Fall of Eagles
by Stuart Burge, David Sullivan Proudfoot, David Cunliffe
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DVD details
Actor: Bruce Purchase, David Dodimead, John Barcroft, Kevin Brennan, Michael GoldenDirector: David Cunliffe, David Sullivan Proudfoot, Stuart Burge
Brand: Koch International
Audio: English (Original Language), Dolby Digital 1.0
Format: Box set, Color, Content/Copy-Protected CD, Dolby, DVD-Video, NTSC
Picture Format: 1.33:1
Running Time: 650 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2006-05-02
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Koch Vision
DVD Reviews of Fall of Eagles
DVD Review: Why WWI was fought.
Summary: 5 Stars
I finally put together the reason for WWI. I always thought it was a war that was totally without reason but never figured out why it happened. Now, thanks to this show, I found it why. It still is a war that was totally without reason, much like the war in Iraq.
All about greed, power, alliances, breaking apart countries and taking a part of each, etc. Leave it to the BBC to produce a historical series that takes itself seriously and sticks to the facts, so much so, that my brain was about to explode from trying to keep track of the machinations, the doublecrossing, doubledealing, lies, etc. that ended up in the loss of millions of innocent lives being lost over nothing except power of nations. (What else is new?)
I've read books on WWI but this just put it all together. The acting was brilliant as well as the script. Some of the scripts were written by Jack Pulman who also wrote I, Claudius.
Absolutely riveting. Keep some aspirin handy, though.
DVD Review: not up to expectations
Summary: 2 Stars
Fall of Eagles I was very disappointed in this dvd series. I felt as many others did that they didn't spend nearly as much time with the pivotal events in the lives of these families as they should have. I hated the way they ended things with the Romanovs all we got was a two second flash with gunshots saying they were dead. The entire series ending was Ridiculous! I'm glad I checked this one out of the local library rather than spending the money. I advise anyone else interested in the series to do the same.DVD Review: History comes alive
Summary: 5 Stars
If you are a history student, or just a history buff, you absolutely MUST watch this. This excellent docudrama series tells the story of the end of absolute monarchy in Europe at the beginning of the 20th century. It focuses on the ruling families of Austro-Hungary, Germany, and Russia, and how they ultimately lost power during the First World War. But it doesn't just focus on the final days of these empires: The story actually starts in the 1850s, and provides a rich and intimate portrait of these three families as they try to maintain absolute rule over their respective empires in the face of opposition from rising liberal and radical forces. This is not the sort of dry chronicle of names, dates, battles, etc. that you typically find in history books and historical documentaries. This is a brilliantly acted dramatic presentation that leaves you with the feeling that you are personally acquainted with each of the historical figures portrayed in this 13-part series -- Emperor Franz Josef, Kaiser Wilhelm II, Tsar Nicholas II, Tsarina Alexandra, Rasputin, Lenin, Trotsky, Bismarck, and many others. I've studied the history of the events covered in this docudrama; but, after watching this, I feel almost as if I were actually there when these things happened. I now feel that I really know who these people were, how they lived, what they did, and what drove them. (And, from now on, whenever I think of Vladimir Lenin, I will picture Patrick Stewart, whose portrayal was masterful.) Do yourself a favor and watch this series. You'll be glad you did.DVD Review: Beware Production Values
Summary: 3 Stars
This review is written as a corrective to the glowing reviews for a mini-series I mostly enjoyed.
I'm a student of history and found much pleasure in the historical drama to the runup to the collapse of the Hapsburgs in Austria-Hungary, the Romanovs in Russia and the Hohenzollern in Germany. The casual, part-time approach these monarchs used to rule their states, left virtually all the governing to ministries, including the foreign ministries, which led to the conflaguration in 1914, despite correspondence between cousins Nicky (Czar) and Willie (Emperor) with their declarations of peace to each other. The backdrop of the drama is compelling in itself as these three monarchs stumble their way into a vast catastrophic war that becomes their coup-de-gras; the demise of some 15 hundred years of monarchial style rule and political thinking that shortly led to inconceivably violent authoritarian Nazi and Communist regimes.
But the thirteen part series has many disabilities the average viewer will find offputting. The production values are not sub-par; they are amateurish. Thirty five years ago these may have been acceptable but today one cringes at the sight of some of this. Good editing is occassionally lacking, for example a quiet dialogue is jarringly interrupted with blarring music. Video is used to record indoor set scenes whch always belies art; we begin to see behind the art to the production. Additionally, outdoor scenes are suddenly switched to use "fuzzy" film(versus all too see-through video). Poorly fashioned graphics are used to depict large scale military and political events (riots and demonstrations): period line sketches quickly panned with dramatic music. Scenes drag as well, such as the opening of the Dress Rehersal episode, where several pointless minutes are taken to wake an aged Franz Joseph out of bed.
First episode, Death Waltz, begins with the Hapsburgs dynasty of Austrian Empire, with the aforementioned production defects plus stilted acting. The Empress dowager, purported to be able to dominate all around, seems no more menacing than an average mother-in-law not the forbidding woman that her son, the Emperor and all else fears. Sisi, the 16 year old ingenue, lacks the charm and innocense that would have captured the heart of an Emperor. Mercifully, we don't see any of these characters when some decades later they've been removed from the picture and Franz Joseph, in need of waking up as mentioned before, is now alone except for a female confidante. Unfortunately, we miss dramatic events with the fatal stabbing of Sisi by an Italian anarchist and the double-suicide of the couples son, Prince Rupert and his mistress in the interim. So the first episode gives an introduction but the characters are left to go nowhere.
The Production is redeemed in the next episode by the dramatic character of Bismark (played by Curt Jurgens), who was responsible, for good or bad, of the creation of modern Germany, fighting first Austria in 1866 and then France in 1870 to secure its existence: we see a most dramatic political character played expertly. Other fine performances, mentioning a few, Lenin (Patrick Stewart), Czarina Alexandria (Gayle Hunnicutt) and Kaiser Wilhelm II (Barry Foster). So overall the acting performances are excellent (excepting the initial episode). Political events are depicted with dramatic insight, especially interesting was Lenin forging the Bolshevik party at the 2nd Social Democratic Party Congress at London in 1903. He's seen as a Robespierre style manipulator, willing to sacrifice everyone to his goal of a revolutionary cadre bent on overthrow of the Czarist regime. Even Trotsky is seen betrayed, later a prominent member of the Communist leadership.
Bottom line the folks behind the production doesn't fully understand the medium of TV or Movies. This is a badly video'd/filmed theatre production of an amazing period of History. Watch and share the tragedy of the fall of several hundred years old monarchies; beware you must look beyond shoddy production.
DVD Review: Excellent!
Summary: 5 Stars
I enjoyed this series very much. Although very old when filmed, the recreation of the period is superb. I was really impressed when from her bedchamber, Empress Sissi views the "real" garden and gloriette of Schonnbrun!!!!!! Made my recollections of the place more vivid. Although all the cast is outstanding, for my taste the best is the one who embodies "Kaiser Wilhelm". Worth watching it.
Description of Fall of Eagles
Fall of Eagles is the BBC's stunning 1974 dramatisation of the declining years and final collapse of three of the most powerful European dynasties the Hapsburgs Romanovs and Hohenzollerns between the mid-19th century and the end of the First World War. The series focuses on the tempestuous reigns of Emperor Franz Josef of Austria-Hungary (Laurence Naismith) Tsar Nicholas II of Russia (Charles Kay - below) and Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany (Barry Foster - below). Other key players include Tsarina Alexandra (Gayle Hunnicutt - below) Lenin (Patrick Stewart) Princess Vicky (Gemma Jones) and Fritz (Denis Lill).System Requirements:Running Time: 710 MinFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre:?TELEVISION/SERIES & SEQUELS Rating:?NR UPC:?741952635697 Manufacturer No:?KOCDV6356General DVDs
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