Game of Thrones: Season 1 [DVD] [2011] [2012]

Here it is then. the long awaited television interpretation of the first part of George R.R. Martin's epic fantasy series. This show will affect you in different ways depending largely upon two possible scenarios, 1. you have read the book(s) beforehand, or 2. you haven't.If you have read the books then you will have the added advantage of going into this series with some serious background knowledge, which, given the expanse of Martin's literature, can only be a good thing. It is good (as a fan of the books) to see the characters portrayed on screen by, what can only be described as, an excellent cast. My personal favourites are Sean Bean (fellow Yorkshireman like myself) who plays Lord Eddard Stark, the proud, strong and brave (if not a bit stubborn and old-fashioned) Lord of Winterfell, the icy kingdom of the north. And, Peter Dinklage, who gives, as ever, a wonderful performance as Tyrion of House Lannister, a noble-born dwarf cursed by the hatred of his proud father but blessed with an unmatchable wit and intelligence.The story is relatively straightforward insofar that nothing groundbreakingly orignal happens. Martin's fantasy literature is about believability and realism; it is completely unlike Tolkien in that way (I don't like to compare the two authors, but most people seem to be doing so lately). Whereas Tolkien favoured Orcs, Goblins, castles and wizards, Martin prefers the medieval touch, dealing with knights, lords and priests. The story is very intricate and may leave you slightly unfulfilled at the end of the series, but, bear in mind this is only the first part of seven.One good thing, as a fan of the books, is that Martin had a very close hand in the production of this series which means very little tinkering has been done. If you compare it to The Pillars of the Earth for example, parts of the tv series didn't even come close to representing what happened in the book leaving hardcore fans a little bewildered, and not a little irritated. Martin's books though are so jam-packed with plot and character building that there really isn't much room for artistic license for the directors. They have a lot of story to get through, and only 10 episodes to do it in!!If you have never read Martin before then, what can you expect? Well, it is fantasy first and foremost (like I said earlier, with a medieval twang). Without spoiling or giving anything away the main plot is basically this: the continent of Westeros, ruled by king Robert Baratheon, falls into turmoil amidst a hungry power struggle between the realms nobles and knights. Expect a lot of plot twists and cliffhangers at the end of each episode. A quick word of warning to any of those sensitive souls out there as well, this series contains graphic bloody violence, nudity (tactful), swearing and some scenes of a sexual nature. It certainly IS NOT for kids (like Lord of the Rings etc.).Overall then I will sum up for you in some quick bullet points:+ George R.R. Martin's literary masterpiece brought to life+ great cast+ wonderfully made, no corners have been cut, everything looks imacculate and professional+ entertaining plot, good twists, beautiful ladies, handsome men, fighting, loving, laughing, crying (really, something for everybody here)+ hour-episodes mean for a great amount of entertainment for your money- series 1 deals with book 1 of 7, if you get into this now, don't expect to see the ultimate conclusion for at least another 10-15 years (the last two books haven't even been written yet)- a little cliched in parts (I really didn't get this impression from the book though)I would highly recommend people to take the time to see this series and get into the number 1 fantasy series of the modern era. I would also recommend that you buy and read the books. Thank you for reading.(Thank you to everyone who found my review useful. I hope you are enjoying GOT!)

Game of Thrones is the television adaptation of A Game of Thrones (A Song of Ice and Fire) by George R.R. Martin. It is the best fantasy show so far produced for television. The first part of George Martin's epic saga is told with stunning visual appeal. It delivers incredibly memorable and rounded characters in an entirely believable setting. The acting is absolutely first rate and the plot is just incredible. Game of Thrones is a must see for all fantasy fans and for those who are not so closely associated with the genre, this is still television of the very highest order and as a drama is utterly gripping throughout. It is not at all necessary to have read the books in advance as the narrative unfolds excellently.What makes Game of Thrones work so well is the superb characterisation. The characterisation of Game of Thrones makes so many of the inhabitants of Westeros vivid and memorable. Too often in the fantasy genre, the characters fail to hold attention but in this television adaptation it is entirely a character based event. There are action sequences but this is a very dialogue heavy series that really builds the personalities of those involved. Cliches are few and far between and as the season develops so too do the people. These characters are not simple or one dimensional yet not once does any character act in a way that suspends disbelief. It is an unbelievable piece of writing to maintain disbelief throughout for each of the characters. Few, if any television series have achieved such heights.It helps the characters that they are so well acted. The closest to a lead character in Game of Thrones is Lord Stark played by Sean Bean. It is a gritty performance that hits right at the heart of the sentiment Stark's group of characters represent. The northerners all have northern English accents and the traditional values of northern England are readily apparent throughout. Sheffield-born Sean Bean is right on the mark. Lord Stark has unflinching moral values, he is strong and determined, and he knows his place in society. The scene in which Stark executes a deserter is a fascinating display of the complexity between right and wrong.The other Starks are all excellently played. In particular it is a piece of excellent design to have one of Stark's retinue field a distinctly different regional accent from northern England. The subtlety of that distinction only becomes apparent when the narrative describes Greyjoy as being of a different family. Stark's bastard son Snow played by Kit Harrington is fascinating. He is clearly built in the same mould as the other Starks but the naked hatred his step-mother feels towards him speaks to the trouble he has found to make his place in society. Snow is a truly excellent character and his growth during his time with the Night Watch is terrific.The Night Watch is the one part of the show that feels as though it is building something for the future rather than existing in this presentation. The conflict with terrifying monsters provides latent dread throughout the series in part because the conflict appears to be inevitable - "Winter is Coming". The characters of the Night Watch are great. The fat kid Samwell (as opposed to the fat Hobbit Samwise) playd by John Bradley is comedy gold, advancing the characterisation of others including Snow in part through his humour.Where Game of Thrones really begins to make its mark as the greatest fantasy television show is once the action moves south to the capital, Kings Landing. At Kings Landing the brilliance of the drama really unfolds as the Starks and the Lannisters scheme and fight in drama of the highest order. This is not just fantasy, it is television with all the hallmarks of great mainstream drama - tension, ruthless ambition, high stakes, and fine dialogue.The scheming and friction between the Lannisters and the Starks is real greatness. Queen Cercei is a stunning performance from Lena Headey. She is strong, determined, and utterly ruthless. Her repost to Lord Stark in discussion about killing enemies has terrific timing. Cercei appears cold and somewhat detached but the relationship she has with King Robert is brilliant in saying so much more about her than the words she speaks.Of all the Lannisters and probably of all the characters in Game of Thrones, the one that captures the imagination most vividly is probably Tyrion Lannister. Peter Dinklage's performance is by far the greatest performance from a dwarf that this reviewer has ever seen. Tyrion is full of wit and wisdom. His interaction with Snow as a couple of high-born outsiders is terrific. Tyrion is utterly charming and is the most engaging character on display. The scenes he features in at the Eerie are all magnificent. If Game of Thrones only had Tyrion as a feature it would still have been an exceptional show.The large ensemble cast also includes a number of child actors. They are uniformly excellent. Occasionally in popular fantasy, child actors are terrible. Every single one of the children puts in a believable performance. Joffrey is particularly glorious. Jack Gleeson's performance as something of a brat with too much power is wonderfully cruel. The moment when Joffrey looks to his mother Cercei as Stark speaks the words Joffrey wants to hear is a special piece of television.Of the many minor characters in the large ensemble, the most intriguing is Baelish played by Aiden Gillen. Gillen is probably best known for his great performance as Carcetti in The Wire. In Baelish, Gillen again finds himself cast as an ambitious politico whose main desire is power. Baelish seems to be the main brothel house owner in Kings Landing and as such picks up all sorts of interesting information. His rapid-fire banter with eunuch Varys is great dialogue and creates a lot of the best comedy moments in the series.That Baelish is a brothel owner is entirely in keeping with the moral code of Game of Thrones. This is not the prudish modern day but a violent and often cruel dark ages society. Game of Thrones features many soft sex scenes including the occasional bout of incest. It also contains several barbarous scenes of violence which has led to it taking a place in mainstream American thought as being a metaphor for ultra violence. It is of course nowhere near ultra violence but this is not a film aimed at young children.Nothing can be perfect even in such a high quality production. The naming conventions used are distracting and some of the names seem to be overly careless in their construction. Lannister is clearly a reference to Lancaster and with the Starks being Yorkies, the background of the War of the Roses seems to be a deliberate part of the plot. With that real world inference, it is hard to reconcile the names Jaime and Tyrion. The pair of names seem out of place alongside each other - Jaime being a very modern sounding name and Tyrion being a name associated with the Norse god who is the origin of the word Tuesday. Tyrion also happens to be a notable character in another fantasy realm. There are other examples but these are the most glaring where some deeper meaning might be evident but on the surface, the names used seem careless and out of place in such a terrific work.The use of Britain as a basis for the world of Game of Thrones adds to the realism. The use of the word Westeros takes a bit of time to get used to for anyone familiar with that part of Ross and Cromarty. The use of a wall along pretty much the same parallel as that constructed by Hadrian is amusing as it seems to have been constructed for somewhat similar reasons as the real wall. It was a bit of a surprise not to hear the inhabitants from north of the wall carry Scottish accents.One strange issue with the casting is the number of people with obviously dyed hair. It does not really make sense to have so many with un-natural hair colouring. The Lannisters are apparently fair-haired yet with the clear exception of the excellent Charles Dance, they are not naturally fair haired. It makes the casting seem a little odd on occasion.One band with strangely dyed hair works a little better in the form of the Targaryen heirs of the mad king Aeyrs. There is something strange about Viserys and his sister Daenerys so their unusual looks work very well. This pair do not really interact with the main cast at all during Game of Thrones which is a very interesting storytelling technique. Instead their own story is told in parallel with that of the main denizens of Westeros. Viserys is a nasty character who exploits his sister Vaenerys. The conclusion to Viserys's tale is extremely satisfying.Vaenerys is played by Emilia Clarke and she features in many of the sex scenes alongside her barbarian husband Khal Drogo. Vaenerys probably goes through the greatest character development in the series as she turns from being exploited by Viserys to standing tall in a startling scene to close out the series. The relationship between Vaenerys and Drogo is the closest that Game of Thrones comes to romance. It might not seem as such to start with but there is a tenderness between the pair that is entirely lacking between pretty much every other romantically linked couple.Drogo and his barbarian horde are very well designed especially with the language created by David Peterson. The language contains elements of Arabic and Turkic so plays into the concept of the horde from the east. Of all such real life hordes the Dothraki seem closest to the Huns.The Dothraki are never seen in their full glory as their story is mainly the story of the Targaryans. Indeed there are very few pitched battles on screen. This does create a bit of a difficulty for disbelief when Charles Dance speaks in his battle tent before and after a conflict yet without the action sequences in between giving enough reason for the viewer to feel as though the tide has really turned despite the words being spoken. Without the scenes of victories the series does lack positivity as in the main terrible things happen often without a positive battle sequence to compensate.There are though some brilliant smaller fight sequences. In particular the brief battle between The Hound and The Mountain is an exercise of raw physicality. These two huge men decked out in plate mail and swinging double handed swords overhand make for a very visually impressive sight. Equally the rapier style fight sequence featuring Syrio Forel is high quality choreography. The character of Syrio seems to owe a lot of influence to the legendary Inigo Montoya from The Princess Bride. This character though is somewhat more flexible and the fight scene is an almost balletic display of grace.For all the great characters and excellent dialogue and plot lines, the film would not have the same feel without such awe-inspiring sets and costumes. The costumes are of excellent design making visual recognition of characters and their place in the various factions easy to identify. The sets are excellent and really build the feel of the world superbly with the cold beyond the wall contrasting so well with the almost arid surrounds of the Dothraki.Such a great series deserved great DVD Extras and they are very good. The Extra drawing attention to the opening sequence is especially enjoyable. The opening sequence is absolutely excellent and helps to position the people and places without the show's dialogue needing to spell out the detail. The graphics in the opening sequence are of the highest order. Unfortunately they aren't accompanied by great music and by far the weakest performance of Game of Thrones comes from Ramin Djawadi. The music just is not impactful and despite the intro music featuring the greatest of the classical instruments in the form of the cello, it is not at all epic.The other Extras are also good. The talking heads are good though the Extras do repeat a little too often. The Night Watch Extra is excellent if not especially enlightening for anyone who has been paying attention. The sequences describing the construction of the Dothraki language is top class. The only quibble with the DVD is the lack of scene selection options for those of us lucky enough to have purchased the pre-scratched final disc.As a television series, Game of Thrones is one of the best around. It is easily the finest fantasy series offered through television. With magnificent characters, utterly superb acting, and a great plot it is a series that everyone should watch.

Great Christmas present. My dad loved it.

Greatest show series of all time! :)

Ha costado justo la mitad de lo que cuesta en España y con los mismos idiomas incluyendo el castellano. Es una serie muy bien hecha, con actores no muy conocidos pero que se están convirtiendo en carismáticos. En definitiva la relación calidad/precio es de 10.

Leider war der Artikel nicht in Deutscher Sprache auch nicht mit Untertitel und deswegen muss ich es leider gestern zurückschicken.

It will not run on an American DVR. It apparently is for an European machine. Don't know why it would be sent out if they knew it wouldn't work.