Incy Wincy James Callis Came Climbing Up the Wall

Taken at Pierrefonds on May 10th, 2011. At 1 minute: James Callis climbs the wall of the castle. It's fascinating to see how this happens. What surprises me is how many people are constantly there while a scene is being filmed. And they're all so quiet.

Have you ever wondered how they film rain scenes? Apparently they just use a big hose to create it. And when someone has to climb the wall? He has a LADDER. He makes it look like a lot of work. And OK, hanging in that position and being rained on, it probably is, but so much for the magic of cinema! I've never watched Merlin, but I'm intrigued to see why James climbs up the wall and what happens inside the castle. I know he filmed many inside scenes, so we'll see!

In the scene with the horses (near the end), you can see someone who MAY be James with a white horse. I really can't tell if it's him. After staring at his pictures so much, I really should be able, but all I can say from such a distance is that it could conceivably be James. Maybe. (I have the same problem with his figure, the clothes are really bulgy and hangy. Hmmm.)

I also think it's adorable how that guy - Colin Morgan? - is kissing his horse in the end. So cute.

Edit: Oh, and where are my manners? Original video here, big thanks to JulesVids!

Fan Musings o' the Moment

I posted this on my LJ already, but it belongs here too, I reckon. How I'm feeling about fandom right now. Short version: I'm feeling well. 

I was randomly James Callis-browsing as usual, and finding nothing new. (I have this theory that a fan can exhaust all the good hits on Google in two years. It's based on my own bitter experience.) There was a mention about him being smaller than on the show, though, and it made me think. 

Maybe they meant shorter and not thinner (isn't he plenty thin in most people's eyes already?), but it made me think. When I met the fat guy in Ace of Base, he didn't seem all that fat. What's more, the fatness kind of didn't matter, because he was THERE and human. He seemed... flat in some way, stripped of his idol-greatness. Granted, this happened after my fandom sort of withered to death, so I might still see James as idol-great.

I always thought it might be super disappointing to meet him, because I had built up this image. Like I'd realize that image is totally bogus, and it'd be shattered, and I would be left with an admiration for some vague guy I don't even know. 

But in one way, I'm already meeting him on Facebook and Twitter. (By which I mean, mostly, seeing him.) I saw him flattening when I first read his posts. It was weird. It was like, "he's really there, tweeting, right now". And it meant - he's human in a way I hadn't considered. He's got a computer or phone or whatever, he's typing - and not always correctly - and that sort of puts him on even keel with me. I'm not sure why, but it does. He has more followers than me, but it's not like a JamesCallis template, it's just him posting on a regular site. 

But it wasn't a disappointing sort of flattening. For a while, I felt sad that we're really not friends and probably never going to be; it was like that was suddenly clear to me in a new way. But I realize that I might not be able to handle constant close contact anyway. There's no rejection in not being friends, nothing personal. There's also no pressure; I can talk to him when I feel like it, he won't block me or be rude about my feelings. He might not always respond, but I know he can see it, and sometimes I just want to be seen by him. (I'm not sure why, and I worry that's a kind of neediness, but I can't help this.) 

I haven't been disappointed in James. It's like the good things I admire are still there, more so than I had expected. He may not be larger than life, but he's a good guy, and funny, and kind. He's interesting to follow. The surprise is that imaginary James - is still there. I can still coo over his belly, feel like I know him and we share a special bond, and I can blog from this angle, but I can't talk at him like that. It's just a different mindspace. 

There are two Jameses: the real him, who's a little more distant, someone I don't quite know; and the imaginary guy, who I can mold to whatever needs I have at the moment. He held my hand when I was severely depressed; he laughs at my jokes and eats with me and all that. If I don't need him, he's not there. 

I can't ask anything of the real James, and I need to remember the constraints of the fan-idol thing, the constraints of his limited time. I have a certain respect for him that I don't have for the guy in my head. The real James doesn't share a telepathic connection with me, but it's somehow better, because it's always surprising what he ends up saying and when. I also enjoy the spectator role, the friendly distance between him and fans. 

What disappeared is the Evil Idol. I don't remember if I wrote about this before, but when you see your idol as ideal, you know it's gotta be false, so your mind creates an alternative image, the Evil James who hates fat girls in general and me in particular; someone who really thinks my blog sucks and wants nothing to do with me and blocked me on Facebook blah blah. The flattening seemed to happen on THAT end. 

Why did the evil image disappear? Probably because I see on Twitter how many people are talking to him, how many people want a piece of his time. He only has 24 hours a day like other people, and he has a super busy job, travels a lot, and has three kids. Is he going to have time to dissect every word people say about him and look for possible insults? Would he want to use his precious time on reading a blog he hates? Would he really choose to hate on a fan or fat girls in general or anything like that? The answer is obviously no. 

Also, he has never once stepped in it and said something rude that upset people. By which I mean, he's never been openly sexist/racist/ableist/whatever else. He's not spewing bigoted jokes or uneducated opinions about things he knows nothing about. He really sounds friendly in his tweets; and deep-thinking; and like someone who just wants to live and let live. I'll admit I'm very easily offended, so this is an achievement. It must mean he's either unusually kind and non-judgemental, or unusually good at judging what to say and when. Either way, epic win. 

For better or worse, I'm not a huge part of his life. James might or might not have an idea of me, as separate from the other fans, simply because I talked to/about him so much. That idea might be negative, but really, it's more likely to be positive or neutral. Hate takes a lot of mental energy, and his attitude on people is generally benevolent. He doesn't have unlimited time to ponder on me and my feelings for him. If he ever chooses to talk to me, or read my blog, I can take that as a huge compliment. Because he considers me worth his time. 

Spam, Spam, Spam, Wonderful Spam!

You know, spam can take many forms, and I often find it highly amusing. I found this "blog" where "James Callis" (might be their real name, or might be using our James's name in vain - blasphemy!) writes about various products he's tested and is happy with. It's all so amusingly NOT James's style. I mean, look at this:

My friend showed me this video game called Angry Birds, and it is surprisingly entertaining.

I know he has an iPhone, but I don't think James would ever say it like this. "This game called Angry Birds"? He would assume everyone already knows what it is and he's late for the party. He'd say something like "Finally tried Angry Birds - I guess an old dog - can learn - new tricks - t.g. 4 the iphone! xxx" 


Also, since James has a 2-year-old, it's good to hear they're finally getting her a crib, and a stroller, and some other essential child goods. His spouse is really on top of this kind of thing, apparently. Heh heh. I can't imagine a tweet here, because he doesn't tweet about his private life, and only obsessive baby parents describe this stuff anyway. 


But the one most amusing to me, for obvious reasons, is this weight loss-related one. 

There are lots of different diet programs on the market, however I am leaning towards ones which reduce the carbohydrates to help lose weight. Most of these make the most sense in my opinion because I’m able to understand that the majority of the foods I take in have a lot of empty carbs without any vitamins and minerals

I guess he's finally mending his donut-loving ways, LOL! I'd think he was always able to understand their nutritional value though. 


I could imagine how he would write if he were to embark on a valiant weight loss journey. Actually, I can't really, because my own fantasies get in the way and it gets way too detailed and descriptive (exactly what his belly looks and feels like, etc.) I think he'd just be self-deprecating and brief. Or would he even tweet about it? Probably he would not. 


One thing's for sure, though: he wouldn't write about this stuff just to endorse a product. 

James Callis Birthday Pix. (Linx.)

I'm having a James' birthday bash over at Tumblr where there will be lots of new and old pictures. The old ones are mostly from the Unofficial Website though, browse their photo gallery, it's amazing. James was very young and cheekboney. I think he looks better nowadays but I can't put my finger on why. More wisdom? More confidence? Even more kindness? He looked kinda young and insecure here still. But he really hasn't changed much in 20 years. No wait, it's only fifteen years since the first photos.

Also, Janine posted a bunch of James Eureka promo shots and he looks amazing! Link here.

I might as well link again to the latest pix we have of him, on the set of BBC's Merlin. So the age has brought a couple of lines (adorable) around his eyes, a bit more chub (even adorabler) and not much else.

What will the future bring? Hopefully more chub. Seriously though, I can see him only getting better as an actor as he has more life experience. I just hope he gets roles that are worthy of his talents. And I hope him happiness and good health and lots of joy. Oh f, I promised myself I wouldn't cry.

James Callis' Birthday (40th); A Formal Greeting and Congratulation

Ahem. Dear Mr. Callis, it has come to our attention that thou - thee? - you are celebrating thine - thorne? - 40th birthday today. We are taking this with the utmost seriousness, and thus have composed for thee - thou? - a poem that goes thus:

Ah!
Each time I lay eyes onto you
My heart doth stoppeth.
For it is in the gentle forms and slopes
of your form
That I
cometh.

Ahem. Yes, sometimes on times like these, we have a tendency to get overly, well, stimulated. Perhaps it is best to device a new poem, this time more appropriate.

Thy beauty fills the Earth and skies
And rivers, lakes beneath it;
Ah, how fans wish they could device
a machine with which to repeat it;
So then we could jump onto thee
and...

Perhaps it is the poetic format here that is making the... lack of ... or the excessive... Let us attempt in a more contemporary, jocular style.

You are turning 40
The fans are getting horny
Today is your birthday
So make it your girth day
Eat lots of donuts
..something something gonads?

Oh for f's sake! Can't I write something NORMAL and non-horny! This bugs me.

My fandom, my fandom,
it makes my heart explode.
It's not any of your fault,
but I still want you to know.

What the fuck was that?!

You bring so many people joy,
don't ever stop being a little boy
at heart and soul and imagination
continue to create and seek elation.

Hmmm, bland yet boring. But it's not creepy. This is a step in the right direction.

I think I thought of just the perfect thing to say. Ahem:

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JAMES!
You are the wind beneath my wings,
the apple of my eye,
the whiskey in my brandy,
the stretch marks on my thigh;
the wind in my willows
the fluff in my pillows
the wuthers of my heights,
the power of my lights;
my failure to comply,
my tendency to lie,
my rifle of the night,
my sorrow shining bright;
my grown up teenage dream-a,
my Anna Karenina,
my heart.

*sniff* that was beautiful. I'm happy now.