Weekend Hijinks

[przed]

Well, today we're just hiding indoors, basking in the A/C and avoiding the heat, but it's been a busy weekend otherwise.

Friday night, I saw Blowup yet again at Cinematheque. It's one of Antonioni's masterpieces and I always try and see it whenever it's being screened. It's been a couple of years since the last time, and I'd forgotten that John Castle has a small role, as David Hemming's painter friend.

So, agentxpndble, just for you here's a capture of a young, lovely John Castle, with David Hemmings lurking in the background.




And for me, a cap of the young and beautiful David Hemmings, sans shirt.




Yesterday, we spent the day in Stratford and saw the Stratford Festival production of Coriolanus. I couldn't resist, since Coriolanus is one of my three favourite Shakespeare plays (and not only because you can really push the homoerotic bond between Caius Marcius Coriolanus and Tullus Aufidius, though that doesn't hurt) and Colm Feore, one of the best theatrical actors in Canada, was taking the lead role. I wasn't disappointed either. It was a lean, muscular production of the play, and while the homoerotic angle wasn't played up as much as it could have been, the scene where Tullus and Caius join forces was rivetting. If you're at all near Stratford, Ontario, I'd totally recommend getting tickets.

Comments

[beledibabe.livejournal.com]

Oh, John Castle!

::thud::

I remember him in Elizabeth R. Superb!

[przed.livejournal.com]

He is rather lovely, isn't he. But do you men The Lion in Winter? He was his sarcastic, awesome self in that one.

[beledibabe.livejournal.com]

::thwaps self on head::

Well, d'oh! Yes, I meant Lion in Winter. How my fingers actually typed in Elizabeth R, I'll never know!

[przed.livejournal.com]

I reckoned you knew that. And hey, I actually had to check to make sure he hadn't been in Elizabeth R. too.

[agentxpndble.livejournal.com]

:::hugs::: Isn't he adorable? I've never had the opportunity to see Blowup on the big screen... How totally awesome! It's a favorite (not because of John.)

If you watch it again on video, be sure to *listen* to John act during the sex scene. :::glurg:::

[przed.livejournal.com]

I've seen it many times on the big screen and would totally recommend the experience. The movie itself is so dependent on the act of seeing that it's great to be able to see all the details as large as possible.

I was definitely listening to John, um, act during said scene when I saw it on Friday. Shall have to listen again. On headphones. *g*

[shayheyred.livejournal.com]

BLOWUP!!
That was one of the first movies I obsessed over. I saw it in the theater and sat through it twice, and still don't know what it's about, but still love it anyway.

And my, wasn't David Hemmings preety!

[przed.livejournal.com]

I saw it for the first time in undergrad, and it utterly floored me. Still does, and I've seen it a bunch of times since, on video and in theatres.

And yeah, David Hemmings being so very pretty in it doesn't hurt at all.

Niiiiiice!

[(Anonymous)]

Yum! Love Blow-Up! First time I saw it was as a Sunday Afternoon movie on a Buffalo channel as a kid. Loved it then, love it now! Have the poster form Memory lane in Mirvish village...someday it will find a nice place in this home!!!
Nads

Re: Niiiiiice!

[przed.livejournal.com]

You were clearly advanced. I was in my early twenties before I saw it. Tho' the prettiness of David Hemmings may even have won me over as a kid.

Re: Niiiiiice!

[agentxpndble.livejournal.com]

I saw it when I was 13 or so... I thought that whole sex scene of John's was the hottest most sophisticated thing I'd ever seen. Somehow the orgy didn't impress me nearly as much... I was already madly in love with John and could see no other. Although David Hemmings was definitely on my list.

I think my David Hemmings phase was a bit later, really... I was an Airwolf junkie and just *wild* about Barbarella in high school.

[pxr5.livejournal.com]

I loved Hemmings in Blowup. He was such a pretty young thing.

Just a shame he didn't age as nicely. Do you remember him in Airwolf?

[przed.livejournal.com]

Saying Hemmings did not age nicely is a bit of an understatement, innit? "You have David Hemmings eyebrows" is my code to my guy that trimming said features is required.

I'd forgotten he was in Airwolf.

[blktauna.livejournal.com]

mmmmmmmmmmmm David Hemmings... preeeeety. John Castle... preeeeeety...

Wet wrestling please... now!!!!

(oops was that my out loud voice)

[przed.livejournal.com]

My thought when I saw that scene this time was "wow, how slashy is this!?" I just wish Castle's character had been in the film more.

[agentxpndble.livejournal.com]

I was waiting for someone else to say it... :-)

[przed.livejournal.com]

Hey, it was my first thought. What with them both being so young and lovely, and Hemmings hanging so eagerly over Castle's shoulder.

[agentxpndble.livejournal.com]

And that whole little flirty dance they do about the painting when David tries to buy it. And David standing there watching John and whats-her-face go at it. :::glurg:::

Love this: http://www.johncastlegallery.com/JCimages/Blowup2/castle_Blowup2_045.jpg

[przed.livejournal.com]

Wow, that capture says it all.

And that scene with David watching John and his girl go at it is very revealing. I'm sure the studio wanted it to imply that David is attracted to the girl, but she seems only to be a way for him to get closer to John. IMO. *g*

[agentxpndble.livejournal.com]

Well, it *was* the free-lovin 60s and David proceeds on to have an orgy with three girls in the next scene (or was that the scene he was coming *from*?) - Not to menting all the pot. I'm thinking it's not so far fetched that he and 'Bill' might have had some fun together. ;-)

Isn't someone going to have mercy on us and start writing some smut??? Anyone?

[przed.livejournal.com]

Heck, if I wasn't so swamped with RL stuff and other writing, *I'd* write this smut.

[reginaspina.livejournal.com]

Goodness! John Castle - loved him since "The Lion in Winter", sigh! I didn't like "Blowup" when I saw it ages ago, but your reviews have made me reconsider; I think I'm going to have to watch it again!

[przed.livejournal.com]

Castle is wonderful in The Lion in Winter, as is that entire cast.

I really cannot recommend Blowup highly enough. It's not for everyone, being European art cinema of the highest degree, but I find it utterly rivetting. The shot composition is impeccable and it's a fascinating and often playful examination of the acts of seeing and being seen, and of how the observer imposes their own expectations on what's being seen. And it doesn't hurt that Hemmings is not at all hard on the eyes.