Sep 11, 2009

RA as Monet

If you haven't yet seen Richard Armitage in "The Impressionists" you must stop what you're doing
(after you look over this blog), run out and rent it, check it out from your local library, add it to your
Netflix que or whatever you must do to see it for yourself! It is a 3 episode movie and comes on 2 dvds.I just watched it for the first time and enjoyed it immensely! I may be bias, loving Richard Armitage's work,
being a former art major and with Claude Monet always being my favorite impressionist artist.
(You'd have thought I would have watched this movie by now! Don't be a slacker like me!)
I'll admit, after seeing pictures of RA in his Monet wig and sporting a silly goatee,
I thought, "Hmm... I don't think this one will make me giggle like a school girl." I was wrong.
RA as Monet is the first figure I saw walk onto screen... a shadow against a sunrise, and I immediately
started clapping my hands and bouncing in my seat with excitement. My husband looked at me like,
"Um, what's the big deal?" He watched part of it with me- interested in peeks at nude models perhaps
(don't worry: no full-on nudity or body parts, just implied as the artists were drawing/painting... although
there are plenty of nude paintings/sculptures.) The hubs didn't even recognize RA, so I didn't hear, "Is this
another movie with that guy!?" (My prepared response: "No, babe... it's Hugh Jackman." *snicker*)
Richard's wild hair and sometimes crazy, colorful costumes added to the movie.
This is one of the most visually pleasing films I've seen with its many shots of nature~
gardens, oceans, forests, countrysides, Richard Armitage, etc.
It made me want to dust off my old canvases and start painting something!
 The Impressionist artists (Manet, Monet, Renoir, Degas, etc.) were extremely passionate about their work.
Richard and the other actors portrayed that passion well. Two thumbs up!


Here is a clip from one of my favorite scenes...
*Be sure to pause the blog's background music (bottom of screen) before watching video.*

8 comments:

Maria Grazia said...

Already seen it and liked it! Guess what! Gaskell is my favourite Victorian writer and he became Thornton to me since I got my N&S DVD , Monet is my favourite painter and he played that role, Spooks was my favourite TV series, I hadn't missed an episode and ... he landed at MI5 section D, I love WWII movies and he is going to film one in Italy, my country! ...Haunting handsome presence! A sign of Fate? A pleasant, joyful addiction! ;-)

loriBear said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
loriBear said...

I put this on my Netflix list awhile back and I am like you... I totally loved the movie. Monet is one of my favorite artists as well so seeing RA portray him was a TOTAL treat.

Many fans hate this role cause of the bad wig and what some call the brillo pad on his chin, (giggle) but to me, he still was adorable and I really enjoyed it!

So I'm with you Natalie!

**MTA: {chuckle} on the Jackman comment!

kristi said...

I can never get enough of that man. Monet is my favorite impressionsist too - and being played by my favorite actor? Don't know why I've taken so long to see it. I must rent it now!!! He's so gorgeous, even in that ridiculous wig! I could listen to his voice for ages!

Starheart said...

Can't bring myself to watch this yet! It sounds really shallow but ... the goatee makes me cringe. Some call it chin pubes, yikes! How can a man with a very decent crop of hair have such a sparse scraggly beard? The pics of Monet are mostly of an older man and he had a real bushy Santa Clause beard. Not to mention there's too much evidence of RA's profuse bad boy stubble that this chin pube thing just makes me suspect the costume guy had a grudge against RA's talent for eliciting female drool. I'll get to it after Ultimate Force.

mulubinba said...

I absolutely loved The Impressionists and found it very moving indeed. The beard and wigs didn't worry me too much as I was too captivated with the storyline to bother about the looks factor.

mulubinba said...

Forgot to add that I loved the music in this.

PV said...

just watched via netflix. Loved it, BBC does a great job everytime. Richard was excellent, he is indeed a great actor. And I agree it was shot so well, such beautiful locales, i also went looking for my paint and brushes :)

PV