Thursday, January 10, 2008

The Tudors

My father got me a subscription to Netflix for Christmas. (I know, I'm so behind the times!) And since I'm working on a YA mss that takes place in the 1490's I thought I'd try watching the new series, The Tudors. You know, for historic flavor. Has anyone else out there watched it?

I wanted so much to like it! And I almost did. But the fellow they have cast as Henry VIII is SO wrong, it's hugely distracting. He's on the slight and slender side, and dark hair and dark eyes and built nothing like any of the portraits of Henry that I've ever seen. He also comes across as petulant and sullen, rather than arrogant and rash.
The actor they have playing the Duke of Buckingham is much more Henry VIIIish.

The sets and costumes are fabulous however. And I'll keep watching--at least for a little while longer. But honestly people! How do you get this:


From this?

5 comments:

Erica said...

i'm waiting for our library system to acquire the DVDs so i can watch it, b/c it looks interesting. IMHO, the dude playing henry is really really cute, but doesn't look a thing like him!

in the same vein, have you read "the other boleyn girl"? it's awesome and i can't wait for the movie :)

Robin L said...

No! I haven't read The Other Boleyn Girl yet. I have it on my shelf. I tried to read The Queen's Fool, but petered out half way through. I'm not sure why...

But the movie should be terrific. I love Keira Knightly.

Katy Cooper said...

Is it Keira Knightly in The Other Boleyn Girl? I thought it was Natalie Portman as Anne and Scarlett Johanssen as Mary.

And Eric Bana (Munich, The Incredible Hulk) as Henry. I'm not entirely sure that'll be better casting than Jonathan Rhys Meyers... (Mind you, I haven't seen The Tudors, but still...)

writtenwyrdd said...

My understanding is that Henry as a young man was quite attractive. And the set of jousting armor in the Tower of London that was his? I swear, a 13 year old boy would barely fit. So, although I didn't care for the guy playign Henry, either, I didn't find fault with him for being slender and pretty. The eyes match pretty well, after all, so I can see why they chose him.

Robin L said...

Okay, my goof. I saw the picture on the cover of the mass market The Other Boleyn Girl and assumed it was KK, but it could just as easily have been Scarlett Johanssen with dark hair.

And WW, I know that Henry was attractive, I just questioned the dark, buzzed, brooding Jonathan Rhys Meyers...but very fascinating that the suit of armor was so small. I had heard that people were much smaller back then, and this bears that out...