Elizabeth I [DVD]

There are countless portrayals of Elizabeth I in film. Certainly, the best known and unforgettable of these are Dame Flora Robson, Betty Davis, Dame Judi Dench and more recently Cate Blanchett in Shekhar Kapur's "Elizabeth" and "Elizabeth: The Golden Age". In HBO's "Elizabeth I", Helen Mirren's portrayal of England's greatest monarch shows an Elizabeth who has now moved past the flower of her youth into middle age and narrowing prospects of using her virginity as a political bargaining chip on the world power stage. And yet it is no less a push by her Privy Council for her to find a husband and produce an heir and keep England safe and independent from a world that is far more Catholic than it is Protestant. Jeremy Irons is certainly a well considered Lord Robert Dudley, who was the love of Queen Elizabeth I's life. Irons and Mirren play beautifully off one another and the tenderness, even at times when they are at odds or at the passing of Dudley is a palpable thing both historically and on the screen.The movie is well researched, and the portrayal of Mary Queen of Scots was far more acurate than the version by Shekhar Kapur. Mary Queen of Scots spent most of her life in France and would have a decidedly French accent rather than a Scottish one. HBO's producers of Elizabeth I thankfully did not omit this detail. Mirren gives a very good insight into a very complex and incredibly intelligent women who kept herself several steps ahead of her courtiers and ministers and someone who was very much the product of her father, King Henry VIII and mother, Ann Boelyn. Helem Mirren shows us a glimpse of a woman who loved and loved deeply and yet was not free to live as other women lived and had to make decisions not just for her own considerations but for the people and Country to which she considered herself married to first and foremost. No matter how you feel about Elizabeth I or the times in which England began to truly become an Empire, you can empathise with Mirren's Elizabeth right up until her legendary end.If you are interested in history, particularly the history of the Tudors and Elizabeth I, this is a film that is definitely not to miss. An important thing to note to those who are concerned about violence in film/ There are a few scenes depicting graphic violence dealing with torture, punishment and execution of those who went against the Crown. The scene of the execution of Mary Queen of Scots showed that it took more than one strike of the executioner's axe to behead her. While all of this is certainly in keeping with the times, it is not for children or the squeamish.

Helen Mirren is the best Queen Elizabeth I.

Helen Mirren is the Elizabeth of all time, with the notable exception of Bette Davis and Flora Robson. But as a more complete portrayal of Elizabeth this surpasses all other presentations.Mirren has the edge and the requsite arerogance to carry off scene after scene with differing takes on the people of her entourage/. Her affair with Essex is documented, and if she didn't meet Mary of Scotland, she should have. The swings in mood, the nationalism Mirren exudes are fantastic, and those sets! Flowers and black back drops!And this version shows the spots of commoness of Elizabeth..ruthless, a political animal, sexually driven, unstable, and a bit psycholtic. But this waa the age of Shakespare and Spenser..so something is right with this world and indeed it is..Elizabeth I wantes her reign to be remembered forever..in music, literature of every sort, and in history. She dies on her feet, documented..everything must be seen and never forgotten, and it has never been forgotten..look at all the films, books etc. produced and written.A great great creation by Ms. Mirren, and her Queen Elizabeth II was no surprise..a tour de force, a masterpice of brilliance in a form of expression Elizabeth I would have applauded. Queen Eliz. II?? Never, she is a mere adjunct to Elizabeth I, a footnote, and that's why perhaps the Queen E. II film was 100 minutes, and the HBO of Elizabeth I several hours. Mirren rules.

“Elizabeth I” is a TV miniseries from 2005 that was originally produced for Home Box Office (HBO). It is a very entertaining account of the reign of England’s Queen Elizabeth I, and a very good program in every respect.Written by Nigel Williams and directed by Tom Hooper, the series features a formidable cast of stars, among them Helen Mirren as Elizabeth; Jeremy Irons as Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester; Toby Jones as Robert Cecil; Barbara Flynn as Mary Queen of Scots; and Eddie Redmayne as Southampton.By the time I viewed “Elizabeth I,” I had just finished watching “The Virgin Queen,” a 2005 TV miniseries from PBS’s Masterpiece Theater that's also about Queen Elizabeth I. (That series featured Anne Marie Duff and Tom Hardy.) Naturally, comparisons between the two shows became inevitable.Like PBS’s “The Virgin Queen,” HBO's “Elizabeth I” focuses more on Elizabeth’s private life, her on-again, off-again romance with Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, and some of her other flirtations and dalliances. But while "The Virgin Queen" covers almost the entirety of Elizabeth's reign, "Elizabeth I" focuses mostly on her later and middle years as England's monarch. In both shows, Elizabethan politics are less conspicuous, although there’s still plenty of court intrigue, plots, counter-plots, and conspiracies to keep things moving along. The trial and execution of Mary Queen of Scots features prominently in "Elizabeth I," with Mary's execution scene being unexpectedly gruesome. Nearly all of the main events shown in “Elizabeth I” appear to be reasonably historically accurate, with some concessions made to dramatic and artistic license.Although I enjoyed “Elizabeth I” immensely, I do not think it quite measures up to either “The Virgin Queen” or with 1971's “Elizabeth R,” with Glenda Jackson. For some reason, this miniseries never really “grabbed” me; in fact, I unexpectedly found myself becoming increasingly disinterested in it by about halfway through the second episode. I’m not sure why that is.Having said that, I still believe “Elizabeth I” has obviously very high production values, great acting from an all-star cast, beautiful sets and costumes, and a well-written, historically sound script. It is certainly very well worth watching. Recommended.

Helen Mirren portrays Elizabeth I to perfection, this is a truly epic performance by her, with several other well known actors alongside her. A Fantastic watch

Ok

Mais surtout quelle actrice !!!Helen Mirren est une actrice remarquable qui peut jouer n'importe quel rôle et ce avec perfection...Ses films sont incontournables. Alors, si vous aimez le cinéma, vous savez ce qu'i vous reste à faire !!!! :o)

Helen Mirren es sinónimo de calidad y en esta serie lo demuestra con creces. Calidad de imagen buena al igual que el audio.

I am an unabashed, gushing Helen Mirren fan, due in large part to this piece of work. In Elizabeth I, this sumptuous, lusty look at the latter half of the Virgin Queen's reign, we are treated not only to the great range of Mirren's acting skill, but also to a beautifully told history lesson (there are very minor historial liberties taken; Elizabeth I and Mary, Queen of Scots likely never met, and if they did, it would've been a well-kept secret, as is intimated here).In the first half of the story, we examine Elizabeth's complex and passionate relationship with Robert Dudley, the Earl of Leicester, played with great depth by the always terrific Jeremy Irons; we also look at the pressure put on her to marry and to secure the English Protestant Church, and at her difficulty in deciding to have her Catholic cousin executed. While I will acknowledge that the film does get off to a little bit of a slow start, I think that this is actually a good thing because the audience is so ready and yet so unprepared for the first time Elizabeth I loses her temper. The first half covers about 10 years and is extremely well done; the writing, directing, costumes, sets, and acting are all absolutely first-rate. Patrick Malahide, Ian McDiarmid, Jeremy Irons, and of course Dame Helen are all spellbinding in every scene, and with the exception of Irons (who does not appear in the second half for reasons I will not specify so as not to spoil anything for those who haven't seen it), their performances continue to amaze in the second half.By 1589 things had changed a great deal for Elizabeth I; her reign is secure but her self-esteem is not. With age she has become more vain and more prone to lashing out at those who threaten to show her up, and there are many instances in this half of the story where she loses her temper. It is nearly impossible for me to pick a favourite scene, so I won't; I will simply say that all of the scenes where she is angry or upset left me sitting wide-eyed, not only due to Mirren's unparalleled acting skills but also due to the type of woman that Elizabeth I was. Mirren showcases her passion, her vulnerability, her fierceness, and her devotion to her country and her people in every scene, and she is truly amazing to watch (for the record: I knew almost nothing about her before I saw this film; seeing her in this made me want to see everything she's done to date and though she is great in everything, this is my favourite performance of hers). As in the first half, we are treated to a look at how Elizabeth I's personal decisions and behaviour affected her political decisions, and it's fascinating.I cannot say enough about this movie. Also, I have not mentioned Hugh Dancy or Tobey Jones yet; both are great. Eveything about this piece of work is great, and if you are even remotely interested in British history, costumes, or fabulous performances from ridiculously talented actors, see this. Dame Helen rules.