Page 3 of 4 First 123 4 Last

I do. I was being facetious, but my post was still mostly serious. I seriously believe that a Galatian epic could be historically accurate, deep, and still have popular appeal.

Reply

Wow, glad to see so many people agreed about the Galatian migration. Im actualy trying to write a story based on it when I have time. Its got to be one of the most colourful events in history, and so few people know about it.

Edit: And why dosnt Pharnakles like Galatians? *flinches*

Reply

Oh yes. And Heraklios. That would make for an awesome book/film.

As would Basil II, really.

And a film version of the Alexiad...



Also, I'll 48798357984th the Galations movie. Has anyone read the novel "Roma", by Steven Saylor? Similar concept. Though much less in the way of battles.

Reply

It's not just that they're colourful events; they would also adapt well to the screen. Barechested, muscular, Gallic warriors with huge swords can make "OMFG T0t411y 4w35uM" battle scenes and still be historically accurate, which doesn't seem to be the case with Greek phalanxes. Really, I'm mildly surprised no-one has tried a Galatian epic film yet.

Reply

yep, along with Tigran II the Great
also Hamilcar Barca, Phillip II, Alexandr Suvorov

Reply

I dunno, seeing the "barbarians" as the main characters could be a turn off for moviegoer's

Reply

Exactly, no need to contruct some massive tolkienesque universe when this stuff actualy happened!

Reply

Simba! He survived as a child and came back to reclaim his throne from his evil uncil.

Tigran II isn't mentioned much at all and even in my ancient history course his name isn't even brought up once. Considering all the fronts he had to fight including the Roman Legions, I'd say he did a pretty good job!

Reply

Conan anyone?

Reply

They need a movie about Crasss, Surena, and the battle of Carrahe. :D

Reply

Why? They'd claim "based on the true story", "a tale about love, romance..." "... courage and honour" etc. etc. "Join the Galatians as they undertook one of the most daring campaigns ever to find a new home" "travel with people from all over Europe, to find a new life in Ankyra" "See how they battled their way through unforgiving conditions and hostile peoples" "... will they make it?" "The first major motion picture about one of the most influential mass migrations of all time. [Insert Date Here]"

"What do you mean: 'Mongol Horde'? This is the real deal." - The Galatians.

Reply

Tiberius Sempronis Gracchus and his brother Gaius Sempronius Gracchus.

Reply

Seconded! I forgot to mention this the first time. The life of Julian the Apostate would make an excellent (and probably highly controversial) film, he is like a failed Alexander .

Reply

I still think Simba is the most overlooked historical figure reclaiming his throne as the Lion King in the feudalist animal kingdom.

Has any other historical figure faced a stampede of thousands of Buffallos or have a small force of female warriors under his command to forge an empire?

I rest my case

Reply

Let's make it! Anyone know a filthy fucking rich producer?

Reply

Dom Pedro II, Emperor of Brazil 1841-1889
Abolished slavery and modernized the country, created a huge economic and cultural boom. He was a scholar and connoisseur of art and music, built roads and railroads, encouraged the immigration of Europeans to Brazil, and is commonly associated with Brazil's most fortunate period of government throughout the country's history.
Was dethroned by latifundia owners and generals in a coup d'etat aiming at installing a "republic", died in Paris in 1891.

Reply

A movie about Harald Håråde would have been great; anyone who gets the title "hard ruler" from manly vikings deserve their own movie

Seriously though, he was'nt just messing up York in 1066.

He participated in his first battle at 15 and sustaining severe injury, he then joined the Varagnian Guard a few years later, and eventually become their leader.
Campaigning with them throughout the Mediterranean he conquered many muslim fortresses and got the title "Devastator of Bulgaria" after the Bulgarian riot of 1040.
He is also supposed to have had an affair with the Byzantine empress

Other than that some of the norse sagas would have been awesome, there are one-liners in 'em that would make John McClane look as a small girl

Also like the idea of a Galatian movie, would have been very ,very awsome indeed.

Reply

Got his arse kicked when he tried to mess with the English though didn't he?

Reply

Actually, there's one being planned. Don't know if it will come to fruition, and it will likely be in Norwegian if it does. You misspelled his name by the way, it's Hardråde.

Reply

*Host* Det der va litt flaut *Host*

Great news by the way, ought to have heard though since I live in that very commune

Hmm... Perhaps I should line up for a small role?

Reply

Most overlooked historical figures are Gah-Agh-Grr, the first pre-stone age human who invented the war axe, Agh-Gah-Grr who first invented farming, and Grr-Agh-Gah who was the first to invent religion.

Reply

Deng Xiaoping.

He lifted millions of people out of poverty and brought the most populous country back from isolation. Then he ordered the massacre at Tiananmen. A very complex character.

Reply

Probably some stone age guy... lol

Or for the first beer - the Egyptians/Mesopotamians ftw!

Reply

Xenophon, for one.

Currently writing a feature script based on his Anabasis - not quite the Galatian epic you're hoping for, but we'll see if I can't bring that same level of excitement out of it xD

Reply

Pyrrhos - when I mentioned him to some guys with mediocre historical knowledge, they thought that I have mistaken him with Hannibal (elephants...).

Sulla - most people know Caesar, but not Sulla.

Vercingetorix - people either don't know him or think that he was another stupid loser who was defeated by Romans!

Chinese Empire - in European schools it is not even mentioned.

Indian Empire - come on...

Other Greeks (besides the Spartans) who were killed in the battle of Thermopylae...

Reply

Cyrus the great. He built a mighty empire, and went down swinging. Epic story, a noble and cultured character who succumbed to ambition at the end. And he's from Persia. After the rough handling they got in 300, the Achaemenids deserve a decent movie.

Massively important figure from a cultural point of view: broadened the cultural horizon for Persian culture the way Alexander did for Hellenic culture.

A positive movie about Iran? Hollywood should love that...

Has Hannibal had a film version made? I know he's not an overlooked figure but seriously he's one of the three great captains of History and should be remembered for his greatness.

What a film it'd be: at least 2 mighty battles (Cannae and Zama), many other battle opportunities, elephants, wily opponents (esp Fabius and those pesky Scipii), treachery, and a sidekick called "the Gladiator". IIRC this bloke proposed Hannibal train his men to eat human flesh, and allegedly Hannibal thought about it before knocking the idea back. Could've been the best combination of all time, Hannibal and his Cannibals.

The character is screaming to be represented: cruel disciplinarian, superb leader, descended from Phoenecians...a positive movie about a middle-easterner? Hollywood should love that...

Dunno about Xenephon, wasn't the Anabasis all "me me me, it was me" when in fact he wasn't the supreme commander until they got back to Greece? I felt he sounded like a big-noting try-hard. Lot of the Romans are full of it too.

Reply

A movie about Hannibal is being planned, starring Vin Diesel .

Reply

I don't think he was 'me, me, me'. Certainly, we have to be wary of trusting his word 100% since it's just that, his word, but he does give dues to the other generals. I'm certainly NOT going to portray him as the supreme leader in my script. The fact that he was a 'try-hard' actually makes him a damn sight more interesting than the usual all-powerful super-general characters we see in historical movies.

Tonally, I'm trying to move away from this very bombastic, theatrical style that has wriggled into historical movies. Troy was the worst for it - the dialogue is a perfect example of this strange faux-shakesperian constructed English that passes for 'ancient' speech. The way I see it, the use of English is an utter anachronism anyway, so we might aswell make it an English that people are actually familiar with, instead of trying to add frills to it to try and fool an audience.

I imagine the tone to be closer to that of a Vietnam movie. Indeed, the parallels are very interesting. Guerilla warfare in an ancient epic? Could be bloody interesting.

Reply

I would say Velizar Belisarius Flavius (the Goth)- one that saved East Roman Empire form Persian's, Slav's, Arab's, Hun's and Goth's, One that Retook Carthage, Rome and Ravena, He destroyed the Vandal and West Goth's state... And died in peace

Comparatively less well-known than other famed military leaders such as Hannibal, Julius Caesar, or Alexander the Great, his skills and accomplishments were matched by very few other military commanders in history. In 530 he beat the Persians in what is now in All Military Academies in the World!

He Entered Rome 9 december 536! And Made Roman Empire as 'One' once more in (while he was in the East - Rome fell, but then again, Belisarius took it again in 547AD)! He was responsible for Nika revolt supression and the most loyal Justinianus general..
At age 77 (in 559AD) he managed to defend Constantinopolios against Huns with only 300 soldiers and 1000 armed citizen's..


Bélisaire, by François André Vincent, 1776. Belisarius, blinded, a beggar, is recognised by one of his former soldiers - This picture is reconstruction of 12 century poetry by Jovan Cеsеs that made-up a legend by wich Justinian blinded Velizar after an atempt of some officer's to kill the Emperor.

He died in the third month of 565 at age 83, just a few month's before his master

Reply

There was a short two-part mini-series on the life of Hannibal made by the BBC. It had Alexander Siddig (Julian Bashir in Deep Space Nine, the 'good' muslim in KIngdom of Heaven, the Westernised Prince in Syriana) as Hannibal. Unfortunately it only really concentrated on his campaign into Italy, and little else.

Xenophon - Now there's a good story waiting to be told.

I second Vergingetorix and The Apostate, two very strong historical characters who, with a little more luck, may have changed history.

One person who I'm surprised to see not mentioned is Justinian, the man who tried to recreate the Roman Empire pretty much single handedly. I think any film on the Varangian Guard would be a great watch, and a good historical exercise.

One character I'm amazed I haven't seen a film on is the Prophet Muhammed. I guess there would be too much religious argy-bargy....

Reply

Page 3 of 4 First 123 4 Last