BFI Screening -- Merlin Series 3 Eps 1 and 2
Trust me people; the wait until September 11 is well worth it. I've just returned from the BFI where I spent a fabulous afternoon with evildrem, bigtitch, rodneyscat, loreley_se and met up with many other friends.
The first two episodes are brilliant. Utterly brilliant. They've set a fabulous tone for the rest of the series. There are already detailed reports of what happens in the first eps so permit me to give you some more general observations: firstly, the Merlin and Arthur friendship is not reset as it was at the beginning of Series Two. There's an affectionate camraderie between the two; Arthur expects to be insulted and called names by Merlin; Merlin in return expects Arthur to be pseudo exasperated with him and find some physical means of retribution. But at the end of the day, they are becoming friends.
Arthur has definitely continued growing into his position as the future king. He takes charge beautifully in these episodes, but not without soul searching.
Morganna has returned -- more beautiful than ever. On a purely aesthetic level, her costumes are utterly gorgeous. In terms of her character development, she's far more interesting now and her interaction with Morgause is a delight to behold. And goodness -- she's got the smirk down pat. Must have been all that time she's spent with Morgause.
Speaking of Morgause -- lovely to see her back. And talk about chemistry: the scenes between her and Cendred sizzle. And speaking of Cendred -- let's hope we see him again.
Sir Leon -- he's back! And everytime he appeared on the screen, the crowd cheered!! Let's hope the producers got the message that we like Sir Leon.
Speaking of fan service, two shirtless scenes with Bradley. ::heh:: Let's just leave it at that.
And there's so much more. Particularly the return of the Dragon. Excellently executed. One of the best parts of the two episodes. And the CGI is incredible!! And there were some very scary moments -- some fabulous images. They've obviously matured with their production values.
And on top of the screening of the first two eps, we got a question and answer from the entire main cast -- Katie, Angel, Anthony, Richard, Bradley and Colin! And two of the J's :) It was actually rather amusing because when the interviewer began the Q&A he commented on how much interest had been expressed in the screenings. They actually opened up a second theatre at the BFI this year to accomodate more people. And in terms of the feedback from last year, he said when they trawled the web and looked at blogs et al, two of the frequently recurring terms included "squeeeeeeeeeeeeee" and "Slash Dragon". Obviously the audience erupted into laughter at that.
Edit: And please, feel free to use any of my photos for icons or graphics or reposting elsewhere -- just give me the original credit for the photo please.
Further Edit: I'll be away from LJ for the next four days (unless some miraculous internet activity happens), so if you post something, please be patient as I won't be able to respond right a way.
Katie was looking stunning as usual. She's obviously delighted to have been such a significant character in the first two episodes. She is a little bit worried however that children will now come up to her and rather than embrace her, will consider her Merlin's enemy.
Angel was also looking lovely today. Of the group, she spoke the most about the increased activity on the internet when it came to Merlin -- fully aware once again of the various videos that are being posted et al. There was also a question posed later on to Bradley about the challenges of kissing a co-star. He went on for a bit about how unromantic it was to kiss someone with dozens of crew all around, dealing with lighting and make up and direction etc. And yet--how onscreen, it ended up looking romantic. When he was asked to rate the kiss on a scale of 1 to 10, I thought he said 2 which resulted in Angel making a faux dramatic unhappy face. I could be wrong as I was still busy taking photos. Any clarification greatly received.
Anthony was his typical, charming self. His laugh is utterly infectious. He was also the one to reveal that after the end of Series Two, the entire cast had told the producers that they need to bring back Rupert Young as Sir Leon--that's how popular Rupert became with them. Also -- it's nice to see at least one knight consistently!
Ahhh. The boys. And yes, the rest of the pics are of the boys. loreley_se and I totally lucked out this year and our seats were in Row B, directly in front of the boys. But let me apologize for the lighting right away--once again atrocious so these are the best that I could do. But I'm sure others will have better.
Hey look -- on the far left, it's Richard. I do apologize -- I have very few photos of him. But he was also his lovely typical self. He didn't talk a great deal this time around, but it looks like he's got a few episodes coming up where he's going to have quite a bit of fun.
For reasons unrelated to this photo (it just reminded me of a comment), when the issue of Bradley's naked chest came up, one of the producers said it wasn't in Bradley's contract -- he just kept insisting he wanted to do it ;).
I think these photos taken in sequence speak for themselves. The boys do like to tease each other.
Colin was in a particularly bubbly mood today. He didn't answer a lot of questions, but when he did, his answers were quite thoughtfully set out. And Bradley made note of said answers as you can see from this picture.
Bradley was particularly restless today when he wasn't answering a question. You couldn't keep him still for long periods of time before he'd switch positions with his legs or his arms. When a question was asked about his swordwork, he became quite animated. He talked about the fact that these days, he gets less and less advanced training for any action sequences. Sometimes, he gets five minutes of prep and he's on. He also mentioned the challenges of working with guest actors (who have varied experiences in swordwork) as compared to stunt doubles.
No commentary. Just the pretty:).
When Bradley is talking, he cannot help but use his hands. And check out his constant companion -- his ring.
Oh Colin -- can you be anymore adorable? And check out the expression on Bradley's face! And this was not related in any way to the question that was asked as to whether or not there might be a convention in the future of Merlin. As to that answer, the producers said they'd like to see the series develop more of a fanbase. After that -- they wouldn't rule it out.
If I recall correctly, this was taken after someone had asked whether or not Merlin would resume the ceremonial regalia which contains the hated, feathered hat at some point in time and the boys were trying to remember what this related to.
Just another awwww picture :).
And what post would be complete without a Bradley face!
Let us not forget, the boys can be pretty when they're being serious as well. When asked about the visitors to Pierrefonds and how they affect filming, the cast gave varied answers. Katie mentioned how walking from the car to the filming site could be a challenge as there were so many fans around. It was a matter of getting from Point A to Point B in order to make the filming schedule and not be interrupted. Anthony said something similar and commented on how some people thought that once filming was done, they were free to be approached -- which in fact they're not. But he also said how it felt like there was an audience there which gives it own rewards and how courteous most of the fans were (and he was also amazed at how patient they were when it came to waiting). Bradley commented on how sometimes it can be a distraction when you're really trying to get into a scene. The moral of the story (just my own opinion) that I took away from their comments: if you're going to Pierrefonds, stay distanced but enjoy the experience. They truly appreciate the fan support but let them get on with their jobs. I've always followed this motto personally and intend to continue doing so when I have the chance to return.
Colin being adorable again. When he was asked what famous character he'd like to play, he couldn't up with an answer. After all -- once you've played Merlin, what's left! A few minutes later, an audience member suggested "The Doctor". That got a round of applause. As for the others in the cast, Katie would like to play Katherine the Great, Angel wouldn't mind playing Cleopatra, Anthony -- the great bard, William Shakespeare; I didn't hear Richard's answer; and Bradley said Richard Wilson ;).
Great big laughs from them both!
More lovely looks. Colin was asked how did he prepare for some of the intense scenes he's been involved with where he's required to cry and emote heavily. Before he even got a chance to respond, Bradley kicked in with a comment along the lines of the fact that Colin was spending too much time with him and that inspired him. Colin played along and agreed that spending time with Bradley was very frustrating -- enough to make him be tearful. ;)
Just cheery, cheery boys.
Hello Mr. James -- oh yes, go ahead. Sprawl for us. How he can sprawl wherever he goes is one of the Great Mysteries.
And one final pic. Yes, boys, you're still adorable.
The first two episodes are brilliant. Utterly brilliant. They've set a fabulous tone for the rest of the series. There are already detailed reports of what happens in the first eps so permit me to give you some more general observations: firstly, the Merlin and Arthur friendship is not reset as it was at the beginning of Series Two. There's an affectionate camraderie between the two; Arthur expects to be insulted and called names by Merlin; Merlin in return expects Arthur to be pseudo exasperated with him and find some physical means of retribution. But at the end of the day, they are becoming friends.
Arthur has definitely continued growing into his position as the future king. He takes charge beautifully in these episodes, but not without soul searching.
Morganna has returned -- more beautiful than ever. On a purely aesthetic level, her costumes are utterly gorgeous. In terms of her character development, she's far more interesting now and her interaction with Morgause is a delight to behold. And goodness -- she's got the smirk down pat. Must have been all that time she's spent with Morgause.
Speaking of Morgause -- lovely to see her back. And talk about chemistry: the scenes between her and Cendred sizzle. And speaking of Cendred -- let's hope we see him again.
Sir Leon -- he's back! And everytime he appeared on the screen, the crowd cheered!! Let's hope the producers got the message that we like Sir Leon.
Speaking of fan service, two shirtless scenes with Bradley. ::heh:: Let's just leave it at that.
And there's so much more. Particularly the return of the Dragon. Excellently executed. One of the best parts of the two episodes. And the CGI is incredible!! And there were some very scary moments -- some fabulous images. They've obviously matured with their production values.
And on top of the screening of the first two eps, we got a question and answer from the entire main cast -- Katie, Angel, Anthony, Richard, Bradley and Colin! And two of the J's :) It was actually rather amusing because when the interviewer began the Q&A he commented on how much interest had been expressed in the screenings. They actually opened up a second theatre at the BFI this year to accomodate more people. And in terms of the feedback from last year, he said when they trawled the web and looked at blogs et al, two of the frequently recurring terms included "squeeeeeeeeeeeeee" and "Slash Dragon". Obviously the audience erupted into laughter at that.
Edit: And please, feel free to use any of my photos for icons or graphics or reposting elsewhere -- just give me the original credit for the photo please.
Further Edit: I'll be away from LJ for the next four days (unless some miraculous internet activity happens), so if you post something, please be patient as I won't be able to respond right a way.
Katie was looking stunning as usual. She's obviously delighted to have been such a significant character in the first two episodes. She is a little bit worried however that children will now come up to her and rather than embrace her, will consider her Merlin's enemy.
Angel was also looking lovely today. Of the group, she spoke the most about the increased activity on the internet when it came to Merlin -- fully aware once again of the various videos that are being posted et al. There was also a question posed later on to Bradley about the challenges of kissing a co-star. He went on for a bit about how unromantic it was to kiss someone with dozens of crew all around, dealing with lighting and make up and direction etc. And yet--how onscreen, it ended up looking romantic. When he was asked to rate the kiss on a scale of 1 to 10, I thought he said 2 which resulted in Angel making a faux dramatic unhappy face. I could be wrong as I was still busy taking photos. Any clarification greatly received.
Anthony was his typical, charming self. His laugh is utterly infectious. He was also the one to reveal that after the end of Series Two, the entire cast had told the producers that they need to bring back Rupert Young as Sir Leon--that's how popular Rupert became with them. Also -- it's nice to see at least one knight consistently!
Ahhh. The boys. And yes, the rest of the pics are of the boys. loreley_se and I totally lucked out this year and our seats were in Row B, directly in front of the boys. But let me apologize for the lighting right away--once again atrocious so these are the best that I could do. But I'm sure others will have better.
Hey look -- on the far left, it's Richard. I do apologize -- I have very few photos of him. But he was also his lovely typical self. He didn't talk a great deal this time around, but it looks like he's got a few episodes coming up where he's going to have quite a bit of fun.
For reasons unrelated to this photo (it just reminded me of a comment), when the issue of Bradley's naked chest came up, one of the producers said it wasn't in Bradley's contract -- he just kept insisting he wanted to do it ;).
I think these photos taken in sequence speak for themselves. The boys do like to tease each other.
Colin was in a particularly bubbly mood today. He didn't answer a lot of questions, but when he did, his answers were quite thoughtfully set out. And Bradley made note of said answers as you can see from this picture.
Bradley was particularly restless today when he wasn't answering a question. You couldn't keep him still for long periods of time before he'd switch positions with his legs or his arms. When a question was asked about his swordwork, he became quite animated. He talked about the fact that these days, he gets less and less advanced training for any action sequences. Sometimes, he gets five minutes of prep and he's on. He also mentioned the challenges of working with guest actors (who have varied experiences in swordwork) as compared to stunt doubles.
No commentary. Just the pretty:).
When Bradley is talking, he cannot help but use his hands. And check out his constant companion -- his ring.
Oh Colin -- can you be anymore adorable? And check out the expression on Bradley's face! And this was not related in any way to the question that was asked as to whether or not there might be a convention in the future of Merlin. As to that answer, the producers said they'd like to see the series develop more of a fanbase. After that -- they wouldn't rule it out.
If I recall correctly, this was taken after someone had asked whether or not Merlin would resume the ceremonial regalia which contains the hated, feathered hat at some point in time and the boys were trying to remember what this related to.
Just another awwww picture :).
And what post would be complete without a Bradley face!
Let us not forget, the boys can be pretty when they're being serious as well. When asked about the visitors to Pierrefonds and how they affect filming, the cast gave varied answers. Katie mentioned how walking from the car to the filming site could be a challenge as there were so many fans around. It was a matter of getting from Point A to Point B in order to make the filming schedule and not be interrupted. Anthony said something similar and commented on how some people thought that once filming was done, they were free to be approached -- which in fact they're not. But he also said how it felt like there was an audience there which gives it own rewards and how courteous most of the fans were (and he was also amazed at how patient they were when it came to waiting). Bradley commented on how sometimes it can be a distraction when you're really trying to get into a scene. The moral of the story (just my own opinion) that I took away from their comments: if you're going to Pierrefonds, stay distanced but enjoy the experience. They truly appreciate the fan support but let them get on with their jobs. I've always followed this motto personally and intend to continue doing so when I have the chance to return.
Colin being adorable again. When he was asked what famous character he'd like to play, he couldn't up with an answer. After all -- once you've played Merlin, what's left! A few minutes later, an audience member suggested "The Doctor". That got a round of applause. As for the others in the cast, Katie would like to play Katherine the Great, Angel wouldn't mind playing Cleopatra, Anthony -- the great bard, William Shakespeare; I didn't hear Richard's answer; and Bradley said Richard Wilson ;).
Great big laughs from them both!
More lovely looks. Colin was asked how did he prepare for some of the intense scenes he's been involved with where he's required to cry and emote heavily. Before he even got a chance to respond, Bradley kicked in with a comment along the lines of the fact that Colin was spending too much time with him and that inspired him. Colin played along and agreed that spending time with Bradley was very frustrating -- enough to make him be tearful. ;)
Just cheery, cheery boys.
Hello Mr. James -- oh yes, go ahead. Sprawl for us. How he can sprawl wherever he goes is one of the Great Mysteries.
And one final pic. Yes, boys, you're still adorable.