PT The Fantastic Ian McDiarmid

His Sublime Mastery? I like it. That's the kind of attitude that gets you places in the FIGS. That, and several dozen evil schemes. But I digress.

Seeing how Palpy did it is, IMO, the most entertaining part about the prequels. I agree that Ian looks like he's enjoying himself in the role, and I think that's one of the reasons Palpatine is such an enjoyable character to watch - that, and he's a bit of a dude. It's great to see at least one member of the PT cast having fun, even if it isn't quite Shakespeare.

Methinks time to get a new ROTS dvd then

Excellent. Even the moderators cannot stand against the combined power of The God and the FIGS.

FIGS stands for Fantastic Ian (McDiarmid) Gusher's Society. It also stands for complete world (galactic, universal etc) domination in the name of Ian McDiarmid, but we're still working on that one.

FIGS: Everything that has transpired has done so according to IAN'S design.

 

"Not from a Jedi."



I was literally just watching ROTS and marveling at Ian's acting, and then I found you guys!!!

Ian McDiarmid

 

Hail, Fellow FIGsers!

I have come to spread the word after basking in the divine light of our god. Yes, I have seen The One and Only, Ian McDiarmid, in the flesh!!! This is the gospel of Cryo:

I have just witnessed a play called "Jonah and Otto" at the hallowed grounds of The Royal Exchange in Manchester, where Ian once dwelled (he was Associate Director between 1986 and 1988), and where he hath returned to enrich our wayward souls once more. Truly, Ian was fantastic! Where he makes you feel hate and contempt for Palpatine / Sidious (as well as incalculable awe and envy), he renders his character of Otto with such human beauty that the contrast is remarkable -- and truly leaves me slack-jawed at his skill.

Now, I must get something out of the way: I didn't meet him. If I'd waited around afterwards, I might have been able to see him for all of 30 seconds or something, and maybe I could have gotten his signature. No matter! I was NEVER more than a stone's throw away from him!!! It was a tiny theatre and we had FRONT ROW seats!!! The stage was literally THE FLOOR!!! (Well, OK: it was the floor plus one measly inch of fake lawn, which was raised at the back of the "stage", to simulate a hill / bumpiness). This was utterly amazing. There was no need for any sort of voice amplification; I heard The God's voice, pure and clear, for two full hours!!! Even better, I was sat a little left of centre-front, and at a few points in the play, Ian's character actually walked to the edge of the performance area, exactly in front of my seat, and was stood so close that I could have reached out and kicked him. BRILLIANT!!! (For the record: I would never besmirch Our God!)

*MILD SPOILERS*

Of course, I got a great look at those features, particularly when he was up close -- the droopy eyes, the bent nose, the thoughtful brow. And the voice was so hypnotically clear in those up-close moments. Unfortunately, I was feeling a little rough when we arrived at the theatre. My stomach was rumbling, and when Ian stood right next to me, I'm sure he could hear! "How embarrassing, how embarrassing!" Honestly, the place was so small and so intimate you could hear a pin drop -- don't even think of rustling for sweets or blowing your nose! I'll say for the last time: the "stage" was basically the remaining floor space in front of us, so it was like watching street performers, not professional actors! Anyway, the most stunning moment of all came when Ian was actually a little further from me; deeper into the play, when Otto has started to bond with Jonah, Ian's character sits down on the grass, legs stretched forward, gazing into the distance, locked in thought -- and guess where he was gazing??? I was watching Jonah, and then I turned to Ian's character, and I saw two pensive eyes staring straight back!!! I'm glad he isn't a REAL Sith Lord!!!

But yes: his performance was great. The character of Otto was an extremely vulnerable and sad old man and Ian made you believe in him from start to finish, wholly and absolutely. His chemistry with the younger Andrew Sheridan was the crux of the entire play and BOTH actors gelled perfectly. Over the course of their one-on-one encounter, they take many snipes at each other, which are often cruel, affecting and even humourous (a lot of the interplay is very glib, which is a real joy). Ian's character was such a timid creature that he was often the receiver, not the giver, but there are also a few moments where, suffice it to say, if you've ever wanted to hear the Emperor scream **** Off!" and "C*nt!", this is the play for you. Without wishing to give too much away, Ian's physique is also on show here! I have been irrevocably scarred seeing the Emperor's all-too-human looking legs, not to mention man boobies! Actually, all kidding aside, Ian has a good body for a man of his age, and it's another wonderfully executed moment in the play.

Of course, waxing lyrical about Mr McDiarmid in this effusive context is all well and good, but I must also praise his co-performer, Mr Sheridan. This is guaranteeing

 

He did that in ROTS.

 

Yes, that's right. I got a bit ahead of myself -- it seems to be another of Lucas' links (i.e. a repeating pattern / motif), but the affectation is Ian's, I think. Can't remember which hands in either of those scenes, but it was DEFINITELY the left in the play. Very interesting.

 

In ROTS I think it was the right hand. But it's still cool either way. It shows he's not totally oblivious to the possibility of getting sabered.

 

Wow, I'm jealous Cryogenic. I'm not a fan of the legitimate theater, but I would gladly pay money to see Ian perform in England.

 

Live theater is great, and I would jump at a chance to see McDiarmid on stage. What a great opportunity for you, and thanks for sharing your experience.

But I bet he didn't shoot lightning from his hands.

FIGS: Almost as cool in real life!

 

I have gots to see me Mr McDiarmid on stage sometime. Thanks for posting that, Cryogenic. A fabulous review, worthy of inclusion in the annals of the FIGSian Order.

*dies*

LOL at kicking The God, btw. It is as well that you did not allow your ambulatory appendage to connect with The God's divine person. I suspect he would have been most displeased.




FIGS: Ian McDiarmid is the icing on the cake of Life.

 

Excellent. Even the moderators cannot stand against the combined power of The God and the FIGS.

FIGS stands for Fantastic Ian (McDiarmid) Gusher's Society. It also stands for complete world (galactic, universal etc) domination in the name of Ian McDiarmid, but we're still working on that one.

FIGS: Everything that has transpired has done so according to IAN'S design.[/quote]

Thank you FIGS for satisfying my curiosity.

 

Thanks, guys. I didn't come in here to boast; only to exhalt our Magnificent One.

OK, OK. One needs to be humble before their God, right? Yes, I came in here to boast. But I hope my boasting better serves you well. Go out and book tickets to see Ian when you can! "Jonah and Otto" is a new play, but the current run of it has just come to an end (there was one more showing on the Saturday and that's it for now).

I downplayed it in my post, but I'm kicking myself for not waiting and getting Ian's autograph now. BAAAAHH! I would probably have made a smart-ass comment -- though where I'd have gotten such temerity is anyone's guess. But it's thanks to this thread that I know Ian signs things, "All good wishes". And I'd have said: "I know you sign things that way, so could you sign something different for me?" He'd have said "sure", then without missing a beat, he'd have sent a swift blast of lightning to my gonads for my impertinence. Probably best I didn't incur his wrath, then.

Still, seeing Ian live, and so close, is something not every SW fan gets to do. If you feel SW is a magnificent modern work of art, and if you think it says something profound about the human condition (yay and yay), then you owe it to yourself to get a little closer to the people that have brought it to life -- and few are better worth your time than Ian McDiarmid.

P.S. I was interested in going to "Celebration Europe", but didn't realise Ian was to be putting in an appearance! I was so disappointed I didn't go after that. Plus, I missed the whole social package. I have my own friends, but meeting fellow fanatics at an event like that would have been awesome. I can be very insular. But these sort of chances don't come around every day. So put your money where your devotion is, fellow FIGsers ... because you'll live to regret it if you don't. I am already regretting the lack of meeting Ian face-to-face when the chance was minutes away, but that's small potatoes. Regrets royally suck; don't let them accumulate; seize the day. In the words of Our God, "DO IT!"

 

Hey... A Giant Section from wookiepedia without all the pretty pictures and ending with ROTJ




Biography
Early life
"He was even ugly as a baby!"
―Han Solo, commenting on the appearance of a clone fetus of Palpatine[src]
Factual information about Palpatine as a child and as a young adult is extremely hard to come by. Records pertaining to his ancestry, immediate family members, and upbringing had mysteriously vanished by the beginning of the New Order.[6] The general assumption is that these records were destroyed to conceal his identity as a Sith, but there is another, though less credible, possibility: there may never have been a real being named Palpatine born on Naboo; Darth Sidious, whose real identity prior to becoming a Sith would therefore be completely unknown, may actually have created the identity of Palpatine in order to enter the political sphere,[7] and so there would be no records about a fictitious ancestry and family to destroy.

Birthplace
Palpatine was born on Naboo, a world in the backwaters of the Chommell Sector in the Mid Rim Territories. He would claim the planetary capital of Theed, a city on the banks of the Solleu River,[8] as his home city, but it is not certain that he was actually born there.

Family
The names of Palpatine's parents have never been discovered, but as he himself has been described as a noble,[9] it is likely that they too were of noble lineage. He was not an only child; the existence of a remote grandniece, Ederlathh Pallopides (b. 4 BBY) indicates that he had at least one sibling, name and gender unknown.[10]

Darth Plagueis and Darth Sidious
"Tell me what you regard as your greatest strength, so I will know how best to undermine you; tell me of your greatest fear, so I will know which I must force you to face; tell me what you cherish most, so I will know what to take from you; and tell me what you crave, so that I might deny you?"
―Darth Plagueis[src]
First Encounter
As difficult as it is to learn concrete facts about Palpatine's youth, information about how he became a Sith is even more scarce. Even the reason Palpatine became aware of the dark side of the Force is a total mystery. Suffice it to say that somehow, his Force-sensitivity escaped the notice of the Jedi Order; instead, his gifts came to the attention of Darth Plagueis, a Muun Dark Lord of the Sith.

Covenants
It was an ancient covenant of the Sith that apprentices must slaughter someone close to them to demonstrate their commitment to the Sith cause.[11] Though there is no specific information concerning such a murder in Palpatine's case, it can be assumed that, if Darth Plagueis adhered to his cult's precepts, he would have commanded the young Palpatine to commit such a murder, only then having proved his worthiness to become a Sith apprentice. That Darth Sidious himself would insist on this commandment being observed by his own apprentices (Darth Maul nearly killing his master, the only being he had any attachment to,[12] Darth Tyranus killing Master Sifo-Dyas, his closest friend in the Jedi Order,[13] and Darth Vader first participating in the murder of Mace Windu, a being he had respected, and then personally slaughtering numerous Jedi younglings[14]) is a strong indicator that Sidious also observed it.

Initiation
Having judged the young Palpatine worthy of joining the Sith, Darth Plagueis formally initiated him into the cult. Those initiation ceremonies that have been witnessed[12][14] have revealed certain common elements: the apprentice-initiate went down on bended knee to humble himself before his prospective master; the initiate pledged himself to his master, to the master's teachings, and to the ways of the Sith Order; the master confirmed that the initiate was joining his destiny to that of the Sith Order of his own free will. So affirmed, the initiate was formally welcomed into the Sith Order, proclaimed a Dark Lord of the Sith, and given a new name according to the Sith tradition. Assuming, again, that Darth Plagueis

 

I just saw the leaked Clone Wars trailer... and the only thing I didn't like was Sidious's Voice. Now I know Nobody can Compete with the ALL GLORIOUS IAN, but I have general been pretty pleased with the different EU Palpatines from games and such. But here it is awful.




Aside from Hideous Monkey-Woman, what is the wort embodiment of Palpatine/Sidious any FIGSER Has Ever Seen?




FIGS: Will New Heresies Erupt Once Warner Brother's Theatrical Release Offers False God?

 

I saw a fan film once (can't remember what it was called, though) that followed a Dark Jedi/Emperor's Hand character on a couple of missions for the Empire. She had a damn cool ship, and the effects were actually pretty good, but Palpatine was awful. They had tried to do the makeup, but just looked like a quick coat of white paint and a couple of peeling bits of putty stuck on the eyebrows. He had really red lipstick on too, which was strange. If you're going to do Palpatine in a fan film, then it's the makeup that you've really got to get right because it's one of the most distinctive looks going. I also reckon that once the makeup's on, the voice kind of follows because it's impossible not to growl, snarl and hiss when you look like that, kind of like it's impossible to not make lightsaber wooshy noises when waving around a stick in a duel with your mates I know when a film makeup artist friend of mine did a Sidious-esque face for me when she was testing a makeup effect for a film she was going to be involved in, my voice went all gravelly from the moment I looked in the mirror. Or maybe that was just my inner FIGSer gleefully coming out to play, I don't know... However, makeup definately helps you get in character, and maybe if they'd worked harder at Palpatine's face, the guy playing him might have just been a bit better.

Also, he had a really small nose, and just couldn't do menacing. His accent got in the way. I do believe there is a reason all the best film villains are played by British actors - the accent just lends itself to evil much more than Midwest American

Aside from that fanfilm, I think the other bad (in a funny way) one is Palpatine from the Clone Wars cartoons. I mean, check out the sleeves and the Mr Burns mannerisms, and the immensely amusing sly looks he keeps giving the Jedi that are 'rescuing' him from Grievous. That look he gives Shaak Ti in the train station when she ties Grievous to a passing train ('please deposit one republic credit...' lol) just cracks me up.

I also like Palpatine in Battlefront II. When playing him, I like to hunt Bothans. They seem to gather in invisible groups of three on the Temple level in particular, and it's fun to jump up and hover by the ceiling, wait for the wobble effect of their invisibility cloak things, then plummet down into the middle of the group and punch the floor in an effortlessly cool move (and isn't Palpatine pushing 80+ during the OT?) and fry the little sods with megavolts everywhere.

I actually did that to Luke once on the Death Star level. I was lurking by a canyon bottleneck, waiting, and Skywalker comes running out of a side corridor and clears out some Stormies. It was too good an opportunity to miss and I descended upon him like some black-cloaked and very ugly angel of death. I landed on top of him, did the silly punch move and sent him sparking off into the abyss, lightsaber flailing. There was a silence from my friend who's general he was, and I leapt off the sofa yelling 'who's your daddy now, Skywalker!' at the top of my voice. It took at least 10 minutes for people to stop laughing and resume the game.

Fun


FIGS: There is only one Ian McDiarmid.

 

How do you do the punch move?

 

It's been a (long) while since I played/owned an Xbox, but I think that you had to jump up high, then press down and pull the force lightning trigger (think it was the L). Timing is important. First time I did it, it was by accident. I'm a bit of a button-basher in games like that Dooku might be able to do it too, but I don't actually know. Also, I have no idea about other platforms. Anyway, he punches the ground and lightning goes everywhere.

It shows him doing it in the trailer/video thing at the start if you leave it playing long enough. It's a silly move for Palpatine, but much fun.

FIGS: Mwahahahahaaa....

 

Well, everybody I have three question for you all.

The three questions:
Who is a Liberal Democrat?
Who is a Conservative Republican
Who is an Independent?

The One and Only Answer:
Nobody! Nobody in the FIGs should be a Liberal, Conservative, or Independent! There is only one true political party and that is the FIGSters party. In order for our party to function we must destroy everybody else. It is our destiny! Muhahahahaha time to execute order 88!

*JK32 is seen being dragged by men in white coats and dark sunglasses, while kicking and screaming along the way*

 

Sometimes, I see that half a month has past without the unabashed gushing for THE BELOVED ONE, and it is my duty to up the thread...

 

I was actually just thinking about it... the cobwebs need sweeping back into the corners, and we need new black candles on the sinister, blood-stained alter. The God will be beginning to think that we don't care

*sigh* You just can't get the help these days. Oh well, housework can still praise The God, if it is done in His name.

Heh. An entirely new strategy for cleaning my room has just occurred to me. Dust-bunnies, begone in the name of Ian McDiarmid! You are banished forever into the outer darkness, cut off from His light. With His name, I command you. Depart from this place!

It might even work...


FIGS: A two-part shrubbery with a little path down the middle.

 

Well.

According to IMDB, The God is due to appear in Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.

I wasn't informed. Why did nobody tell me?

Just another good reason to go check out the new Indy film later this month


FIGS: Alaaaaaaaarm!

 

Whaaaaaaaaat?????!!!!!!


So, Dr. Jones may live up to the hype this time around....

 

Indeed. Just looked at IMDB again, and the character The God plays in the movie appears to be the same as the one he plays in the Young Indiana Jones episode he did way back when, or at least the name is the same. I have seen it, but I can't for the life of me remember what the plot was about.

Still, he will be corrupting future generations of worshippers in not one, but two of the best film series ever made

 

Really? That's very exciting.

I enjoy the Indy films, if not on the same level of fandom as I feel for Star Wars. having Ian on board can only make Crystal Skull better. Excellent news!

 

The Indy films are great They were a part of my childhood inspiration for studying archaeology at uni, although of course, most archaeologists these days don't run around with guns and whips, thwarting evil Nazi plots.

I've been looking forward to the new one for a long time, fervently hoping that it will be good. The God obviously listens to prayers, because He's in it.


FirBholg, I have to ask. Do you play D&D?


FIGS: We called the dog Indiana.

 

Once again GLORIUS IAN has smiled upon The Lucas... HIS Presence should more than Counterweight Mr. LaBouf.

(Is that French for "The Butt"? I'm 'Merican, and we don't need to learn no fancy foregin type words)


FIGS: Saving this world of ours one franchise at a time...