The Virgin Queen

See Larger Image	List Price: £19.99 Our Price: £13.97 Availability: Usually dispatched within 24 hours Manufacturer: Warner Vision International Starring: Anne-Marie Duff, Robert Pugh, Emilia Fox, Tara Fitzgerald, Ewen Bremner Directed By: Coky Giedroyc Average Customer Rating:


Aspect Ratio: 1.77:1 Audience Rating: Suitable for 12 years and over Binding: DVD EAN: 5051011214523 Format: PAL Label: Warner Vision International Manufacturer: Warner Vision International Number Of Items: 1 Publisher: Warner Vision International Region Code: 2 Release Date: 2006-02-13 Running Time: 240 Studio: Warner Vision International Theatrical Release Date: 2005
Related Items Elizabeth I Henry VIII [2003] Lady Jane [1985] Charles II [2003] Gunpowder, Treason And Plot [2004]
Spotlight customer reviews: Customer Rating: Summary: Quite dull? Why Comment: This comes 3rd in my opinion, with the films starring cate blanchett second helen mirrens elizabeth I 1st and this LAST! anne marie duff is unbelievably bad, and all the rest of the cast are like something from hollyoaks. the script is good but the acting is bad. Mary queen of scots is barely covered too, whilst also shoving a bad soundtrack into the bargain. As most people say about this production its that the first 15 mins are good and then it goes down hill. If they kept up what they did in the first 15 mins this would have been great. In the 4th episode they make her look so ugly, whilst this is horstoricly true its just not serious enough to look at it looks stupid. Ive given this 2 stars becuase the script is flawless and it goes into the little details like elizabeths moment with smallpox, but i just cant give it 5 stars because of no mention (well 10 mins added all together whilst hbo's production with helen mirren goes into an hour +) of mary queen of scots. Anne marie Duff does no justice to Elizabeth I's speech at the spanish armada either the whole production is droll. Helen Mirren is the best elizabeth I portrayer, Anne Marie Duff doesent cut it in this historic drama. Customer Rating: Summary: Decent production but it doesn't live up to other portrayals of this queen. Comment: 'The Virgin Queen' starring Anne-Marie Duff as Elizabeth I is a four-episode BBC drama that covers (roughly) the years 1554-1603. As such, it allows us to see Elizabeth prior to her reign when she is dragged into accusations of treason and fears for her life and then to her accession, the problems she faces as queen including even more plotting, her infatuation with her favourite, Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester and later the transfer of her affections to his hot headed step-son, the Earl of Essex. On the surface the production delivers what is usually expected in dramas on Elizabeth I. We witness her closeness to Dudley and the troubles between the two, the execution of Mary Queen of Scots, the defeat of the first Spanish Armada, the rise and fall of the Earl of Essex. However in some of these aspects the production does well while in others it evidently fails. For example Duff is given the fantastic scene where Elizabeth addresses her troops at Tilbury with her infamous speech. The production includes fantastic details like showing us more about Dudley's first wife, Amy. It also includes Dudley's next marriage to Lettice Knollys. However the whole Mary Queen of Scots affair is covered shabbily. We gain mention of her once and then later we discover that she is somehow under Elizabeth's protection and that she is conspiring against her, with no mention of how she came into this condition or more about the Babington plot. Furthermore the rise of Essex is dealt with poorly, particularly in comparison to the other drama 'Elizabeth I' starring Helen Mirren. The production also does not pay sufficient attention to the subject of religion which is a large mistake considering how vital the issue was in the sixteenth century. Duff attempts her best at playing Elizabeth and while she is not terrible, she has the misfortune of joining a daunting list of actresses who have played the queen and who have been able to play her more convincingly. Duff is good at playing a young Elizabeth in the 1550+60s but by the third episode they have failed to make her appear much older. It is only until we get to the fourth episode does the prosthetics and make-up come out to de-age her. Surprisingly one of the best performances is by a relatively unknown actor, Tom Hardy, as Robert Dudley. He is able to portray the loyal, handsome and long-suffering favourite very well and it is interesting to see his Dudley's relationships with his long-suffering wife, his new ambitious mistresses turned wife and, throughout, his queen. One of the best things about the production is the wonderfully catchy music sung by the `Mediaeval Baebes'. It certainly is a new approach to Elizabeth I; usually music in productions on this monarch or even this period attempts to be slightly sombre or the authentic court music. This soundtrack is fantastic; the costumes are good, although not outstanding. Overall it is a decent production of the reign of Elizabeth I but it is constantly overshadowed. Duff's performance is overshadowed by previous actresses' portrayal of Elizabeth. Not all the cast is great or used well and therefore is a poor comparison in this respects to its predecessor, the other BBC drama on Elizabeth: 'Elizabeth R'. But the little details in this are excellent; it makes you wish that they worked harder on the main plots and casted some characters better. If so this could have been a great piece rather than a decent one. Customer Rating: Summary: Wonderful! Comment: Having viewed many programs both on TV and film about Elizabeth, i can honsetly say it was one of the most brilliant. Anne-Marie Duff plays a fantastic Elizabeth showing both her strengths and her weaknesses. The only part I was disappointed with was the very very badly done make up artistry when aging Elizabeth. It ruined viewing the last part of the series. I was concentrating more on the plastic on her face rather than what she was saying. But, overall, fabulous. But, Cate Blanchett will always be the best!!! Customer Rating: Summary: Good but not perfect Comment: This COULD have been such a brilliant production, and the first 15 minutes certainly have the air of something awesome about to happen. Sadly, however, the predominant focus of this film is on the relationship between Elizabeth and Dudley, and as a result, the pace suffers unbearably. For everytime Dudley and Elizabeth are together, the audience is subject to 5 minute intervals of beautiful Celtic music during which Elizabeth and Robert Dudley dance melodramatically in slow-motion in a park or gaze at one another across a crowded banqueting hall. This all becomes too much in an Elizabethan world of unrest, uncertainty and turmoil. These romantic interludes slow the intense pace of the intrigue that happens in between to the point that the whole film becomes a little tedious because it happens so frequently. To be sure, the music is lovely, and I can't wait to buy the soundtrack, but is it really necessary to prolong those speechless musical moments every single time Elizabeth and Dudley are together?? I first wanted to give this 2 stars, but I do think that the actors (all of them perform so well), the photographers and the BBC DO deserve some credit, because this could have been such a lovely film if only someone had concentrated on the Queen side of Elizabeth rather than the Personal side which is constantly having love problems with her favourite. Customer Rating: Summary: Excellent Comment: When I'd finished watching this mini-series on DVD I found myself wanting to go back to previous productions about the life of Elizabeth in order to see just how good Anne-Marie Duff is in this by comparing her performance to that of others, just to make sure I've got it right. I think I have. Make no mistake, she is very good indeed in this. Dare I say she does even slightly better than Cate Blanchett who gave an impressive performance as Elizabeth in the eponymous film? Of Dame Judi Dench more later. (Glenda Jackson's interpretation is more of a hazy memory for me. I haven't seen the series for decades and I know there has been a film with Helen Mirren but I haven't seen that yet so I admit there are two on my list to catch up on.) Queen Elizabeth I was, as the modern phrase has it, "highly strung" and the screech of anger or laughter is never far from the surface in Anne-Marie Duff's interpretation. Elizabeth's wilfulness and indecisiveness are also portrayed with great accomplishment. For me, one moment in the film(s) stands out against many. Elizabeth's speech at Tilbury (this speech was never made at the time but composed retrospectively for her in Stuart times but it is so typically what she would have said that it is embodies Elizabeth) is delivered with tremendous emotion and power. (Olivier and Henry V?) The kind of majestic command AND presence here reminds you of Dame Judi Dench's performance as Elizabeth and Judi Dench won that deserved Oscar for her eight minutes in `Shakespeare in Love'. Anne-Marie Duff's interpretation is of that standard. Clearly, a great deal of care (and expense) went into the design of this production and the four parts work very well because of it. The interiors are sumptuous so the big picture looks marvellous as does the "small picture" which shows, for example exquisite details such as the authentic-looking antique spectacles worn by Walsingham's code breaker. The music from "Medieval Babes" (great name) adds a lot and makes itself noticed for all the right reasons. It promoted a "the music's good" comment from my friend (not known for hyperbole). I hope they sell lots of CDs on the strength of the series. What about the other players? No one is less than good and some are outstanding indeed - Tom Hardy plays the Earl of Leicester with great panache but this series revolves around its leader just as the world did in Elizabeth's own lifetime. You might enjoy the series even more if you know something of Tudor history because I can imagine the parade of faces and names might prove tricky but you can enjoy it very well without. I don't think I've given 5 stars before (I'll have to check up) but here goes. More Reviews