over $2000. And there is still more arriving. She is going to get things together and fax me info that she has and we are going to work out what to say in the programme book.
Hopefully I remember how to show this: to start a new line with no space between, type < br > and to start a new line and skip a space, type < p >.
Karina <karina@fred.net>
USA - 03/21/97A at 14:36:25
Melissa: as usual you are right on. Hand is up! I held my breath for a couple of seconds yesterday when I noticed in Vanity Fair's annual Hollywood issue a story on British directors. There's a lovely picture of Anthony Minghella but unfortunately first-timers like AR were not included.
Jane <janeo@smartnfinal.com>
Los Angeles, CA USA - 03/21/97A at 13:09:28
Pam in NJ: Thanks for the nice words.
Here's how you separate paragraphs (in descriptive terms):
LessThanSymbol-p-GreaterThanSymbol
Just like regular html.
Anne
Sunnyvale, CA USA - 03/21/97A at 12:45:18
Hello Melissa, I have both hands in the air, (I'm typing with my toes.) I see the good people of this group have contributed a lot of money for the Almeida Theatre. Now THAT'S more in the spirit of this page. To Karina, I'm sorry I have not yet sent you the photos and my notes on Mr. Rickman's theatre and film career but now I have a fwe free days I will do so. To Anne in So. Africa, I will send you what we discussed, as soon as I have the time to sit down and type it. There is far more than I thought
I had and I'm a slow typist, so be patient with me. Anne
Anne <ahard73977@aol.com>
Alex., ///VA USA - 03/21/97A at 12:28:12
1) You can put your hands down, and 2) if you find a line of conversation tedious, all you have to do is write something intriguing enough to get the chat moving in another direction. I think AR needs to come out with another project quickly, or we'll
be at each other's throats.
Marie
Los Angeles, USA - 03/21/97A at 12:14:10
While raising my right hand and tapping on (I can do that because I am a left hander) I would recommend those interested in religious subjects to look into Michael Collins and particulary The Barchester Cronicles, expecially the scene where AR as Slope
preaches from the pulpit. THIS IS WORLD CLASS ACTING and a very good sermon indeed.Regarding the discussion on Close My Eyes. Sinclair is sending signals that his riches are directly connected to his success as a trend forcaster. I am a trend forecaster
myself, and I am sorry to inform you that you do not make that kind of money, although you have the most interesting job in the world. The incident mentioning the family money from world war one (gullash barons as we call them in Denmark) are used to tell
us that Sinclair is not exactly what he pretends to be. He may not be as selfassured as he seems, neither as grand as his vife beleives him to be. I read in an article that AR carefully chosed the wardrobe for the part specifically to give no clues about
the caracters background to keep him an enigma.
Eva K.
Copenhagen, Denmark - 03/21/97A at 06:40:44
I'm so impressed with this website. After seeing S&S and RH I was curious as to other Rickman films and found this site.
One thing I can't figure out is how to save the great sound clips on your sound page. I have a Macintosh with great stereo sound but I can't figure out how to download. Any ideas? I'd love to be able to hear his voice outside of Net browsing.
Thanks for any help anyone may be able to offer
Donna in CA
Donna <djchip@aol.com>
SF, CA USA - 03/21/97A at 00:38:09
Did anyone else see the AR interview on Linehan on Mar. 18?! Surely I'm not the only one who gets the Women's Television Network? Anyway, it's airing again on Mar. 21 at 11 PM (my time zone), so it's not too late to contact your cable company. He answers only 2 questions (about Michael Collins), but it's the best 2 minutes of video I've seen in a long time.
Karina F.
Victoria, BC Canada - 03/21/97A at 00:07:20
Watch your mailbox, friends! I just received a letter from Breda Daly of the Almeida Theatre acknowledging my donation. She says they've already received over $2,000 and "the money is still coming in." Hooray for us, and hooray for the Almeida. Ms.
Daly says they plan to acknowledge our support in their next production programme. And thank you, Ann, for your terrific Almeida story!
Change of subject: my hand is up, too, even though I chipped in with a (typically pedantic) contribution to the religion thread. Mea culpa.
Kathy McKinley <KMcKin@aol.com>
El Cerrito, CA USA - 03/20/97A at 23:43:58
Quick comment:
i have rented RHPOT, while Kevin Costner as RH is horrible, the movie isn't too bad. On one condition, you fast forward it to every scene with the mesmerizing Sheriff. It's ashame that poor Kev's ego couldn't deal with AR's talent and many of AR's scene's
weren't in the movie. I think i will make a copy of this movie with only the scenes of AR in it, now that is a film!!!
christa
LA USA - 03/20/97A at 22:22:13
Hand up, and i also had no clue it was such an intense subject. To Ann, that truly was the best AR story i have ever read. I really don't know what I would have done in your shoes, but i know my knees probably would have given out on me.
So, any clue on when AR will appear onscreen again, let's all hope that he had a great time directing, but doesn't decide to spend the rest of his time behind the camera. I think i would die if that happened. I am on my way to Los Angeles for spring break, and was wondering if anyone thinks or has read if AR will be there? Since the Oscar's are monday, and Michael Collins is nominated, also being since he has won many awards this year he may be a presenter.
christa
LA USA - 03/20/97A at 21:34:07
Sorry! That would be Anne in Sunnyvale! And how DO you get separate paragraphs on here anyway?
Pam
NJ USA - 03/20/97A at 20:09:15
Hand raised!!!
To Ann K...wonderful, wonderful story! To Ann in Sunnyville CA: you said it!!! To Suzanne, thanks for the tip on the other Rasputin special!
Side note, I watched TMD today, with new insights, very helpful and enlightening. But, the oddest thing happened; I don't know if anybody else has noticed this. Through my bleary, teary eyes at the end, I watched the credits, calming myself down. And do you know what I saw?? The actress' name who played Nina's friend Maura is Stella Maris!!! A little strange, huh? BTW, I'm getting CL next week, for the first time, anything I should look for, or should I go in cold?
Pam <Bagdzinski@Worldnet.ATT.Net>
NJ USA - 03/20/97A at 20:07:28
To Debbie Aalbers in British Columbia: My last three e-mail messages to you re: Blind Corner didn't go through. Then I thought that if you wanted info on this recording, there are probably others who do too, so I'll just broadcast this (instead of narrowcasting it to you only). Blind Corner's particulars *have* been posted here on the guestbook in the past, so forgive me for reinventing the wheel. Blind Corner is a 1920s novel by Dornford Yates. Chivers Audio Books in New Hampshire is the US distributor. They probably have a toll-free 800 number, or you could phone directory assistance for New Hampshire (the whole state has only one area code) at 603-555-1212 to find them. Unfortunately, they don't rent BC for US $10 like their other books-on-tape; it's only available for purchase for a hefty $59. It's a sort of boys adventure story about the Jeeves and Wooster set. I don't regret having bought it, but if you can find Rickman's recorded *The Return of the Native* at a library, it's a far superior novel
and overall a more enjoyable thing to listen to--for hours. Chiver's will gladly put you on their mailing list (you'll never again have an empty mail box), and you'll see that they carry lots of interesting tapes recorded by Juliet Stevenson, Michael Maoney, Bill Paterson, and other likeable actors. End of advertisement.
Melissa <masmith@law.harvard.edu>
Cambridge, MA USA - 03/20/97A at 17:55:31
You've got my hand up already.
To Ann K.: Oh you lucky thing! I grew up outside Manhattan
and was quite stage struck as a teen. I can relate; I used
to lurk outside stage doors for autographs quite frequently.
Had a few close encounters like that with stage actors
but if I mention them they will probably give away my age
;-}
Pattie <poirierr@magi.com>
Ottawa, ON Canada - 03/20/97A at 17:42:49
My hand's up too. And my hand is equal to...say...4 or 5 hands.
Look for those additional .wav files from Closet Land in the next day or so. It's been kind of hectic here.
Karina <karina@fred.net>
USA - 03/20/97A at 17:19:32
Hand up!
Lisa
Riverside, CA USA - 03/20/97A at 17:15:59
Ann K.: MY heart was racing just reading your report! Thank you so much for sharing.
Right hand raised.
Now, what IS this about Rasputin, lately? So many channels are having shows about him. The Learning Channel (TLC) has been running a series called 'Legends Of History.' That's right; Tonights episode is about Rasputin. It comes on at 9:00 p.m. ET and again at 12:00 a.m.
Suzanne K. <skurtz@cvtv.net>
Hallettsville, TX USA - 03/20/97A at 17:11:09
Melissa: (raising my hand)
Anne
Sunnyvale, CA USA - 03/20/97A at 16:42:22
Everybody raise her hand right now who joins me in looking forward to the demise of the religion thread.
Melissa <masmith@law.harvard.edu>
Cambridge, MA USA - 03/20/97A at 16:36:44
I think alot of times when people spend time in nature, they mistake the sense of health and peace it brings for a spiritual experience. Actually, the feelings come from being in the natural healthy environment we're adapted to (nature) rather than the loud, static, sterile, concrete environment we've been forced to adapt to in the past century. In 1905, 90% of Americans lived on farms in that same outback type environment AR is referring to. We could have all felt that "spiritual" peace. (I guess
it is partly spiritual, but it begins with physical and soulful peace.)
Marie
Los Angeles, USA - 03/20/97A at 16:34:03
Ann K: Thanks for sharing your story--and letting us all
share vicariously in the experience! That may be as close
as some of us get to an actual encounter....
R.Faey
USA - 03/20/97A at 15:38:39
"The two months I spent in the Outback [on QUIGLEY] gave me
a perspective I never had before...a kind of spiritual
peace." (AR, to reporter William Arnold, Seattle Post-
Intelligencer, May 22, 1991, p. C10)
R.Faey
USA - 03/20/97A at 15:34:58
ANN K: Thank you so much
for your wonderful story!!!
Lucky you!!!
Linda
Mtn. View, ca USA - 03/20/97A at 14:33:57
Poor Francesca! All she wanted to know was if there was a *possibility* that AR was Jewish. She has a fantasy. That's all. It's probably safe to say that all of us infatuated with AR have some little fantasy in which we imagine that he shares some common bond that will contribute to our fairy tale love affair. Let Francesca have hers and be done with it. Someone recently mentioned "if AR reads this page". Imagine that he does. What must he think of us all now?
Lisa <pubdefrv.lwagner@co.riverside.ca.us>
Riverside, CA USA - 03/20/97A at 13:30:22
Re: ACTINGvs PRIVACY:
First, I would like to disagree
that acting is "the most
narcissistic occupation in the
world". I would say that an
actor on stage is not saying
(metaphorically or otherwise)
"look at me", but rather "look at
my character". Mr. Rickman,
like any actor, is portraying
another individual and it is that
individual upon which the
audience's interest should be
directed. Now, granted, there
are people in the acting
business who have very
narcissistic attitudes, and like
all the attention they get. But
others (and I believe Mr.
Rickman fits into this category)
are in the business for the
opportunity to tell a story
through the expression of
a character which they take on.
And, furthermore, these types
of performers are not willing to
expose their personal, off-stage
or off-screen lives to public
scrutiny. Indeed, they are
"off" the public stage. At that
point, their door is closed, and
should not be busted down,
even figuratively. As much as
we all love this actor, we should,
as part of that love, respect the
privacy of his personal life. And
still, adore his performances.
Anne
Sunnyvale, ca USA - 03/20/97A at 13:06:19
Karina, what a wonderful web page! Have been visiting since August but have never left a comment before. I hate to sound dumb, but I have never heard of "Blind Corner" before. Can somebody email me with info about it (eg. authour, publisher, genre .
..) so I can look for it? It's very hard to find audiotapes when the only info you have is the title and reader. Thanks!
Deb Aalbers <Debbie@maalbers@uniserve.com>
Sardis, BC Canada - 03/20/97A at 13:05:20
Since I noticed a couple of people in the guestbook asked (and I did have one private req for the information) I'll go ahead and post about my evening at the Almeida when I saw Alan Rickman. Met, is kind of a strong word, seeing as how we didn't sit down and have a conversation or anything. It was March 7, which was a Friday night and the stars were out in droves. I met my friend (and fellow Fiennesian), Nerys, at the Almeida Bar which is next to the theater. I don't know if anyone has ever given a
description of the place itself, so I'll do the honors for those who haven't been there. The Theater is small and kind of blends in with it's surroundings. Connecting the bar and the theatre entrances is a small courtyard area that's covered and open to the street (so I guess it's not technically a courtyard). I was still realing from being in the bar and seeing Miranda Richardson, Michael Ondaatje (author of The English Patient), and having Julian Wadham (Madox in The English Patient) brush up against me in the bar, and then say "Sorry. Excuse me." to me. Sad little life I lead, huh? We left the bar through the exit that empties into the courtyard. Then Nerys said (in FAR too clam a voice): "Oh look, there's Alan Rickman." I almost passed OUT!
This was like one of those dreams you have where it's too incredible to be true. Fortunately, this was no dream. At that point, I decided not to stare or so anything that would make me look like an idiot or label me as the brash American I am. Nerys headed off to talk to someone and I just sort of bought a program and stood around feeling entirely self-conscious, due to the fact that everyone there was probably 10-20 years older than my scant 21 years and I was a little more dressed up than they were.
(Dress for theatre is relatively casual and I was in a grey pantsuit.) I had just decided to slink inside and hide in the impersonal darkness of the theatre and scanned the crowd of people (about 30 or so) looking for Nerys. That's when our eyes met.
We stared at each other for a few seconds, then looked away. Heart RACING, I looked for Nerys again and let my eyes drag over to where Alan was standing. He was still looking at me and had that trademark half-smile on his face. Somehow, I managed to NOT faint, found Nerys and all but ran into the theatre. (Ran because I was worried about what I would have done if I had lingered any longer!) The entire first half of the play I berated myself for not getting his autograph. When Intermission came, I wnt outside. He was already in the courtyard talking to an older woman. I chatted with Nerys about the play, and asked her wether or not I should approach Alan for his autograph. She told me she had been thinking the same thing. Taking a quick drag on
her cigarrette to calm me frazzled nerves, I walked over to where he was standing (thank God it was during a lull in the conversation) and managed to squeak out: "Mr. Rickman, I hate to bother you, but I'm a fan of yours and was wondering if I could get your autograph." He smiled and answered with that Alan-Rickman-rumbling "Suuurrreee." He signed it "Best wishes, Alan Rickman" and handed it back to me. I said "Thank you", and he smiled and politely inclined his head. Somehow, I managed to remain conscious during the entire thing. Adrenaline, I guess. After the play, I was waiting to get Ralph's autograph by the door leading to the bar. Alan and Ralph were talking (that was ALMOST too much for me to handle) and Ralph looked up at me. Alan was in he process of introducing him to two other women, and when he noticed Ralph wasn't looking at them, he followed Ralph's gaze and also looked up at me, then smiled. For a split second, both Ralph and Alan were staring at me. If ever I was to die a happy woman... That was it. A truly magical evening. Oh, and for those who are interested, Alan was wearing black jeans and some sort of black sweatshirt-like thing, only a lot dressier. Sorry--no ties. (There are probably scores of typos in here--sorry!)
Ann K. <ackosins@umich.edu>
Ann Arbor, MI USA - 03/20/97A at 12:49:17
Privacy Schmivacy!! The man (metaphorically) stands in front of crowds of people shouting "Look at me!! Look at me!" Acting is the most narcissistic occupation in the world. Believe me, this man loves attention. Despising journalists is not the same thing as shunning attention. Sheilding your loved ones from potentially dangerous screwballs is another thing altogether. By the way, I hope he is Presbyterian because I am a Presbyterian and you must be Presbyterian to be perfect.
Ariel
USA - 03/20/97A at 10:53:44
I just can say I love Alan, and I am sure if he meet me, he will fall in love with me also....
Alejandra Rodriguez Villar <Juno@ctv.es>
Ourense, Spain - 03/20/97A at 10:01:43
Sorry, a couple of typing errors there. I really can spell.
Should be way and intelligent
Penny <Penny@pitnet.net>
Milwaukee, WI USA - 03/20/97A at 00:49:13
B.C., you,ve made me like TMD even better than ever, if possible. I didn't consciously catch the "both of them had friends to help them through" until you said. What a really nice thought. Just received my copy of AABA from Videoflicks in the mail today..can't wait til this weekend when I may have time to watch it...RE: what religion is AR--who cares! If he wants to share it, fine; if not, just as fine. Doesn't matter either was as he is gorgeous and intellegent and talented and that's enough for me
Penny <Penny@pitnet.net>
Milwaukee, Wi USA - 03/20/97A at 00:46:05
SKF Myers, I don't think Francesca is overly sensitive. I found your remarks off-putting too. Why? Because, perhaps unintentionally, you sounded as if you were extrapolating from a few similar individuals to an entire group. This is the essence of prejudice: pre-judging people based on assumed characteristics. Most of us do it – how many times have I asked myself, "Why are men such … "– but I try to stop and remind myself that men aren't all alike. (It works unless I'm really ticked off.) I get offended when I hear questions like, "What do women want?" (We're individuals, not a monolithic body with one brain!) Therefore I should protest when other groups, ones I don't belong to, are treated the same way. Therefore I just did.
On to a more agreeable subject: I've really enjoyed all the comment on TMD. I've seen the film at least five times, and consider myself reasonably analytical, but the "clouds" motif completely escaped me until brought up in this guestpage. Whenever I see
clouds now, I hear Nina saying, "We can see clouds." In fact, sometimes I say it aloud and people look at me oddly. (At least I think that's the reason.) Hope to watch "Close My Eyes" tomorrow (for the first time) and may soon be writing in asking for illumination.
Nancy R. <nroberts@pop.sonic.net>
CA USA - 03/19/97A at 23:46:12
I received an email from Fine Line Films saying that The Winter Guest will be a fall release. Just exactly what that means is up to them. Maybe that is so it will be a better contender for oscar... but we know it will be a contender anyway! You can
find out about Fine Line films on www.flf.com and find your way to the new releases. Just wish we could find out what Alan will be in where we CAN SEE HIM soon.
Maxine <mrose@frontier.net>
Durango, CO USA - 03/19/97A at 22:20:34
Francesca: I believe you are decidedly overly sensitive. I was speaking purely from my personal experiences, as I hope I made clear. Calling individual persons who are not germane to this page and that I do not choose to name "jerks" is NOT an indictment of anyone I don't know personally! Let's get back to Mr. Rickman, shall we? From what I understand, he grew up in London, and in spite of whatever his background may or may not be, that is a polyglot, multicultural environment where he could have been exposed to any number of spiritual experiences.
SKFMyers
USA - 03/19/97A at 22:20:08
Well, it's certainly been an interesting day for postings. WOW! First off, to BC, glad we're understanding each other, thanks for the additional insights about rats. To all who wrote about the clouds, it was very enlightening too. I have to watch TMD again with these other angles in mind.
As for religious beliefs, assuming he's something because of this or that reason (heritage, looks or experience, etc) is absurd. If it's something he wanted known, he'd mention it somewhere. For us to go prying is wrong. I'll admit, at times, I'm curious
as to the personal aspects of his life, but, as I respect the man, I also respect his desire for privacy and then curb my own curiosity. Religious beliefs do tell you things about people, but that isn't the sole basis of who they are. Just reading interviews gives you a sense of who AR his. We should be satisfied with that; afterall, he has chosen to share his wonderful gift with us, and therefore whatever he divulges of himself is also his choice. We have no right to force admissions of him, nor should we pry into his private life, lest his whole life become one big show...open for all to see. We all have things about ourselves that we keep to our personal circles, when you're a public figure, you probably cling to those intimate details because they remind you of the normalcy of private life. I don't mean to sound like I'm preaching, I just got upset by the fierce discussion going on here, despite the fact that we all know that if their is anything AR really likes, it's his privacy.
The Rasputin special on History Channel here was very intriguing. Similar to A&E's but, they continually stressed that R wasn't mad or a monk...he had lascivious tendencies, but also was very generous to those around him, financially and compassionately.
Any word from Canada about the Lineham show, did it air yet? Lastly, if anybody seeks a copy of Simon Green's novelization of RH:POT, I have an extra copy, so drop me an e-mail. (There are NO AR pics, though!)
Pam <Bagdzinski@Worldnet.ATT.Net>
NJ USA - 03/19/97A at 22:10:20
To the lucky anglophile that visited the Almeida and enjoyed an evening of Ivanhoe and AR----picture my blue eyes turning dark green!!! What good luck---good Celtic luck, possibly???? How was the play, incidently?:) Could you even concentrate on it
given the company you kept---even at a distance.....Just think, if he does read this page occasionally, he has your name, face, and memory to identify with. How nice!!! Oh, and a post script....the poem Jamie recites to Nina (in Spanish) reduces me to
tears every time. Adios mi amigas.
Amy
OK USA - 03/19/97A at 22:01:23
What a great page!!! At last I have found kindred spirits who admire and adore AR as much as I do. I have copies of almost all AR movies except RH. Any scoop on when the movie AR directed with Emma Thompson is coming out? Where can I get a copy of the biography? Any suggestions? Forgive my babbling, but I cannot control my excitement. I would love to hear the juicy details of anyone who has met the man himself in person. Keep up the good work!!!
Barb
FL USA - 03/19/97A at 18:11:39
I agree with Francesca. I too am interested in AR's personal life. I can't seem to resist it, he is just an interesting person. It would be great to know about his childhood and things like that. For instance, anyone have a clue to where his acting ability comes from? Where do his inspirations come from for his characters, also his ability to perform a whole scene without saying a word. The expressions on his face are the key, not all actors have this ability.
Spiritually, my instincts tell me that AR is probably born Catholic or Protestant, but is not practicing. From his political views i would suggest that AR is probably Deist or Agnostic, something not quite ordinary. Also, seems that a majority of englishmen i have met are either agnostic or atheist. All in all, to be honest no matter what he believes i wouldn't adore him any less.
My good news is that i just got an email telling me that the "Beloved Ones" biography is on it's way. I know that many guestbook posts have been negative to the book, but my reason for buying it is the photos of him. I am sure that there are some great photos, hopefully.
I do have a question: Does anyone know if he will be in LA for the Academy Awards? Michael Collins is nominated for two awards and sometimes cast members are there just because. I will be out there for Spring Break and hope to check out the arrivals of some of the celebs, that is if any of them are interesting enough. (like AR for example)
christa <christa@communique.net>
LA USA - 03/19/97A at 17:51:38
Dear Marie, I brought up the issue of religion and ethnicity because I think that a person's religious, cultural, and ethnic background, as well as his present belief, help to define what he is. To be honest, I am not -just- interested in AR's work, his career, although those issues are deeply interesting to me, too. But like many another AR devotee, I'm also interested in who he is as a person. Yes, I admit it: I'm interested in his personal life! Besides, if you found out that he might share something significant with you, wouldn't you be interested or curious to find out if it was true? Anyway, I resign from further discussion--unless someone in the UK can dig up more information.
Francesca
MD USA - 03/19/97A at 12:31:45
I am fascinated by the discussions of ABAA! It is giving me new interest in a movie that I originally disliked because of the incest/death angle.I have also long pondered the cloud imagery in TMD. I mean, there must be SOMETHING because it is so pervasive in the film.
My own take is that the clouds represent the spiritual and the departed. As Mira(?) says, spirits are all around us every day. Jamie's gift of the cloud mobile (which moves from room to room throughout) signifies their deep spiritual bond that has enabled him to revisit Nina. It is significant, I think, that it can be seen in frame as George tells Nina about talking to his wife. "They're with us. You and I know that."
And yes, I agree that his sad, resigned look out the window after their game is him being reminded that he is there to help Nina get on and to say good-bye.
The end is so moving. He is being congratulated by the other ghosts for helping Nina go on living, yet he is so sad at the parting. When he smiles but wipes the tear from his eye, I always cry.
Laurie <lreid@cga.ca>
Toronto, Canada - 03/19/97A at 11:40:34
For Pam, Pattie, Amy & Penny -- thanks so much for joining in this great discussion of TMD. I'm really enjoying it. Pam, I'm sorry, I think I did misunderstand. I was thinking your first comment meant that the rats were a precursor to Jamie's presence -- that he assumed rat form or something! It must have been too early in the a.m. Also, I've appreciated all the comments about the clouds, because I was really clueless. But now I've read various opinions, I think I agree with Amy that they show the intimacy of the couple. In scenes separate or together, both looked wistful when it came time to close the window and move on. I was thinking that maybe the clouds symbolize life -- the life Jamie and Nina had together, the life Jamie misses and the different life Nina must now look toward. Another point I really like about this film is that while Nina had several friends to look after her while she grieved, Jamie also had friends in the afterlife to support him through his difficult task. What a great flick! And I never saw it before last weekend.
BC
Washington, DC USA - 03/19/97A at 11:18:33
There's such a thing as respecting a person's privacy and a
person's beliefs. As much as I enjoy Mr. Rickman's
performances, I am very bothered by inquiries regarding things
private, such as addresses, religion, or ethnic background.
If an actor is talented, I suggest we accept their work
and enjoy it, instead of trying to pry into someone's life,
since each one of us has the right to keep our lives private.
Now I'll step down from my soap box and go back to the photo
archive.
Emma
Princeton, NJ USA - 03/19/97A at 10:18:24
I hope this discussion of religion is going to fizzle out
soon as it has nothing to do with AR's talent and can only
lead to contention! Let's be nice.
I would much prefer to discuss the imagery and motifs of certain
movies eg. TMD. I never considered the rats to be anything more
than a signal to Jamie's presence or lack thereof.
Clouds figure prominently and has sparked discussion even with
my "down to earth", non-fiction reading husband.
He suggested they were a reminder to Jamie of his true mission
back on earth, especially as he looks up in the sky at the clouds
when he shuts the window before his cello serenade.
He is enjoying himself with Nina but must remember why he is there.
The clouds are a subtle reminder from heaven of his purpose.
That's my interpretation: take it or leave it.
Pattie <poirierr@magi.com>
Ottawa, ON Canada - 03/19/97A at 08:29:24
Dear Ann K. What an incredible story. Both of those wonderful men in one night - too much!!. Please write again with EVERY detail - your story will be envied by us all. Thanks everyone for the cloud comments. I have not realised that meaning before. I saw TMD the other night and loved it all over again. Beautiful!
Anne
Sydney, NSW Australia - 03/19/97A at 05:17:46
jUST BACK TO SAY - I really appreciate this guestbook and page & am glad that there are other Rickman fans out there!
Karooni
Las Vegas, nv USA - 03/19/97A at 02:50:30
Francesca, I agree about not making rude generalizations, but why did you bring up AR's religious background in the first place, starting this nonsense?
Marie
Los Angeles, USA - 03/19/97A at 02:14:28
This is predictable, but someone has to do it. To wit: S. Myers' contention that most of the Semitic/Jewish men he or she has dated have been "jerks," is one of the most appallingly, contemptibly racist statements I have read in a public forum like this one. I had hoped that this group was above such crude generalizations. I herewith declare my outrage. This is hardly the place to air anti-semitic views! We are posting here, I believe, to discuss the merits and work of a very distinguished artist, not to disseminate racial hatred...And how amusing it would be if AR really did turn out to be of Jewish extraction, and this purported fan had included him among the jerks of the world. I find the irony amusing. In any case, I know that Karina will not engage in censorship, but I do hope we will all exercise a bit of self-control and refrain from giving voice to such ugliness, if we feel it.
Francesca
MD USA - 03/19/97A at 01:24:02
I love your webpage! Alan Rickman is one of my favorite actors (taking backseet only to Ralph Fiennes and Sir Ian McKellan). I loved Chris' description of the Almeida Theatre which is dead-on. I was there a week and a half ago to see "Ivanov" as well. I was prepared to see Ralph Fiennes, but NOT Alan Rickman, who was there also in the audience, of course. I managed not to pass out and even got his autograph. He was quite pleasant and accomodating. The Almeida is so wonderful because it's entirely intimate and you feel like there's nothing separating you and the actors. (I was in the 2nd row, so that might have helped.) Thanks heavens actors who become successful screen artists don't forget their roots in the theater.
Ann K. <ackosins@umich.edu>
Ann Arbor, MI USA - 03/19/97A at 01:04:08
HOW DO I GET THIS INTO SEPERATE PARAGRAPHS??? HELP!!! But it just shows one what one misses if one stays of-line for even a few days. After OD'ing on the real Rasputin for a few days, how can I not feel that Mr. Rickman was done a disservice by focusing so much on Nicky and Alex?
To "bagnzinski": is the "crocodile" in AABA Stella major or Stella minor? After all, Hook is ALWAYS aware of the crocodile, and it seeks to be Stella minor he is always aware of. Potter is a red herring rather thana crocodile.
Re: cultural origins. If Mr. Rickman identifies as Irish-Welsh, he is most likely either Catholic or "Chapel" (non-Anglican Protestant). And may I just add: I have been identified all my life by others as Semitic and/or Jewish because of my features - most specifically, because of my nose. Just because it LOOKS that way doesn't necessarily mean it's so!
And, by the way, is there anyone else who finds the exclamation "The CELTS! They drink the blood of their dead!" particularly amusing in light of Mr. Rickman's true origins?
SKF Myers <skfmyers@aol.com>
W. Palm Beach, FL USA - 03/19/97A at 00:28:27
It just goes to show you what one misses when one is off-line for a few days...
I begin to think that the HBO film slighted the real Rasputin by concentrating so much on Nicky and Alex...
I agree that Stella is a most Hook-like obsession of Mr. O'Haras in AABA -- but is it Stella major or Stella minor who becomes the obsession? And one further comment before I leave AABA alone for the nonce: remember that Hook is ALWAYS aware of the crocodile's presence, or lack thereof. This points to an obsession with Stella Minor, as opposed to Stella Major (grab your Latin dictionaries, if you will....). I apreciate your thoughtful analysis, "bagnzinski."
Re: Mr. Rickman's possible cultural origins... While I have dated many men of many cultural origins. most of the ones of the particular cultural persuasion proposed (semitic/jewish) have been utter and complete jerks. I would prefer not to think of Mr.
Rickman as a jerk. This is, of course, only my opinion and my experience.
I, also, have often been identified as belonging to that particular ethnic persuasion (semitic/jewish - although I am not) because of my features. Most specifically, because of my nose. Trust me, just because a person "looks Jewish" doesn't mean he (or she) is. That is NOT to say that it is a bad thing, just that it is not necessarily so.
Being Irish-Welsh Mr. Rickman is much more likely to be either Catholic or "Chapel" (Protestant/non-Anglican) in any case.
By the way, is there anyone out there (besides me) who finds the irony of Mr. Rickman's contempt-dripping rhetorical question/exhortation in RH: Prince of Dweebs "The CELTS? They drink the blood of their dead!" intensely amusing?
SKF Myers <skfmyers@aol.com>
W. Palm Beach, FL USA - 03/19/97A at 00:12:17
To BC in Washington, Re: the rats. I think you misunderstood me. I meant that the rats were there to show that Jamie wasn't there. They signify his lack of presence. His presence indeed was tender and caring, and the rats could symbolically show how low her spirit sinks without him. Their physical presence shows how they invade her life when Jamie isn't there. His presence scares them, she takes comfort in his presence and doesn't let the negatives of life (rats, etc) get to her then; but when he leaves, the rats return, and she again sinks into despair. Yet, in the end the transformation occurs, and she sees she has to live on without Jamie, and with all of the other *rats* of life, as well as the good things. As for the clouds, there is a definite theme, as we all agree, throughout the movie. Perhaps they suggests the continuity of life, the world keeps on spinning, the clouds keep on floating by, regardless of whatever else happens. They also might show how we all see life differently, and we all interpret it in different ways. "That one looks like your mother...My mother doesn't have a beard." She sees one thing, and he sees another. Maybe this shows how one person's view of an end, is another's view of a beginning...which is what Jamie tries to tach her about death. An end for him, but not for her, as she thought. Doesn't the poem say, "But you shall go on living." Any thoughts???
Pam
NJ USA - 03/18/97A at 21:39:21
Re: clouds. I believe the clouds in TMD represent the true intimacy of the couple. They helped her connect with Jamie even when he was gone. They played games with each other 'seeing' pictures in the clouds because we saw them so accustomed to the game while they sat in the window. "My mother DOES NOT have a beard." Also, he had obviously given her a cloud- shaped windchime that she hadn't put in a place he appreciated so he hung it on the kitchen cabinet knob. She also spoke of clouds with her Latin student and that was the jumping off place for her thoughts (and hopes) that the dead watch us and care for us. Those clouds gave her hope and kept her connected to him. Personally, I do the same with stars because I know those I care about can see
the same constellations and if they know my favorites that keeps US connected. I really related to that bit in the movie--needless to say.:)
Amy
OK USA - 03/18/97A at 19:57:43
Sorry for the short notice, but another, different, show about Rasputin is coming on tonight on The History Channel at 10:00 p.m. ET. And again at 2:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m.
Suzanne K. <skurtz@cvtv.net>
Hallettsville, TX USA - 03/18/97A at 19:52:00
You scared me for a second, I thought something had happened to the Robin Hood pictures. They were the last set I had added and I thought I had screwed up somewhere. But, no, they're there in the Robin Hood section of
the photo gallery.
Karina <karina@fred.net>
USA - 03/18/97A at 16:50:27
I really like your site, but one thing disturbs me. There are no pictures of Rickman from Robin Hood-Prince of Thieves. I feel that he played the Sheriff very well, and am disappointed to see that you do not have any pictures of him. I was hoping to
make a fan page of my own, complete with pictures, and link it with yours (permission pending).
James DeForest <deforest@gte.net>
Columbus, OH USA - 03/18/97A at 16:15:06
Wow, sorry that last entry was so long, but I did think of something else to say. I, too, saw the notice of the U.K. elections and wondered if Rima Horton was standing for Parliament again. After much web surfing, I could only find that the Chelsea seat has been changed to Kensington-Chelsea (I think), but couldn't find a list of candidates. The Labour Party's website wasn't working for me. Anyone got any info?
BC
Washington, DC USA - 03/18/97A at 13:41:53
Continuing the discussion on rats in TMD -- I'm not happy with the idea of the rats signifying Jamie's presence. Jamie's presence to Nina is a very caring one, and I can't imagine rats in anything but a negative light. I used the term "decay" before,
but I think that might be too strong. I believe the rats symbolize the grief that threatened to overpower Nina. They first appear when she was at the piano(I believe immediately after the scene in which she was caressing the cello) when her grief seems
to be at its height. The rats appear again when she is in bed alone. Then they don't show up again until after she has seen the other guy (I can't remember his name)and comes home to realize Jamie is gone, probably for good. She has made the decision
to choose a real life with this other guy over death and isolation with Jamie, but she grieves again for Jamie's loss (scrubbing the oak floors because he wanted it). But it all comes right when she affirms her decision for life by calling the other guy
to come pick her up. Thats my theory on the rats. Now, anyone want to discuss the clouds? I'm clueless about the cloud motif, but I'm in love with this film. I love the teacup scene, too. I might have to purchase this video!
BC
Washington, DC USA - 03/18/97A at 13:39:13
I love you guys! (No, this is not the intro for a beer commercial!) Recent discussion of TMD, CME, and AABA have been great--I'm always impressed by how deeply AR's fans delve into his work. About those TMD rats, I agree they signal Jamie's presence/absence, but also think they're linked with the decline of Nina's life since Jamie's passing. The rats seem to intimate that she's sunk to her lowest point, which also seems to be what triggers Jamie's appearance. Rats are also destructive--is she trying to
destroy herself by refusing to accept his death? I'm trying also to make something deeper out of the rat poison episodes (esp. that Nina thinks her nephew eats some), but need to see the film again. Any suggestions, anyone? Re: a comment CME's Sinclair and the decadence of the aristocracy. Strikes me that of all the characters, Sinclair is the least decadent. His wife seems much more self-indulgently excessive. I see Sinclair as a much more naive character who, as someone else pointed out, finds that haing money doesn't solve life's problems.
Elizabeth <simonses@mindspring.com>
Fairfax, VA USA - 03/18/97A at 11:43:15
Announced on the news here today, The English election in 6 weeks time.
The pundits are saying it is the Labour Party's best hope since
the early seventies. Will Rima run again? Will the card-carrying AR be
out there pressing the flesh for the cause? Regarding the religion issue,
AR best buddy Ruby Wax is Buddhist (according to a 'Women in Buddhism' cyber site).
Now that throws the proverbial cat among the pigeons.
Stephanie <fewings@satech.net.au>
Adelaide, SA Australia - 03/18/97A at 06:42:33
To B.C. and Pam--I finally picked up my very own copy of TMD this weekend so I was watching it too, BC. I agree with Pam, I think the significance of the rats was to let Nina know for sure Jamie had left. BTW, one of my favorite scenes in that movie that I have never heard anyone mention is when Jamie lifts Nina's hand and puts a cup of tea in it-not to mention the scene when he's standing under the light and says "thank you for missing me" SIGH.
Penny <Penny@pitnet.net>
Milwaukee, WI USA - 03/17/97A at 23:31:43
Re. Pam: The Stella Mariss/time operator and the crocodile/clock connection is very interesting. That never occurred to me. But then, I missed the fact that that was Stella's mother until I was enlightened by these pages. And in regards to your earlier posting, I agree with what you said about Rasputin's and AR's eyes. And I was thinking the exact same thing when I heard AR was playing Dr. Mesmer: "How perfect!" If anyone can hypnotize with their eyes, it's definitely Alan. And his amazing ability to convey such a rainbow of emotions through them is astounding. You know exactly what he's feeling and thinking without him even SAYING a word. Like in Robin Hood: the look he gives Marian after he pulls the dagger out that Robin stabbed him with, the dagger HE GAVE HER AS A GIFT, and shows it to her. Man! It kills me every time! RH:PoT is not only my favorite AR film, but it's my all time favorite. Medieval films have always been my favorite type of movies. Oh, how I wish there were a directors cut of this movie. Not to dash anyones hopes, but I kind of doubt one will ever be made, though. I read in a magazine article that Kevin Reynolds quit when he found out the producers were re-editing the movie behind his back, after he refused to do it, cutting and trimming AR's scenes while trying to beef up CK's, because test audience results stated that the majority of audiences favorite character was the Sheriff and not Robin. I can't blame him for being upset about the re-editing. I certainly was. But can you make a directors cut if you're no longer part of the project?
I was fortunate to find the Simon Green novelization of the movie shortly after it came out. (ISBN # 0425130894) And yes, it does have many scenes with the Sheriff that are not in the movie or that were cut and trimmed. Including the sub-plot where the Sheriff finds out that Mortiana, the witch, is his mother. If you can't find it at the library, your best bet is the used book store. That's how I found "Die Hard" by Roderick Thorp (ISBN # 0-8041-0229-5) However, if all else fails, e-mail me. I may be able to help.
Suzanne K. <skurtz@cvtv.net>
Hallettsville, TX USA - 03/17/97A at 23:20:01
To BC in Washington, I assumed the rats were signals of Jamie's presence. The rats leave when he's there, and he tells Nina, "they're afraid of ghosts." After Jamie leaves, she turns and sees the rats are back. That's the initial meaning of the rats for me. It has been awhile since I've watched TMD, there may be more to it than that. Anybody have any other thoughts?
Pam <Bagdzinski@Worldnet.ATT.Net>
NJ USA - 03/17/97A at 22:12:52
It's great to see so many admirers of the great Alan Rickman!
Elysse <egberts@worldnet.att.net>
Boston, MA USA - 03/17/97A at 20:41:11
Thank you to Linda Robins for the compliment! I have this
habit of "casting" characters in books as I read, and those
were very AR in my mind (and the Aubrey Maturin series). Then
I re-read Barchester Towers and thought Slope was even
more enjoyable -- especially when Eleanor had her say. As
to having AR playing Alec Guiness characters, AR's the only
actor of his generation with the talent to follow Sir Alec's
work without being an imitator.
A dining table of AR playing the Kind Hearts and Coronets
is a delicius idea (Lady Agatha, the Admiral!). AR-Obi-Wan-
Kanobi anyone?
Emma
Princeton, NJ USA - 03/17/97A at 16:02:13
To Gilda: A slightly belated thanks for the info on the "harem recruitment" scene. That makes more sense. I guess it was just my modern-day mentality that equated the Sheriff lacing up his codpiece with Joe-Average-Guy coming out of the bathroom zipping up his fly.
A side note: I guess this Rickamaniac movement must really be catching on. I went to my local video store to rent CME again (to see where I screwed up in my earlier comments [more on that later}) and found that it suddenly is only available for a one-day rental instead of five days as it used to be. I asked the clerk why the change in the rental policy and she told me it was because the film had suddenly become very popular "for some reason". I wonder why...
Lisa
Riverside, CA USA - 03/17/97A at 12:51:57
For Sandra in Alexandria -- Thank you, Thank you, Thank you! Several days ago you referred me to Video Vault for AR films. Finally got there this past weekend and picked up TMD and Closetland. Die Hard was out -- I wonder which of you local Rickmaniacs was watching it this weekend? Anyway, loved TMD and will keep it out an extra day to see it again tonight. Haven't gotten to Closet Land yet, because frankly I'm a little afraid of it. I don't deal well with violence, and I barely got through the first rat scene in TMD. Luckily, at that point I hadn't yet seen AR so I persevered. Not being a great film analyst (but I'm learning), can anyone tell me what was the significance of those yucky rats anyway? Best I figure out was the decay of Nina's spirit. Any thoughts?
BC
Washington, DC USA - 03/17/97A at 11:11:18
Just trying to make sure my system is working properly --
I've been experiencing difficulty in posting my comments
here in the last few days. Especially wanted to say how
brilliant Emma's suggestion was for AR's taking on Last
Chronicle of Barsetshire. How about "Kind Hearts and Coronets"
as a 1950s Alec Guinness film for Alan?
linda robbins <ldr@oup-usa.org>
NYC, USA - 03/17/97A at 10:41:27
Re: the speculations concerning AR's religious background, I don't think very strong conclusions can be drawn either from his name or from his parents' national origins. I had an acquaintance named "Rickman" (no relation, I'm sure) who wasn't Jewish, and the name "Alan" is also a popular Welsh name. Per the bio, which doesn't discusss religion at all, AR's siblings are named Michael (a popular name in Ireland, but pretty non-denominational nowadays), David (a popular Jewish name, but also the patron saint of Wales), and Sheila (definitely Irish, but otherwise without religious overtones). On the other hand, AR's Irish-Welsh background doesn't necessarily mean that he's NOT Jewish, or that he IS Catholic/Protestant. While it's true that most people in Ireland are Catholic or Protestant, Robert Briscoe, who was an extremely popular Lord Mayor of Dublin for years and years, was Jewish. Catholics and Jews are both minorities in Wales, but do exist. It's certainly possible to be BOTH Jewish AND Irish or Welsh. Nevertheless, in the interview entitled "Cold Smolder" (see the Interviews section of this website), AR says when he was shooting ABA in Dublin, he was "very aware of being a Celt in the land of [his] ancestors." He goes on to say, "My blood is awash with Welsh and Irishness." These comments suggests to me that he's probably not Jewish, because Irish and Welsh Jews are not Celtic. For all we know, AR might be a Druid! Notwithstanding the fact that there's an established church in England, Americans are way more into organized religion and church-going than the English. Whatever AR's background, I suspect organized religion doesn't figure very largely in his life.
On another subject, Nancy R commented that it seemed that Stella in ABA was acting as some sort of timekeeper when she said "No time for it" during the rehersal of Captain Hook's speech. I don't think so. Stella was prompting P.L. O'Hara, who had paused
for dramatic effect before finishing his line, the concluding phrase of which was "no time for it." When O'Hara pauses, Stella naively thinks he's forgotten his line, so she finishes it for him. O'Hara's exasperated reaction is one of the funniest bits
in the film.
Kathy McKinley <KMcKin@aol.com>
El Cerrito, CA USA - 03/17/97A at 01:47:05
Marie is quite right--since AR is of Irish and Welsh extraction, the probability is high that he is Catholic, or at least gentile. However, there is a very substantial Jewish population in Ireland. (I should know. I used to date a Dr. Nathan Stein from
what he charmingly pronounced as "Doooblin." I did not ask anyone to consult the biography because I was under the impression that those who read it did not have much respect for it as a work of scholarship. It also seemed unlikely that a man as intensely private as AR might have ever discussed this most private of matters in an interview. (I did a search of interviews in British newspapers and could find no reference to religious background. It did occur to me that he might just be a very secularized Jew, one who has lost all interest in observance and no longer considers himself Jewish.) Anyway, I hoped that curiosity on this point might induce one of our British participants to do a bit of poking around. Strange, isn't it, that AR's past is so little
known, compared to that of most film and stage stars! You can find the most minute details about the lives of people like Tori Spelling, but none of us seems to know the minutia of AR's life.
Francesca
MD USA - 03/17/97A at 00:31:15
Why doesn't someone who read AR's biography comment on his religious background? If he's Irish/Welsh, his family background is most probably Catholic?
Marie
Los Angeles, USA - 03/16/97A at 22:59:30
Just wanted to thank everyone who has sent in responses to my request for favorites actors names for my paper and survey. I really appreciate it. I have tried to get back to everyone personaly to thank them, sorry if I haven't gotten to you all. I am finishing up the paper, but still need a few more e-mail's to make my statistics numerically acurate. (I have a great deal more people from a broader base who have given my answers in person) Any way, I won't go into the mathamitical details as I am sure they would not be of interest. Thank you all again, and I hope to hear from you. I plan on posting the results within a week or two. See 'ya then! (Sorry for the spelling %-) I've been at the computer a long time!)
Hannah <equity@cfw.com>
Charlottesville, VA USA - 03/16/97A at 21:18:48
I just wanted to drop a line to say hi to all you fellow Rickman fans. I have to admit to being quite a voyeur as I've been reading this fantastic page for a number of months but have never contributed to it. Besides AR, I enjoy all movies/actors British. My real reason for writing though, is I thought I let anyone know (in case you already don't) that Alan Rickman, Liam Neeson, and Aidan Quinn are scheduled to appear on next Saturday's episode of Lineham on WTN. So for any viewers who get WTN or live in Canada, you may be interested! I think it's on at 7:30 here in Nova Scotia (Atlantic Standard Time) Take note that the tv schedules may give a different guest list, but after the show I was watching ended, the announcer said "due to a change in schedule, next week's guests will be Alan Rickman..." Katrina, congrats on a great site, with great fans!
Tara <tcarter@istar.ca>
Truro, NS Canada - 03/16/97A at 20:52:35
Instead of fantasies and speculation, might it not be a
more appropriate expense of energies to apply oneself to
the tradition of scholarship and try to find out what AR's
spiritual beliefs may be? Has he ever said anything in
interviews about the subject?
Rebecca
USA - 03/16/97A at 18:06:48
Francesca-I agree with you about AR being Jewish. Not only is his last name Jewish, but Alan is a popular name among Jewish men. I hope I don't sound stereotypical, I just thought it interesting that this issue came up since I was thinking the same thing.
Jennifer <qmkr21b@prodigy.com>
Houston, TX USA - 03/16/97A at 17:41:45
HAPPY OFFICIAL BIRTHDAY (AS OF 3/15) TO OUR "UNOFFICIAL"
WEB PAGE! Fire up those candles, Karina. And thanks!
R.Faey
USA - 03/16/97A at 16:50:34
Re: CME/ABA. Thanks for all the fine commentary in recent
weeks. Keep it coming! I appreciate reading it and wish
my "system" allowed more room for response.
R.Faey
USA - 03/16/97A at 16:47:03
Pam, thanks for sharing your thoughts on ABA. I think you're right about the crocodile-clock/timekeeper parallel; Uncle Vern says that "Stella Maris" won the competition to be "the speaking clock," which makes it even clearer. Doesn't Stella (the daughter) also function as a kind of timekeeper for the company? At one point when O'Hara is first rehearsing as Hook, she says, "No time for it" (his speech, or the way he draws it out). Must watch the film again; but only after I've seen "Close My Eyes," which I got a few months ago and still haven't looked at.
Nancy R.
CA USA - 03/16/97A at 14:42:59
Finally saw ABA last nite. Got me thinking...a lot. So much so that I went back to the guestbook insights from mid-Feb which cleared up a great deal of my confusion and got me thinking. I just read Peter Pan before seeing it to be more aware of references, which helped. And last nite, my brain kept working so bear with me. Of course this is all open for debate. First, we can look at Stella Maris as a crocodile-like figure. And the parallel with O'Hara as Hook. The crocodile ate Hook's hand and then relentlessly sought him, seeking to eat the rest of him. Stella, too, took a piece of O'Hara with her in the form of young Stella. Ironically, it was O'Hara who relentlessly pursued her, seeking to find the rest of himself in his child. But, in the end, it was Stella Maris who led to his ultimate destruction, as the crocodile led to Hook's end. Hook was driven to jump into the water to escape Pan, and did not know the crocodile was there (he had stopped ticking). Young Stella, inadvertantly drove O'Hara to the water where he "confronts" Stella Maris, finding her in the water, after a fashion, and succumbing to his end. This thread would also go along with young Stella as the Pan like figure who drove him, unknowingly to his death. As for the comments about O'Hara being too sympathetic a character, I don't agree. If he is Hook, you're supposed to feel for him. Barrie's Hook is so human, he has his fears, his doubts, and at his death, I couldn't help feeling for him, as he questions what is honorable, what is
good and bad form in his battle with Peter. Hook in a way is a sympathetic character himself, not pure violent evil. Therefore, I think we were supposed to feel for O'Hara. Finally, back to the Stella Maris is crocodile theory...Isn't it just a bit interesting to note that Barrie's crocodile had swallowed a clock, and was the official timekeeper of Neverland that Peter would go to for the time for Wendy; and Stella Maris was the official timekeeper on the telephone??? Any thoughts?
Pam <Bagdzinski@Worldnet.ATT.Net>
NJ USA - 03/16/97A at 09:58:22
Since nobody has produced any direct evidence to the contrary, I have decided to consider AR Jewish unless proved otherwise. I mean, everybody else here seems to entertain her own fantasies about him, so there's no discernable reason why I should not do the same. Next question: does anyone know what his real hair color is? I mean, obviously it's pretty grey right now, as we see glints of grey at his temples in S&S, but what color was it when he was very young? I specify "very" young because it appears to be different in each of his movies. I just can't figure out in which films he tinted it and in which ones he didn't.
Francesca
MD USA - 03/15/97A at 23:47:35
For those looking for Rickman .WAVs... I've just sent some to Karina, but as we know she's a busy person and may not be able to get them up on the page for a while, I'd invite anyone interested to e-mail me and I'll send them to you as attachments in e-mail. The .WAVs are various snippets of the lengthy speeches found on the "Closet Land" multimedia page. I've found they make great system sounds for Windows! Contact me at rebeccaj@pobox.com . Spammers and junk mail will *NOT* be tolerated-- I've already had enough of that from this page, thank you, and it's a scandalous abuse of the hard work and effort Karina has put into this project for people to treat the guestbook that way. 'Nuff said.
Rebecca J. Anderson
Stratford, ON CANADA - 03/15/97A at 23:05:09
So glad we finally got to hear the "voice" of Alan Rickman!
bRITTANY Weaver <tcweaver@aol.com>
Denver, CO USA - 03/15/97A at 20:20:25
This film-making business must be a closed shop. I was watching 'Jefferson in Paris' with Nick Nolte yesterday.
In it was Greta Scacchi (AR co-player - Rasputin), it was written by the thrice-named Indian woman who wrote and directed "Closetland"
and in it was a characterisation of Mesmer using his 'animal magnetism' on the ladies of Marie Antoinette's court. You don't think
AR was lurking in the wings somewhere do you? Regarding the Colse my eyes discussion regarding money and class. Unlike most other countries in the world,
England has a class structure formally ensconced into it system of government. The House of Lords (the house of legislative review), consists
of people whose only claim is to have been born into an 'aristocratic' family - not by any process of election. These people ar mostly the
landed gentry whose claims are many hundreds of years old (except those of more recent peerage e.g. Andrew LLord Webber, whose title cannot be inherited
and is relinquised on his passing). However there is more than two tiers in English society. The next is the 'old money' who came to be as a result of the industrial revolution
of the 18th century, followed by more who came into money by the expansion of trade and communications throughout the 'empire'. But arguably,
the class system is still alive and well. Sinclair's money seem to have come from gains made in the turn of the century. And he seems very aware
of where he sits in the strata. Not at the top, but a long way from the bottom.
stephanie <fewings@satech.net.au>
adelaide, sa Australia - 03/15/97A at 19:32:04
I have been an ardent fan of Alan Rickman since" Robin Hood". In the summer of '91 I spent alot of time in San Francisco greiving and taking care of the affairs of a friend who had died -- I saw "Truly, Madly, Deeply" 12 times and found it very therapeutic.
Thanks for the good work creating this site!
Arlyn LaBair <labair@worldnet.att.net>
Denver, CO USA - 03/15/97A at 04:57:44
I'm sorry, but how could anyone possibly draw a comparision between the talent or looks of AR and *HARRISON FORD*?
Julie McLeod <wjmcleo@ibm.net>
Mississauga, On Canada - 03/15/97A at 01:23:20
Glad to see that I'm not the only one who thinks Mr. Rickman is the sexiest man alive in addition to being one of the most talented.
Truly, Madly, Deeply...aaaaahhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!
Julie McLeod <wjmcleo@ibm.net>
Mississauga, On Canada - 03/15/97A at 01:09:12
Oh, Chris, I keep reading your entry about the Almeida over and over. How wonderful of you to have had the foresight to have gotten your tickets so early. Thank you for sharing with us
Penny <Penny@pitnet.net>
Milwaukee, WI USA - 03/14/97A at 23:40:52
Thanks loads for the "virtual" trip oi the Almeida. There are so many of us who envy your travels abroad!
skfmyers <skfmyers@gnn.com>
w. palm beach, fl USA - 03/14/97A at 23:02:20
Thought I would share with you my trip to the Almeida
Theatre which occurred while I was in London last
Tuesday. My friend and I had gotten tickets
(a long time ago, before the guestbook denizens ever
started this project) to see Ralph Fiennes in
Chekhov's "Ivanov."
We found the tiny side street off Upper Street in
Islington on which the Theatre is located at 7PM
and picked up our tickets. I can't begin to tell you
how charmed I was by this theatre. I have been in many
small repertory theatres in this country and this ranks
up there with the quirkiest. The foyer (so it says in
the program) has been described as "one of British
theatre's cruellest practical jokes". All it
consists of is a white brick alleyway surrounded by
a door for the cafe, and the windows for the box office
and the programme sellers ending in the facilities
and a short flight of metal stairs leading into the
auditorium.
A bit cold when you are eating ice cream during the
interval but otherwise quite unusual.
We were allowed into the theatre only a few minutes
before the performance began. Because we had booked
early Betsy had been successful in gaining 3rd row
center stall (orchestra to you Americans) seats. The
venue can't be more than 100 ft across and in the third
row you are on the same level with the stage. About
20 feet from us as we took our seats was Ralph Fiennes
reading a book at the table on the stage. The stage
looks like it takes up equal space with the seating and
revolves to provide changes of scene, no curtain being
evident.
The seats themselves were benches, albeit very
comfortable benches with adequate leg room. I could
look up and easily see the color of the eyes of the
people looking over the balcony. I have heard many
theatres called intimate but this one defined the
word.
While I earlier compared the venue to those of my local rep
companies, the performance was not what I have seen
in my local rep theatres. The whole cast was excellent
(Identify the following tentacles from the cast:
Oliver Ford Daves, Harriet Walter and Bill Patterson)
and the play well worth the trek on the number 19 bus
to Islington.
I can tell you that I was extremely proud to be a part
of supporting this excellent enterprise.
Chris <ckwible@ptd.net>
NJ USA - 03/14/97A at 21:35:45
So happy to have found a website devoted to that most impressive gentleman actor, Alan Rickman. I'm a die hard fan. I'll be checking in often to see what's new. Great webiste!!! Love the pics!
Terri Williams <loungie@aol.com>
Pasadena, TX USA - 03/14/97A at 21:29:53
I think Shari was both right and wrong in reference to Sinclair's character in "Close My Eyes." A Yuppie is someone who made their own money -- Sinclair most decidedly already had money from his family.
This is, perhaps, more signoificant than she credits. Yuppies are the ultimate example of people with "no background and no bottom." In America, it is easy to forget how important the way in which one acquires one's money is. But we must never forget that it was not OLD money Sinclair possessed -- he was neither fish nor fowl, so to speak. The insecurity she noted is well mentioned, and the examples she gives on target. But as to their source?
Sinclair's ancestors traded in commodities; Sinclair trades in ideas. That, in itself, I beieve, is a comment on our modern era. That, I believe, is at the crux of the message of the film itself. Are we so tired, so overwhelmed by information that we requireo others like Sinclair to do our thinking for us?
Ennui is extremely familiar to those of us who spend most of our lives at 9o degrees plus with 90 percent humidity. (I live in South Florida -- temporary haven for tourists amd permanent trial for its residents.) The "heat wave" metaphor is very well recived from this quarter.
More on this later... Comments?
S.K. Fulbright-Myers <skfmyers@gnn.com>
w. Palm Beaech, FL USA - 03/13/97A at 23:37:16
Thanks to you all for your research on the codpiece subject. Veddy Interestink! I thought I might add to Lisa's comment who said she thought the Sheriff was presumably coming out of the bathroom. I read something regarding RH:POT and the scenes that were cut out. One of them was a scene of the Sheriff checking out a line of new "recruits" (women for his harem), and the scene right after that was the one where he is fixing his codpiece. One supposes he put one of them to work! And I believe that was the intention.
Gilda <prisab234@aol.com>
CT USA - 03/13/97A at 20:32:11
RE: Sinclair's so-called aristocracy. These days, one does not have to be born into wealth or title to become part of the aristocracy. It is well known that in England titles can be bought and sold as part of real estate transactions. Sinclair may be one of these but I see him as more of a neurotic nouveau riche. Consider Sinclair to be like many of us working class types here in America; dreaming of wealth, of hitting the lottery, living like Vanderbilts. And then his ship comes in, well really his margarine tub comes in (cow-shaped whipped cream dispenser?). With his hard earned wealth he builds his dream life as he imagines it should be. Dream house, dream car, perfect wife. He energetically directs every last detail of his lifestyle and then he shows it all off for everyone to see. Persons born of wealth (the "old-money" types) don't do that. They are comfortable with their lifestyles and material things, often taking them for granted. But Sinclair is so hung up on his idea of a perfect life that he even recreates his own wife to fit his image. We're told that he has changed her hair color, changed her way of speaking. One may well presume that Sinclair has done the same to himself. And as he progresses he continually seeks approval from others, "What do you think of me", "What do you think of my idea", "Isn't this fantastic" etc. He is self-effacing when out of his element. Visiting Richard's office while wearing his formal wedding clothes, he wants to hide, lest he be judged as over dressed. I don't think it's Sinclair's intention to be a snob to those less fortunate than himself. He is seeking the same happiness and admiration that we all want in our lives and he intends to make every effort and spend every penny necessary to acquire it. Of course, at the end of the film, he learns that the old adage still rings true, "Money does not buy happiness".
Lisa
CA USA - 03/13/97A at 18:25:46
It's ages since I last wrote to the page, although I catch up with the page at least once per week. In response to Francesca's observation re the name Rickman being Jewish. Allegedly, AR's father was Irish and his mother is Welsh. Granted we're all a bit of a mix up when it comes to lineage. Me for example, I'm first generation English of Irish parents, now living in New England (I moved here last year).My grandparents were a mixture of English, Scots & Irish. So what does that make me I wonder? Anyway, getting back to the point, taking into consideration that the Celtic races tend to be Catholic or Protestant, I suspect that the chances of AR being of the Jewish faith is slim, but of course not unlikely.
If anyone from the UK or from the US for that matter, feels inclined to correspond to me, it would be great to hear from you.
Shani Parkin <sparkin@rand.com>
Boston, MA USA - 03/13/97A at 17:30:21
Does anyone know--could it really be possible--is there the faintest chance that AR might be Jewish? Has anyone heard anything about his religious affiliation, if any? Even non-practicing would be OK with me. I just ask because over here in the States Rickman is sometimes a Jewish name. Would anyone know?
Francesca
MD USA - 03/13/97A at 15:57:31
Although I'm far from being an expert, I do have some codpiece information. I recently flipped through a movie faux pas book at my local bookstore. It was called something like "Roman Soldiers didn't wear watches and other movie mess ups" (or words to that effect) It was the 2nd or 3rd book in a series. Apparently in the earlier editions they had already taken RH:POT to task for a number of historical inaccuracies, but one of the issues they discussed in this issue was that the "codpiece" did not come into fashion until about the 17th c. while RH is set during the crusades (1100's I think). It also pointed out the the telescope (like the one RH gets from his side-kick Azeem) hadn't been invented yet, and on and on. But, hey, great costume anyway.
Katrina G. Boyd <kgboyd@indiana.edu>
Bloomington, IN USA - 03/13/97A at 13:59:57
Oops! I meant AR would be great playing Mr. Crawley, from
Trollpe's Last Chronicle of Barset. Nothing smalley about
Mr. Crawley. Sorry!
Emma
Princeton, NJ USA - 03/13/97A at 11:52:27
Anne in Washington and others will be cheered to know that earlier this week I faxed off a brief note to Almeida Breda, asking plaintively if she might be able to sketch a rough picture of our project's progress thus far. I said that this initiative existed for us only as an abstract Idea, and that our curiosity about its dollars-and-cents reality at their end was getting the better of us. Unless their entire financial staff has recently been felled by the Islington plague (or, more likely, preoccupied with keeping up with box office receipts from their current Chekhov hit), I would imagine Breda would have some numbers for us fairly soon.
Melissa <masmith@law.harvard.edu>
Cambridge, MA USA - 03/13/97A at 11:17:10
Katrina R., you naughty girl! I picked masseur, since those
expressive hands are lovely for the job, and volunteer
reader for RFB&D 'cause that velvety voice is just right for
helping someone with their homework.
On a somewhat more serious note, I'd love to see AR playing
more Trollope characters after Mr. Slope. He'd be perfect
as Mr. Peacock in Dr. Wortle's School, or as Mr. Smalley (a
heroic/tragic character)in the Last Chronicle of Barset.
Or how about one of those characters Alec Guiness played in the
1950's comedies from the Rank Organisation, like The Captain's
Paradise (AR as a bigamist? The man's talented!).
As to aristos, I thought your family had to be in Great Britain
since at least 1066 to be considered one.
The only thing I liked about RHPODweebs was AR. Now I'll
rent it and fast forward to the AR parts after all these
comments I'm seeing on this page!
Kind regards to all,
Emma
Princeton, NJ USA - 03/13/97A at 10:05:46
Also, regarding the codpiece, was that inaccurate for the period? I saw a page illustrating codpieces through history, and there was one shown with a suit of armor that looked medieval to me.
Marie
Los Angeles, USA - 03/13/97A at 03:50:24
I didn't understand why Sinclair was termed an aristocrat, and I didn't understand what implications that had for the character, and what exactly was being portrayed. I thought that in Britain one had to have money for generations to be considered an aristocrat. Was he really just a Yuppie?
Marie
Los Angeles, USA - 03/13/97A at 03:45:55
I believe Close My Eyes has got to be one of Mr. Rickman's most underrated performances.
The implications of both class and commerce in the film have yet to be explored. While Sinclair Bryant appears to epitomise the decadence of the aristocracy, how many have considered that it was purchased by tubs of margarine? Bryant's ancestors were in trade, and most assuredly not a part of the hereditary aristocracy. Is there a sort of reverse snobbery at work here?
There is no loyalty extant between those who were once poor and the currently poor. In fact, rather the opposite is demonstrated.
Comments??? More on this later...
S.K. Fulbright-Myers <SKFMyers@gnn.com>
W. Palm Beach, FL USA - 03/12/97A at 23:19:08
Y'all think I have technical knowledge??!!! HAH!!!!
However, with regards to sounds:
- If you are using Win95, check to make sure the little speaker icon appears next to the time on the Start Bar. If you can hear your various menu sounds, you should be able to hear the voice.
- The voice works with the current versions of both Internet Explorer and Netscape Navigator, if your systems are set up to handle incoming .wav files
- AOL uses a subset of I.E., it may not be set up to handle sounds. I will check into this.
- If you can hear the voice, you should be able to hear it no matter where you get to the guestbook from. Depending on factors I haven't quite figured out yet, the voice kicks in either near the beginning of the guestbook download or at the end. If you are not letting the guestbook download all the way because it has gotten so huge (I know, I will break this section up tomorrow) and you are only reading the last few days of entries (like I usually do), you may not get to hear it.
If anyone has anyone has any other questions or problems, feel free to e-mail me.
Karina <karina@fred.net>
USA - 03/12/97A at 22:09:15
Just had a thought - if anyone is sending me more WAV files or pictures, could you sent them to this e-mail address at my work - it will save me some money, as it seems to take a long time to down load my mail at home when there are graphics etc attached.
Thanks
Claudia Riley <rileyc@forestry.govt.nz>
Wellington, New Zealand - 03/12/97A at 21:55:29
Don't know if this helps, but I don't hear "the voice" if I use my bookmark to go directly to the guestbook; I do hear it if I go to the home page and then access the guestbook from there.
Nancy R. <nroberts@pop.sonic.net>
CA USA - 03/12/97A at 18:27:40
Katrina R - what smut, but I totally agree!!!
Others asking about AR's whereabouts, how about contacting his agent who will know what plays etc he is currently involb\ved in.
Thanks to all who sent me WAV files. Sigh!
Claudia
Claudia Riley <clods@xtra.co.nz>
Wellington, New Zealand - 03/12/97A at 18:22:59
Boy, it's been too long since I checked in. Such goings-on! With regard to occupation: I feel I must agree with Emma on this. Masseur is definitely what I would choose, particularly because I know all this pent-up stress I have would disappear immediately if that man ever laid his hands on me. (Well, maybe not immediately, but it wouldn't take long!) However, I think it would most enjoyable to have him recite poetry whilst rubbing one down.....hmmm, enough of that. I would like to pose a question, though I doubt anyone will know the answer: My sister and I are planning to take a vacation the last week in May. She has graciously agreed to go wherever AR is at that time, if I could only find out. Any ideas anyone?????
Katrina R. <70003.7015@compuserve.com>
Columbus, OH USA - 03/12/97A at 16:20:51
I know how much everyone enjoys the "threads" that have been created and discovered on this page....so here's one you might enjoy. (Melissa in Cambridge--especially) I love the videos of "Absolutely Fabulous," and rented the last one entitled, "The Last Shout." What a scream!!! And as the credits rolled....what a nice surprise...Ruby Wax credited with script editor (something like that.) Anyway, a very clever script, indeed. I highly recommend it and if you do rent it---you'll never look at a pager (bleeper) the same way again!!!:) I must also say that I, too, enjoyed A&E's presentation of Rasputin. (Thanks for the 'heads up' on that one) I wonder if any of those people were consultants for the movie. Looked to me like the apartment where 'he' lived might have been actually used (at least the outside shot) for the movie. Still love this page! Hello to Melissa!!
Amy
OK USA - 03/12/97A at 16:07:35
For Debbie: Regarding the WAV files -- the location appears to be http://www.fred.net/karina/rickman/rickwav.html. Hope that helps!
BC
Washington, DC USA - 03/12/97A at 13:54:02
Does anyone have information about AR's current projects, namely any films that may come out in the near future?
Christine Hanvey <chan101@aol.com>
Atlanta, GA USA - 03/12/97A at 12:35:52
To S.K. regarding the codpiece: I don't have my own copy of RH:POT yet, but is that the same scene where he comes out of (presumably) the bathroom area and is lacing up his pants? You get that momentary ground-to-crouch shot and WHOA! Makes you wish it was a 3-D movie. (OK, OK, stop it Lisa. No trash here). I also wanted to share a similar incident with my husband that happened a couple of weeks ago. We were at the grocery store and I was walking a little ahead of my husband. All of a sudden I turned around to see him sitting on the floor tying his shoe. When he got up I put my arm around him and gave him a big hug (giggling under my breath). He never had a clue what that was all about...
Lisa
CA USA - 03/12/97A at 10:50:10
Dear Francesca: Yes, there was an article in Victoria, but nothing re AR. I think it had a shot of Emma and Hugh, and then paid a great deal of attention to the manors where the film was shot. So...you can stop your search.
Marie
Los Angeles, USA - 03/12/97A at 02:33:49
Is there anybody else out there driven completely mad by the studded codpiece in RH:Prince of Dweebs? It is approximately 64 minutes into the movie, just prior to the canceling Christmas outburst. It is, in fact, the beginning of that self-same scene. I say this in spite of being a good medeivalist, who knows that codpieces wouldn't come into fashion for several centuries yet.
Other favorite scenes/parts of scenes from Mr. Rickman's films? I'm definitely open to suggestions. [My ex-husband-to-be could never quite figure out why I was laughing my head off while wading through knee-deep suds after he had a disaster with our "washing-up machine."] ;)
S.K. Fulbright-Myers <SKFMyers@gnn.com>
W. Palm Beach, FL USA - 03/11/97A at 22:48:33
I too, am clueless as to this whole voice thing...Karina please explain. That scene in Robin with the hands on the sword is wonderful, although I love the look he gives with those eyes when he says to the child, "It's amazing I'm sane..." I watched the A&E bio of Rasputin last nite, which was rather interesting. Lots of the letters written and incidents cited in the film are quoted verbatim from real life letters and incidents that occurred, historically. One point they did make last nite, was about the entrancing, captivating and powerful eyes of Rasputin. I kept thinking, gee, I wonder what actor could ever pull off the feat of playing Rasputin really, really, well. He'd have to have these incredible eyes. Now where could we ever find such an actor?!?
Pam <Bagdzinski@Worldnet.ATT.Net>
NJ USA - 03/11/97A at 20:47:50
To Julia, I too love the moment prior to the sword fight
scene in Robin Hood: POT. All that you can see is AR's legs
and left hand, and with that small movement steals the whole
scene.
Dee Korbel <deek@garnet.berkeley.edu>
Berkeley, CA USA - 03/11/97A at 19:07:58
Excuse me, excuse me. BC, I'm trying to catch the WAV files, but I can't find them. I found the request for sounds in April of last year. I'm using Netscape and would like to try the AR voices. Help! GREAT info today, AR fans!
Debbie
Lakeland, TX USA - 03/11/97A at 17:19:20
near the end of 'robin hood', during the sword fight between robin and the sheriff, there is this *wonderful* shot of robin hood in the background and the sheriff's hand in the foreground, and the fingers are moving almost as though they are playing a musical instrument. i love that shot. it's so meanacing yet graceful. alan rickman was the best thing about that movie.
julia
USA - 03/11/97A at 16:18:24
To BC in DC and Sandra in Alexandria:
The line DOES come from "Die Hard," but is spoken to Hart
Bochner, who plays the sleazeball Ellis,as he tries to make
a deal with Gruber. Shortly thereafter, Ellis has a hole
in his head (he blowed up real good).
Keyser
USA - 03/11/97A at 15:25:56
Recently my friend and I began a discussion over which actor
is more handsome: Harrison Ford or Alan Rickman. Both are know
for their roles as scoundrals (Star Wars series for HF; most
roles for AR) After renting An Awfully Big Adventure and
seeing Truly Madly Deeply for the third time I am inclined to
give the honors to Alan Rickman. He is a more versatile and sublte
actor than Ford plus who can resist a Welsh accent? Glad he's done
well as an actor and hope to see more of his work in the US both
in film and on Broadway.
Nancy Yanchus <nyanchus@wwnorton.com>
New York, NY USA - 03/11/97A at 12:11:46
To BC in DC: I think the line comes from "Die Hard." I think it's one of the walkie-talkie conversations between Hans and "Mr. Cowboy". Regarding locating the tapes: Try Video Vault. They have everything! There's one somewhere in the District and I go to the one in Old Town Alexandria. Video Warehouse chains have good selections and they loan older stuff for 5 days. They even have "rent 2, get one free" Wednesdays. You can AR overload from Wednesday to Sunday! (Can you hear the voice of experience?) BC, we're actually in a good area for tracing AR films, but don't waste your time at Blockbuster. To the London Rickmaniacs: I'll be visiting in August! My first trip there, so any suggestions on what to see/do? Will the theatre season still be going on? I'll be there 10 days, so day trips are very possible, too. Answer to my mailbox so we don't clutter up Karina's bandwidth! Thanks in advance!
Sandra <SYJackson@aol.com>
Alexandria, va USA - 03/11/97A at 11:14:41
Lisa and Penny: The quote is "Your're amazing. You've figured this all out already." I can't remember what film it's from. One I haven't yet seen in my futile search for AR films at chain video stores.
BC
Washington, DC USA - 03/11/97A at 09:43:53
I get the voice and I use Netscape Navigator. I'm definitely a computer and internet novice and that first sentence pretty much sums up my cyber expertise. But one day, looking through older entries in this guestbook, I came across a "wav. file" with several quotes in "the voice". I bookmarked it right away and wish I had the skills to help add to it. I assume those files are a part of Karina's wonderful page, but I'm not sure, because it isn't listed anywhere. Also, I never see it mentioned in these conversations we Rickmaniacs have. Surely I'm not the only one who knows about it? It does have my favorite S&S "Give me an occupation, Miss Dashwood" line. I'd love to hear "The air is full of spices".
BC
Washington, DC USA - 03/11/97A at 09:33:24
Penny, I don't get the voice either :-( Can someone fill
me (us) in on what we are missing? What does he say??
Lisa <lmk7u@virginia.edu>
USA - 03/11/97A at 09:08:46
Penny: I don't get THE VOICE when I sign on through America-On-Line, but I DO get it when I sign on through my other ISP, for which I use Netscape Navigator. I know nothing about computers, so I can't explain why Netscape works differently. A lot of websites include notations saying: "Best viewed with Netscape Navigator" and have features that only appear when I'm using my non-AOL ISP. Karina (and probably others) can surely explain the technical reasons for the different features. God knows, I can't.
Good luck figuring it out!
Kathy McK.
Kathy McKinley <KMcKin@aol.com>
El Cerrito, CA USA - 03/11/97A at 04:18:13
Whoops, sorry for 2nd entry. I'm just crazed because I'm not getting THE VOICE
Penny <Penny@pitnet.net>
Milwaukee, WI USA - 03/11/97A at 01:10:26
Am I the only one out here who is not getting AR's voice. I have a brand new computer with sound card and speakers that work just fine.
For once I am not playing cd's while on the computer. Claudia says she gets HIS voice everytime she signs onto the page. I have never heard it but want to badly. Those of you who are computer experts, pls explain. Is it perhaps because this page is my home page? I WANT TO HEAR HIS VOICE..(oh,sorry for yelling)
Thanks in advance for your help
Penny <Penny@pitnet.net>
Milwaukee, WI USA - 03/11/97A at 01:06:14
Am I the only one out here who is not getting AR's voice. I have a brand new computer with sound card and speakers that work just fine.
For once I am not playing cd's while on the computer. Claudia says she gets HIS voice everytime she signs onto the page. I have never heard it but want to badly. Those of you who are computer experts, pls explain. Is it perhaps because this page is my home page? I WANT TO HEAR HIS VOICE..(oh,sorry for yelling)
Thanks in advance for your help
Penny <Penny@pitnet.net>
Milwaukee, WI USA - 03/11/97A at 01:05:30
Maybe I'm nuts, but I thought I remembered Victoria magazine doing a brief article on Sense and Sensibility that appeared while the movie was still in production, long before its release. I've gone through back numbers of Victoria looking for the article in the probably-vain hope that it might include an interesting picture of AR, but so far I haven't found such an article. At the time, I didn't attend to it carefully, because I knew nothing about either Emma Thompson or AR. Am I totally mistaken? Thinking of a different magazine? Or am I just missing the relevant issue from my admittedly incomplete collection? Does anyone remember this? In any case, thanks for the help.
Francesca
MMMD USA - 03/11/97A at 00:50:53
The ACTUAL name of the book I meant to mention the last time I made a complete and total prat of myself on these pages was: Jackson, Russell and Robert Smallwood, eds. "Players of Shakespeare 2." Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 1988. My enthusiasm and earnest desire to contribute something, however small, decidedly overran my judgment before.
I apologize profusely for the incorrect information. Frankly, I loathe the thought of my rank stupidity floating around the Internet for an indefinite period.
S.K. Fulbright-Myers <SKFMyers@gnn.com>
W. Palm Beach, FL USA - 03/10/97A at 18:26:32
Everyone can love AR. It does not matter if you are 15 or 50.
Isn´t that strange. I think that is extraordinary. I´m 17 myself.
Catherine
Catherine
Sweden - 03/10/97A at 17:42:14
About singing: I have been listening to Return of the Native, which I finally received via inter-library loan. He does quite a nice job with it, but I was really impressed with the few lines he sings of the French folk-song (on side 15). I spent a couple of years in France and have tapes of people like George Brassens. AR does an exellent job with the very tough "r" sound and really has the cadence of this type of song down pat.
Katrina B. <kgboyd@indiana.edu>
Bloomington, IN USA - 03/10/97A at 09:19:42
Hello fellow "rickettes". I haven't checked in for a week; and I was surprised to see that around March 7th, all the guest comments are seen in italics. That is so hard to read. Is it possible to kick those comments back over to plain type?
suzanne <SzieQ@aol.com>
Los Angeles, USA - 03/09/97A at 18:47:06
Today's (March 9) Sunday New York Times Arts and Leisure,
Section 2, page 5 has an article about the current production
at the Almeida. It says,"You'll probably have to find a
ticket scalper if you want a seat at ... the small Almeida
Theater in Islington in North London, where Mr. (Ralph)
Fiennes plays the depressed anti-hero of Chekhov's early
'Ivanov'..."
I thought you might want read good news about the Almeida!
(As for myself, I'd love to see AR in an article about the
Almeida.)
Emma
Princeton, NJ USA - 03/09/97A at 09:10:00
Reading this page makes me so glad that Mr. Rickman is getting the attention that he deserves. He's certainly earned it. Reading Pam's message early in March about that subtle light in Rasputin. Yes, I saw it too! Much thanks to Karina for making this great page!!!
Karooni
Las Vegas, nv USA - 03/08/97A at 22:13:10
Karina - is there a way of downloading the voice of AR you have that appears on this page. I get goose-bumps every time I hear it! Do you have any other little remarks like that? It would be fun to have his voice playing every time Windows loaded up. Thanks for keeping me entertained with this page!
Claudia
Claudia Riley <clods@xtra.co.nz>
Wellington, New Zealand - 03/08/97A at 18:27:07
I want to thank Laurie for her review of Mesmer. It makes it
a little easier to wait till the price comes down. It helps
put my obsession with getting it in perspective. Actually I
would love any movie AR was in. I've been trying to figure
out this fascination with AR - is it his acting? Yes, but
it's more than that. It's his depth of soul, his voice, and
his amazing charisma. Though when I was thinking of
occupations for AR, I thought of ones where he
would use his voice - radio dejay, talk show host, and
folksinger. I really would like to see him sing more. He
really seemed to be enjoying himself when he was singing.
AM <lily@valise.com>
Berkeley, Ca USA - 03/08/97A at 14:56:32
If you get the Arts & Entertainment channel (A&E), watch Biography on Monday night at 8:00 p.m. ET. It's going to be about Grigory Rasputin. That should be very interesting. I wonder if it'll have any references to the movie.
Suzanne K. <skurtz@cvtv.net>
Hallettsville, TX USA - 03/08/97A at 12:31:25
Very happy to find this page and rifle through it. I've only seen AR in a couple of things, but wow... I wondered
Where did this guy come from. Why have I never heard of him before? I guess because he was in the theater! Anyway,
there are two ideas that occur to me as I read his resume. First, that he makes Hollywood type films (Die Hard, Bob
Roberts, etc) only for financial reasons, but his real love is theater, and quality British film projects. This is
because the movies he chosen (Robin HOod, Die Hard)are higly commercial enterprises, not really deserving of his talents.
When he does deign to get involved in one of these films, he steals it! One of the interviews suggested that he was "a
scene=stealer,in a good way" My suggestion would be that he is a movie-stealer. Or perhaps, a movie-redeeemer.
All I know, is that Alan Rickman's performance in the esthetically-challenged Michael Collins was amazing. His anguish
with carry the burden of Ireland's political future was a visceral thing, and you could read the agony in his face. Scene-
stealer? Yep. Movie-stealer? Absolutely.
I'm looking forward to seeing more of AR's work...
Thanks so much for putting together this page.
Rhea Worrell <rworrel@ibm.net>
Durham, NC USA - 03/08/97A at 05:20:54
LOVE this page!! I'm a big Alan Rickman fan, and I'm so glad to find a page like this!! Have you gotten a reply to your "Letter to Alan Rickman"?
Traci <remy@empnet.com>
Prineville, OR USA - 03/08/97A at 02:48:38
Sorry Melissa. It was not my intent to harass M's Daly nor suggest anyone else do so. I was interested in the amount raised so far, to allow a little justified celebration for this great page and it's first anniversary. Karina and you worked so hard to get this project off the ground, and did so with great success. I didn't think a little joyful info was amiss at this stage. Sorry it offended you.
Anne
Anne <ahard73977@aol.com>
Alex, Va USA - 03/08/97A at 00:03:04
Hi! I haven't been here for a while and I'm afraid I have even
neglected checking our IRC channel. But now I need some Rickmaniac's help in conducting a small survey.
For everyone that reads this in the guestbook and is a true admirer of AR's acting and on screen/stage persona. I would be very appreciative if you could drop me a small
email note nameing your top three actors. If you are feeling particularly helpfull, describe what you like about them, their acting traits, script tastes, etc...
I will be eternaly gratefull. I am doing this for a paper on how we decide what movies we watch. TIA and TTFN,
Hannah C <equity@cfw.com>
Charlottesville, VA USA - 03/07/97A at 22:17:14
Thanks, Laurie. You've made me feel better about waiting for Mesmer. Sandra in FL, I used to watch "Shelley" too but I have only a short clip that is not the episode you mentioned. Of course the usual video sources have no info on the series. Oh, well, almost time for spring break. A trip to London would be great. See ya Monday!
Debbie
Lakeland, TN USA - 03/07/97A at 18:34:44
This is Miss Manners speaking: I think if I were Breda Daly I would feel a little coerced into expressing gratitude according to someone else's timetable. I'm sure when the dust settles at the Theatre she will have a gracious (and, we hope, detailed) response. Anybody worth her salt working in nonprofit fundraising is terrific at thank-you notes!
Melissa <masmith@law.harvard.edu>
Cambridge, MA USA - 03/07/97A at 15:20:26
Karina, as the ides of March approacheth, how goes the Almeida Project fund-raising effort? Any idea of the amount raised so far? Has Breda Daly been in touch? Is there anything I can do to help with any aspect of the project? Let me know. I will be happy to help in any way I can.
Anne
Anne <ahard73977@aol.com>
Alex., Va USA - 03/07/97A at 14:53:59
I'll start a thread that is sure to spark controversy. Please don't
flame me too badly.I hope that all Rickmaniacs who have spent $100+ on
Mesmer are not too disappointed. As one of the few who were fortunate enough to see it in a theatre (a
nd spend only $8), I was crushingly disappointed. The focus of the story
and the direction of the movie robbed AR's otherwise powerful performance of most of it's impact. It makes you weep for the movie that might have been.
Rasputin handled the
themes much more skillfully. (I've seen it available on laserdisc by the
way.) If only we could have the costumes of Mesmer with the story
of Rasputin. Save your money and watch S&S again.
Laurie <lreid@cga.ca>
Toronto, Canada - 03/07/97A at 10:16:12
Well, I will give this another try. Hello to all and kudos to Karina for this marvelous site. I may be new to the net, but my passion for AR is longstanding. His acting talent is exceptional, but it's those eyes, and that voice that have me possessed!
I expect to be visiting this site often, and I surely hope this message doesn't read like the first one I posted.
Judy <judce@postoffice.ptd.net>
Pine Grove, PA U.S> - 03/07/97A at 00:14:50
Thanks, Melissa! Well, maniacs, if a revival is all it takes, we can give them one. Hallabalooya! Karina, have you ever played stage manager? And thanks, Lisa! Whew! I had several big projects due today too-molto busy, but you would think that the asteroid made contact out there somewhere. I better go home and check. Let's see-The sound of AR's aspirations are phrensifying.
Debbie
Lakeland, TN USA - 03/06/97A at 18:34:13
Well, I'll toss this into the ether and see if anybody salutes. Last night, Robert Brustein, Artistic Director of the American Repertory Theatre here in Cambridge, gave a talk in which he mentioned that Actors Equity allows theater companies to make one--and only one--videotape of a single performance of a play. It has to be done with a stationary camera that can zoom in and out (that's all). The tape is made primarily for future stage managers, in the event of a revival of a production, to record the blocking. It's not intended for public consumption at all and theaters are supposed to be restrictive about showing it. This would explain why the RSC has the only tape in existence (unless Lincoln Center has one of the NY run?) of LLD. When *they* say that theater is ephemeral, Equity is happy to keep it that way.
Melissa <masmith@law.harvard.edu>
Cambridge, MA USA - 03/06/97A at 17:32:27
Hi Debbie! No you're not in the Zone. I've been checking in here today as well but thought that maybe there was something wrong because the only new postings were kinda odd and then came the "Testing" post from Karina. I guess there's no news today. Maybe we can come up with a new AR Guessing game. Let's see the ______ of ARs ______ is ________
Everybody play!!
Lisa
CA USA - 03/06/97A at 16:42:11
Either I'm in the twilight zone or everyone left the planet to attend an AR convention to which I was not invited. Is anybody out there?
Debbie
Lakeland, TN USA - 03/06/97A at 16:14:20
01772 253550
Amanda Joynt
Blackpool, Lancs England - 03/05/97A at 17:49:00
I am watching ClosetLand (over and over)for a film class and
we are to watch it for technical content, only I get about
halfway through the film and am draw into the story, completely
forgetting what I am supposed to be doing. Hypnosis by the
evil AR? I should be so lucky.
An occupation for AR? I work at a college so I guess I would
have to imagine him as my english professor and I am his
research assistant. What a job!
I wish he would do another book on tape. Return of the Native
was a sleeper story, but HE made it soooo interesting.
Sarah
Sarah Ewald <ssr166@clc.cc.il.us>
Spring Grove, IL USA - 03/05/97A at 16:59:21
I'm with Jennifer -- there's something very tantalizing about the idea of AR playing with my hair! I love reading this guestbook at work -- I have a whole new attitude! I think I'll take another look at the "Tango" photo now . . .
BC
Washington, DC USA - 03/05/97A at 16:31:33
Jennifer, you tacky girl! You just like the idea of Alan playing in your hair for a couple of hours. Can't say that I blame you for trying! But take a good look at the Beloved's hair. There's quite a lot going on there with color(s) and "wispys" along the sides. Doesn't look like he'd be interested in barber college! Here's a stretch. AR as auto mechanic. Women would be pulling parts out of their cars daily. What about sports caster? I think it would certainly increase female viewership, regardless of sport. Sorry, I'm babbling. Just spent two days in a workshop totally Alanless.
Sandra <SYJackson@aol.com>
Alexandria, VA USA - 03/05/97A at 16:23:04
Eva is correct, according to the James Bond website I found at http://www.mcs.net/~klast/www/bond_18.html It looks like Jonathan Pryce will be the villain in the next Bond film.
Elise <boston@hevanet.com>
OR USA - 03/05/97A at 12:14:27
Here are my suggestions for AR occupations:
1)The voice on the recording you hear over & over when you're on hold
2)DJ
3)Hairdresser-what else is there to look at when you're sitting in the chair facing the mirror?
Gotta get back to work......ttfn
Jennifer
Houston, TX USA - 03/05/97A at 08:51:37
Regarding James Bond, I know that they wanted a big time star for the villlain and that Anthony Hopkins was approached. I understood that Jonathan Pryce was casted instead
Eva
Copenhagen, Denmark - 03/05/97A at 07:30:12
Amber,always amber
Eva
Copenhagen, - 03/05/97A at 06:17:46
Me again. I just read a posting on Deja News that someone submitted two days ago. The posting said that a trade magazine (not named) did a piece on the upcoming Pierce Brosnan James Bond film for fall of 1997. The piece listed AR as one of the other actors in the movie that is being shot in Hong Kong. I don't know the validity of the source or article, maybe somebody else can confirm or deny it. Any thoughts?
Pam <Bagdzinski@Worldnet.ATT.Net>
NJ USA - 03/04/97A at 16:58:07
To Lisa and anyone else wondering: Michael Collins is supposed to be released on April 8th in the US.
Pam <Bagdzinski@Worldnet.ATT.Net>
NJ USA - 03/04/97A at 16:48:35
Just a quick note on the Bravo South Bank show. There is no interview with AR :-(((( ,but there is a lot of historical detail on the movie. It only shows a couple of scenes with AR and there is an amusing anecdote about him from the producer. It seems that none of the crowd that he wass to act in front of the day after he landed in Ireland were paid extras. They were just people who were invited to come out to flesh out a crowd scene. Apparently his only response to having to work in front of a potentially tough crowd ( by giving a very inflamatory speech) was "Thank you telling me". Cool indeed. And as to eye color, however you describe it the only appropriate word that comes to mind is *beautiful*. Reptillian indeed!!
Cheers,Paula
Paula Kirsch <strbuk@servtech.com>
Jamestown, NY USA - 03/04/97A at 16:23:41
Lisa....I watched the Michael Collins special on Bravo
yesterday. The focus of the show was primarily a historical
account of Michael Collins himself. Alas, no interview with
AR, but they did show two clips from the movie that included
AR - one being the scene of de Valera addressing the huge
Irish crowd - looked to be quite daunting. As I haven't
seen the film yet, I'm looking forward to its video release
- is it in April? - thought I read that somewhere.
Lisa <lmk7u@virginia.edu>
Charlottesville, VA - 03/04/97A at 16:12:54
Has anyone had the chance yet to see the Michael Collins interview on Bravo yet?
Was HE on it?
Lisa
CA USA - 03/04/97A at 15:43:25
Hi everyone. To Rebecca in Stratford: Ouch! Maybe he wasn't on the set that day? I have news for those of you in Canada (and the U.S.?) that receive the Women's Television Network. Keep your eyes on a new show starting Mar. 11 called Linehan, which consists of interviews Brian Linehan has done with celebrities. In the commercial promoting the show, they show clips of interviews, and guess who one of the interviewees is? It should be a great interview (what AR interview wouldn't be?) as Linehan is known for developing good rapport with his guests and asking insightful questions. Who knows, they may not even air the AR segment, but I'll be taping every show just in case!
Karina F. <kfuentes@uvic.ca>
Victoria, BC Canada - 03/04/97A at 14:58:19
OK, try this one on for size:
AR's eyes are the color of caramel apples, fresh from the kettle, warm and soft, seductive in their wordless promise of sweet ecstasy.
Alright, that's it. I need to find an AR 12-step program. (Hi, my name is Lisa and I'm a Rickmanaholic....)
Lisa
Riverside, CA USA - 03/04/97A at 13:29:44
I think I have come up with a way to make everyone in this
newsgroup happy. Now that science seems to have a handle on
cloning mammals, let's nominate AR to be the first human to
be cloned. Just think, we all could have our very own "copy".
Of course they couldn't be as good as the "original" version,
but what the heck, I can dream. ;)
Dee
Dee Korbel <deek@garnet.berkeley.edu>
Berkeley, CA USA - 03/04/97A at 11:19:29
OOH! OOH! I've got a better one! AR's eyes are the colour of.... honey flavoured fudge donuts! Too much??? :)
Sarah Smith <sarah.smith@strath.ac.uk>
Glasgow, UK - 03/04/97A at 09:52:16
SUZANNE - let me be the first to tell you that AR's eyes are pale brown - "the colour of weak tea" someone described them as.... perhaps we should start a new game: AR's eyes are the colour of...... a wild rabbit's ears!! (I must be more bored than usual today!). In answer to your other questions - I am a scorpio and I'm 31 - so I can confirm that the time of AR's birth was TWENTY YEARS TOO EARLY - and YES, he certainly DOES have Scorpio rising!! Hope this is helpful!! :) Sarah.
Sarah Smith <sarah.smith@strath.ac.uk>
Glasgow, UK - 03/04/97A at 09:49:15
All the occupation ideas are great. Many of us have been to Col. Brandonland and find it difficult to escape! News--if this is old news, please forgive me. I'm new at this. Last week I found a movie poster source at the Kate Winslet site and found out that they have a few TMD posters in stock. They are www.ricksmovie.com . The design they have is a white background with three different photos--similar to the video box design. The poster is $20 plus $4 for shipping. Thanks for the Mesmer info!
Debbie
Lakeland, TN USA - 03/04/97A at 09:45:38
May I ask, has anyone managed to find out the time of AR's birth? This is necessary in order to know his rising sign. I believe many pages back in the guestbook there was someone who said she had some astrology info. I would be very happy if she could post it here on the site. I think he has scorpio rising, his eyes are blue aren't they? And of course we know how sexy he is. Thanks for any help in this department.
Suzanne <SzieQ@aol.com>
Los Angeles, USA - 03/04/97A at 02:20:10
Dear Sarah - you are a scream. I really enjoyed your note in the guestbook. Poetry Teacher would probably be my choice, next to Optometrist. When we were at school, they brought in a visiting "romantic poet' to read to us. He was in a white poet shirt, young, swarthy, and had very poet-like wild black hair. So we 15 year olds sat with him as he read Byron, Shelly and Keats to us sitting on the carpet in our school's reading room. Actually, sit isn't the right word, we all just about keeled over with 'amourrrrr'. How dreamy to have our AR do that. When I think of it, that was a pretty cool guest speaker to have at school - how'd we get so lucky? Here's an amazing tentacle. I was at the nursery the other day, and guess what flower was on the cover of the garden magazine? The Stella Maris Azalea!! Now we have to extend our obsession to the garden as well to achieve a complete collection.
Anne
Sydney, NSW Australia - 03/03/97A at 23:48:10
Just been reading the latest entries and I agree with the other occupations of professor and Hot Line Counselor,I was thinking of psychologist or teacher or attorney but an attorney is also to some extent an actor so I guess that won't do. To Pam in NJ I noticed the light also but thought it was to imply his hypnotic skills. Your thought is interesting tho' maybe you're right, that could have been the purpose. On the video cover for 'Rasputin' it says 'Dark Servant of Destiny'right under the word 'Rasputin',it's the subtitle I suppose.Many thanks to the good folks on this page who found other sources for 'Mesmer' I ordered it from Videoflicks on Saturday and I await the mail with baited breath! My AR video library will be complete until 'Michael Collins' comes out then back I'll go to my local video store and get that. I'm going broke but I'm having fun!Talk again soon Anne
Anne <ahard73977@aol.com>
Alex., va USA - 03/03/97A at 23:05:26
Re Sarah's occupation query. In a Vanity Fair interview, Hugh Grant was asked something to the effect of what he would do if he wasn't an actor. He responded that he'd be Elizabeth's manservant. Now there's food for fantasy, eh Rickmaniacs!
Deb Del Nero Micallef <ddnm@msn.com>
OR USA - 03/03/97A at 20:06:11
RE: Sarah Smith's Question: How about Crisis Hotline Counselor. With that voice, he can talk me into or out of anything anytime. Plus Piscean-types are generally regarded as being very compassionate and understanding.
Lisa
USA - 03/03/97A at 19:27:32
An occupation:
A professor of english, preferably poetry/drama.
That way i could star at him whilst he recited poetry. The wish would be that he would teach many classes, so each semester i could take his class.
Oh and this may not be an occupation but wouldn't it be great: for him to be my neighbor! :)
christa <christa@communique.net>
Reserve, LA USA - 03/03/97A at 19:19:02
Re: Sarah Smith's question: Masseur, and volunteer reader
for Recording for the Blind and Dyslexic.
Emma
Princeton, NJ USA - 03/03/97A at 18:35:53
I was just looking at a website called the Entertainment Connection (videos, music, games). They refer to Rasputin as "Rasputin: Dark Servant of Destiny" (oooh so spoooooky!)
I have never heard it called that before. Have you?
Lisa
Riverside, CA USA - 03/03/97A at 18:26:50
Oops! I meant, "imagining" things.
Pam
NJ USA - 03/03/97A at 16:40:01
Hi all. I watched Rasputin again last nite, only for the second time, regrettfully, and I picked up on something. Did anybody else notice that whenever they did a close up on him, there was always a soft light illuminating his forehead??? This seemed to be throughout the entire movie, probably insinuating that he was indeed *touched* by Mary. Did anybody else see it, or am I imaging things?
Pam <Bagdzinski@Worldnet.ATT.Net>
NJ USA - 03/03/97A at 16:37:58
Thanks everybody for the help you gave. Expecially a thanks
to Annette in South Africa, And one of my fellow(wo)men from
Denmark -Eva who gave me the address of a company whom I will
soon contact. All of you Rickmaniacs are so cool -where would
I be without you? Lots of love -Anna Marie
Anna Marie Andersen <plohara@hotmail.com>
Haderslev, Denmark - 03/03/97A at 14:54:06
Greetings fellow maniacs. I've just bought my very own copy of S&S, so I can enjoy it to my heart's content! My fave bit is still the - GIVE ME AN OCCUPATION OR I WILL RUN MAD - speech. Got me to thinking..... what occupation would you give him???!! No, no - not that! I mean - if AR was not an actor, what could he be? (And don't suggest graphic artist cos that's boring!). I think my top choice would be an optician. Can you imagine AR shining his little torch in your eyes at close quarters?! "Now - is that better or worse?" "Oh - MUCH BETTER THANK YOU, Alan!!"
Sarah Smith <sarah.smith@strath.ac.uk>
Glasgow, UK - 03/03/97A at 09:59:33
To Anna Marie, You can get two of AR's best movies Truly Madly Deeply and Close My Eyes at Video Netto, Vesterbrogade 12 in Copenhagen. They are also very effective in getting videos from abroad. Another good contact is the English company Video Plus.
Eva
Copenhagen, Denmark - 03/03/97A at 09:31:45
To Anne Marie and the rest of of, who are victims of different national formats. The bext time you buy a video recordir by a Panasonic where some models can show both Amarican format and PAL. It is not more expensive than other middlerange models but it it gives you the possibility to get more material. Like Anne Marie I could not get a PAl of AABA but thanks to my Panasonic I can see an American version I bought in Paris. Actually the tecnical quality of movies are much better on the American format than on the European. You get much sharper images and much more detail.Expecially on S&S where the technical quality of the European videos are poorly. I have also been able to enjoy Rasputin, which is not available on European format yet.
Eva
Copenhagen, Denmark - 03/03/97A at 05:56:49
"My... eyes did scorn an humble tear;
And what these sorrows could not thence exhale,
Thy beauty hath, and made them blind with weeping.
I never sued to friend nor enemy;
My tongue could never learn sweet smoothing word;
But, now thy beauty is proposed my fee,
My proud heart sues, and prompts my tongue to speak."
I am utterly, utterly thrilled to find your site. It is, as I have said, that one can find ANYTHING on the Web if one hasa mind to!
Has anyone else out there heard of a Britcom (British comedy, for the uninitieted) called "Shelley?" If I recall correctly, Mr. Rickman played a small part in an episode concerning a dinner party. My local PBS station has not re-run it in several years, but I do believe that it was, indeed, Mr. Rickman who played in that episode. Perhaps information could be accessed by referring to the show's lead performer, Hywel Bennet (ah! a Welshman, my heart beats faster...)
Also, I encourage anyone who is interested in Mr. Rickman's work to examine a book called "Acting in Shakespeare." (My server will not allow me to denote titles according to any PROPER convention!) There is a chapter on Mr. Rickman as Jacques in "As You Like it." As the book costs over $20.00 (US), I have only looked at it longingly in my local Borders bookstore, but rest assured, I shall acquire it eventually!
While I cannot at this date and time give a specific refernce. our local paper referreed to a review in which Mr. Rickman's "Hamlet" (again, with a heatfelt aplogy for mt server's conventions! apology! apology! May I have an "Apology letter" issued to me? [CL fans - do you ever use a real thermos?]
I would absolutely, unequivocably LOVE to hear from any of Mr. Rickman's admirerers out there in Cyberspace. I have been too alone for too long. ANY enquiries or e-mail are not only welcomed, they will be answered in both a civil and intelligent manner.
SKFMyers@gnn,com
OR
skfMyersAaol.com
OR (!!!!)
Morgan1258@aol.com
OR
H4P1A3S1
(It stands for: (Shakespeare's) Henry IV, Part I, Act III, Scene I) AND DON'T THINK FOR ONE MOMENT THAT I I HAVEN'T IMAGINED MR. RICKMAN AS GLENDOWER (GLYNDWR - I can't support the proper diacretical marks, either... )
Sandra K. Fulbright-Myers <SKFmyers@gnn.com>
West Palm Beach, FL USA - 03/03/97A at 01:20:05
Kudos to all for such a wonderful web site. I have enjoyed reading the guestbook,fan page,and "lurking" through the photo gallery. It is nice to find so many people who have the same enthusiasm for such a fine actor. I shall keep in touch and go in chat. Take care. Teri
Teri Richardson <JaneDoe965@aol.com>
Palmdale, CA USA - 03/02/97A at 19:32:14
Karina, Well-deserved congratulations concerning the Celeb Site acknowledgment. The 4.0/4.0 rating for the page is as natural A+/A+ for Mr. Rickman, or that gold is good.
jannsue <jannsue@aol.com>
OK USA - 03/02/97A at 18:51:26
For those who have access to National Public Radio, the Sunday morning Weekend Edition program next week (March 9) will run a feature on the musical score of *Michael Collins*. Each week they will be critiquing the five Oscar nominees for the best original dramatic score; this Sunday critic Andy Trudeau talked about Patrick Doyle's work for *Hamlet*. The three other nominees in this category are *The English Patient,* *Shine,* and *Sleepers.* Cinematography was the ONLY other award that MC was nominated for--boo, hiss.
Melissa <masmith@law.harvard.edu>
Cambridge, MA USA - 03/02/97A at 16:51:13
Remember when you're using the form to send credit card donations to the theatre fund, sign the form somewhere. It may not be 100% necessary but may make it easier for them to process.
Laurie <lreid@cga.ca>
Toronto, ON Canada - 03/02/97A at 12:12:52
Hi again. This is to Annette in south Africa!
I would love to have a VHS copy of an Awfully big adventure.
I didn´t thought I would get any replies on my request -So I´m
thrilled. Hope to hear from you soon. I´ve send this to your e-mail
aswell so I´m sure you see it.
Lots of grateful thanks from Anna Marie Denmark.
And to Karina, thank you for making this possible.
Anna Marie <plohara@hotmail.com>
Haderslev, Denmark - 03/02/97A at 11:13:32
To Anna Maria in Denmark: I'd be delighted to send you a PAL/VHS copy of 'An Awfully Big Adventure' if you don't receive any other offers. However, I already have the other videos you mention, so maybe someone else will benefit more by doing a swap with you and gaining an addition to their collection. Regard me as a standby if no one else comes through - in return for a donation to the Almeida Fund! Cheers from Annette in South Africa.
Annette Carson <carson@global.co.za>
Johannesburg, South Africa - 03/02/97A at 03:07:19
Re Anna Maria from Denmark asking for a copy of Awfully Big Adventure.........before all you wonderful kind-hearted Americans offer to buy it for her please remember that although we all use VHS videos, most of the rest of the world uses VHS PAL whilst the US uses VHS NTSC. So unless you have a special video machine that can translate then if you live outside the US videos sent from over there are completely useless.
Anna Maria - you should find out what type of system is used in Denmark. If it's the same as the UK it will be PAL. If same as France, it will be a third type called SECAM.
Cheers,
Liza
Liza
USA - 03/01/97A at 22:04:05
Testing...testing...1,2,3
Karina <karina@fred.net>
USA - 03/01/97A at 19:55:08
Hello all you wonderful Rickmaniacs!!!
-Karina this is the best site on the Web.
And now on to something else.
Can anyone help me? I desperately want an awfully big
adventure, but it is impossible to buy in Denmark, so I
thougt mayby one of you guyes could help me....?
If you could send it to me, you can write how much it cost
and how much you spend on stamps and I will refund your money
or I can send you a copy of Mesmer, TMD, Robin Hood, or
closet land(I have two copies of them which I don´t need)
SO PLEASE if you can help me I will be eternaly greatful.
this is my addres:
Anna Marie Andersen
Aabenraavej 15
DK-6100 Haderslev
Denmark
Hope there´s someone who can help.
Anna Marie Andersen
Haderslev, Denmark - 03/01/97A at 14:21:55
The February 22 edition of the Electronic Telegraph contains
a really quite witty article on men with facial hair which
speculates on the attractiveness of mustaches to woman (it
starts out by dissing Ralph Fiennes current number). AR
is listed as one of those recently spotted sporting a
mustache.
Chris <ckwible@ptd.net>
NJ USA - 03/01/97A at 12:18:27
Recently, I wonder if there is anything on the internet about Alan Rickman, my most favourite actor. Fortunately I found this hompage. Thanks for maintaining such a fabulous contribution. -- Onticha, Bangkok, Thailand
Onticha <capetown@ksc15.th.com>
Bangkok, Thailand - 03/01/97A at 07:12:03
It's been a while since I looked at this page, but I have several things to share:
First, a Rickman horror story. I was in Dublin a couple of summers ago, and a friend and I were wandering around the downtown one evening when a fellow reeled out of a pub, accosted us (in the friendliest and least threatening manner possible), and urged us to go up the street to where they were shooting some sort of movie. He then gave us the name of the film, which did not sound a bit familiar. Aha, thought I, it's bound to be some incredibly low-budget flick that will never be seen except on this side of the ocean, starring people I've never heard of. (Why I should assume this I don't know, but I did.) So my friend and I never bothered to go and see where the movie was filming or who was there, even though it was only a couple of blocks away.
Well. Just a few days ago it finally registered with me what the name of this movie was.
You guessed it: Michael Collins.
Everybody repeat after me: Rebecca is an idiot.
Now that dreadful confession is over with, I'll go on to happier thoughts. One is that I was saying all the way back in '92, on the FidoNet DOCTOR WHO echo, that I thought Alan Rickman would make a fabulous Doctor (and/or Master, two parts which are not generally regarded as interchangeable, but that's just a testament to Mr. Rickman's versatility). This spawned a rumour which went on for some time that Alan Rickman actually was being considered to play the Doctor-- an idea that made me chuckle since I was sure it would never be so. As a result, when I heard this latest development about the cancelled movie and the BBC being sued, I thought it was someone's idea of a joke, a silly rumour with no basis in fact. Imagine my surprise to find that AR really was being wooed for the part! What a shame it never panned out...
Secondly, after weeks of discussion, AR seems to be the most popular choice over on the RUSS-L mailing list to play the retired Sherlock Holmes if there should ever be a movie of Laurie King's remarkable book The Beekeeper's Apprentice. We can't seem to cast Mary Russell, however...
And finally, someone mentioned that John Wood appears along with Rickman in Rasputin... to which I say, eek!!! I must see this movie now! Yes, I know John Wood is getting a little ancient, but I was a fan of his long before I ever discovered AR, for many of the same reasons that I like AR, and the two men have more than a little in common both physically and as actors. My favorite moment in WarGames (which is still a movie worth watching, IMO, even if only to laugh at Matthew Broderick's computer) is where Ally Sheedy sees John Wood's picture come up on the screen, and she breaths, "Wow... he is really amazing looking." With which I must absolutely agree. AR fans take note.
And that's it for me!
Rebecca J. Anderson <rebeccaj@pobox.com>
Stratford, ON CANADA - 03/01/97A at 00:15:51
