Customer Reviews

Elizabeth: The Acclaimed Saga of England's Virgin Queen

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This History Channel four part documentary on the life of the famous Virgin Queen, Elizabeth I is an excellent addition to any history enthusiast's video library. Combining commentary with well-done re-enactments, this mini-series chronicles the rise and reign of the most famous queen in history, Elizabeth Tudor, daughter of King Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn. This series follows her life from her childhood, where she was raised as a lady in a man's world, tossed about after the death of her father, to whom she was devoted, and ultimately spending her adolescence trying to fend off the advances of her step-father. After suffering through the reign on her virulently Catholic half-sister, "Bloody" Mary, Elizabeth finally ascends to the throne of England in time to fend off conspiracies, rebellions, and marriage proposals. We then follow as Elizabeth grows into a powerful and intelligent queen, first by putting down a rebellion instigated by Mary, Queen of Scots, then outmanuevering Spain's Phillip II and defeating his great Armada in the English Channel. Elizabeth's life is a fascinating and entertaining piece of history and this wonderful DVD series does it great justice. Highly recommended.

This is a really beautiful documentary about the life of Elizabeth. It is not a drama, uses actors primarily without words under narration to tell the life story of Elizabeth. I have watched this several times over.

Similar to other David Starkey narrated histories, there are trace comments which really SHOULD be followed up on, things stated as fact that would be hard to prove outside of conjecture. Some of today's pasty titled folks are trotted out and one wonders how much of an authority they really are, when they mistranslate simple phrases... but that also brings life and light to the "mystique" of station, to see that these really are just people.

The actors are well used, and when they do get to speak, they shine. I especially like that they used two actresses, one for young Elizabeth, another for older. The transition is done well, and helps the time-line progress (they should have done the same thing with Mary).

Not the best docu-history I've ever seen, but very basic, well produced, and worth several viewings.

Elizabeth, a two-DVD set by The History Channel, will win the hearts and minds of a wide audience. On-location photography in the United Kingdom and Ireland, well-done reenactments, artwork, and the superb narration of historian David Starkey make it possible for viewers to get a better appreciation for Queen Elizabeth I and the impact of her reign on British, European, and world history. Starkey clearly explains how Elizabeth Tudor, daughter of King Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn, managed to become queen in 1558 C.E. through courage, cunning, and luck. Starkey also shows with conviction that unlike her cousin Mary Stewart, Queen of Scots, Elizabeth I, a Protestant, was an astute politician both domestically and overseas during her nearly 45-year rule. England became a major European power under Elizabeth I's reign. Paradoxically, Mary Stewart, the figurehead of Catholicism, got the last word after her execution for high treason against Elizabeth I in 1587 C.E. Elizabeth I died heirless in 1603 C.E. Mary Stewart's son, James VI of Scotland, became King of England and Scotland as James I after the death of Elizabeth I. To summarize, Elizabeth is a nice addition to the DVD library of any person fond of history.

I caught this and King Henry V111 six wives on ABC in 2004 and I was pleased to able to find the DVD of this wonderful production.
David Starkey does a excellent job as always in bring this wonderful Queen of England in the 16th Century to life.
You get to see and hear the Straggles that Elizabeth went through in order to gain the crown.
The actors used in the documentary all do the production justice.
I would Recommend this DVD to anyone who loves history or/and want to learn more about Tutor England.
The DVD itself is of a high Quality. Clear sharp pictures and sound. Well worth the price.

I really am a fan of David Starkey, who is one of premiere historians on the Tudor era, so it's no surprise I love this documentary. It is in two parts, with David Starkey narrating it. This documentary is not boring and it uses actors/actresses to act out various points. Of course this should not be taken as a be all end all discussion on Queen Elizabeth but it offers great insight and historical knowledge of the great Queen. If you like Tudor history, or just are interested about learning more about Queen Elizabeth, then I highly suggest you check this out. It is also has great replayability. I have watched it a dozen times.

Elizabeth I of England is one of my primary interests in English
History. I am reading and reviewing as many things as possible.
This DVD is quite good. It isn't the best I've watched. But
it is fairly accurate. I recommend to anyone who needs to know as much as possible about Elizabeth I.

Brit telly-don David Starkey has the bit firmly between his teeth. There is no ambiguity here, no sense of the great debates that have raged over all aspects of Elizabeth's life. Starkey -- he used to be a real academic -- gives his opinions as unquestioned facts: Elizabeth was sexually abused; Elizabeth decided to remain a virgin while still in her teens and after reading patristic celebrations of celibacy; Elizabeth didn't sleep with Robin Dudley but she truly loved the Frog.

OK, I know that nuance isn't Channel 4's thing, but this is shockingly homogenized, rather like ice cream -- soft and sweet. Would I have been less offended by an actual television presenter with these opinions? Yes. Starkey's academic past gives him an authority that -- at least in this case -- is too easy to accept.

Those of us who have watched Starkey for years, whether in BBC doc.os or at conferences, will remember a slightly scruffy chap with elbow patches and rumpled hair. No more: he is transformed by a splendid suiting, heavy make-up, and sterling-silvered smoothness into someone with whom none would dare demure. And -- don't get me wrong -- he does get off some great lines. My favorite is his statement that Pope "signed a fatwah" on Elizabeth. The shock value actually works there. On the other hand, saying that Elizabeth loathed war because she couldn't lead her own armies and had to trust them to men to lead them is willfully simplistic.

There are many reasons why Elizabeth dreaded war, and that's hardly the most significant.

There are other academics on the stage from time to time, but they appear uncredited and they all agree with Starkey.

The background music is effective and the production values are quite high. "Biography" fans will see none of those tatty Halloween costumes and bad wigs here; it's not Merchant Ivory time, but things look pretty good -- both pretty and good.

Thucydides claims that historians give us unvarnished truth; he would be very proud of his great-great-grandson David. (Unless, of course, Thucydides had become a Papist. . . )

Being a devoted student of the history of Tudor England, I could not pass up this DVD set when I saw it in a catalog. Having been very impressed by David Starkey's book and DVD set on the six wives of Henry VIII, I knew this set devoted to Henry's daughter Elizabeth would be equally fascinating. This set brings over three hours of documentary on two DVDs about the life of Elizabeth I, including on-location narration where parts of Elizabeth's life took place, and also re-enactments in historical dress. The documentary comes in four episodes dealing with Elizabeth's life before her accession to the Throne, her early reign, the political and religious turmoil of the 1570s and 80s culminating in the attack of the Spanish Armada, and the final phase of Elizabeth's reign.

If you have read a lot about Elizabeth, this set will probably not teach you a whole lot but is still very worth seeing to give one a clearer mental picture of what things were like in Elizabeth's time. In my case, I had read some but not a great deal about Elizabeth's reign and I found this set an entertaining and informative way to enhance my knowledge and understanding of late Tudor England. I would recommend this to anyone who shares my love of English history and historical documentaries!

I tend to stick to French and German history, but a couple of years ago I began reading about Anne Boleyn and the fate of the other five wives. Now I'm learning about the children of Henry and Elizabeth: The Acclaimed Saga of England's Virgin Queen is a fantastic watch. The amount of information isn't overwhelming or underwhelming. I like that this isn't full of nonsense and wild untrue stories...I know some would consider it a bit boring, but I loved it. I hope to find more like this on Mary too.

I truly enjoyed this 2 disc set and the wonderful portrayal of this amazing time in history. Coupling the facts with the places they occurred made for wonderful viewing combination in this series. The actors didn't really speak but still added drama to the scenes being discussed. The saga opens with the young Princess Elizabeth just after her mother was executed and carries the viewer through the trials and tribulations of her life. They do a great job of portraying the difficult life, triumphs and failures of this enigmatic monarch. For fans of Elizabeth I, deffinately a nice addition to your collection.