By Gosh By Golly, It's Great Casting News for "Valhalla Rising"

Calling all Boglies! Monarch of the Glen,( Glenbogle)fans that is! Great news today as it was revealed over the weekend that actor Alexander (Sandy) Morton, beloved for his role as Golly the gamekeeper in Monarch, has now joined the cast of "Valhalla Rising" woo! This is great as he is a solid Scottish actor to be certain, and I'm quite pleased to learn this news! Here is an old press release from the BBC on his role as Golly in Monarch :note this is a pdf link)

The Scotsman reports that Sandy will be playing the role of a father in the new viking film from Nicolas Winding Refn currently due to begin production shortly along the coast of Scotland, and is based out of Film City Glasgow this summer. There is also great news that a "making of " documentary for the DVD is forthcoming and is currently being shot. This of course is awesome news, for Sandy is joining the cast that already has Mads Mikkelsen and Jamie Sives, , so lets hope there is loads of extra footage/goodies for goofball fans like me to drool over.

Speaking of drooling I'm sure there will be plenty people gaga over the over casting news as a beautiful Scottish model named Lauren Tempany has now joined the cast. This casting was brought about by casting director Des Hamilton (who has worked frequently with Sigma Films in the past) as the director was so taken with her,he wrote a part especially for the fledgingly actress. Quotage:

Tempany caught the eye of Scottish casting director Des Hamilton, whose previous discoveries include Kathleen McDermott, whom he spotted out shopping in Glasgow's Argyle Street and put forward for a major role in the 2002 film Morvern Callar.

"There's a making-of documentary being made around Valhalla and they asked me if I had met any young girls who were interesting," said Hamilton."I saw a photograph of Lauren and thought she was interesting and I met her. I introduced her to Nicolas and they got back in touch with her and she is now in the movie."

"I couldn't believe it," said Tempany. "But I am absolutely thrilled, especially to do a film in Scotland. It's a great movie and it's got a great cast." The paper also notes Tempany will play the daughter of a local Scottish chieftain who keeps Mikkelsen's character as a slave.

She has hoped to break into acting for some time.

"It's just been totally last minute," she said, shortly after being fitted for her costumes in Glasgow. "I've just heard in the past week that he's actually written a part for me, so I am totally, totally thrilled. I am just like – wow!"

WOW indeed-how cool and good for her. Roll on Valhalla Rising news!

Martin Compston in the News

The Daily Record has a new article today featuring actor Martin Compston. In the lengthly feature (titled "It's so Sweet to be a Star" LOL! sweet... :P) topics range from brief mentions on Monarch of the Glen, an interesting audition for the upcoming Star Trek film (he didnt get the part), the soon to be released thriller/gore film "Doomsday," and an intriguing tidbit about the upcoming Rounding up Donkeys. Of interest, the article says the second film in the Advance Party trilogy may have another name "possibly Barrowlands " oho! Well not that anyone cares much what I think on this matter, but I much prefer this name as it keeps in with the location sort of theme with the first film Red Road. I have to be frank and say I do think this possible title would be a lot less off putting, and would be more intriguing to new audiences than RuD, which to some seems odd for as a colleague at work scoffed the other day 'heh isn't that a touch 'arty?' who the hell wants to go see something supposedly serious titled about jackasses' * sigh* Whatever, they will probably stick with the RuD title anyway, so this is all moot and blather as usual.

There was also this bit about Martin's reprising his role in the sequel to Red Road, as the article notes

"... it finished filming in Glasgow last month and features James Cosmo with Kate Dickie in a tale of a father-daughter's fractured relationship.

Martin admits to some challenging scenes but turns coy when asked if they involved his first sex scene. "I don't know," he says, grinning. "It's the best script I've read for years, and if we do it any justice then we're on a winner."

A winner- YES, lets hope so!

Sweet! It's Scotland Week 2008!

Today is March 30, which is the official beginning of the annual Scotland Week, celebrating and promoting all things Scottish here in the US. For the past couple years I've thought this is a cool thing to be certain, but the hidden bonus is I also now have a whole host of randomly and marginally Sigma Films things to write about for the next week! The blog gods are smilin' on me for sure ;)

This event is of course to help promote tourism,and spread the word on the many various ,and I think very interesting, facets of Scotland. As the marketing for the week states, over 12 million Americans claim Scottish ancestry (including myself) and I have paid attention to this week for a variety of reasons over the past few years.

There are events planned in some of the more major cities in the US, including the annual parade in NYC (always a good time and good excuse to gather and drink afterwards too lol), as are the various things in the press highlighting Scottish cities, arts, music, literature etc; things touristy and cultural to be sure, but I am also keen on the whisky and food aspect as well,but more on that later this week. All of it culminates in the big Tartan day on Sunday April 6. According to the Scotland.org website April 6 is important because "in 1998 the US Senate designated 6 April each year as Tartan Day "in recognition of the monumental achievements and invaluable contributions made by Scottish Americans." Previously, in some parts of the US, and in other parts of the world ,notably Canada where a Tartan Day was already in place, special events had been held to celebrate this day. But the Senate resolution has provided a further impetus and a growing number of organisations and individuals are having their own local festivities."

After getting a press release on all of this, I took a quick glance at the various sites for this, and lo and behold I did spot a sorta Sigma related person, Kelly Cooper Barr who is one of the people profiled as a Voice of Scotland. Now I've seen her name and photos pop up a few times on the GetYourPeopleBlog and in those pics from Motovun, and never knew what she did or why she was there (someones girlfriend or something I guess) On the Scotland week page there is a link to a site, and it said she is located at the fabulous FilmCity Glasgow, which of course is the home of Sigma Films. Another quick look about shows this person is also a stylist and pr person, so maybe she does pr for the film company or something -no idea though. On her website it shows her work as a fashion stylist, which I think must be a fun job (and she seems to be good too, given the quality photos I saw), although she would take a look at me, currently blogging in my beloved but old Dave Matthews Band pink fairy tee, sweats and flip flops and know I totally fail in the fashion department lol (you'd never know by that description I faithfully read those magazines, love project runway and pay attention to it, just struggle pitifully with putting it together though *sigh* hahah oh well)

Speaking of fashion, lets talk kilts and another random Sigma mention :)As for kilts, lets just be plain about it: men in kilts are downright handsome, and sexy sexy SEXY and I know full well I am not alone in the slightest in thinking that and enjoying that show! I remember seeing several pics of say Gerard Butler, the wonderful Tony Curran (Red Road) and most especially Sigma Films exec, producer and actor Alastair Mackenzie who looked way fine on the runway sporting one during the excellent Dressed to Kilt event , which apparently has been postponed until October this year-BOOOO!!! Side note: I loved Alastair as Archie in the Monarch of the Glen , he was just top notch all the way around and he never wore a kilt enough for me lolol. Yes I know Duncan was the keeper of the Glenbogle kilt lol love him and he was so funny and great in that part (plus I heard that kilt went thru several incantations due to wear and tear), but still. Because Im a hopeless romantic, I always thought it was a shame that when Archie proposed to Lexie he was sporting those tartan pants which were wretched lol, although on the other hand bless Lexie was wearing her Scarlett O'hara gown with those nasty hoops, which makes dancing neigh impossible and quite a feat lol-I've worn a hoop skirt a couple times in the past-corsets I don't mind at all, but hoops UGGGH poor Dawn Steele. He made up for it though, by wearing a proper kilt when Archie went charging after her and Superman stopped the bus in a kinda goofy but completely swoon-worthy moment lol Im such a hopeless sapp. Anyway, bring on Scotland in all its old traditions and modern delights, Cheers ahead for Scotland week!

Bonus video: My fave Archie/Lexie fan video featuring the dreaded tartan pants lol