Such Huge inaccuracies in movies, its scary!

[Rompe]

So many movies have so many inaccuracies in so many ways, but some of them are just so "out of realism", they get to the point of being just hillarious.

 

IE: The movie "Nero: The Decline of the Empire", where Hans Matheson plays Nero from Rai Radiotelevisione Italiana (Same company that did "Augustus")....they have Caligula being Emperor for around 12 years! Quite the stretch from his real reign of 37-41 and he gets murdered by being taken to a brothel.

 

I have seen a part of one movie in passing (only watched it for around 10 minutes since it was so bad around 2 yrs ago) where the Colosseum was built and getting used before the Flavian Dynasty was even in existance. Think they had it where Nero was the one who finished the Colosseum and enjoyed the Games well before his death.

 

What are your favourite major blunders in movies that just are not inaccurate, but so far stretched it can cause someone to just roll their eyes and wonder how anyone could ever come up with anything so far fetched.

[Klingan]

Got two of them;

 

Spartacus (2004) - Got to love the scene in the end when Caesar declare that Pompey and Crassus are to be co-consuls.

 

Cyclops - there just isn't one thing right in this film.

[Kosmo]

The last scene in Gladiator when the emperor and a former general fight in the arena like gladiators for the rule over the Empire.

[Gaius Paulinus Maximus]

What about Alexander, starring Colin Farrell?

 

Never knew the all conquering Macedonian hero was infact Irish with a liking for extremley bad Abba look a like wigs! This film is pretty bad from start to finish.

[Lanista]

I liked Alexander - I think it's much maligned and often judged too harshly. I've got all the different "cuts" and each one offers a different perspective and I think the "Final" cut is by far the best.

 

Of course, it's not a perfect movie - Colin Farrell tried so hard but somehow just didn't seem right. I've seen a documentary about what the bloke put himself through to perfect the role - it went beyond mere physical training and delved right into the psycological. He went through the wringer for sure and the work he did deserved more success.

 

On the accents: I totally got that and though I'm a huge minority and thought it was a genius stroke. Using what would be considered by some as a more parochial accent to portray the Macedonians and using precise Shakespearean tones for the more cultured (effete?) Greeks, Stone cleverly illustrated the differences in the two cultures without having to use masses of exposition.

 

On accuracy: Robin Lane Smith was happy enough to put his name to it and offer up several commentaries (which on epically long movies like these took some doing). Now there are some hideous examples of inaccuracy (Empire, though I love it, was really terrible), but Alexander made a good fist of it within the bounds of dramatic requirements, I thought. It's never going to be 100% right for a variety of reasons that have been discussed on here many times.

 

As I say, the most jaring thing about the movie was Colin Farrell himself: I kept wishing that Jared Leto had been the lead - he seemed to have more the look about him. Farrell, if you think, would have been a fantastic Phillip. Or Kleitus the Black. Or Ptolemy even. Every time I rewatch the movie, I will him to fit better...but I though I hate to say it because I so admired what he did for the role, I just think he wasn't right for the role.

 

Try watching one of the cuts again with a less historically critical eye and you'll find much to enjoy. Not least of all Angelina Jolie, who I could watch all day!

 

Cheers

 

Russ

[Emperor Goblinus]

Check out the video game Spartan: Total Warrior. In order to save Sparta from the Roman Empire under Tiberius, a nameless Spartan must wander around Turkey battling Beowulf and his Danes in order to retrieve the Spear of Achilles, and then save Athens from Sejanus' black magic and zombie armies.

[Kosmo]

Check out the video game Spartan: Total Warrior. In order to save Sparta from the Roman Empire under Tiberius, a nameless Spartan must wander around Turkey battling Beowulf and his Danes in order to retrieve the Spear of Achilles, and then save Athens from Sejanus' black magic and zombie armies.

 

Truly amazing! I thought that you made this up so I goggled the game and checked it myself. This is the absolute winner!

[Centurion-Macro]

Check out the video game Spartan: Total Warrior. In order to save Sparta from the Roman Empire under Tiberius, a nameless Spartan must wander around Turkey battling Beowulf and his Danes in order to retrieve the Spear of Achilles, and then save Athens from Sejanus' black magic and zombie armies.

Yeah I played the game all I could think was...that is truly insane. For the first thing Sparta was under siege so how did he get a battalion of Spartans out through the Romans. Also it is 300bc and in one mission you have to fight in the Colloseum...which had not been built yet. You also fight against Tiberius, who is not even born yet?! there is not even an Empire yet as it is still a Republic. Not to mention the fact that the Centurions are about 5 times the size of normal men and the recruits are the size of little kids.

[DecimusCaesar]

I still think that the Gerard Butler film, Attila the Hun (2001) is one of the most inaccurate depictions of the ancient world I've ever seen. As for Alexander, if you ignore the bad wigs, in terms of appearance (not story or characters) it's one of the most accurate depictions of the ancient world. The sets, costumes and weaponry of the Macedonians are far above any other I've seen on film. I remember some of the film props were put on display at the British Museum for their Persian Exhibition in 2005.

[Northern Neil]

On the accents: I totally got that and though I'm a huge minority and thought it was a genius stroke. Using what would be considered by some as a more parochial accent to portray the Macedonians and using precise Shakespearean tones for the more cultured (effete?) Greeks, Stone cleverly illustrated the differences in the two cultures without having to use masses of exposition.

 

Absolutely spot on.

 

Regarding accent generally, a lot of criticism goes out to ancient/medieval films where the actors speak in American accents. Given that neither American nor UK English is correct, and how embarrassing Mel Gibson's attempts to produce a film using 'correct' language were, maybe this old chestnut can be dispensed with.

[JGolomb]

From Times Online

August 4, 2009

The 10 most historically inaccurate movies

 

Interesting look at some terrific films:

http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol...icle6738785.ece

 

#3 on the list is 10,000 B.C. which my kids and I enjoyed for the pure spectacle, but it was a little tough to get pas the Wolly Mammoths helping to build the pyramids. And basically everything that was supposed to be in 10,000 B.C.

 

#8 is Gladiator which I know this group will enjoy. Here's what it says:

Joaquin Phoenix

[Rompe]

Speaking of inaccurasies (sorry for the spelling) in Alexander. I will quote one of my favourite people Craig Ferguson (Host of the Late Late Show in Amerika). He talks about (quite often) how a Scottsman or an Englishman somehow works their way into every one of these films. Not that I have ANYTHING against them mind you =). It is the same in Troy (with Brad Pitt). They did not even speak English let alone come from areas of the world speaking English that have these kinds of accents! Ever since Craig mentioned this, I look for it in almost every movie, and sure enough! I normally find at least one or 2.

 

Of course I am not counting movies where there ARE supposed to be people with those accents in them

[Centurion-Macro]

I thought that Gladiator was quite good...

[Kosmo]

Interestingly enough, 3 of the top 6 are Mel Gibson movies!

 

I think Mel Gibson it's psychopathic sadist that makes extremely cruel movie scenes under the guise of telling history.

[Northern Neil]

I thought that Gladiator was quite good...

I agree. If one looks past the historical inaccuracies it is a good adventure yarn set in a period we all like.

As for Mel Gibson... He is prepared to bend or alter any historical fact he can in order to thumb his nose either at Jewish or English people. He is indeed an unpleasent character.