Vince McMahon’s XFL was supposed to be like the NFL, but flashier. This Henry the 8th documentary is meant to be “extreme” or “on steroids” or “from hell” too. The camera pulls up quickly to a character and freezes. Images fade to X-ray-like negatives. On a “proper” British subject, this work lacks stodgy British scholars. Those interviewed are all Americans. The titles of their books are emphasized over their academic institutions. One interviewee uses the B-word. This work was clearly glamorized to seduce Middle America into watching a documentary on a historical figure of which few in my nation would have interest.

Along these extravagant lines, the work was almost all cheesy reenactments, with very few paintings. The man playing Henry has the fakest beard I’ve ever seen.

It said Henry had an out-of-wedlock son (and you know what politically incorrect term the work used for the child). What happened to him? It says Henry separated Catherine from Mary. So who raised Mary? When the documentary refers to “madness,” it speaks of Henry’s despotism, vindictiveness, and bloodthirst. However, I heard he may have suffered from syphilis, thus creating his madness and shaky fertility, but that doesn’t come up here.

Foucaultians could have a field day on this work. The common people loved Catherine and defended her. Power thus circulated from the bottom up. The work showed that the women and men around Henry were just as scheming and egomaniacal as he.

Watching this did make me feel icky. Henry was sooo nasty. He’s a horrific leader such as Joseph Stalin, Pol Pot, or Idi Amin.

Excellent and informative film. Puts a lot of emphasis on the kings “Great Matter.” I would recommend as a research tool. Good for classrooms if you are studying Early Modern English history. I highly recommend. This is not your average boring documentary.

This is a brilliant piece of documented work. The costumes and backgrounds were stunning. I’ve seen different movies depicting Henry, and (WHAT I’ve read) they never depict the real King that he was. Most movie versions of his life depict him as a a type of lovavle bulldog. As if he was nothing more then a grumpy uncle. That depiction resembles a half truth about Henry the 8th. In real life he was ruthless, a bully, and by the end of his life insane with power. This is a wonderful dvd. I don’t know why it matters who was interviewed, like other reviewers have rambled on about. Whether from England or USA, both sides have had to pick a book up to learn their, and other nation’s history. Who cares!

Personally, I’ve watched this dvd several times. This tops my favs. along with the History Channel’s “The French Revolution” (both French and American historians were interviewed…hope no one finds out )