Shakespeare's An Age of Kings (Richard II / Henry IV / Henry V / Henry VI / Richard III) |  | Actors: Robert Hardy, Sean Connery, Judi Dench, Julian Glover, Eileen Atkins
Studio: BBC Warner
Category: DVD
List Price: $49.98
Buy New: $33.88
as of 2/10/2010 06:25 EST details
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New (27) Used (2) Collectible (1) from $33.88
Seller: mnmsales
Rating:  19 reviews
Sales Rank: 20269
Format: Box set, Black & White, DVD, Full Screen, Subtitled, NTSC
Languages: English (Original Language), English (Subtitled)
Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Region: 1
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
Number Of Discs: 5
Running Time: 947 Minutes
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.5
Dimensions (in): 7.5 x 5.3 x 0.9
MPN: 1000090025
UPC: 883929058266
EAN: 0883929058266
ASIN: B001LPWGHS
Theatrical Release Date: 1960
Release Date: March 31, 2009
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Features:
| • | In this fifteen-part inventive series based on William Shakespeare's history plays, the turmoil, power, mystery and frailty of the English crown in the medieval ages is laid bare in epic style. This series originally aired as live broadcasts and was recorded on film. Starring Sean Connery, Julian Glover, Eileen Atkins, Robert Hardy, Angela Baddeley, Judi Dench and John Warner.Running Time: 900 min |
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Product Description
Studio: Warner Home Video Release Date: 03/31/2009 Run time: 900 minutes Rating: Nr
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| Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 1-5 of 19
 Highly enjoyable. December 29, 2009
Bruce Brocka (Quad Cities)
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
I'm a fan of British history more than of Shakespeare, but thought I would try this set out - it was highly rated, had Sean Connery (really!) and it's reasonably priced. I was surprised how pulled into the stories I was. The acting is wonderful - even, or especially pre-Bond Connery. He still has a thick Scottish accent, but he's cast a northern earl, so it's OK. Robert Hardy plays Henry V (the face on the DVD box, and is up to his usual high standards. Not better than Branagh, but different.
If you're a Shakespeare fan, this is a must-have. In black and white, but that makes little difference. It does have (very well done) sub titles for us non-Shakespeare scholars. I started to Netflix the series, and after the first disc, decided to but the set. It's worth every penney.
 Shakespears's An Age of Kings November 3, 2009
Richard Mather
2 out of 4 found this review helpful
I was delighted that this was now available on DVD. Alas, I was bitterly disappointed by the product. The discs start and stop or stop altogether. Two messages to Amazon have failed to elicit a reply. I am thoroughly disgusted and would obviously warn against buying it.
classic but boring October 6, 2009
Bobby (chicago)
5 out of 13 found this review helpful
While this collection may be a classic it has not withstood time's test. Unlike the author, these performances are hopelessly dated. I purchased the set for my British Lit. class; however my students would bolt for the door within minutes. I hoped the plays would be like those operas they filmed on stage in the late 50's and 60's. Unfortunately they are not. Also, the dialogue is, surprisingly, difficult to understand. I just attended a performance of Richard III at Shakespeare in Chicago. Every line bright and clear. Two of our guests who are not fans of Elizabethan English had no difficulty understanding. Not so with this DVD. All in all, a HUGE mistake purchasing the set.
As an aside, it's about time that Amazon came up with a system of identifying whether or not the reviewer has actually purchased the item being reviewed. Thank you Amazon.
Shakespeare at its best September 24, 2009
Kerry Tattersall (Vienna, Austria)
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
I saw An Age of Kings back on Australian TV in 1960 or 1961 and have never forgotten it. The performance of Richard II is the best I've seen (including the RSC at Stratford-on-Avon). Terry Scully gave a great performance as King Henry VI -- not the easiest or most sympathetic character to play. He awoke in me an interest in the historical King Henry VI that has lasted now some 50 years. I was sorry to learn that he had died of a stroke in 2001. I have often sought in vain for a video of this great BBC series -- succeeding versions have all tended to be too "contemporary" and "avant garde" for my taste. I am delighted with this DVD and can recommend it wholeheartedly to all lovers of Shakespeare and those interested in the drama of the Wars of the Roses. (Don't expect Shakespeare to deliver accurate history, however!)
 Picture quality 1930's, sets 1880's, otherwise magnificent. July 15, 2009
D. Altschuler (Los Angeles, CA USA)
11 out of 11 found this review helpful
I've only seen Richard II, Henry IV, and parts of Henry V so far. I just compared parts of 1HenryIV from this black-and-white production (ca. 1960) and the more recent BBC production of 1HIV (an unexpected "pun", what?) from the complete set done a few decades later. The later was quite good, with Anthony Quale a wonderful Falstaff and decent color photography. The Falstaff in this set is just as good. The Prince Hal in the later set has an annoying Beatles haircut, the one in this set has more classical command of his character; pity he wears ballet tights. This Richard II is wonderful, you will feel for this pitiful lead character (historically he was not so pitiful, of course, but that's another story).
While the newer BBC set looks somewhat higher budget, this older one generally displays more gravitas. Perhaps I'm a tad antiquarian, but classical music buffs will understand the difference between a terrific modern recording vs. some of the better older recordings when conductors could put the fear of G-d into the players to deliver an extra "sweep" that is not possible today. In this "Age of Kings" set, the actors convey a long familiarity with their roles and deliver a dramatic "sweep." Here is old-school, flamboyant confidence.
It's a shame the recording technology used was so unnecessarily primitive, but had they done it right you wouldn't be getting 16 hours of fine Bard for $35.
The cuts are well planned, so the stories unfolds quite gracefully.
Most of the plays are presented in two 65 minute segments, rather than act-by-act. The sub-titles are very helpful for modern viewers.
This set is well worth it even if you never get to the Henry VI plays.
Showing reviews 1-5 of 19
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