Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #6091 in VHS
• Released on: 1995-06-12
• Rating: Suitable for 12 years and over
• Number of discs: 1
• Formats: HiFi Sound, PAL
• Original language: English
• Number of tapes: 1
• Running time: 176 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
The BBC's six-part drama series based on the life of Elizabeth I, first broadcast in 1971, followed hot on the heels of The Six Wives of Henry VIII. It was an instant popular and critical success. Recently, more opulent films like Elizabeth and Shakespeare in Love (both 1998) have happily mined the life and times of the Virgin Queen to create rich visual banquets. But apart from the occasionally dodgy studio lighting, Elizabeth R stands the test of time well with its patina of classic television intact. Literate scripts reflect their documentary sources, portray the constant tension of a royal existence at the heart of a succession of life-threatening conspiracies, and convey the claustrophobia of an age of intrigue in which it was impossible to distinguish between the watcher and the watched. These first two episodes deal with Elizabeth's adolescence, her dangerous relationship with her sister Mary Tudor, her accession to the throne and a relationship with Earl of Leicester that hovers constantly on the verge of scandal. There are splendid performances from a galaxy of British character actors, but Glenda Jackson dominates in the title role that added television success to a film career then at its peak. --Piers Ford

Synopsis
The first part of this famous TV series. 'The Lion's Cub' and 'The Marriage Game'.

Customer Reviews

Good Queen Bess
This is a superb BBC miniseries, or "cycle of six plays", with extraordinary acting and most of all, a script that is a marvel, which uses original documents and the writings of Queen Elizabeth I as its source, making the story, so full of intrigue and drama, for the most part very accurate.
My favorites are the monologues, spoken with such power by Glenda Jackson, whose performance is a treasure. The cast that surrounds her is also wonderful, and often having a physical similarity to the historical character (with kudos to the make-up department).
There are so many reasons to buy this fantastic DVD package, which may seem expensive but is actually an excellent value. For historians this is a must, and anyone who appreciates great English theater will be delighted. The quality of the film is also exceptional, with an exceedingly clear picture and audio.

I bought it to prepare for a portrait of Queen Bess, and was enthralled by the detail of the costuming; what amazed me was how the fashion changed during the queen's forty-four year reign. It was a time rich with culture and style, with the emergence of Shakespeare and other great writers, and the queen loved clothes and jewelry, and surely set the trends.
The music by David Munro also adds to the atmosphere, and the sets have an authentic feel.
This is a brilliant production, and total running time is 540 minutes.

The DVD "extras" are terrific, are the entire content of the 4th disc, and should perhaps be viewed before the film, for full appreciation of the history. The "extras" are:
1: A lengthy interview with Glenda Jackson
2: An interview with historian Alison Weir
3: "Elizabeth I", an A&E documentary with commentary by various authors and historians, and marvelous imagery to illustrate it.
4, A: Glenda Jackson reads documents. B: Portrait Gallery (there is an error here, where the portrait of Robert Dudley is actually one of Sir Francis Drake). C: Historical Sites, including the queen's tomb, palaces, etc.
5: Behind the scenes, with a Who's Who of the cast.

Superb piece of film - BUT WHERE'S THE REGION 2 VERSION BBC?
Further to the previous review, not much more can be said. The acting, the costumes, the sets are all EXCELLENT. If you want to see what Queen Elizabeth I and her times were really like, then watch this.

Particularly worth keep an eye out for is the dreadful treatment of the English fleet after the destruction of the Spanish Armada and how Elizabeth dealt with the near bankrupcy of England at the time.

I would have given this wonderful work 5 stars, but the for the following fact: It's about English history and one of it's most admired monarchs, it's filmed in England by the BBc, funded by the British taxpayer and has only been released in the USA on region 1!!!!!! WHY????? Copme on BBC, look to your own first!

Classic BBC drama at its very best
The only word for this is sumptuous. From the first class acting from a galaxy of Britain's finest actors, to Glenda Jackson's stunning performance in the title role, to the glorious costumes and lavish sets...this dramatic depiction of a slice of English history has never lost its gloss and sheen or become tired and stale through the years. As fresh, intriguing and enticing now as it was when it was first shown.

It could teach today's film makers a thing or two.