What is your most favourite historical movie?

[Blitz]

well my top 5 are

1. Seven Samurai (this movie rox my world, japanese by akira kurusawa)
2. We Were Soldier (this movie rox featuring bruce willis in vietnam war)
3. Ran (another Japanese movie by akira kurusawa)
4. Gladiator (if you dunno this then you shuld check it out)
5. Band of Brothes (^ ^)

[AquaLurker]

As for Alexander, I think the whole thing was well researched and apparently quite accurate (caveat: for a Hollywood blockbuster...), it's just the film that was unutterable shit. That's as far as I can tell from the American reviews anyway, I'll still go and see it. I might take a few screen shots of these boards with me though, just so I can sit at the back of the cinema and complain loudly about the wrong kind of cross-stitching they used in the companion's trousers. ;)

AFAIK, The guy who was the film's historical advisor, Robin Lane Fox, is a fantastic writer and a well respected professor of history; his book Alexander the Great got me into the whole period in the first place. I missed the documentary he made about the filming, but apparently he swapped his fee for the chance to dress up as a Macedonian extra and get at least a flavour of what it was like to charge in one of Alexander's phalanxes. He was suitably excited by the whole thing...

And anyway, what with the general incredibleness of Alexander's story, you can imagine top Hollywood-producer-type Bud Weinsteinfinkleberg taking one look at the historically-accurate script and screaming, "Hell no! Even can't pretend all shit really happened!"

Agree, I actually like Movie and still don't understand why others who have watch it found it so distastefull, I read some stuff about Alexander and I was pretty much supprised that they were actually showing things that I have read. So far, it is the most historical accurate moive made IMHO.

[AquaLurker]

Anyway I had forgotten to list my lists of favorite movies though not necessarily historical accurate but usually realistic and entertaining, but mostly set in medieval or ancient periods.

1. Musha

A Korean & China film industries’ attempt to create a romantic and tragic story about a group of Korean emissaries traveling to China, gotten exiled by the Ming Emperor, and got lost their way in the desert and finally making their last stand against a band of Mongols warriors. Very Cool STUFF, with no ridiculous flying swordsman for once. More realistic combat scenes, a must see. But no epic battles, more like skirmish.

2. Brave Heart

Though historical inaccurate, it is still entertaining.

3. Alexander

Just simply a lot of beautiful setting and depiction of Babylon
Awesome battle scene and some historical controversies accounts added. Yeah I hate the gay part but I choose to ignore it.

3. Gladiator

It is simply entertaining.

4. 13th warrior

Entertaining but the fighting scenes could have been better, the story was ok. If only we could know a little more about the other 10 warriors.

5. The Messenger

Realistic battle scenes other than that it is quite entertaining though.

6. Last Samurai / Kurosawa films etc.

Simply appreciate their existence.

7. Troy.

Nice too have something to watch at an epic proportion.
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The funniest Author Movies so far have to be the ‘King Author’.
Funny looking female woad warriors and their little make shift onagers/motars! Silly and awkward costumes but I like the Anglo Saxon/Viking looks, other than that the rest were simply cute.

[Didz]

Amazed how few of the classic's are coming up, you guys must be very young.

[Wishazu]

one of my all time faves is "Seven Samurai" also add to that "the last samurai" - ive read a few books all about the real last samurai and the film was quite accurate in most of the stuff depicted on screen. the most blatant americanism was actually having an american as a samurai although to be fair tom cruise is really good in this film, i usually cant stand his stupid grin, but i was very impressed with his performance here :) also "Glory" is another personal fave, though im not sure on its historical accuracy. another good`un is "Waterloo" seeing that massive french cavalry charge break around the english squares is one of my favourite images of war on film. i saw "Alexander" last week and loved it. the battle of Gaugemela was brilliant though it missed the part where the persians actually break through the macedonian battle line only to be met with a second line of Phalanx`s. the love story between him and his friend did take up quite alot of screen time but all they did was talk a bit and hug every now and then i dont have a problem with that. Although all the greek characters seem to be putting on a very slight irish twang to their accents which i thought was strange.

[Fridge]

I think the Irish twang is just used for the Macedonians, to distinguish them from the other Greeks, and to draw comparisons between the way Greeks see them (provincial, uncultured, wild) and the way the Irish have been treated by the rest o the English speaking world for much of the last couple of centuries.

That and to help out Colin Farrel, anyway.

Oh, and Glory is a really unexpected treat of a film. I have a real soft spot for Ivanhoe and El Cid as well - though they're based on three hundred year old (?) historical romances rather than history per se...

[Arkatreides]

I really liked Alexander, it must have been one of the best researched films ever made. I don't care whether Arrian was wrong or whether Callisthenes just wrote propaganda. Those are the best sources we have and according to them, the film is spot on. One review I read slagged it off because it was "too much like a history lesson". This criticism kind of sums it up for me. The film flopped because it is too realistic.

As for the so-called gay scenes ... guys, come on, try to see things in context. After all it is not all that different from some all-boys public school environments ... think about it

[Mikeus Caesar]

Watch 'Helen of Troy'. It's a low budget version of 'Troy', but very good, as it talks about more of the talking stuff that happened instead of just the battles. I learnt quite alot about The Seige of Troy thanks to that movie....

[King Henry V]

For me, there can be only one true favourite: Waterloo. Very accurate, it's one big battle scene and my hero is in it: Arthur Wellesley, First Duke of Wellington, Viscount of Talavera, Duke de la Victoria, Generalissimo of the Spanish Armies, Warden of the Cinque Ports, Commander-in-Chief of the British Army.....
Then comes El Cid, Ben Hur, Gladiator and Knights of the Round Table (ok I know it's not very historical, but it was one of my favourtie films when I was little and I would grab a plastic sword and prance around the lounge skewering imaginary Mordreds).

[Sam Adams]

Troy(if you call that historical)
Gettysburg
Black Hawk Down
Master And Commander
Das Boot


worst "war" movies ever

Alexander
Gods and Generals

war movies should have wars in them.

[Wishazu]

Troy(if you call that historical)
Gettysburg
Black Hawk Down
Master And Commander
Das Boot


worst "war" movies ever

Alexander
Gods and Generals

war movies should have wars in them.

Alexander is a historical movie mate, not a war movie otherwise it would have more fighting in it

[Sam Adams]

it sure seemed like it was going to be a war movie from the commercials.

those sneaky lieng bastards.

[Byzantine Prince]

I just watched alexander moments ago and I have to say it was the best historical movie I have ever seen.

[Didz]

Must admit I had a suspicion that Alexanders poor reviews had more to do with the mentality of US cinema audiences than its actual quality.

[[GG]vonDöbeln]

Seven Samurai

pure classic, best movie ever i think...

Gets my vote too. And did someone say that Highlander was educational?!?!

[GG]vD

[Fridge]

And did someone say that Highlander was educational?!?!

Of course it is. It educates people that sometimes, sequels can be very bad. As the film says:

"There should have been only one"

[doc_bean]

I just saw Alexander yesterday, it was okay, not great. If only they had cut a couple of scenes it would have been much better (the homosexual thing was overdone, but the semi-incestuous relationship with his mother was too much, does this have any historical grounds ?)

Some of my favourites (no particular order):

Braveheart
Julius Caesar (the old one based on shakespeare)
Gladiator
Excalibur

BTW I think I used to like the Robin Hood film with Kevin Costner, but I haven't seen it in over 10years, I wonder if it was really any good.

[Didz]

I just saw Alexander yesterday, it was okay, not great. If only they had cut a couple of scenes it would have been much better (the homosexual thing was overdone, but the semi-incestuous relationship with his mother was too much, does this have any historical grounds ?)

I beleive it has, certainly my understanding was that he was bi-sexual not sure about the mother bit though.

There is always a problem when historians or film producers try to present an accurate record of events. Look at all the flack Hofschroer got when he published a book based upon the latest research regarding Waterloo. He ended up in court because the 'Wellington was a God club' couldn't accept the truth.

Likewise, we still worship Oliver Cromwell over here despite the historical facts. I think the Alexander film is getting flack because its showing us things that we would prefer to overlook, people tend to be much more comfortable with school boy history where all the heroes are perfect and all the baddies are totally evil.

BTW: I'm curious, does the film show the incident where Alexander murders his best friend after a drinking binge. I know that incident was recorded but I just wondered if its in the film.

[Arkatreides]

If you are referring to Black Cleitus, yes that's in the film.

[Ziu]

Sounds like I have been misled by the reviews. I should have thought about them being American :slaps forehead:

I think the homophobia comes from mostly the younger guys. Maybe they should try watching the x version of caligula.

[mfberg]

I can't believe you haven't metioned "The Conqueror" with John Wayne as Temujin. Easily one of the most accurate depictions of history (or was that hysteria?) ever.

mfberg

[steve]

1. Band of Brothers
2. Sparticus
3. Attila The Hun
4.Enemy at the gates

[doc_bean]

I beleive it has, certainly my understanding was that he was bi-sexual not sure about the mother bit though.

I knew about the bi-sexual thing (hard not to know it's in the movie since it's been out for a while), Stone overused it but I didn't really mind, the mother thing was just weird. He's gay but he wants to sleep with his mother ?

(I use the term gay here, because in the movie that' is how is portrayed.)

[AntiochusIII]

I just lovveee Band of Brothers... They were fantastic (Compare to most Hollywood junks.) Braveheart is fun, but it is not historical, isn't it? The Last Samurai is cool - I hate Tom Cruise but he's excellent in that movie. And I wanna watch Alexander. Can anyone under 18 watch it?

Oh and I know he's a bi-sexual but about the mother thing... I thought it was just because Olympias was very hot(not in terms of sexy but as anger!!!) and clashes with Philip or something that she prefer Alexander.. Besides, I read somewhere that Hephaestion(is that a guy who's Alexander's partner?) once sent a letter to Olympias to "let Alexander alone" but I may be wrong.