Viggo Mortensen in Alatriste

- The first Alatriste thread at Viggo Chronicles, started in Feb. 2004, includes early translated articles. More recent information is split between this thread and two in the News forum: Viggo in Madrid? and Alatriste.

Viggo-Works: The Movie Alatriste - Active forum with several hundred posts on the books, the casting and filming. Lots of links to articles and photographs, plus translations by forum members and other contributors. See also the Viggo-Works News.

Captain Alatriste - Sachie presents a page of Alatriste information in Japanese. She has paired character illustrations from the book with the actors and actresses who will be playing the parts, including a couple of small (paparazzi?) pictures of Viggo sporting a growing mustache.

Empire Online: Alatriste - Brief notes on cast and plot, news updates.

TF1 International: Alatriste - International film distributor provides a synopsis of Captain Alatriste, along with a discussion of the film's treatment of the subject. Several small stills. "The story takes place in the 17th century imperial Spain under the reign of Philip IV, a weak and easily manipulated monarch dominated by a corrupt court. Intrigue and betrayal, duels and battles, love and hatred are the stage for the adventures of 'Captain Alatriste.' In His Majesty's service, a proud soldier in Flanders and in times of peace, a hired sword in Madrid and Seville. He wasn't the most virtuous of men, nor the most devout, but he was a man of valour. His name was Diego Alatriste!"

17-Feb-05 Variety: Spain's 'Alatriste' sets sail with Fox - Variety reports that Twentieth Century Fox has taken Spanish and Latin American theatrical and DVD/video rights on the most expensive Spanish-lingo film ever made in Spain, the $28 million swashbuckler Alatriste (Captain Alatriste), starring Viggo Mortensen. Filming is expected to start March 7, 2005. (Registration required to access the rest of the article.)

23-Feb-05 - Article about the film and Viggo features a photograph of Viggo growing his Alatriste mustache. "El actor Viggo Mortensen encarnará al valeroso soldado Diego Alatriste en un filme."

23-Feb-05 - Brief article about the film features a gallery of photographs from the set, including several of Viggo with his new mustache. There is also a video clip in which Viggo speaks in Spanish about his role in the film. Excerpt from the article: "Rubio, ojos azules y con acento sureño. Tal vez no imaginábamos así al capitán Alatriste, pero la caracterización hace milagros y Viggo Mortensen encarnará a ese héroe oscuro, el único posible en una España imperial que se estaba desmoronando."

23-Feb-05 - News article focuses on production plans, naming the lead actors and actresses.

23-Feb-05 - Article focuses on the film production plans and cost. Viggo Mortensen comments on his preparations: "Mortensen explained to the press that it is bad luck to speak of a project when still its running has not begun. However, it has advanced enough that already he is preparing his personage. 'When I read the script let with desire know to me much more,' said in perfect Castilian the actor protagonist of the saga of Lord of the Rings. 'It is a good story of adventures and misfortune, that happen at a crucial time for Spain, a history not very well counted in the cinema until now,' indicated the actor." Thanks to "loualatriste" of the El Alma de Viggo forum for this translation.

23-Feb-05 - News article about the five years of preparations leading to the film Alatriste, and the 50 actors and 10,000 extras who will help make it reality. Viggo talks of his attraction to the project. See the link to "noticias relacionadas" for earlier articles about the Alatriste project.

23-Feb-05 - News article about Viggo Mortensen's interpretation of the character, el Capitan Alatriste. An excerpt translated by "loualatriste" of the El Alma de Viggo forum: "Mortensen explained that the script of Alatriste had let to him 'with desire learn much more, because is not only a good story of adventures and misfortune, but that happens badly at a crucial time for Spain that has treated little and in the cinema. A time that has many parallelisms with the empires that followed at different times and the present one from the United States, where is the same lies, the same disorder and the same lack of information that then.'"

1-Feb-04 Las Horas Perdidas - Spanish-language article about the upcoming film version of Alatriste, with quotes from the director and author. See this Viggo Chronicles thread for an English translation.

Capitan Alatriste - Spanish-language site devoted to the film Capitán Alatriste includes news, links, a forum, and an encyclopedia of names and terminology.

El Alma de Viggo: Alatriste forum - The "El Alma de Viggo" forum at La Casa de mi Alma contains entries in both Italian and Spanish, with some English translations. This Alatriste section is packed with pages and pages of filming information, news and photographs of both people and set locations. My favorite quote: "At the beginning, Pérez-Reverte didn't imagine his Alatriste embodied by Viggo Mortensen. 'No, I didn't, but once I've talked to him, I'll never be able to see Alatriste with another face than that of Mortensen. Obviously, he's going to be characterised and so, but Viggo is an actor with a very intense look; you must take into account that Agustín (the director) has chosen Viggo for his look. Alatriste is a fellow that looks in a way...his look is a look that frightens, is a look cold and hard, and the look of Viggo is impressive, he has a look that captives the camera. That look of Alatriste...the audience is going to forget anything else about Alatriste and remind the eyes of Viggo, that are the eyes of Alatriste.'"

SotBK Video Clips: Alatriste Interviews - Archive of several video clips featuring Viggo Mortensen talking with the press about the upcoming film, Alatriste,.