Reduced to Puddle of Happy Goo Again...
May. 9th, 2005 02:03 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
darth_stitchKingdom of Heaven is a historical FANTASY. Heh. If you're looking for historical accuracy and stuff like that, forget it - this ain't the movie you're looking for. Just sit back and enjoy Teh Pretteh.
Yes, I'm reduced to a puddle of happy, squeeing goo again - thank you, Orlando Bloom for being so squee-worthy. Yes, I know, me and about a kazillion other people but I don't give a flying rat's patootie anyway. XP He's MINE, y'lot!
*cough* Don't mind me, I'm just channeling my Harry Muse. *sheepish grin*
I was asked about why is it that I adore Orlando so. Simple: aside from the fact that he's drop-dead gorgeous, he kicks serious ass. At least as Legolas, Will Turner and now, Balian of Ibelin. I'm not counting Paris of Troy, because I really HATED that character, even when I read my Edith Hamilton Greek Mythology book to pieces. Orli rocks best when he plays the Classic Swashbuckling Hero and not the Pretty But Brainless Boytoy. Unless, of course, he's doing that role as a comedy. Heh.
At least Kingdom of Heaven made me run off to research the REAL facts behind the movie. *grins* Still researching as of this LJ writing and hey, I've always been fascinated with this particualr time period of history. Also makes me want to root out all of the novels I have that deal with this time period.
Coming in from watching Lord of the Rings, one could almost picture Jerusalem as the remnant of Minas Tirith with Balian of Ibelin as one of the last scions of the line of Elendil. Balian in this movie made me imagine Eldarion, Aragorn's son, as a grown man, fighting to preserve the lives of his people. Yes, I know - there be Plot Bunnies a'nibbling here. Heh.
The imagery and themes evoked by Kingdom of Heaven are also reminiscent of Arthur and Camelot. There's a lot of references to Balian as "a perfect knight." At least, about as perfect as he can get in our world - then again, Lancelot also DID sleep with his Queen, yeah? And as for Camelot - well, Kingdom of Heaven's Jerusalem implies that all faiths there were trying to live in quiet harmony although threatened by the fanaticism of the movie's Knights Templar and other folk.
Yes, I know that this is NOT quite an accurate historical picture of the time period or the players involved, but like I said, I'm taking this movie as a FANTASY and just going along with the flow.
And with Richard the Lionhearted appearing at the end of the movie, well, I thought of Jennifer Roberson's retelling of the Robin Hood tale Lady of the Forest, where Robert of Locksley served first as a valued knight under Richard. Given we've already seen a blond, archer Orlando as Legolas, it's not a stretch to imagine him playing a fair-haired Robin Hood. Only in Jennifer Roberson's story, Robin returns home scarred in spirit from the horrors of war AND the unwanted attentions of the king and lord he is still fiercely loyal to. Worth a read, that book.
Anyway, going back to Balian - I'd rather like to follow his story - the fictional one AND the historical one. He's an interesting character, as it turns out from this link over here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balian_of_Ibelin
Hmmm. Methinks I have Highlander Plot Bunnies a'nibbling...
Yes, I'm reduced to a puddle of happy, squeeing goo again - thank you, Orlando Bloom for being so squee-worthy. Yes, I know, me and about a kazillion other people but I don't give a flying rat's patootie anyway. XP He's MINE, y'lot!
*cough* Don't mind me, I'm just channeling my Harry Muse. *sheepish grin*
I was asked about why is it that I adore Orlando so. Simple: aside from the fact that he's drop-dead gorgeous, he kicks serious ass. At least as Legolas, Will Turner and now, Balian of Ibelin. I'm not counting Paris of Troy, because I really HATED that character, even when I read my Edith Hamilton Greek Mythology book to pieces. Orli rocks best when he plays the Classic Swashbuckling Hero and not the Pretty But Brainless Boytoy. Unless, of course, he's doing that role as a comedy. Heh.
At least Kingdom of Heaven made me run off to research the REAL facts behind the movie. *grins* Still researching as of this LJ writing and hey, I've always been fascinated with this particualr time period of history. Also makes me want to root out all of the novels I have that deal with this time period.
Coming in from watching Lord of the Rings, one could almost picture Jerusalem as the remnant of Minas Tirith with Balian of Ibelin as one of the last scions of the line of Elendil. Balian in this movie made me imagine Eldarion, Aragorn's son, as a grown man, fighting to preserve the lives of his people. Yes, I know - there be Plot Bunnies a'nibbling here. Heh.
The imagery and themes evoked by Kingdom of Heaven are also reminiscent of Arthur and Camelot. There's a lot of references to Balian as "a perfect knight." At least, about as perfect as he can get in our world - then again, Lancelot also DID sleep with his Queen, yeah? And as for Camelot - well, Kingdom of Heaven's Jerusalem implies that all faiths there were trying to live in quiet harmony although threatened by the fanaticism of the movie's Knights Templar and other folk.
Yes, I know that this is NOT quite an accurate historical picture of the time period or the players involved, but like I said, I'm taking this movie as a FANTASY and just going along with the flow.
And with Richard the Lionhearted appearing at the end of the movie, well, I thought of Jennifer Roberson's retelling of the Robin Hood tale Lady of the Forest, where Robert of Locksley served first as a valued knight under Richard. Given we've already seen a blond, archer Orlando as Legolas, it's not a stretch to imagine him playing a fair-haired Robin Hood. Only in Jennifer Roberson's story, Robin returns home scarred in spirit from the horrors of war AND the unwanted attentions of the king and lord he is still fiercely loyal to. Worth a read, that book.
Anyway, going back to Balian - I'd rather like to follow his story - the fictional one AND the historical one. He's an interesting character, as it turns out from this link over here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balian_of_Ibelin
Hmmm. Methinks I have Highlander Plot Bunnies a'nibbling...
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no subject
Date: 2005-05-08 07:59 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-05-09 09:46 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-05-09 03:13 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-05-09 09:21 am (UTC)Basically, Richard the Lionhearted is gay as a lark, yeah? And this is in the medieval times where gay = abomination and worse, he's the bloody KING of England, who's supposed to tumble kitchen wenches and ladies of the court if he's not making heirs with his wife.
However, he's got a SERIOUS love-on for Robert of Locksley, who, alas, for all his prettiness, is STRAIGHT as a ruler and of course is kind of freaked that his King and Liege Lord desires him in THAT way. And there's a part of him that wishes he could offer comfort to his King and serve him but he just CAN'T because, "your Majesty, I'm sorry, I'm STRAIGHT."
And this lovely lovely book has a SEQUEL, which I just found out now from Amazon.com and ARRRRGH the sequel is NOT HERE. WARGH!!!!!
*sigh* Such is life. I'm sure it'll turn up in the bargain bookshop one of these days...
no subject
Date: 2005-05-09 01:24 pm (UTC)[runs off to find the book]
orlando cant do stirring speeches...
Date: 2005-05-09 04:21 am (UTC)and yes, orlando could do robin hood :) and if you want any more pictures, message me. ive got lots :)
Re: orlando cant do stirring speeches...
Date: 2005-05-09 09:49 am (UTC)Uh.... *is enraptured by Orli's beautiful eyes*
Yeah.
Sure. He can. Really! XP
Heh. I suppose they kept more or less true to the spirit of historical events and you're right, otherwise, it would have seemed like they WON, which would be even sillier, instead of simply being able to buy safe passage for the Christians in Jerusalem, which was the point.
I'm re-reading Lady of the Forest again. And it has a SEQUEL. Whoa. Dude. XP
Re: orlando cant do stirring speeches...
Date: 2005-05-09 11:19 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-05-09 07:08 am (UTC)''Cos, um, icon. :D
no subject
Date: 2005-05-09 09:52 am (UTC)teh orli! teh pretteh! teh imagery!
SQUEEEE!!!
gaaaaay!!!
Date: 2005-05-09 11:27 am (UTC)Re: gaaaaay!!!
Date: 2005-05-10 02:56 am (UTC)Lady of Sherwood lang ang high sa wish list ko of "books that are not available here sa Pilipinas" - already have the sequels to Children of the Vampire, so that's okay. :) Oh and Lost Souls by Poppy Z. Brite - remember that? XP
Re: gaaaaay!!!
Date: 2005-05-10 04:33 am (UTC)oh and that's where fionavar is! :D glad to know.
Re: gaaaaay!!!
Date: 2005-05-10 06:39 am (UTC)Hm. Is the sequel to that lovely nutty dark fantasy book - the one with Saetan and Daemon and the rest of the bunch out? XP
Re: gaaaaay!!!
Date: 2005-05-10 12:32 pm (UTC)oh that sequel is currently 35 dollars. i am waiting for it to come out in soft cover. but im keeping that :P you can go borrow the entire series from the house if you want, just say when will have jen put it out for you.
Re: gaaaaay!!!
Date: 2005-05-11 02:27 am (UTC)Thanks!