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Black Sails (2014)
Buccaneers and A Bottle of Rum
In the introduction to "Treasure Island" Robert Louis Stevenson wrote:
"If sailor tales and sailor tunes/Storm and adventure, heat and cold/If schooners, islands and maroons/And buccaneers, and buried gold/And all the old romance, retold/Exactly in the ancient way;/Can please, as me they pleased of old/The wiser youngsters of today;/~~ So be it, and fall on!"
"Black Sails" is "buccaneers and buried gold and all the romance retold"; it is a tale in the tradition of Robert Louis Stevenson's masterpiece. And, a grand tale it is, too!
With the Golden Age of Piracy setting the background and the inclusion of four individuals who were actual pirates during the early 18th century (Charles Vane, Anne Bonny, "Calico" Jack Rackham, and (this season) Edward "Blackbeard" Teach), "Black Sails" sets course on the high seas. Everything about it is excellent: a superb cast, amazing sets ~ especially the ships {two of which actually sail} ~ the South African locations, and the costumes.
But the tale ~ ~ that's what stirs your imagination. When on board the ships you practically feel the roll of the waves, the sting of the sea's spray and the wind that fills the sails; how it must've been to be a pirate ~ to trim the sails and man the guns ~ to "scour the seven seas".
And the tale gets better with each chapter for, like an old novel, "Black Sails" is a story you can't stop reading. And, like the chapters of those well~written 19th~century books, there is a twist, a tale within the tale, a turn you didn't expect. And now, with Vane's execution, a new character emerges from the pen of Robert Louis Stevenson's author, unexpected & unimagined, who, armed with the pirate's "black spot", haunts the nightmares of Nassau's reformed pirates, and whose presence will be the centerpiece of the author's grand sequel ~~ Long John Silver.
This is a worthy prequel to "Treasure Island". After all, "Black Sails" is the prologue to that story of pirates, adventure and buried treasure. Yo, ho, ho and a bottle of rum!
The White Queen (2013)
The White Rose
"The White Queen", based on Philippa Gregory's superb books, is excellent. It is the story of the turbulent 30 years of almost continuous war between two rival families: the House of York (the white rose) and the House of Lancaster (the red rose) ~ the English War of the Roses. And it is the story of three queens: Elizabeth Woodville, Margaret Beaufort and Anne Neville. Their actions, thoughts, and desires are the foundation on which this excellent story lies.
The historical personalities shine in this superb production: King Edward IV, King Richard III, the Earl of Warwick, the Nevilles, and the Woodvilles ~~ all are superbly cast. The adaptation of the books, the locations, and the feel of this critical period in English history are equally outstanding.
A footnote: "The White Queen" is especially fascinating because King Richard III, whose death at the Battle of Bosworth Field in 1485 ended the War of the Roses and whose grave was lost to history, has been found and re-buried in Leicester Cathedral.
Elizabeth R (1971)
A Regal Elizabeth I
"Elizabeth R" is the finest historical and dramatic series ever to appear on Masterpiece Theater. Sumptuous in every detail and nuance, anchored by Glenda Jackson's superb performance, the outstanding ensemble surrounding her (especially Robert Hardy) and its historically accurate portrait of life in the reign of perhaps England's greatest monarch is worthy of the accolades it received.
Glenda Jackson IS Elizabeth I ~~ no other actress has ever matched her outstanding performance. Equally outstanding is Robert Hardy's portrayal of Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester. "Elizabeth R" is a feast not only for the eye but the heart and soul as well. It is a masterpiece.
Outlander (2014)
A Journey Through the Stones
"Outlander" is fantasy, history, romance and adventure. It is Scotland in the 18th century. And it is a journey through the stones to another time. There is something in this tale for everyone: the magic of Scotland's rugged highlands, lochs and glens, witchcraft and sorcery and belief in faeries and superstitions, ancient stones and magic circles, the beauty of the Gaelic language, the mesmerizing sense of history, and portrayal of 18th century Scottish daily life. Everything about "Outlander" is exceptional: the cast, the locations, its historical and cultural accuracy, the weaponry, the costumes ~ even the weather.
I have sojourned through the Scottish highlands, heard the loons at Loch Lomond at eventide while standing in the shadow of Ben Lomond, seen Schiehallion (the mountain of the faeries); and I've listened quietly to the wind when the moon was full and heard her voice whispering in the night sky. "Outlander" has allowed me to travel to a Scotland in another time and place where, before, only in my mind's imagination I could go. I can't wait to go back again.
The Phantom of the Opera (2004)
A Phantom Equal to the Original London Production
This is a superb production ~~ more than equal to the original London production I saw at Her Majesty's Theatre in 1985. Lushly photographed; superbly crafted ~~ a masterpiece to be enjoyed by devotees to the theatre, the cinema & Andrew Lloyd Webber. Gerard Butler & Emmy Rossum are superb as the Phantom & Christine ~ surpassed only by Michael Crawford & Sarah Brightman. The music is sensuous, dramatic & majestic; the Paris Opera House exact in every detail; the sets & costumes superb. Mr Webber waited to put his theatrical masterpiece on film and "Phantom" is a magnificent film. If you have not seen "Phantom of the Opera" or are unfamiliar with the story, this is the one you should see.
Corpse Bride (2005)
A Bride For All Seasons
She's blue, dead & has a maggot for a conscience. She is also pert, lively, stunningly attractive {for a corpse} & talented. And, in 'The Corpse Bride', she steals the show ~~~ {your heart, too}. This is an outstanding film from a rather eclectic film director with a penchant for imaginative stories & settings. It is lovely to watch; the characters are expressive & delightful, & a musical score that fits the story to a 'T'~~in short, an inventive, innovative film that is thoroughly delightful. You become totally absorbed into a world that is both macabre and enchanting. 'The Corpse Bride'is a movie to savor at All Hallows or any other season of the year.
Stage Beauty (2004)
A Magnificent Restoration
"The Restoration" theatre vividly brought to life by a first-rate "Company of Players". In an age when women were forbidden to perform on the stage Ned Kynaston was arguably the "prettiest man in London" & the toast of the London's theatrical world. But when Charles II declares women may indeed trod the theatre's (& London's) stage(s), he finds himself haunted by the persona he has become. And, in so doing, he provides a triumphant view of a turning point in his career ~~ and in the history of the theatre. A visually stunning movie with a superb cast headed by Claire Danes (Maria), Billy Crudup (Ned Kynaston) & Rupert Everett (King Charles II) that enchants as well as creates the Restoration Age in England.
Shakespeare in Love (1998)
Twelfth Night Revisited
Queen Elizabeth I once asked Shakespeare to write a play showing Falstaff in love. This play, "The Merrie Wives of Windsor" was performed at Christmas in London's Temple Church. Imagine ~ what if Queen Elizabeth had asked for a play showing Shakespeare in love? How would it have turned out? Would Will have been the buffoon that Falstaff is in "Merrie Wives"? Or would he have been a dashing romantic? Unfortunately (for history) we will never know. But! wait ~~ another playwright has done just that &, in "Shakespeare In Love" we finally see how irresistibly foolish, daring & resourceful Will would/might have been! A superb cast including Joseph Fiennes (Shakespeare), Gwen Paltrow (Viola) & Dame Judi Dench (Queen Elizabeth); a witty & captivating screenplay; a vivid portrait of life in Tudor England; ~ in short, a play that could have been written by the Bard with Shakespeare's "Love" providing the inspiration for his greatest romantic work "Romeo and Juliet". Now, that is a play Queen Elizabeth I would have regally enjoyed in Temple Church!
Pride & Prejudice (2005)
A Masterful Pride
One of the most enduring adaptations of a Jane Austen novel ever filmed. This an outstanding adaptation of her premiere novel & is superbly brought to life by an outstanding cast & film frew. While not the equal of the 1996 BBC version, this is sill an excellent film ~~ visually superb with wonderful screenplay that does not lose sight of the central thesis of the Austen novel. Ms Knightley gives her best performance to date: enchanting,captivating, & lively. The supporting cast is excellent ~~ especially Donald Sutherland as Elizabeth's long-suffering father. If you loved the BBC adaptation, you will definitely enjoy this cinematic tour de force.
V for Vendetta (2005)
"Remember Remember the Fifth Of November ...."
"Remember remember the Fifth of November/ Gunpowder treason and plot ~~~" "V" For Vendetta" is a powerful tale set in an Orwellian society. A futuristic Guy Fawkes with a personal vendetta against Britain's despotic government leaders teaches a young woman that "God is in the rain" while Scotland Yard's chief begins to question the methods the prime minister uses to impose his personal policies & philosophy on the country. An excellent cast lead by Hugo Weaving as "V" & Natalie Portman as "Evey" brings this chilling futuristic tale to life. "V" proves that freedom of thought and individual liberty are powerful concepts when a nation's citizens are allowed to practice them. This is a movie that everyone should see and for the philosophy it teaches ~~~ y'see, Evey is right ~ God IS in the rain.