meganbmoore (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
meganbmoore) wrote2007-04-05 12:08 am
meganbmoore) wrote2007-04-05 12:08 am
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Robin of Sherwood: a few randoms and Nasir
Some of this has come up in replies, but...
1. I really like how they did King Richard in Robin of Sherwood. Unlike other productions, where Richard is perfect and shining and when he comes back all is well in England, this Richard is portrayed as a good man, but flawed, and more concerned with battle than anything else...in other words, the way he was, both in history and in legend. And, like the legends, his return isn't the end of Robin's troubles, but merely a brief reprieve.
2. Before Judi Trott became Marian, Marian was usually a brunette with straight hair. Then Judi Troot came in with her curly red hair, and most Marians since have had the same.
3. The idea of a middle eastern man as part of Robin's band originated in Robin of Sherwood with Nasir. In fact, TPTB in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves didn't realize that, and almost named Morgan Freeman's character Nasir(opening themselves up for sueing) until someone who worked on both the series and the movie mentioned that Nasir originated with the series, and they changed it.
I am currently amused by a scene where Nasir tries to teach Little John how to say his full name(Nasir Malik Kemal Inal Ibrahim Shams ad-Dualla Wattab ibn Mahmud according to wikipedia-he should just be happy they can manage "Nasir") and it reminded me...Nasir almost never speaks...in fact, I'm not sure he said ANYTHING in season 1. Granted, in generally he doesn't seem to actually have anything to say. However, when he DOES speak, he speaks as if he's learning the language, and often when he's spoken to, it comes across as he more understands what is meant than what is said. Unlike the characters he's inspired, Nasir doesn't speak perfect English. Instead, even though it's never stated or directly addressed, he comes across as learning as he goes, which makes sense, as he was captured and de Belleme ensorcelled him, and he joined Robin because, hey, stranger in a strange land, this guy killed my enemy and freed me and seems pretty decent and honorable.
2 eps left...
Tuck:
Nasir:
Will Scarlett:
Sheriff of Nottingham:
1. I really like how they did King Richard in Robin of Sherwood. Unlike other productions, where Richard is perfect and shining and when he comes back all is well in England, this Richard is portrayed as a good man, but flawed, and more concerned with battle than anything else...in other words, the way he was, both in history and in legend. And, like the legends, his return isn't the end of Robin's troubles, but merely a brief reprieve.
2. Before Judi Trott became Marian, Marian was usually a brunette with straight hair. Then Judi Troot came in with her curly red hair, and most Marians since have had the same.
3. The idea of a middle eastern man as part of Robin's band originated in Robin of Sherwood with Nasir. In fact, TPTB in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves didn't realize that, and almost named Morgan Freeman's character Nasir(opening themselves up for sueing) until someone who worked on both the series and the movie mentioned that Nasir originated with the series, and they changed it.
I am currently amused by a scene where Nasir tries to teach Little John how to say his full name(Nasir Malik Kemal Inal Ibrahim Shams ad-Dualla Wattab ibn Mahmud according to wikipedia-he should just be happy they can manage "Nasir") and it reminded me...Nasir almost never speaks...in fact, I'm not sure he said ANYTHING in season 1. Granted, in generally he doesn't seem to actually have anything to say. However, when he DOES speak, he speaks as if he's learning the language, and often when he's spoken to, it comes across as he more understands what is meant than what is said. Unlike the characters he's inspired, Nasir doesn't speak perfect English. Instead, even though it's never stated or directly addressed, he comes across as learning as he goes, which makes sense, as he was captured and de Belleme ensorcelled him, and he joined Robin because, hey, stranger in a strange land, this guy killed my enemy and freed me and seems pretty decent and honorable.
2 eps left...
Whole gang:
Robin And Marian:
Robin And Marian:
Tuck:
Nasir:
Will Scarlett:
Sheriff of Nottingham:
(poor Gisborne, eternally the whipping boy of RH myth...)
Gisborne showing he has a sould by feeling sorry for Alan A Dale's girl, who's being forced to marry Nottingham:
.jpg)
His idea of courting...
Will explains that it's neither wanted nor appreciated...
(ok, so it's from a different scene I think, but...)
no subject
I think Nasir was meant to be a Moor, which (if I have my history figured out correctly) would have put him more in North Africa than the Middle East. (This, though, is going from my vague memories I have of a show I haven't watched since its first broadcast 20+ years ago so don't worry unduly if I'm wrong).
Back when the show was first shown here, a big deal was made about all the supernatural elements of "Robin of Sherwood" (Herne and that sort of stuff) as previous versions of the story had no supernatural content at all, or very little.
no subject
The supernatural elements are another thing that keep cropping up after this...they aren't in film productions of robin hood, but they are there in earlier stories because it's stuff people still believed in at the time(that said, the supernatural elements are very understated in the first season, but around a lot more in the second.
no subject
Nasir is definitely Saracen, as de Belleme says in one of the eps IIRC. I think Nasir also refers to himself as Saracen in the Templar ep.
The supernatural elements also are much nearer to the source of Robin Hood, even though ppl thought it was silly (in the 80's). Herne was commonly referred to not only as the Lord of the Woods but also the protector and he turns up in Medieval texts such as Sir Gawain & The Green Knight as well as other original old English and middle English King Arthur texts. Of course, Herne also is connected to the Druidic lore, so it was a nice touch to incorporate and emphasize on this character a bit more.
Oh, here is my absolutely favourite pic of Marian before turning Maid of the Woods.
no subject
no subject
To me, Errol Flynn is the definitive Robin Hood fantasy-the cheerful charming charistmatic hero who wins the highborn lady and is recognized and rewarded the second Richard comes back and all is well...it's Robin Hood, the fairy tale-and ROS is the definitive Robin Hood myth-it's not just a couple corrupt people, it's everything, the struggle can't be fixed easily and there's really no cure for it, and, like the original stories, Richard's return isn't all that much of a help because, even though he's the better side, he's still the kind John and Nottingham are.
And that last bit there is why the supernatural elements don't bother me in the least-they WERE there inthe stories because people believed in them at the time, and they're presented as they're believed.
And yeah, this is the only Robin and Co. who really look like they're living there and getting by on what they have...even other versions who try to make it look "real" tend to just smear grime on the characters *ignores Robin's ever perfect hair*
no subject