Historical stories not covered enough by Hollywood
- Thread starter crookeddy
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Sink the Bismark would be a great idea for a remake. Another idea, to go back into the history of the Hood would be the Invergordon Mutiny http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Invergordon_Mutiny
I'm a huge fan of the old Hollywood historical/biblical epic. Quo Vadis, Ben-Hur and The Robe are some of my favorite films.
That said, an adaptation of The Anabasis by Xenophon supplemented with material from Plutarch's life of Artaxerxes would be great.
10,000 Greek mercenaries stuck many miles from home in the middle of the Persian Empire trying to get home while under constant attack. Hell, it's action, adventure and exploration all rolled into one. Perfect material for a big bloated Hollywood budget.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anabasis_(Xenophon)
It would also be great to see a couple of films about the First and Second Punic Wars. Although historians don't have everything they would like, there is still a good deal of material to be mined in The Histories by Polybius and the Ab Urbe Condita by Livy for a couple of films about the Roman wars against the forces of Carthage led by Hamilcar and Hannibal Barca.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Histories_(Polybius)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ab_Urbe_Condita_(book)
That said, an adaptation of The Anabasis by Xenophon supplemented with material from Plutarch's life of Artaxerxes would be great.
10,000 Greek mercenaries stuck many miles from home in the middle of the Persian Empire trying to get home while under constant attack. Hell, it's action, adventure and exploration all rolled into one. Perfect material for a big bloated Hollywood budget.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anabasis_(Xenophon)
It would also be great to see a couple of films about the First and Second Punic Wars. Although historians don't have everything they would like, there is still a good deal of material to be mined in The Histories by Polybius and the Ab Urbe Condita by Livy for a couple of films about the Roman wars against the forces of Carthage led by Hamilcar and Hannibal Barca.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Histories_(Polybius)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ab_Urbe_Condita_(book)
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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
Meh. I'd prefer a more straight forward dramatization.
But then, I'm not a fan of musicals.
I for one would love to see Republican Britain on the big screen. Perhaps a big epic set during the Interregnum. (And it would be fascinating to see how Cromwell would be cast...)
Or the Byzantium Empire.
Or the Byzantium Empire.
I agree. Hannibal is one of the most fascinating figures in history. Not to mention Fabius Maximus Cunctator and Cornelius Scipio Africanus.
I saw The Devil's Whore with Micheal Fassbender and John Simm about that era, and it was very interesting.
Another great period of history that I'm surprised hasn't been touched yet, unless China has already made at least one that we just don't have access to, would be a movie chronicling the building of the Great Wall of China. It's just ripe for a good movie. You have the tensions between the different parts of China and the band of invaders that made them decide to start building a wall to repell them. You have the answers to why they built it already in place, which in itself make a great story with lots of action, but then you add the fact that it took many years and ended up becoming a wonder of the world. Simply epic. There's a great story to be had there.
The one thing I really liked about Mongol, the movie about Genghis Kahn, was how they used native actors which helped preserve the authenticity. Too much of the time when something like this is made, they use actors of different nationality, which to me takes away from it, so if something like this is ever made, I'd like to see them use native actors. For it to work, it would likely have to be a co-production with many countries.
The one thing I really liked about Mongol, the movie about Genghis Kahn, was how they used native actors which helped preserve the authenticity. Too much of the time when something like this is made, they use actors of different nationality, which to me takes away from it, so if something like this is ever made, I'd like to see them use native actors. For it to work, it would likely have to be a co-production with many countries.
John Wayne was better.
if you want to talk about historical figures who are seven kinds of crazy and eleven kinds of awesome, can we have a film of Mad Jack Churchill, please? guy fought in WW2 and went into battle with a bow and arrows and a goddamn sword. got posted to the Far East in 1945 and arrived at the war's end. promptly complained that without the 'damn yanks' the war could've lasted another 10 years.
if you want to talk about historical figures who are seven kinds of crazy and eleven kinds of awesome, can we have a film of Mad Jack Churchill, please? guy fought in WW2 and went into battle with a bow and arrows and a goddamn sword. got posted to the Far East in 1945 and arrived at the war's end. promptly complained that without the 'damn yanks' the war could've lasted another 10 years.
Or a film depicting the Battle off Samar.
Jack Palance — best Mongol ever!
[yt]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KIwu5DLGrwI[/yt]
Late to the party as usual!
Mmm, I was remended of Lorenzo's Oil, was that a success or not? (I have no idea and can't be arsed looking it up).
I think there's a great story in this, I just haven't quite figured out what it is.
The Russian airship CCCP-B6 was going to fly to the North Pole but crashed under mysterious circumstances. And couple it to the stroy of Arctic airship explorer Umberto Nobile and his vessel Italia.
http://www.moninoaviation.com/g7.html
http://90north.tripod.com/italiacrash1.htm
And a serious look at Cecil Rhodes could be worthwhile too. Empire builder, philanthopist, colossal douche, it's all there.
Wow, I've never heard that story, it's pretty interesting!
Mmm, I was remended of Lorenzo's Oil, was that a success or not? (I have no idea and can't be arsed looking it up).
Long as it had plenty 'splosions, and the Argentinians looked like Russians or chinese, it'd fly.
As others have said, there's heaps, including J'Accuse and All Quiet On The Western Front, a film so powerful in its time it was banned in Germany, Italy, Australia and France - on both sides of WW1 and WW2.
Cool idea, as we know so little about it. Might be problematical as the politics were so... uhh... Byzantine.
I think there's a great story in this, I just haven't quite figured out what it is.
The Russian airship CCCP-B6 was going to fly to the North Pole but crashed under mysterious circumstances. And couple it to the stroy of Arctic airship explorer Umberto Nobile and his vessel Italia.
http://www.moninoaviation.com/g7.html
http://90north.tripod.com/italiacrash1.htm
And a serious look at Cecil Rhodes could be worthwhile too. Empire builder, philanthopist, colossal douche, it's all there.
^^ The story of Umberto Nobile and the airship Italia was done fairly well in The Red Tent (1969).
Tell me about it!
I love Napoleonic history and the Age of Sail so this issue comes up for me quite often. More often than not we are talking about an English language work so we get the English perspective so they are "the good guys" as you say. But then when you consider real history, democracy/republicanism versus totalitarianism/monarchy, plus the fact I'm Polish and France was fighting against the three powers which had Partitioned Poland... I usually end up rooting for both sides
Now, compare that to the movie Enemy At The Gates where I'm rooting for everyone on screen to die... and they do!
The British have had a Constituional Monarchy since ~1688
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glorious_Revolution
then their is the Bill of Rights
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_of_Rights_1689
and of course the Magna Carta of 1215
Which limit the role of the Monarch, with powers belonging more and more to Parliament.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glorious_Revolution
then their is the Bill of Rights
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_of_Rights_1689
and of course the Magna Carta of 1215
Which limit the role of the Monarch, with powers belonging more and more to Parliament.
I don't recall many War of 1812 movies. Maybe it's not historical enough but I would love to see one.
As far as American history is concerned, the Tulsa Race Riot would make an interesting film, and certainly deserves some attention, as no one seems to even know that it happened.
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