| Genre | Military & War |
| Format | Closed-captioned, Color, DVD, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC |
| Contributor | Patrick Malahide, Hugh Dancy, Toby Salaman, Jamie Glover, Toby Jones, Ian McDiarmid, Helen Mirren, Jeremy Irons, Arturas Nemanis, Ann Firbank, Diana Kent, Gerard Naprous |
| Patrick Malahide, Hugh Dancy, Toby Salaman, Jamie Glover, Toby Jones, Ian McDiarmid, Helen Mirren, Jeremy Irons, Arturas Nemanis, Ann Firbank, Diana Kent, Gerard Naprous | Patrick Malahide, Hugh Dancy, Toby Salaman, Jamie Glover, Toby Jones, Ian McDiarmid, Helen Mirren, Jeremy Irons, Arturas Nemanis, Ann Firbank, Diana Kent, Gerard Naprous |
| See more | |
| Language | English |
| Number Of Discs | 2 |
Helen Mirren and Jeremy Irons star in Elizabeth I, a two-part HBO Films miniseries event that explores the intersection of the private and public life of Elizabeth I (Mirren) in the latter half of her reign, offering a personal look at her allies, her enemies and her suitors as she struggles to survive in a male-dominated world. Part 1 explores Elizabeth’s tempestuous relationship with the Earl of Leicester (Irons) as it survives a French suitor, war, treason, and illness. Part 2 follows Elizabeth through her later years, during which she had an equally passionate affair with the young, ambitious Earl of Essex (Hugh Dancy), who had been raised, ironically, by his stepfather Leicester. In the end, Elizabeth I sheds light on one of the most popular members of the monarchy who held absolute power over everything… except her heart. Helen Mirren’s Elizabeth I could almost be cousin to her Jane Tennison. Like the dedicated detective chief inspector, Queen Bess is not without a heart, but work comes first and any romantic entanglements are doomed to fail. Fortunately, she has her friendships. Directed by Tom Hooper ( Prime Suspect 6 ), this two-part HBO/Channel 4 tele-film begins in 1579. The Virgin Queen has been on the throne for 20 years, but has not married. Her closest relationship is with Robert Dudley, the Earl of Leicester (Jeremy Irons), whom the council will not allow her to wed. Because Robert wishes to produce an heir, he marries another, garnering Elizabeth’s disfavor (and nor is he all that thrilled about her dalliance with Henry, the Duke of Anjou). In time, he’ll return to her good graces. As she explains, “Friendship outlasts love and is stronger than love.” Then, as his health begins to fails, she’ll turn to his stepson, the dashing, if duplicitous Robert Devereaux, the Earl of Essex (Hugh Dancy, the Hooper-directed Daniel Deronda ). Meanwhile, Mary, Queen of Scots (Barbara Flynn) plots against her Protestant cousin. Even after Mary makes her exit, plenty of other powerful Catholics will stop at nothing to seize the crown. Marked as much by triumph as tragedy, the role of Elizabeth I has been catnip for many illustrious actresses, notably Bette Davis, Glenda Jackson, and Cate Blanchett. Mirren’s multi-faceted portrayal of the queen’s golden years is a worthy addition to that canon and Irons is a particularly formidable foil. –Kathleen C. Fennessy
- Is Discontinued By Manufacturer : No
- MPAA rating : Unrated (Not Rated)
- Product Dimensions : 7.75 x 5.75 x 0.53 inches; 4.8 Ounces
- Media Format : Closed-captioned, Color, DVD, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC
- Run time : 3 hours and 31 minutes
- Release date : August 22, 2006
- Actors : Helen Mirren, Hugh Dancy, Toby Jones, Patrick Malahide, Ian McDiarmid
- Subtitles: : English, Spanish, French
- Language : English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo), Spanish (Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo)
- Studio : Hbo Home Video
- ASIN : B000FO0AHO
- Number of discs : 2
Faithful Scientist –
Great show – damaged disk
I loved this show, and it was very frustrating that the second disk failed to play the last part of the story. The frames froze, and the player couldn’t do anything but skip from one frozen frame to another – it certainly wasn’t a moving picture. Sigh…
Christina Paul –
Helen Mirren’s Elizabeth I is outstanding!
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.
Mike Powers –
“Elizabeth I” a highly entertaining TV miniseries from HBO about England’s Queen Elizabeth I.
“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.
Hingle McCringleberry –
Excellent. Should have been a season so they wouldn’t sacrifice history for the story. Otherwise 4.75 stars.
Not totally historically accurate, although it was miles more accurate than the Cate Blanchette dress up parties passing for real events that those movies were. The who and when discrepancies aside, you can really tell someone did their research. Instead of Cate Blanchette looking like Joan of Arc in full armor rallying the troops because it looks cooler, you get the white velvet dress and silver breastplate, just as historically described. Period language was present, but not so in your face as to be distracting and the settings are meticulously researched and executed for realism. Helen Mirren was. . .Helen Mirren. Killed the role, coming across like a real person. Best comparison I can come up with off the top of my head is that Meryl Streep wins all sorts of awards because she does an uncanny job of imitating a human being in a particular place and time coming from a particular set of circumstances. Watching Helen Mirren do the same thing and you’ll forget they didn’t have cameras back then and you’re not watching Elizabeth I interact with her privy council for real. Ensemble was top notch, though lately you catch yourself forgetting that you’re not watching Game of Thrones or any of the other HBO dramatic period series because a lot of the same actors go from way above average production (like this) to way above average production (like HBO’s Rome) to way above average production (Game of Thrones). No major complaints. Only the lack of ability to award partial stars is why this loses one.
It's Me –
Nice
Good Movie, would recommend
A. K. Logan –
Elizabeth I – Another Version – More Thoughts
I admit to being an Elizabeth I addict. I read everything I can on her and will buy a movie sight-unseen just to see how well the cast and screenplay present their material. This version of the latter years of Elizabeth I does not disappoint. Helen Mirren provides the feisty, passionate, enigmatic Elizabeth one would expect as she moves through her “Gloriana Regina” years to old age. Jeremy Irons’ portrayal of Robert Dudley has a crusty, arrogant edge – and the two performances compliment each other. The supporting cast is also genuinely fine.
The costumes were gorgeous, the sets opulent, the cast of characters over-
whelming. It is a lavish production. And that is my major criticism. There is so much going all the time that the eye and the ear are
frequently in competion with each other to discern what’s happening. And
at times I could have sworn I was in Renassaince Italy – not England.
As always, there seems to be no getting away from historical inaccuracies
which makes me a bit crazy! But it is a sin all of these historical productions share, and to allow them to ruin the entire experience (if
there are no mortal sins) is to overlook all of the positive.
I still find the comparative simplicity of the BBC Elizabeth I – The Virgin Queen the best and most refreshing of all the recent Elizabeth productions.
Frank –
Great work and beautiful movie
Note: It is difficult to rate literally works, such as this due to the subjective nature of the viewer/reader/listener. My review is based on my own experience with a multitude of similar works.
From my review of ‘Elizabeth, the Golden Age’ with Cate Blanchet:
To my knowledge, there are three primary English-speaking movies dealing with Elizabeth. This one, the Masterpiece Theater production, ‘Elizabeth, The Virgin Queen’ with Anne-Marie Duff, and Elizabeth I with Helen Mirren.
I found this production well made, but behind the Cate Blanchet’s production. Not because there was anything inferior, but because of the power of Cate Blanchet’s delivery to me. However, this is a very well made movie with all the trimmings (setting, music, supporting actors, etc.). Fortunately or unfortunately, the more I watch a historically-based movie, the more the story gets diluted within my attention and interest in the mechanics of making the movie (how was a scene achieved, did they use a crane or a Stedi-Cam, etc.). So, therefore my opinion on these are also imbued in my overall opinion of the production.
In summary: A great production with an inspiring Helen Mirren that to me delivers a believable and powerful Elizabeth.
Paul Morel –
Definitive!
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.
IVAN EDGAR PRATT –
Helen Mirren Great Character Acting
Amazon.com has asked me to write a review for my recent purchase of “Elizabeth the First” played by Helen Mirren. I’ve always been a fan of Helen Mirren, her acting has always impressed me in that she seems to always take on acting roles that deal with the reality of peoples lives. However, she has outdone herself in this miraculous portrayal of Elizabeth the First. The production of the film itself is absolutely superb and created with the skill of a very fine painter. Most films done about historical characters with personalities bigger then life are often lofty, and almost surreal, though well done. But this particular film with Helen Mirren as Elizabeth really focus on Elizabeth the woman, with her associates in her life as Queen of England being just as human. I highly recommend this film to anyone who may be having problems deciding as to whether they should purchase this film. I certainly was paying very close attention to Helen Mirren when she played a detective on public television, but I do believe after this role as Queen Elizabeth, her acting career will and should enter new heights of character acting which I look forward to seeing in the future.
swallow50 –
Outstanding Mini Series-
This is a very well directed series, with outstanding acting, cinematography, and costumes. It is well written and portrays the events reasonably accurately. On the whole the mini series is factual, but not always – for example Elizabeth I and Mary Queen of Scotts never met in real life, but they are portrayed as meeting in the mini series. The production does a very good job of representing the issues and the brutality of the Tudor Period, the love and conflicts between Elizabeth and the Earl of Leister, the stress she experiences with her Council over their desire for her to marry, and using spectacular scenery. There are issues with the show’s timing of different events, but on the whole, the storyline is interesting and moves at a good pace. As someone who has taught Tudor History, I enjoyed the series and the production’s focus on combining fact with entertainment.
If you enjoy historical novels, time period movies, movies that combine romance and drama, or enjoy seeing a well written, directed and acted movie, I recommend this mini series to you.