Constantinople 1453- The Movie

Don�t know who first brought this up months ago, I think it was Eaglecap, but in any case, the thought has never left my mind!

The Fall of Constantinople in 1453- THE MOVIE

As to my knowledge neither Steven Spielberg nor Peter Jackson has any plans to make a movie about it, let�s do it ourselves!
Just a few random thoughts.

Let�s just presume, we want to pitch the idea to a big Hollywood studio, so they can turn the whole thing into a blockbuster summer hit with all the mods and cons. So we need to develop a few ideas about the film, about the characters, the settings, the special effects and so on.
It's quite obvious that the movie should take sides as there really can't any sides been taken anyway.

Now, we all have seen the recent sword and sandal epics, Troy, Alexander and Kingdom of Heaven etc, and they all seem to have the same ingredients:

1.     A certain license with historical accuracy, to one extent or another.
2.     Large battle scenes with giant computer generated armies.
3.     A love story, passionate but tragic
4.     Black and white characterisation( not that easy in this film, as it shouldn�t offend either Christians or Muslims)

I�m gonna start with the main protagonists. It�s pretty obvious who they are, Constantine XI Dragas, Mehmet II, the Genoese Giovanni Guistiani, etc, etc,

But I�ll begin with somebody else:

The engineer Urban.(neither good nor evil)
Urban is a tragic figure, the medieval prototype of the scientist who is not interested in the moral implications of his inventions, but only to put them into practise. Urban , a Christian of Hungarian(?) origin has great plans for an innovative artillery and tries first the Byzantine services, but can�t realise his ideas here, as the Emperor hasn�t got the financial means to do so. Urban isn�t really motivated by money or other rewards, he just wants to build his canons and so he offers his services to the Sultan Mehmet II. The Sultan has the finances and the facilities and Urban constructs his enormous canons that are then used at the siege of C.
When Urban realises what damages to the city and his people inflict, he starts to become doubts, and soon to have feelings of guilt that he has contributed to the destruction of the great city, and unsuccessfully tries to sabotage his canons and commits suicide in the end.
How about Hugo Weaving( Elrond, Agent Smith) in the role?

The Venetian(definitely evil)
A fictious character, but embodying the position of the Venetians. He is an eminent Venetian, a member of the great council of the republic, who leaves Constantinople just before the start of the siege , but in full knowledge of both its extent and its timing. He has promised the Emperor to raise and organise help in Venice. But back home he tries everything to delay and undermine all efforts, as he secretely has opened negotiations with the Sultan, on order to safeguard Venetian interest after , what he thinks is going to be the inevitable conquest of C., not at least as he has some private financial interests in the Levant trade.( Maybe he could have a son, who is hopelessly in love with a Byzantine princess, and thus stays behind and gets eventually killed).
Kevin Spacey(Verbal in �The Usual Suspects) maybe?

Anyway, you get my drift? Any more ideas?


Edited by Komnenos

Originally posted by ak�nc� I got a name for the movie: THE CONQUEST

Na, there was one already, but I don't think it was about 1453!



Needs to be more neutral!

Edited by Komnenos

Lets hope, Turks fought in Istanbul also remembered.

Because History dont remember them.

 

� think the best scene would be the emperor charging against the upkcoming tide of janissaries(though it will last a very short time)

Komnenos

What I told is, Turks fighting inside of castle, not Turks sieged castle.

I dont care much If they show us as evil.

If they prefer enemity between Turkey and EU, None will get any benefit.

 

Yes, I am suprised you know it. I think People dont know it.

He had 700 soldier also. I have no sypmaty for him.

But I dont like it, noone remember them. Nor Turks neither other people.

 

 

 

I thought the Venetians inside the city actually fought to the death in defense of Constantinople. It was the Genoans who fled when the walls were finally breached. The evil Italian should be from Genoa.

Just a suggestion here... I think it would be more interesting if the movie were through the eyes of a fictional Byzantine soldier, rather than the famous figures. Of course, you would still have to include the famous figures, but make the expendable soldier the main character. Then you would not have to worry about historical accuracy and create all the drama you want.

Turkish perspective should be just a show, there is not a dram by Turkish point, but a conquest.

 

Assuming we get together a decent script and whatnot, how would this movie even happen? I do hope it does, I have been waiting a long time for a movie on Byzantium. I had hoped of one about Belisarius, since his life was already full of action and drama. But alas, Edward Gibbon had to mess it up for everyone. I hope Belisarius and the Bulgaroctonus are kicking him in the face in the afterlife.

Another interesting scene: Sultan is entering Hagia Sophia with his soldiers and saying the Byzantines over there:"We wouldn't harm any of you.You will live in your city as it didn't invaded etc. etc."