England My England (REGION 1) (NTSC)

Customer Reviews:

Beautiful music and authentic history........2007-11-02

Purcell, who was court composer to King Charles the Second (The Merry Monarch) and later to William III and Queen Mary II, is probably one of England's greatest composers and this wonderful production was very well received when it was on TV to mark his 300 year anniversary.

This is not just a beautifully played biography of Purcell, which Michael Ball portrays as a lovable, talented man, but also a moving and realistic depiction of the considerably harsher lives of those in London at that time.

The drama is balanced in three parts to involve the viewer in the music, the life of Purcell in the late 1600's and how to relate to him in the present day. Thus the drama of Purcell's life is done in flashback from Simon Callow (who also plays King Charles II) as an actor in 1960's London struggling to present Purcell to a twentieth century audience. This helps us to understand better what was happening to Purcell when we slipped into the flashbacks of the past. King Charles II had restored the monarchy to England after the horrors of the English Civil War and the Puritan Protectorate under Cromwell. He required a talented Court Composer and young Purcell who had spent all his life in the service of music with his father and uncle, both professionals, to train him was just the right man.

The period dramas set at the courts of King Charles and his successors are done in full lavish costume drama style. The selection of music is injected at those moments which are appropriate for the unfolding drama, both in the great events of British history and the personal triumphs and disasters of Purcell's life. The musical performances, as I remember them, were all sublime and uplifting.

The general authenticity of the production was memorable because much of it was filmed in the original places in which Purcell lived and worked. This is no fictional account of the great Restoration composer but an attempt to capture the spirit of his music through an understanding of the man. If you love classical music or good history this is a must!

Memorable film.......2005-12-11

This film is outstanding. The acting is excellent, but mainly I am most impressed by the performances of Purcell's music on period instruments. The singing is divine. Woe to those who love "operatic" Purcell. What a rich view of Purcell's life and times!!

I recommend this to everyone, but also to seasoned baroque music lovers who appreciate the scholarship in putting together such a film. Let us have more such delightful pieces of art!

Wonderful music, fine recreation of this period in history........2001-04-12

This is an historical film from the perspective of the greatest composer of the time, Henry Purcell. The acting is superb; the sense of the period is very strong; the music has been most effectively selected, and there's lots of it. There's also lots of personality and dramatic interest. I can see non-music types enjoying this film, though for music (especially Purcell!) enthusiasts it is a feast!

Absolutely ripping historical film.......2000-08-17

This film captures the restoration period at court better than any other historical film ever has. Its sets, costumes, and above all the music are all splendid. The acting and directing are first class as well. The film captures the splendor and the pathos of the age.

Customer Reviews:

a ok film.......2001-05-09

it illustrates about kung fu and the chinese which leads to the timeline of bruce lee, about his life and how it leads up to his fame.

Customer Reviews:

This dvd.........2007-09-11

..Is a great find. As a lifelong fan of Mr Springsteen, as i'm sure many of you are, I loved this documentary. Packed full of information and clips i'd never heard or seen before (and that's saying something since I collect Springsteen merchandise and media) I thought it was informative and very well presented.

Average customer rating:

The One That Started It All

Survivor: The Complete First Season [2000] (REGION 1) (NTSC)
Starring: Jeff Probst , Richard Hatch (II) , Colleen Haskell , Rudy Boesch , and Greg Buis
Director: Mark Burnett (II)
Manufacturer: Paramount
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

All Television | Television | Categories | DVD | Video
All Documentaries | Documentary | Categories | DVD | Video
Region 1 | Special Features | DVD | Video
DVD | Format (binding_browse-bin) | Refinements | DVD | Video
Box Set | Format (binding_browse-bin) | Refinements | DVD | Video
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ASIN: B0001ZDKXI
Release Date: 2004-05-11

Customer Reviews:

The One That Started It All.......2005-05-23

I remember back in summer of 2000 (was it really that long ago?) reading about a little show that CBS was putting on their summer schedule. Since I've often thought about life abandoned on an island, I thought it would be interesting to tune in and watch. Little did I know what I was about to get hooked on.

This show was not so much about surviving the elements, and I almost tuned out. But I soon got caught in the political battle of surviving each other. Thanks to the fabulous editing, I tuned in each week to see who would be voted out next. And, as the season drew to an end, I hoped each week that the alliance would crack. And each week, I was disappointed. Still, Wednesday night, I never missed a show.

In many ways, this season defined this show. It has become all about alliances and whom you trust. If it hadn't been for Richard Hatch, who knows how this game would have been played in later editions. Speaking of Rich, he was the man we all loved to hate; yet he deserved to win since he was brilliant at playing the game. Of course, at the time, I was rooting for Kelly all the way. And you will never be able to top Sue's snake and hawk speech in the final tribal counsel.

This season of this show has done more to change the American TV landscape then any other I know. Not necessarily for the better ("Who wants to Marry a Multi-Millionaire" or "Temptation Island" anyone?) Still, it entertains and sucks you in. While many seasons have come close, no season will ever top this season of the show because it was all-new then.

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