You'd never guess you're an actor, Brian.
June 12, 2009 12:39 PM Subscribe
Blessed is also a black belt who's climbed Everest three times, although he's never summitted. He's the oldest man ever to hike to the magnetic north pole. Bad. Ass.
posted by EarBucket at 12:53 PM on June 12, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by EarBucket at 12:53 PM on June 12, 2009 [1 favorite]
It's a Blessed event!
posted by Astro Zombie at 12:57 PM on June 12, 2009
posted by Astro Zombie at 12:57 PM on June 12, 2009
THIS! IS! WONDERFUL!!!!
posted by boo_radley at 12:59 PM on June 12, 2009
posted by boo_radley at 12:59 PM on June 12, 2009
Mine heart dost leap in adulation at such happy news! Yea, verily!
Note: I fully expect to annoy the living Hell out of everyone around me by talking like Thor for a full month before and after seeing the movie. Which is still significantly less obnoxious than that week I decided to talk like Bizarro.
posted by Parasite Unseen at 1:09 PM on June 12, 2009 [2 favorites]
Note: I fully expect to annoy the living Hell out of everyone around me by talking like Thor for a full month before and after seeing the movie. Which is still significantly less obnoxious than that week I decided to talk like Bizarro.
posted by Parasite Unseen at 1:09 PM on June 12, 2009 [2 favorites]
What a tremendous talent! Steal anything of mine you want, but make a move on my "I, Claudius" CD set and you're a memory.
posted by RavinDave at 1:12 PM on June 12, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by RavinDave at 1:12 PM on June 12, 2009 [1 favorite]
Quinctilius Varus, where are my eagles!!!
posted by RavinDave at 1:13 PM on June 12, 2009 [4 favorites]
posted by RavinDave at 1:13 PM on June 12, 2009 [4 favorites]
I think I've only ever seen Brian Blessed in one movie, but lord, how I love that movie.
"Onward, my brave hawkmen! Diiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiive!"
posted by GeekAnimator at 1:13 PM on June 12, 2009 [1 favorite]
"Onward, my brave hawkmen! Diiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiive!"
posted by GeekAnimator at 1:13 PM on June 12, 2009 [1 favorite]
I'm not going to say I watch Flash Gordon every Boxing Day afternoon... but it doesn't seem a proper Christmas holiday without it...
Gordon's Alive??!!!???
Voltan Impersonation Competition...
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 1:16 PM on June 12, 2009 [2 favorites]
Gordon's Alive??!!!???
Voltan Impersonation Competition...
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 1:16 PM on June 12, 2009 [2 favorites]
FRESH HORSES!
Ah GeekAnimator, awesome. "Who wants to live forever?"
Brian Blessed is one of those people who you subtly suspect is actually some kind of demigod, slumming around Earth. He's just got way more than his fair share of personality.
posted by JHarris at 1:16 PM on June 12, 2009 [1 favorite]
Ah GeekAnimator, awesome. "Who wants to live forever?"
Brian Blessed is one of those people who you subtly suspect is actually some kind of demigod, slumming around Earth. He's just got way more than his fair share of personality.
posted by JHarris at 1:16 PM on June 12, 2009 [1 favorite]
He was also the voice (and model, I suppose) for Boss Nass in The Phantom Menace. You might have seen that, if only to have the opportunity to despise it with a clean conscience.
posted by Grangousier at 1:17 PM on June 12, 2009 [2 favorites]
posted by Grangousier at 1:17 PM on June 12, 2009 [2 favorites]
It's actually easy to forget he's a really good actor... I Claudius of course and he totally steals the episodes of Blakes 7 and Survivors he guested in.
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 1:24 PM on June 12, 2009
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 1:24 PM on June 12, 2009
What in the hay is kicking youtube right now?
It can't stand up to total Blessedtude....
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 1:34 PM on June 12, 2009
It can't stand up to total Blessedtude....
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 1:34 PM on June 12, 2009
He was also brilliant as Exeter in Branaugh's Henry V. Not a tear-up-the-scenery kind of role, but he conveyed so much, not just about his character, but about the king and how he worked.
Yes, he's the man. I'd watch him read the phone book.
Oh and...
LET THIS BE KNOWN FOREVER...AS FLASH GORDON'S DAY!
posted by PlusDistance at 1:43 PM on June 12, 2009
Yes, he's the man. I'd watch him read the phone book.
Oh and...
LET THIS BE KNOWN FOREVER...AS FLASH GORDON'S DAY!
posted by PlusDistance at 1:43 PM on June 12, 2009
> He was also brilliant as Exeter in Branaugh's Henry V.
Oh, hells yes. It's quietly spoken, especially for him, but he insults the Dauphin wonderfully:
Oh, hells yes. It's quietly spoken, especially for him, but he insults the Dauphin wonderfully:
DAUPHINposted by Mr. Bad Example at 1:54 PM on June 12, 2009 [2 favorites]
For the Dauphin,
I stand here for him: what to him from England?
EXETER
Scorn and defiance; slight regard, contempt,
And any thing that may not misbecome
The mighty sender doth he prize you at.
I've always enjoyed Brian Blessed's work, but this post has really inceased by admiration for him as a performer and a person exponentially. In the "Blessed Sings" link link that fearfulsymmetry posted, we learn that he's a great singer, a rescuer of animals, and a delightfully silly man.
Odin in Thor? Yeah, I'm there for that.
posted by Joey Michaels at 2:03 PM on June 12, 2009 [1 favorite]
Odin in Thor? Yeah, I'm there for that.
posted by Joey Michaels at 2:03 PM on June 12, 2009 [1 favorite]
This is awesome. I've had a mancrush on him since Black Adder.
Nobody can deliver a 'WHAT?!?' like him.
posted by Busithoth at 2:03 PM on June 12, 2009 [3 favorites]
Nobody can deliver a 'WHAT?!?' like him.
posted by Busithoth at 2:03 PM on June 12, 2009 [3 favorites]
I remember some sort of contest in the Guardian a few years ago, where readers were supposed to imagine the most wildly inappropriate film casting.
Somebody came up with 'Brian Blessed in: The Horse Whisperer'.
It still gives me a chuckle.
posted by Flashman at 2:19 PM on June 12, 2009 [2 favorites]
Somebody came up with 'Brian Blessed in: The Horse Whisperer'.
It still gives me a chuckle.
posted by Flashman at 2:19 PM on June 12, 2009 [2 favorites]
Parasite Unseen: if you're going to use archaic verb forms, do it correctly.
Second person singular generally takes -st endings.
Third person plural generally takes -eth endings.
Hence, "Mine heart doth leap in adulation at such happy news! "
posted by Araucaria at 2:37 PM on June 12, 2009 [1 favorite]
Second person singular generally takes -st endings.
Third person plural generally takes -eth endings.
Hence, "Mine heart doth leap in adulation at such happy news! "
posted by Araucaria at 2:37 PM on June 12, 2009 [1 favorite]
Now try combining that with LOLcat ....
posted by Araucaria at 2:41 PM on June 12, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by Araucaria at 2:41 PM on June 12, 2009 [1 favorite]
He's also Maya's father.
****space:1999 reference***
posted by wittgenstein at 3:07 PM on June 12, 2009 [2 favorites]
****space:1999 reference***
posted by wittgenstein at 3:07 PM on June 12, 2009 [2 favorites]
I doth hath cheezburger
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 3:07 PM on June 12, 2009 [2 favorites]
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 3:07 PM on June 12, 2009 [2 favorites]
No love for Blackadder?
posted by cerulgalactus at 3:42 PM on June 12, 2009
posted by cerulgalactus at 3:42 PM on June 12, 2009
Brian Blessed and Patrick Stewart grew up together in Yorkshire, and have been friends since they were wee--Stewart tries (and fails) every time to keep Brian from his next Everest climb.
Jo Brand told a story on QI that Blessed had related to her about one of his climbs up Everest. I'm trying desperately to find a clip of it on YouTube and having no luck. I don't want to give it away, but let's say that Blessed had a potty emergency that went horribly, horribly wrong.
If I can find the clip, I'll come back and link it.
(On preview - MUCH love for Blackadder, cerulgalactus!)
posted by tzikeh at 4:13 PM on June 12, 2009 [1 favorite]
Jo Brand told a story on QI that Blessed had related to her about one of his climbs up Everest. I'm trying desperately to find a clip of it on YouTube and having no luck. I don't want to give it away, but let's say that Blessed had a potty emergency that went horribly, horribly wrong.
If I can find the clip, I'll come back and link it.
(On preview - MUCH love for Blackadder, cerulgalactus!)
posted by tzikeh at 4:13 PM on June 12, 2009 [1 favorite]
For a good laugh, pick out the bits involving Blessed in Branagh's autobiography wherein Blessed gives his own critical explanation of what Gertrude is in strong need of. (I would quote, but I do not have the book at hand, alas.)
posted by IndigoJones at 4:22 PM on June 12, 2009
posted by IndigoJones at 4:22 PM on June 12, 2009
He was also brilliant as Exeter in Branaugh's Henry V.
I should have tried to track down a clip of him as the ghost in Hamlet. He actually manages to whisper loudly.
posted by permafrost at 4:32 PM on June 12, 2009
I should have tried to track down a clip of him as the ghost in Hamlet. He actually manages to whisper loudly.
posted by permafrost at 4:32 PM on June 12, 2009
tzikeh- he has more than one such anecdote? Check OP's fourth link, go to ca. 5:25. If he can top that, well-
posted by IndigoJones at 4:35 PM on June 12, 2009
posted by IndigoJones at 4:35 PM on June 12, 2009
Augustus Caesar, in the BBC adaptation of I, Claudius, is probably the only role that's on an adequate scale for him.
posted by Doktor Zed at 5:44 PM on June 12, 2009
posted by Doktor Zed at 5:44 PM on June 12, 2009
I love Brian Blessed. He's amazing in everything.
It still gives me chills watching him die in I, Claudius. You can see the exact moment the light goes out of his eyes, and he stays there motionless while Livia talks and talks and talks, and it's not a pause-still.
Also, the first season of Black Adder, which I love although plenty of people dislike it. "Chiswick? Fresh horses!" "I like not this news! BRING ME SOME OTHER NEWS!"
posted by andraste at 7:13 PM on June 12, 2009
It still gives me chills watching him die in I, Claudius. You can see the exact moment the light goes out of his eyes, and he stays there motionless while Livia talks and talks and talks, and it's not a pause-still.
Also, the first season of Black Adder, which I love although plenty of people dislike it. "Chiswick? Fresh horses!" "I like not this news! BRING ME SOME OTHER NEWS!"
posted by andraste at 7:13 PM on June 12, 2009
Casting Brian Blessed as Odin is brilliant. Now I'm looking forward to the film.
posted by homunculus at 7:54 PM on June 12, 2009
posted by homunculus at 7:54 PM on June 12, 2009
IndigoJones - in fact, he does have another one - it's him this time that takes the shit, and it ends up IN HIS PARKA HOOD.
posted by tzikeh at 8:01 PM on June 12, 2009
posted by tzikeh at 8:01 PM on June 12, 2009
tzikeh - and still he went back for more.
Presumably because it was there.
posted by IndigoJones at 4:11 PM on June 13, 2009
Presumably because it was there.
posted by IndigoJones at 4:11 PM on June 13, 2009
I'd vaguely heard of him before clicking on the first link, and now will likely seek him out.
posted by not_on_display at 8:46 AM on June 15, 2009
posted by not_on_display at 8:46 AM on June 15, 2009
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