Elizabeth: The Golden Age (DVD, 2008)

WHAT A MOVIE !!! VERY HEAVY -you felt the seriousness of this queens exsistance and the polictical turmoil that surrounded her leadership. Polrtrayed as a true lady -and at times Weak out of controll queen . Her obsessiion with the masucline and dashing Raleigh was weird . She would have been with him if she could . Thier love for one another left you wondering if they were ever going to hook up or not ?

the movie plot was weak ...bent on desire-leadership-power and the inqusition ...how spain wanted to crush her as the ungodly and indulgent queen elizabeth. for some one so godless -she attended weekly prayers and was compasstionate for people and her subjects .
She hated the pernuptials of her suitors and loved the privacy of her hand maid and Raleigh where she could be herself.

the costumes and wigs were astonishing -whoever did the costumes and background design just did a suburb job - I wanted to keep the movie just so I cold peruse the bonus features and review the costumes and movie again .
if you love the REINANSANCE ERA YOU WILL LOVE ELIZABETH THE GOLDEN AGE .

great movie -a true masterpiece -and work of art .
KEEPER ....

Overall I enjoyed the movie. There have been too many recent films about the Tudors and Elizabeth in particular, but this film looks good and it keeps you entertained. It's set at the time of the Spanish Armada in 1588. Elizabeth is shown as tough, smart, and married to her country. She also suffers from bouts of insecurity and irrational jealousies. This film is more hagiographic and melodramatic than its predecessor.

The film tends to ignore the facts when they get in the way of the story. Elizabeth was 55 at the time of the Spanish Armada and she was never a looker. Blanchett's Queen is youngish and attractive. Blanchett's acting performance is powerful and impressive but also a bit stagy. The way the politics of the time are depicted is a bit too black and white. The Spanish look grim and are dressed in dark colors. They are portrayed as crazy, religious zealots. Spain had a right to be upset at English privateers / pirates who attacked their ships and stole their gold. Mary, Queen of Scots is shown as a dowdy, schemer who disliked Elizabeth. The reality was that Mary was a pretty bimbo who made bad choices when it came to men.

Parts of the film veer too much towards soap-opera. Sir Walter Raleigh (Clive Owen)becomes a favorite, but when Bess Throckmorton, one of the Queen's ladies-in-waiting and Raleigh get secretly married, Elizabeth becomes jealous and behaves badly. Later, Raleigh and Francis Drake are shown defeating the Spanish at sea. In reality Raleigh was looking after the coastal defenses in the South West of England and didn't marry Throckmorton until 1591. The real Raleigh was a brilliant man: soldier, explorer, writer, poet and courtier and probably deserves his own film. The film is good fun but it's simplistic, cartoon history.

A MUST SEE MOVIE
OVERALL
8.5/10

Cinema's fascination with The Virgin Queen continues unabated, with the key principals from 1998's surprise hit Elizabeth - writer Michael Hirst, director Shekhar Kapur and Aussie stars Geoffrey Rush and Cate Blanchett - all back for this follow up. However it's hard to envisage the same royal approval this time out. Pitched as the equivalent to a bodice-ripping, overripe soap opera rather than anything more exacting, Elizabeth: The Golden Age (aka Elizabeth II) will need more than God to save her from a lacklustre reception.

Great price, fast shipping, new sealed DVD - it has it all! And, as an Anglo History buff, it's a good sequal to the first "Elizabeth." All-in-all, I'm very pleased and will order from this seller again!

This movie is a wonderful tribute to Elizabeth I. She is exteremely well portrayed, and the supporting cast does a wonderful job taking you back hundreds of years to watch her story unfold from where it left off in Elizabeth, the first film of the two. This film focuses on the political struggles she faces after her ascension with not only her own subjects but other countries as well. Fabulous cast, wonderful cinematography, applaudable historical accuracy, and great shooting locations and sets make this film totally believable and the performances therein unforgettable. Highly recommended for just about anyone who enjoys history, medieval stories, or seeing their favorite actors showcased so well.

Again, a stellar performance by Cate Blanchette. This film is, of course, historical fiction. I've read some mixed reviews on this film and I have to say, for those who think it a tedious film, perhaps they are not fond of history and historical fiction,and perhaps forgetting the fact that historical events don't always play out like action adventures of today. Historically, much of what happened in political arenas is similar in that decisions are made based on interpretations and subtlety, marriages and murder, religion vs state. This is a well done and very interesting film.

Although this story has been told a lot. The Cinematography was GREAT along with Cate Blanchett's performance. I'm really happy they released it in the Widescreen format, I hate Pan n Scan. I wanted to see this after I saw Elizabeth. It's hard to come up with something new to tell about a time that is so known but the producer's added thier spin and spot lights to the movie. Over all it was very good.

The filming, sets, acting was incredible! We totally enjoyed every second of this movie. Highly recommend!

I wanted to see this movie due to the oscar buzz. I like Cate Blanchett in pretty much every movie she has been in, so I watched it today. It was kind of hard to follow, I didn't get the connections with the Jesuit and the spanish dude and Mary Stuart right off. I did like the story with Walter and Beth. They had sexual chemistry from the get go, and Elizabeth just never seemed to open up fully to Walter, so I don't blame him for going for true love with Beth. It got a little weird towards the end, but all in all it was a good movie for a Friday nite being sick with a cold.

A fantastic movie, which, oddly enough, ;-) , was just as good as its predecessor. In fact, in several ways, it was better. I love "Elizabeth," but I also love "The Golder Age," just as much.

Shekar Kapur picked up where "Elizabeth" left off with a lavish portrayal of Elizabeth mid-reign still fighting off the Spanish & entertaining suitors, but this film focuses more on her relationship with Sir Walter Raleigh, and the ultimate defeat of the Spanish Armada. I find myself hoping for a third and final installment!

I am normally not a fan of period movies, but I thought this was excellent. I give it a thumbs up. Very good actors. The relationships between the characters was very interesting.

Originally a Blockbuster movie, as judging from label on the case. Movie works well. Shipping was very fast.

Excellent video! I had the first DVD and wanted to see the new one. It was a wonderful continuation of the first and a great video for people who like period movies.

Cate is better than ever in this dramatic film verison of the queens life... short and sweet I am not one to go on and on... after all... I do have a social calender... if you love real acting... and Cate and what respectable human doesn't... buy it! It's one of those movies you could watch again and again... I mean besides Streep, Cher, Kathy Bates, Streisand (whenever she acts), Judi Dench, Kate Beckinsale there isn't many worth the sit.

I bought this movie because I was so impressed with the first one. This one, while interesting, did not live up to its potentialas far as I'm concerned.

Cate Blanchett overacts, or maybe it's because other characters and acting are thin and vacuous. The costumes and sets are appealling but the storyline and plot development are week. Reminds me of a video made by students in a grade 12 history class.

The packege was as described and the shipping was fast. What else do yiou want? It really was a pleasure to buy with him.

I have a close friend who is from Scotland who is a history buff and a Cate Blanchette fan. I know she is going to love it.

I have always loved the era of Elizabethian history. I find this movie to be a great depiction of her life. It is a little difficult to follow unless you are into this era. Overall the actors did a very good job and costumes were wonderful.

Cate Blanchett and Clive Owen were most enthralling as Elizabeth and Sir Walter Raleigh. Especially in the incredible scenery necessary to tell the story accurately. A genuinely authentic period film truly needs this excellence and it certainly did bring the characters to their roles in costumes where only a true historian would be so detailed. The film also showed the Virgin Queen as a real human being capable of loving but committed to her people.

BUY THIS MOVIE!!! EXCELLENT MOVIE & IT STAYS IN MY MOVIE COLLECTION!!! I WATCHED THIS MOVIE SEVERAL TIMES & LOVED IT EVEN MORE EACH TIME!!!

I love anything to do with Elizabeth I! And I love Cate Blanchett, she plays the part to a "T", just as she did in Elizabeth (made in 1999).

Nearly a decade after Cate Blanchett drew the attention of audiences and critics alike with ELIZABETH, the Oscar-winning actress returns to the role of the Virgin Queen. Though the protestant ruler has been on the throne for decades in 1585, Elizabeth I's reign is still under attack from both inside her country and from the continent. Her cousin, Mary, Queen of Scots (Samantha Morton), carries the favor of the nation's Catholics as she schemes for the throne from prison, while Spain's King Philip II (Jordi Molla) plots an invasion with the power of his famous armada. But Elizabeth is also concerned with the arrival of Sir Walter Raleigh (Clive Owen), a charming pirate and adventurer. Unable to reconcile her feelings with her crown, she encourages Bess (Abbie Cornish), her beloved lady-in-waiting, to pursue a relationship with Raleigh. Nine years haven't dulled Blanchett's ability to play this--or any other--character with an impressive range of fire and tenderness. Her chemistry with the infinitely watchable Owen is one of the film's highlights. As in ELIZABETH, director Shekhar Kapur doesn't restrict himself from using artfully constructed shots that aren't normally used in period dramas. It's a modern retelling of history, and Kapur and his director of photograpy, Remi Adefarasin, aren't content to let the film have the standard look of many films in the genre. Costume designer Alexandra Byrne follows the same logic, creating stunning dresses for Elizabeth that draw inspiration both from modernity and the time period. If Blanchett weren't such a gifted actress, the gorgeous costumes might threaten to overtake her as the star of the film.

Loved this movie Cate Blanchett has out done herself again. Nothing negative to say scenery great love it a must if you have the Elizabeth DVD...
{Mrs. puman}