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The BBC's Hollow Crown - Staring Jeremy Irons, Tom Hiddleston, Patrick Stewart etc

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E

Edmond Dantès

Dantès the White
hiddleston.jpg


Airing today at 9:00 pm UK time on BBC2 and BBC HD

Synopsis
The Hollow Crown is a tale of family, politics and power. The films tell the rise and fall of three Kings and how their destiny shaped our history. Richard II is a vain, self-indulgent man who rules with little regard for his people’s welfare. He is ultimately overthrown by his cousin Bolingbroke, who ascends the throne as Henry IV. Henry IV’s reign is marred by his own guilt over Richard’s death, civil war, and the fear that his son Hal is a total wastrel. When Hal comes to the throne as Henry V he is left to bury the ghosts of his father’s past whilst fighting his own demons.
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Episodes
Richard II

King Richard is called upon to settle a dispute between his cousin Henry Bolingbroke and Thomas Mowbray. Richard calls for a duel but then halts it just before swords clash. Both men are banished from the realm. Richard visits John of Gaunt, Bolingbroke's father, who, in the throes of death, reprimands the king. After seizing Gaunt's money and land, Richard leaves for wars against the rebels in Ireland. Bolingbroke returns to claim back his inheritance. Supported by his allies, Northumberland and the Duke of York, Bolingbroke takes Richard prisoner and lays claim to the throne
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Henry IV - Part 1

The heir to the throne, Prince Hal, defies his father, King Henry, by spending his time at Mistress Quickly's tavern in the company of the dissolute Falstaff and his companions. The King is threatened by a rebellion led by Hal's rival, Hotspur, his father Northumberland and his uncle Worcester. In the face of this danger to the state, Prince Hal joins his father to defeat the rebels at the Battle of Shrewsbury and kill Hotspur in single combat.
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Henry IV part 2

Rebels still plot against Henry IV. Falstaff hopes for high office.
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Henry V

Henry V takes England to war.
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Trailer

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JRFH140H1Qw
 
D

Discotheque

Banned
Damn he looks even more like Michael Fassbender in that pic than he usually does.

Anyways I'm in this for Jeremy Irons and the plot.
 
bengraven

bengraven

Member
I came in for Jeremy Irons and Patrick Stewart and BBC, but I think I came in my pants when I saw it was a period piece.

Edit1: oh, it's Shakespeare...never heard of this play then.



Edit2: how is it "unlocked"?
 
S

Salvor.Hardin

Banned
Sounds awesome.

Sometimes I really don't get British television marketing. They have amazing talent, and spend oodles on good looking shows, but suck at promoting them.
 
A

angelkimne

Member
And I just took my exam on the Wars of the Roses and Henry VII a month ago. Damn you BBC!

Anyway, promising cast, promising trailer... it's a shame I didn't see this thread until now.

JdFoX187 said:
Damn. I don't have BBC, but this looks really cool. Any chance it comes to Netflix soon?
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Not sure what your chances are there, wouldn't it need to be shown on a US channel before it goes up on Netflix? My point being that it doesn't seem like it's going to make the jump any time soon. Shakespeare's history plays are probably harder to sell to the American public.
 
S

Snake

Member
And on BBC America today: Star Trek: The Next Generation and Merlin.

Well, at least I can get some Patrick Stewart.
 
M

mrklaw

MrArseFace
Ok, that was really good. I don't do Shakespeare, but it kept me watching throughout. Can someone link me to a more detailed synopsis of what went down, because in some parts it felt like it jumped about, which means I probably missed something.
 
T

Timbuktu

Member
Missed this for the tennis, when is it on iPlayer? I'm enjoying this Shakespeare season, saw Patrick Stewart as Macbeth last night, then Ehtan Hawke docu on the play. Stewart was really great, apart from a few odd scenes where the witches a start to rap, the film was great, still on iplayer for a few days i think.
 
S

speedpop

Has problems recognising girls
God damn. Not only does this seem interesting as heck, but it has some of the best British male acting talent available.
 
T

Timbuktu

Member
Just watched this on the iplayer. Thoroughly excellent. Wishaw did well as Richard and I really liked the more subtle and ambiguous Bolingbroke. York and Gaunt had some fantastic scenes too. I know this must have a tiny fraction of GoT's budget, and I'm guessing the success of GoT might have some part in making this possible, but all the on location scenes at English castles and landscape made it look almost just as good and sometimes better. The calibur of the actors is amazing as well, can't wait to see Hiddlestone, you know they just love doing Shakespeare.

angelkimne said:
And I just took my exam on the Wars of the Roses and Henry VII a month ago. Damn you BBC!
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This isn't gonna cover the War of the Roses but i really hope it does well enough for there to be a followup with the Henry VI and Richard III tertalogy. This has got me into the mood, might have to check out that all-black Juluis Caesar film or Coriolanus tonight.


mrklaw said:
Ok, that was really good. I don't do Shakespeare, but it kept me watching throughout. Can someone link me to a more detailed synopsis of what went down, because in some parts it felt like it jumped about, which means I probably missed something.
Click to expand...

The good thing with Shakespeare is that there are ready made Sparksnotes, and there is no shortage of essays looking at every line in detail.
 
K

Krauser Kat

Member
for those without BBC amazon and Itunes usually have these up a month or so after they come out for ondemand downloading. Its how i watch the Dr Who and Sherlock without cable.
 
T

tim.mbp

Member
angelkimne said:
Not sure what your chances are there, wouldn't it need to be shown on a US channel before it goes up on Netflix? My point being that it doesn't seem like it's going to make the jump any time soon. Shakespeare's history plays are probably harder to sell to the American public.
Click to expand...

It's coming to PBS, late 2012 or early 2013.
 
J

JzeroT1437

Member
bengraven said:
I came in for Jeremy Irons and Patrick Stewart and BBC, but I think I came in my pants when I saw it was a period piece.

Edit1: oh, it's Shakespeare...never heard of this play then.



Edit2: how is it "unlocked"?
Click to expand...

It's 4 plays. Richard II, Henry IV pt 1, Henry IV pt 2, and Henry V, commonly referred to as The Henriad. If you haven't read them, you should--I honestly think when comparing Shakespeare's work, the Henriad is his masterpiece.
 
1

1138

Member
Watched the first part, and I really enjoyed it. I am not a native speaker, so I had some trouble with the dialouge even with subtitles, but the show truly gripped me after 20 minutes and didn't let go until the end. Looking forward to the next part.
 
T

Timbuktu

Member
I get the feeling now that they ar eplaying up the 'Hollow' part of the title and that will be what ties the series togather at the end. From Richard last week to the questions about honour and Hal's speech over the the dead Hotspur, my questions from it all were more existential than about power or glory.

I think that's why Falstaff came off worst. Even when there is humour and comedy, there is a dread and looming oblivion at the end of it all. In that great role playing scene, Hiddleston made sure you feel that emotional punch in the guts. So i don't the tone is as mixed up as it could have been, mostly being in the grey and brown, it is hard to feel upbeat about anything. but there were many great scenes. The Welsh got much better treatment here compared with last week, the song gave me goosebumps.
 
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