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Product Description ------------------- The enigma of Henry VIII - tyrant, womaniser and the man who changed England forever - continues to fascinate Britain centuries after his death. Ray Winstone brings history's most beguiling monarch to life in this story of Henry VIII revealing the destruction Henry often left in his wake during his extraordinary 38 year reign. From the moment Henry Tudor casts aside his faithful wife Katherine of Aragon for the bew and determined Anne Boleyn (Helena Bonham Carter), he sets himself on course for a series of disastrous marriages. Violent conflict, both within the population and the church, left England reeling while its complex and charismatic King turned from handsome playboy to a bitter invalid desperate for a son and heir to the throne. Starring Ray Winstone, Helena Bonham Carter, David Suchet, Emilia Fox, Sean Bean, Charles Dance, Mark Strong, Michael Maloney and Joss Ackland. .co.uk Review ------------- At the heart of Henry VIII stands a towering performance by Ray Winstone, who literally grows into the role, impressively doubling in size and ageing 40 years over the course of two feature-length episodes. Focusing on Henry's relationships with his six wives, this lavish mini-series also makes a good job of explaining the complex court intrigues of the period, detailing Henry's split with Rome and the political crisis following the creation of the Church of England. Winstone initially seems to play the King as little more than a London gangster, but he gradually unfolds a complex, brutal, manipulative, romantic, dedicated and driven man with great skill. In a role which harks back to Lady Jane (1986), Helena Bonham Carter makes an intelligent and sardonic Anne Boleyn, her bold performance contrasting strongly with Geneviève Bujold in Anne of the Thousand Days (1969). Emily Blunt impresses as the sexpot Katherine Howard, and Emilia Fox is compelling as Henry's greatest love, Jane Seymour. There's fine support from an all-star cast, including Sean Bean, Charles Dance and David Suchet. The production is unflinching, with burnings, torture, marital violence and executions graphically portrayed. If there's a weakness it lies in too-modern dialogue and an uncertain visual style, with noticeable borrowings from John Boorman's Excalibur and Ridley Scott's Gladiator, as well as setting Shakespeare in Love-style elegance against the ugly colours and graininess of reality TV. Ultimately Henry VIII plays most like a prequel to Elizabeth ( /exec/obidos/ASIN/B00004R95I/${0} ) (1999)--right down to using the same piece of Elgar to underscore the finale--and has most of the same faults and virtues as that O-winning film. --Gary S Dalkin