Friday, May 30, 2014

Music According to Benedict: Nick Drake Full Discography 1969-1972



Perfect for a quiet, introspective mood - with or without added substances. ;)

I don't know that Benedict Cumberbatch is of an age to portray Nick Drake now, but, once upon a time, he hoped to take on the role.

Q: What roles would you most like to play still? 

A: "A young Nick Drake (the folk musician) – on film or telly. Play-wise, Oswald from Ghosts, Hamlet obviously. And why not Constantine (from The Seagull) as well."  -  20 Questions with Benedict Cumberbatch - "What's On Stage" (April 25, 2005)

It should console him a bit that he'll portray Hamlet - at the Barbican in Autumn 2015, but it would be nice to see a play or small performance piece about Nick in a theater that suits the mood and music.



Dear John



May 30, 2014

Dear John,

I've been thinking about you today, trying to remember how long it's been since I first saw you. How many years ago was it? 10? No. Longer than that. It's hard to believe how much has changed since then, at least for me. For you? I'm not sure.

I hate that you and I didn't have time to talk or to try to make sense of anything, really. It's so unfair. You mattered to so many people, not just me.  You are precious to me, even now.  I thought I'd try to make up for our loss a little. I hope you don't mind.

Wednesday, May 28, 2014

Benedict Cumberbatch & The Adventure of the Winner's Circle

For the second time in the 2014 Formula One racing season, Benedict Cumberbatch conducted the post-race podium interviews with the Top 3 finishers, this time at the the conclusion of the Monaco Grand Prix. Tension between the top 2, Mercedes drivers Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton, had been discussed by those in the media over the weekend, which means, of course, that F1 fans were well aware of it. So, if it's your job to interview these drivers moments after a controversial race, how do you prepare? What do you ask?

If you're Cumberbatch, you do this:




Approachable, non-combative, unassuming - and certainly aware of the adrenaline rush each driver was experiencing (for differing reasons).

There's a transcript of the interview here, which also includes questions asked during the press conference held later. Those inquiries dug a little bit deeper into the working relationship between Rosberg and Hamilton:

Q: (Paolo Ianieri - La Gazzetta dello sport) A question for Nico and Lewis. We have seen that there is a pretty tense situation between the two of you and we also heard comments from Lauda saying you did not want to talk and apologise. Are you going to have a pizza together, a dinner, to sort the problems, talk about it and try to get the situation back to normal?
and:
Q: (Ian Parkes - Press Association) Lewis, it seems pretty clear to us that you feel aggrieved with the events that occurred yesterday in qualifying. Is this it now for you? Is it gloves off in your battle with Nico? And secondly, do you feel that you are getting full and fair support from the team?

Sunday, May 25, 2014

Benedict Cumberbatch conducts Top 3 interviews: 2014 Monaco Grand Prix



Not a lot of camera time for Benedict Cumberbatch here as he interviews Nico Rosberg, Lewis Hamilton and Daniel Ricciardo, but the CumberCollective likes to know what their favorite actor does, and it makes screencaps and edits possible, as well as general admiration of  the view and voice. (You know you do.)

Methinks there must be a reason the president and CEO of Formula One Management and Formula One Administration, Bernie Ecclestone, has called upon Benedict to repeat the duties he performed at the Malaysia Grand Prix earlier this year, conducting post-race interviews with the Top 3 drivers. I'm just speculating, but if a successful (sometimes controversial) British business magnate takes a professional interest in an actor (which is he not known to do in the past that I've found so far),  I think it would be more than just general admiration. Perhaps it involves  Sunny March Ltd., since producer Adam Ackland accompanied Benedict, but who knows? We'll just have to wait and see - and enjoy the benefits of this friendship between Bernie and Ben.



Fan Vid Fun: Sherlock/Moriarty - Boring!



This fan video is anything but boring. It makes me smile - because the chemistry between Andrew Scott & Benedict Cumberbatch works so well - and Scott made the character of Moriarty fascinating and fun, as well as FUBAR. :)




Friday, May 23, 2014

Music According to Benedict - "Skeleton Boy" by Friendly Fires


Nancy Carroll & Benedict Cumberbatch  Credit:Geraint Lewis

Before Benedict gave us a bit of "legal dancing" whilst talking with a convention audience, his love of music had already been shared with interviewers - and taken to heart and head by his fans. It may have not been a Top Tunes list, but music is acknowledged to be one of Benedict's many passions, and his appreciation for Friendly Fires, the English indie band from St. Alban's, is longstanding.

In a profile of the actor entitled, "The Fabulous Baker Street Boy" (because who doesn't love a Sherlock Holmes tie-in?), reporter Lesley White wrote:
"After the show (Terence Rattigan's "After the Dance") the actor had showered, danced around to "Skeleton Boy" by Friendly Fires to “shake off” the interwar years, and dived into the National’s Green Room to have a drink with his friends, but then escaped to the fresh air of a balcony, alone. “I just felt, ‘This is too much.’ I was hot. So I walked away from everyone.” -  The Sunday Times - Aug. 12, 2010)

Wednesday, May 21, 2014

Benedict Cumberbatch Coming to "Black Mass"

In what seems a repeat of a work ethic that brought him worldwide attention, commercial success and critical acclaim, Benedict Cumberbatch's name was added to another movie project scheduled for 2015 release, hot on the heels of the "The Yellow Birds" cast announcement.


WENN


The Boston Globe reports today that Benedict Cumberbatch is set to replace English-born Australian actor Guy Pearce in the Whitey Bulger biopic from Warner Brothers Pictures', "Black Mass."  The article states that Pearce was "believed to be playing the mob boss’s law-abiding brother, Billy" while Johnny Depp has the lead role as Boston mobster-turned-FBI-informant James "Whitey" Bulger, who would later be one of the FBI's Ten Most Wanted for over a decade.

The film is currently shooting in the Boston area with media reports detailing celebrity sightings of Depp and his fiancĂ©e, Amber Heard, as well as observations on the transformation of 50-year-old Depp's appearance



NYDN/PATRIOT PICS/FAMEFLYNET/ FBI/AP
Johnny Depp (L) Whitey Bulger (R)

Thursday, May 15, 2014

Music According to Benedict - The Maccabees "Grew Up At Midnight"

Recent media coverage could make one wonder if Benedict Cumberbatch embarked on a goodwill tour as an ambassador for British fashion, British independent cinema - and British charitable works.  Luckily for fans, these events have resulted a virtual avalanche of articles, images, videos and eyewitness recaps to make every morning on Tumblr and Twitter feel like Christmas:

Via Nicole Gaudier

While Benedict continues to weave (and occasionally waffle) his way through a steady stream of interviews, charity dinners and Q&A sessions, we're going to re-visit the Top Tunes list he gave to Two Paddocks in 2012 (back in the days before bodyguards, bespoke suits and bemusing attempts to regain privacy by portraying Mr. Napkin Head).


Sunday, May 11, 2014

A "legal bit of dancing" with Daft Punk

What do you think is the TOP result if you Google "Benedict Cumberbatch dancing"?

Would it be a mash-up of clips featuring Benedict and Tom Hiddleston?

Perhaps it's behind-the-scenes footage of Benedict as Khan on the set of Star Trek Into Darkness?
Maybe. . .just maybe, it's the clip from Sherlock Series 3, Episode 2 ("The Sign of Three"), where Benedict pirouettes rather elegantly (which you can see here on an earlier blog post).

No?

NO.

During Oz Comic-Con earlier in April, attendees reported that Benedict came out prior to a session with the audience when he heard their reaction to the video presentation. What had caused such a commotion?
Party moments at a private celebration, which were shared personally within Benedict's circle of friends, then hacked - and posted publicly.

Met Gala Attendees Meet their Match & Miss the Memo

This year's Costume Institute Gala, known to you and me informally as the Met Ball - or Met Gala, was the highlight of what had to be an incredible day for Vogue editor-in-chief, Anna Wintour. Having chaired the gala since 1995, Wintour could be forgiven if she was on "auto-pilot" for the annual fundraiser (which last year raised over $9 million dollars for the Costume Institute, with a ticket price of $15,000 per person.)

However, she was definitely NOT calling this one in. This year held the promise of something different, something exclusive. . .something special. An honour was to be bestowed upon the fashion maven this year: the opening of the $40 million Anna Wintour Costume Center (the new name for the Costume Institute). First Lady Michelle Obama spoke at the ribbon cutting ceremony held earlier on the day of the ball.

For 2014, a theme was chosen (Charles James: Beyond Fashion), a guest list was prepared, and ticket prices were set- at $25,000

There was speculation as to why Wintour increased the ticket price by $10,000 per ticket. Was it because Gwyneth Paltrow complained about crowds and heat at the 2013 event? Was Wintour tired of the attitude today's celebrities have about exclusive events - having once banned Kim Kardashian from the gala? Was the Vogue editor's generation gap showing?