The Hobbit : Dream Cast

[The Saucepan Man]

Originally Posted by WCH

You missed Blessed's star turn as Exeter in Henry V? Grim, intimidating, and horrendously strong.

Well, if that was the Brannagh film, I have seen it, but cannot now recall the Blessed performance.

My main recollection of Brian Blessed, I am afraid, is as King of the Hawkmen in Flash, the King in Blackadder the First, and in other similar roles involving him being hale and hearty and shouting a lot. More recently, I have only seen him in occasional television appearances (as himself), involving him being an outrageous luvvie and, er, shouting a lot.

I see Beorn as being a more subtle character than I am used to from Blessed. While he has his moments of merriment, he is first encountered as a grim and dour man whom Gandalf paints as rather fearsome. I could never find jolly old shouty Brian Blessed fearsome.

Added to that, he is something like 70 years old now and, while make-up and SFX can do wonders, that may be a bit of a stretch for Beorn.

Don't get me wrong. I have a great soft spot for Brian Blessed. But, as far as LotR is concerned, he will always be the Bombadil that never was to me.