Starz announces "White Queen" adaptation (Phillipa Gregory)

Nefret · Post by **Nefret** » Thu June 20th, 2013, 11:24 pm

Misfit- That video has been taken down. Due to copyright claim.

Where can I see it this side of the pond? I'm rather curious.

Misfit · Post by **Misfit** » Thu June 20th, 2013, 11:52 pm

[quote=""Nefret""]Misfit- That video has been taken down. Due to copyright claim.

Where can I see it this side of the pond? I'm rather curious.[/quote]

Yes I saw that, the person who posted it on YouTube (it wasn't me) didn't have the right to do so. I've been busy today and didn't have the chance to edit out my post.

Madeleine · Post by **Madeleine** » Fri June 21st, 2013, 8:30 am

[quote=""sweetpotatoboy""]It was pleasant and watchable enough, wasn't it? I haven't read the PG books they're based on and am unlikely to, so I have no idea how faithful an adaptation it is.

I think the exposition was pretty good, though I'd have to know nothing about the characters and period to judge on that. But my hunch was that, if you didn't know, it did a decent job at introducing you quite subtly to who was who and the rough context.

I'm not sold on either of the lead actors. They both seemed pretty enough, but not stunning or charismatic enough to be convincing. Apart from it being mentioned in the dialogue, I wouldn't have guessed she was quite some years older than him.

The main issue was that, as at least one reviewer has mentioned, the makers of the drama didn't seem to have any view on what Elizabeth's motivations, at least, were. Was she genuinely an innocent falling in love by chance with a king and getting swept along with it all? Or was there at least an element of ambition and scheming, not just on her mother's part but on her own? A biography does't have to decide, but a drama does - or at least indicate that she knows, even if the audience doesn't find out yet.

Nor did I buy Edward falling in love with her. If it was just frustrated lust that led him to marry her, then they needed to convey a much stronger undeniable sexual impulse than we actually saw. If he actually fell for her beyond lust, then that wasn't convincingly portrayed either. And clearly it wasn't a sham marriage (in this version), as her brother Anthony suggests at one point; otherwise he wouldn't have needed to own up to it publicly.

And as hard as Rebecca Ferguson tried to sound English, there was just a hint of foreignness about her accent. I'm not sure I'd have guessed her Swedish background if I hadn't known, but something wasn't quite spot on.

Motivations etc aside, it was beautifully (albeit unrealistically cleanly) shot throughout.

The main appeal was the quality of the supporting cast. Four words will suffice:

Janet McTeer
James Frain[/quote]

Yes, my thoughts exactly - I think these two will effortlessly steal the show from the younger actors, although I thought some of JF's dialogue was, again, a bit too modern, but that's not his fault. I always liked him in The Tudors, too. And JM was superb; some of the preview articles I read also said she was the best one in it. Those youngsters still have a lot to learn!

Divia · Post by **Divia** » Sat June 22nd, 2013, 1:56 am

Sometimes it sucks living over here cause we never get historical dramas

I'm by no means a PG fan, but it might be nice to watch on a dull day.

Mythica · Post by **Mythica** » Sat June 22nd, 2013, 12:31 pm

[quote=""Nefret""]Misfit- That video has been taken down. Due to copyright claim.

Where can I see it this side of the pond? I'm rather curious.[/quote]

You can watch it on Starz in August. Unless you don't carry Starz, then I guess you'll have to wait for it on Netflix/DVD. Otherwise, the only sources will be illegal ones.

http://www.starz.com/originals/thewhitequeen

It looks like they are re-releasing the book in the US in July, I don't know whether that was to coincide with the show in August or whether the show was holding off for the new release. Either way, at least it's not too long from now.

Vanessa · Post by **Vanessa** » Sun June 23rd, 2013, 10:28 am

We watched this the other night and enjoyed it. The Cusack genes must be quite strong as Max Irons looks so like his mum!b

rebecca · Post by **rebecca** » Mon June 24th, 2013, 6:02 am

[quote=""Vanessa""]We watched this the other night and enjoyed it. The Cusack genes must be quite strong as Max Irons looks so like his mum!b[/quote]

I don't know when we'll get it, but I'll probably buy the DVD once it is released via Amazon U.K.

I'll just have to be patient.

Misfit · Post by **Misfit** » Mon June 24th, 2013, 3:04 pm

This post from the Mail Online is fun.

Madeleine · Post by **Madeleine** » Wed June 26th, 2013, 11:34 am

Watched the second ep last night and still enjoying it - loved the look on Warwick's face when his daughters got demoted to the rearguard in the Coronation procession.

Divia · Post by **Divia** » Wed July 3rd, 2013, 11:23 pm

[quote=""Misfit""]This post from the Mail Online is fun.[/quote]

LOL. Nice. I mean its bound to happen I suppose, but with such frequency? Oh well.