Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		2.5
Overall		4.0

The White Queen Blu-ray Movie Review

Blu royalty or royal pain?

Reviewed by Martin Liebman February 2, 2014

As if there was any doubt that modern spins on mid-millennia history are the hot properties going on cable television today, The White Queen ought to seal the deal. Airwaves have been absolutely inundated with, and fans have been enthralled by, a number of series that set their stories on the way, way back of history. The Borgias preached sin, sex, and corruption in the Catholic church of many centuries ago. Da Vinci's Demons explores one of history's most famous inventors and artists, backed by a healthy helping of sex and violence. Author Ken Follett has seen two of his massive historical novels -- The Pillars of the Earth and World Without End -- repurposed into two hugely successful miniseries. That's not even to mention the huge success of Spartacus, obviously set long before any of these other programs, that helped shape the formative genre in terms of the large amounts of sex and violence audiences would accept. The White Queen is much more of the same. Based on a series of novels by Author Philippa Gregory, the series tells the story of warring English houses and a marriage that brought further strife to the divided nation, complete with the requisite sex, violence, politicking, nefarious deeds, and unthinkable twists and turns that have all made the genre a fan favorite in recent years.

The suitor, the king.

The year is 1464. England's infamous "War of the Roses" has been waging for several years, pitting two of the nation's most powerful houses -- the Lancasters and the Yorks -- one against another for control of the throne. York Edward IV (Max Irons) has forcibly removed his cousin, Henry VI, from power. Meanwhile, young Elizabeth (Rebecca Ferguson), her family allied with the Lancasters, meets Edward while en route to beg that her property be returned to her, property taken when her father fell in battle in opposition to the new king. Edward immediately falls for the young beauty and the two ultimately wed in a semi-private ceremony. Elizabeth's arrival upsets the balance of power within Edward's inner circle and could ultimately spell doom for his fragile position of strength on the throne and in the land.

In many ways, The White Queen merely retells the age-old stories of war and hate, mistrust and conniving, love and lust, and royal marriage and the ensuing political and familial strife. Thematically, there's almost nothing new. Yet The White Queen manages to feel fresh, anyway, perhaps not quite so fresh as something a bit more novel but there's an unmistakable air of confidence in the material and expert production design that propels the series to loftier heights. As it is, and even considering the baggage of recycled dramatic content, the show impresses with its attention to some detail (the series' sometimes loose play with history is well chronicled elsewhere and better left to an individual more properly versed in this specific era and these specific people) and the way it produces a fairly gripping multi-character narrative, a success in large part because of both the basic current of historical truth behind the saga and the generally rock-solid performances from the leads. Rebecca Ferguson dazzles in the lead, early emitting a perfect combination of commoner and blossoming royalty and evolving with a pitch-perfect sense of character beyond episode one. Her supporting cast is terrific, most falling into part and finding a center between recreating a difficult past and carrying over a hint of modern sensibilities to suit today's audiences and expectations.

It's the series' women who dominate. As is often the case with the history of warring factions, power-mad rulers, and deep-seeded personal conflict, it's those behind the curtains, away from the battlefield, in the arms of the leading men who shape the course of history, who guide the front-and-center key players to victory or, at least, to their own bidding, nefarious or sincere. The series' female leads eat up the material; the political scheming, personal manipulating, and all of the other dirty little secrets make the series' juiciest morsels, again never much flirting with anything truly original but playing these same old cards about as well as any series before it. The contrasts between the beautiful exteriors and the much more conniving interiors makes for solid dramatic content that's supported by a suite of strong technical attributes that elevate the series to near the top of the modern adult historical drama landscape. There's a welcome fluidity to the show that's often lost on somewhat more stale and static series and an endless film-like quality about The White Queen in terms of its scope and production values. It's an oftentimes enchanting experience, a visual feast for the eyes while playing on the base emotions and intrigue that the series so expertly weaves through the ten-episode arc.

The White Queen Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The White Queen's high definition transfer satisfies across the board. Anchor Bay's 1.78:1-framed transfer provides a clean, appealing surface. Details are very well defined. The HD video texture never veers too closely to the dreaded "glossy" territory but instead manages a series of rather natural, nearly film-like details, noticeable particularly on close-ups of faces, armor, and period clothing. Backgrounds -- stone walls, dirt terrains, vegetation -- also enjoy high end clarity and accuracy. Colors are even and nicely pronounced. There are plenty of colder, gray-dominant moments, but bright shades sparkle when showcased in more natural, well-lit locations, notably exterior greenery, red lips, and other more noticeably prominent color elements. Black levels never fall astray, and flesh tones appear just on the pale side of normal. The image never registers more than intermittent blip of banding and other unwanted intrusions. Overall, a job well done by Anchor Bay.

The White Queen Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The White Queen arrives on Blu-ray with a high quality Dolby TrueHD 5.1 lossless soundtrack. The presentation proves beautifully balanced across all critical elements. Musical definition, clarity, and stage presence rank highly. Score soars with dramatic notes and plays with more subtle supportive music with equal attention to detail, yielding precise instrument clarity and a natural enveloping feel. Ambient effects are many and well-defined, from gusty winds to gentle woodland atmospherics. The sounds of battle fill the stage with prominent near fighting and more distant combat alike. Dialogue plays accurately and evenly from the center. The variety of elements all come together to form a high end and entertaining sound presentation that brings the show's world to strikingly realistic life.

The White Queen Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

The White Queen contains a hodgepodge of brief supplements.

• The Making of The White Queen (HD, 3:24): A look at the series' scope, filming locations, production design, and more.
• Series Overview (HD, 4:27): A brief piece in which the cast covers the plot basics, including conflict and characters.
• Book to Series (HD, 4:15): Author Philippa Gregory and the series' cast and crew discuss the process of translating the book's story and structure to the screen. It also takes another brief look at the characters, the series' physical appearance, and more.
• The History Behind The White Queen (HD, 3:37): A short look at the true life history of the "War of the Roses."
• The White Queen: Set Tour (HD, 3:59): Production Designer Martin John guides viewers through some of the basics around the various sets.
• Queen Elizabeth (HD, 3:02): An Elizabeth character profile.
• King Edward IV (HD, 2:36): Another focused character profile.
• The Heir Apparent (HD, 1:32): A look at the importance of bearing a son in the era.
• Women in a Man's World (HD, 1:47): A short examination of the series' gender themes.
• Conjuring Up The White Queen (HD, 1:57): A brief glimpse into the place of magic and the supernatural in the series.
• Dressing the Queen (HD, 2:37): Costume Designer Nic Ede takes viewers on an inside tour of his workspace and studies the series' costuming and the way colors define certain characters, traits, or allied groups.
• UV Digital Copy.

The White Queen Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

The White Queen brings nothing much new to the table, yet it's a highly successful endeavor nonetheless. The characterization and acting are superb, the filmmaking fresh and fluid, and the drama suitably enticing, even as it merely rearranges the same core elements that comprise most of these adult-centric modern historical series. Fans of this sort of material will likely find in The White Queen another journey well worth exploring and even those tiring of this time period and style might find the fresh coat of paint and polish enough to cover up the well-beaten path. Anchor Bay's Blu-ray release of The White Queen features standout video and audio. Supplements are many but rather sparse in meaty content. Recommended.