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Henry VIII [2003]
starring: Ray Winstone, Helena Bonham-Carter, Sean Bean, David Suchet, Emilia Fox
directed by: Pete Travis

List Price: £16.99

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Third Party New Price: £5.30

Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days Audience Rating: Suitable for 15 years and over
Binding: VHS Tape
EAN: 5014138505431
Format: Box set, Colour, HiFi Sound, PAL, Widescreen
Label: Granada Media
Manufacturer: Granada Media
Number Of Items: 2
Publisher: Granada Media
Release Date: October 27, 2003
Running Time: 250 minutes
Studio: Granada Media
Sales Rank: 4977

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Editorial Review:

Amazon.co.uk Review:
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

Customer Reviews

Average Rating: out of 5 stars

Rating:

- Utter Rubbish
Winstone plays Winstone yet again. He should stick to gangster films where the dialogue is limited and the only acting skill required is to look hard.

Could have been good if Henry had been played by an actor.

Rating:

- some dubious casting
Not a particularly long adaptation, so some areas are a bit condensed. Opinion over the casting of Ray Winstone seems mixed. Personally, I though he was great, but I confess to being a bit of a fan. He looks superb, and I got used to the accent quite quickly, although I doubt Henry sounded anything like that. His portrayal does tend to focus on the boorish and bullying apects of the character, but that is probably why Winstone was cast, as he can do this so well. Some of the other actors, such as Sean Bean, Mark Strong and Emily Blunt turned in excellend performances as well.

However, Helena Bonham Carter as Anne Boleyn was dreadful. Anne was 19 when Henry first noticed her, and 29 when she was beheaded. At the age of 37, Helena ... Read More:

Rating:

- brillient
I would like to say that this film was brillient (excuse my spelling). The tudors which is out at the moment is rubbish. at least this film has kept to the facts.

Rating:

- Disappointed
I am not sure what to say - or just how to start. As a 'story' this is ok. But as a piece of acting? Now I have nothing against Ray Wilson but he is just not Henry V111 is he ? Better go to the set of Easter Enders. For that is what he sounded like.

Too much blood, daft lines and poor actng!

Avoid.

Rating:

- TURN OFF
Ray Winstone as Henry VIII ? A total casting disaster. I couldn't take more than 10 minutes of it.

VHS : Henry VIII [2003]