topic Re: Wolf Hall, PBS series about Henry VIII, Wolsey, Anne Boleyn, Thomas Cromwell in TV and Movies

Wolf Hall, PBS series about Henry VIII, Wolsey, Anne Boleyn, Thomas Cromwell

Oznell — Mon, 10 Apr 2017 16:24:49 GMT

Wow, I'm so glad my PBS station is re-running the much-celebrated series "Wolf Hall" on Sundays. I saw a full episode for the first time last night.

Has anyone else seen it? Love the actor playing Thomas Cromwell, Mark Rylance. But then, EVERYBODY loves him! He is brilliant!

Filming was done in gorgeous, Tudor-era great ancient homes in the English countryside...

Re: Wolf Hall, PBS series about Henry VIII, Wolsey, Anne Boleyn, Thomas Cromwell

ChynnaBlue — Mon, 10 Apr 2017 16:46:21 GMT

I enjoyed Wolf Hall very much. It was a little slow and colorless for me, but still very good. I wish that so many productions weren't literally draining the color out of things these days.

Re: Wolf Hall, PBS series about Henry VIII, Wolsey, Anne Boleyn, Thomas Cromwell

Oznell — Mon, 10 Apr 2017 16:55:19 GMT

I know what you mean, ChynnaBlue, but I sort of got into the "drab" aesthetics of this one. I loved the darkness of the old Tudor houses, lit only by candle light. I did read though that the actors were concerned that they would constantly bump into things in the dark and get burned!

Re: Wolf Hall, PBS series about Henry VIII, Wolsey, Anne Boleyn, Thomas Cromwell

cherry — Mon, 10 Apr 2017 17:10:55 GMT

I've never been a fan of Cromwell and won't watch it

Re: Wolf Hall, PBS series about Henry VIII, Wolsey, Anne Boleyn, Thomas Cromwell

ms traditional — Mon, 10 Apr 2017 17:46:31 GMT

enjoyed it immensely the first time around. i liked watching an episode more than once and then comparing to historical sources. the acting, the scenery - all great. glad it's on again for those who missed it.

Re: Wolf Hall, PBS series about Henry VIII, Wolsey, Anne Boleyn, Thomas Cromwell

SharkE — Mon, 10 Apr 2017 18:42:49 GMT

Wish I knew when Part 2 was coming.

Re: Wolf Hall, PBS series about Henry VIII, Wolsey, Anne Boleyn, Thomas Cromwell

VaBelle35 — Mon, 10 Apr 2017 18:53:06 GMT

I enjoyed it the first time around and will watch it again when the second season come on (except I will skip the last episode as that was pretty gruesome).

PBS did a really fantastic screen cap for people who were having trouble following along the first episode. I found it invaluable to get orientated to who everyone was, especially with all the back and forth through time and multiple Henrys.

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/programs/features/recap/wolf-hall-s1-e1-15-essentials/

Re: Wolf Hall, PBS series about Henry VIII, Wolsey, Anne Boleyn, Thomas Cromwell

Oznell — Mon, 10 Apr 2017 21:22:02 GMT

sharke, I think the next episode will be Sunday at 10:00 p.m. Eastern. At least on my PBS station. Hope you can catch it.

VaBelle35, thanks for that guide! Great!

Re: Wolf Hall, PBS series about Henry VIII, Wolsey, Anne Boleyn, Thomas Cromwell

SharkE — Mon, 10 Apr 2017 21:57:19 GMT

I mean the ending of the series. He's gonna be beheaded for running afoul of Henry. Anne, went first, he will follow.

Re: Wolf Hall, PBS series about Henry VIII, Wolsey, Anne Boleyn, Thomas Cromwell

PurpleBunny — Mon, 10 Apr 2017 22:00:55 GMT

I love these types of shows but I couldn't get into it. It was boring to me and I gave up rather quickly. I tried again, and gave up again.

Re: Wolf Hall, PBS series about Henry VIII, Wolsey, Anne Boleyn, Thomas Cromwell

Moonchilde — Mon, 10 Apr 2017 23:39:31 GMT

This is my second time around and I might just be enjoying it more now.

The writing, the production and direction are brilliant. The acting really needs no superlatives, although every positive think you could think of to say would be true.

Mark Rylance leaves me in awe of his expression of Cromwell. Not for nothing has he won so many acting awards, was previously the artistic director of the Globe Theatre, and received a recent knighthood from the Queen.

I've been a fan since the film Angels and Insects - a wonderful dark British film that is not for the faint of heart in certain regards. If you feel adventurous and enjoy Victorian films with gorgeous scenery, rent it.

And then there was the all male version of Twelfth Night, in which MR played Olivia. Yes, that is Stephen Fry.

Re: Wolf Hall, PBS series about Henry VIII, Wolsey, Anne Boleyn, Thomas Cromwell

Oznell — Tue, 11 Apr 2017 00:11:26 GMT

Love hearing that others love Wolf Hall. How versatile is Mark Rylance, Moonchilde? He also played the Russian spy in that relatively recent film, "Bridge of Spies". I would watch him in anything.

Re: Wolf Hall, PBS series about Henry VIII, Wolsey, Anne Boleyn, Thomas Cromwell

Annabellethecat66 — Tue, 11 Apr 2017 00:18:56 GMT

Jonathan Rys Meyers is my favorite Henry VIII. I loved seeing him in it.

Re: Wolf Hall, PBS series about Henry VIII, Wolsey, Anne Boleyn, Thomas Cromwell

VaBelle35 — Tue, 11 Apr 2017 00:29:29 GMT

Mark Rylance's expressions are just so fabulous in this. He doesn't need to say a wod, his expressions say volumes.

Re: Wolf Hall, PBS series about Henry VIII, Wolsey, Anne Boleyn, Thomas Cromwell

Moonchilde — Tue, 11 Apr 2017 00:44:32 GMT

@Oznell wrote:
Love hearing that others love Wolf Hall. How versatile is Mark Rylance, Moonchilde? He also played the Russian spy in that relatively recent film, "Bridge of Spies". I would watch him in anything.

Yes, he won an Oscar for that role, @Oznell.

I'm also a long-time fan of Damian Lewis (Henry), ever since the remake of the Forsyte Saga. I actually felt sorry for Soames and detested Irene (she never deserved Phillip). I saw Damian Lewis out around town twice while he was living in LA making Homeland. Gorgeous man. Hair a darker red than it looks on TV. Once was at a farmer's market with his actress wife and baby, the other time he was having something to eat in a medical building cafe I was lunching at.

And then there is (not in Wolfe Hall, unfortunately (Tom Hiddleston. Woof!

Anglophile me :-)

Re: Wolf Hall, PBS series about Henry VIII, Wolsey, Anne Boleyn, Thomas Cromwell

Moonchilde — Tue, 11 Apr 2017 00:43:44 GMT

@SharkE wrote:
Wish I knew when Part 2 was coming.

You do know that Part 2 (i.e. series 2) will not end well for Cromwell, right?

Re: Wolf Hall, PBS series about Henry VIII, Wolsey, Anne Boleyn, Thomas Cromwell

Moonchilde — Tue, 11 Apr 2017 00:46:17 GMT

@VaBelle35 wrote:
Mark Rylance's expressions are just so fabulous in this. He doesn't need to say a wod, his expressions say volumes.

His quiet underplaying is spectacular. The first time I watched, you could hear a pin drop in the room - I didn't wan to miss a word, a shrug or a sigh.

Re: Wolf Hall, PBS series about Henry VIII, Wolsey, Anne Boleyn, Thomas Cromwell

Oznell — Tue, 11 Apr 2017 02:01:27 GMT

Ah yes, Damian Lewis-- I'd not seen him in anything prior to this. How fun that you have had real life sightings of him, Moonchilde. He is an interesting Henry. It's always nice to see him as the vigorous young-ish man he was, not the bloated egotist of the later reign.

Of course he's still entirely self-centered in this, but it's a nuanced performance...

The Brits have an endless stream of uber-talented lead actors and character actors. So many, even in small roles, lodge in my memory. Michael Kitchin (sp?) who played Berkeley Cole, Denys Finch-Hatton's friend in "Out of Africa" is one such. I suspect a lot of his part was left on the cutting room floor, but he made the utmost of what was left...

I love a lot of the older guys-- Charles Dance, Jeremy Brett, on and on-- but newer ones just keep coming. Eddie Redmayne is such a find...

Re: Wolf Hall, PBS series about Henry VIII, Wolsey, Anne Boleyn, Thomas Cromwell

Moonchilde — Tue, 11 Apr 2017 06:27:14 GMT

@Oznell, loved the bit in the last episode where Henry tells Cromwell he misses Wolsey and wants Wolsey to pray for him, and gives Cromwell money for his journey. And the amazing middle of the night scene between 'haunted' Henry and crafty Cromwell.

I adore Michael Kitchen. He looked delicious as Berkeley Cole - I preferred him to Robt Redford!

You mention Charles Dance. I liked him before he went to All Baddies later in his career. But in Jewel in the Crown my heart belonged to Hari (Art Malik) - who has since lost his hair but not his sex appeal.

Of the newest crop, give me James Norton (Rev Sidney Chambers in Grantchester) and yes, I like Eddie Redmayne, and Laurence Fox.

An older actor, deceased a few years now) I adored was Ian Richardson.

Oh, it's fun to talk British acting! :-)

Re: Wolf Hall, PBS series about Henry VIII, Wolsey, Anne Boleyn, Thomas Cromwell

SharkE — Tue, 11 Apr 2017 13:07:39 GMT

@Annabellethecat66 wrote:
Jonathan Rys Meyers is my favorite Henry VIII. I loved seeing him in it.

He was horrible. King Henry on his best day could never look like that. That was the worst interpretation of history there ever was.

That whole series was just catering to people interested in s*x had nothing to do with the actual facts and historical truth.