Elizabeth Review
by Mark R Leeper (leeper AT mtgbcs DOT mt DOT lucent DOT com)October 12th, 1998
ELIZABETH (British-Indian)
A review by Mark R. Leeper in bullet-list form
from the Toronto Internation Film Festival
CAPSULE: The first hour is beautifully realized. In the second hour the writing gets a little muddled and the style becomes less original. Still, this story of the coming to power of Queen Elizabeth is enthralling. She is a bit too much a 1990s woman, but the photography is very good. Rating: 8 (0 to 10), high +2 (-4 to +4)
- Directed by Shekhar Kapur. Unusual to see an Indian directing a film about a British monarch.
- Very powerful telling of the rise to power of Elizabeth I. The first hour was spellbinding. The director filmed with real power. By the second hour the writing had gotten a little muddled. - David Hirschfelder (SHINE) provides a very melodic score. - Many overhead shots to show the size of the buildings and smallness of people. Photography kept dark. Many scenes done in rich blacks and reds.
- Somehow reminiscent of a Hieronymous Bosch painting with some of its weird and powerful images.
- False move in showing Elizabeth practice an argument using a technique like would be used to show outtakes. It seems like too modern an editing technique.
- Elizabeth begins as a pawn and learns to fend for herself. Deciding best way to be rid of Elizabeth, Queen Mary instructs a bishop, "Your Grace will find some proof of her treachery." - Very harrowing and haunting scene of an execution by burning. Do not bring young children.
- Wolsingham (Geoffrey Rush) is Elizabeth's Secret Service and is ruthless in protecting her.
- I like films of this period and few are done as well as ELIZABETH. - She may be written a little too much like a modern woman.
Mark R. Leeper
[email protected]
Copyright 1998 Mark R. Leeper
Originally posted in the rec.arts.movies.reviews newsgroup. Copyright belongs to original author unless otherwise stated. We take no responsibilities nor do we endorse the contents of this review.
