Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1512 in DVD
• Released on: 2009-05-25
• Rating: Suitable for 15 years and over
• Format: PAL
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 148 minutes

Synopsis
From the writer of the excellent 'Bow Street runner' mini-series CITY OF VICE, and director of the powerful drama THE RELIEF OF BELSEN, comes the untold story of the Norman conquest. 1066 chronicles a defining chapter in British history, exploring the conflict through the eyes of the those up close to the action, on the battlefield and caught up in the fray. The lavish two-part feature-length drama stars Mike Bailey (SKINS) Francis Magee (LAYER CAKE), and Soren Byder (FOYLE'S WAR).

Customer Reviews

Brilliant!

Definitely a long overdue dramatic representation (there are several hollywood films in the pipeline too btw) But this Ch4 version has beat them all to it.

I was seriously worried that this would be a letdown but it was awesome.
Loved watching Leofric developing from a cowardly farmer to a heroic warrior & also the Tolkienesque angle & LOTR-style score. Didn't realise that "ORC" was an actual Anglo-Saxon word !

This dramatisation stayed true to the story we know & clearly the production team took advice from proper historians as the detail was perfect.

I've got it recorded on my hard-drive but shall be buying the DVD as it's one i want in my collection.

A must for any fan of Dark-Age/Medieval history.

At last an Anglo-Saxon perspective
At long last an Anglo-Saxon perspective on 1066 that is unashamedly English. We did exist after all-I was beginning to wonder frankly! So often the Celtic fringe (Braveheart) and Viking nations (too many to mention) are given the Hollywood treatment that I was beginning to wonder if this searing epic of a story would ever be dramatized. I was despairing at the half-baked mish mash Viking stories masquerading as Beowulf. The Times savaged this when it went out on Channel 4 and missed the point entirely in my view. True, they perhaps over-use Anglo-Saxon style compound words like 'Whales-road' meaning sea to convey a sense of 11th century discourse and I dropped one star because of one or two historical inaccuracies(the English wore moustaches for one-the Housecarl's would've been much more impressive visually being the other) but these are small gripes. It was great to see this micro-historical tale of the men of Crowhurst being used as a platform for the 1066 'English' story. After all, the Thanes and Fyrdsmen that fell at Hastings called themselves 'Englishmanna' not Saxons or Anglo-Saxons-'English' and the Normans called them 'Anglais'. It's our story and long overdue in the telling. It is now for someone to provide a 'big screen' macro-history re-telling of the story from Harold's perspective-, the oath in Normandy, Tostig's betrayal, Hardrada, the Comet and Hastings-surely one of the greatest narratives in the canon of European story-telling. Well done Channel 4, thoroughly enjoyed watching it.

1066 delivers the best of history television.
The angle of telling the historical story from the fighting man's
perspective, was suspensefully implemented. I witnessed the view of the
invading Vikings, shared their long journey via the North Atlantic ,
the excitement of pillaging the anglo -saxon villages, and their thirst
for a adventures battles. The main focus however was on the anglo -
saxon peasants, who had to leave their homesteads and their loved ones
behind, to fight the invaders. Expecting an attack from William the
Conquerer from Normandy they had to guard the Sussex Coast. When News
arrived, that a mighty Viking force was attacking the Midlands, 200
miles north. Imagine untrained farmers turned soldiers with few
professional soldiers (the Kings Guard)commanding them, it was quite an
archivement to cover that distance in 4 days, with only dirt path's in
that direction. The old roman cobblestone streets run mostly east -
west. The hardship of it, is illustrated in great detail, specially
when you have watched the extras of the DVD, before you have watched
the movie series. This is what I recommend to all viewers. After having
seen the extra features, you will appreciate the movie more. Footwear,
food, clothing and weaponry really round up the " you have been there "
feeling. No Superheroes, or corny over-dramatized characters, just real
people trying to survive. The battles however are graphic, nothing for
the fainthearted. With fear, panic, cut of limbs, the movie is also not
without humor. I remember the Stamford Bridge Battle scene, where eager
soldiers from the rear ranks and file pushing the frontline without
caution, where an "ole battle hand" in front kept swearing at them,
going into certain slaughter. I haven't seen anything like that, so
authentic in a period peace battle. King Herold,King Harald and William
the Conquerer, take a backstage in this film, it's all about the common
fighting man. A very interesting approach, that worked very well in
this movie. A refreshing detour from the "300" type of making history
movies. The movie is 4 hours short, more than 2 hours are of it spend
for the 3 great battles: Midland, Stamford Bridge and Hastings. Yes,
the anglo - saxons had to march all the 200 miles back to meet another
enemy at Hastings, telling more would spoil the movie. I feel fortunate
to own a region free DVD player, otherwise I couldn't see all the great
historical movies from europe. There is nothing like this movie here in
north America.