longbow Posted October 16, 2006 Report Share Posted October 16, 2006 The costumes were all round pretty good, with Romans in their lorica Segmentata, Imperial Type helmets and rectangualr scutum, although I did see some of the old props including some Montefortino helmets from Republican times in there as well. I think this was done purposely for historical accuracy as the legions were never uniformoly the same, there was allways a mix of equipment in use by the men,some old some new. The costumes have been this series only saving grace i feel,its good to see metal Cuirass's for a change instead of the usual yellow plastic ones the Beeb like to use for there historical drama's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gaius Octavius Posted October 16, 2006 Report Share Posted October 16, 2006 You Brits can't have all the fun. Recently, there was a show about Rome on the History (sic) or Discovery channel (in the U.S.), in which the first emperor of Rome was called 'Julius Augustus'! These alleged documentaries place a premium on playing with the camera, background noise and flashing. Spectacle takes priority over facts. That is what sells. The above blunder should have been caught before filming. The 'historians' who are salted into these whatevers should be ashamed of themselves. Don't they look at the work that they are associated with? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Primus Pilus Posted October 16, 2006 Report Share Posted October 16, 2006 Don't they look at the work that they are associated with? In general no. Most of them are interviewed in order to lend their expertise, and they may be given a working "production title" of the film, but have no idea its final incarnation. Blame the producers not the "experts" in most cases. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pertinax Posted October 16, 2006 Report Share Posted October 16, 2006 Don't they look at the work that they are associated with? In general no. Most of them are interviewed in order to lend their expertise, and they may be given a working "production title" of the film, but have no idea its final incarnation. Blame the producers not the "experts" in most cases. Interesting therefore that HBO had "an historical advisor" on the Directors lap (so to speak) throughout the whole of the shooting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spittle Posted October 16, 2006 Author Report Share Posted October 16, 2006 Jonathan Stamp was the historian on set during the making of HBO's ROME. If you listen to the audio commentaries he admits where mistakes have been made (such as with the Americas parrot species) and where poetic license was allowed for the sake of the story (When Pullo gets whipped in the first episode they admit that it would have been far worse in reality. "You could see through a man after a decent flogging" was the way Stamp actually put it. Mary Beard was the expert helping with the BBC Ancient Rome docudrama's. She has an excellent reputation so I must assume her advice was one of the lesser priorities of the programme makers. Probably just below catering for the stuntmen and above arranging the portable toilets for the extra's during Caesars Triumph episode. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Justiciar Posted October 17, 2006 Report Share Posted October 17, 2006 It's all been rather unimpressive so far. Did anyone else feel the urge to turn over during the first scene of "Caesar"? Generic savage barbarians ffs. I know the focus of the series was on Rome, but come on. Their Carthaginians were dressed as Iberians, and their Gauls were dressed as Orcs of Mordor. Can't wait to see how they'll portray the Germanic tribes.. as Neanderthals, probably. I can sort of forgive how uninformative they've been so far. If you wanted to tell the story of each of said characters in depth you'd have to dedicate about twenty hours to each. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DecimusCaesar Posted October 17, 2006 Report Share Posted October 17, 2006 Their Carthaginians were dressed as Iberians, and their Gauls were dressed as Orcs of Mordor. Good point about the Carthaginians, they should have had the sacred band defending Carthage instead of Iberian style Mercenaries that Hannibal would have employed during the Second Punic War. The Gauls did look too dirty, odd for a people famed for their cleanliness according to Ammianus Marcellinus. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pertinax Posted October 19, 2006 Report Share Posted October 19, 2006 Constantine-oh dear, they re-used the footage from "saving Emperor Vespasian " , when they had done so well with later period equipment. I will not be buying the DVD. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DecimusCaesar Posted October 19, 2006 Report Share Posted October 19, 2006 Constantine-oh dear, they re-used the footage from "saving Emperor Vespasian " , when they had done so well with later period equipment. I will not be buying the DVD. True...plus they had a mixture of early/Late Roman costume in the episode. The combination of scenes taken from earlier episodes as well was very strange and makes the series look cheaper as it progresses. I found it strange that there was no mention made of the building of Constantinople or of various stuff from Constantine renouncing paganism (when he was making coins with the Sun God portrayed on them) to no mention of his son and why he ordered his death. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pertinax Posted October 19, 2006 Report Share Posted October 19, 2006 Also-the last scene was a "Godfather " parody, ( Constantine/Corleone in a Holy Council has main rival and child throttled , whilst delivering portentous lines..oh dear). His death bed conversion wasnt much in evidence. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DecimusCaesar Posted October 19, 2006 Report Share Posted October 19, 2006 Also-the last scene was a "Godfather " parody, ( Constantine/Corleone in a Holy Council has main rival and child throttled , whilst delivering portentous lines..oh dear). His death bed conversion wasnt much in evidence. I didn't notice that as I haven't seen the Godfather, but I did notice a similar pattern in the last few minutes of the show to things I've seen in other films and Television shows. They also made him too christian too early. He didn't start pursuing his christian policy until Licinius was killed in 324, when he banned pagan sacrifice. Like you said, they should have made a reference to his death-bed conversion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spittle Posted October 20, 2006 Author Report Share Posted October 20, 2006 I noticed the Godfather ending instantly! But I have seen that juxtaposition of religious ritual, cutting to scenes of graphic violence on a dozen different films/shows since Coppola's original. You would think that a director would be ashamed to use such blatant pieces of other peoples idea's. As for the rest of the programme I was deeply disappointed, again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DecimusCaesar Posted October 20, 2006 Report Share Posted October 20, 2006 Only the Fall of Rome to go now... I suppose they will re-hash some scenes from the Constantine episode for this one. The quality of the costumes and sets have declined since the first episode - now they seem to hav re-hashed some old stuff, re-painting armour and weapons to make it look diffrent and different characters seem to be wearing the same costumes (I'm sure Constantine was wearing Tigellinus' armour from the first episode). I expect to see Julius Casaer's men battling against the Barbrian horde in next week's episode before they magically transform into comitatenses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Augusta Posted October 20, 2006 Report Share Posted October 20, 2006 Constantine-oh dear, they re-used the footage from "saving Emperor Vespasian " , when they had done so well with later period equipment. I will not be buying the DVD. Nor me, Pertinax. I did not watch last night's offering, as I finally had to give up after last week's episode, which reminded me - against my will - so much of The Life of Brian that I ended up chuckling. The narrator even spoke those immortal words: 'The Jewish factions had to unite against the common enemy...' Cue for a Python line, if ever there was one! Is there yet another episode to go? I thought Constantine was to be the last. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pertinax Posted October 20, 2006 Report Share Posted October 20, 2006 Fall of Rome is last. The torment is nearly over. Ocelot spleen Augusta? Or some other rich Imperalist tidbit? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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