Claudia Black, a journey to the impossibles

I never knew one of my recent obsession would become the reason why my blog is so much read. Definitely, I believe that there is a major curiosity to be built upon Claudia Black. She was once overly wearing make-up for "City Life", which is here in the US practically impossible to watch, except if you understand Russian and you are not bothered by the fact that it is only one person (male) that does he voice over for all the characters, with the enthusiasm of Aeryn Sun in "Look at the Princess" for Dregon Carzenova (Aaron James Cash). I personally do not understand Russian. Anyway...

Claudia Black as Angela Kostapas in "City Life"

My journey of discovering Claudia Black started (obviously) with Aeryn Sun in "Farscape". Interesting character, who pretty much stole the series, evolving from tough military to someone more complex, with feelings, emotions, hopes.

Claudia Black as Aeryn Sun in Farscape

Something in her pushed me into watching "Stargate SG-1", while my friends (who had recommended me "Farscape") were kind of reticent. My only curiosity came from the fact that in one of the episodes of "Stargate SG-1" named "200", she was playing Aeryn Sun. But instead of going straight to the point, I started back to "Prometheus Unbound" and watched her as Vala Mal Doran in all the episodes in between to get to that point. I was definitely on the one hand deceived that it wasn't Aeryn Sun per say, but one the other hand, I got my only laugh for watching "Stargate SG-1" which largely compensated.

Claudia Black as Vala Mal Doran in Stargate SG-1

Following this Stargate period, I got into what is called at my age (28) a shameful moment. Yes, I watched "90210" aka Beverly Hills. It used to be successful as a different generation cast, when I was 8 years old, with the reputation to be for kids and teenagers. When I was 8, I thought it was an adult show, with real heart drama. Watching it now was sort of a learning experience, first of that target audience, second of a certain mentality that perhaps some high school have. Anyway, Claudia Black played for a few episodes a guru, Sona. Of course, she has to be the bad guy, and of course, the whole game has to be unveiled in an obvious manner. Anyway, definitely a character change. My shame was more or less watching the rest of the episodes that ended the series...

Claudia Black as Guru Sona in 90210

Next was the wonder of "City Life" dubbed in Russian, which I probably gave up to easily, although reading about it, it made me realize this was a response to Melrose Place from New Zealand, meaning not sure I want to be hooked to a sitcom again. 

Then came "Rango"... I had to see it, because of the reviews, and because of her role as Angelique. Well, the movie is great, the character of Angelique, let's define it: nearly nonexistent. Sad because she is funnily arrogant, could have had more slashing lines.

Claudia Black as Angelique in Rango

I checked the trailer of the animation movie "The Alchemist Agenda" but it looked like it was still a work in progress. I was also watching this episode of "MoonLight" where she appears, kind of SM Vampire Cleaner, reminding me of Trinity in "The Matrix" (And I love Trinity... But The Cleaner wasn't a recurrent role so I gave up).

Claudia Black as Ariel Allis in The Alchemist Agenda

Claudia Black as The Cleaner in MoonLight

Now, my two latest moves are to watch "Pitch Black" which when it came out was a blockbuster, and hum... "Xena: Warrior Princess" that's it, I said it. I believe I watched that once on tv when I was a teenager, at my aunt's house (never had tv in my childhood), bored to death and at 11am during the week with no cable tv, obviously not much to watch either. I was not impressed. So this time, this particular episode where Claudia Black appears, "Lifeblood" is with guest star Selma Blair and is about this leader from the past Xena is having visions of. We are at the time of the early Sapiens I think, and Claudia Black is a hippie with skins and fur named Karina. Her character is close enough to Aeryn Sun, sort of a leader herself, very naive tho. Anyway, It was a bit painful to watch, since everything is over-staged, loud and absolutely not convincing, from the acting (except perhaps Claudia who also strangely never dances with the crowd, skipping in extremis a ridiculous fate.)

Claudia Black as Karina in Xena: Warrior Princess

I am trying to watch in the subway (yes, New York) every time I can "Pitch Black". Not sure this is a good idea since last time, because I couldn't hear the deep voice of Vin Diesel, I put the volume to the maximum and then they shot something really loud (in order to scare) while I was leaving the train, got my ears and heart by surprise, I almost hurt someone. I am pending on the time where Sharon 'Shazza' Montgomery, her character, is going to die, seems like everyone will besides Vin Diesel and Radha Mitchell...

Claudia Black as Sharon 'Shazza' Montgomery in Pitch Black

Ok, to jump subject, I watched a few interviews of the "Real" Claudia Black, she looks very funny, grounded. Which might have been why in a way, she decided to focus her career on voice-over for films and video-games and other priorities. I am looking forward though to her next performance in a feature film, if possible not in an animation movie :)

Update 08/25/2012: The latest news is the completion of the animation movie "Strange Frame: Love & Sax" which has Claudia Black playing Parker C. Boyd, a women from a few centuries forward in a society that has stopped living on earth, saxophonist, falling for another woman with an extraordinary voice, Naia X. who ends up becoming the slave of her new manager. So of course, Parker needs to save her. The trailer is out there, the animation seems a bit unequal, between 3d landscape that are absolutely stunning of realism, to the characters that look like painting or video-game from the 2000s, but awkwardly animated. Would love to see it tho when it comes out in New York. Still running its first rounds in L.A. so far...

Update 12/25/2014: yes that's Christmas night and I am reviewing my notes on Claudia Black... Just felt like having a revival of Farscape, that's why... So, thanks to Netflix, the movie is on demand! And it is an interesting story, although the animation is a bit unequal and sometimes sketchy. 

On a Christmas note, I needed to express how beautiful Claudia Black looks lately with her blonde and curly hair. She should be in a movie (ah ah!). Anyway, seriously, any director reading this?

Claudia Black in Strange Frame: Love & Sax as Parker C. Boyd

Trailer:


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