chris_gerrib: (Default)
[personal profile] chris_gerrib
I mentioned in yesterday's entry that I planned to catch a matinee of Elizabeth: The Golden Age. The movie has gotten some mixed reviews, mostly as being overly melodramatic, but I enjoyed it.

Part of the problem is that the era in question, the events leading up to the dispatch of the Spanish Armada, is inherently melodramatic. The Armada was the largest invasion fleet in the Channel until 1944. There, the D-Day armada was going the other way. England has faced the risk of invasion three times; 1066 (England lost) 1588 (England's army was heavily outnumbered) and 1940 (England's army was a wreck.) In short, this was a serious time.

In my opinion, the moviemakers kept the melodrama on a fairly short leash until the last ten minutes, but I personally was willing to excuse it. The movie, like the previous in series, Elizabeth there was a lot of "textile porn," but again, that's historically accurate. It's probably not fair to have the 38-year-old Cate Blanchett play a 55-year-old Elizabeth, but Cate's established herself as the modern interpreter of Good Queen Bess. Overall, a very enjoyable movie.

ETA: This being a period movie, there are a couple of period interrogations, AKA torture. It's not excessively violent, but there is some blood and gore.

Date: 2007-10-15 03:58 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] bdunbar.livejournal.com
England has faced the risk of invasion three times;

1688 doesn't count?

Date: 2007-10-15 04:20 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] chris-gerrib.livejournal.com
I look at 1688 as the last battle of the civil war started in the 1640s by Parliament, not as an invasion.

Date: 2007-10-15 04:13 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] j-cheney.livejournal.com
I didn't want to go see this, because the last one was...well, IMO unnecessarily gross...

Since you didn't mention it, I'll assume this one wasn't.

Date: 2007-10-15 04:22 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] chris-gerrib.livejournal.com
Well, Walshingham did use rather direct methods when he questioned traitors. So, if torture grosses you out, there are a couple of scenes where that happens.

Date: 2007-10-15 04:23 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] j-cheney.livejournal.com
Hmmm...will have to consider...

Date: 2007-10-16 03:48 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] belyal.livejournal.com
Totally off the subject-in response to your question on Scalzi's Whatever, here is Robert Frezza:

http://www.amazon.com/Small-Colonial-War-Robert-Frezza/dp/0345362004/ref=pd_sim_b_1/105-1642385-2669240

I thought it rocked.

Date: 2007-10-16 04:15 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] chris-gerrib.livejournal.com
Thanks - I found that but haven't seen anything on the web regarding the author.

Profile

chris_gerrib: (Default)
chris_gerrib

August 2025

S M T W T F S
      12
3456789
10 11 1213141516
17181920212223
24252627282930
31      

Most Popular Tags

Style Credit

Expand Cut Tags

No cut tags
Page generated Aug. 14th, 2025 08:53 am
Powered by Dreamwidth Studios