The Hollow Crown

[fenlings]

Richard:

I don't appreciate the creepy gay vibe they made Richard have. Being foppish or pompous or "gaius baltaring everywhere" as someone put it would be fine. But the way they had his little male harem there that he kept touching - it was creepy. And the execution of the two king's men sounded like it was just for gaying up the king - when did they ever "come between him and the queen" otherwise?

Henrys:

Characterization: I never realized what an ASSHOLE Harry is throughout. I don't understand what Harry's endgame was with the hiding with the common people. He was just hurting everyone. Stone cold. Somehow when watching Kenneth's version, I bought into the whole hero thing the narrative tries to paint him as. (I should have remembered from My Own Private Idaho! Who was River based on here, though? Poins?) Harry seems like he has no human feelings except for his feelings for his father. He threatens the rape and murder of infants. He orders the murder of POWs when there was no need to. He explicitly states that he only executes looters in order to win over the conquered French. (He has no feelings for executed Bardolph, who had been his friend.) So many warcrimes. And then the best part is how he blames everyone else for any war casualties. But of course Hiddles made me love him anyway. And his kiss with the French princess was so hot, gawd. Also his kiss with the bar woman! His Jeremy impression was also hilarious! I did like their choices with Hotspur and his wife (and the Welsh language barrier couple lol). Hotspur needed to STOP SHOUTING ALL THE TIME, no matter that that's his claim to fame, but the relationships between all the family and his wife's acting were all very good.

Cuts: They cut out the traitor plot entirely. Fluellen wasn't very Welsh, and they cut a lot of Pistol's comedy. Then why keep those interminably boring countryside recruitment scenes??

St. Crispin's Day: The battle scenes were effective. Hiddles was so energetic as king; it was great to watch him move. But his St. Crispins Day was not an insiring battle speech, more like a drunken "ilu man" to his 5 frat brothers. (Hiddles, i love your tears, but this is not a crying speech.) Richard Burton still wins (which I never thought I would say), and Kenneth after him. This choice was all the more mystifying because in other speeches, Hiddles was so full of rage and feeling and volume that he growled and bellowed most effectively.

Continuity: The whole point of doing Richard and the Henrys all at once is to take advantage of the opportunity to maintain continuity of casting! Recasting Henry IV between Richard and Henry IV made no sense and was very jarring. Jeremy kept on his hat the whole time to hide the fact that his hair was not thinning like the previous actor's. There are ONLY EIGHT YEARS in between Richard and Part I. With this lack of continuity, I didn't even realize that Patrick Stewart was supposed to be Hiddles' grandfather! Black York was supposed to be the same character as hot Aumerle! Speaking of hot Aumerle, I don't like the way they changed the story to make Aumerle kill Richard. and in that St. Sebastian way (to underscore the gayness). I wish they had kept in the ridic gay way York died:

EXETER In which array, brave soldier, doth he lie, Larding the plain, and by his bloody side, Yoke-fellow to his honor-owing wounds, The noble earl of Suffolk also lies. Suffolk first died, and York, all haggled over, Comes to him where in gore he lay insteeped And takes him by the beard, kisses the gashes That bloodily did yawn upon his face. And cries aloud, “Tarry, my cousin Suffolk. My soul shall thine keep company to heaven. Tarry, sweet soul, for mine; then fly abreast, As in this glorious and well-foughten field We kept together in our chivalry.” Upon these words I came and cheered him up. He smiled me in the face, raught me his hand, And with a feeble grip, says “Dear my lord, Commend my service to my sovereign.” So did he turn, and over Suffolk’s neck He threw his wounded arm and kissed his lips, And so, espoused to death, with blood he sealed A testament of noble-ending love. The pretty and sweet manner of it forced Those waters from me which I would have stopped, But I had not so much of man in me, And all my mother came into mine eyes And gave me up to tears. KING HENRY I blame you not, For, hearing this, I must perforce compound With mistful eyes, or they will issue too.

EXETER The valiant soldier is still dressed like that, lying on the ground, drenching the field with his blood. By his side lies the noble earl of Suffolk, York’s comrade and equal in brave wounds. Suffolk died first, and York, cut to pieces, came to him where he lay in his blood and took him by the face, kissing his gashes. He cried out, “Wait for me, dear cousin. My soul will keep yours company on the way to heaven. Wait for mine, sweet soul. We’ll fly there side by side, just as we stood together as brother-knights in this glorious and well-fought battle!” At this, I went to comfort him. He smiled at me close, gave me his hand, gripping me feebly, and said, “My dear lord, commend my service to my king.” With that, he turned and threw his wounded arm around Suffolk’s neck and kissed his lips. And so, married to death, he sealed a testament of love that even ended in nobility. The fineness of the moment moved me to tears. I tried to hold them back, but wept like a mother. KING HENRY I don’t blame you. Just listening, I have to school my misty eyes, or they will brim over.

(Thank God for following along in No Fear Shakespeare!)

Structure: Overall, what I remember of Hollow Crown is endless scenes of l'awkward... The French use is also uneven, which is strange. The chorus narrator I found a little confusing with his constant references to a stage that wasn't there, but the end when John Hurt appears is very affecting. I wish we got to see more of John Hurt!! I was surprised how not strictly historical the plays are, so it was interesting to read more about it (and lose several days to Wikipedia. So many similar names, gah!)

In conclusion, Jeremy Irons was the best thing about the series, as I expected. He was amaaaazing.