Discovering The Morrissey...

[kitty11]

I'm surprised there isn't a thread on this already, but ah well...

Thought I'd dedicate a general thread to discuss what's gotten folk here interested in David Morrissey and his works. Was there a particular film/show/performance of his that hooked you in?

Please feel free to share your anecdotes and stories here

To start off, for me, oddly enough, it was finding out late last year that he was going to appear in The Next Doctor with a certain Mr. Tennant, whom he appeared alongside in Blackpool (which I had seen back in 2006). After watching the episode, which he was excellent in (as expected ) I got inspired to write some Doc-Jackson Who-fic, and wanted to keep the Jackson 'voice' in my head, so I started watching some of DM's other films, including Basic Instinct 2 (not the best of starts, I know, but I knew it was a DVD I could reliably track down), State of Play, and Our Mutual Friend.

It was only after reading a rather smutty State Of Play fic with Cal (played by John Simm for those who haven't seen it) and Stephen (DM) that I realised this was becoming way more than purely an academic exercise to inspire my fic-writing. To go into further detail about what the fic contained that got me realising I was infatuated with Mr. Morrissey would only be appropriate for the over 18s section, but suffice to say, that was the moment which ultimately led me here

kitty

[mw7060a]

For me, it was seeing DM in Sense & Sensibility. I flipped for his portrayal of Col. Brandon. From there I wanted to see what other films DM had been in. He was outstanding in State of Play. I did not even bother seeing the US remake of it figuring it could not be improved upon. I loved DM in Blackpool, but have not been able to get the sequel to it yet. Also, I guess I am in the minority because I liked him in Basic Instinct II...he especially had some really good naked scenes. You could tell he had worked out in the gym to prepare for his role... ;D

[kitty11]

Hi and welcome mw7060a *waves*

Sept 13, 2009 11:49:16 GMT mw7060a said:

For me, it was seeing DM in Sense & Sensibility. I flipped for his portrayal of Col. Brandon.

Oh, there's a few on here who would make similar claims to yourself in that regard

He was outstanding in State of Play. I did not even bother seeing the US remake of it figuring it could not be improved upon.

Agreed. I'm still LOLing at the idea that he's being replaced by Ben Affleck in the US version

I loved DM in Blackpool, but have not been able to get the sequel to it yet.

Ditto I'm finding Viva Blackpool a tad difficult to find myself, although there are YouTube clips around.

Also, I guess I am in the minority because I liked him in Basic Instinct II...he especially had some really good naked scenes. You could tell he had worked out in the gym to prepare for his role... ;D

If you ever get to checking out the Basic Instinct 2 thread, you shall find that you are not, in fact, in the minority. While the film itself was ordinary, he was, well...hot *faints, goes off to fan self*

kitty

[victoriao]

Bear with me, folks, this may take some time and things are gonna get fangirly…

I've gushed elsewhere on this forum about Bradley Headstone, everyone's favourite deranged stalker schoolmaster. He was the starting point for me. The cast of Our Mutual Friend was uniformly brilliant, but Mr Morrissey's study of a man who is not only unravelling but – even worse – knows he's unravelling and is powerless to do anything about it, was so painfully moving that he dominated the whole story for me. To paraphrase Mortimer Lightwood, I couldn't forget that fellow's face. (Though oddly enough it seems I was able to forget the rest of him, because although I retained vivid memories over the intervening years of Mr Headstone hanging around that river bank looking like death, I had no recollection of the bathing scene whatsoever. When I rewatched OMF recently after eleven years with my new Ripley-awakened sensitivities and he suddenly started to strip off, I was as surprised as anyone.)

Anyhow, I remember subsequently watching various things just because they had Mr M. in them – Big Cat (abusive relationship drama which also starred the always excellent Amanda Root) and Pure Wickedness (six hours of ever-so-slightly tedious adultery, guilt, shame and family disintegration, of which my single abiding memory is Mr Morrissey taking Orla Brady rather roughly up against some kitchen cupboards). Neither has ever been repeated, I don't think.

Cut to last Christmas, and although a fairly sporadic viewer of Doctor Who as a rule, I tuned in to see Mr Morrissey and was totally charmed by Jackson Lake. This was also the first time I'd seen him demonstrate his considerable comic timing, so that was a revelation in itself. I’m afraid I missed out on S&S entirely, even though I nearly watched it just for him, because I felt it had already been done (I know classics can be endlessly reinterpreted, but when it had been filmed so recently and so well by Ang Lee I couldn't quite see the point. I thought – possibly wrongly – that this was an instance of the Beeb just being lazy and ignoring the potential of dozens of interesting and lesser-known nineteenth-century novels in favour of the safe, easily saleable option.) Having seen the publicity pictures I also couldn't help wishing (and this is very shallow of me) they hadn't saddled Mr M. with that haircut – not even an authentic early-nineteenth-century haircut either. Clearly from the comments on this forum, though, I have been missing out, so mullet notwithstanding it’s high on my list of Things to See.

By the circuitous route of YouTube videos happening to contain Colonel Brandon, via the Related Videos link, I was finally led to Blackpool, which for a while was on YouTube in full until the Beeb's lawyers found out and took it down (rather shortsighted of them since such vids are often the means by which people like me get a first taste of things they subsequently buy on DVD). Aaah, Ripley Holden... what can I say? He's simply a brilliant creation. It takes a very special actor to make a character as morally questionable as Ripley so sympathetic, so endearing, ultimately so damn lovable as Mr Morrissey succeeds in doing. I started out feeling entertained but slightly appalled by Ripley, but as things began to go wrong for him I found myself more and more on his side, willing him to be OK – and long before the end I was totally besotted. It's the energy, the naughty twinkle in the eye, the potent combination of machismo and vulnerability, the equally potent (as mentioned elsewhere on the forum) alternation between gangster chic and awesome hairy-chested shirtlessness, the brilliant comic timing... and that's before you even factor in the song'n'dance - the utterly disarming, utterly unexpected sight of a serious, respected actor being prepared to risk making a complete tit of himself. As Lilly has observed elsewhere, and more elegantly than me, that takes balls – and the only possible response is respect (possibly tinged with something approaching adoration). 'I'm gonna make you love me'? Blimey, not 'alf.

So, yeah... I fell, and I fell hard.

[kitty11]

Thanks for sharing Celia...wow, quite a big story arc you got there

Sept 18, 2009 19:50:57 GMT @victoriao said:

Bear with me, folks, this may take some time and things are gonna get fangirly…

Hey, I'd be more concerned if it didn't get all fangirly!

The cast of Our Mutual Friend was uniformly brilliant, but Mr Morrissey's study of a man who is not only unravelling but – even worse – knows he's unravelling and is powerless to do anything about it, was so painfully moving that he dominated the whole story for me.

Agreed. I found myself so compelled by Headstone and his story that every time he was off screen (Stephen McKintosh notwithstanding) I was hankering for him to come back. It's a rare occurrence in film/TV to see such a convincing descent into madness as DM's performance here - I certainly can't think of one immediately off the top of my head. And for that I respect *thumbs up*

When I rewatched OMF recently after eleven years with my new Ripley-awakened sensitivities and he suddenly started to strip off, I was as surprised as anyone.)

LOL, so was I!! I was always of the opinion that nudity was a no-go in period dramas...how wrong I was

Anyhow, I remember subsequently watching various things just because they had Mr M. in them – Big Cat (abusive relationship drama which also starred the always excellent Amanda Root) and Pure Wickedness . Neither has ever been repeated, I don't think.

I'm curious as to whether it is possible to get these on DVD....hmmmm *considers an online DVD search*

(six hours of ever-so-slightly tedious adultery, guilt, shame and family disintegration, of which my single abiding memory is Mr Morrissey taking Orla Brady rather roughly up against some kitchen cupboards).

Ha...it's funny how the brain works, innit?

And thanks for imprinting that rather vivid image into my already smut-infused brain *smacks at head*

Cut to last Christmas, and although a fairly sporadic viewer of Doctor Who as a rule, I tuned in to see Mr Morrissey and was totally charmed by Jackson Lake. This was also the first time I'd seen him demonstrate his considerable comic timing, so that was a revelation in itself.

Totally...t'was a shame he wasn't the real next doctor, IMO

Aaah, Ripley Holden... what can I say? He's simply a brilliant creation. It takes a very special actor to make a character as morally questionable as Ripley so sympathetic, so endearing, ultimately so damn lovable as Mr Morrissey succeeds in doing...It's the energy, the naughty twinkle in the eye, the potent combination of machismo and vulnerability, the equally potent (as mentioned elsewhere on the forum) alternation between gangster chic and awesome hairy-chested shirtlessness, the brilliant comic timing...

I know it's a bit of a fangirly cliche to say this, but...Quoted For Truth. Couldn't describe Ripley better meself.

I'm especially fond of DM's capacity to convey dualisms (SoP being an obvious example), particularly with regard to what you mentioned about 'machismo vs vulnerability' - he tends to play on that a lot in his roles

and that's before you even factor in the song'n'dance - the utterly disarming, utterly unexpected sight of a serious, respected actor being prepared to risk making a complete tit of himself.

Yep, I doubt there'd be all that many actors around willing to take such a risk. Not only was he playing against 'character type', but was indulging in singing and dancing (neither of which he had any real training in previously) while he was at it

'I'm gonna make you love me'? Blimey, not 'alf.

Uh-huh...

So, yeah... I fell, and I fell hard.

LOL, I'm wondering if it's ever possible to fall softly when it comes to fangirly crushes

kitty

[victoriao]

Ha...it's funny how the brain works, innit?

Isn't it though? It seems I didn't misremember that scene judging from this old interview with Ms Brady

And thanks for imprinting that rather vivid image into my already smut-infused brain *smacks at head*

My pleasure. Any time

[kitty11]

Sept 19, 2009 11:34:13 GMT @victoriao said:

It seems I didn't misremember that scene judging from this old interview with Ms Brady

Yikes...in yet another case of art majorly getting in the way of real life!

I guess being in that kind of dark head space for long periods of time at work doesn't augur well for progressing actual relationships away from work...can kinda relate to that with the job I do sometimes

kitty

[lilly]

Aw, Celia, what a beautiful, brilliant love letter you've written to the subject of this forum. I'm so glad you're here. *gigantic goofy grin*

Don't sell your own eloquence short though, mmkay?

I had to laugh at what you said about

So, yeah... I fell, and I fell hard.

because that dovetails rather astoundingly with something I recently said to my sister about how I don't fall very often, but when I do, it's usually with an audible thump. (My 300+ posts at this forum probably constitute an ongoing very loud thump indeed, only in word form.)