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Thread: Elizabeth I.

  1. #1
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    Thumbs up Elizabeth I.

    I can't be the only person who watched this, last week and this, on channel 4, can I?

    Personally, I thought it was brilliant, and on channel 4 as well, who knew they had it in them to stage a full period drama and pull it off perfectly and with oodles of class? I thought their limit was showing something with the words 'Hilarious' and 'Out-takes' in the title, at 3am, when you only turn it on to see if theres any chance of a bit of ladies rude bits when you can't sleep - or at least it was until Babe Cast came on Sky Channel 461... erm anyway...

    Hats off the Channel 4; I'm probably a bit biased, as I've read and studied the Tudor period, but it was fantastically well done. Was great to get a window in to that world, and it was one of those programmes where you forget you are watching a film about 10 seconds in, suspension of disbelief, right from the word go, which for a factual period drama, is what you need above all else.

    Helen Mirren played Elizabeth perfectly, although for such an icon, who we only know through paintings and descriptions from the 1500 and 1600's, you only have to get the perceived image right, and everything comes from there, like how everyone will immediately, if you mention Henry VIII, think of a big fat bloke, with a beard, even though when he came to the throne he was athletic, thin and only 17 years old.

    So, stern faced woman with a white face and red hair - Elizabeth I. Everything was so well done though; the scene where Lopez was hung, drawn and quartered (well, just hung on screen) and the beheadings where done perfectly, and genuinely disturbing.

    Overall, I thought it was the best bit of casting, acting and writing I've seen for a very long time. Ok, so they buffed up the Earl of Essex romance bit, to make it a bit more palatable for the sort of people who think Dirty Dancing is a good film, but you have to have a bit of artistic licence for this sort of thing.

    The BBC have something very similar in the pipeline, and amazingly, unless they have pulled off something spectacular, it seems Channel 4 might have beaten the BBC at their own game, with a big, showpiece drama done perfectly.

    The Beeb normally get these things right, so it will be interesting to see what they come up with.

    I hope I can assume that as this is HEXUS and not a Yahoo Chat Room, some of us were watching this and not Ant and Decs Light Entertainment Unfunny Time Wasting on ITV.

    So, on that note; anyone else see it? Opinions?
    Last edited by Stewart; 08-10-2005 at 12:22 AM.

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    I watched it, had been looking forward to it and was not in anyway disappointed. That another broadcaster, other than the BBC, is able to produce this level of quality of production should really be a warning to the BBC that they need to keep a watch out. The acting was impressive, the script was good, but also the design, photography, make up, wardrobe, effects, were all brilliant.

    I wasn't bothered by the ad breaks (useful for making a cup of tea actually ), in fact, I think it's rather concerning that we are paying a licence fee, ostensibly for a broadcaster to provide quality programming such as this, yet most of it is no longer coming from the BBC. Also, as I don't yet have freeview/sky, I don't get to see the other 'free' BBC channels, yet I still have to pay the full licence. I wonder really how much longer the BBC can continue to justify the licence fee, I barely watch the BBC now, even with only the terrestrial non-freeview channels to watch.

  3. #3
    I Am A Princess! shelley bda's Avatar
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    BAH! I wanted to watch it, but missed it

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    'ave it. Skii's Avatar
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    Saw it, very much enjoyed it. Superb acting.

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    Does he need a reason? Funkstar's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Stewart
    I thought their limit was showing something with the words 'Hilarious' and 'Out-takes' in the title, at 3am, when you only turn it on to see if theres any chance of a bit of ladies rude bits when you can't sleep - or at least it was until Babe Cast came on Sky Channel 461... erm anyway...
    Are you maybe thinking of Channel 5? Last night i flicked through and saw "Hot Tub Ranking". No it wasn't about finding the best pool for your garden and yes it was as bad as it sounds...

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    Does he need a reason? Funkstar's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Stormsinger
    I wonder really how much longer the BBC can continue to justify the licence fee, I barely watch the BBC now, even with only the terrestrial non-freeview channels to watch.
    Personally i hope the BBC continue to be a publically funded outfit. I know there are a lot of arguments against this and i know the BBC aren't perfect. But i still like aunty

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    Watched it and loved it. My understanding though was that Elizabeth and Mary never actually met. Bit yukked out at the disembowelling bit, looked like they were rolling them out onto a rolling pin

  8. #8
    Ah, Mrs. Peel! mike_w's Avatar
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    I've watched bits and pieces of it, and liked what I saw, but I taped it as well. Seemed very well acted, which makes a pleasant change from some programmes! As you said, this is the sort of thing the BBC normally do, so it makes a change from Big Brother and co. Personally, I'm a big fan of the BBC - I think it still produces the best programmes on T.V.
    "Well, there was your Uncle Tiberius who died wrapped in cabbage leaves but we assumed that was a freak accident."

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    Quote Originally Posted by Funkstar
    Personally i hope the BBC continue to be a publically funded outfit. I know there are a lot of arguments against this and i know the BBC aren't perfect. But i still like aunty
    But the licence fee is not their sole means of funding, they have a publishing arm, they sell their programs around the world, they have production in other countries (BBC america). If they can garner the sort of funding they need from other areas as they are, and keep their production values (of high standards and impartiality) as they are, then I still don't see how they can justify the licence fee when they are no longer the predominate channel available. If I could have the option to stop the ability to see BBC channels (and radio) and pay no licence fee, I would, all the decent BBC programming eventually ends up for sale on DVD/video within about 4 weeks of being shown on the TV if I really wanted to see it.

  10. #10
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    Probably the worst of the dramas detailing the life of Elizabeth I, taking the dramatisation a bit too far so the masses can enjoy it.
    To err is human. To really foul things up ... you need a computer.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Mrs Dak
    Watched it and loved it. My understanding though was that Elizabeth and Mary never actually met. Bit yukked out at the disembowelling bit, looked like they were rolling them out onto a rolling pin
    True. Mary, Queen of Scots and Elizabeth never met.

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