Casanova [2005] [DVD]: Amazon.co.uk: Peter O'Toole, David Tennant, Rose Byrne, Rupert Penry-Jones, Laura Fraser, Nina Sosanya, Matt Lucas, Tom Burke, Claire Higgins, Shaun Parkes: DVD

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Synopsis

Dramatic retelling of the life and loves of the eighteenth-century lothario, Casanova.

Product Description

Legendary film actor Peter O'Toole and rising star David Tenant lead a stellar cast in the title role of the major BBC drama Casanova. Tenant plays the 18th century character as a young man whose extraordinary life takes him from Venice across Europe. O'Toole plays the older casanova as he relives his adventures in exile. Fast paced and edgy, Casanova alternates between the gripping love triangle involving the young Casanova, Henriette and her husband Grimani, and the swan song of the world's greatest lothario.

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Customer Reviews

34 Reviews

5 star:		(28)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(0)
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Average Customer Review

4.7 out of 5 stars (34 customer reviews)

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41 of 43 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A tragic love story, 3 Aug 2005

By	Budge Burgess (Kilmarnock, Scotland) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER)

A servant girl, herself fallen on hard times, befriends the aged Casanova, now a reclusive librarian in a rich man's household, eking out his days in obscurity, left only with his memories and could-have-beens.

Peter O'Toole plays the aged lothario, David Tennant the rake in his youth. As the action flashes backwards and forwards through time, we discover a different image of Casanova - not a man who systematically seduced and used women, but an educated, talented, not to mention inspired individual who loved women and was loved by them. He is a man fated to love, to be loved, to be f�ted and hated, but never quite to find his true love.

His mother is portrayed as an actress who abandoned him in pursuit of her own promiscuous hedonism. The boy is emotionally silenced, but he has a multitude of talents and limitless determination ... not to mention a bit of luck. We follow Casanova as he charms his way into Venetian society ... only to be cast into prison, escape, and pursue a trail of adventures across the courts of Europe.

It's a helter-skelter costume drama which eschews rigid adherence to historical accuracy, injecting elements of a more modern world into its style and portrayal until it becomes a self-parody. Humorous, touching, captivating, with wonderful performances from a very talented ensemble of actors, "Casanova" gives us a fresh, tender portrayal of the character and his times. There is lustiness but no nudity, desire without exploitation, and a cavalcade of astonishing images and impressions of a society on the verge of revolution and cataclysmic change.

And there is a sting in the tail (or tale), as Casanova's own son becomes a monstrous caricature of the father, corrupting his philosophy ... or being corrupted by it. You are left wondering about the real man - did he really love women, was he really a great communicator, or did he cynically manipulate both them and their male dominated societies?

It's a wonderfully entertaining show. Audacious, controversial, Tennant the cheeky chappy, O'Toole more reflective and disillusioned, tempted to rewrite his history, or to exorcise it from record by consigning it to the flames. Ultimately, this is a tragic love story rather than hedonistic romp, tragic yet intensely human. Well worth watching.

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54 of 58 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Yet another lover of Casanova emerges, 15 April 2005

By	russell clarke "stipesdoppleganger" (halifax, west yorks) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER)

Rushed into the shops after its recent screening on B.B.C. Four and One this version written by Russell T Davies sees the classic tale of a charming philanderer brought bang up to date with copious amounts of contemporary wit and energy. It's filmed with vertiginous glee, in fact, at the risk of being arrested by the pun police I'd say it goes like the clappers.
The old Casanova , played with salacious zeal by Peter O Toole, relates his life story to an enraptured Servant who gradually teases out of him the fact his tale of numerous conquests isn't merely a saga of unmitigated lust (Though it's undoubtedly that as well) but has moments of genuine affection and yes god dam it ..Love. Casanova in his pomp is portrayed excellently by David Tennant as a witty charming chancer with the gift of the gab and a smile to make women melt. Events don't always follow the course he intends and though he raises to the very top of Venetian Society, meeting the love of his life, Henriette, along the way and nearly succeeds in wooing her till her wealthy Fianc� sees to it that disgrace follows and so he has to flee and head for pastures new including Paris and London.
Any cast that features the luscious Dervla Kirwan and the excellent Nina Sosanya has a lot going for it but throw in superb cameos from Matt Lucas , Freddie Jones Simon Day and an enrapturing performance from Laura Fraser as Henriette and it would be hard pressed to make this less than watchable . But with stylistic flourishes in the filming , which may annoy fans of more traditional costume dramas , and the decidedly modern vernacular of the script this is costume drama for the 21st Century and to this viewer it's all the better for it. The one surprise is the lack of sex, or rather the lack of graphic sex which is something you would expect from a modern drama but this is a tale told with a twinkle in its bawdy eye so the less than serious, almost saucy postcard approach should really come as no surprise.
Normally I'd rather gargle with brick cleaner than watch some stilted period drama but this was almost a revelation, pacy, funny, colourful and fiendishly entertaining. With this and the return of the excellent new Doctor Who, suddenly T.V. is watchable again.

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38 of 41 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Winning Combination, 26 Sep 2006

By	Haraheart "haraheart" (Lancs) - See all my reviews

I enviously watched the trailers for Casanova when I didn't have access to BBC3 - I thought it looked like an exciting, colourful romp. I waited everso patiently until it was repeated on BBC1 and was not disappointed in the least.
Peter O'Toole is brilliantly cast as the older Casanova, remembering his past and all the women he had ever loved. His portrayal was poignant and sometimes a little scary, but as his quest for Henriette comes to a close you really do feel sorry for the man with so much potential having become a fairly lowly Librarian and object of ridicule.
Laura Fraser is stunning as Henriette - the kind of enigmatic and beautiful woman we all strive unsuccessfully to be! Rose Byrne is the picture of innocence and amused shock at the older man's tales. Both women play their parts beautifully.
Russell T Davies' writing was already known to me to be something special, my particular favourite being 'Queer As Folk'. Again, he manages to give us a lively tale with great one-liners, action, punches and sex - lots of it. The way he explores Jack's fears over falling in love with Bellino is brilliantly done and he doesn't shy away from controversial topics (In fact, such topics are becoming more mainstream and less hidden thanks mainly to people like him).
And finally ... how could I review this without mentioning David Tennant? I can't. That man is such a talented actor, he makes every part his. He is quirky, cheeky and devillishly charming. A previous review said that RTD wanted to steer away from someone conventionally handsome for the part - maybe David Tennant isn't conventionally handsome, but I certainly wouldn't kick him out of bed!
This is a must for any fan of Russell T Davies or David Tennant; they are a winning combination as Doctor Who's tenth incarnation only proves.

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Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Casanova
I saw this on TV a few years ago and thought about it a while ago, buying it was a great idea, it's a brilliant version and it's really quite long

Published 5 months ago by Ms. Ir Bird

4.0 out of 5 stars A Jolly Good Romp
This was our second time viewing this period drama production with its fabulous costumes, great cast and alternative approach. Read more

Published 6 months ago by Textile Figure Artist

4.0 out of 5 stars Lush!
A pre-Dr Who David Tennant demonstrates why he was always going to be fabulous in the Tardis - both Casanova and the Dr seem to tap into a cheeky, fun and ridiculously sexy streak... Read more

Published 7 months ago by Nicki

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent series with a great score but why no CD?
As others have said this is an excellent series and well worth getting on DVD.

It has a wonderful musical score by Murray Gold that the BBC decided not to release on... Read more

Published 10 months ago by P. Greenhill

5.0 out of 5 stars Dishy David Tennant
This is a hugely enjoyable, stylish, witty retelling of the Casanova story. As it was written by Russel T Davies it goes without saying that the script is fabulous and the story... Read more

Published 14 months ago by TracyA

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic period drama, fantastic acting - all very watchable
I loved Casanova when it was on BBC and had to get the DVD set to relive it. The opening theme music is fab and the whole colour and spectacle are wonderful. Read more

Published 15 months ago by UK reader

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful. Fun. Unmissable.
Russell T Davies writing. David Tennant and Peter O'Toole acting. What more persuasion do you need? One of the most uplifting, dazzling and colourful television dramas ever made,... Read more

Published 17 months ago by Good Wolf

1.0 out of 5 stars More heartless, witless Tripe by Russell T Davies
I really went into this wanting to like it, but when I realized he was the writer I wasn't expecting much, and that's what I got. Read more

Published 21 months ago by Huston Huddleston

5.0 out of 5 stars The Most Beautiful Thing I Have Ever Seen
After sitting at my labtop for around twenty minutes trying to decide the best way for me to tell you how amazing Casanova is... Read more

Published on 30 Aug 2007 by Andrew Kerr

5.0 out of 5 stars IN FACT TWO NUNS ACTUALY
Absolutely brilliant, Peter O`Toole is remarkable as Giacomo Casanova in his twilight years telling his life story to a young serving girl played by Rose Byrne, but the ultimate... Read more

Published on 18 Aug 2007 by L. Wilson

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Casanova [2005] [DVD]

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