Absolutely lousy film-making technique

Rating: 1/10 (14 October 2007)

I just watched this film and it must have been done by rank amateurs. What a comedy of errors.
In fully half the movie you see the boom microphone dangling. In one scene you see the entire boom and mike.
How could this happen? Surely it was noticed by the editors. Did no one screen the dailies? Did the director lack the integrity to refilm the faulty scenes? Maybe the costume rental fees were too grand to reshoot.
Stylewise, the camera-work is pisspoor. We get one closeup of Elizabeth where the camera moves in an oval, dropping down toward her chest, then round back up to start. That kind of oval panning shot would get you a D in film school--why do it here? The camera quite often finds every little peek-a-boo hiding spot, and shoots through holes in lattices and other gaudy English architecture. Yeah, I GET IT--the queen wore a lot of lace, so the camera shoots the story as if through a doily.
It's through one of those lattices that we see the entire boom and mike, if you are foolish enough to pay to see this turkey. At least you'll know where to look...