So looked forward to seeing Empire, as it featured two British actors, who haven't received much attention this side of the pond...Jonathan Cake (Tyrannus) and James Frain (Brutus).
Unfortunately, although each gave fine performances, the mini-series was not terribly successful artistically and did not garner a large audience during its showing on American television. Hopefully, they will soon be in other U.S. projects that will make better use of their talents.
Awful
This miniseries is quite possibly the worst I have ever seen set in ancient times surpassing Cleopatra that aired a couple of years ago. The need to shoe horn Tyrranus in altered what is, on its own, a remarkable and dramatic story in its own right.
Octavius was only 18 when Julius Caesar died and he proceeded to take on all the military and political bigwigs including Mark Antony. Octavius raised his own army, marched on Rome, forced the government to punish Caesar's assassins, appointed himself consul over 20 years before he was eligible and became sole ruler of the Roman Empire by the age of 31. That alone should have made the basis for an interesting miniseries.
As for this one, like a previous reviewer said the producers would have done much better to focus on the political machinations rather than setting up ridiculous scenerios such as having Octavius sold as a slave. The acting over all is good and I particularly like Michael Byrne as Cicero. I just wish the miniseries had been worthy of his talent. If you want to see a really good miniseries check out HBO's Rome. Not only is plot much more historically accurate, but the producers and director have managed to recreate a city that lives and breathes in comparison to cookie cutter sets in Empire.
Great TV
When I first heard that ABC was going to be putting on a historical drama about the Roman Empire, I made sure that I was going to see it. I was not disappointed.
Empire takes a heavily fictionalized account of the time after the assassination of Julius Caesar. It is a compelling story and was very worth my time to watch as Octavian grows from the bratty patrician, to a criminal, to the leader of the Republic. While the cast is not well known, they still pulled their parts off quite well. And the decision to shoot in Italy was a wise one, as it gives a certain degree of authenticity to the show.
Now, those who are expecting a smaller version of Gladiator will be sorely disappointed. While Gladiator was primarily an action movie, Empire is a drama, and furthermore, is without Russell Crowe. The series is also best viewed with a degree of historical knowledge, so it may only appeal to history dorks like me. Though if you do decide to view it, I believe you will not be disappointed.
It's hard to believe Ridley Scott's handsome epic won't become the cinematic touchstone of the Crusades for years to come. Kingdom of Heaven is greater than the sum of its parts, delivering a vital, mostly engrossing tale following Balian (Orlando Bloom), a lonely French blacksmith who discovers he's a noble heir and takes his father's (Liam Neeson) place in the center of the universe circa 1184: Jerusalem. Here, grand battles and backdoor politics are key as Scott and first-time screenwriter William Monahan fashion an excellent storyline to tackle the centuries-long conflict. Two forward-thinking kings, Baldwin (Edward Norton in an uncredited yet substantial role) and Saladin (Ghassan Massoud), hold an uneasy truce between Christians (who hold the city) and Muslims while factions... More Info about this DVD Actor(s): Liam Neeson - Orlando Bloom - Eva Green Director(s): Ridley Scott DVD Release Date: Released the 11 October 2005 Usually ships in 24 hours
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If you're determined to spend three hours with Oliver Stone's take on the personal and military struggles of ancient Macedonian conqueror Alexander the Great, you should know that Alexander (Colin Farrell, in blonde disarray) is not half so much fun as mom Olympias (Angelina Jolie) or his future wild bride Roxane (Rosario Dawson). Indeed, it's the women in Alex's life who provide the movie's most satisfying action: Jolie, sporting some kind of Russian accent, wraps herself in snakes while hissing promises of Farrell's destiny; Dawson disrobes and threatens to cut Farrell's throat before shtupping his brains out. The rest is leaden history, supposedly novel because it showcases epic battle sequences and addresses Alexander's great love for his buddy Hephaistion (Jared Leto). But the... More Info about this DVD Actor(s): Anthony Hopkins - Angelina Jolie Director(s): Oliver Stone DVD Release Date: Released the 02 August 2005 Usually ships in 24 hours
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Spanning 65 years and several generations, Into the West succeeds as an ambitious compendium of authentic American history. Originally broadcast in the summer of 2005 as a six-part miniseries on TNT, it's the kind of well-intentioned epic that can't possibly satisfy everyone, and some critics complained that it covers too much territory, with characters functioning more as archetypes than full-blooded human beings. Criticisms aside, Into the West admirably achieves the goal of executive producer Steven Spielberg, who envisioned this expansive project as an accurate and corrective history lesson with long-term educational value. Placing important emphasis on the Native American perspective, it follows the Lakota Indians as they are gradually overwhelmed by the white man's... More Info about this DVD Director(s): Sergio Mimica-Gezzan - Timothy Van Patten - Michael W. Watkins DVD Release Date: Released the 04 October 2005 Usually ships in 24 hours
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Despite super effects, a huge budget, and the cinematic pedigree of alien-happy Steven Spielberg, this take on H.G. Wells's novel is basically a horror film packaged as a sci-fi thrill ride. Instead of a mad slasher, however, Spielberg (along with writers Josh Friedman & David Koepp) utilizes aliens hell-bent on quickly destroying humanity, and the terrifying results that prey upon adult fears, especially in the post-9/11 world. The realistic results could be a new genre, the grim popcorn thriller; often you feel like you're watching Schindler's List more than Spielberg's other thrill-machine movies (Jaws, Jurassic Park). The film centers on Ray Ferrier, a divorced father (Tom Cruise, oh so comfortable) who witnesses one giant craft destroy his New Jersey town and... More Info about this DVD Actor(s): Tom Cruise - Dakota Fanning - Tim Robbins Director(s): Steven Spielberg DVD Release Date: 22 November 2005
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