The Tudors (the series)
Mar. 25th, 2008 11:05 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
janestarzThis past weekend I spent a lot of time hanging behind NoKey's computer, completely fascinated (either by dread or admiration) by The Tudors.
It's all![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
thebatsmeows fault, she piqued my interest a few weeks ago! And since I am now a member of a costume snarking community, I feel I must point out both sides of the series, the good and the bad.
IMDB tells about the plot synopsis: "This costume drama features England's splendid Renaissance dynasty, starting in season 1 with the part of king Henry VIII's reign when cardinal Wolsey rose to become the power behind his throne, ruled ruthlessly and almost absolutely but highly efficiently while Henry generally follows his advice and that of Thomas Morus in diplomatic and religious matters but soon gets obsessed with the desire for a male heir which his loving Habsburg queen Catharine of Aragon cannot give him..."
Wikipedia speaks of the deviation from history. A must-read if you ever watch this series.
Sounds promising? Let me tell you that the series is mostly about sex and intrigue. It reminds me of vampire larp in some ways. Of the first seven episodes I've watched, only one did not have loads of sex in it. This is of course only due to the fact that none of the ladies wear underwear as they are supposed to. I suppose they wash those huge silk gowns every week. I can't for the life of me figure out how they stay so pretty without proper underpinnings.
The character I love most is Queen Catherine of Aragon, played by Maria Doyle Kennedy. The Queen truly loves King Henry and Maria portrays her so well that I feel her pain. Her Spanish is fluent and her plotting with the Spanish Embassador is a true inspiration.
She's the one in purple in the image on the right.
As for the rest: Cardinal Wolsey (in red) is quite the devious plotter, Anne Boleyn (the woman draping herself over the King's feet) has a very crooked face that distracts me from her acting - I just don't feel for her like I do for Catherine - and I loved Margaret (in orange) being married to the King of Portugal, that was one of few scenes where I actually squeed over this series.
Still, I feel compelled to watch the rest of the series. It's a sort of dread fascination. The costumes are nice, though not historically accurate and lacking in certain parts, the story is not even true to history, but it is somehow inspiring and intriguing. The costumes are, however, quite inspiring.
I still haven't figured out what kind of silly hat I shall make with Nieske's formal outfit. Nieske's outfit is modelled after the Sabe Decoy from Star Wars I, and it really needs a hat to go with it. The middle layer and outer layer are done, which leaves me to fix the bottom layer (jersey shirt), the pants (brown cotton), and a thing for on my head.
The 'perfectly plausable French hood' is my favorite, but I fear it might be a bit too posh for Nieske. Also, it can't be white, her whole outfit is in chocolate hues (brown, camel, tan). Gable headdress is right out. The RH Diadem cap is too small for me, and too conspicuous (she's not noble nor the bride itself), and I think another option is a Tudor hat like Catherine Parr wears in her portrait. Any thoughts are appreciated, because I really can't make up my mind about it.
It's all
thebatsmeows fault, she piqued my interest a few weeks ago! And since I am now a member of a costume snarking community, I feel I must point out both sides of the series, the good and the bad.IMDB tells about the plot synopsis: "This costume drama features England's splendid Renaissance dynasty, starting in season 1 with the part of king Henry VIII's reign when cardinal Wolsey rose to become the power behind his throne, ruled ruthlessly and almost absolutely but highly efficiently while Henry generally follows his advice and that of Thomas Morus in diplomatic and religious matters but soon gets obsessed with the desire for a male heir which his loving Habsburg queen Catharine of Aragon cannot give him..."
Wikipedia speaks of the deviation from history. A must-read if you ever watch this series.
Sounds promising? Let me tell you that the series is mostly about sex and intrigue. It reminds me of vampire larp in some ways. Of the first seven episodes I've watched, only one did not have loads of sex in it. This is of course only due to the fact that none of the ladies wear underwear as they are supposed to. I suppose they wash those huge silk gowns every week. I can't for the life of me figure out how they stay so pretty without proper underpinnings.
The character I love most is Queen Catherine of Aragon, played by Maria Doyle Kennedy. The Queen truly loves King Henry and Maria portrays her so well that I feel her pain. Her Spanish is fluent and her plotting with the Spanish Embassador is a true inspiration.She's the one in purple in the image on the right.
As for the rest: Cardinal Wolsey (in red) is quite the devious plotter, Anne Boleyn (the woman draping herself over the King's feet) has a very crooked face that distracts me from her acting - I just don't feel for her like I do for Catherine - and I loved Margaret (in orange) being married to the King of Portugal, that was one of few scenes where I actually squeed over this series.
Still, I feel compelled to watch the rest of the series. It's a sort of dread fascination. The costumes are nice, though not historically accurate and lacking in certain parts, the story is not even true to history, but it is somehow inspiring and intriguing. The costumes are, however, quite inspiring.
I still haven't figured out what kind of silly hat I shall make with Nieske's formal outfit. Nieske's outfit is modelled after the Sabe Decoy from Star Wars I, and it really needs a hat to go with it. The middle layer and outer layer are done, which leaves me to fix the bottom layer (jersey shirt), the pants (brown cotton), and a thing for on my head.
The 'perfectly plausable French hood' is my favorite, but I fear it might be a bit too posh for Nieske. Also, it can't be white, her whole outfit is in chocolate hues (brown, camel, tan). Gable headdress is right out. The RH Diadem cap is too small for me, and too conspicuous (she's not noble nor the bride itself), and I think another option is a Tudor hat like Catherine Parr wears in her portrait. Any thoughts are appreciated, because I really can't make up my mind about it.
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no subject
Date: 2008-03-25 11:26 am (UTC)Don't think I have actually seen the jerk-off scene yet. I guess this is why I have a dread fascination with the series. You were so happy when you got the dvd for X-mas!
no subject
Date: 2008-03-25 12:09 pm (UTC)This is why I do live roleplay too - the climax is when you feel exactly the same as your character should feel.
no subject
Date: 2008-03-25 11:13 am (UTC)As to 'The Tudors' well... Not seen it yet, but speaking as a larping Brit I've seen the US mangle and manipulate our history since Hollywood started. What any classic Errol Flynn movie or maybe Ivanhoe and the medieval babes will have nice pointy bras under their gowns and cinched in waists. Apparently the beloved Pirate shirt, that staple of larping wardrobes is a Hollywood invention. I'm used to it, and most of the time don't mind (the only costume that had me spitting blood, if you parden the pun is that tudor monstrousity they put Lucy in for Bram Stoker's Dracula).
I will watch it, and see it as fantasy, and therefore probably enjoy it. It's made by the same people that make Dexter so I expect adult content and quite frankly, can forgive alot for Jonathan Rhys Meyers in tight leather and high boots *swoon*.
no subject
Date: 2008-03-25 11:31 am (UTC)The Nieske outfit is currently brown linen and camel upholstery fabric with leaves. I've used a wide strip of maybe 20 cm around the sleeves of the brown middle layer. I was thinking to use brown linen and the last scraps of upholstery around the brim.
I really should be taking pictures!
no subject
Date: 2008-03-25 12:21 pm (UTC)I am looking forward to seeing pictures when you do them.
no subject
Date: 2008-03-25 12:52 pm (UTC)My man wears chaps and loincloths too. Pulls it off quite nicely! He's known as the guy who wears the bare-ass costume. *grin*
no subject
Date: 2008-03-25 12:22 pm (UTC)