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Friday 19 June 2009

Eric Cantona - Legend of the Silver Screen?

Eric Pictures, Images and Photos


I've been to see La Wiki... You must admit, it's been a while. And I needed her advice about this one - "Eric Daniel Pierre Cantona (born 24 May 1966), a French former footie player of the late 1980s and 1990s.

He ended his professional footballing career at Manchester United, and is often regarded as having played a major talismanic role in the revival of the team as a footballing powerhouse and he enjoys iconic status at the club. In 2001, he was voted their player of the century, and to this day United fans refer to him as "King Eric".

Following his retirement from football, he took up a career in cinema and had a cameo role in the 1998 film Elizabeth, starring Cate Blanchett", one of la Fhina's favourite actresses.

Many of Fhina's friends met Eric, (and found him to be a very gracious and decent chap), when they acted as Tudor Mob extras in the crowd scenes where Elizabeth comes out to see the French King, her suitor, sailing in her royal barge along the river Thames, which was actually filmed around Alnwick Castle, also famous for the Harry Potter films...

eric Pictures, Images and Photos

At a presser, Cantona gave what is perhaps his most famous quotation. Referring to how journos would monitor his behaviour, Cantona said, in a slow and deliberate manner:

When the seagulls follow the trawler, it's because they think sardines will be thrown in to the sea.
And then he left the press conference...

In 1998, the Football League, as part of its centenary season celebrations, included Cantona on its list of 100 League Legends.

In 2007, he performed a spoken-word role on an album, which translates as, Mechanic of the Heart, by French rock band Dionysos.

In 2009, he featured in an British television advert for a new model of the Renault Laguna. Fhina used to have a wonderful, racing green, Renault Laguna, and actually cried when it was man-handled onto the back of the beautifully gargantuan, scrap-dealer's truck when it finally gasped its last...

And I just watched Cantona a couple of weeks ago on our, sort of, equivalent to Jay Leno's show, Friday Night with Jonathan Ross...

I had actually collected all these thoughts and pictures months ago, so it was serendipitous, (I do love that word), that 'Ooh, aah, Cantona' (as they used to chant on the footie terraces) was on Wossie's show... and that he had been recently feted at the Cannes Film Festival in the south of France.

Apparently the new film that Cantona is in, Looking for Eric, is directed by the fabulous Ken Loach, and concerns a Mancunian postie, Eric Bishop, who is depressed and disenchanted with his lot in life, and envisions Cantona, his footballing idol, as his life-coach...

Eric has apparently said the character is, "a part of myself which is very close to what I am."

Loach's comedy-drama, which has proved a commercially appealing picture from a director better known for gritty social realism — Remember 'Kes'? - will bring Cantona to the attention of new audiences, perhaps even in America, where you might never have heard of this legend...

"He is both athlete and icon, a football philosopher as famed for his cryptic pronouncements as for his stunning goals.

"Looking for Eric" plays on that reputation to comic effect. Cantona is the idol of central character Eric Bishop (British actor Steve Evets), a middle-aged Manchester mailman who pulls himself out of depression through imagined conversations with his hero. Cantona appears in Eric's bedroom for motivational chats, dispensing nuggets of wisdom such as, "He who is afraid to throw the dice will never throw a six."

"We live in a world of image," Cantona said. "I've tried to be just myself — which is an image also."

It's a satisfyingly cryptic answer from a man who became a favorite at Manchester United in the 1990s. He helped the team win four league titles in five years but also gained a reputation for volatility (Fhina says, for volatility, read passion!), and was suspended for nine months after landing a flying kick on a fan who heckled him". (Some snippets of text borrowed from TheInsider.com)



What a life-coach he would be, non?!

Eric Cantona Pictures, Images and Photos

13 comments:

Chairman Bill said...

As a Liverpool supporter, I have to spit on your Eric Cantona. Purely a local ritual, you understand.

Cynthia Pittmann said...

"Looking for Eric" seems like a wonderful movie. From the trailor, I can see I love the style of filming and from your write up I can see that it's heartwarming and real...funny, too, I love those lines:

We live in a world of image," Cantona said. "I've tried to be just myself — which is an image also." Let us raise our glasses to all of those images out there-including ourselves! It looks like a story about how a man learns to connect to others and to life. Love it.

Thanks for sharing, Ms Fhina, and thank you for your lively and frequent posts...also, I noticed that you posted the Renee Award...with a sweet mention of Oasis Writing Link (OWL)blog...thanks for that too...

Btw-Today my blog threw me off again...sigh...I'm having a computer glitch "abort operation" message that keeps coming up. Do you know anything about that? Can you get on to read it? Oh well...
Love to you, Ms Fhina!

Cynthia Pittmann said...

Also, MS Fhina, if you don't mind, any of your lovely readers who have had this blog problem...please feel free to contact me at my email: oasiswritinglink@gmail.com I would appreciate any help you can give me. <3

Unknown said...

So, footie Fhina?! I imagine the enigmatic M. Cantona is having the last laugh. Just breathe!

Dumdad said...

I saw the trailer for this at our local flicks and made a mental note to see it.

Eric Cantona is a one-off.

Do you remember that slogan when he was playing football in the UK?

"1966 was a great year for English football: Eric Cantona was born!"

Saz said...

I;m not sure I can translate 'PHWOARRR' into french so will VA VA VOOM do??

you have a jolly lovely weekend too
saz xxx

ArtistUnplugged said...

Sounds like this may be a pretty good movie. I've not heard of this athelete but I understand the popularity you speak of. Have a wonderful weekend m'am. :)

blognut said...

I've only heard of him due to his fame with Manchester United. As you know, The Boy is quite taken with all things 'football', or 'soccer' as we like to call it on this side of the pond.

Have a great Friday night, Lady Fhina!

Love to you,
Bloggus
XXOOXX

Maternal Tales said...

Ooh I do love a French man (good job I married one then hey?). Can't believe I missed him on Jonathon Ross - am spending to much time blogging. How silly of me...to think of all the things I'm missing!! Thanks for keeping me in the loop x

xxx said...

I no very little to nothing of sport your football ~ my soccer :-)

but I do like to kick a ball around with my son.

best wishes Ribbon

ps...cynthia I too have the abort thing going on.

Lola said...

I think, on balance, I prefer Sr. A Banderas. Maybe not terribly rated as an actor but at least he doesn't profess to be a philosopher!

Have a great w/end!

Nora:)

Woman in a Window said...

What an interesting guy. And holy hot! But then that probably just makes me part of the crowd.

A Woman Of No Importance said...

...:

Chairman Bill: I understand! Please come again! ;~)

Cynthia: Glad to have offered you a little morceau of something wonderful to see - One of my colleagues has now seen it, and it lives up to the trailers... I think it must have a clear and wonderful message, and you have such an eye for words that speak of our spirituality and soul, Cynthia... Such a taent you have, petal. Thank you... I have an award for you next week, when I will also explain the beautiful Renee award, which I am so proud of, merci mille!

I could get on to read your blog, Cynthia, I think it was Blogger just playing severely up yesterday, as is its wont, sadly... x

Derrick: You are such a card, Sir! x

Dumdad: Hello, dear Sir - I'm just going to let your words stand for themselves once again...

"1966 was a great year for English football: Eric Cantona was born!"

Fat, frumpy and fifty: STeady on there, Sazfab girl! Take care, ma cherie - Have a fine week! xox

Artist Unplugged: You take care, AU - Have a fabulous week, my dear, creative, friend xox

blognut: I am amazed that your son is so into Footie - Wonderful stuff! Take care, my precious sis,' love and light xox

Maternal Tales: Now I understand! ;) x

Ribbon: I am proud of you that you manage to kick a ball around with your son - So sweet! x

Nora Johnson: Ah, now that would be a competition - Senor Banderas is very fine indeed - I love him in that film, I think it's called Desperado - He's very good in that, and it's such a stylish film too... Take care, Nora J x

Woman in a Window: You are a sweet thing, non?! I love your way with words, my dahlink, and 'holy hot' is just such a cool expression! Thank you! x

Something I wrote earlier...

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