View Full Version : Any enjoyable movies set around or during EB's timeframe?
For one of my classes I am to analyze a movie and discuss its historical accuracy and or inaccuracy. The movie doesn't need be a 'historical' movie in that it strives for accuracy, it just needs to be set during the time period.
I'm expecting a lot of people in the class to do popular movies such as Gladiator or 300.. I'd like to do something a little different though.
If at all possible, I would prefer a movie about the "other guys" not just the cliche and overhollywoodized (new word I just made up:laugh4:) Greeks and Romans, but that is just preference, not a need.
Like I said earlier, since it doesn't need to be a movie even attempting to maximize accuracy I would like the movie to at the very least be enjoyable, might as well have some fun out of the assignment.
Also, it is not restricted to EB's timeframe, that is just my preference. It can be from any time period so if there anybody is a fan of any other semi historical movies from other time periods I'm open to those suggestions also, but again I'd rather not do the guys everybody hears about all the time. So if it is a movie in the Middle Ages, hopefully it isn't about England or possibly France. :yes:
-Fierro
Apázlinemjó
09-23-2009, 21:46
If it isn't restricted to movies only then I advise the Rome tv series, it's a quite "enjoyable" show.
Scipio Germanicus
09-23-2009, 21:57
From the medieval period I'd recomment El Cid starring Charlton Heston. The legend of El Cid is very interesting and he is an important part of Spanish history. Not sure of any films set during EB's timeframe, except maybe Spartacus or one of the many movies about Julius Caesar. There is a movie about the Indian prince Ashoka the Great who ruled in the 260s BC and was instrumental in spreading Buddhism, but it's in Hindi. There's also Hero starring Jet Li set in the warring states period.
Spartacus
Ben Hur
Mongol
Waterloo
Kingdom of Heaven (Director's Cut) and Braveheart are good movies set in Medieval times. Alexander is a movie about Alexander the Great's life, but if you're as homophobic and intolerant as me, you'll end up disgusted. For civil war movies, try Glory.
Krusader
09-24-2009, 01:52
Or try the good old sword & sandal movies.
Like Cleopatra, Alexander the Great, Spartacus, Ben Hur, 300 Spartans.
Cute Wolf
09-24-2009, 03:13
An Old, but really good Movie.... Alexander (1950's), the new one (2000's) portay Alexandros as a freak gay, and it lacks the deep, philosophical meaning of the original film.
I've recently enjoyed A Man for All Seasons (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0060665/) (which I watched in a history class) and The Robe (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0046247/). Each movies won several Oscars, due to their superb actors and plots.
But if you want a more recent movie then I would advise Mongol.
antisocialmunky
09-24-2009, 03:16
Spartucus. Ben-hur. Weird early 2000's anime like http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/index.html?curid=931311
Grade_A_Beef
09-24-2009, 07:48
You can try Monty Python's Life of Brian....a comedy always throws people off.
*runs*
Edit: huh, if you're talking about anime/manga, you can always try this (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Historie) one
Well there are a lot of enjoyable movies at least if one can surpress the inner hisrian or stratege who screems "NOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" on this matter I would like to ad that monty phytons Life of brian(and the holy grale) sometimes are much more close to history than most hollywood productions^^
as not THE CLiche movie I would suggest Attila the hun, most people may find it not violent enough but hey, for what do we have 300?
It's in the timeline of IB :>
Chris1959
09-24-2009, 09:21
What exactly is you're project?
Is it to discuss the accuracy of a movie re-history and does it have to be in the Ancient period?
If not then U627 is an exciting film but total bullshit when it comes to history, you could contrast it with the accuracy portrayed in "Das Boot", also an excellent film.
Tartaros
09-24-2009, 10:42
King Athur is entertaining too. It´s also near the eb timeframe (but still a movie).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Grby3KIEwCw
Dutchhoplite
09-24-2009, 11:03
- Fall of the Roman empire :2thumbsup:
I deal here only with some more modern movies. The most accurate (which unfortunately means not so much, but better than nothing) historical one in the EB timeframe is Stone's "Alexander". That some modern people have their preconceptions and don't like some content may be a fact as seen here, but it is a bit ridiculous to use this as an argument against the movie as a whole. If you think your class cannot stand it, try the special directors cut of "Alexander" where you have less homoerotic szenes but more bloody fighting - as violence seems often to be no problem for many.
"Gladiator" is of course nonsense, but if you like an even worse movie (in the historical sense) use "Braveheart". "Braveheart" solves the problem of time itself (costumes from centuries later, even if wrong, a child from a death man and some other miracles), so it can surely also be used as a movie for the EB timeframe. BTW, even "300" is much much better than "Braveheart" because it is at least honest in it's historical clownery. "King Arthur" is also a very good candidate, no wonder the Roman empire which -that was new to me- was ruled by the pope in the 5th AD (I wrote this immediately to Peter Heather and asked for a revision of his incomplete last book, togehter with the fact that the Romans didn't leave Britain in 410) crashed because they allowed their only true (Sarmatian) cavalry to retire, pfff.......
Tartaros
09-24-2009, 14:25
"King Arthur" is also a very good candidate, no wonder the Roman empire which -that was new to me- was ruled by the pope in the 5th AD (I wrote this immediately to Peter Heather and asked for a revision of his incomplete last book, togehter with the fact that the Romans didn't leave Britain in 410) crashed because they allowed their only true (Sarmatian) cavalry to retire, pfff.......
Yeah, so a bit back to topic - "King Arthur" has got great potential for a discussion. I most like the crossbows of the non-mixing saxon (that don´t fight with spears or seax) or the "mystical open gate", but anyway for a disneyfilm its enjoyable and when i first saw the movie i liked some accurate details like the reflexbows and the sarmatian leatherarmour and the fact that arthur was not late medieval like in so many other films.
There's always 'The Last Legion'...:laugh4: Now there's a 'historically sound' film....:dizzy2:
Vilkku92
09-24-2009, 16:33
I once saw a film about Vercingetorix, just can't remember the name... I think it was called 'Druids'. Good enough movie, and inside EB's time frame!
HunGeneral
09-24-2009, 17:09
I once saw a film about Vercingetorix, just can't remember the name... I think it was called 'Druids'. Good enough movie, and inside EB's time frame!
Yes I think I saw it and wanted to suggest it too. (Edit: found it on wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Druids_(film))
It really seems accurate - atleast it portrays the romans as defeteable, cruel (atleast more then in other movies - caesars line "I want a bloodbath" is really fitting). The gauls don't appear as unshirted fanatics charging at the roman fortifications. Really made for any fan of celtic culture/history.
Finn MacCumhail
09-24-2009, 18:08
From not mentioned
“Dacii” (Romania – France 1967) – Dacii kicking Romans. Sad but true. Also Deceball is there. And no computer FX, epic battles with noncomputer solders, Roman legions, and so on…
“The 13th Warrior”- kewl movie about Vikings, but inaccuracies in such detail as the armor conspicuous. Anyway it is really good movie.
“The Vikings” 1958 – Vikings so Vikings.
“Blood and flesh” – In my humble opinion, the spirit of Medieval was referred.
“Beowulf & Grendel” - Gerard Butler (Leonid 300 :yes:, Attila the Hun)- fantasy, but history-related. BI period.
And that French comedy “Les Visiteurs” 1-2 with Jean Reno and Christian Clavier. Even it is comedy, the characters were really natural, with their own medieval stereotypes and the way of thinking.
The General
09-24-2009, 20:47
There's always 'The Last Legion'...:laugh4: Now there's a 'historically sound' film....:dizzy2:
I saw the first half hour... Ranks pretty high amon the worst movies I've ever seen. :laugh4:
Andronikos
09-24-2009, 21:10
Was it just me who hated Angelina Jolie in Alexander?
Anyway, thanks for some good tips (Druids :2thumbsup:).
Anybody saw Hannibal - Rome's worst nightmare? I didn't, I would just like to read some opinions if it is worth.
Mykingdomforanos
09-24-2009, 21:34
Jason and the Argonauts and the Sinbad movies :laugh4:
Not very historical but good fun
Also there was a very good English-made TV series (BBC or ITV I guess) called "I Claudius" more of a drama about Roman politics at time of Claudius but very historical afaik.
Also there was some old hollywood epic called "Quo Vadis" I think
I also remember seeing some freaky movie maybe 10 years ago where some mythical wolf creature or something was preying on a viking-type village, cant remember more but it was pretty dark and atmospheric. Might have been 13th warrior, mentioned above, not sure.
mountaingoat
09-24-2009, 23:02
Atlantis, the Lost Continent ... i would say quite possibly how it may of went down ? hmm
Fluvius Camillus
09-24-2009, 23:47
ASTERIX AND OBELIX!!!:laugh4::laugh4::laugh4:
Have some go at the Roman tactics or the depiction of Gauls!:yes:
~Fluvius
Thanks for the suggestions everybody. I'll look into all of them.
Fluvius gave me an idea with the Asterix Movie. We are also allowed to analyze a book. So I'm wondering if I can analyze my Asterix comic book series :idea2:
Although they're in French so that might be a problem..
I'll send her an e-mail now:laugh4:
Olaf The Great
09-25-2009, 04:21
The Romanian movie about Dacia vs Rome which name escapes me.
Fluvius Camillus
09-25-2009, 10:37
Thanks for the suggestions everybody. I'll look into all of them.
Fluvius gave me an idea with the Asterix Movie. We are also allowed to analyze a book. So I'm wondering if I can analyze my Asterix comic book series :idea2:
Although they're in French so that might be a problem..
I'll send her an e-mail now:laugh4:
Thanks for the interest.:laugh4:
But the comics are also available in dutch, so it wouldnt suprise me there is english as well.:yes:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asterix_and_Obelix
But what about this one? This is a movie with real actors!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asterix_and_Obelix_take_on_Caesar
Good luck.
~Fluvius
Shifty_GMH
09-25-2009, 14:50
Augustus - I haven't watched it in a few years, but from what I remember it was pretty good.
http://www.amazon.com/Augustus-Peter-OToole/dp/B0006D3HDI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1253884781&sr=1-1
Julius Caesar - Not sure I've seen this one yet. It is on my netflix queue though....
http://www.amazon.com/Julius-Caesar-Jeremy-Sisto/dp/B0002S93TO/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1253884781&sr=1-2
Empire - It was a 6 episode tv series. That right there should tell you what to expect.
http://www.amazon.com/Empire-Santiago-Cabrera/dp/B000AJJNLI/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1253884781&sr=1-4
Nero - Another one I haven't watch in a while. Don't remember a lot about it...
http://www.amazon.com/Nero-Hans-Matheson/dp/B000A1OFZ0/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1253884781&sr=1-5
The 300 Spartans - http://www.amazon.com/300-Spartans-Richard-Egan/dp/B0001NBMDK/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1253885649&sr=1-3
Alexander the Great - http://www.amazon.com/Alexander-Great-Richard-Burton/dp/B0002KPHW4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1253885762&sr=1-1
There is a new series starting up in 2010 on the Starz channel called Spartacus: Blood and Sand.
http://www.starz.com/originals/spartacus
Some others (some have already been suggested).....
Rome
Spartacus
Cleopatra
I, Claudius
Ben-Hur
Caligula
Quo Vadis
Fall of the Roman Empire
The Last Days of Pompeii
These are just a few I could think of and/or came across when I ran a search on Amazon to get the other links.....
The I, Claudius BBC miniseries (http://www.amazon.com/I-Claudius-Derek-Jacobi/dp/B00004U12X/), and more importantly, the book (http://www.amazon.com/Claudius-Autobiography-Tiberius-D-International/dp/067972477X/). As deep, detailed and accurate as anything made to date.
I'd love to see this re-done with a real budget some day.
Caligula from Tinto Brass :tongue:
Azathoth
09-26-2009, 22:39
Caligula from Tinto Brass
OH YOU.
NeoSpartan
09-29-2009, 23:14
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BjlHQmrRPfM
NeoSpartan
09-29-2009, 23:44
A few none-american ones:
Fire and Sword (this is a series)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mD6UkzJs9h0&feature=related
Cossack/Ukranian uprising vs Polish-Lithuanian commonwealth
1612
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=1612&search_type=&aq=f
Polish invasion of Moscow
The Sovereign's Servant
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=24gQKRF9aJ0&feature=related
Khazar_Dahvos
09-29-2009, 23:55
sweet i have been scouring foreign films in this era or earlier for weeks now!!! i appreciate these very much... if u have any others i would love to watch them too!!!
Intranetusa
09-30-2009, 00:11
Half of the suggestions here are nowhere near EB's time frame. :P
athanaric
09-30-2009, 01:22
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BjlHQmrRPfM
That's a funny film... lots of LS, all Germans have red hair, and I think I spotted some Sassanian helmets on the Gauls...:inquisitive:
NeoSpartan
09-30-2009, 02:38
That's a funny film... lots of LS, all Germans have red hair, and I think I spotted some Sassanian helmets on the Gauls...:inquisitive:
is about as close as you are going to get in a movie.
The only thing I've see that is really close is a BBC/Discovery channel series called "Battle for Rome" or something like that.
NeoSpartan
09-30-2009, 02:40
sweet i have been scouring foreign films in this era or earlier for weeks now!!! i appreciate these very much... if u have any others i would love to watch them too!!!
no problem
Capitan Alatriste:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=je-c81wwrpA
Spanish movie.
Trivmphator
09-30-2009, 04:36
Helen of Troy
Spartacus (2004) Tv Mini Series.
antisocialmunky
10-01-2009, 03:15
Do Chinese epics set during the Han Dynasty count?
Intranetusa
10-01-2009, 05:52
Do Chinese epics set during the Han Dynasty count?
Well, since 15th century William Wallance movies and 17th century Spanish Conquistador movies were listed, I'd say 2nd century BCE Han Dynasty movies should more than qualify.
Well 300 is the best movie before EB's time
I'd say Spartacus, I haven't seen the whole thing but what I have seen of it is astounding though HIGHLY outdated (seriously).
My favorite war movie EVER though is Glory. It is set in the American Civil War and is about the 54th Massachusetts. :2thumbsup:
Flags of our Fathers is a good movie about the Battle of Iwo Jima through the eyes of Americans and Letters from Iwo Jima is the Japanese point of view.
Just in case you want a movie set in more modern times :2thumbsup:
Intranetusa
10-01-2009, 21:56
Well 300 is the best movie before EB's time
I'd say Spartacus, I haven't seen the whole thing but what I have seen of it is astounding though HIGHLY outdated (seriously).
My favorite war movie EVER though is Glory. It is set in the American Civil War and is about the 54th Massachusetts. :2thumbsup:
Flags of our Fathers is a good movie about the Battle of Iwo Jima through the eyes of Americans and Letters from Iwo Jima is the Japanese point of view.
Just in case you want a movie set in more modern times :2thumbsup:
I also like movies such as the Star Wars series, a movie set in the future...or was it the distant past? O_o (a long time ago in a galaxy far far away?)
Phalanx300
10-01-2009, 21:56
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_GhavWeCB7o
The 300 Spartans
A very old movie but more Historical then 300, I liked it. :2thumbsup:
Intranetusa
10-01-2009, 22:11
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_GhavWeCB7o
The 300 Spartans
A very old movie but more Historical then 300, I liked it. :2thumbsup:
"300" is to ancient Greek history as Lord of the Rings is to medieval European history.
*I meant Frank Miller's 300 lol...not the 1962ver
I also like movies such as the Star Wars series, a movie set in the future...or was it the distant past? O_o (a long time ago in a galaxy far far away?)
You know, that's a good question haha. Never thought of it... (never watched Star Wars neither)
"300" is to ancient Greek history as Lord of the Rings is to medieval European history.
Lord of the Rings wasn't set in medieval Europe :inquisitive:
A Very Super Market
10-02-2009, 00:01
Exactly. An alternate universe with equipment corresponding to one of our ages.
Sabazios
10-02-2009, 00:32
I saw the first half hour... Ranks pretty high amon the worst movies I've ever seen. :laugh4:LOL I really liked the Palace made of painted boxes :laugh4:
I must say admire your persistence for watching that movie for that long!
There have been good suggestions (Mongol!), only movie i missed was Tristan & Isolde.
Its the old love story, but i really liked the tribal settings.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0375154/
antisocialmunky
10-02-2009, 02:21
Curse of the Golden Flower then. Cho Yun Phat can really be evil when he wants to be.
Fluvius Camillus
10-02-2009, 11:23
"300" is to ancient Greek history as Lord of the Rings is to medieval European history.
*I meant Frank Miller's 300 lol...not the 1962ver
Stop whining all the time. He needs a movie which he can comment on the realism, that means with a movie like 300 he can write pages about accuracy!
~Fluvius
The General
10-02-2009, 12:23
LOL I really liked the Palace made of painted boxes :laugh4:
I must say admire your persistence for watching that movie for that long!
Life in the army can be really boring... :skull:
And, on the other hand, I kind of hoped it'd turn out to be a movie that was bad enough that it'd start to be entertaining... Instead, it was just plain dreadful.
athanaric
10-02-2009, 14:52
Curse of the Golden Flower then. Cho Yun Phat can really be evil when he wants to be.
That's a good one. Although I'm a bit skeptical about realism there. Still, better than Hero (although that one is worth watching for the beautiful pictures alone (Jiuzhaigou FTW)).
I can also recommend the already mentioned films Glory, Letters from Iwo Jima, and Flags of our Fathers. Those are excellent.
Intranetusa
10-02-2009, 18:49
Stop whining all the time. He needs a movie which he can comment on the realism, that means with a movie like 300 he can write pages about accuracy!
~Fluvius
what? :dizzy2:
Intranetusa
10-02-2009, 18:50
That's a good one. Although I'm a bit skeptical about realism there. Still, better than Hero (although that one is worth watching for the beautiful pictures alone (Jiuzhaigou FTW)).
I can also recommend the already mentioned films Glory, Letters from Iwo Jima, and Flags of our Fathers. Those are excellent.
Bleh! I thought Hero was good while Curse-gold-dragon suxed... Really bad special effects with a cheesy plot and cheesier ninjas that pops out of nowhere to conveniently kill fully armed elite palace guards...
V.T. Marvin
10-03-2009, 07:34
Now a bit of Slavic medieval times: Not in EB timeframe, but as historically accurate (according to the state of knowledge of early 1950th, though!!!) as is possible in a movie and quite enjoyable are three films on Hussite revolution by Otakar Vavra:
Jan Hus -http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0047128/
Jan Zizka - http://www.mooviees.com/17053-jan-zizka/movie
Proti vsem (Against all) - http://www.mooviees.com/62494-against-all/movie
Also there is a Bulgarian epic Khan Asparukh - quite good as far as I remember (I have seen it only once as a small boy in TV...) - http://movies.msn.com/movies/movie/khan-asparukh/
From Bulgarian history there is a historical novel called Vreme razdelno (Time of Divide) which I have read and a famous movie http://www.metacafe.com/watch/1042728/vreme_razdelno/, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JeEXdAjT6gc which I would like to see as it might be very interesting. I cannot say anything about accuracy, however.
antisocialmunky
10-03-2009, 14:30
That's a good one. Although I'm a bit skeptical about realism there. Still, better than Hero (although that one is worth watching for the beautiful pictures alone (Jiuzhaigou FTW)).
I can also recommend the already mentioned films Glory, Letters from Iwo Jima, and Flags of our Fathers. Those are excellent.
Red Cliff isn't bad but its full of a lot of crap.:laugh4:
Still fun though.
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