Product Description
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James Maxwell stars as King Henry VII, founder of the Tudor
dynasty, in this remarkable series, the prequel to the BBC’s
award-winning Tudor histories, The Six Wives of Henry VIII and
Elizabeth R. When Henry, Earl of Richmond, ascended to the throne
as King Henry VII in 1485, he would not only unite England after
the tumultuous War of the Roses, he would herald the end of the
Middle Ages and the beginning of the Modern Era. His reign would
set the stage for the Protestant Reformation and the cultural
revolution brought about by the Renaissance. Although
overshadowed in history by his larger-than-life son and his
remarkable granddaughter, his achievements can stand proudly
alongside anything accomplished by his descendants.
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Having aired on BBC2 in 1972, The Shadow of the Tower appears so
authentic historically that it feels much, much older. Focusing
on the rise of King Henry VII and the Tudor Dynasty, this
13-episode miniseries sheds light on not only what it took for a
man to have usurped the throne in the 15th century, but also his
difficulties in keeping it. Any viewer who has interest in the
politics of royalty, as well as viewers who admire the cultural
aesthetic of the Middle Ages, will find this program both
pleasing to the eyes and highly dramatic. The episodes, having
had several different writers, vary in dramatic tone and subject
matter, ranging from focus on royal celebrations and fanfare, to
religious and cultural matters of the time, to the ways Henry
Tudor maintained rule while staving off various threats to the
crown.
Disc 1 opens with "The Crown in Jeopardy," the episode that
introduces Henry Tudor (James Maxwell) in his victory over King
Richard, and the lovely Elizabeth of York (Norma West), both of
whom star in the remaining episodes. While Queen Elizabeth
gossips with her sister about Henry's desire to marry her, Henry
Tudor is securing his position against knights around the country
who are plotting, just after his crowning, for hostile takeover.
The following episodes, "Power in the Land," "The Schooling of
Apes," and "The Crowning of Apes," describe Henry and Elizabeth's
marriage and pregnancy, and the ways Henry united England, often
controversially, by imposing taxes, banning private liveries, and
holding public executions of anyone accused of treason. Disc 2's
episodes "Serpent and the Comforter" and "The White Hart" are
highlights, covering first the merger of church and state during
the Tudor reign, and then showing the Tudors' hard-line approach
to punishment for oft-accused treason. In "Serpent," a priest is
threatened with being burned at the stake for heresy simply for
alleging that the church is corrupt, implying that a new era of
reason and logic is in the air. In "White Hart," Henry VII
decides whether or not to behead his council member, William
Stanley (Robert James), for treason. The last half of the series,
from episodes like "The Fledgling" to "King Without a Face,"
focuses on two main plots, the first being Henry and Elizabeth's
childrearing and their efforts to marry off their son and
daughter in the interest of forging Scottish and Spanish
alliances. Secondly, extreme dramas ensue surrounding those
"pretenders" like Perkin Warbeck (Richard Warwick) who cl to
be the true heir to the throne, while the real boy, the Earl of
Warwick (Christopher Neame), has his own problems to deal with.
In all, this sweeping period drama allows one to imagine what
life was truly like during this turbulent time. It depicts Henry
VII with an equal blend of villainy and heroism, giving him a
well-rounded character thanks to James Maxwell's excellent
performance. There's never a dull moment in the shadow of London
Tower. --Trinie Dalton