Historical stories not covered enough by Hollywood

[Caliburn24]

I think part of the reason we don't get stuff about the Napoleonic era is that we can't really root for anybody wholeheartedly. As a fan of Hornblower, Aubrey, Sharpe etc I have a knee-jerk reaction and want to root for the British, but then I remember that they're basically fighting for an aristocratic monarchy against emerging democratic forces(albeit corrupted).

There are plenty of good stories to tell there, but they require a bit of historical knowledge and exposition that is difficult for modern blockbusters to squeeze in.

 

[Owain Taggart]

I think part of the reason we don't get stuff about the Napoleonic era is that we can't really root for anybody wholeheartedly. As a fan of Hornblower, Aubrey, Sharpe etc I have a knee-jerk reaction and want to root for the British, but then I remember that they're basically fighting for an aristocratic monarchy against emerging democratic forces(albeit corrupted).

Well, it's history all the same, and I think in that sense you don't always need to root for anybody. This kind of thing might be better done as a miniseries though. Hornblower did pretty well in covering that era and I'd love to see more. Perhaps as a miniseries, they could focus on each side, which would hold more appeal worldwide than something focusing on one side. The great war movies I remember are the ones that tell the story evenly from all sides

I'd also agree that more WWI coverage would be nice. As mentioned, most of it used as a backdrop rather than actual events surrounding the war. Well, there's Passchendaele, but that movie wasn't that great. Hollywood sure likes to make WWII movies, but there aren't enough movies about the actual going-ons of WWI. They could make a great movie focusing on WW1 pilots for example, and while we have Flyboys, I'd like to see something a little more in a serious vein the way in a similar tone to the many WWII movies. An epic that covers both ground fighting and air combat would be really nice.

 

[jefferiestubes8]

but there aren't enough movies about the actual going-ons of WWI.

All World War 1 Movies

WWI Movie Selection

The Very Best WWI Movies

and wikipedia's
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_World_War_I_films

 

[captcalhoun]

No one wants to see two countries fight over a piece of rock in the South Atlantic, not here at least.

fine, we'll make it our damn selves.

oh, and Grenada and Panama.

 

[Miss Chicken]

I want Roland Emmerich to make a movie about the Boston Molasses Disaster.

Have you read the book "Dark Tide"? It is an excellent book written about the Boston Molasses Disaster.

 

[MacLeod]

I think part of the reason we don't get stuff about the Napoleonic era is that we can't really root for anybody wholeheartedly. As a fan of Hornblower, Aubrey, Sharpe etc I have a knee-jerk reaction and want to root for the British, but then I remember that they're basically fighting for an aristocratic monarchy against emerging democratic forces(albeit corrupted).

Just want to point out that the British Parliament is considered the Mother of Parliaments. And the UK has a constitional Monarchy, the King/Queen is basically a figurehead, head of state, whilst the PM is the head of Government i.e they actually run the country. The Monarch's duties are largely cerimonal these days.

Lets not forgot Napleon invaded the likes of Russia etc..

 

[Gov Kodos]

I think part of the reason we don't get stuff about the Napoleonic era is that we can't really root for anybody wholeheartedly. As a fan of Hornblower, Aubrey, Sharpe etc I have a knee-jerk reaction and want to root for the British, but then I remember that they're basically fighting for an aristocratic monarchy against emerging democratic forces(albeit corrupted).

Just want to point out that the British Parliament is considered the Mother of Parliaments. And the UK has a constitional Monarchy, the King/Queen is basically a figurehead, head of state, whilst the PM is the head of Government i.e they actually run the country. The Monarch's duties are largely cerimonal these days.

Lets not forgot Napleon invaded the likes of Russia etc..

And at the time of Napoleon the King's powers were already heavily circumscribed by Parliament. The American colonies weren't dissatisfied with the form of government (they were happy stay) they wanted more say in the rules with their own Parliaments, or with representatives in the UK Parliament. Also, democratic forces within the UK were growing in a rapid and much more stable fashion than on the continent.

 

[JB2005]

I think part of the reason we don't get stuff about the Napoleonic era is that we can't really root for anybody wholeheartedly. As a fan of Hornblower, Aubrey, Sharpe etc I have a knee-jerk reaction and want to root for the British, but then I remember that they're basically fighting for an aristocratic monarchy against emerging democratic forces(albeit corrupted).

Just want to point out that the British Parliament is considered the Mother of Parliaments. And the UK has a constitional Monarchy, the King/Queen is basically a figurehead, head of state, whilst the PM is the head of Government i.e they actually run the country. The Monarch's duties are largely cerimonal these days.

Lets not forgot Napleon invaded the likes of Russia etc..

And at the time of Napoleon the King's powers were already heavily circumscribed by Parliament. The American colonies weren't dissatisfied with the form of government (they were happy stay) they wanted more say in the rules with their own Parliaments, or with representatives in the UK Parliament. Also, democratic forces within the UK were growing in a rapid and much more stable fashion than on the continent.

Of course it helped that by the time of Napoleon the King was well on the way to believing he was a small farm house in Lincolnshire

 

[Gov Kodos]

Of course it helped that by the time of Napoleon the King was well on the way to believing he was a small farm house in Lincolnshire

That too To recommend a movie, The Madness of King George is a great film. Nigel Hawthorne is fantastic to watch in the role of George III.

 

[JB2005]

I'd imagine he would be! I'll have to check that out!

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

Nigel Hawthorne is fantastic to watch in the role of George III.

So was Graham Chapman.

"Oh dear! I'm not supposed to go mad until 1800!"

 

[Satyrquaze]

It's more of a Holyrood production.

I'm here till Tuesday.

I kinda hate you right now.

 

[MHT1138]

Has anybody ever made a movie about the 1787 Constitutional Convention, outside of a documentary? How well that would go over with today's more action oriented auidence is anybody's guess, but I've always liked that story.

I for one am eagerly awaiting the Musical Extravaganza "1787" a musical along the lines of "1776" but a bit more modern, I hear Julie Taymor's producing

 

[Jetfire]

The Poe Toaster

 

[Crisp Conditions]

The Battle of Kursk. And, yeah, I'd prefer it make Saving Private Ryan look like The Sound of Music.

 

[Owain Taggart]

but there aren't enough movies about the actual going-ons of WWI.

All World War 1 Movies

WWI Movie Selection

The Very Best WWI Movies

and wikipedia's
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_World_War_I_films

That's still more or less a handful when you compare all of the WWII movies out there. Most of them in those lists are older movies, made in a time when filmmaking was a very different affair. That's not to make a judgement about their quality , but rather to point out that there's been quite some time since we've had one on those scales. There doesn't seem to be a concerted effort to make a good WWI epic in this modern day. And that Wikipedia list does have movies where it's mostly just used as a backdrop.

 

[Gov Kodos]

For WWI, I'd love a remake of Dawn Patrol. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Dawn_Patrol_(1938_film) I haven't seen the 1930 version with Douglas Fairbanks, though, but the Errol Flynn version was great.

 

[Yevetha]

The Manchurian Front in 1945, The Winter War, The Abessynian War.

 

[Spot's Meow]

I'm surprised to see so many requests for war stories. I can't think of any historical event I'd like to see on screen less. The world is hardly lacking in war movies.

 

[Gov Kodos]

A brutal part of the Korean War that I'd like to see on film would be the Jeju Uprising. It's quite horrific. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeju_Uprising