HOTM: May 2003, Brendan Fraser

Part of the Hunk of the Month series: originally published in May 2003

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George of the Jungle

Brendan Fraser in George of the Jungle

Here is George of the Jungle giving us one of his best looks – the puzzled buff(oon).

I only recently became acquainted with this early incarnation of Brendan Fraser. I had seen him as Mountie and fighting Mummy, but he wore more clothes in those. Not that I’m superficial or anything (perish the thought) – the man has a captivating comic capacity. (Monkeybone was a mistake though)

In George of the Jungle (long ago 1997 alas) Fraser gets to regress to schoolyard humour, and the result is utterly delightful. My kids were lent this video by a friend (because of a mutual pre-teen appreciation of flatulence and tree-slamming), and they played it over and over again on our recent vacation. Oh how I suffered!

The Quiet American

Fraser’s latest silver screen outing is in The Quiet American (2002) with Sir Michael Caine, a role which sadly offers little scope for loinclothed buffoonery. He is nonetheless entirely watchable. Sir Michael looks OK too, for those of us who like our hunks vintage on occasion.

I’m glad to discover that Fraser returns to clowning around in the upcoming Looney Tunes: Back in Action (2003). I hold out no great hopes for loincloths, but you never know your luck.

Other Hunks
Brendan Fraser biog

HOTM: March 2003 – Ioan Gruffud

HOTM = Hunk of the Month. This was a feature I had going for a while on my original website. I really wish they’d make some more episodes of Hornblower.

Originally published March 2003.

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All in a day’s work for Hornblower

You pronounce it Yo-an Griff-ith. Trust Viv – she lived in Wales once. Viv confesses to a weakness for a sweet bit of eye-candy, but must insist that March’s hunk actually first crossed her horizon purely through his acting.

In Viv’s youth she read the entire series of Hornblower novels by C. S. Forester, and was delighted to discover that the latest British TV version has been perfectly cast, with the darkly commanding Gruffudd in the gruff yet senistive hero role of Horatio Hornblower. Despite being a great fan of the novels, Viv thinks the Hornblower telemovies are better for it when they vary from a strict retelling of the books.

Hornblower wasn’t the first time Gruffudd donned a nautical uniform – he got a minute or two in Titanic to flash a torch in the night and rescue Kate Winslet from the wintry sea, which means his more breathless fans now describe him as “the star of Titanic”. Now: the man is gorgeous and did look terribly noble in the part, but let’s not go overboard. Dearie me.

Gruffudd has also popped up on Australian screens in The Forsyte Saga (Phillip Bosinney), Great Expectations (Pip) and the drippy sweet man combatting Glenn Close in 102 Dalmations (why does Hollywood waste people who can actually act?). The jet-lagged charmer, when promoting the latest Hornblower episodes, also had the dubious distinction of holding the entire female contingent of a recent Sydney ABC soiree spellbound, all stalkers-for-a-night.

Whether it’s the eyes, the lips or the jawline – so long as women react like that, “the Bach” (as he is affectionately known in Wales) will keep on gracing our screens. ( How dreadful).

Ioan Gruffudd sites (may not still be active)

US A&ETV interview
Obsession – a clean simple fan site – good biog
An Electrifying Actor: links galore – shocking graphics
Ioanbach – a fan discussion board – dedicants only
Gruffy the Vampire Slayer – fanfic with humour