Greatest Costume Dramas vol. 1 & 2 (10 disc)

Collection of five period dramas. In 'Elizabeth' (1998), it is 1554, and England is ruled by the fervently Catholic Queen Mary (Kathy Burke), whose persecution of Protestants even extends to her own half-sister, Elizabeth (Cate Blanchett). When Mary dies, Elizabeth succeeds to the throne, but finds her country under threat from the Scots, French and Spanish. Although conducting an affair with Robert Dudley, the Earl of Leicester (Joseph Fiennes), Elizabeth is urged by her advisors to wed and produce an heir. Meanwhile, plots against her are being hatched by the Catholic bishops, and Elizabeth soon becomes the target of an assassination attempt. In 'A Room with a View' (1986), at the turn of the century, Lucy Honeychurch (Helena Bonham-Carter) has her passions stirred by young George Emerson (Julian Sands) while on holiday in Italy. On her return to Surrey she tries to put George behind her, but becomes increasingly disillusioned with her dull fiance, Cecil (Daniel Day-Lewis). In 'Sense and Sensibility' (1995), Emma Thompson stars in and provides the screenplay for this adaptation of Jane Austen's classic novel. Thompson plays Elinor, the eldest of sisters who are reduced in means when their father dies and his estate passes on to his son from his first marriage. They are soon accepted into their new society, each finding romance, but with some pain along the way. In 'The Age of Innocence' (1993), Martin Scorsese's adaptation of Edith Wharton's scathing account of the tribal customs of the 19th century New York elite, Newland Archer (Day-Lewis) is betrothed to the demure May Welland (Winona Ryder), a sensible girl who befits his respectable social position. But when May's cousin, the beautiful and sophisticated Countess Olenska (Michelle Pfeiffer), returns from a scandalous divorce in Europe, she provokes a passionate and uncontrollable love in Newland. With his reputation in the balance, Newland must now choose between following his heart or conforming to social convention. Finally, in 'The Remains of the Day' (1993), Stevens (Anthony Hopkins) is the perfect English butler, a man who has spent the best part of his working life in service at Darlington Hall. Housekeeper Miss Kenton (Thompson) also works at Darlington, and as the days pass, she and Stevens develop a close feeling for each other. Meanwhile, as the Second World War approaches, Lord Darlington (James Fox)'s wish to avert catastrophe leads him to become involved with the Nazis.

volume 2 Collection of period dramas. In 'Atonement' (2007), on the hottest day of the summer of 1935, thirteen-year-old Briony Tallis (Saoirse Ronan) sees her older sister Cecilia (Keira Knightley) strip off her clothes and plunge into the fountain in the garden of their country house. Watching Cecilia is their housekeeper's son Robbie Turner (James McAvoy), a childhood friend who, along with Briony's sister, has recently graduated from Cambridge. By the end of that day the lives of all three have been changed forever. Robbie and Cecilia have crossed a boundary they had never before dared to approach and have become victims of the younger girl's scheming imagination - and Briony has committed a dreadful crime, the guilt for which will colour her entire life. Romola Garai and Vanessa Redgrave co-star as Briony as she grows older. In 'Elizabeth: The Golden Age' (2007), Elizabeth I (Cate Blanchett) has to contend with the rising power of Spain as Philip II (Jordi Molla) readies an armada for invasion, intent on returning England to Catholic influence. While her trusty servant Sir Francis Walsingham (Geoffrey Rush) works tirelessly to protect her from numerous plots, Elizabeth discovers she has a potential weakness in her fondness for Sir Walter Raleigh (Clive Owen). In 'Shakespeare in Love' (1998), it's late 16th Century London, and the theatre's most promising young playwright Will Shakespeare (Joseph Fiennes) is suffering from writer's block. Rose Theatre owner Philip Henslowe (Geoffrey Rush) is desperate that Will's new play - tentatively entitled 'Romeo and Ethel the Pirate's Daughter' - be finished, whilst a new cast member, Thomas Kent, is equally eager to make his stage debut. Kent has a secret however: 'he' is actually Viola De Lesseps (Gwyneth Paltrow), merchant's daughter and fiancee of Lord Wessex (Colin Firth). Adopting a disguise to enter a trade forbidden to women, matters become complicated when Will falls for her in her more conventional garb. It may take the intervention of Queen Elizabeth (Judi Dench) herself to make sure the course of true love runs smoothly and that the show goes on. In 'Vanity Fair' (2004), with society growing rich on the wealth generated by an expanding empire, Becky Sharp (Reese Witherspoon) is the ambitious daughter of a poor family, who will let nothing stand in her way in her attempt to climb the social ladder. Taking a position as nanny to the children of Sir Pitt Crawley (Bob Hoskins), Becky insinuates her way into the family's favours and into London society, eventually marrying Crawley's eldest son Rawdon (James Purefoy). When Rawdon proves to be a gambler and a drunkard, Becky wastes no time in approaching the influential Marquis of Steyne (Gabriel Byrne) in the hope that he will help advance her position. But can Becky keep climbing the social ladder forever? Finally, in 'Pride and Prejudice' (2005), when wealthy Mr Bingley (Simon Woods) and his friend, the dashing Mr Darcy (Matthew MacFadyen) arrive in a small Hertfordshire town, Mrs Bennett (Brenda Blethyn) sees it as the perfect opportunity to marry off her eligible daughters. But when Elizabeth Bennett (Knightley) meets Mr Darcy, their equally headstrong natures get in the way of true love.