pixxaa, I look at your name and think "Pix Anne", like a pixie blowing fairy kisses. You and GML talking about that Brit slang word, "wanker"? The English language is so difficult; it's fun to play with, though. Man! you have to be so careful what you say! It must drive foreigners wild when they try to learn it!

There is a 4 page photo piece on Love Actually in the new Empire magazine. Here is a Selfridges Pic. The accompanying comment by Richard Curtis is as follows:

It's All Smiles Now...
"This photo was taken during a shoot in Selfridge's that lasted from 9pm until 5am the next morning. It must have been taken early. By 5am, no-one was smiling anymore."

Nice picture! Thank you Juliet and Sue!

My Halloween card

Judging from the acute dislike of Rickman, the judgemental tone, the poor word choice.... yes, I think the Wicked Whisperer must be no other than

*drumroll, please, Maestro*

Benedict Nightingale of the Times .

Don't know about the ear, it's a pretty damn fine nose!!!LOL

Here's the quote from Chris Columbus explaining why Roth was approached before Alan: ----------------------------

From: TOTAL FILM DECEMBER 2001

'...One thing that proved surprisingly possible was finding exactly the right cast. As Columbus puts it, the adult cast list "reads like a British greatest hits." With Richard Harris as Dumbledore, Maggie Smith as McGonagall, Robbie Coltrane as Hagrid, Ian Hart as Quirrell and Alan Rickman as Snape, you can see what he means. "It was embarrassing because everyone who was our first choice said 'yes'," Columbus continues. "There was a situation with Tim Roth, who we first approached for Snape (Roth opted to do Planet of the Apes instead), but ironically, the only resaon why we didn't go straight for Alan Rickman was because he was the one person who we thought would say 'no'. And it turned out he wanted to do it very much."...' -------------

... "And finally, I am delighted to learn that the charming Emma Thompson shares my low opinion of the over-rated Die Hard thespian Alan Rickman. Recalling their joint experience on Richard Curtis's forthcoming Love Actually, she says: 'I think you have to be really bloody good to get through to Alan. You would have to go up and lift your top up and say: "How about it?" Then he would still go: "How about what?"'"

(Daily Mail-UK-10/29/03)

Who writes this column anyway?

Buying the Radio Times in Sainsburys today my heart skipped several beats to see 5000 LA previw tix free.on the front cover!! I have had their free tix for movies before and they generally have a showing at Guildford near me. Tore to page 40 and *!?*!% NO shows at Guilford(sobs hysterically).

HOWEVER to show how big I am I list all the participating cinemas here!! Just take the voucher as soon as possible to the cinema and get your 2 free tix! All showings are on Tuesday 1tth November (times in Radio Times)

***MAJOR Love Actually spoiler***

Filtrum: Tobias Hill

Londoner Tobias Hill is an award-winning poet and novelist. His third novel, The Cryptographer, was published this year.

How would you like to rub shoulders with the stars?

Now you have a chance to do just that. We have 2 tickets to the premiere of Love Actually, to be held at London's Odeon Leicester Square on the 26th November. Plus we have 10 runners up prizes of indulgence kits to be won.

United International Pictures are offering you the chance to win tickets to the UK premiere of "Love Actually." Included in the prize are ticktets to the aftershow party, where you can mingle with stars!

Besides her elected position on the local council as representive for the St. Charles Ward (Kensington/Chelsea area of London), she sits on various boards, mainly schools/non-profit organizations.

I guess my question is-Why would a film that is billing itself as THE funny, breezy, romantic comedy of the holiday season need to carry an R rating.?

The *big house* in Marlow is subdivided into apartments in reality, hence the small kitchen I assume, although as the conservatory was actually a house in North London, it could be that the kitchen shots are same North London house.

"Staging Youth Theatre: A Practical Guide," by Rex Doyle, with Foreword by Alan Rickman. Here is the brief foreword by Alan Rickman. (Otherwise, the book offers no additional mention or any photos of him.):

"I first met and worked with Rex Doyle at the Crucible Theatre, Sheffield, when he directed me in his own play about the life of the great dancer Nijinsky.

Everything that makes Rex such a fine director and teacher was evident in that production. Meticulous research and great leaps of imagination. But perhaps most importantly it was a production that was guided at all times by Rex's openness and generosity towards the actors and his boundless gift for encouragement. And it was fun. The rehearsal room was by definition a market place for common sense, fleeting instincts, and mad ideas.

This excellent book is fed by exactly the same balance of the creative and the practical. Whether you need information on fund-raising, auditioning, running a rehearsal or making a prop, it is all here.

Youth Theatre continues to prove its worth not only in training young actors, directors and technicians, but also in developing the confidence and self-esteem of young people in a much wider sense. Dedicated youth leaders will benefit hugely from the guidance and inspiration which this book offers in abundance. Alan Rickman"

On another subject, I was so engrossed in the new job and the exam revisions, I never noticed Love Actually creeping on us. It's out soon, yepeee. There were pages of the film supplement of the Daily Torygraph devoted to it on Saturday, photos of Curtis, Firth, Neeson, Grant, McCutcheon, Thompson... Nighy... everybody. Well, nearly everybody. Mmph. Will you still be in England when it comes out? By the way, to the Bill Nighy fans here, I was looking up Corin Redgrave filmography yesterday to see if there was something getholdofable I hadn't seen yet and found that he (and Nighy) will be in a new movie soon, still in production. OK, I forget the title. Something about love.

Magda, agreed about the link html instructions on the 'add' page. I never add links because it takes my PC 30 minutes to change pages when I want to check...

Off to see if there is life on the Off-Topic page.>hic!<

"For instance Grant's Prime Minister character spends a lot of time off the subject, doling out anti-American political fodder that seems to have been included more because the Director wanted to slip in a political statement rather than having anything to do with the film itself. Maybe that time could have been used to wrap up a few unaddressed plot points? Most threads are tied up in a suitably satisfying fashion, but some, such as the status of Rickman and Thompson's marriage are simply left hanging. Good though it may be, in some ways, I get the sense that Love Actually wishes it was P.T. Anderson's much better Magnolia, set as it is on bringing so many disparate stories together, right down to doing so with unifying musical cues. In the end, despite Curtis' absolutely heroic efforts, Love never seems to have the necessary deftness to reach that high a plateau."

Anyway, Newsweek review of LA up:Newsweek review. It's not that good, frankly. Here's the AR/ET portion that answers the burning question about whether his character commits adultery or not: "The P.M.’s sister (Emma Thompson) is grappling with the wandering eye of her husband (Alan Rickman), whose saucy secretary (Heike Makatsch) is doing her best to seduce him. This triangle doesn’t really resolve itself, it just peters out."

Also, here's the relevant portion of the Daily Record article, such as it is:

PIRATES of the Caribbean beauty Keira Knightley is Britain's sexiest female film star. The 19-year-old won more fans in Bend It like Beckham before starring with Johnny Depp and Orlando Bloom in the swashbuckling Disney hit. But dishy Bloom lost out as Britain's sexiest film star to Bridget Jones hero Colin Firth, who won female hearts as Mr Darcy in Pride and Prejudice.

More mature sex symbols Alan Rickman, Sean Connery and Sean Bean also made the top five in the poll of 4500 people by internet provider Tiscali.....

It's been a long time since but what a terrific time I had those months in London - a must be done experience-

(Au fait, Nice to hear about you GML, I really hope that your exams was a success).

Well, I've decided to take a little time to share with you some experience you would surely like to hear. I'd nearly forget about Alan Rickman when suddenly someone has reminded me about him and the fact that he would be in Bowness (many thanks to this person). Well, that's wonderful because I wanted so much to visit the Lake District, Northern England and Scotland. I needed a little vacation before going back to Paris so I've decided that it would be a wonderful occasion to meet AR and in the meanwhile visiting the North of England so that's what I've done!!! So I've been to Bowness-on-Windermere for the Festival and then headed off to Scotland... I know that you are more impatient to hear the story of our encounter with Alan.

(Mille excuse for my english but Alan's french is not better...Oups I didn't mean it Alan, I like your voice when you speak French, I really do, I promised...)

So let's start...

Friday morning in London, my journey has begun with an espresso (or more) and heading back to my office as usual. I was both exciting and impatient to finish my work and going back home. I've never seen the morning pass so quickly before and soon arrived the lunchtime that I've taken at the office (you know French meal always on the need for such a journey!). Afterwards, I went back home, my luggage ready for departure and so began my WE off, headed out of the flat to take the Picadilly line to Heathrow. On arrive, nearly missed the closure of the gate (Ouf). Taken my fly to Manchester and arrived on scheduled time. At the train station somebody has told me that there was a direct train to Windermere (well, that's great) but what a liar!!!! (Roger has told me never to trust the National Railway: I never had a better advice). However, after having waited for nearly I don't remember how many hours I finally got a train to Preston from Manchester Picadilly and then (after a while) to Oxenholmes. There, on the platform I've met two wonderful women (I'll call her L and H) who were also going to the Festival. So after having waited a couple of minutes (hours?) we have decided to take a taxi to Bowness. The landscape was really nice even in the darkness and soon we had arrived in Bowness. Me and H ( I'd rather not telling her name unless telling otherwise by her) went directly to the Old Laundry to take our tickets and see if we were on time for the evening performance and yes we were ( L was too tired to come with us), super I'd always wanted to see the BELCEA quartet, marvellous violonist, violoncellist playing Mozart, Bartok and Beethoven with an electrifying impulse.

The women at the Old Laundry told us that we even had enough time to go to our hotel and head back to the theatre. so I went to my hotel and headed back to the theatre but too late, the performance has already began but a very nice woman at the box office allowed me to listen to them from behind the stairs, what a funny place to listen to such a beautiful live music but I had enjoy it whatsoever. After a few minutes and my head full of Mozart, I was allowed to get into the studio (or theatre but more like a studio because it's very tiny inside). At the interlude, I met H again and we had a nice conversation. We decided to return to our place for the second part and what I really didn't expect came: Monsieur Alan Rickman en personne!! I was so shocked I didn't want to stop to say bonjour or whatsoever... I ask H if I really had seen him even if knew it perfectly so she turn back her head and Alan and another man(Roger Glossop) were waving at us, she waved back and we went back to the studio. Alan and Roger also took a seat at the highest row. I tried to concentrate on the musician and succeed well enough because I thought it was weird to have Alan in the same room when didn't expected, however I must recognize that I was really aware of his physical presence and from time to time I couldn't help myself looking at him, It was a curious feeling because my head simply wouldn’t admit that he could be here while I was expecting to see him the next day. After the performance, I went to the "ladies" and at my return H presented me to Roger Glossop, the director of the festival. It was nice meeting him; really, I daresay I admire the work he has done for the people who leave here and his devotion for the theatre.

- Roger if ever you read this I really wanted to tell you that I had been really pleased to meet you and Paul as well and I wish you all the best for your Festival, I really mean it. So if one day you and your family come to Paris I would be very pleased to escort you or simply give a very warm welcoming as you did for me and the same goes for Paul -

(If ever you have the chance to go Bowness go and see the Old Laundry and the fantastic world of Beatrix Potter especially during its festival. There are always nice plays to see and a lot of other cultural attraction. This year I think it was the new version of Antigone by Blake Morrison which is worth seeing and I have missed it, what a shame!)

Well back to the story--- So I speak to Roger and I don't how and when suddenly came Alan again but this time straight to us, no need to say that I was completly shocked and that has resulted to my being completely tart (well, that what I was thinking at the time). Roger presented me to Alan and Alan replied in French "enchanté de vous connaître" in a quite funny way but nice (I wonder how did he knew I was French, maybe my accent). But I didn't remember having said anything, maybe a quite shy "nice to meet you, Alan" but full of this frenchy pride; I wouldn't dare recognize that I was totally thrilled to meet him and I don't exactly remember when he did it but he gave us caramel toffee that I couldn't refused!! I’ve noticed that he seemed to like sweet quite much as he was eating nearly all the bag. At the time it didn't make me feel anything special to be next to him, I was just thinking that he was a man like everybody else, quite charming but just a man and I behaved myself like I always did in the presence of a man, always pleased to make new acquaintance. I believe now that I couldn't realised that it was the same Alan Rickman I've seen many times in the "In Demand" clip and a lot of other nice movies. I don't really know what he was thinking at the time but he was just here wandering around us trying to look at the various posters surrounding us and moving in a quite funny way that made me wondered if he wasn't a little bit drunk or if it was really his way of moving, you know like Baudelaire's "Albatros":

L'acteur est "...semblable au prince des nuées
Qui hante la tempête et se rit de l'archer ;
Exilé sur le sol au milieu des huées,
Ses ailes de géant l'empêchent de marcher."

I asked him if he‘d be there all day the day after, he mustn’t have really understood what I asked because he answered in with famous tone that he wouldn’t be here all day because he would mostly be at the Royalty Cinema to present the movies and that he would only be there for the interview. However, maybe I didn’t say what I meant because I simply wanted to know if he would be with us all-day or only during the interview so I laugh and he smirked at me. I hope he didn’t think I was laughing at him because I was only laughing about the misunderstanding between us and maybe also a little bit about the way he was moving his back (drunk or not?). Then I told “see you tomorrow then” and I return to H and roger to tell them goodbye because I suddenly wanted to go back to the hotel to swim at the hotel swimming pool ( I know I’m quite strange sometimes even for me) so that what I did even if I had that they might be quite surprise to see me going so quickly. In fact, I wanted to leave him alone because it was too weird for me to be so suddenly in his presence that I couldn’t stand it no more…

I think that it will be enough for today. Maybe I‘ll tell you the rest of the story another time. I hope you have enjoy it as much as I did, maybe more…

Aaargh...I've just had to do the happy dance in order to get rid of the Asian Lady Beetle down the back of my shirt - thus am I served for the crime of willful and malicious punning, and inciting to pun.

Thanks also to everyone who has offered answers to some of my CME questions. Very enlightening! Sue--if you email me I think I can help you out with a copy of CME.

JulietsPix1
JulietsPix2
JulietsPix3
JulietsPix4
JulietsPix5
JulietsPix6

Would love to discuss CME, but unfortunately find myself at a loss for most of your questions myself! Spoiler space follows:

spoiler

spoiler

spoiler

1-4 As an American, I'm ignorant as to the locations and the vocabulary, sorry.

5 I thought she was being a bit more reserved, as if she was a model lounging around for window dressing and was only supposed to be speaking very softly and carefully. (Perhaps this comes from Richard's derisive description of the party later). Or, conversely, she is closed in, not speaking of much because as soon as she opens her mouth, Sinclair jumps into either correct or agree with her and then goes off on one of his tangents?

6 I took it that she meant to grab the dress and trample it or tear it as a final symbol that it was all over

7 I'm having to go on memory, as I'm still waiting for the DVD to come, but my feeling (as someone who speaks Spanish rather than Italian) was that she was asking her not to come in and maid said something about 'your husband', meaning Richard, being asleep. I'll probably be corrected on this, or if no one else comes up with the answer I'll be sure to listen for it when I watch

8 Well, I guess I put this in the 'suspended reality' of the film experience. For the same reason that people have conversations and dialogues that go somewhere-it's required for the film as compared to how real life works. Either that, or the legendary 'English reserve' is more substantial than I thought (So sorry, noticed that you were bleeding all over the floor, but didn't think it was my place to intrude).

As for that infamous illegal tape--I agree that the whole thing stinks. It was disrespectful to Alan and exploitive of his fan base. But I'm not sure what can be done to prevent such things, outside of searching everyone as they enter the theater. This I do not forsee happening. More likely, if it is perceived as a problem, Alan will simply stop making personal appearances. Somehow, I don't forsee this happening, either. At least I pray it does not.

But think of this. The person making the tape knew there would be a market for it on Ebay. The bidding probably wildly exceeded their expectations, but there is and always will be a market for this sort of thing. If every illegally made tape were removed from EBay, the auction inventory would probably drop by half. Still, I think the fact the the bidding got so out of hand says more about the buyers than about the seller. I apologize if I offend anyone by making this statement.

Still, after the dozens of times I have watched the video, I am left with lingering questions. First for the answerable ones:

(CLOSE MY EYES SPOILERS IN GREAT NUMBER BELOW)

1. What is usually found in the "tomatoes" Richard is examining at the restaurant? Seems to me that ketchup would be the logical thing, but when he opens it there is no liquid at all, only that tooth. (ewwwwww). And do people usually slip odd things into them, as Richard asserts?

2. One of the jobs Natalie circles in the Classified Ads is for a "Kord Minder". What is that?

3. What is the location of the outdoors restaurant where Sinclair and Richard have lunch? There are lots of terraces in the background with trailing vegetation. Looks like the same location was used in filming The Last of the Blonde Bombshells. (Or am I imagining that, too?)

4. What is the location of the tea room where Richard and Natalie have their big, teary arguement and where Sinclair has his "last" cucumber sandwich before leaving England?

And now for the questions that probably have no clear answers:

5. When Richard challenges Natalie on her new way of speaking and she answers, "I have always spoken like this," has she really changed the way she speaks? I do not notice any difference in accent or tone. I assume he means she sounds more refined, but I can't prove it. Anybody notice a difference?

6. When Natalie and Richard grapple in that deserted flat, why does she reach up and pull that dress off the hanger? Does this symbolize something or is she just being hysterical again?

7. What is the maid saying to Natalie? I believe she is speaking in Italian (the "ciao" at the end tipped me off), but can anyone translate what she says? Please?

8. At the end of the film, why do two adults beating on one another, lying in the middle of the road, lying at the side of the road, and limping back to the party all torn and bloody not arouse more than mild interest from observers? I mean, if I had been the person in the car zipping by right after Richard and Natalie narrowly avoid getting flattened by that truck (or even the truck driver) I would have stopped my vehicle to check them out.

Many people here sell things on E-bay. Unfortunately, when you sell something, you can't control what someone is willing to pay for it. It can get uncomfortable for the seller when the price goes so high as well.

The people who are banned are in a painful situation and are unhappy about it, so please let them decide if they're willing to share their meeting with AR.

The issue of the video CD - it was put on e-bay for $4.95 or there abouts. Certainly in the spirit of sharing with fans at cost. Ebay being a good site for selling things and an easy way for getting to the attention of a large group of fans, all over the world, and a managed way to organise paying for an item (I have sold things there myself). Its people who bid silly money for items not worth that, that put these things out of the reach of fans who would like to see them - and we would all like to see them.

Great to hear he is considering doing some stage work again in the not too distant future, best news I've heard for a while. The French movie on hold because of lack of funds for axis-of-evil - based projects, eh? Umph;). Do it on less, Alan! What? Shooting in Versailles and low-budget don't fit in the same sentence? OK, find the money somewhere else, then. Sell your body!... Nah, I know: rewrite the script to appeal to the producers: make the evil Versailles gardener slowly poison all the plants and send Arnie in GI gear to rescue Louis XIV's beautiful illegitimate daughter from his claws and plant hamburger trees all around the castle to feed the grateful French mobs. How about that? (I've got this sinking feeling he probably would get loads of cash offers for anything that daft...;)

Anyway, thanks again for the reports and photos and don't feel shy about adding stuff when it comes back to you!

Questions then switched to those from the audience, one question being why does Alexander Dane still wear his headpiece at home, to which Mr Rickman replied that it was relevant to the character and that the Thermians would have been confused had he not been wearing it. He seemed to have been proud to have been part of GQ, even though he remarked about Sci-fi in general "I loathe it"!

At the end of this mini interview he moved his own chair off stage, remarking dryly that he'd had a lot of practice as a stage hand. He then left the audience to enjoy the film. My friend, Glenda, hadn't seen this film before and thoroughly enjoyed it. It was good to see it on the big screen. Unfortunately in Northumberland, most of the cinemas have long since closed down and you usually have to travel into Tyneside to see anything. The Royalty is a wonderful, cosy old cinema which was built in 1926 and still retains many original features - and it has really comfortable seats! If you're ever in the area go visit it. On the way out after the screening, I noticed a small, dark haired woman standing in the foyer with a few people and I wondered if it was Rima. Later I found that it had been Rima and that it was Rickfan37 talking to her.

After lunch we trooped back into the cinema for the screening of The Winter Guest. We were told to sit anywhere we liked, so once I'd handed my ticket over I took off towards the front, determined to find a good seat for this one as I love this film. Glenda remarked that she had never seen me move so fast! Once settled in our seats I started to look around and I noticed that more people had arrived for this screening. I was trying to work out if anyone was there from the GB and we had the idea to write GUEST BOOK on a notepad and hold it above my head. It turned out that I was sitting next to Vanessa, Sofie was sitting in the seat in front, Rickfan37 was sitting across the aisle, Gissing's Girl and Totally Smitten were across the aisle at the front and then a voice came from behind where I was sitting, but further back, and it was Juliet. At least it broke the ice - what the locals/non-GB'ers thought is anyone's guess!

Again Mr Rickman came down the centre aisle to another round of applause and the question/answer session began for TWG. I can't remember much about what was being said as I had started to take pictures at that point and unfortunately I was shaking so much that the photos came out a little blurred. One remark I remember is that whenever he sees the film he often wishes he could go back and change or recut it. Ever the perfectionist. The interview finished (there was no audience participation in this one as they were running a little late) and again he left us to watch the film. Sitting so close to the big screen, I became very aware just how moving this film is, often poignant, sometimes funny, I noticed things I hadn't seen before and you really get wrapped up in the characters. After watching GQ, the contrast was striking.

After TWG, we walked further down the street to The Old Laundry Theatre, where the main interview would take place. I suddenly realised that the tickets weren't in my bag and Glenda and I had to pelt back to the Royalty to find them. The staff must have done a sweep of the cinema in the meantime and as we walked through the door, we were told that our tickets for the talk had already been sent down to The Old Laundry for us. Thankfully we were able to pick them up at the door. Once inside we had a cup of coffee and then it was announced that we should make our way through into the auditorium. There was a "Strictly No Photographs" sign up, so I knew I couldn't take any snaps there. We were shown to our seats, which were in the rows behind where Paul and Alan would be sitting. There were even more people there for this event and I noticed how many men were in the audience. Once more he came out to yet another round of applause and he settled down to the questions being asked. He seemed remarkably relaxed (possibly because he knew there were no journalists there!) Here are some of the subjects that I can remember:

Early life: remembers first going onstage at the age of seven. Vividly remembers posting his application to RADA "I remember the post box on Berwick Street in Soho and knew from that point on that my life was going to change". We were treated to a description of his audition (Richard III) and the fashion he was wearing at the time "I had hair down to here!" indicating a point past his shoulders.

Time in Rep: "I was in panto," "You weren't in panto, were you?" Paul asked. Alan nodded. At that same time someone in the audience shouted out "Oh yes he was!" and we all fell about laughing, including Alan. He remembered having to close a show early as one child got very upset and was crying too much - shades of Snape!

Les Liaisons Dangereuses: He said that acting required an awful lot of stamina. "I was onstage for three hours every night with LLD. After two and a half hours I was expected to have a sword fight with someone who had been in the dressing room for all that time." He said it was draining both physically and mentally and that playing someone like Valmont has a negative effect.

Die Hard: "Bruce had to pump up for every scene. I would walk past his gym equipment (pause for dramatic effect) and keep walking!"

Robin Hood:Prince of Thieves: Paul asked Alan how much influence he and his "certain friends" had exerted over the script " for example "Cancel Christmas". Alan replied "Everyone thinks it's "Cancel Christmas". It's "Call off Christmas". That line was in there originally, but in the middle of the sentence. It was moved to the end of the sentence for better effect". He also said that he believed that there was a newer version now on release with the cut scenes added.

The Winter Guest: He stressed how computer graphics (CGI) had been so useful in the making of the film. "You are looking at a seagull, but it's completely computer generated".

Current Theatre: Alan said that he had recently seen a production of Cymbeline by the Royal Shakespeare Company at Stratford which was the best production he had seen in years. He had had a long stint in Private Lives, but was now ready to look at going back on stage again. He had also finished work on the current Harry Potter film PoA.

At that point it was decided that questions would be taken from the audience and Paul and he decided to swap seats. Unfortunately all I could see now was the back of his head, but at least I could still hear THAT VOICE. If he ever decides to switch careers again and become a hypnotist I'm sure he would be just as successful at that! Anyway, here are some of the questions I remember:

"How do you cope with the prima donnas in the business?": He stated that he really hadn't come across much of that kind of behaviour and that a lot of it was media generated. He thought we were living in a society fascinated with the likes of Big Brother and celebrity and seemed to think that the media fed that obsession. "Now you've got Keira Knightley, one of my co-stars in Love Actually, and she's getting all that kind of attention. She's only 18".

"Who is your favourite character that you've played?": We didn't really get a definitive answer to this one. He said that every character has tied in with it memories that are specific to that time in his life - people he's met or worked with, going out for meals etc. He found it difficult to choose one.

"Who would you like to work with?": Alan mentioned that he would love to work with Pedro Almodovar, director of Talk To Her.

"Would you direct again?": He said that there was a script that had now been finished that he had been working on for the past 3-4 years. It was about Louis 14th of France and the creation of the gardens at Versailles (it's also a love story). They were looking for someone to finance it but because of the Iraq war America wasn't keen to fund anything to do with France.

"What advice would you give a young person starting out in the business?": To this he replied "I would say that it would be difficult, especially if we are talking about yourself, because you're a woman." He added that he felt there weren't enough opportunities, places at drama school, jobs in the business in general for women. You could genuinely feel his sense of injustice at this situation.

At this point I decided to ask a question and so did a girl behind me (many thanks to those of you out front who kept yelling "Behind you!" to him!). When my turn came I was aware of how much he had given to us as an audience and tried to articulate something along those lines. As he turned to look at me (he looks at you directly in the eyes) my brain turned to mush and my voice shook but I managed to get something out - "I know that this kind of situation is something of a trial for you - a kind of lion's den - but I have to say that it is very much appreciated that you have done it". I heard comments of "Hear, hear" around me and from the Man himself a quiet "Thank you". I tried to compose myself and asked:

"I understand that you wrote the lyrics to the theme of The Winter Guest and wondered how you got the Cocteau Twins involved": To this he replied that Michael Kamen had written most of the music to the film and "he put up with me writing some lyrics. I always wanted a Scottish singer and Annie Lennox wasn't available (he grinned). Liz Fraser had never done any solo work outside the Cocteau Twins." He said that he was very happy when she agreed to do it. I said that I thought that it was beautiful and very haunting. "Yes, it is beautiful." he agreed.

All too soon the session was over and it was announced that after a short break, Mr Rickman would be signing in the foyer for anyone who wanted an autograph. Alan thanked all of us for supporting the event. We filed out of the auditorium and after a quick dash to the loo and a glass of wine to bolster nerves, Sofie and I joined the end of the orderly queue for the autographs. Glenda decided to wait in the foyer so that she could take photos when it was our turn. Eventually our turn came. I walked forward, looked into those wonderful amber eyes, shook his hand (beautifully soft hands but with a firm, warm grip) and asked if it would be alright if he could sign three things. He nodded. First he signed my When Love Speaks CD (sigh), then he signed a personalised photo for Glenda. Lastly he signed one for me. I jokingly said that next stage production he's involved in, could he please bring it to the Theatre Royal in Newcastle. He laughed and said "Actually, talking about the Theatre Royal, do go and see the production of Cymbeline, it's wonderful." "I realised it was the one from Stratford and said "That's the one with Emma (Fielding) in it , isn't it?" He nodded "Yes, go and see it" I thanked him and shook his hand again. It was then Sofie's turn to have a signing and I took some pictures of her with him (hope they come out OK!) and that was the end of the queue. Just before we left the theatre I leant over and asked if I could have another question answered. He nodded again and I said "Has the Boggart in the Wardrobe scene been shot?" At first he was confused, then he realised what I meant and he smiled and said that yes, it had. At that I did a victory clench and quietly went "YES!" At that he laughed. Another scene stealer in the bag I think! I thanked him again and shook his hand for a THIRD time and said goodbye. We could not stay for S&S as Glenda had to get back home and Sofie needed a B&B as she had missed her train, (thank goodness you got back OK). Once a B&B had been sorted out, we set off on the road home.

Anyone who counts herself (or himself) a true fan would be more than happy to share this with fellow fans, who I am sure would be glad to pay them for both the material and time involved to make the copies and allow them a comfortable profit.

But this, unfortunately, reminds me of an instance during "Private Lives" run in New York where AR refused to sign a stack of collected playbills and photos, noting facetiously "I smell E-Bay!"

LA opens on Nov. 7 in San Francisco, I'm pleased to say. Sorry, Georgiana, that Detroit was picked over Seattle. 8-0

I'm asking because there are 2 VCD's (I understand that these are CDs which play video) listed on eBay. Item numbers 3356510722 and 3356514291. I was just wondering if anybody knows any more about them? Are they worth buying?

Jeans

Actor planning to pip pop stars at Christmas

A song which holds the record as the UK's longest chart-topper could be heading back to number one for Christmas.

A spoof version of Love Is All Around from new movie Love Actually is to be released the week before the festive chart is announced.

The track will compete with artists such as Sir Cliff Richard, Blue and retro rockers The Darkness for the coveted top spot. The Love Actually track, renamed Christmas Is All Around, is being sung by actor Bill Nighy.

He plays a washed-up musician, Billy Mac, who performs the track in the movie.

Love Is All Around was originally recorded by The Troggs, but found a new lease of life when Wet Wet Wet recorded it for the movie Four Weddings And A Funeral.

As to what Valmont is doing in the LLD picture, answer is writing a letter on Emile's back. (Act 1 scene 3). And yes you have the correct person in Mephisto -actor to the left in the brawl.

Took a look. Yep! That's Rima Horton, with the dark hair and the lovely red lipstick. :D
Tiny thing, isn't she?

I think I might possibly be the only male lurker here. I wasn't actually planning on ever posting, but I figured you should know I was here.

Alan Rickman is a great actor and comes across to me a perfectly decent human being. I've been a fan for a while and I find this guestbook ripe with amusing and/or intelligent conversation and one of the best places to find out what he's up to, release dates of stuff etc.

I saw they have the Love Actually poster displayed. "Quick", I told my daughter, "put in for the LA poster before anyone else claims it". Her response was "You're kidding right?, who would want that"?

As for how sexy Alan sounds in Italian, I have a inkling after hearing A Little Like Drowning (breaking into a sweat just thinking about it). Still, I look forward to the photo.

Film Laundry Festival

This event is located in the Lake District, UK, which comprises Windemere. I'm our UK members can post more detail about this area.

Juliet, I think the male "nudity" in LA will belong largely to Rodrigo Santoro, who's cute for a youngster, and in good enough shape, as far as I can see. Please, all of you who go, do post reports from Film Laundry from those us who can't go.

That photo in which he's "unaware of the camera"--he just looks goofy! Not that it's a bad thing, mind you....I'm looking forward to Liam Neeson, whatever his hair is like (he needs a Phil job). Although, I watched Michael Collins again, and while Liam is good enough, AR lets every moment in the film just "come to him"--though I suppose that arguably that's part of Dev's character. And can I, since I haven't in a while, just point out the comparison of his h*nd dance around the chair in the meeting room, and the one in S&S, talking with Elinor Dashwood? ("Ooops". My obsession's showing...*rearranges self*)

So... no way can I catch up with months of Guestbook talk, but I understand from the News Page that the man is getting out of his comfy nest to appear in the Lake District? The LaKe DiStRiCt? Why not the Moon, Alan? All booked up already? Anti-British activities activists not allowed on its soil? Sigh. Take a southern UK car-less person's word for it, it would be easier and faster to fly from Australia... and I have an exam next week *groan!*. Re-Ports. Re-Ports! No shyness allowed. I got shit for some of my past reports and still gave them! Pleeee-ase. And could they go on the news page? *Bambi Eyes*. New job too busy to even dream of reading GB now.

• T ango with Ninagawa Videogram: part 1 (Tango-pt1.exe, 15.3MB, 13 min, 27 sec)
• T ango with Ninagawa Videogram: part 2 (Tango-pt2.exe, 16.5MB, 12 min, 16 sec)
• T ango with Ninagawa Videogram: part 3 (Tango-pt3.exe, 15.3MG, 12 min, 21 sec)

(Videograms are NOT to be linked from/uploaded to other websites or used in any other way aside from your own personal use without my permission by e-mail, thank you!)

Donna, wonderful photos, thanks for the link!

Chapter 10 is rather dark and has references to rape. It is now up on ff.net and can be accessed from my author page here…

www.fanfiction.net/~rickfan37

It’s also on Fiction Alley and it can be found in the Astronomy Tower section here;

http://www.astronomytower.org/authorLinks/Rickfan37/ And it’s also on aff.net, here…

http://adultfan.nexcess.net/aff/authors.php?no=4458

Take your pick, and please leave a review! I have managed to upload this despite the shock of knowing I will meet Alan Rickman next week!

(Today's list was originally published on October 18, 2001)

The Top 13 Helpful Hints Given
to the Pentagon by Hollywood

(Part II)

13> Award bin Laden an honorary Emmy for his videotapes, then nab him when he accepts it.

12> Afghanistan isn't the best location. Consider building a soundstage in Toronto.

11> Recruit only busty babes, because the flat-chested mousy woman is *always* the traitor.

10> Guns and bombs are OK, but don't forget product placement -- get Coke or Pepsi in on this thing.

9> Have our soldiers wear their hair in a mullet; it makes them look dangerously psychotic.

8> "...and here's the best part: a sophisticated sex robot sent back in time to change the destiny of one lucky mother of a terrorist!"

7> Fired from a weapon, three-day-old Jujubees are deadly.

6> Watch Alan Rickman. Like a hawk.

5> The most important weapon in your arsenal? A properly- sharpened pithy quote.

4> Let President Bush get hit by lightning. He'll either gain superpowers or the ability to hear what women are thinking. Certainly one of those things should help.

3> As soon as Mel Gibson can grow his hair out, Osama's ass is grass.

2> Whatever you do, don't recruit any Saturday Night Live cast members!

and Topfive.com's Number 1 Helpful Hint Given to the Pentagon by Hollywood...

1> If our ground forces locate bin Laden, make sure the soldiers know to say "Osama yo' mama, Baby!" before pulling the trigger.

Sandy

http://securityresponse.symantec.com/

Film fans are in for a treat on Saturday October 18 as Alan Rickman makes a surprise appearance at the Film Laundry a new element to the Old Laundry's annual autumn festival.

Best known for his appearances in flicks such as like Robin Hood - Prince of Thieves Die Hard Sense and Sensibility Truly Madly Deeply and the Harry Potter films organisers have created an all-day event exploring the full range of the Hollywood star's talents.

Starting at 11am at The Royalty Cinema Bowness he introduces films in which he starred (Galaxy Quest) or directed (Winter Guest at 2.30pm) and later appears in conversation with radio broadcaster Paul Allen at the Old Laundry Theatre (5.30pm). Finally the Royalty screens Sense and Sensibility (8.30pm). Festival director Roger Glossop said it had been great fun putting together an event reflecting all the facets of the top actor's work. Full details on 015394-88444.

"A total of eight director awards will be handed out at this year's Cork Film Festival which takes place from Sunday 12 to Sunday 19 October. The UIP Directors Awards are the largest of their kind in Ireland, with a prize fund totalling €30,000.

The presentation to the winning directors will take place in the Cork Opera House prior to the 8.30pm gala screening of 'Love Actually' on Saturday 18 October.

Most people in Southwestern Ohio (and many beyond) have heard of Jungle Jim's, which is a massive grocery store just north of Cincinnati. It started as a simple produce stand and just grew, and grew, and grew to the point where it covers many acres and offers every sort of comestible known to humankind (Food beyond compare! Food beyond belief!). It is now so big that he is having a monorail installed to get you from the farthest parking lot to the store.

Jungle Jim is always tinkering with the store, and he is fond of huge mechanical talking displays (Elvis in produce, the singing Italian chef in the pasta aisle, etc), so you never know what you will find there from day to day. Kind of like Hogwarts. In fact, if this store had stairways, I am certain they would move all the time.

Anyway, I went there last week having not been there in over a year and had just come down the first aisle in the International Foods section when I was confronted with... Sherwood Forest! Jungle Jim has tripled the size of the International Foods section (which was already the size of an average A&P) and made a whole new section of British foods, topping the whole thing off with trees upon which are standing wax figures of Robin, Marian, and Little John. Not only that--they speak words of welcome as you enter. I got such a laugh out of shopping in Sherwood Forest it was difficult to move on!

RSC woos stars of stage (but not screen)
By James Morrison Arts and Media Correspondent 05 October 2003
The Royal Shakespeare Company is assembling a troupe of Britain's most distinguished stage actors in a return to the illustrious thespian tradition fostered by its founding artistic director, Sir Peter Hall.

I am struck by the lightning of you after you're gone.

TSO: the only mistake you made when trying to make a link is, you typed <ahref=" instead of <a href=" (in other words, it needs a space between the letter a and href). Hope that helps! :-)

http://www.thisisoxfordshire.co.uk/oxfordshire/whats_on/preview_actually1.html (sorry - you'll have to cut and paste)

Here's the AR portion:

"One of the couples at the center of Love Actually—Karen and Harry, a married couple with two children—have grown overly comfortable with their love for each other. In drawing their story, Curtis wanted to investigate “the whole idea of what happens when domesticity is interfered with.”

The director sought two actors for whom the task of playing a long-term couple would be second nature and cast Emma Thompson and Alan Rickman (who had previously worked together in several projects, including Sense and Sensibility and The Winter Guest) in the roles.

Rickman says, “It’s good to work with people that you’ve worked with before, when you know, like and trust them. Emma Thompson’s playing my wife, in a sense, meant that we almost didn’t have to rehearse the relationship—not that we’re married, but we do know each other well and we’ve worked together a few times now.”

In explaining his and Thompson’s on-screen counterparts, Rickman says, “Karen and Harry both have very busy lives and that often leads to little chinks in the armor…and into one of those chinks steps a young woman called Mia who works in Harry’s office. It’s just like a moment in time — you turn your head one way and one thing happens, turn another way and something else happens — but like perhaps a lot of men he had a weak moment, weak enough to give in.”

Thompson relishes her reuniting with so many of her colleagues and observes, “Richard’s a master at this kind of light material that also has a wealth of hidden depth. The stories are cross sections of different lives that all line up, either thematically or tangentially. It was fabulous to team up with Richard and Hugh and Alan and everyone again.”

"We have decided against a repressing of the 'Not Alan Rickman' single at this time, although the song is likely to appear on a forthcoming rarities compilation."

They sent her a link to a .mp3 and streaming versions of the song, though: