The Duchess DVD Giveaway!

A young noblewoman marries into one of Britain’s most powerful families and becomes the toast of London in The Duchess, arriving on DVD and Blu-ray fashionably timed for the new year and holiday entertainment on December 28th from Paramount Home Entertainment.  Keira Knightley (Atonement, Pride and Prejudice, Pirates of the Caribbean), Ralph Fiennes (In Bruges, the Harry Potter series, The Constant Gardener) and Dominic Cooper (Mamma Mia!) star in the true story of the Duchess of Devonshire and “Empress of Fashion” who must face an agonizing choice between responsibility and love.  Captivating audiences and critics alike with its gripping and passionate tale of a young woman and direct ancestor to Princess Diana who became a fashion icon, a devoted mother, a voice for the common man and an unforgettable symbol of glamour for the ages, “The Duchess is feisty, cool, and scandalous” (Richard Schickle, Time).  Showcasing rich and in-depth special features, The Duchess will be available for the suggested retail priced of $19.99 U.S./$24.99 Canada on DVD and on Blu-ray for $29.99 U.S./$36.99 Canada.

One of history’s most beguiling leading ladies, Georgiana Spencer (Keira Knightley) was married at 17 to the wealthy and influential William Cavendish (Ralph Fiennes), the fifth Duke of Devonshire — and into a lavish world filled with shocking deceptions, decadent scandals and stifling demands of duty.   As Duchess of Devonshire, she first indulged her considerable energy in high society — outshining most of the aristocratic men around her with her incredible wit — only to become one of the most impassioned political voices in all of 18th century Britain.   Beloved by a nation but betrayed by her husband, Georgiana’s charisma, political savvy and distinct flair for  fashion would make her the “It Girl” of her era… but a chance for personal happiness would remain elusive until she dares to discover love on her own terms.

* (2005): Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role – Pride & Prejudice
** (1996): Best Actor in a Leading Role – The English Patient; (1993): Best Actor in a Supporting Role – Schindler’s List

The Duchess DVD is presented in widescreen enhanced for 16:9 TVs with Dolby Digital English, French and Spanish 5.1 Surround and English, French and Spanish subtitles. Total run time is 109 minutes.  The Duchess on Blu-ray is presented in 1080p High Definition English 5.1 Dolby True HD with French 5.1 Dolby Digital and Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital Surround, and English, English SDH, French, Spanish and Portuguese subtitles.  Total runtime is 109 minutes.  Lavish bonus features on the DVD and Hi-Def features on Blu-ray include:

•    How Far She Went…Making the Duchess – A fascinating documentary featurette explores the life of Georgiana Spencer Cavendish and the era that she came to define.

•    Georgiana In Her Own Words – Amanda Foreman, author of the award-winning biography Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire, and producer Gabrielle Tana hold a roundtable discussion at the archive of Chatsworth House—home of Georgiana and her family—reviewing letters, diary entries and artifacts that helped shape the historical landscape of Foreman’s biography, the inspiration for The Duchess.    •    Costume Diary – A darling of high society and a fashion trendsetter, the Duchess was well known for her extravagant wardrobe. Costume designer Michael O’Connor talks about creating the outlandish and beautiful costumes that would become some of the film’s most flamboyant characters.
•    Theatrical Trailers

You can read the review at my movie reviews partner website Movie Room Reviews and buy THE DUCHESS at store everywhere and at Amazon.

I HAPPEN TO  HAVE ONE COPY OF THE DUCHESS TO GIVE AWAY!  YEAH!

TO ENTER:  LEAVE A COMMENT TELLING ME YOUR FAVORITE HISTORICAL FICTION MOVIE. ( I LOVE TO GET MOVIE TIPS!)

FOR SECOND ENTRY: STUMBLE, TWITTER OR SUBSCRIBE AND LEAVE THE LINK IN A SEPERATE ENTRY!

THIS CONTEST WILL CLOSE AT MIDNIGHT ON JANUARY 11TH AND RANDOM.ORG WILL CHOOSE THE LUCKY WINNER!  GOOD LUCK EVERYONE! THANKS SO MUCH FOR VISITING AND KEEP COMING BACK!

Friday Book Into Movie

BOOK INTO MOVIE

I love Historical Books.    This movie based on The Duchess by Amanda Foreman comes to the theaters September 19th.  The movie stars Keira Knightly as Georgiana Spencer and Ralph Fiennes as William Cavendish, The Duke of Devonshire.    I haven’t read the book but the book and the movie are both on my list to read and watch.  Have any of you read this book?  Is it worth the time?  Here is a synopsis of the book.  Lady Georgiana Spencer was the great-great-great-great-aunt of Diana, Princess of Wales, and was nearly as famous in her day. In 1774 Georgiana achieved immediate celebrity by marrying William Cavendish, fifth duke of Devonshire, one of England’s richest and most influential aristocrats. She became the queen of fashionable society and founder of the most important political salon of her time. But Georgiana’s public success concealed an unhappy marriage, a gambling addiction, drinking, drug-taking, and rampant love affairs with the leading politicians of the day. With penetrating insight, Amanda Foreman reveals a fascinating woman whose struggle against her own weaknesses, whose great beauty and flamboyance, and whose determination to play a part in the affairs of the world make her a vibrant, astonishingly contemporary figure.