![]() All in all it was good fun even if it has it's weak points. I've also recently seen that the man himself actually reads the audiobook so maybe that would be a better format to check out for this book. I've learnt loads and been inspired to watch a number of his movies. One thing that was only briefly covered was his time up mountains, I would have loved to read more about that, I think it may be covered in a separate book so will have to look into that. ![]() Some of the stuff he did on set was borderline worrying, his treatment of some of the smaller actors in Flash Gordon would definitely cause him to get fired today. ![]() Reading about how he got roles, the people he met and the movies he saved was interesting at first, but I did find myself getting a bit bored with all the unbelievable stories and all the name dropping. His dad seemed like quite a character too. Also reading about his time with his Dad, some real love there, was great. His first job at the undertakers was very interesting, especially from Brian's outlandish point of view. What I loved about the book was hearing about his childhood, he was one crazy young man that caused his parents no end of grief, even at such a young age you can still see the man he was going to be. I picked up this book thinking it was a biography, instead it is a collection of anecdotes with a whole load of side-stories thrown in. Most memorable is his part in Flash Gordon, loved that movie when I was a kid. He has been on the TV for many many years and any scene he is in he steals it. Good old Brian Blessed, a national treasure, you gotta be pretty evil to dislike him. Now then, all together, “Gordon’s alive!” ![]() I listened to Brian’s big booming voice narrating the audiobook version and it was a joy from start to finish. There is so much more to enjoy: ranging from Z Cars, to Star Wars, to Flash Gordon, to his friendship with Audrey Hepburn, meeting his wife, and so on. His recollections about a lifelong friendship, well love/hate relationship might be more accurate, with Peter O'Toole are worth the price of admission alone. A union man who closed down the Barnsley seam because it was seeping gas, and who saved many lives.īrian's parents were so proud when he got a scholarship to theatre school, almost unheard of in those days that a coal hewer's son should go to drama school.Ĭhildhood memories are but a small section of this superb autobiography though. Brian's father was a coal hewer from Goldthorpe, a coal mining village in South Yorkshire. Crammed with anecdotes from his illustrious career, this is a funny, warm-hearted, life-affirming, LOUD and unique memoir from a much-loved figure.īrian Blessed is a national treasure: actor, trained undertaker, romantic, martial artist, boxer, mountaineer, and a man with a lifetime of anecdotes which are variously hilarious, tragic, wise, interesting, life reaffirming, touching, and insightful.Īs with many biographies, I was especially enthralled by his childhood memories during WW2. You'll see Brian falling for Katharine Hepburn on the set of The Trojan Women, suffering wires strapped round his wotsits as he was hoisted into the heavens on Flash Gordon, almost causing an international incident when meeting the Emperor and Empress of Japan, and winning round George Lucas to get the role of Boss Nass on Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace.Īlong the way he takes secret revenge on headmistress Mrs Jarman and her very big bottom, punches Harold Pinter, loves and hates Peter O'Toole, woos his beautiful wife Hildegard Neil and braves the shocking death toll on cosy TV drama My Family and Other Animals. Ready? Then open A bsolute Pandemonium and you'll be taken on a riotous journey from his childhood, growing up the son of a miner in Goldthorpe, to finding fame in Z-Cars. He's also a brilliant storyteller who will - and you must brace yourself - simply leap out of the pages at you. He's an actor, film star, trained undertaker, unlikely diplomat, secret romantic, martial artist and mountaineer. There is no one quite like Brian Blessed.
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