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The Queen (2006) DVD Review
The Queen (2006) DVD Credits:
The Queen (2006) Directed by:
Stephen Frears
The Queen (2006) Written by:
Peter Morgan
The Queen (2006) Cast:
Helen Mirren, Michael Sheen, James Cromwell, Sylvia Syms
The Queen (2006) Released by:
Not available at this time
Region:
1
The Queen (2006) DVD Release Date:
23rd April 2007
Our Rating: Extras Rating:

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The Queen (2006) Synopsis:

"The Queen" is an intimate behind the scenes glimpse at the interaction between HM Elizabeth II and Prime Minister Tony Blair during their struggle, following the death of Diana, to reach a compromise between what was a private tragedy for the Royal family and the public's demand for an overt display of mourning.

The Queen (2006) DVD Review:

Even in the very way The Queen begins there is a certain amount of interest that it is assumed the audience has about the life of the Queen of England, the private and traditional Queen Elizabeth II, which may be lost on many. Especially considering American audiences, who live in a society which claims that no man is any less important than the next, although often showing examples of something rather opposite, The Queen’s careful eye for detail about this specific woman may not be appreciated. All that remains to attract interest is the devastating tragedy of Princess Diana’s death, which affected many people worldwide. This isn’t to say that The Queen isn’t well made, because it most certainly is, with an incredible cast as well, but this won’t help make the story interesting to anyone who wasn’t already interested in these subjects.

What is most fascinating to me about Princess Diana’s death was how much it affected everyone when it happened. The entire situation seemed absurd to me, seeing as the only connection that any public truly had with her, especially outside of the UK, was through the gossip magazines and paparazzi. It was this popularity and interest, an unnecessary demand for information on her personal life, which resulted in her death. If there hadn’t been such a high interest in her there would not have been such a high price paid for photos of her, and there would likely not have been an accident that fateful night, which resulted in sadness from the very people who had caused a demand for the photos in the first place. Unfortunately, at first, The Queen has far less interest in the tragedy than how the disaster affected the public’s opinion of the royal family. This is rather frustrating at first, because the royal family is so stiff and difficult to sympathize with, but these layers are peeled back slightly and subtly as the film progresses.

Dealing primarily with the week following Princess Diana’s death, The Queen makes certain that we know the prime minister at the time, Tony Blair, was very new to his position, and yet the grieving public raised him up as their savior when The Queen refuses to break protocol simply because Princess Diana is mourned by many. Each detail is examined, such as the family’s absence in London during the tragedy as well as small details such as flags being raised at half mast. At a certain point there are questions from the public whether Queen Elizabeth cared at all, and she was far less popular because of these outcries.

The DVD includes a making of featurette which is quite respectable but doesn’t have any extremely impressive qualities to it. There is a far more impressive commentary track with renowned director Stephen Frears and writer Peter Morgan. There is also a unique commentary track with British Historian and Royal expert, Robert Lacey. This is much more suited for fans of the subject more than the filmmaking process.

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The Queen (2006) DVD review written by: Ryan Izay

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