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11 Movies Saved by Historical Inaccuracy

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Serge L View Drop Down
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  Quote Serge L Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: 11 Movies Saved by Historical Inaccuracy
    Posted: 14-Jul-2007 at 13:54
This nice article:

http://www.cracked.com/index.php?name=News&sid=2202

(read it, it's funny) supports an interesting thesis: historical facts, as they are, are either uninteresting, or too complex or otherwise unfit for cinematographic adaptation, so, essentially, one has to change facts to make them more interesting.

Opinions?

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  Quote Frederick Roger Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14-Jul-2007 at 14:04
Rubbish. My usual comentary after seeing several "historical" films is "Why didn't they kept to the facts? It's soooo much more interesting..."
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  Quote Akolouthos Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14-Jul-2007 at 14:20
That is one of the funniest websites I've ever read. LOL

-Akolouthos
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  Quote Gundamor Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14-Jul-2007 at 14:47
I dont think 2001 should be number 1 or even on this crazy list. I've never considered it "historical" if thats the case wheres star trek or the movie 1984LOL
"An eye for an eye only ends up making the whole world blind"
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  Quote Cywr Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14-Jul-2007 at 15:03
I believe it was included because its prediction of the future (6 years ago) was a little bit off.
Arrrgh!!"
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  Quote Serge L Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14-Jul-2007 at 15:31
And whilst it actually was "future" (albeit a close one) when it was firstly projected in cinemas, now 2001 is history.

Not a sole case, BTW, think about 1984 ;) 
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  Quote elenos Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14-Jul-2007 at 22:06
The critic of these movies starts off well and then loses the plot himself. Like many movie makers he shows more interest in showing what is politically correct rather than what is true. Like for instance was Shakespeare gay? Not really, he was a bi who went both ways, but he did end up falling in love with a woman. It would seem the one who wrote the article didn't like that!

Why he should criticize 2001?  In reality at the time the movie was made 1968, the year 2001 seemed so very far away. However, the major point of the critic is taken, movies could be more accurate and still entertaining. but are just not made that way, we need better writers and directors.
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  Quote kurt Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14-Jul-2007 at 23:20
Nice article. Nice of them to insult Mel Gibson too.
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  Quote elenos Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14-Jul-2007 at 23:57
Yeah, they really put the boot into Mel Gibson. I like his movies. 
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  Quote Aelfgifu Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 15-Jul-2007 at 05:34
That was hilarious! LOL

I think he is right though. For all the whining about bad history in movies, I do think that always sticking to reality does not make good entertainment for the masses. On the other hand, some movies just take it way too far...

The most important thing about movies I think is a good story. If the story is really good, it does not matter history was thrown out of the window (Gladiator). But if the movie is bad, bad, bad, I take great delight in finding every single detail that can possibly be hisorically wrong....(King Arthur). WinkBig%20smile


Edited by Aelfgifu - 15-Jul-2007 at 05:36

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  Quote elenos Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 15-Jul-2007 at 07:15
Gladiator, yes. The story may have been accurate, but for showing that period of time it was right on. Once I see the costumes with all the scenery and action I seem to go back to those times and start living the role. It's the nearest we can get to being there. But as for movies of King Arthur what can you say? I wonder why they always put those stupid magic scenes in dark age movies, when movies about rome have none? I feel like cringing when dragons and all that stuff appear.
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  Quote Serge L Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 15-Jul-2007 at 11:55
IMHO, what is really important was to state clearly whether a movie is a historically documented or biographic work, a historically based fiction, or pure fantasy.

People should know, than everything is legit.
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  Quote Dan Carkner Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 15-Jul-2007 at 12:01
Haha, what a cleverly-written article!
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  Quote ChickenShoes Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 15-Jul-2007 at 13:24
Originally posted by Frederick Roger

Rubbish. My usual comentary after seeing several "historical" films is "Why didn't they kept to the facts? It's soooo much more interesting..."
 
 
maybe for you, an avid history fan and intelligent individual, but for the general public it would be hard to understand and a regular snoozefest. gotta think of the larger market instead of the true history buffs!
It is not enough that I succeed - everyone else must fail
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  Quote Aster Thrax Eupator Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 01-Aug-2007 at 13:24

Once I see the costumes with all the scenery and action I seem to go back to those times and start living the role.

...What, you mean the stereotypical legionaries and ridiculously well armoured Gladiators? Yeah, a really good film...
 
I would agree with what you said, Aelfgifu- historical inaccuracy is important, but it's not everything, but in many cases, there's none. There should at least be the correct general setting, costumes and social values!!! The middle ages ones are the worst - King Arthur and King of Heaven - I mean, for Christs' sake- it's the wrong king (the leper king died before the film was set) and Saladin's army is way to big. ...And as for Troy- I know it's only a myth, but they could have at least sticked to the general plot and correct military garments!
 
...Also, they say on the first review in that article - Gladiator that Commdus was "basically a decent guy" - yes, he was corrupted by his advisors, but oh how wrong they were! He was a throughly nasty piece of work!


Edited by Aster Thrax Eupator - 01-Aug-2007 at 13:28
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  Quote Penelope Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02-Aug-2007 at 01:05
Originally posted by elenos

Yeah, they really put the boot into Mel Gibson. I like his movies. 
 
Mel Gibson continues to "stack dem chips" (bring in billions), while many people criticize him. Contriversy sells. The more contriversal the movie, the more money the movie will make, as well as its actors and actresses.


Edited by Penelope - 02-Aug-2007 at 01:05
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  Quote elenos Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02-Aug-2007 at 04:53

Movies really do take us to different places and different times unlike anything else. A great movie opens the door for us to enter and escape into a culture past in a time long ago. The might of Rome the magic of Camelot and the arcane mysteries of Egypt have all been filmed for better, worse or worst. The world of stereotypes can be far more powerful than real life for the power and romance of other times has been added.

 The movie makers compete to show us a different world, but not too different. In A Knights Tale with Heath Ledger the crowd sang, We will, will rock you during a tournament. There is no reason to say the crowds didnt sing at that time, not rock tunes, but the popular tunes of their time. It was an original scene for a movie and I enjoyed the show. The armor came over a century later than the period, but overall the movie suggested the romance of the Middle Ages over several periods rolled into one and worked well on a feel good level.

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  Quote kurt Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02-Aug-2007 at 08:23
Originally posted by Penelope

Originally posted by elenos

Yeah, they really put the boot into Mel Gibson. I like his movies. 
 
Mel Gibson continues to "stack dem chips" (bring in billions), while many people criticize him. Contriversy sells. The more contriversal the movie, the more money the movie will make, as well as its actors and actresses.
 
It's nice to know that someone else in the world is aware of this. Even by giving that fundamentalist moron insults, that website is increasing public awareness towards him and making him richer, and hence giving him resources to dent my sanity with his christian propaganda.
 
Furthermore, by complaining about Mel Gibson in the previous paragraph, i have brought even more attention to his career, hence making myself a complete hypocrite. I think I need sleep.
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  Quote elenos Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02-Aug-2007 at 08:42
Yes kurt, sleep upon what you say. Many a great star doesn't shine at all in their personal life, it's only their work on screen that makes them great and that takes a special ability called star power.  
elenos
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  Quote Aelfgifu Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02-Aug-2007 at 08:53
It would seem to me that, judging by the large amount of stars who are members of funny and scary religions, or taking abusive substances, or have aquired the habit of serial marriage and such things, star power is rather bad for ones mental health...

Women hold their councils of war in kitchens: the knives are there, and the cups of coffee, and the towels to dry the tears.
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