Category Archives: Film Reviews

Film Review: Tulip Fever (2017)

Tulip Fever is a 2017 film and based on Deborah Moggach’s book of the same name. Directed by Justin Chadwick, the film stars Alicia Vikander, Dane DeHaan, Christoph Waltz, Holliday Grainger, and Judi Dench.   In 17th Century Amsterdam, an orphaned girl Sophia (Alicia Vikander) is forcibly married to a rich and powerful merchant Cornelis Sandvoort (Christoph Waltz) –… Read on

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Film Review: The Witch (2015)

Released in 2015 in the US and 2016 in the UK, The Witch: A New England Folktale is soon to be released on DVD and Blu-Ray in the UK, having been in theatres in March. Having heard very good things about this film from friends in the US, I finally have the time to review it here. The… Read on

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Film Review: The Wicked Lady (1945)

The Wicked Lady is a film that was released in 1945 and starred Margaret Lockwood, James Mason, and Patricia Roc, and was set in 1683 England. The story begins with a young couple – Caroline and Ralph – who are happily engaged and set to marry in a few days’ time. Caroline, warm and genuine, is completely in… Read on

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Film Review: A Little Chaos (2015)

I finally had the chance to see this film for my birthday (my husband bought me the DVD) and I loved every single minute of it. In fact, I was sad when it ended because I loved it so much! I think it was beautifully directed by Alan Rickman and all the actors were very well-cast. The sensitive,… Read on

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Frenchman’s Creek (1998 television film)

Having finished reading the novel a few days ago, last night I sat down to watch the 1998 film version of Frenchman’s Creek. A huge amount of the story was changed. Instead of being set in the Restoration court under Charles II, it was set during the Glorious Revolution in 1688. There are loads of Dutchmen as a… Read on

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Review: “Salem” Television Series

I’ve been putting off watching this series for a while because I’m always hesitant these days to watch anything set in the 17th-century. I set aside my preconceived ideas and had an open mind when I watched the first episode, but from the moment the first line was delivered, I was cringing – and it was not the… Read on

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Review: ITV’s ‘The Great Fire’

ITV’s drama, The Great Fire, aired last night at 9pm in the UK. This morning, I was asked by many on Twitter for my opinions about this show, but as I don’t have access to live television in my house, I was unable to watch it last night. I saw this episode just now on the iTV player and,… Read on

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‘Queen Anne’ – A Play by Kate Glover

Last Friday, the 1 August, we observed the 300th anniversary of the death of Queen Anne, the end of the Stuart dynasty and the beginning of the Georgian/Hanoverian period. 1714 was a major year in British and European history. In recent days, I have been pleasantly surprised at the number of people wanting to learn more about this… Read on

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“New Worlds”: A Biased Look at the 1680s

Many of you know that I was eagerly anticipating this programme ever since I heard about it. I am always so pleased when filmmakers decide to set a story in the 17th-century. The more programmes and films that are made about this time period will make it as popular as the Tudors are. I thought The Devil’s Whore… Read on

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The Serpent’s Kiss: Review

I bought a copy of The Serpent’s Kiss on my most recent trip to Blackpool on Tuesday. I remember watching it when I was a teenager back in 2002 (and in full Ewan McGregor crush phase). It is very similar to The Draughtsman’s Contract, which is not my favourite film because I found it too weird. This, however, is… Read on

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The Musketeers: Review

Last night, the BBC premiered the newest film adaptation of Alexandre Dumas’s historical fiction, The Three Musketeers. If you are a fan of the book, please don’t expect the plot of this version to follow that, as it is substantially different. It began well, as everyone looked pretty filthy (kudos to the crew) and we first see the… Read on

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Children’s Time: “Dogtanian & the Three Muskehounds”

Based on the adventures found in Alexandre Dumas’ novel The Vicomte of Bragelonne: Ten Years Later, this cartoon series is about anthropomorphised dogs in 17th-century France. The famous musketeer motto, One for all, and all for one! closes each episode. I’ve added this because my husband grew up in the 80s and he remembered this series and told me… Read on

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Lorna Doone (1990)

Starring a very young Clive Owen, Polly Walker, Billie Whitelaw, and Sean Bean, this version was a lot starker (pun intended, Game of Thrones, fans) than the 2000 version, and the plot significantly altered. The Monmouth Rebellion, for example, which was extremely important to the plot in the original novel Lorna Doone by R.D. Blackmore does not feature in this adaptation.… Read on

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Review: “Fit to Rule”

I have just finished watching an episode of “Fit to Rule”. I shall comment on this one in particular, as I haven’t been able to see the previous episodes. I was working in the other room when my family called me down because Lucy Worsley was on the telly. As I sat down I heard her begin to… Read on

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The King’s Whore

If you love periwigs as much as I do, you’ll love this film. Periwigs galore! Set during the late Seventeenth century, The King’s Whore (1990) also known as La putain du roi, or La puttana del re, is based on the true story of French-born Jeanne Baptiste d’Albert de Luynes, Countess of Verua who became the mistress of Vittorio Amedeo… Read on

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Stage Beauty

Stage Beauty, is a film from 2004 which starred Claire Danes as the first actress, Margaret Hughes, and Billy Crudup, as Ned Kynaston. The film is based on the play, “Compleat Female Stage Beauty” by Jeffrey Hatcher. Ned Kynaston is a shining star of Restoration-era drama, and his over-feminine portrayal of Desdemona in Shakespeare’s Othello is popular. He relishes his female… Read on

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The Devil’s Whore

The Devil’s Whore (2008) is a gorgeous four-part series set during the English Civil War which tells the tale of a beautiful teenaged girl, Angelica Fanshawe, who is rich, aristocratic, and lucky enough to be in the same social circles as King Charles I. She marries her best friend, Harry, who wants her to be submissive (rightly so,… Read on

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The Lady and the Highwayman

The Lady and the Highwayman, from 1989, starred Hugh Grant as Lord Lucius Vyne, also known as Silver Blade, the Royalist highwayman, and the beautiful Lysette Anthony as Panthea Vyne, the young lady he has promised to protect. Panthea’s story takes place after the English Civil War during the Interregnum in which Oliver Cromwell was Lord Protector. Panthea, beautiful, sweet,… Read on

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Tous Les Matins du Monde

Tous Les Matins du Monde is a beautiful, captivating, heart-rending film about real-life 17th century French Baroque composer Marin Marais. This film, from 1991, which stars Gérard Depardieu as Marais, and Depardieu’s own son, Guillaume as the young Marais is stunning. Marin Marais was born in 1656 and died in 1728, and he was a viol player and a composer of Baroque… Read on

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Vatel

This underrated film starring Gerard Depardieu, Uma Thurman and Tim Roth was, in my opinion, very good. Everything was as visually intoxicating – with immense use of ornament, colour and some exquisite props and settings. [amazon asin=B0041KWTOA&template=image&chan=default] The story centres around Vatel, an extraordinary chef/butler/master of revels who conjures up feasts for the arrival of King Louis XIV… Read on

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“Writing The Tudors” – an Evening with Michael Hirst

The Tudors television series was a massively popular hit around the world. It’s sexy! It’s entertaining! Everyone looks like a model! Henry VIII wasn’t a ginger fat bloke, but a dark-haired god! Well, to be perfectly blunt, it’s become a bit of a joke within the academic world. Historians have criticised the show, and its writer, Michael Hirst, for being lax… Read on

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La Boheme film

This film adaptation is outstanding and excellently cast with the great Rolando Villazon and the beautiful Anna Netrebko. Quite possibly Puccini’s greatest opera – La Boheme. It is also one of my favourite operas, for the musical quality is quite grand and memorable. Songs like “Quando M’en Vo” “Mi Chiamano Mimi” and others stand out as exceptionally great… Read on

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