my favourite Bess
Realized that, tho' I hinted at this in the podcast, I never came right out & said who my favourite on-screen Queen Elizabeth I is. She is, without a doubt, Glenda Jackson in Elizabeth R from the '70s BBC production that aired on Masterpiece Theater in the U.S. This was actually what sucked me into history & costume as a kid in the very first place, so I owe my whole obsession (& heck, my marriage, since my hubbi & I met working renfaire!) to this miniseries.
Admittedly, I haven't watched the series since my VHS tapes died over a decade ago, but the nuance & language & intrigue of it all, plus the dark rich costumes forever fill my head. The series was heavy into the politics of the Elizabethan era, not so much on the romance angle, which the more recent adaptions have gone for. This Elizabeth was definitely trying to show she had the heart & stomach of a king. When she wibbled, it was over matters of state, not matters of love.
The only way that series could have been improved would be if, say, you could go back in time & have young Cate Blanchett play Princess Elizabeth thru Coronation & the first few years, then young to old Glenda Jackson play the rest of Queen Elizabeth's reign. In a 20-hour marathon series that doesn't leave anything out! Whee!
Man, now I reallyreally want to get that DVD set that's been sitting on my amazon.com wishlist. DVDs or fabric or groceries? Tough choices!
Admittedly, I haven't watched the series since my VHS tapes died over a decade ago, but the nuance & language & intrigue of it all, plus the dark rich costumes forever fill my head. The series was heavy into the politics of the Elizabethan era, not so much on the romance angle, which the more recent adaptions have gone for. This Elizabeth was definitely trying to show she had the heart & stomach of a king. When she wibbled, it was over matters of state, not matters of love.
The only way that series could have been improved would be if, say, you could go back in time & have young Cate Blanchett play Princess Elizabeth thru Coronation & the first few years, then young to old Glenda Jackson play the rest of Queen Elizabeth's reign. In a 20-hour marathon series that doesn't leave anything out! Whee!
Man, now I reallyreally want to get that DVD set that's been sitting on my amazon.com wishlist. DVDs or fabric or groceries? Tough choices!