Napoleonic Era Films

[gollum]

From its early beginnings, TW has been closely linked with films; after all the TW battles are very cinematic in all TW games thus far.

Akira Kurosawa's "RAN" and "Kagemusha", provided much of inspiration and atmosphere and even gameplay elements (the unit formation behaviour that are used to this day in TW are clearly portraid in both films - units are seen arrange themselves in broader or narrower rectangular formations) and even tactics (notice in the final battle of RAN that gunners hide in the trees to create enfilade killing zones against a charging cavalry heavy force) in Shogun:TW.

Ridley Scott's "Gladiator" was crucial not only as an inspiration but in setting the tone for Rome:TW; its success also prompted CA (according to Mike Simpson in the RTW Story) to anticipate "a bit of a Rome frenzy" and decide to make the game that broke TW into the mainstream. This is also clearly shown in how CA marketed the game, and how a large part of the fanbase perceived it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w59h-bPMiy4

For Medieval2:TW Ridley Scott's (again!) "Kingdom of Heaven" was central in setting the tone and being associated with the game (Saladin's depiction in the film was used in the special edition package iirc of M2TW http://img.game.co.uk/images/product...collectors.jpg).

There is a fine array of inspiring warfilms for the upcoming Napoleon TW, and although CA has undoubtedly has picked their own and incorporated them in the game, what are fan film favorites for this era?

I think that mine is a relatively unknown, although awarded and well regarded, film, that happens actually to be Ridley Scott's very first effort (up to then Scott was involved in the making of commercials that defined him as a director as anyone who has watched "Kingdom of Heaven" can attest; that movie was described by some as "a two hour long car commercial").

This is "The Duellists" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g8nGgvepXCk), a film about the animosity between two cavalry officers (Hussars) in the Napoleonic Army at the height of the Naopleonic Wars, that degenerates in a series of "to the death" duells. The script is based on a Josef Conrad story.

The movie matches in the two protagonistis roles two (surprisingly) american actors; the country singer Keith Carradine as the upper class D'Hubert and the well known Harvey Keitel as the obsessive duellist lower class Feraud, who drags Carradine's character into the vortex of encounters at the edge of life and death.

Keitel at the time was finding it difficult to land roles in the US, hence the appreciation towards Scott for giving him a chance (Keitel repaid the favor by appearing in Scott's "Thelma and Luise" much later on). He plays the part he plays best: a cynical, violent obsessive character that channels his raw twisted energy in duels he picks up, essentially just to fight.

Caradine is equally adept in the role of well-brought-up, reliable and conscientious d'Hubert. Interestingly enough Scott managed to convince him to come in Europe and play the Hussar which made Carradine postpone a tour to promote his 1976 hit "I'm easy" (http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2x...-live-1976_ads).

A fine array of English actors makes up for the rest of the cast; not only they are all excellen in their parts but they also provide the film with an authentic european aura (together with the locations).

The duellists, is notable for its exquisite cinematography (and use of natural lighting) and the attention to details as well as the interesting theme, the esoteric intensity of which is superbly translated in the screen by Scott's direction. The movie was shot on location in France for the most part and this makes up for many great scenes but also contributes to an air of authenticity in the film. The Russia scenes were shot in the Scottish Highlands. The duelling scenes are nothing short of superb.

The duellists is a small gem of a film, that although unlikely to appeal to blockbuster fans can certainly be appreciated by a large audience.

What is your favorite Napoleonic era film?

[Knight of Ne]

Waterloo, its possibly the best movie ever.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7vlcu...eature=related

Ne

[gollum]

I bought this movie very enthusiastically, but i was dissapointed by the actor who portrayed Napoleon. The movie itself felt as perceiving the battle from a British point of view which again was slightly dissapointing imo. Nice action scenes though.

[lugh]

Originally Posted by gollum

Stuff

I saw the thread, thought to myself, "Napoleon... Oh my God, DUELLISTS!" and came to post, thinking no one else would have heard of it.
I'd never really considered the era before I'd seen the film, much more of a fan of ancient, dark ages and medieval history but after seeing this I literally devoured every book my school had on Napoleon, the Enlightenment, American Civil War, the lot. It really opened my eyes to a century or three that had been pretty much blank in my mind before.
I haven't seen it in ages, must track it down on dvd.
Anyway, kudos for the choice. It's definitely worthy of a wider audience and I'd imagine plenty of Organs would enjoy it. :)

[IncubusDragon]

Kubrick's Napoleon is reckoned to have the most accurate re-enactment of infantry forming square in a movie. I used to have it on video years ago - I only bought it for the battle, so was a bit disappointed by the lead-up... but that was 15-20 years ago, so there's a good chance I would view it differently now (Kubrick also did an awesome job with the deployments in Spartacus too, but he was such a perfectionist!). Here's an interesting article in The Times - http://entertainment.timesonline.co....cle6855120.ece

Coming to think of it, that's the only movie I've seen... I think the rest have been television productions. Watching a ripping episode of Sharpe usually gets me in a Napoleonic mood. I know it's hardly accurate because the Chosen Men were not a separate Unit but were dispersed throughout the infantry to bolster the morale of inexperienced troops... but a series about genuine infantry life would actually be dead boring, so I'm not complaining at the use of poetic licence to make better telly.

I reckon The Count of Monte Cristo is also a good tale that gives a flavour of the life of the gentry in Napoleonic France.

[gollum]

Thanks for the kudos lugh; Nice article and info IncubusDragon.

[antisocialmunky]

Originally Posted by IncubusDragon

Kubrick's Napoleon is reckoned to have the most accurate re-enactment of infantry forming square in a movie. I used to have it on video years ago - I only bought it for the battle, so was a bit disappointed by the lead-up... but that was 15-20 years ago, so there's a good chance I would view it differently now (Kubrick also did an awesome job with the deployments in Spartacus too, but he was such a perfectionist!). Here's an interesting article in The Times - http://entertainment.timesonline.co....cle6855120.ece

Coming to think of it, that's the only movie I've seen... I think the rest have been television productions. Watching a ripping episode of Sharpe usually gets me in a Napoleonic mood. I know it's hardly accurate because the Chosen Men were not a separate Unit but were dispersed throughout the infantry to bolster the morale of inexperienced troops... but a series about genuine infantry life would actually be dead boring, so I'm not complaining at the use of poetic licence to make better telly.

I reckon The Count of Monte Cristo is also a good tale that gives a flavour of the life of the gentry in Napoleonic France.

Yes, Spartacus was flipping epic. I wish you could still do stuff with 12,000 reenactors like you could back then. Wouldn't be surprised if the Square formation you mention is also very well done.

[Meneldil]

There was a serie a few years ago.
John Malkovich portrayed Talleyrand.
Though I don't like him, the guy who portrayed Napoléon did a good job IMO.
Typical french history serie. Sometimes good, sometimes too long. Does not go too deep into details so the average joe can understand what's going on.

Monsieur N. was also a very good movie, though it focused on Napoléon's last moments in St. Helena. The movie postulates that Napoléon fled to the US and lived there for a while, and even attended his own burial in Paris.

There's also Napoleon and me, this time telling the story of a young italian patriot living in Ebla, as the tyrant arrives and become ruler of the island.
What makes this movie cool is that people speak their respective languages: italians speak italian, french speak french, and napoleon sometimes speak corsican (I think).

[Fisherking]

I was surprised at how little there is in film on what should be rich subject matter.

I did a search and this is all I came up with:


Monsieur N

Master & Commander: The Far Side of the World

The Emperor's New Clothes

Waterloo

War and Peace (1968)

Austerlitz (1960)

Desiree (1954)

The Duellists (1977)

Mdm Sans-Gene (1961)

Napoleon (1927)

Napoleon (1955)


I know there is more out there.

The old Hornblower movie comes to mind...

Of course this doesn’t include TV stuff.

[gollum]

There will soon be another one starring Al Pacino as Napoleon:
http://www.cinemablend.com/new/Al-Pa...eon-12661.html

[lugh]

Originally Posted by gollum

Thanks for the kudos lugh

HR says he’ll play Nappy in an adaptation of the Stanton Rabin children’s book Betsy and the Emperor. The book is about a 14-year-old girl who plays host to Napoleon Bonaparte while he’s in exile on St. Helena after his capture at Waterloo. Apparently this isn’t all fantasy. There really was a Betsy, Betsy Holcombe, and she really did hang out with Napoleon while he cooled his heels after defeat.

In this context, I can sort of see how Pacino works as Bonaparte. Napoleon Bonaparte is not usually the kind of guy you want hanging out with kids, and neither is Al Pacino. After all he played the devil. Perfect fit.

Not sure what I think about this idea at all. Maybe the bolded just irked me a little, or am I the only one who finds something more than a megalomaniac to admire in him?

Is Master and Commander Napoleonic specifically? I thought it was set at the start to mid seventeen hundreds, could be wrong. I'm still waiting for a sequel to that!

[gollum]

There is much more indeed lugh - i would say that this is just the stereotypical anglosaxonic point of view that is common throughout the english speaking world.

One of the good things about Pacino, is that he rarely if ever ridicules teh characters he portrays - his interpretations are not caricatures. As such i have faith that something good may come out of this.

[lugh]

Originally Posted by gollum

There is much more indeed lugh - i would say that this is just the stereotypical anglosaxonic point of view that is common throughout the english speaking world.

One of the good things about Pacino, is that he rarely if ever ridicules teh characters he portrays - his interpretations are not caricatures. As such i have faith that something good may come out of this.

True, but if the film is going to be aimed at children, as the book is, it's not liable to be a particularly complex portrayal of him either. Then again, if it's a kids book it probably won't be demonic either.

I think I'm going to have to buy the book and read it! Just to see what kind of treatment he was given.

[gollum]

Heh - yes true a bit of a chiken and egg problem

[Durallan]

I realise its a Television series (although theyre bloody movie length, 90+ minutes each if I'm remembering correctly), and that is the Hornblower series, while okay its probably not overly accurate because its based on a fictional person based on englands greatest admiral, its still good rollicking fun.

I have no idea how accurate or inaccurate it is, but it certainly gets you in the mood for fighting boney!

[lugh]

Just as an aside, apparently Betsy Balcombe published her memoirs and they were recently republished in what looks like a nice hardcover format.