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Name Your Own Roman Epic

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Well technically the wall wasn't built to be defended in that manner. It was essentially just a large deterrent meant to funnel border traffic through specific well guarded points. However, I do agree that it would be a worthy subject for a film.

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Semi permeable membrane or filter would perhaps be a reasonable description of the wall-The Romans didnt want to exclude trade and other influence on their borders but they did wish to have fiscal control and to dominate any "external" relationship.As has been said elsewhere ,the Romans didnt care for maps only influence.

Edited by Pertinax

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How about a film about the life of Aurelian? His reign would be perfect for a film. I mean he in just five years he crushed two rival usurper kindoms and united the empire. His only repayment was his murder...

 

Here's what a pitch for the film could sound like:

 

-(spoken in a very deep voise) At a time when Rome was at its darkest moment, her empire crumbling at its sides, her emperors being desposed of at ever moment, it seemed like no-one would help the once mighty empire...enter Aurelian, the 'restor of the world'.

 

wouldn't it be great to see the war against Zenoba on the silver screen.

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I think a movie about Lepidus would be kinda fun. A movie that showed what kind of man he would have to be to be part of such a huge political alliance and have so little say in what happened.

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While a movie on Julian II the apostate would be great I'd also like a movie on Sertorius very much. Or a movie following very closely Caesar's own words on the gallic campaign... As long as the long version of the Lord of the Ring, with as nice territories but even much better battles !

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A movie on Lucius Cornelius Sulla would be my pick. I doubt that viewers would be very symptathetic, though; the man was ruthless. He wouldn't even qualify as an antihero. Antichrist, maybe. You could call it "No Better Friend, No Worse Enemy".

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A movie on Lucius Cornelius Sulla would be my pick. I doubt that viewers would be very symptathetic, though; the man was ruthless. He wouldn't even qualify as an antihero. Antichrist, maybe. You could call it "No Better Friend, No Worse Enemy".

 

I agree that would be a great film and a great title.

 

I doubt that viewers would be very symptathetic, though;

 

I don't know about that, if they used Colleen Mcullough's potrayal of Sulla in the "Masters of Rome" series then I think the viewers would warm to him, he was my favorite character in the first few books.

 

I'd also like to see a movie about Quintus Sertorius and his rebellion against Rome. Also a movie about the Catilline Conspiracy (probably with that as the title) would make good viewing too.

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A big budget film about Julian the Apostate would be worth a look. He is an intruiging person, and if they made a film of his life there would be plenty of drama, intrigue and big battles to keep the viewer interested.

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I'd like to see a film version of Apuleius' "Golden Ass" - as long as they don't get Eddy Murphy to provide the voice of Lucius the Ass.

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If I were making a Roman epic, I'd go for pure sensationalism, because that's where the money is.

 

The Vestal's Story (2008)

 

Just picture the coming attractions. The following blurb flashes up on the movie screen:

 

At the age of seven her parents sent her to serve the goddess -- and spend the next thirty years of her life as a virgin!

 

Cut to scene of a frightened little girl, looking up at the Pontifex Maximus as he intones: "I take you to be Amata..."

 

Another blurb flashes on the screen:

 

Breaking her vow of chastity would have fatal consequences -- but she was willing to risk it all for love!

 

Cut to scene of a teenage girl in Roman dress, shyly smiling at a young Roman noble seated at the chariot races near the box reserved for the Vestals. The young Roman noble smiles back, raising his eyebrows in interest. The Chief Vestal notices, and frowns with worry.

 

Next blurb flashes:

 

The most gripping and dramatic personal story of this decade, resurrected from the ashes of ancient Rome!

 

Cut to scene of the young Roman noble screaming as he's whipped to death; another scene of the young Vestal screaming and weeping and pounding her fists on the locked door from within a burial chamber: "Let me out!! Let me out!! I WANT TO LIVE!!!"

 

Box-office bonanza. Casting ideas, anybody?

 

-- Nephele

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Box-office bonanza. Casting ideas, anybody?

 

Audrey Hepburn--after "The Nun's Story," it's typecasting.

 

The Nun's Story was my inspiration! But Audrey (one of the greatest) is dead. x_x

 

Do we have any actresses today like her? I can't think of a single one. :lol:

 

-- Nephele

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Recently in the HBO Rome section, we were talking about how it's a shame no one is making a movie about Marius & Sulla. That got me to thinking. What if you had Ridley Scott's ear? What dramatic if overlooked moments in Roman History would YOU want to see made into a movie?

With Varro at Teutoberger Wald? With Titus Regulus deciding to return to Carthage and certain death? With Horatius at the Bridge?

 

The dramatic film I would make would be something on a smaller scale than many roman epics. I would portray a group of roman soldiers, along with an officer or two, wives, slaves, valuables, and follow their efforts to survive the germans and each other as they escape dire treatment in the Tuetoberg Forest. Plenty of scope for character interplay. Cowardice, courage, sacrifice, theft, honesty, lust, perhaps even a hint of very un-roman proclivities, and the ever present threat of discovery by german tribesmen, not to mention very dramatic fighting withdrawals. A group of concerned and frightened superstitious people having to make real decisions about their motives and survival. I would want edge of the seat stuff, some fights, scheming, dastrdly behaviour. If the audience isn't gripping the seat with white knuckles, Ridley is getting sacked.

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heh heh heh - "Gladiatrix" of course. There's even a trailer...

 

<shameless self-promotion>

 

 

</shameless self-promotion>

 

You know, there was a film in production very recently called "Amazon" - a Scarlet Johannsson (sp?) vehicle which was set around (I believe) the Boudican revolt. The story was familliar - Romans come and destroy peaceful tribes way of life, warrior girl plucked from obscurity to fight for the Roman mob. She probably ends up bringing down the empire/killing the emperor and so forth.

 

Johannsson left the project to do the Black Dhalia, and I've not heard much since.

 

That said, there have been a few Gladiatrix films, The Arena with Pam Grier is probably the best known and the best in quality (though that's not saying much). It's a Roger Corman effort, and it's a shame really because with a few more dollars thrown at it, it could have really punched above its weight. To be fair, it's dated quite well. Timur (Nightwatch/Daywatch) Bekmabetov remade it in 2001, and again, it wasn't an awful film. What really let it down was Bekmabetov's rubbish direction. The fight scenes were just awful. The Arena (2001) had the odd distinction of having two playboy girls star in it - and they do really well in the acting department. Indeed, they were quite vocal in their protestations when talking about the fighting. They really worked hard to make the scene as good as they could be, but Bekmabetov's style has just ruined any sort of spectacle at all.

 

Another low-budget one was "Amazons and Gladiators" that came out around the same time. It really sufferers from having Patric Bergin gurn his way through the movie. It's not greatly scripted at the best of times, but all the actors do the best they can with the material they've got, excpet Bergin who's acting like its all beneath him. OK, it is, but he really ruins the movie.

 

All shameless self-promotion aside, I really think that a well-handled Gladiatrix movie would be great. It would need careful handling, I reckon. As I type, I think that it might work better as a TV mini-series like the much-maligned Empire.

 

Russ

Edited by Lanista

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heh heh heh - "Gladiatrix" of course. There's even a trailer...

 

<shameless self-promotion>

 

 

</shameless self-promotion>

 

Hot stuff!

 

-- Nephele

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