I bought this DVD collection because of reviews here and elsewhere. I enjoyed 'A Man For All Seasons' and 'Elizabeth'. So, I attentively watched all episodes of this series.
If you're new to high-end BBC dramatic series, you must understand that production design stops at costumes. The sets are studio flimsy. I found the dialogue to be modern Shakespearean pretentious. (No one in fact knows what words Elizabeth spoke nor with what accent she spoke them.)
I pity any student forced to watch this series. But I strongly recommend it to anyone, captivated by a history book, and dreaming to see the characters on a screen. And while I prefer the series "Claudius" and "Les Rois Maudits", I have to admit something: Glenda Jackson's play is a tour de force. Ultimately, this series is worth it because of her. Margaret Thatcher said that she went home some days and cried. Acting, Glenda Jackson makes this comprehensible.
If you're new to high-end BBC dramatic series, you must understand that production design stops at costumes. The sets are studio flimsy. I found the dialogue to be modern Shakespearean pretentious. (No one in fact knows what words Elizabeth spoke nor with what accent she spoke them.)
I pity any student forced to watch this series. But I strongly recommend it to anyone, captivated by a history book, and dreaming to see the characters on a screen. And while I prefer the series "Claudius" and "Les Rois Maudits", I have to admit something: Glenda Jackson's play is a tour de force. Ultimately, this series is worth it because of her. Margaret Thatcher said that she went home some days and cried. Acting, Glenda Jackson makes this comprehensible.