8-10 p.m.
Sunday-Monday, April 20-21
USA Network
The miniseries is officially an endangered species. No more than a handful were produced during the past television year, only a couple of those more than the standard two-night, four-hour jobs.
The reason for this near-extinction? The economy, stupid! But you already knew that. Short of multipronged international co-productions, the cost has simply become prohibitive when factored with the return on investment. So with USA Network's "Helen of Troy" (as with last week's "Napoleon" on A&E), we have the last of a breed: the multipart historical epic that's too big to be contained in a single night. And like "Napoleon", "Helen" scores more or less captivatingly.
Not that the two minis have all that much in common other than that they are larger-than-life tales of love and war. (Perhaps that's enough.) This one features evocative details and great costumes from designer Van Broughton Ramsey (think "Flashdance" with armor and sandals). And while this "Helen" breaks the cardinal contemporary rule by forgetting to have a sense of humor about itself, there is nonetheless plenty to admire about it. First and foremost, scribe/co-producer Ronni Kern paints a sweeping portrait with her words that's sufficient to make you want to come back for Night 2, even if many of the performances are on the rigid side.
It doesn't hurt that relative newcomer Sienna Guillory (she was in "The Time Machine" with Guy Pearce) makes an especially alluring Helen. She's all pouty, come-hither attitude and mischievous eyes, the kind of perpetually troubled lass who would be popping Prozac like they were Tums if this were the 21st century. Of course, it isn't. It's the era of togas and breastplates and a lone woman who had a Face That Launched a Thousand Ships. Just what that line means isn't entirely clear. I mean, is a face that launches something always a good thing?
Digression aside, director John Kent Harrison brings the tale of classic literature its requisite grandeur and scope, which isn't always easy when you've got people running around looking vaguely constipated. The tale is that of the war that's fought over the most beautiful woman in the world, Helen, who was born the illegitimate daughter of Zeus (who raped her mother). When your daddy is a Greek god, well, you just know things will never be completely normal. It makes you both flesh and blood but immortal, for one thing.
Helen grows up with this veil of shame surrounding her. She winds up marrying Menelaus (James Callis) against her will and then disgraces him when she has an affair with a hunky young prince, Paris (Matthew Marsden), whose reflection she once saw in a pond. The prince of Troy is Helen's destiny. And while the details always sound silly when described in a review, it flows together well enough and is even plausible in this literative context.
The length doesn't feel excessive here, and the actors all do their jobs with the proper veneer of consequence. There are no nudges and winks underneath the characterizations in this "Helen" that let us know we're watching this through the irony and cynicism of modern eyes. And in properly honoring the material, that's as it should be.
Helen of Troy
USA Network
Fuel Entertainment in association with USA Cable Entertainment
Credits:
Executive producer: Adam Shapiro
Producer: Ted Kurdyla
Co-producer/writer: Ronni Kern
Associate producer: Judith Craig Marlin
Director: John Kent Harrison
Director of photography: Edward J. Pei
Production designer: James Allen
Costume designer: Van Broughton Ramsey
Editor: Michael Ornstein
Music: Joel Goldsmith
Casting: Janet Hirshenson, Jane Jenkins, Dan Hubbard
Cast:
Helen: Sienna Guillory
Paris: Matthew Marsden
Agamemnon: Rufus Sewell
Theseus: Stellan Skarsgard
King Priam: John Rhys-Davies
Queen Hecubs: Maryam D'Abo
Cassandra: Emilia Fox
Menelaus: James Callis
Hector: Daniel Lapaine
Odysseus: Nigel Whitmey
Achilles: Joe Montana
Clytemnestra: Katie Blake
Pollux: Craig Kelly
Paris' Father: Manuel Caushi
Iphigenia: Kristina Paris
Atreus: Edward Mercieca...
Sunday-Monday, April 20-21
USA Network
The miniseries is officially an endangered species. No more than a handful were produced during the past television year, only a couple of those more than the standard two-night, four-hour jobs.
The reason for this near-extinction? The economy, stupid! But you already knew that. Short of multipronged international co-productions, the cost has simply become prohibitive when factored with the return on investment. So with USA Network's "Helen of Troy" (as with last week's "Napoleon" on A&E), we have the last of a breed: the multipart historical epic that's too big to be contained in a single night. And like "Napoleon", "Helen" scores more or less captivatingly.
Not that the two minis have all that much in common other than that they are larger-than-life tales of love and war. (Perhaps that's enough.) This one features evocative details and great costumes from designer Van Broughton Ramsey (think "Flashdance" with armor and sandals). And while this "Helen" breaks the cardinal contemporary rule by forgetting to have a sense of humor about itself, there is nonetheless plenty to admire about it. First and foremost, scribe/co-producer Ronni Kern paints a sweeping portrait with her words that's sufficient to make you want to come back for Night 2, even if many of the performances are on the rigid side.
It doesn't hurt that relative newcomer Sienna Guillory (she was in "The Time Machine" with Guy Pearce) makes an especially alluring Helen. She's all pouty, come-hither attitude and mischievous eyes, the kind of perpetually troubled lass who would be popping Prozac like they were Tums if this were the 21st century. Of course, it isn't. It's the era of togas and breastplates and a lone woman who had a Face That Launched a Thousand Ships. Just what that line means isn't entirely clear. I mean, is a face that launches something always a good thing?
Digression aside, director John Kent Harrison brings the tale of classic literature its requisite grandeur and scope, which isn't always easy when you've got people running around looking vaguely constipated. The tale is that of the war that's fought over the most beautiful woman in the world, Helen, who was born the illegitimate daughter of Zeus (who raped her mother). When your daddy is a Greek god, well, you just know things will never be completely normal. It makes you both flesh and blood but immortal, for one thing.
Helen grows up with this veil of shame surrounding her. She winds up marrying Menelaus (James Callis) against her will and then disgraces him when she has an affair with a hunky young prince, Paris (Matthew Marsden), whose reflection she once saw in a pond. The prince of Troy is Helen's destiny. And while the details always sound silly when described in a review, it flows together well enough and is even plausible in this literative context.
The length doesn't feel excessive here, and the actors all do their jobs with the proper veneer of consequence. There are no nudges and winks underneath the characterizations in this "Helen" that let us know we're watching this through the irony and cynicism of modern eyes. And in properly honoring the material, that's as it should be.
Helen of Troy
USA Network
Fuel Entertainment in association with USA Cable Entertainment
Credits:
Executive producer: Adam Shapiro
Producer: Ted Kurdyla
Co-producer/writer: Ronni Kern
Associate producer: Judith Craig Marlin
Director: John Kent Harrison
Director of photography: Edward J. Pei
Production designer: James Allen
Costume designer: Van Broughton Ramsey
Editor: Michael Ornstein
Music: Joel Goldsmith
Casting: Janet Hirshenson, Jane Jenkins, Dan Hubbard
Cast:
Helen: Sienna Guillory
Paris: Matthew Marsden
Agamemnon: Rufus Sewell
Theseus: Stellan Skarsgard
King Priam: John Rhys-Davies
Queen Hecubs: Maryam D'Abo
Cassandra: Emilia Fox
Menelaus: James Callis
Hector: Daniel Lapaine
Odysseus: Nigel Whitmey
Achilles: Joe Montana
Clytemnestra: Katie Blake
Pollux: Craig Kelly
Paris' Father: Manuel Caushi
Iphigenia: Kristina Paris
Atreus: Edward Mercieca...
- 4/17/2003
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.