Elizabeth: The Golden Age (12A)

This is an epic movie without a sense of gravitas - events slide across the screen but I rarely felt any empathy or involvement. Walter Raleigh appears as a salty old sea dog devoid of culture - not the aristocrat who said, "Better were it to be unborn than to be ill-bred." The location shots are superbly atmospheric whilst Elizabeth's exquisite wardrobe provides a regally enduring reason to see the movie its just not enough to lift the film out of its picture book feel - but evenso a picture book worth flipping through - and don't miss Philip II's spider walk - classic.

This is an epic movie without a sense of gravitas - events slide across the screen but I rarely felt any empathy or involvement. Walter Raleigh appears as a salty old sea dog devoid of culture - not the aristocrat who said, "Better were it to be unborn than to be ill-bred." The location shots are superbly atmospheric whilst Elizabeth's exquisite wardrobe provides a regally enduring reason to see the movie its just not enough to lift the film out of its picture book feel - but evenso a picture book worth flipping through - and don't miss Philip II's spider walk - classic.

Just as I expected, this film is a precious gift of the current transit of the strong Jupiter in Sagittarius. The story is too well known to repeat it here, and I can only say - watch it and give your eyes and heart true cinematographic pleasure. Cate Blanchett is the right actress for this role, even after Bette Davis and Helen Mirren. In the film, which is quite accurate historically, with those royal processions and views of the Cambridge King’s Chapel, the authors included the line of the court astrologer John Dee who advised the Queen throughout her reign. Unfortunately, the medieval master is shown too uncertain about his science, which is rather unconvincing, given his skills and fame. For instance, Elizabeth comes to him prior the battle with Spanish to consult whether she would win, and John Dee says something about his doubts, etc. Believe me, be he so weak in his art, he would not be granted his privileges in the XVI century. Even with my modest skills, I can assure you that Elizabeth, with her Saturn in 7th house having dignity in the ascendent, was bound to be a winner, whatever endeavour she pursued. Girolamo Cardano, in his aphorism on nativities, says the following: “Infortunes peregrine in the seventh house, having dominions in the ascendent, denote the deaths of the native’s wives or enemies�. Here is the Elizabeth's chart to confirm the aphorism: In fact, it was very silly of Spanish to attack the queen with such a chart. Very ignorant. But the other side of this constellation is, indeed, solitude. It can be caused by death of a partner, by a very old partner, by a partner who is cold, adverse, stubborn, etc. One can speculate about her virginity or lovers, but this Saturn is never joyful in partnership. For instance, in her teens Elizabeth had a “tender friendship� (whatever it was) with Thomas Seymour, 1st Baron Seymour of Sudeley, who was 25 years older – the plain manifestation of Saturn in 7th house. This dual constellation deprives of happiness in any kind of relationship – and as a consequence develops strength close to invincibility. As she says in the film, “God gave me strength to bear my freedom�. I know this myself. I too have Saturn in 7th. http://vlivina.blogspot.com/2007/11/elizabeth-golden-age.html