February 21 is Alan Rickman’s birthday.Happy birthday!
February 21 is Alan Rickman’s birthday.
Happy birthday!
This month we are happy to feature a stellar cast of international contributors:
From the UK, The complete transcript of the BBC World Service Meridian On Screen Program that aired on January 12, 1998
This month’s quiz: Fashion Trivia, which also includes Stezi’s gorgeous photo of AR wearing jeans
Our first-ever Letter to the Editor
From New Zealand, Ask The Rickmaniac Claudia is this month’s Consulting Rickmaniac!
From Holland, Two more photos from Stezi
And finally, the link of the month
Go to The Birthday Page
Go to The Rickmanista Review film review page
Go to The January Issue of the Rickmanista Review
Go to The Rickmaniac Cookbook
Would you like to contribute to next month’s Rickmanista Review? Do you have a question to Ask The Rickmaniac? Any film reviews or new recipes to sendWould you like to e-mail me? Please do at emma-mail@mailexcite.com
BBC World Service
Meridian On Screen program, aired 12 January, 2:30GMT.
BBC Commentator: Alan Rickman is best known as a villain on screen. In his directorial debut, Rickman reveals an altogether more sensitive side of his personality.
Phillida Law and real life daughter Emma Thompson play mother and daughter in the icy depths of winter. Thompson is Frances, a photographer who’s grieving after the death of her partner. Stumbling her way across the frozen fields comes her mother, determined to shake Frances our of her reverie.
Thompson and Law have worked together before, in Much Ado About Nothing and Peter’s Friends, but this is the first time they have portrayed mother & daughter on screen. Director Alan Rickman was asked if the women’s real life relationship influenced the making of the film.
AR: I think the mother-daughter thing is a thing I noticed more in the editing than at any other time because that’s when you really see the echoes of the physiognomy or the ease with which they move around each other. The rest of the time on the set, you are just aware of . . .well, it’s not just a couple of giggling schoolgirls, but really great friends on the set together, and two fantastic actresses.
(Note: Here they played a scene where Phillida Law’s character asks “What have you done to your hair. Then AR continued).
AR: The frissons that are there are the things that you certainly can’t direct, things that you can’t legislate (?); when in fact, there were times that Phillida said “This thing’s a bit close for comfort, don’t want to talk about it too much”, so we didn’t. And sometimes you wished you had the cameras rolling during rehearsal because there were things you could never capture again once, you know, that particular -- if you like -- ice had been broken.
(The commentator then introduced a film critic from The Sunday Telegraph. She likes AR when he’s acting, but did not like TWG)
Well, nobody’s come out yet with Alan Rickman paper dolls (even when there was a Sheriff of Nottingham doll that did not look like him), so for all of us clothes enthusiasts, this month we have The First Fashion Trivia Quiz. The quiz is divided in two sections: Outfits, and Accessories. There’s an extra-point question at the end re: hair (we will probably have a hair quiz in the upcoming months).
1) AR wore white silk when playing which two characters on stage:
a. Jaques
b. Valmont
c. Sherlock Holmes
2) What did Col. Brandon wear to his wedding?
a. Ascot-style formal morning dress
b. White tie, black tails, top hat
c. Dress Uniform: Red coat, white trousers, sword
3) Which character did not dress in all-black clothes:
a. George, Sheriff of Nottingham
b. Jamie
c. Col. Brandon
d. Obadiah Slope
4) Name which character wore each at-home leisure outfit:
a. Black velvet robe
b. Silk jacquard robe and pajama bottoms
c. Wool long-johns (union suit) and overcoat
5) Which other film character wore a velvet coat?
6) What color was Hans Gruber’s overcoat?
7) In what made-for-cable-TV movie did AR’s character wear a red tunic when dancing on a table?
8) Which film character wore what looked like a pre-Victorian ten gallon hat?
9) Who did not wear a hat?
a. Reverend Slope
b. Hans Gruber
c. Elliot
10) Who wore gloves?
a. Col. Brandon
b. Dwight
c. Jamie
11) Who wore a scarf?
a. Elliot
b. Hans
c. Ed
12) Who wore gauntlets and grommets?
13) Name two characters that wore ruffles on their shirts.
14) Which of the following did Col. Brandon use for accessorizing?
a. Black horse
b. Gloves
c. Crop
d. Knife
e. Black Labrador dog
f. Sword
15) Which AR character wore a cape?
a. George, Sheriff of Nottingham
b. Zorro
c. Count Dracula
Extra points: Make two lists: List A: Chracters Mr. Rickman played with blond hair; List B: Characters with black hair.
Answers:
1) a&b: 2) c; 3) Jamie; 4) Rasputin, Dwight, O’Hara; 5) Dr. Mesmer; 6) charcoal gray; 7) Rasputin, Dark Servant of Destiny; 8) Col. Brandon; 9) Hans; 10) Col. Brandon;
11) Ed; 12) George; 13) Valmont & Dr. Mesmer; 14) All of the above. The good Col.’s a real fashion plate! 15) AR’s only played George for the general public. What else we imagine he can play is up to us.
My heartfelt thanks to Stezi for the wonderful photo
Dear Emma,
In last month’s quiz, Are You A Rickmaniac, you asked “Are household members trying to sound like AR? Pets count”. I was wondering, does my computer count?
My reply,
Absolutely! Making a computer consistently do what you want it to do is a lot harder than getting people to let you listen to TROTN undisturbed. So, for every sound file your computer plays, give yourself two points.
Thank you for asking,
E.
Ask the Rickmaniac this month:Ask Auntie Clods
Emma thanks Claudia for being this month’s Consulting Rickmaniac
Dear Auntie Clods,
That picture from The Guardian -- Alan on the roof with his hands on his hips -- what a wonderful picture! Whose idea was that pose? Signed, Wondering, Wyoming
Dear Wondering,
Mine. Well, OK, not mine, but AR enjoys my character on FOF, and thought he’s have a little joke with me by striking up my trademark pose. Nice to know he still cares.
Dear Auntie Clods,
Now that Renie married Hans and disappeared off on honeymoon, will FOF get boring? Signed, Hans Fan, Stuttgart
Dear HFS,
Who are you? Have you been paying attention? Mary Anne in the bedroom of the Interrogator -- wasn’t that enough excitement for you? If not, I suggest you start writing a story line yourself, and we all look forward to seeing what you deem excitement.
Dear Auntie Clods,
Is Alan Rickman married? I thought I saw him wearing a wedding ring in a recent photograph. Signed, Single in Seattle.
Dear Single,
No, he isn’t married, but as good as (or better than, depending on your opinion of marriage). He was probably wearing a wedding ring to put off people like you who look for them (or their lack thereof).
Dear Auntie Clods,
Why didn’t Ed have a more prominent role in January Man? I thought he was the best part of the film. Signed, Art Lover, NY.
Dear Art Lover,
Yes, why? Probably because AR is a better actor than the leading man, and upstages them all the time. They daren’t let him have too much time on screen. Perhaps Emma should have this as one of the questions in her quiz “How many times has AR upstaged the leading man in the films he’s been in?”
Dear Auntie Clods,
My husband refuses to watch any AR movies. whether action adventure (Die Hard), romance (S&S), or whatever. What should I do? Signed, Film Buff, Sussex
Dear FB,
Watch them without him of course! AR movies are better watched alone so you can drool away to your heart’s content, or with a group of fellow Rickmaniacs. The neighbours might get a little worried about the moaning and giggling coming from you place, though.
Dear Auntie Clods,
My Mom thinks I’m too old to be a Rickmaniac, and keeps taking away my videos. Should I hide them when she comes to visit?
Answer: Your Mum’s a closet Rickmaniac, and is taking your videos away so she can watch them. Don’t hide them when she comes to visit -- put one on, and watch it together. You’ll just have to explain she can’t have AR all to herself.
Dear Auntie Clods,
Why do I have a weakness for British men with velvety voices? Signed, Swooning, Swansea
Dear Swooning,
Why not?
Dear Auntie Clods,
When will AR get to play doctor again?
Answer: In our dreams . . .
Dear Auntie Clods,
I have a story I’d like to enter in the FOF, but I think it’s too short. What can I do?
Answer: E-mail it to me Claudia, at clods@extra.co.nz, and I’ll publish it on the short story site Solo Flights, especially for people like you.
My heartfelt thanks to Claudia for being this month’s Consulting Rickmaniac
Stezi from Holland sent two other gorgeous photos:
The last photo is now displayed below the counter at the end of this page. My apologies for the delay.
Link of the month
Asylum’s Interview
