Rachael Stirling Online

*thumbs up* Good on you Bonnie, I'm just speaking for myself here, but I wasn't too interested in the herbal viagara or CHEAP! CHEAP! CHEAP! Vacations! lol.

Hi All…Obscene spam is really good on rye with Swiss cheese and dijon!!Where have you been Ashley?Yes,E.B.,my friend has 2 Jack Russells,one of which just sent a repairman
to the ER after a bite.I'm sure Mabel is British
and more refined.By the way,I recently read about the contents of the Emma Peel bonus disc:new episode "K is for Kill";Girl on the
Trapeze;"Hot Snow";3 minute version of "The Strange Case of the Missing Corpse";"The
Frighteners"and Avenging Avengers,a documentary.Doesn't that sound exciting?
Questions for Rachael…I'd like to ask which of
her roles has been the most fun and which is her fav.Also would love to discover how she
feels about her fans and if she is able to understand how a group of people find her so very intriguing!Any preferences for future roles/costars?…and the perpetual question:what the hell is the Shanghai technique?

Actually Thel- I'm sure Mabel is French and would have none of any repair man. And I'm betting that the Shanghai Technique has nothing to do with our "plumbing" so may be of no use to us at all. Thanks so much Bonnie; it will be nice to visit the Guestbook again! Oh Thel- those extras do sound pretty exciting- can't wait!

I had a goat named Mabel once…

LOL E.B., I'm also sure that the Shanghai technique would be of little use to at least some of us ;o) Indeed myself.
Thel: I've been working working working on my essays! GAH! Thanks for asking ;o) But now I'm officially DONE, minus two essays that are to be written over the Xmas holiday, and a presentation I'm doing on Thursday. And an exam on the 17th. LOL!
Gah, I had a friend who raised Jack Russell Terriers and hated them. I have no idea why he was raising them if he disliked them so much. I definitely wouldn't want one :oS I'll stick with my black Labs and my kitties ;o)

has anyone heard anymore on bond? just heard charlie theron is the new bond girl.

Hey cool, I love Charlize Theron - she is one amazing actress. She'll be great! Be nice to know if Rachael scored another role in the film - anyone know anything? Oh, and E.B. I wrote you a note in the Nov. archives - in the old column of 82 comments we wrote. Guess we're finished with that one now eh?

I just hate how spam ruins things for other people. Sigh

Hi All…Ashley just how many kitties do you
have?And E.B.,how do you know that Mabel is of the French persuasion?Did Diana adopt her after moving to France?Maybe Poopie was French as well.Agree re:Charlize,Lucy!I was
convinced of her talent after Monster,and North
Country really confirmed her brilliance!Anyone
with insomnia,and doesn't own the TTV dvd,
BBCAmerica is rebroadcasting the first
episode @3AM on 12/13.Since this is a far cry
from prime time,I wonder if they will have the
courage to show the uncut version with all the
"naughty bits" intact.TTV without the love scenes;might as well not show it at all!Just put on Mary Poppins and be done with it!!

lol Thel - just two kitties, Nony & Tonks, a Maine Coone and domestic shorthair respectively. But I also have a bunny and 3 birds at my apartment, and at my parents' house I have two horses and a Golden Retriever. ;o)
It should be a crime to show TTV w/out the naughty bits… I'm going away for a month, so I'm taking my TTV, Fingersmith, and Freeze Frame DVD's with me. ;o) Bait is on my Santa list, so we'll see ;o) OOHH somebody said that if they met Rachael, they would have her sign their TTV DVD - I would totally do that too. That would be the coolest! Also, I'd love Sarah Waters' autograph on my TTV book :o) Wishful thinking? I think so.
Has anyone here seen Gia with Angelina Jolie & Elizabeth Mitchel? That's a really good American movie — plus, it has AJ before any plastic surgery. Yay!

Hi Lucy- I did read your note and thank you…yes, one can never have too many cool friends…she was very sweet but I'm not sure if the intellect is there. Not that it's the only important thing, but…we're going out again this weekend so we'll see! : ) Thel, I'm rather shy like Bob, I get over it pretty quickly if I really want to kiss someone! Now, back to a family rating…I'd just assumed that Diana got Mabel in France, but maybe not…Ashley, you have quite a zoo! I visited your site; hope your hand is better….the photo album was very cute. I was wondering where all of your animals lived. Yes Lucy, I guess we're done with that one! : )

LOL EB, actually, my house is nicknamed the zoo! Are you taking private lessons in giving girls the eye like Bob too? That's my favourite song from TTV. I've never been on a blind date, and thank God for that! lol. You're very brave.
My hand is fine now, thanks. lol ;o)

Oh, now I'm inspired! What's everyone's fav. song from TTV?? If you don't like the songs, which scene? Heehee. Mine is the "I'm Rather Shy" song, which is actually probably my favourite scene too. I love when Kitty walks in on Nan all dressed up and… well… she gets all hot. LOL. And I like RS's face when she does the "ta da" thing after turning around for Kitty. ;o)

Hi guys…Ashley,how do Nony and Tonks get on with the birds?My three felines are Pepper,Georgie(?Maine Coon) and Micah. It's amazing that Pepper,the youngest and only female,beats up on the males.Love I'm Rather
Shy but my very favorite is the final song and dance!Rachael really nails that number and
projects such charm to boot!Can you imagine
not being a trained singer or dancer and having the guts to pull off that little ditty in such style?Boggles my mind!By the way,in the Shy
number close-up of Nan in the bowler,her lips are rather puffy(not quite Angelina).Read an interview with Phantom star,Emmy Rossum;
had lip problems after numerous takes of a kissing scene,and I believe Rachael had a
similar occupational situation with the amount of lip locks in TTV!Did see Gia a while back.
Check out Mr.& Mrs.Smith…fun movie and Jolie looks terrific!E.B.,picture this:Barry,the moderator of the Yahoo DDR group,apparently
came in first in an Avengers quiz in London.
His prize?A life size cardboard Emma Peel cut out and he had to travel via bus with her to get home.Comments from the other passengers
must have been priceless!!:)

Just wrote a nice long comment - and hit "submit" and nothing happened - DAMN!

Ok, let's try this again.

Any news on Bond and RS being cast maybe??

Yes I agree with you all about the hot scenes in TTV - and my favourite song is "I'm rather shy" too - but I do find myself humming that last number - where we all wait to see who RS will pick - Flo or Kitty.

Speaking of Flo - I found their chemistry rather pathetic - not palpable at all. The kissing scene looked like Flo had never kissed a woman before - or that she wasn't really into it. Them kneeling on the floor - the choreography of that scene seemed so lame - given all the passionate sex and experience Nan had had prior to her. They have that energy about them that they would have gone to bed and held hands. I found that very disappointing. I felt Flo should have been more the sort - more sexually charismatic - under the pretense of working hard, and being passionate about politics. Yes so she never had done it with a woman before - but man … you'd think there would be some more passion in that scene. In the book it makes more sense - found it hard to buy that she picked Flo in the end - by the way the film went. Even though - we all know Flo was the better choice.

Any thoughts on my comments ??? Am I alone on this - anything to add? Ok, hitting the button, hope this works this time!

Oh, and E.B. I know what you mean about intellect being a factor. The brain is the biggest sex organ for me. If they're attractive and then they've got a brain to boot - my hormones go through the roof!

Hope your second date (or get together) is more revealing for you … I'm sure it will be. Probably why I find RS so attractive - she's not only physically attractive, but she's funny, charming, witty and smart to boot! Interesting … that makes her far more attractive than half the Hollywood starts out there … they all seem so formulaic. That's it for now.

One of my favorite scenes visually is when Nan is checking herself out in the dozens of mirrors on the street, after having had changed into the mens' suit.

My favorite musical moment is when Nan is singing to Cyril in the kitchen. Especially at the end of the song, when she sings the word "spree."

Aww Dina, the Cyril scene is very cute :o) I love it when she says in the park, "Can't leave my big boy out!". I say it to my cat all the time. LOL!
Lucy: I totally agree with the chemistry thing. If I had been Nan (and it were real life) I would have picked Kitty in a heartbeat. LOL. And I noticed something last time I watched it: I didn't realize when Nan & Kitty are talking on the stage at the end that Kitty says, "Well let's see if I can't mend it, my Mermaid." AWWWWWWW!!!! The whole Nan & Flo thing makes more sense in the book, b/c they both agree that they will never be able to love each other as much as they loved their first loves.
Humor is the biggest thing for me in a girl: if she can make me laugh, she's got a pretty good chance. :o) That is if I weren't in a 5 yr. relationship (but she makes me laugh, so it's all good). lol!
*Reading over comments* Thel: the cats hunt my birds mercilessly. But, if I take them out of the cage and hold them, the cats couldn't care less. I'm not sure why. Oh, I saw Mr. & Mrs. Smith in theater and it was great! I LOVE Angie's suit at the end. *sigh* She's probably my second biggest celebrity crush, after RS. :o) Heehee.

Hi All…..agree Lucy;the love scene with Flo is rather awkward..especially the ascent to the floor!Love when they return from the river and
Flo says."What a night" and Nan whispers,
"Wasn't it Just?".Do you feel the love scenes
in the series would have been more true if the director had been a woman?I feel Keeley's
natural sexiness did add much chemistry
to the Nan/Kitty thing.Always wondered about the stage direction with certain of Nan's moves.The scene Dina mentioned when Nan emerges in the suit,did she decide to scratch her butt,or did Davies include it in the screenplay or was it Sax?Same question with
the overhand spoon holding when Nan first dines with Ralph and Flo.My question,what is your favorite dramatic scene?Mine is in part three when Kitty interrupts Nan's rehearsal….
despite numerous viewings,I still get tearful
seeing Rachael's sensitive emoting;followed
by that long shot of RS and those endless legs!!Oh,Ashley,visited your site and your cats
are adorable!My Georgie looks very much like your Maine Coon and just as pudgy!I

I also noticed another thing last time I watched TTV: when Nan is waiting for Diana to return home (and she's gazing out the window), when Diana returns, it's so sweet… it looks like Nan is going for a hug, she's so vulnerable… and Diana grabs her crotch. lol. I thought that was pretty indicative of that whole relationship. Wonder who threw that in there? It's pretty clever. :o)
Thel, I was a bit worried by all the blatant imagery in the show. I mean, we don't have to actually see fire on the screen to know that Kitty is jealous. Then there's the imagery of the empty oister shells when Nan leaves Whitstable, etc. Thank God the acting was so fantastic (bravo RS), or the whole series could have been pure cheese.
Dont get me started on Flo. lol. I think Jodhi May did a good job with Flo as a character (standing on her own), but there was no chemistry… and the love scenes were a bit forced. Yikes.

Hi everyone- good comments on TTV, I agree w/ you all on a lot of it, especially the lack of chemistry between Nan and Flo in the first love scene; but leading up to that I thought was great- how romantic the bridge scene was, how they "spidered" their fingers together when they got back to flat…One of my exs is a Jodhi May fanatic and she just absolutely loved her in TTV.
My big thrill for the week was a couple of days ago when I finally was able to listen to the Jenny Murray interview w/ Rachael when she was in A Woman of No Importance…the opening bit w/ a scene from the play and Rachael's American accent… I burst out laughing HARD in the library! OMG! Not about Rachael's accent being "off", which it was, just a teeny little bit…but that she was doing it at all! How delightful she was! And how brave (braver than me w/ my blind dates; thank you Ashley- yeah, they're kind of scary but kind of fun, too!) Rachael has such balls to do what she does; not having much training in acting, singing, or dancing and she just goes out there like gangbusters and gives everything she does a thousand percent! It made me love her more, if that's possible. My admiraton for her courage will never cease; she is simply amazing. And the interview part was a blast- to hear Rachael as herself and not a character was such a treat. I loved her palpable nervous energy- SO charming!
Oh, I'm well into Affinity- loving it! As far as casting for a film; hmm….I'm already picturing Helen McCrory as Margaret Prior while I'm reading, but Selina escapes me…Tilda Swinton would have been perfect 20 years ago….I love Cate Blanchett, but she might be a bit too old now…loved her in Veronica Guerin too, Ashley; also loved Charlotte Gray (Helen McCrory was in that one, too). Would love to see Dawn French in there too, she's due to show her dramatic side.
Oh Ashley- loved Angie in Gia…she's not my favorite, but she and Elizabeth Mitchell were both great in it…bought the movie several years ago. Sad story, eh? Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!

Bon jour…..I can't believe this,Ashley,for all the times I've seen TTV,never noticed Diana
grabbing Nan's crotch!Perhaps it's because my eyes are always glued to Rachael's face.
The TTV cinematographer was a woman (named Cinders) do you guys agree that she
had a thing for Rachael's legs?She did that slow,panning thing in several scenes.They should re-release TTV with more definitive
extras including bloopers and deleted scenes!
Wouldn't it be a blast to see Rachael and
Keeley cracking up,or Anna actually pulling on
Rachael's pubes!I'm with you E.B.;also love that interview!Rachael is totally charming and did manage to slip in a few of her sarcastic
zingers;especially the one about The BBC
poll,and being voted the most fanciable actress!"You just have to get your tits out there
and you're the most fanciable actress!"
Obviously,Rachael does not take herself ,or fame,too seriously..she is well grounded!This poll is on the BBC TTV website,and by their remarks,viewers unanimously expressed
admiration for Rachael's tour de force perf!
Agree,the woman is quite ballsy!Just look at the diversity of challenging roles she has tackled in the past three years! I remain in
awe of Rachael's audacity!At the risk of sounding overly dramatic,I would still say we are witnessing the early stages of a great career!:)

OK, I"ve written a super long response about 3 times and every time I try to post it it gets erased, so I give up. So there. ;o)

Just bought Freeze Frame,Still Crazy and Complicity. Freeze frame being my favourite, so odd seeing Lee Evans being serious :|. I'm not much of a thriller girl, so for the majority of complicity I just cringed, yes I know it's not that freaky, but I'm just that much of a wimp lol.
My favourite song from TTV is "fathers footsteps", although Rachael doesn't sing that one :S. I read the book before watching the tv adaption, and it took me some time to enjoy it. I think the tv adaption of Fingersmith was more faithful to the book. Never the less, Rachael still rules in it.
As for Affinity - Well I already said that I was un-easy about it being put on tv, but when I read the book I always imagined Selina looking like Elaine Cassidy *shrugs* I have no idea why either.

Over and Out

Oh Lucy and Ashley, I'm with you on the frustration of the errant Submit! icon; I've too had my comments zoom to cyberspace somewhere…so it isn't just me then! Thel, loved your little story about Barry- good for him! He deserves it, he loves Diana almost as much as I do! : ) I've read his comments on the Avengersforever site…Yes, I'm sure he received many priceless comments on the bus trek home, can you imagine? Re: the cinematographer of TTV having a thing for Rachael's "endless" legs- well, don't we all? I did notice (and appreciated) that! Her legs are also endless (love that, Thel) in Bait too, don't you think? And I couldn't agree w/you more re: Rachael's career- she absolutely has the talent and guts to do anything; she can go as far as she wants to and I believe she will definitely have a great career. I just hope she can stay happy and not have her career get so big that she loses her anonymity (so to speak) and privacy. That would break my heart. But I do hope she gets more leading roles; she has earned that. I hope her agents appreciate her talent and work hard on her behalf….

Guess we've all had our tidbits launched
elsewhere.Emailed Bonnie about this last week.Ashley,do please try again!Oh Sarah,so glad you enjoyed Freeze Frame!When it
becomes apparent that Katie,like her dear
Dad,has some homocidal proclivities,don't you agree that "Following in Father's Footsteps"would have been a great number
playing over the closing credits?Oh,E.B.,Barry
may not agree that you might love Diana more,and we can thank him for that wonderful
motherhood interview!Guess what?Found "The Hospital"@ Blockbuster;can't wait to see
another DDR perf!Re: Rachael's legs(not unlike her Mum's)yes….look great in those
Bait jeans!About that TTV part 3 stage encounter with Kitty,one Yahoo person wrote
that "Rachael has legs up to her armpits!". Just watched an interesting bio of Angelina.
DIdn't realize she had been married to Jonny
Lee Miller (of Complicity).Also was not aware that after the divorce(prior to Billy Bob),Angie,
and her female co-star of "Foxfire"had an
affair…..good research for Gia!Think you'd like
Mr.andMrs.Smith E.B. and it's out on dvd this week!Got my fingers crossed for submit….

Tried again Thel… nothing. Hopefully this will post :oS
Just wanted to let everyone know I'm going offline for about a month, maybe 3 weeks. Going to spend Xmas with my family and they don't have the internet. :o)
Taking all my Rachael DVD's with me ;o)
Hope everyone has a great Holiday!

Geeez - I've tried postine TWICE in the past two days and nothing … I'll try again later … have a good vacation Ashley - get some rest …

Geeez - I've tried posting TWICE in the past two days and nothing … I'll try again later … have a good vacation Ashley - get some rest …

Yes, Ashley, have a nice restful break and enjoy your family! : ) Sarah, glad you liked Freeze Frame…. I sure thought Rachael was cute in Still Crazy. She has said she didn't know what she was doing but I thought she did really well w/her scenes. Re: your comment about Elaine Cassidy as Selina- maybe, I don't know….she might look strange as a blonde… I guess we all imagine things a little differently! : )
Thel, let us know what you think of The Hospital- even though Diana has said that was the film she was most proud of, I thought it was really strange! She was very sexy in it though, but I really didn't like seeing her with George C. Scott (why are all these hot women always w/ unhot men???) He is (was)a terrific actor, though

Tried X2 to write but to no avail……all that brilliance lost to cyberspace and this will probably go through!!!

I'm thinking … write - then highlight everything and copy it - and if it gets lost after hitting the button - just paste it into the new box and click again … gonna try that one soon.

I'm getting so good at re-writing the same post every night.You'll just have to imagine how good it was!I'll bet this crappy thing goes through now!!!!!!!!!

Oh man, everyone, that's such a shame…I've lost two long, detailed posts, and the little ones get through. Maybe we've just worn out the Submit! button….maybe the spirit-mediums for all of the dead spammers are retaliating for the guestbook….??

You're too funny E.B. When I have a moment I'm going to attempt a nice little post …

Hey,it'a deja vu all over again!!This has become an evening ritual
and is more and more reminding me of the film,Groundhog Day!
Yes,E.B.;quite humerous!!Since Spamalot has been used,our movie could be called The Curse of the Perpetual Network Spammers.Miss your posts so let's keep our ideas until this glitch can be ironed out!!

Now that gave me false hope so I composed a hilarious variation on my nightly news that swiftly decomposed without a trace!Creative writing 101 was never like this!

Can you tell that I enjoyed Affinity(hehe)? Oh, I have to rescind my casting choice of Helen McCrory for Margaret Prior…. I hadn't yet reached the point where she divulged that she was 29 going on 30. So, after that, I imagined Rachael playing her (she's close enough in age)! I know, I know , she's far too beautiful to be "plain", but in my book, Rachael enhances everything she's in, so I imagined away….So Thel, how did you like The Hospital? Maybe you've tried to share that already to no avail? Are any of you going to see Memoirs of a Geisha? I guess there's a big flap in Japan over the casting of all Chinese actresses in the leads (they're all so fabulous though). I haven't yet seen House of Flying Daggers but it's on my ever growing list; did see Hero, by the same director- gorgeous, gorgeous film, plus Maggie Cheung is in it- she's one of my faves.
Gosh, it's been COLD…tried to snowshoe w/ a friend on Friday…when we got to the pass, it was 9 degrees F! ( I think that's about -12 or -13 C) We just weren't expecting it to be THAT cold…we tried for about 20 minutes, but our fingers and noses felt like they were going to fall off, so we had to bail….dammit, we really wanted to do it…oh well….I think it's going to be a freakin' cold winter for us North Americans! It doesn't seem too bad in Europe yet ….: )

Tried again,to no avail!Do see The House of Flying Daggers,E.B.!One of the most gorgeous films ever;a visual masterpiece!Did receive my Mrs.Bradley set.That part was made for Diana;her delivery of those zingers is priceless!Let me ask you,it seems to be implied that Mrs.B and her chauffer may have a thing going,do you think they did?I'll try to send this brief tidbit and see what happens…

Tried again,to no avail!Do see The House of Flying Daggers,E.B.!One of the most gorgeous films ever;a visual masterpiece!Did receive my Mrs.Bradley set.That part was made for Diana;her delivery of those zingers is priceless!Let me ask you,it seems to be implied that Mrs.B and her chauffer may have a thing going,do you think they did?I'll try to send this brief tidbit and see what happens…

OK,so now it's double or nothing.Circa'71,The Hospital may have been considered avant garde;even riske.Now it just seems dated and sitcom-like.Agree,Scott great actor,but unappealing.(I do very much admire his son,Campbell)Diana was in top form and quite seductive.Interesting that she and Rachael have both had to learn to speak American for their roles…didn't DDR state that southern was easiest for Suddenly Last Summer?Does brevity pay off here?Let's see………………

Geisha has gotten mixed reviews.The two leads were both previously in Crouching Tiger,Hidden Dragon.The stunning Gong Li is also in Gesha.Hope to see it.Not usually into blockbusters.but I can hardly wait to see Jackson's King Kong!!He has actually released the dvd extra.The trailer is so compelling!Can you believe
some critics are stating that Kong is a vehicle for implied racism?Give me a break;it's just a big monkey/beauty &the beast thing!Glad you enjoyed Affinity,E.B.! If Rachael is sans makeup,as in the hanging scene in the Poirot,she could play plain Margaret!!To me,even when it's intended that Rachael's character looks poorly,she's still stunning!This is especially evident in the hotel
after Nan has left Kitty;her look is totally captivating!!We used to snow shoe when I lived in Denver……..wii it be a hit or a miss???

Yes E.B. I thought immediately after your post about mediums that you must be right in the thick of Affinity. You know if they messed up Rachael enough - she could do the role quite well actually. She has that delicate quality about her that Margaret does - yet strong - and they could really dress her down and make up her down and make her hair really plain - could do it …

House of Flying Daggers was amazing visually. Haven't seen Hero or Memoirs … but I loved Brokeback Mountain (no snowshoeing up there!). Yup it's pretty chilly up here in Vancouver, frost on the ground and freezing hands. Nice to have a break from the rain. K - gonna see if this posts - will write more later.

Coool. It worked! Also - Bonnie I know you guys are busy renovating - any third episode of Hold Back the Night coming up??? Just wondering. Thanks!

Hi Lucy…wanted to ask you what you thought of BC's talented export,Diana Krall?Saw her on Breakfast With the Arts yesterday and have a few of her CDs.Want to see Brokeback Mountain!There's a nifty little indy film out on dvd titled Saving Face.It's a comedy about two beautiful asian women who fall in love and the inevitable problems that ensue.Fine acting by the leads who are quite stunning as well!Well,off to work,enjoy the day!!!

I think Diana Krall is awesome! Her career and popularity I think speaks for itself. Brokeback Mountain was amazing. Worth seeing - beautiful love story - amazing acting and cinematography. Haven't heard of Saving Face - sound interesting though. Well I gotta fly too.

Hi All…Actually saw Diana Krall live,in a small theater here in rural upstate NY.This was maybe 5 years ago,as she was gaining in
popularity.Awesome concert!What's your take on Buble?Oh,E.B.,some DDR news:pack those bags for London!Diana is opening in a play called,Honour(byJohanna Murray-Smith)on2/14 for a 13 week run.This play was on Broadway in '98.Will Rachael be there on opening night?(as her Mum does for her productions).So here's our next fantasy;we're all at the stage door and they BOTH appear.On sensory overload,we collectively grow weak in the knees and either explode(a la Ashley) or merely pass out.The "delectable duo"light up their cigs,give us a nod and then with several long-legged strides,hop
into a limo and go off into the cold night!Cheers!

Oh yes, Thel- wouldn't that be fabulous! I think I would come prepared with a set of leg braces secured tightly around the knees… I think we should wrap Ashley snuggly in thick plastic to contain the aftermath of her possible self-detonation and we should probably let Lucy do the talking until we get ahold of ourselves! And then we all have a gab-fest w/scotch, cham, whatever! I really do think they'd be very sweet and funny as hell, but maybe on opening night they'd rather just the two of them hang out. Who knows, maybe Diana wants to get notes from Rachael! I want to write more but have to get to work…Saving Face was cute, saw it along w/ My Summer of Love last summer…. hey Lucy, we got your rain! But we needed it,and at least it's a lot warmer now….tried to see Brokeback Mountain last weekend but it was sold out at our 2 theatres showing it…. that's good though…maybe after Christmas.

Hi E.B.,Great to have you along for this journey to London! When Ashley returns and reads this,she'll realize that fanfiction remains
alive and well here;it's such fun!Loved your remark re: Rachael giving Diana notes on her perf! Given the amount of stage experience Rachael has garnered in the past 3 years,it could very well happen!Halfway through the wonderful Mrs.Bradley dvd set.Given Mrs.B's personality and outrageous dialogue,don't you agree that this is true typecasting?Adore the sarcasm!!As with Rachael and Nan,it's almost difficult to separate the personalities of Diana and Adela.In The Worsted Viper,I enjoyed Diana in the leather coat,whipping the pistol from her garter/holster.The gun/leather thing reminded me of Rachael's Katie in Freeze Frame….following in mother's footsteps again:)

OH yes … I can do the talking for you guys while you're busy combusting and wobbling and trying not to explode … be happy to!

Yes we have rain here too E.B. and it is warmer as well which is a nice change - although I hate the dark skies.

Your little fantasy escapades Thel are too hilarious! You should write a column or something! Well I can't write much - too busy, the time of year, too much to do, too many people to see, not enough time - you know the deal. Happy Holidays everyone - in case I don't get on here for a bit. Oh and Thel - haven't heard Buble - but I hear he's good - I'd probably like him.

Hi everyone- yes, this will probably be it for me for a few days….ditto what Lucy said!
Thel, did you catch Buble on PBS a few nights ago? He's very fun and cheesy, as if he's trying to channel Bobby Darin or the Rat Pack sans cigs and cocktails. I enjoy that sort of schtick!…..Yes, isn't Diana adorable as Mrs. B? Your question about Adela and George reminded me of the same question posed to Patrick and Diana regarding Steed and Emma Peel; Patrick said of course they really got it on, and Diana said they absolutely did not! So, I would imagine that Neil Dudgeon would be affirmative on that one and Diana would say no way! : ) Yes , the part does seem made for Diana- she must have had a wonderful time doing it; the asides to the camera still crack me up- it's her fantastic delivery of sarcasm! You might be interested in seeing Evil Under the Sun, it's a Poirot from 1981 or 1982 w/ Peter Ustinov as Poirot; Maggie Smith is in it too- Diana plays a gorgeous former showgirl/entertainer and she and Maggie are rivals from way back, still snipping at each other….Diana is absolutely regal and her performance alone makes it worth a look. Plus it was filmed in Majorca, very beautiful scenery….and Diana is lovely. I wondered if she had toddler Rachael on the set with her?: )
Thanks Lucy for speaking for us while we attempt to recover….I know that once I remember to start breathing again, I'd be okay ( because the sight of Rachael and Diana together would render me breathless!!) Oh, I wonder if either of them were one of Elton and David's closest 700 friends to attend the wedding reception? Congratulations, UK; that's fantastic!
Have a wonderful Christmas, Channukah, or whatever flavor you celebrate, or don't….Peace:)

Wishing you all a fun holiday!!Sorry I missed Buble on PBS,but I believe this concert is on his new cd/dvd combo.Do very much enjoy his style and yes,E.B.,reminds me of the head ratpacker, Frank!Michael is multi-talented and actually had a hit last summer with a number he co-composed!!Re:DDr's new play,Honour,read that it is about marital infidelity,among other things.Don't really want to see The Producers,but I promised a friend I'd treat her,as part of her birthday gifts:much rather be seeing Mr.Kong!Anyway,I've thought of a kind of TTV quiz question and will pose this upon the return of Ashley who.as I recall,actually took TTV on holiday with her.Cheers everybody!!:)

Okay, let's see if this is working yet….I tried to post several times in the last few days…Last night I watched a teleplay on CBC (Canadian station) called Her Royal Affair starring Joely"Homewrecker" Richardson- it was about Wallis Simpson and King Edward meeting and falling in love and their whole story. Anyway, a group of male
Royal confidantes were sitting around discussing ther disdain for Wallis Simpson, and happened to mention the rumors of "her knowledge of the black sexual arts, which she learned in the brothels of Shanghai"!!! But of couse, no specifics…and here I was thinking that the Shanghai technique was something that Rachael made up for her own amusement! That's my tidbit for now…

Hi E.B…..So there's actually a Shanghai technique.Those kinky royals!Bet some would like to employ a less pleasurable technique on the "homewrecker"!Finished The Mrs. Bradley series and loved the scene in The Rising of the Moon,where Adela whips that knife from George's privates with gusto.His line about not being "half-cocked"is priceless!!Read that the then BBC head did not like the series and consequently cancelled it.Diana was ticked and called him a name;too bad,there could have been more!

Part 2:E.B.,have you seen Dickens'Bleak House?Released on dvd 9/05 and Diana has garnered some fab reviews!Found it on eBay.There's a series of new,old DDR interviews on the Yahoo site.A quote I loved from the 52 year old Diana,"I'm just articulate and people find that frightening".Included is Diana's description of her personal experience with the aging process;glib and touching!Mother and daughter sure have a delicious way with words!Listened to songs on that Avenger site and like Rachael,Diana has a lovely alto voice!Porter's "You're the Top" is wonderful,but maybe not library or office faire;the woman is quite the belter!!

I see a pattern emerging:long-winded posts are less likely to submit so the answer for the verbose of us is the less frustrating installment post!Lost a lengthy one tonight but two abbreviated bits stayed out of cyberspace!!

Hey Thel- if I remember correctly, You're the Top is from the Poirot I told you about, Evil Under the Sun…..Diana belts a number in that film, I think that was it- I guess I'll have to rent it again ( I might even buy it sometime, I really enjoyed her in it)…Sorry about the "homewrecker" crack everyone, that was pretty uncharacteristically low-class of me…if you can't say anything nice….did see Bleak House; thought it was rather bleak! Diana's perf was great, though….hated The American though…..uck, even Diana couldn't save that one….ooops, I'm about to be timed out! Happy New Year, everyone! : )

There's a commercial on the LOGO channel of the upcoming 2006 shows/movies they'll be showing…and there's one brief clip of TTV. The scene where Nan walks out in her sharp gentlemen's suit. Its so wonderfully unexpected to see Rachael's gorgeous face randomly pop up on the tv screen!

That's pretty cool, Dina…. isn't LOGO a new "gay" channel, an offshoot of MTV or something? It's probably on digital TV, which I don't have. Yes, that would be so exciting to randomly see Rachael's face pop up on the TV screen! : D
If anyone out there gets a chance to see Diana's play Honour, will you please tell us about it? Yes Thel, I'm sure Rachael will be there Opening Night….you're a good friend to endure the Producers, you should make her take you to London to see Diana's play for a payback! : ) Didn't mean to sound so curt about Bleak House; it was really excellent and I loved Diana in it ….I was running out of time, like now …ahh, work always gets in the way, doesn't it? Oh loved House of Flying Daggers- Ziyi Zhang was so sweetly beautiful, even in her steeliness, and I loved that the leader of the Daggers was a woman! YEAH! Gorgeous sets and costumes…off to toil now : )

I lost my long comment again. Oh well. I have a question for you all, maybe you can help me out??
We all know what tipping the velvet means. But has anyone ever heard the term "pearl diver"? I family friend gave me a lovely silver necklace with a pearl diver charm on it. He said I would know what it meant. I don't but I have a pretty good guess, lol. Can anyone help me out?

I know pearl diving was an important occupation back in the day, usually performed by women… and the necklace is from Saudi Arabia if this helps (I'm not sure if the name is right, his words not mine). I think it might be a TTV-type term, I just thought someone here might know more than I do. :o) Thanks!!

Hi Ashley- pearl-diving is a lovely pursuit…I haven't heard that term in awhile! Just think what part of your "girl-bits" would correspond with a lovely pearl… : ) … so, like tipping the velvet, only a bit more specific…what a sweet present your friend gave you!

Hi everyone..I'd like to say what a pleasure it has been to chat with you guys all these past months!Really appreciate the intelligence and humor that prevails!The very best of everything to you all in'06!!Why apolgise E.B.?The homewrecker remark was funny and true!Knew you'd enjoy Flying Daggers!Did you watch the dvd extras?That snowstorm(not unlike the one here now in NY)@ the end was pure serendipity;beautiful!The Producers semi-sucked,but ,as special effects compensation,I have a date with Mr. Kong on !/!/06!!Cheers!:)

Hey Ashley,welcome back!How are the horses?Aside from your silver necklace(does it actually include a pearl?),did you get your Bait dvd?If not,I did see it on eBay last week(look under John Hurt).I'd like to pose a TTV quiz:after numerous viewings,I've noted a continuity error in one scene…anyone else picked this up?Yes,Dina it's great to unexpectedly see Rachael or Diana!Was channel surfing one day and came across DDR and Rachael sitting at a dinner table @ a Liza Minelli shindig.Caught the end of Diana raving about Rachael's dildo-wearing in TTV!I'm sure the other dinner guests were duly impressed and may have even dropped their pipes into their drinks!

I haven't spotted the continuity error. But, have you guys noticed, in the scene where Nan is trying to get Flo and her brother to let her stay with them, that the baby is actually never crying if you look at his face.

Yes I did notice that Dina. I just watched it again last night. And yes also there is a minor (but not overt) crotch grab in that section you guys talked about - where Diana comes back to see Nan … when she's waiting by the window!

Saw King Kong - man Thel - the special effects were marvelous. I didn't expect to enjoy the film and while it was a bit long - I liked it quite a lot.

I have to add I've been very much enjoying all the intelligent gab on here too! Happy 2006 everyone.

And for a laugh - I've never heard the pearl diving expression but I have a fag friend who always jokes about us lesbians going "clam diving." I thought that was one of his "isms" as he has many - but the pearl thing makes sense too - much more beautiful visual if you ask me! Gonna click submit before I lose this.

I liked your home wrecker joke too E.B. In fact most, if not all of what is on here I find highly interesting and amusing. Well I've not much to say tonight as midnight is approaching and a friend is dropping by (oh what an exciting life I lead … .) Anyway, talk to you all soon and Happy New Year!

I could strangle that "submit" button sometimes…. just wrote a nice long post, but I don't know how to copy it to save it, argghh!
Thel, if you can figure out what show you saw W/Rachael, Diana and Liza Minnelli, I would sure appreciate it… maybe whatever it is, it may be available on DVD? And wasn't Greg Dyke the head of BBC then re: Mrs. Bradley Mysteries… I know a lot of people in the industry didn't care for him. Maybe someone will have the sense to resurrect Mrs. B.; I hope so!
Watched Evil Under the Sun again….Diana and Maggie Smith are so funny! I really enjoyed it….You're the Top is indeed Diana's number, the whole film is set to a Cole Porter score. There's a scene where Diana is sitting alone on a beach , wearing a cream-colored bathing suit….one can see where Rachael gets her endless legs from! They are just the most beautiful mother and daughter duo on this earth…well, okay, I think so anyway!
Lucy, sometimes little or no excitement is just fine, don't you think? : ) Hope you had a nice New Year's Eve up there in Vancouver, and here's hoping that our prolific Pacific Northwest monsoon lets up soon, eh?

Oh, just wanted to say that I too have really enjoyed reading everyones' musings and tidbits…. I think it's great that Rachael has so many intelligent , cool fans… here's wishing you all the best in '06! And thank you to Bonnie and Claire for this wonderful site ( we must work on exorcising that submit button) !!

HI All….King Kong was quite the experience;three hours of pure,cinematic entertainment!Naomi Watts was excellent and just read she's the latest peson to be offerred the role inCasino Royale!While watching her myriad closeups in KK,I was thinking how great it would be to see a close-ups of Rachael on the big screen!

Tried X 3 and for naught.Was it something I said to offend the god of submit??????Will try agin at the dawn's early light(that might be a good line for a national anthem)You know this drek will submit…….

Yeah the special effects in King Kong were amazing and Naomi Watts really did do a good job! But damn, why can't they offer RS something for Bond? I was listening to the last two episodes (thanks Bonnie) of Hold Back the Night and god her voice is just so beautiful. Sometimes she sounds a bit like her mum.

Yes E.B. laying low can be good - I know - thanks for the kind words … must be the time of year - this monsoon and wind we've been having makes staying indoors more desirable and then one starts to feel like a bump on a log.

I'm going to have to watch that Poirot again - I've seen it and I didn't remember that DDR is in there - been a lot time.

Yes I did love the Bradley series too - I didn't know about all the crap and why it got cancelled - all of you are a wealth of information. Well gonna hit the submit before this goes. Oh and E.B. if you highlight the text in this box - then hit Control (or Apple button if you have a Mac) - hit Control C (copy) and then hit submit - if you lose it - just put the curser back in the comments section and paste the message you copied back in - hit control V - or apple command button V - and the text should reappear. Cheers everyone and happy 2006.

Ooops, I'm house sitting and writing on someone else's lap top - so I guess the site couldn't identify my last post - it's me LUCY! Mind you - I'm sure a few of you figured that out ….

HI folks!

I'm finally back online. I figured you all would get the connotation of the pearl diver. ;o) The strange thing is, this man is around 75 years old and I wasn't even sure if he knew I was gay. I'm really impressed though, it's a gorgeous necklace and I'm quite tickled by it.

No Bait under my Xmas tree. :o( Oh well, look out Ebay, here I come!!

Happy new year everyone, I'm looking forward to taking part in discussions once again.

Someone tell me what the continuity error is!!! :o)

Hi E.B…will look for Evil on eBay;love Diana's perf of the Porter number! Believe the Liza program was on BBCA and is not on dvd as far as I know.Speaking of Maggie Smith,just viewed Ladies in Lavender,co-starring the ubiquitous Judi Dench.Got ticked wondering why these dames have the market cornered on middle-age starring roles.Where is Diana??SARCASM ALERT: sure DDR played grandma in only the hundreth cheesy remake of Heidi…whopee do!Where art thou oh intelligent casting directors?Not only on earth,DDR/RS are the most brilliant stars in the solar system!!!!

Hi ALL,I know you're anxiously awaiting the answer to the TTV goof question so here it is:in part 2,whilst Nan and Zena are getting it on,("oh miss,what a thing to do")we cut briefly back to the party;lo and behold there's a frame of Nan and Zena up front at the party.The film editors must have been hitting Rachael and Keeley's wine cellar!

Can you explain more Thel - I don't understand your description - what happens?? Where's the continuity error??

Also I agree about DDR not getting great film roles -she would have been great in Gosford Park - don't you think?

Welcome back Ashely!

Hi Lucy, I tried what you said but must have messed up something, I just lost another long post! I know what you mean about staying in and being a bump on a log….something about torrential winds and rain makes walking to the gym a bit dicey, but my pants are getting tight from Holiday Cheer and that's not a good thing! Plus my treadmill at home has a rip in it, dammit…at least I can swim, my building has an indoor pool, yay!

That was so strange- just part of my message was saved- it sort of worked, Lucy!
Thel, I couldn't agree with you more about the lack of originality of casting directors.. I wrote 2 long posts about it just now, but afraid I'll lose it again, so…I'll bet we see Dame Judi, Sienna Miller, and Keira Knightly in everything for the next three years. That's what I meant about my post about Rachael's agents pulling for her… I just know that if the rest of the world besides us and London theatregoers could see her work, they'd fall in love with her too….I was looking forward to seeing Diana in White Rabbit, but that seems to be off the radar now…

Awesome… I'm steadily trying to convince my girlfriend to watch TTV with me again (we watched it together the first time, but she hasn't seen it since), so I will check out the continuity error thing. That is so cool. :o)

Hi again…..Lucy,the goof amounts to the fact that as Nan is diving for Zena's oyster,so to speak,they cannot simultaneously be at Diana's party,but they are shown there sans Nan's bloody face.Maybe more an editing error than a continuity one!Have you checked your email?

So sports fans,you say you're waiting for another quiz?Here goes…does anyone know how Diana and Archie decided on the names "Rachael" and "Atlanta" for their little bundle of joy?

Hey Thel, yes I checked my email - and nothing from you - could you resend what you wrote?? I'll have to watch that bit re: the continuity error because I don't recall seeing that. Hmmmm…. And man you really are up on your trivia - I don't have a clue on the answer for your latest quiz!

Sorry to hear that the copy and paste thing didn't work completely E.B. Lucky you - for having a pool in your building. I'm joining a new gym this month - I can't wait!

More later …

Thel, I'm still confused. We see the scene of oyster diving and then what - they switch back to seeing Nan and Zena at the party? Or, we see the scene - but Nan has no blood on her face (as she should) ?? I only recall it all seeming fine. Blood, brandy and sex. No party … only in the bedroom!

Maybe it's an artistic license sort of thing, a foreshadowing of sorts…. it seems like back at the fancy dress party, Nan and Zena become almost detached from the others and there's a bit of haze around them, as if it's a "dream" scene…as if they're looking at the last vestiges of their lifestyle right before Diana thrusts them out of it forever…. or maybe it's just a screw-up! Ashley, sorry you didn't get Bait as a gift, but glad you're getting it for yourself- you'll love it, Rachael is SOOO cute in it and love her accent!

Ok, now I figured it out. HOLY. In the party scene right after they have their first session of sex - in the top part of the screen you can see Nan and Zena talking … when they're supposed to be upstairs … is that what you're talking about Thel? Yup major continuity issue - but it's so minor I never even saw it because the stuff in the foreground is so distracting. Man you have a good eye - I had to watch it over and over and hit pause a million times and scan it slowly. You're right the film editors must have been drinking what they were too! Good catch there Thel. And no I still don't know that name thing - although I'm going to google it right now! Thanks Bonnie for all the info on what's been happening with our comments. YOU ROCK!

Ok, I give up. I've googled and googled and alas I cannot find anything on why they named Rachael - Rachael Atlanta. No cigar for me!

HI Lucy…..just re sent email.So you agree on the continuity/goof issue.I know there's a goof section on imdb,and there must be detail people who enjoy finding errors;I'm not one,but then again I usually don't see a movie as many times as I've seen TTV.WOuld you rate King Kong as one of the year's best?I'd give it a 10/10.Loved the scene where Ann does her vaudeville routine for the ape!Too bad some of the creatures were so life-like and creepy:many kids are spooked and having nightmares!
Can't wait to see the dvd extras(already released)and learn how the special effects were done!:)

Hi E.B…what was White Rabbit about?Also canceled was the broadway production of The Importance of Being Ernest;the reason being the same play was to be offerred on the west coast.(?)Why?
Just looking as the E channel's 101Sexiest Celebrity Bodies.Of course Keira Knightley made the list,and one comment was that she has"abs of steel".In your Scottish and Stirling research,have you ever discovered how Rachael got her names?Yes,as we cannot resist stating,Rachael is so very adorable in Bait!Totally stunning in two scenes with Vincent:with the earring in the doorway and on the road on the cell phone!:)

AHHHH you guys are making me crazy. I want to see Bait very, very badly. :o) *squeals with excitement*

Go for it Ashley! Amazon has 38 copies of previously viewed Bait dvds.It's your belated Christmas gift and we're dying to hear your review!Just think…….an entire film of Rachael in jeans and T-shirt,co-starring with Colin Firth's brother!:)

God I've got to see Bait too now. Man I need to catch up. So Thel when are you going to give us the goods on the origins of Rachael's names??? Loved King Kong - loved that scene you mentioned too. I had to shut my eyes I was so creeped out by some of those creatures … I'm such a girl that way! I don't know if I'd give it a 10/10 - I thought Brokeback Mountain was amazing frankly. For effects - yes - 10/10 - but overall - I'd say 8.5-9.

Hi everyone…Yes Thel, I don't get why Earnest
was called off, I was trying to get a friend to commit to going to NY w/me to see it; grrr! White Rabbit was a film project Diana was doing w/Judi Dench, I believe or maybe it was Maggie Smith….anyway, I don't know what it was about or why it's on the rear burner; I hope it's still being worked on…IMDB can be so dicey. As for Rachael's name, I do know that Archie and Diana intended her middle name to be Atalanta, after a mythological goddess of some sort, but it was misspelled on her birth certificate, so it's Atlanta. I actually read on the net about 3 years ago that Rachael was conceived in Atlanta, Georgia and that's why her middle name is Atlanta! Too funny….don't know for sure about the "Rachael" but there are many Rachels on Archie's side and I believe that either Archie or Diana's mum had Rachael or Rachel in her name.
I love the scene in Bait w/ Rachael, cell phone and truck, and my favorite has to be when she's in the truck w/Jack , they're driving by some power lines….she's wearing headphones, looking out the window and smiling, then she turns her head to look at Jack and gives him the sweetest grin; I absolutely melt right into the floor everytime I see that! Yes, I love the earring scene too, and when they're scrubbing Jack's walls on Stephanie's birthday…. and when she's walking through the wood shop/plant….oh, just the whole film!
I got to thinking after I commented to Ashley about Rachael's northern accent in Bait (thanks to Bonnie's comment in TV section)… Rachael has used many accents in her work so far…1890s Whitstable in TTV, Scottish in Complicity, American in A Woman of No Importance, Cuban-American in Anna in the Tropics, Northern in Bait, what am I missing? I would imagine she'll be using a French accent for Riot…very impressive !

You've won E.B!Somehow I knew you'd know!Read that Rachael was named for her paternal grandmother,Susan Rachael Bligh.Her middle mythology name apparently means,"friend of Diana".DDR has been reported to say that baby Rachael had the longest legs of any baby they had seen!Oh,E.B.,don't get me started on the smiles. A while back,on the Yahoo site,there was a discusson re:Rachael's wonderful range of different smiles throughout TTV!With that initial coach ride to Brixton,I always think that all the glorious sights of London cannot even come close to the beauty of that smiling face!The non-verbal expressions are great and my favs are:the series of smiles to herself after Nan receives the rose from Kitty;the subtle smile after Nan places her nightgown under the pillow on Flo's bed! Rachael has such a palate of natural expressions,and at the risk of sounding overly dramatic,oberving that face at work is not unlike studying a work of art!Anyone else with favorite TTV smiles?

Oh definitely Thel - I love her expression when she says "Now I'm like you," after getting her hair cut, then smiles up at Kitty. *sigh* Also, on…er…the 'morning after' when Nan is lying on the bed smoking a cigarette, after she and Kitty have their dialogue, RS does this great little secret smile. I love it. :o)Hmmm…also, when Walter asks Nan how it feels to be a star (or famous, whatever)…that's a good one too! ;o)

Off topic: Just got back from seeing "Fun with Dick and Jane". It was pretty good… minus all of the Mexican stereotypes! (grrr…) But, I went with my friend who is from Mexico and she wasn't too offended. Hm. ??