The Queen

[MacGuffin]

Trailer here.

Release Date: Fall 2006

Starring: Helen Mirren, Michael Sheen, James Cromwell, Sylvia Syms, Helen McCrory

Directed by: Stephen Frears (The Grifters; Dirty Pretty Things; High Fidelity)

Premise: A revealing, witty portrait of the British royal family in crisis immediately following the death of Princess Diana.

[Pubrick]

they really should've used helen mirren for the poster instead of kevin kline in drag.

[Ultrahip]

BWAHAHAHA!!

[matt35mm]

Oh yeah, I saw this, too.  Maybe I liked it a little bit more than Lucid, but not that much more.  I found it more interesting as sort of a day-to-day of the Queen, which at least I haven't really seen before.  This person's life is completely like no one elses.  That and the great acting by Mirren had me interested enough.  I agree that there's not much more than that to be interested in.

[Gold Trumpet]

I'll say it is better than the two above let on.

I expected a standard film drama when going into this. I'm glad that is not what I got. The film is superb for taking a portrait of the in going on's of the Queen and Tony Blair after Princess Diana's death and being able to put both characterizations in a greater light. The story of the Queen's struggle to cope and accept responsibility goes into a very nuanced understanding of the role of Queen to her people and how deep tradition truly digs at how the Monarchy is run. The social and historical details are truly depth. There are many references to past events, traditions and other facts that could be detailed with critical comment.

The film manages to do all this within a good, tight story. The film never feel like it is reaching to be overly historical or political, but the film is pointed in a certain direction where the focus is on the change of tone within the Palace. Bernard Shaw, in his plays, found that one could get more out of subject by not dramatically changing the structure, but focusing the play the right way. His plays come off as very light in many ways, but the depth of discussion he could reach in between the characterization was priceless. He proved so because most plays he did also had personal prefaces that were in depth social discussion of the topics and references in the play.

When I mean the quality of "focusing", I mean there is greater depth in finding the way to tell the story then how one does it. An example would be the countless war films that every aspiring director wants to tackle in some way. Most do war films that show new and innovative ways to film violence and bloodshed in the theater of battle. The better way to tackle war is by adjusting the point of view and showing war in a way that is different and points to characterization instead of just glorious battle. The Red and the White was pretty successful for gaging the structure of the guerilla effort in their battles. Many may be dissapointed in that film because it didn't offer a more graphic reendition of war. It offered the best context to that war.

The Queen finds the best context to gage the transition of the Monarchy to a modern perspective. It seems quite the task for a small intimate film, but the details are so perfect in the story I couldn't think of a better film to realize this theme like The Queen does. I rememeber watching the extras on the Ghost World DVD and Terry Zwigoff, at the end of great detail about the film, finally said that the theme was "about decline of Western Civilization to suburbia" and then laughed. He had a point because no one could truly tackle such a subject of the ambigious with an epic story, but only with an excellently concrete and detailed story that emphasized those ideas.

The Queen does so and still remains natural in character development of subtle humor and drama with excellent performances. Helen Mirren's performance as the Queen is embedded within me to the point I can't think of anyone doing that. Many times I forgot I was watching a performance and lost myself to the role. Kudos to all the others who seemed to naturally fit their roles without question or concern.

[modage]

BORING.  this is one of those films that comes out every year, gets heaps of praise largely due to an actors performance, and usually i dont bother seeing.  i had about 0 interest in The Queen other than making sure i wasnt missing something when helen mirren starts picking up her awards.  i watched this tonite because i got a screener of it and really, this is the very definition of a made-for-tv movie. 

[Derek237]

I guess I'm in a minority here but I thought it was great. It exceeds the mediocrity of a 'very special made-for-TV-MOW' in every concievable way. If you like political dramas that can follow a process using strength in its silences as well as its little speeches, and isn't too preachy, either, then The Queen is something you want to see. I'd compare it to 2005's Good Night and Good Luck.

And a side note, concerning Mirren's performance, it's nice to see a fairly mainstream film about a strong female character who isn't fighting against sexism or things like that, or isn't the faithful wife/girlfriend supporting her loving man, who isn't enduring some unimaginable suffering, and doesn't battle aliens. Leave it to a Queen, I guess. Mirren is the kind of person who you just assume already has an academy award, but she doesn't, so it looks good that this year is her year for Best Actress. And it's damn time an accomplished ACTRESS should win, as opposed to a MOVIE STAR. Witherspoon's win still makes me sick.

Rant aside, a great little movie. Worth seeing for more than just its Oscar worthy lead performance. It's an Oscar worthy film all on its own. Michael Sheen, too. I hope he gets a nod for supporting actor.

[MacGuffin]

Overzealous censor edits 'God' out of 'Queen'

ATLANTA, Georgia - So much for God and country, at least during some in-flight showings of the Oscar-nominated movie "The Queen." That's because all mentions of God were bleeped out in a version of the film given to some commercial airlines.

Even in these politically correct times, censoring references to God in the film was not a statement of some kind. Rather, it was the mistake of an overzealous and inexperienced employee for a California company that edits movies selected for onboard entertainment.

The censor was told to edit out all profanities -- including any blasphemy -- for the version of the movie distributed to Atlanta-based Delta Air Lines, Air New Zealand, and other carriers.

So the new censor mistakenly bleeped out each time a character said "God," instead of just when it was used as part of a profanity, said Jeff Klein, president of Jaguar Distribution, the company that distributed the movie to airlines this month.

"A reference to God is not taboo in any culture that I know of," Klein said. "We excise foul language, excessive violence and nudity."

In-flight viewers of the film at one point heard "(Bleep) bless you, ma'am," as one character spoke to the queen. In all, the word "God" is bleeped seven times in the version.

Klein discovered the mistake after a London-bound Air New Zealand passenger complained earlier this month and the airline apologized for showing "the incorrect version of the film."

Airlines routinely work with studios to get film versions that have removed the kind of graphic scenes and strong profanities that would not be shown on network TV, Delta spokeswoman Betsy Talton said. Officials with Delta and Air New Zealand say their airlines have been showing the edited version of 'The Queen' on many international flights.

Jaguar has been replacing all the cassettes it sent out -- in English and other languages -- to its airline clients with the original, unedited version of the movie.

"The Queen" depicts the reactions of British monarch Elizabeth II and Prime Minister Tony Blair in the week following Princess Diana's death in 1997. Much of the drama revolves around the opposed perspectives of the modernizing prime minister and the old-fashioned queen.

On Tuesday, the movie was nominated for the Academy Awards for best picture and best actress for Helen Mirren's performance as the queen.

The editor responsible for the mistake is still working in the editing laboratory of the California-based company, Klein said.

A spokesman for Miramax, which produced the film, declined to comment on the editing.

[SHAFTR]

Far from a masterpiece, but I thought the Queen was a nice little tight film.   Overall, I'd probably agree with GT on this one.  The film is excellent in regards to the performances, details and realism.  I also liked how the film established it's narrative bounds and stayed within them.

I want to point out how I really liked how they showed the Princess Di car accident.  On the flip side, when the Queen sees the elk, I thought that whole scene was really hokey and cheapened the film.

Of the Best Picture nominees, I thought it was the 3rd best (behind Departed & Letters).

[MacGuffin]

I guess I'm in a minority here but I thought it was great.

I thought it was great too. I found it fascinating how the film presented The Queen and Blair as the generation gap, and how their eras and beliefs and were respected by each other, yet they worked together during the 'crisis.' Mirren deserved every accolade she received because her performance showed what her character was presenting on the public exterior and thinking inside at the same time.

[Alexandro]

me too. i really liked it. the script is tight and flawless, the performances go from awesome to brilliant, and stephen frears knows how to handle his shit. i mean he always finds thr right tone, visual and atmospheric for each film, and he does it again. the queen doesn't need to be flashy or groundbreaking so it isn't, it's a very well done portrait of a unique woman in a unique position. GT pretty much has it all right in his review.

The scene with the deer (or whatever it's called) didn't strike me as hokey...I thought it would be, but it isn't to me. I loved the fact you never see the queen crying, even in that scene, when she turns her back on us and does it privately.

Mirren's performance, however, is the reason this whole thing works. This is a character that can easily fall in the mocking category, that doesnt instantly has anyone sympaties, and yet she makes you at least respect her. This is the kind of oscar you can't deny.

[MacGuffin]

Morgan prepares 'Queen' sequel
Film looks at U.K.-U.S. relationship
Source: Variety

LONDON — Oscar-nominated screenwriter Peter Morgan has started work on a sequel to "The Queen," which will dig into former U.K. prime minister Tony Blair's relationships with U.S. presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush.

The movie will focus on Blair's reaction to the handover of power between Clinton, a natural liberal ally, and Bush, who came from the other end of the political spectrum.

"Peter sees this as a pivotal moment when the special relationship between Britain and America changed," says producer Andy Harries.

This project will be the third film in Morgan's "Blair trilogy," which began with the Channel 4 telepic "The Deal" and continued with "The Queen." Michael Sheen is expected to reprise his role as Blair.

"Peter always hoped to do a trilogy to mark the Blair years that we've all lived through, but it's been difficult to find the right point at which to look at Blair in power," Harries says.

Morgan initially considered tackling the more obvious drama surrounding the run-up to the Iraq war, when Blair fatally compromised his own premiership by his whole-hearted support for Bush's invasion plans. But in the end Morgan decided that the roots of those events lay in Blair's difficult adjustment to the transition from Clinton to Bush a few years earlier.

He's researching the project with a plan to start writing by the end of this year. Harries will produce with Christine Langan, the team behind "The Deal" and "The Queen." No financing is currently attached, although with Langan now working at BBC Films, that would be an obvious home for the project.

Harries already has another Morgan screenplay, "The Damned United," in development with Langan at BBC Films. It's adapted from David Peace's novel about the legendary English soccer coach Brian Clough, with Sheen set to play Clough.

The project was originally due to be directed by Stephen Frears, who also helmed "The Queen," but he stepped aside over the summer to be replaced by Tom Hooper. Pic is currently casting to shoot next April.

Morgan recently finished a re-write of "State of Play," and a draft of John LeCarre's "Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy," both for Working Title. Working Title and Imagine Entertainment are also co-producing "Frost/Nixon," Ron Howard's movie version of Morgan's stage hit.