I have always enjoyed British made movies and shows. My best friend and I would watch the BBC and rent historical theme movies such as Elizabeth, Six Wives of Henry VIII, Anne Boleyn and so many others. So when I heard that a period drama was being released in the US on DVD I had to review it for other BBC drama fans.

THE CRIMSON PETAL AND THE WHITE
North American DVD Debut on September 25, 2012
Winner of three Royal Television Society awards

Based on the sensational novel by Michel Faber; Featuring Romola Garai, Chris O’Dowd and Gillian Anderson
DVD release coincides with broadcast premiere on Encore

Silver Spring, MD — A new provocative period drama boasting a stellar cast and a boldly original look and feel, The Crimson Petal and the White makes its North American DVD debut from Acorn Media on September 25, 2012. Based on Michel Faber’s international bestseller, this BBC psychological thriller won three Royal Television Society awards and was nominated for five 2012 BAFTAs, including best miniseries and best actress.

The gripping drama follows the fortunes of Sugar (Romola Garai, The Hour, Atonement, Emma), an ambitious prostitute, as she navigates the dark underbelly of Victorian London in pursuit of a better life. The miniseries co-stars Chris O’Dowd (Bridesmaids, The IT Crowd, and Judd Apatow’s upcoming film This is 40), Gillian Anderson (Bleak House, The X-Files), Amanda Hale (Bright Star), Shirley Henderson (Harry Potter, Bridget Jones’s Diary), and Richard E. Grant (Gosford Park). The Crimson Petal and the White will launch Encore’s “The Big Miniseries Showcase” with its U.S. broadcast premiere on Sept. 10th and 11th. The DVD 2-disc set includes four episodes as well as deleted scenes and interviews with the director, cast and crew.

The Plot:

Enter a Victorian England you’ve never seen: gritty, dark, and unsettling – a place where violence and madness lurked everywhere. Romola Garai stars as Sugar, a sexually adept, ambitious, and clever prostitute, who casts a spell on William Rackham (Chris O’Dowd), feckless heir to a perfume business and husband to a wife slipping slowly into insanity. As their lives intertwine, events are set in motion that will change them forever.

Garai is “electric” (The Telegraph Magazine), O’Dowd “a revelation” (The Daily Telegraph), and Amanda Hale “brilliant” (The Times) as Rackham’s wife, Agnes. With Gillian Anderson as monstrous madam Mrs. Castaway and Richard E. Grant as creepy Dr. Curlew, “this striking Gothic melodrama…[is] lurid in the best sense” (The Scotsman).

My Thoughts:
From the very first disc of this 4 part series I was riveted. The set is amazing and you really get a sense that you are in Victorian England. The class difference is shown remarkably well and it actually is pretty creepy watching the characters go through the streets. I always expected something would happen while they were just walking. Parts of this DVD are intense.

The characters are complex and while you don’t want to like them, I actually found myself kind of liking Sugar, who is a bit of a danger for this man. She is intelligent and a several steps above a common streetwalker LOL Intellectually, she is a great match for William who is starving for affection and normalcy in his home since his wife is slowly going off the deep end. Sugar soon realizes that William can really be a way for her to get out of the brothel and into a real home.

As the story evolves, William and Sugar develop their relationship and Sugar moves into the family home to care for the child. Only bad news can come from this, in my opinion, and you are holding your breath just waiting for what will happen with this story.

I ended up watching these DVDS in one afternoon because I kept wanting to see what would happen next. Now I want more! If you enjoy a intense drama storyline in period England, you would enjoy these DVDs and this storyline. All of the characters are awesome and this is extremely well played. Treat yourself to Crimson Petal and the White and get taken back in time.

Bonus: Deleted scenes (11 min.); interviews with Romola Garai and Chris O’Dowd, director Marc Munden, and key crew members (20 min.); and character biographies.

Disclaimer: Chris has personally reviewed the product listed above. She has not received any monetary compensation for her review but did receive a free product to try out so she could evaluate and use it for her review. Her thoughts & opinions in this review are unbiased & honest and your opinions may differ.