Nicholas & Alexandra hosted by Jack Perkins

[KentKim]

Ok, i'm a big fan of PBS, and Masterpiece Theater. I started watching a few years ago and got hooked.

Of course i saw "Bertie and Elizabeth", and the "Lost Prince" and thought them both great, though i didn't particulately like the portrayal of the Tsar Nicholas II and Alexandra in the Lost Prince.

Anyways, i think if PBS's masterpiece theater could, they should make a "Nicholas and Alexandra." They wouldn't be concerned about time limits, as their series The Forsyte Saga lasted a good 8 hrs, and my interest in it never waned.

They have a reputation for quality programing, and i really think a new version of Nicholas and Alexandra needs to be made. The old one, well in my opinion isn't that great, and that's being kind. There are some great documentaries out their, but a book and a story like "Nicholas and Alexandra" deserves to be told properly.

[Glebb]

Wouldn't that be a dream come true?
I would love it.

[Johnny]

That is of course if there will be a PBS to do it. You have probably heard that once again the House and the Senate are debating whether there should be any public funding for NPR, NEA, etc., at all.

As it is, every American pays a mere $1.20 cents per person in taxes for public support of cultural and news programs. Apparently the Feds think that the money is better used for perhaps another bomb (although I think a single bomb costs more than the entire country's  whole year's tax contribution towards arts, etc...) to be dropped on some helpless and luckless population somewhere in the third world.

I beg all US citizens to contact their representatives and ask them to vote against the cuts.
I live in Berlin now and know that even considering all the recent cuts in German public funding for arts there is still more money spent on the 3 opera houses in the city of Berlin alone than the entire money that the US Federal Government spends on arts in the 50 states together. It's just ridiculous

[Robert_Hall]

Most of the programming on Masterpiece Theatre comes from Britain. They already did  FALL OF EAGLES years ago [now on dvd]. N&A were covered in that. Besides, as mentioned, who would pay for it ?

[Glebb]

BBC is presently working on a tv movie about the premiere of Ninjinsky's Le Sacre du Printemps.  Adam Garcia is playing Nijinsky.
The Finnish National Ballet will be performing the ballet (reconstructed by Millicent Hodson and Kenneth Archer.)  I watched rehearsals last week when I was in Helsinki.  Too bad they could not use the Joffrey Ballet.  I was in the 87 Joffrey premiere of the reconstruction.

I would still love to see a BBC N&A. Fall of Eagles was long ago and there really seems to be an audience for this.

[carkuczyn]

on the A&E video  titled "Nicholas and Alexandra"  there is choral music that plays over and over throughout the film.  does anyone know what these songs are?  

[TheAce1918]

No, but now that you mention it, I'm going on the lookout for this film!    Was it like a very emotional piece?  

[Princess_Olishka]

It's a documentary, starting from Nicholas and Alexandra's engagement to their burial. I really did like this documentary. In some parts there is actual footage of the Imperial Family, and other scenes include parts from a black-and-white movie, like the execution. I find the execution scene's music very exciting, and when it shows their burial there is some sad music.

[carkuczyn]

To one and all:  This video can be purchased at amazon.com.  It is the best documentary I have seen on the Romanovs so far.  Very emotional because of all the family footage.

[Yoyo22]

I just watched that video last Sunday. I made the tape almost ten years ago when they aired the program when the "Anastasia" cartoon came out. Miraculously it still works fine even though I haven't watched it in years.

The coral music played through most of the program is from the "Romeo & Juliet" ballet by Prokofiev. Great, Romantic classical music.

I just watched "Last of the Czars" (also taped) and I much prefer the A&E version. Both have great old video footage but there was one footage on the A&E program that absolutely captivated me, and whose existence I have basically forgotten until I watched it on Sunday. The whole IF is walking down the steps of a wooden, outdoors staircase. It must be during the war since Alexei looks rather grown and is wearing his kakhi, corporal uniform. Nii, AF and Alexei are walking in front and the GD's are following behind. The girls were kind of like pushing each other, losing their balance a bit but smiling at each other. It was short but I just found it incredibly touching to see the girls alive and happy, teasing each other and just having fun together like sisters all over the world do.
Yoyo

[Holly]

Wow. I really want to get this now! 

[clockworkgirl21]

I saw it at my library, but didn't get it because all movies you borrow are due back in two days, and I don't live very close. I'm sure I'll pick it up now!

[Holly]

Ok, I finally got a copy of this film as well as many others thanks to a very generous AP member. 

This is probably one of the best documentaries on the Romanovs, I really loved it. But, I think Last Of the Czars is my favorite. It's more in-depth and has more home videos.  Which are my most favorite thing. Also, the National Geographic film on them is very very good.

[tatianolishka_1]

Any chance that A&E will re-air it sometime soon? It would be awesome to see it.

[Sarushka]

I would expect A&E to air it again...someday. They do repeat titles in their Biography series from time to time. In the meantime, it looks like you can get a used copy on DVD or VHS from amazon for a pretty reasonable price.

DVD
http://www.amazon.com/Nicholas-Alexandra-E-Home-Video/dp/B000K11N46/sr=1-2/qid=1166233908/ref=pd_bbs_sr_2/104-4306997-2405548?ie=UTF8&s=dvd

VHS
http://www.amazon.com/Nicholas-Alexandra-Hosted-Jack-Perkins/dp/6303477194/sr=1-2/qid=1166233999/ref=pd_bbs_sr_2/104-4306997-2405548?ie=UTF8&s=video