The Tudors:
The Complete Season Three
“The
lavish costume drama The Tudors
continues for a third season with the
marvellous Emmy and Golden Globe
winner Jonathan Rhys Meyers as the
obsessive and lusty King Henry VIII...”
ONE OF THE MOST TURBULENT TIMES in English history, King Henry VIII's
reign was beset with treachery and violence as the desperate monarch set himself
apart from the Church of Rome and divorced his wife, Catherine of Aragon, in
order to marry Anne Boleyn. It is the perfect plot for the well-paced television
series The Tudors.
Having given birth to a daughter, Elizabeth, rather than the son and heir Henry
(Jonathan Rhys Meyers: Match Point, Mission: Impossible III) needs, Anne
sees her husband's passion wane as she is cast aside, accused of adultery and
treason and executed to make way for Jane Seymour (Annabelle Wallis: Body
Of Lies). Season Three of The Tudors begins in London's Chapel Royal
in 1536 where Henry, now the Supreme Head of the Church of England, marries
Jane.
But happiness still eludes him. The break from Rome, the dissolution of the
monasteries and ransacking of churches — which has added many millions
of pounds to the King's coffers and many acres of prime land to the Crown —
causes dissent among the commoners, with large numbers preparing to fight for
what they love. Catholics want the right to choose and practice their religion,
but Henry sends his army to quell the revolt and a dreadful retribution is carried
out.
Although Queen Jane is a supporter of the Catholic Faith and is instrumental
in bringing the staunchly Catholic Mary, daughter of Henry and Catherine of
Aragon, and the young Elizabeth — both of whom have been declared illegitimate
— to Court, even she does not have much influence with the King.
Angry with Secretary Thomas Cromwell, whom he blames for
the slightest problem, and condemning his subjects for turning against him,
Henry is given to frequent outbursts of uncontrollable rage, perhaps
exacerbated by the unbearable pain he suffers from an
old wound.
The birth of Henry and Jane's son, Edward, is soon followed by the death of
the Queen from complications during childbirth and Cromwell searches for a new
queen who will bring with her the alliances necessary to stave off a Catholic
invasion. He presents Anne of Cleves (multi-award winning singer Joss Stone
in her very commendable debut television acting role) whom Henry finds bitterly
disappointing.
The power-hungry plotters seek the king's favour and the self-serving Sir Frances
Bryan (wickedly played by Alan van Sprang) is among those who are plotting the
downfall of the seemingly-untouchable Cromwell. But as Henry becomes ever more
resentful, nobody is safe from his growing madness.
The Tudors: The Complete Third Season is a wonderful, visual story rich
with an albeit 'clean' sense of history to create an exciting, passionate, compulsive
and well-paced drama. There are scenes of both a sexual and a violent nature
and some female nudity.
The Tudors also features: Henry Cavill (Stardust, Tristan And Isolde);
James Frain; Gerard McSorley; Max von Sydow; Sarah Bolger; Max Brown; Charlotte
Salt; Kevin Doyle; Mark Hildreth; Simon Ward; Colm Wilkinson; Anthony Brophy;
Rod Hallett; Rebekah Wainwright as Catherine; Gavin O'Connor as Shrewsbury;
Jason Healy as Henry's Groom; Diamuid Noyes as Charlie Raw; Simon Coury as Dr
Frankish; David Ryan as Church Commissioner 1; Donal Courtney as Church Commissioner
2; Guy Carleton as Chamberlain; Steve Money as Blacksmith; Joanne King as Lady
Rochford; David Wilmot as Sir Ralph Ellerker; Denis Quilligan as Royal Surgeon;
Declan Conlon as Mendoza; Peter Gaynor as Holbein; Kate O'Toole as Lady Salisbury;
Jane Brennan as Lady Bryan; Emma Hamilton as Anne Stanhope; and Alistair Findlay
as the Mayor of London.
The drama is Created and Written by Michael Hirst, who is also an Executive
Producer; Costume Design by Joan Bergin; Music by Trevor Morris; Director of
Photography is Ousama Rawi, bsc, csc; Produced by John Weber and James Flynn;
and Directed by Ciarán Donnelly. Art Director is Colman Corish; and Period Music
Produced by Davied Fallis. Filmed at Ardmore Studios and on location in Ireland.
This spectacular, Emmy® Award-winning drama from Michael Hirst, creator of the
Academy Award winning Elizabeth and Elizabeth: The Golden Age,
recently aired on primetime BBC2 and is set to be released on DVD just in time
for Christmas.
• Plotting and passion abound in this lavish
account of one of the most turbulent reigns in English history and, returning
for a third sexy and sensational series, The Tudors: The Complete Third Season
is released to buy on Blu-ray and DVD on 7 December, (2009), courtesy of Sony
Pictures Home Entertainment. RRP: DVD £29.99; Blu-Ray £39.99 | Running Time:
396 Minutes.
The three-disc box set contains all eight episodes from the Third Season and
Bonus materials include Featurettes On Set With The Tudors and Soul Queen Meets
Tudor King: Joss Stone as Anne Of Cleves. Also included is an Exclusive Tour
of Hampton Court.
Season 3 will also be available to buy as part of The Tudors 1-3 (9 discs)
DVD box set (£49.99), which contains every episode of the pulse-racing
historical drama. A right royal treat for fans this Christmas.
"The Tudors: The Complete Third Season is a wonderful, visual story rich
with an albeit 'clean' sense of history to create an exciting, passionate, compulsive
and well-paced drama" — Maggie Woods, MotorBar
