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From Amazon.co.uk
At the heart of Henry VIII stands a towering performance by Ray Winstone, who literally grows into the role, impressively doubling in size and ageing 40 years over the course of two feature-length episodes. Focusing on Henry's relationships with his six wives, this lavish mini-series also makes a good job of explaining the complex court intrigues of the period, detailing Henry's split with Rome and the political crisis following the creation of the Church of England. Winstone initially seems to play the King as little more than a London gangster, but he gradually unfolds a complex, brutal, manipulative, romantic, dedicated and driven man with great skill.
In a role which harks back to Lady Jane (1986), Helena Bonham Carter makes an intelligent and sardonic Anne Boleyn, her bold performance contrasting strongly with Geneviève Bujold in Anne of the Thousand Days (1969). Emily Blunt impresses as the sexpot Katherine Howard, and Emilia Fox is compelling as Henry's greatest love, Jane Seymour. There's fine support from an all-star cast, including Sean Bean, Charles Dance and David Suchet. The production is unflinching, with burnings, torture, marital violence and executions graphically portrayed. If there's a weakness it lies in too-modern dialogue and an uncertain visual style, with noticeable borrowings from John Boorman's Excalibur and Ridley Scott's Gladiator, as well as setting Shakespeare in Love-style elegance against the ugly colours and graininess of reality TV. Ultimately Henry VIII plays most like a prequel to Elizabeth (1999)--right down to using the same piece of Elgar to underscore the finale--and has most of the same faults and virtues as that Oscar-winning film. --Gary S Dalkin
Product Description
The enigma of Henry VIII - tyrant, womaniser and the man who changed England forever - continues to fascinate Britain centuries after his death. Ray Winstone brings history's most beguiling monarch to life in this story of Henry VIII revealing the destruction Henry often left in his wake during his extraordinary 38 year reign. From the moment Henry Tudor casts aside his faithful wife Katherine of Aragon for the bewitching and determined Anne Boleyn (Helena Bonham Carter), he sets himself on course for a series of disastrous marriages. Violent conflict, both within the population and the church, left England reeling while its complex and charismatic King turned from handsome playboy to a bitter invalid desperate for a son and heir to the throne.
Starring Ray Winstone, Helena Bonham Carter, David Suchet, Emilia Fox, Sean Bean, Charles Dance, Mark Strong, Michael Maloney and Joss Ackland.
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
14 of 14 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
This two-part film for television about Henry VIII and his six wives is very good.
It may not be historically accurate but if it were it would be a much longer film.
In the interests of entertainment the story is told in a condensed way but also it does stick to the main points of the historical facts.
Ray Winstone has been criticised for his London accent and his "gangster" style of aggression in his performance. But since no one knows how exactly how Henry VIII sounded except for "a" London accent what does it matter? I think his performance is excellent. His performance changes throughout the piece. We see him aggressive but we also see him as caring and romantic. Also compared to other actors who have played Henry VIII he is more convincing.
Unlike the TV series "The Tudors" we see Ray as Henry go from being young and fairly slim to being old, big, fat and ill. The transformation of his appearance and his behaviour through the acting is very good.
There is good attention to detail with costumes and props and the story moves at a good pace. Generally this is an entertaining three hours of TV history.
It may not be historically accurate but if it were it would be a much longer film.
In the interests of entertainment the story is told in a condensed way but also it does stick to the main points of the historical facts.
Ray Winstone has been criticised for his London accent and his "gangster" style of aggression in his performance. But since no one knows how exactly how Henry VIII sounded except for "a" London accent what does it matter? I think his performance is excellent. His performance changes throughout the piece. We see him aggressive but we also see him as caring and romantic. Also compared to other actors who have played Henry VIII he is more convincing.
Unlike the TV series "The Tudors" we see Ray as Henry go from being young and fairly slim to being old, big, fat and ill. The transformation of his appearance and his behaviour through the acting is very good.
There is good attention to detail with costumes and props and the story moves at a good pace. Generally this is an entertaining three hours of TV history.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
OK here is the start to my review,
well I am a fan of Ray Winstone any way but he played this film brilliantly his acting is good and I have watched the whole film in one go yes its quite long about 3hrs but it tells a decent story about the king henry VIII. I would recommend this to anyone who has interest in the Tudors and I can assure you that you will not be disappointed!!!!
well I am a fan of Ray Winstone any way but he played this film brilliantly his acting is good and I have watched the whole film in one go yes its quite long about 3hrs but it tells a decent story about the king henry VIII. I would recommend this to anyone who has interest in the Tudors and I can assure you that you will not be disappointed!!!!
30 of 34 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
I found this TV production though not "historical", highly entertaining, 90% of it because of Ray Winstone's Henry VIII. He paints a portrait full of masculine vigor, with enough lust in his heart for at least a dozen men, and his tough guy East End accent somehow works well too, though it is quite a change from the Richard Burton/King's English type of Henry VIII I have previously seen.
There are scenes where he is memorable, like the emotion he expresses after Anne Boleyn (Helena Bonham Carter) gives birth to Princess Elizabeth..
In his old age Henry becomes a sad and sickly figure, and Winstone realistically catches that aspect of him too.
The rest of the large cast is also good, which includes David Suchet as Cardinal Wolsey, and Sean Bean in a role that is not long, but one of his most powerful, as Robert Aske, who goes against the king for having committed the brutal "dissolution of the monasteries".
There are scenes where he is memorable, like the emotion he expresses after Anne Boleyn (Helena Bonham Carter) gives birth to Princess Elizabeth..
In his old age Henry becomes a sad and sickly figure, and Winstone realistically catches that aspect of him too.
The rest of the large cast is also good, which includes David Suchet as Cardinal Wolsey, and Sean Bean in a role that is not long, but one of his most powerful, as Robert Aske, who goes against the king for having committed the brutal "dissolution of the monasteries".
The plot starts in 1509, with the death of Henry VII, and the young Henry VIII marrying Katherine of Aragon, but quickly segues to 1524, and centers on the last 21 years of Henry's life, with still no male heir from Katherine, enter Anne Boleyn and the other wives, court intrigue, and manipulations by Cardinal Wolsey and Thomas Cromwell among those vying for power.
It is also quite gritty and bloody, and not for the young or squeamish, including muddy, violent battle and jousting scenes, lots of heads being chopped off, and even a dog fight, which fortunately is more heard than seen.
Well paced direction by Pete Travis, script by Peter Morgan, cinematography by Peter Middleton, and score by Robert Lane, make this an engrossing, if not historically accurate film, and since the core of this production are the intimate scenes, artistic license is to be expected.
Total running time is 250 minutes.
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2.9 out of 5 stars
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
2.0 out of 5 stars
Cockney King Henry!
Was disappointed in this DVD. Didn't really know what to expect from the cast. H-B Carter was excellent but unfortunately not an appropriate role for Ray Winstone.
Published 9 days ago by Noz
5.0 out of 5 stars
Close to the real Henry V111
I have just bought the DVD after watching this on TV some years ago. As an historian I found Ray's portrayal of Henry the most convincing of all I have seen. Read more
Published 10 days ago by hilaryj
1.0 out of 5 stars
bad disc
i bought this product as revision for school work but it only came with one disc(as it was promised with two)and the one i did get has scratched, i am very disappointed with this... Read more
Published 2 months ago by Anya Botterill
5.0 out of 5 stars
Historical entertainment
This is a really well conceived and executed production, with a strong cast and storyline that is more or less historically accurate, allowing for some filmic license. Read more
Published 4 months ago by R. J. de Bulat
5.0 out of 5 stars
Loved it!
Although maybe not particularly historically accurate in places, this film is excellent. I watched it on TV some time ago and was very impressed with Ray Winstone's portrayal of... Read more
Published 4 months ago by K. M. Mrs Jones
3.0 out of 5 stars
Superbly cast, but script lacking real substance at times.
Henry VIII has had so many dramas made about his reign and will continue to because of how fascinating his story is- i mean six wives, two divorced, two beheaded, the split with... Read more
Published 5 months ago by James
4.0 out of 5 stars
Brutish, vain and trapped
Henry is portrayed as a tortured, brutish man. Vain, conflicted and trapped in religious, political and marital traps. He bullies, lies and betrays those around him. Read more
Published 6 months ago by Mr. M. R. MOORE
4.0 out of 5 stars
Great value entertainment and all from your armchair; popcorn at the...
Great value for money, a gritty production. The acting gave a real sense of how dangerous it was to fall foul of the system. Read more
Published 8 months ago by S. M. Lahache
3.0 out of 5 stars
good but not great!
This show takes liberties on the Henry story , much like the tv show the tudors did too. Still Ray Winstone is excellent as the bloodthirsty and rapacious; but in some ways great... Read more
Published 10 months ago by Michael Dobey
5.0 out of 5 stars
Henry V111
This film was great, Ray Winstone plays a great part as Henry nothing new in that the storey is well recorded but well played by all. Read more
Published 14 months ago by MDC
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