Beowulf babble, parte the firste: Casting
Sep. 1st, 2004 02:25 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ealgyldenAll righty, the official site is here. The official title is Beowulf and Grendel ("A Love Story." Heh.), and the dragon is indeed Sir Not-Appearing-in-this-Film. So, no old Gerard, no downer ending, no last third of an already succinct plot... ready-made sequel, though, if you like your movies short. There will be no visual effects, just men and monsters hacking at each other with swords and claws (or whatever) as God and Bob Anderson intended. Keen. So on to picking on the:
Important Personages
The amazing things is that two actors from my Perfect Dream Beowulf Cast are actually in the movie! That never happens. If I wanted Cary Elwes for an Errol Flynn biopic, the part would go to Paul Walker. And yet Stellan Skarsgard and Tony Curran ended up in Beowulf anyway. Sometimes, things just go right. May it be a good omen for the film!
I'll cut so as not to bore anyone.
The Director- Sturla Gunnarsson. Man, I love Icelandic names, I really do. Sturla was born in Iceland and grew up in Canada. So, background in Canadian cinema (to quote "Atom Eggman" on Chilly Beach, "Something... happened...? Are you sure it was a Canadian movie?" I kid! I kid because I love). I've actually seen about half an hour of his film Rare Birds, and it wasn't bad. It didn't make me think, "This man must direct Beowulf!", but nothing in Meet the Feebles or The Frighteners said Tolkien to me either. I've seen Scorn, too, but I've mostly blocked it out. Some of his ideas about Beowulf and Beowulf sound interesting, though, and I like the fact that he's consistently (as far as I've seen) been friendly and forthcoming with the fans. He seems nice. That doesn't mean a thing as far as his directing ability, but he does seem nice. I'm hopeful about him.
The Writer- Andrew Berzins. Okay, let's see some credits here. North of 60. Cold Squad. Tom Stone. Someone's Canadian... Ew, Scorn again. Okay, nothing there says "epic" to me, and some of his ideas for this film sound worrisome to varying degrees. Selma? Grendel's father? Hrm. In general, the Grendel changes make me particularly nervous, but I'll save that for talking about Grendel. Reserving judgment.
The Location- Iceland! Yay! That's all, really. I love Iceland. It's one of the most beautiful places on earth. And obviously not much of southern Sweden will pass for the sixth century anymore, so Iceland will do very nicely, I'm sure. Ísland! Bezt í heimi! (Plus they have fun beer commercials. Always a good thing.)
Beowulf- played by Scott Speedman. Ha! Okay, not really, though that was indeed to be the case not that long ago. Isn't that a horrible thought? Stuart Townsend as Aragorn all over again. But apparently Sturla and Scott had a talk and decided that it was a horrible, terrible, no good, very bad idea (probably not in those exact words) and instead we get Gerard Butler.
I'm embarrassed to admit it, but while I've read interviews and appreciated lots of pictures, the only thing I've actually seen Butler in is Lara Croft: Excessively Long Title Part Two. There are movies of his on my "to-rent" list- Timeline, Attila, Reign of Fire, that Dracula movie with Nathan Fillion. I just haven't gotten to them yet. And while Lara Croft: Etc. made it amply clear that he has pretty eyes and nice cheekbones, it didn't afford him much opportunity to act. So all I know at this point is "tall, decorative, Scottish." But he seems like a good choice. I hope. And people whose taste I trust like him. And he's not Scott Speedman, so hey, bonus points there.
Hroðgar- Stellan! Stellan Stellan Stellan! Oh yes. Didn't I say he would look fabulous in a Beowulf film months ago? I sure did! And lo, the movie gods provide! Hail, movie gods! I'm a huge Stellan fan in general. He has this noble, melancholy, intelligent vibe that just gets to me, and which is ideal for Hroðgar. And he has a real knack for exuding quiet menace, a sort of violence repressed, though he can also seem sweet and gentle if need be (hey, he's a Swedish Sean Bean!). He's deep. *g* And far too often wasted in lousy movies, as such is the curse of the character actor. Having him as Hroðgar is a gift to this movie, a "Bernard Hill as Théoden" gift.
Selma- Sarah Polley. Okay. A moment, if you please. A)- Sarah Polley? What the heck? B)- "Selma"? What the heck? C)- What the heck?
Yeah. I like Sarah Polley a lot. She's very talented. Admittedly it's taken me longer than it should to stop thinking of her as "One Magic Christmas/Ramona/Kevin Sullivan girl", but that's my failing, not hers. And since this is a heavily Canadian production, it's nice to see one of the more talented young Canadian actors taking part (no idea where they're planning to send the cast accent-wise, but she'll probably be up to it). And while I don't immediately think "Viking!" when I see her, neither is it an impossible stretch. She's not one of those faces that can only look contemporary. And yet, I can't help thinking she doesn't quite belong in Beowulf. Because...
Who the hell is Selma?! There's no Selma in Beowulf! According to Sturla on the official boards, she's "a provocative witch with a mysterious connection to Grendel." She also came up when someone asked if Beowulf has a love interest. Argh. Now it's true that Beowulf isn't exactly crowded with active women's roles. There's Wealhþeow, Hroðgar's queen, a striking and important part, a good, well-intentioned, strong-willed, but ultimately dangerous woman. Unfortunately, she only gets about a minute on stage. There's Grendel's mother, the most important female in the poem, actively and symbolically, but she's a monster (and she doesn't appear on the cast list. Huh.). There's young Hygd, queen to Beowulf's king Hygelac, symbolically important, but a walk-on at best. There are a handful of thematically important queens past and present: Hroðgar's unnamed sister who's married to Onela of the Swedes, destructive Modþryð, Freawaru and Hildeburh the failed peaceweavers. All are important to understanding the poem, and yet none would work very easily as characters in a movie. But to be honest, I personally have never read Beowulf and felt it need more speaking parts for women. I don't know, maybe that's a failing on my part, but there it is. Certainly I've imagined them in the background, mourning their men, raising the next generation of Grendel-food, doing all the hundreds of thankless jobs necessary to keep even a failing kingdom like Hroðgar's going. But the queens are the only ones who stand out from that background, and sometimes even they fail (presumably Hroðgar's sister would have a name, after all. Wouldn't do to just call her "Woman"). I've definitely never felt the lack of a love interest for Beowulf (especially not a "provocative witch"!). His solitude, his textual celibacy, his lack of a legitimate heir, these things are important. So while Selma and Beowulf probably won't get any more than a significant look or two (I hope. I could be totally, completely wrong), creating this random character makes me uneasy. She's definitely a "movie thing."
But then maybe she's Grendel's mother. No longer a beast, but a blonde! Protected from age and fen-trollness by her provocative sorcery! Able to eat up brave warriors with one chomp of her dainty whites!
Heeeeee. Okay, let's hope not. And Selma could turn out great. There's just no way to tell yet.
Wealhþeow- Steinun Olina, aka Steinunn Ólína Þorsteinsdóttir. That's her. She's cute, isn't she? Should Wealhþeow be cute? I wonder what she looks like in costume.
Unferð- Ólafur Darri Ólafsson. It's interesting that according to the IMDB, he's more likely to be recognized by his fellow Icelanders by his voice, rather than his face. Unferð is a character almost entirely of the voice; his one action is a flyting, an attack of verbal one-upmanship used to enhance one's own status through the denigration of another's. He's the Royal Snarkmaster. So yeah, interesting casting.
Hondscioh- Tony Curran! Yay! Hondscioh's a bit player in the poem (I'm really trying not to be too spoilery, but it's so hard!), but it would be easy enough to expand his part. And I love Tony. Whatever they do with him, I'm glad he's there.
Hygelac- Mark Lewis. But which Mark Lewis? I'm assuming it's the one who played the roguishly charming chief gypsy in Ever After (and was an assassin with Tony Curran in Gladiator? How come I don't remember that? It's been too long since I've seen it). I haven't seen enough of him, but I did like him a lot in Ever After. And he'll look nice next to Gerard Butler.
Breca- Rory McCann. Hey, Breca the Flashback Guy gets to be in it. That'll be neat. No idea who this actor is, but I think it's cool for no real reason that he's in both Beowulf and Alexander. Go, Historical Epic Guy!
And then there are a bunch of folks who weren't named in the poem, some played by actors I know (Ronan Vibert? If they say so...), but most not. Oooh, mystery! *g*
Okay, Grendel and his gang up next. But not now, since it's 3am and I'm off to Brockville to buy shoes for J's wedding tomorrow. I meant to get sleep for once, too. This should be a fun shopping trip.
Important Personages
The amazing things is that two actors from my Perfect Dream Beowulf Cast are actually in the movie! That never happens. If I wanted Cary Elwes for an Errol Flynn biopic, the part would go to Paul Walker. And yet Stellan Skarsgard and Tony Curran ended up in Beowulf anyway. Sometimes, things just go right. May it be a good omen for the film!
I'll cut so as not to bore anyone.
The Director- Sturla Gunnarsson. Man, I love Icelandic names, I really do. Sturla was born in Iceland and grew up in Canada. So, background in Canadian cinema (to quote "Atom Eggman" on Chilly Beach, "Something... happened...? Are you sure it was a Canadian movie?" I kid! I kid because I love). I've actually seen about half an hour of his film Rare Birds, and it wasn't bad. It didn't make me think, "This man must direct Beowulf!", but nothing in Meet the Feebles or The Frighteners said Tolkien to me either. I've seen Scorn, too, but I've mostly blocked it out. Some of his ideas about Beowulf and Beowulf sound interesting, though, and I like the fact that he's consistently (as far as I've seen) been friendly and forthcoming with the fans. He seems nice. That doesn't mean a thing as far as his directing ability, but he does seem nice. I'm hopeful about him.
The Writer- Andrew Berzins. Okay, let's see some credits here. North of 60. Cold Squad. Tom Stone. Someone's Canadian... Ew, Scorn again. Okay, nothing there says "epic" to me, and some of his ideas for this film sound worrisome to varying degrees. Selma? Grendel's father? Hrm. In general, the Grendel changes make me particularly nervous, but I'll save that for talking about Grendel. Reserving judgment.
The Location- Iceland! Yay! That's all, really. I love Iceland. It's one of the most beautiful places on earth. And obviously not much of southern Sweden will pass for the sixth century anymore, so Iceland will do very nicely, I'm sure. Ísland! Bezt í heimi! (Plus they have fun beer commercials. Always a good thing.)
Beowulf- played by Scott Speedman. Ha! Okay, not really, though that was indeed to be the case not that long ago. Isn't that a horrible thought? Stuart Townsend as Aragorn all over again. But apparently Sturla and Scott had a talk and decided that it was a horrible, terrible, no good, very bad idea (probably not in those exact words) and instead we get Gerard Butler.
I'm embarrassed to admit it, but while I've read interviews and appreciated lots of pictures, the only thing I've actually seen Butler in is Lara Croft: Excessively Long Title Part Two. There are movies of his on my "to-rent" list- Timeline, Attila, Reign of Fire, that Dracula movie with Nathan Fillion. I just haven't gotten to them yet. And while Lara Croft: Etc. made it amply clear that he has pretty eyes and nice cheekbones, it didn't afford him much opportunity to act. So all I know at this point is "tall, decorative, Scottish." But he seems like a good choice. I hope. And people whose taste I trust like him. And he's not Scott Speedman, so hey, bonus points there.
Hroðgar- Stellan! Stellan Stellan Stellan! Oh yes. Didn't I say he would look fabulous in a Beowulf film months ago? I sure did! And lo, the movie gods provide! Hail, movie gods! I'm a huge Stellan fan in general. He has this noble, melancholy, intelligent vibe that just gets to me, and which is ideal for Hroðgar. And he has a real knack for exuding quiet menace, a sort of violence repressed, though he can also seem sweet and gentle if need be (hey, he's a Swedish Sean Bean!). He's deep. *g* And far too often wasted in lousy movies, as such is the curse of the character actor. Having him as Hroðgar is a gift to this movie, a "Bernard Hill as Théoden" gift.
Selma- Sarah Polley. Okay. A moment, if you please. A)- Sarah Polley? What the heck? B)- "Selma"? What the heck? C)- What the heck?
Yeah. I like Sarah Polley a lot. She's very talented. Admittedly it's taken me longer than it should to stop thinking of her as "One Magic Christmas/Ramona/Kevin Sullivan girl", but that's my failing, not hers. And since this is a heavily Canadian production, it's nice to see one of the more talented young Canadian actors taking part (no idea where they're planning to send the cast accent-wise, but she'll probably be up to it). And while I don't immediately think "Viking!" when I see her, neither is it an impossible stretch. She's not one of those faces that can only look contemporary. And yet, I can't help thinking she doesn't quite belong in Beowulf. Because...
Who the hell is Selma?! There's no Selma in Beowulf! According to Sturla on the official boards, she's "a provocative witch with a mysterious connection to Grendel." She also came up when someone asked if Beowulf has a love interest. Argh. Now it's true that Beowulf isn't exactly crowded with active women's roles. There's Wealhþeow, Hroðgar's queen, a striking and important part, a good, well-intentioned, strong-willed, but ultimately dangerous woman. Unfortunately, she only gets about a minute on stage. There's Grendel's mother, the most important female in the poem, actively and symbolically, but she's a monster (and she doesn't appear on the cast list. Huh.). There's young Hygd, queen to Beowulf's king Hygelac, symbolically important, but a walk-on at best. There are a handful of thematically important queens past and present: Hroðgar's unnamed sister who's married to Onela of the Swedes, destructive Modþryð, Freawaru and Hildeburh the failed peaceweavers. All are important to understanding the poem, and yet none would work very easily as characters in a movie. But to be honest, I personally have never read Beowulf and felt it need more speaking parts for women. I don't know, maybe that's a failing on my part, but there it is. Certainly I've imagined them in the background, mourning their men, raising the next generation of Grendel-food, doing all the hundreds of thankless jobs necessary to keep even a failing kingdom like Hroðgar's going. But the queens are the only ones who stand out from that background, and sometimes even they fail (presumably Hroðgar's sister would have a name, after all. Wouldn't do to just call her "Woman"). I've definitely never felt the lack of a love interest for Beowulf (especially not a "provocative witch"!). His solitude, his textual celibacy, his lack of a legitimate heir, these things are important. So while Selma and Beowulf probably won't get any more than a significant look or two (I hope. I could be totally, completely wrong), creating this random character makes me uneasy. She's definitely a "movie thing."
But then maybe she's Grendel's mother. No longer a beast, but a blonde! Protected from age and fen-trollness by her provocative sorcery! Able to eat up brave warriors with one chomp of her dainty whites!
Heeeeee. Okay, let's hope not. And Selma could turn out great. There's just no way to tell yet.
Wealhþeow- Steinun Olina, aka Steinunn Ólína Þorsteinsdóttir. That's her. She's cute, isn't she? Should Wealhþeow be cute? I wonder what she looks like in costume.
Unferð- Ólafur Darri Ólafsson. It's interesting that according to the IMDB, he's more likely to be recognized by his fellow Icelanders by his voice, rather than his face. Unferð is a character almost entirely of the voice; his one action is a flyting, an attack of verbal one-upmanship used to enhance one's own status through the denigration of another's. He's the Royal Snarkmaster. So yeah, interesting casting.
Hondscioh- Tony Curran! Yay! Hondscioh's a bit player in the poem (I'm really trying not to be too spoilery, but it's so hard!), but it would be easy enough to expand his part. And I love Tony. Whatever they do with him, I'm glad he's there.
Hygelac- Mark Lewis. But which Mark Lewis? I'm assuming it's the one who played the roguishly charming chief gypsy in Ever After (and was an assassin with Tony Curran in Gladiator? How come I don't remember that? It's been too long since I've seen it). I haven't seen enough of him, but I did like him a lot in Ever After. And he'll look nice next to Gerard Butler.
Breca- Rory McCann. Hey, Breca the Flashback Guy gets to be in it. That'll be neat. No idea who this actor is, but I think it's cool for no real reason that he's in both Beowulf and Alexander. Go, Historical Epic Guy!
And then there are a bunch of folks who weren't named in the poem, some played by actors I know (Ronan Vibert? If they say so...), but most not. Oooh, mystery! *g*
Okay, Grendel and his gang up next. But not now, since it's 3am and I'm off to Brockville to buy shoes for J's wedding tomorrow. I meant to get sleep for once, too. This should be a fun shopping trip.
(no subject)
Date: 2004-09-02 08:17 am (UTC)LMAO So true. (Guy Pearce did a very nice job as EF in a little Australian film titled, funnily enough, "Flynn." *g*) And dude! I'm so scarred for life! I *adore* Cary Elwes, but he's playing the lead in a made-for-tv movie about Ted Bundy airing soon. ::shudder::
I had the same reaction to "Selma" as you did. WTF? Here's hoping they don't screw it up. *sigh*
(no subject)
Date: 2004-09-05 03:29 pm (UTC)Selma, just... yeesh. I mean, Sarah Polley is a heck of an actress, but if I saw that character description in a fanfic summary? Delete. So yeah, fingers crossed, I guess.
(no subject)
Date: 2004-09-02 08:55 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2004-09-05 03:17 pm (UTC)