Nicholas and Alexandra

Rating:
Summary: Grand, Emotional, Tragic Spectacle
Review: .... It seems that the two oldest Czarevnas are in opposite positions. --The tall slender fairer-haired one should be Olga, the eldest, and the even taller slender brunette should be the second daughter,Tatiana. But the film now shows the scenes involving Lenin, Trotsky, Stalin, and Madame Krupskaya metioned in a 1971 review from a magazine that I photocopied years ago. The scenes of Nicholas scolding Alexis for his suicide attempt in Tobolsk, and the daughters' reaction to constant sexual harassment by the Bolshevik guards during their final days at Ekaterinberg were really touching, as was the suicide of a demoralized commanding officer at the start of World War I. I applaud the restoration effort completely, and feel that it should have won the Oscar for Best Picture of 1971.

Rating:
Summary: The fall of the Russian Empire
Review: As Elton John says in his song: "It's enough to make kings into vagabonds"; here's a true story about how this happened to someone. This is a well-made film about the last Russian czar and his family. The movie starts out at the time of the Prince Alexander's birth during the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-05; when the czar's troubles began. We follow the lives of the imperial Romanov family from there to their eventual demise during the Russian Civil War. Michael Jayston and Janet Suzman portray the imperial couple quite well. The supporting cast is stellar with Sir Laurence Olivier leading the way. Fans of the Dr. Who television series get to see actor Tom Baker in an excellent portrayal of Gregory Rasputin. Even though just about anyone who studied history knows about the eventual fate of the Romanovs, the film is very informative and entertaining.

Rating:
Summary: The fall of the Russian Empire
Review: As Elton John says in his song: "It's enough to make kings into vagabonds"; here's a true story about how this happened to someone. This is a well-made film about the last Russian czar and his family. The movie starts out at the time of the Prince Alexander's birth during the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-05; when the czar's troubles began. We follow the lives of the imperial Romanov family from there to their eventual demise during the Russian Civil War. Michael Jayston and Janet Suzman portray the imperial couple quite well. The supporting cast is stellar with Sir Laurence Olivier leading the way. Fans of the Dr. Who television series get to see actor Tom Baker in an excellent portrayal of Gregory Rasputin. Even though just about anyone who studied history knows about the eventual fate of the Romanovs, the film is very informative and entertaining.

Rating:
Summary: ohhh the history, drama, passion....and it's true
Review: Everything in Russia is on such a grand scale: her politics, history, armies, geography, religion, and pagentry. This movie presents it all in epic splendor. I met this beautiful woman, and for our first date I rented this video. I asked her if she'd like to go to Russia and actually see the sights portrayed in the movie. She said yes, so we got married two weeks later and went!

Rating:
Summary: Interesting Historical Drama.
Review: Franklin J. Shaffner makes a very good film about the last czar of Russia. Though this movie may seem depressing, it's an interesting study of how the Czar and his monarchy collaped. Most notibly, Sir Laurence Olivier performance as Rasputin in a supporting role. But this movie belongs to Michael Jayston and Janet Suzman as the doomed titleists with great performances. Recommended for those not familiar with the story, though others may be inclined to read the book.

Rating:
Summary: This a great movie!
Review: I am a huge Romanov fan, and found this to be the best movie about the Romanovs. It is in story form, nort biographical. The story of the last Romanovs is a very touching and interesting one. Experience the lives of Nicholas, Alexandra, Olga, Tatiana, Maria, Anastasia, and the heir, Alexi through this movie. The only thing I did not like about this DVD was, correct me if I'm wrong, that there were no bonus features. However, overall this movie is historically accurate and just a great movie!

Rating:
Summary: This a great movie!
Review: I am a huge Romanov fan, and found this to be the best movie about the Romanovs. It is in story form, nort biographical. The story of the last Romanovs is a very touching and interesting one. Experience the lives of Nicholas, Alexandra, Olga, Tatiana, Maria, Anastasia, and the heir, Alexi through this movie. The only thing I did not like about this DVD was, correct me if I'm wrong, that there were no bonus features. However, overall this movie is historically accurate and just a great movie!

Rating:
Summary: The best historical film ever made!
Review: I am in my first year at college and studying history, this is where i first saw "Nicholas and Alexandra." My tutor assures me this is the best historical film ever made, but i dont need telling twice! Even if your not into history, war, romance you would have to be mad not to love it! It has supprisingly little inaccuracies for such great entertainment! The best piece of acting i have ever seen i think is Janet Suzmans Portrayal of the Tsarina of Russia and all the scenes between her and Michael Jayston are hypnotic to watch, im a very fussy film watcher so when i see a film I like its a treat. Although as a warning i must say if your not up on history and are not aware of the ending to the Romanov empire be prepared for tears!

Rating:
Summary: AWESOME!
Review: I first saw this spectacular film in 1989 and taped it two years later. I was always deeply impressed with the fact that Michael Jayston was a dead ringer for Nicholas and Irene Worth a dead ringer for the Dowager Empress. Janet Suzman resembles Alexandra to a degree and Fiona Fullerton passed very well as the couples' most famous child, Anastasia. I was very impressed with the details and the opulence of the palace sets, but felt they were slightly out of sync when they depicted Stolypin's assassination (1911), Alexis' most critical hemophiliac bleeding episode(1912), and the Tercentenary of the Romanov Dynasty (1913). I have noticed that ever since the outbreak of post-communist-era wars in the Balkans, the brief footage of Franz Ferndinand's assassination has been edited, and I'm glad that my copy of this film includes it. The details of the Imperial Family's life mirror the details of Robert K. Massey's bestselling biography to a degree. But where book and film part company is over the depiction of the family's arrival in Ekaterinberg, and the audience is spared the full details of the violence of their executions although that final scene is overpowering enough. I definitely commend Olivier's portrayal of Count Witte and the homage paid to this official whose advice could have saved the dynasty had it been heeded. All in all this is one of my all time favorite movies and it should be shown in history classes.

Rating:
Summary: Interesting rewarding Russian history film
Review: I first watched this movie last year in my English class. We had just read ANIMAL FARM and were watching this as a companion to the Russian Revolution story. This video was long, but well worth it, at least for me. It's not for everybody. I would say that this story of the Czar Nicholas II be watched after perhaps a brush-up on the Russian history, as it is a fairly confusing story. The movie tells the real-life story of the last Russian czar, the last of the Romanovs, and his wife, Alexandra, and their family toubles. Their son, Alexis, has a blood disease transferred by interbreeding, our teacher said. This led to Alexandra searching for help, finding it in the monk Rasputin. The story follows about twenty years of Russian history. It is a long story, but a rewarding one. Unfortunately, it is very depressing, and the ending is a long one, as it is just a wait for the inevitable. The movie is a basicly depressing film, I found. The Russian citizens were put through a lot, this movie seems, while the Czar is more occupied with his son than the country ! I am rather interested in the subject, as it keeps popping up over the years. The Anastasia debacle was big several years ago, and there is also a controversy of whether the Romanovs were extermined so many years ago, or were saved. Whether or not, this can be seen as a history film or just a good drama. Janet Suzman and Michael Jayston have good performances.