New (to me) on DVD: The Queen
I’ve never been much of a Royal Watcher, that devoted group of people who follow the affairs of the British royal family like others follow the characters and plot of Lost or The Godfather. While the notion of a monarchy appeals to my sense of order and love of history, I know that in almost all cases the idea looks better on paper than in reality. As an American, I suppose that anti-monarchist sentiment is ingrained in my DNA. But still, there is something fascinating about watching the institution function in our so-called modern times.
The troublesome duality of the British crown is exemplified brilliantly in The Queen, starring Helen Mirren as…the queen. Mirren deservedly won the Oscar for Best Actress for her portrayal of Queen Elizabeth II, who at the age of 25 ascended to the throne in 1952. But The Queen is not, as I thought it would be, a biography. It concerns, rather, the tumultuous week following the death of Princess Diana in August 1997.
Yakety Yak