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[DurielBlack]

Nothing involving swords gets my vote. Nowhere near realistic swordplay in anything I have seen. They are all full of hollywood tropes where swords conveniently shear through plate armor, senseless dancing/twirling, swords weigh 30 pounds, etc etc. That's not what I would consider historical film. On the other hand Gladiator was pretty damn good and I was indeed entertained so I would toss a vote into that if I had to.

Saving Private Ryan and Band of Brothers get my vote for WW2 era. Entertaining and relatively accurate depictions of combat at the time.

We Were Soldiers was also pretty good. I talked to a vet who was actually there. He said the film version was pretty close to his experience, although not super accurate by any means. He said the Sgt Major was a real hard-ass just like in the movie.

Edit: Forgot about Kingdom of Heaven, that one was pretty good as well, I should re-watch it to refresh my memory.

 

[jett]

I think Agora deserves a mention in this thread, it has some very well choreographed battles and what they lack in size, they make up for with gritty realism. The film itself is something very different to the usual historical epics produced in this day and age. More of the same please.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fHvYiC6GdYk&feature=player_embedded

Just watched Agora thanks to your recommendation. A really interesting and thought provoking movie, although I was disappointed to discover that it was pretty much pure fabrication.

Production work is outstanding though, looks really expensive. I don't understand how does a movie like this go completely unnoticed.

 

[bengraven]

So I'm the only one trying to give Kurosawa some love?

You guys are monsters.

What Jett said. Ran is probably my favorite movie of all time.

 

[highrider]

SPEAKING OF CANNONBALLS!

another great historical (fiction) movie at sea with battles is Master and Commander, so good. but i think someone had a LTTP or appreciation thread not too long ago.

this. something just rang true about the way they presented combat in that film.

 

[bengraven]

I love the Zhang Yimou movies, even though they were the farthest from realistic as you can get. They are the complete opposite of a Saving Private Ryan. They were beautiful and colorful and fluid like dancing compared to dark and gritty and horrific.

I love gritty and dark most of all, but I can't deny beauty. Yimou has been my favorite director alongside Danny Boyle for the last decade. If only every film wasn't propoganda.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dRyU2mK4Rls

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQA63YFTJkQ



Again, this is the complete opposite, I believe, than what the OP is asking for, but I like showing the other side.

 

[Mashing]

SPEAKING OF CANNONBALLS!

another great historical (fiction) movie at sea with battles is Master and Commander, so good. but i think someone had a LTTP or appreciation thread not too long ago.

Goddamn, that movie is sound orgasm.

 

[JB1981]

Planned on watching a bit of KOH tonight and ended up watching the whole damn thing. 3 hrs and 9 min that just flew by. The movie is a feast for the eyes. The art direction and cinematography are just out of this world.

Bloom's performance is probably about as good as anyone could have expected. One thing I picked up on this time about the ending (which didnt make much sense), was Balian should not have returned home since he is wanted for murder.

 

[Alfarif]

Is Ran too old for this thread? Kagemusha? Those are my favorites. Kurosawa was a beast at battle scenes. The man had taste.

Not to mention that everything happening in those scenes is real. Real swords, real arrows, real EVERYTHING. People could have legit DIED on his sets. MY GOD!

 

[Korey]

The scene where

Spoiler

Poseidon jumps down from Olympus head first

is just amazing

 

[Snake]

Kingdom of Heaven (DC) was art in motion. Such a beautiful film. He better make that The Forever War movie before he retires.

Gatdamn.

This thread is now a subsidiary entity of the ~Official Kingdom of Heaven Appreciation Station.

 

[shintoki]

I remember losing all interest in the movie when Bana died, he was the only actor worth a damn in that production.

Kingdom of Heaven is god-tier to me as it is, Orlando Bloom's understated performance is fine, he wasn't forcing himself into acting like a badass at least...but yeah with a better actor the movie would be even better.

Like normal, they get some fantastic older actors in Troy and supporting ones. With your three leads, only Bana held his own. Bloom and Pitt were horrendous.

Master and Commander + Kingdom of Heaven DC. I'll agree to turning this thread into an Love fest for both.

 

[JB1981]

Like normal, they get some fantastic older actors in Troy and supporting ones. With your three leads, only Bana held his own. Bloom and Pitt were horrendous.

Master and Commander + Kingdom of Heaven DC. I'll agree to turning this thread into an Love fest for both.

http://m.youtube.com/index?desktop_uri=/&gl=US#/watch?v=WOwuxYvqKM8

O'Toole's, as Priam, with Pitt was fantastic. "how many fathers, sons and cousins have you killed ... How many brave Achilles." makes you forget about all the other shots pushing in on him looking constipated

 

[speculawyer]

No Saving Private Ryan in the OP? Epic fail.

 

[Wotan131]

Saving Private Ryan was good, but it starts very realistic and ends completely opposite that. Tiger tanks blindly driving into streets and sticky socks? All realism went out in the last half of the movie.

 

[Guerrillas in the Mist]

Saving Private Ryan was good, but it starts very realistic and ends completely opposite that. Tiger tanks blindly driving into streets and sticky socks? All realism went out in the last half of the movie.

Not to mention super-accurate close air support within 20 meters of friendly soldiers that doesn't kill or injure anyone else by some miracle.

 

[Nose Master]

Of what I've seen: Red Cliff. Brilliantly creative fight scenes.

Spoiler

Though, I have no idea if it's historical.

 

[JB1981]

One thing that still bothers me about KOH, but I guess this is part of the movie's theme of striving for goodness, is

Spoiler

Balian's refusal to marry Sybila and approve the execution of Guy. The entire kingdom goes to shit because of his sanctimony.

It was certainly the lesser of the two evils.

 

[SCULLIBUNDO]

I think the battle scenes in The Thin Red Line are every bit the equal of Omaha Beach. It's not as "visceral," but it serves its movie just as well.

I love TTRL, but you're reaching now, Snowy. Like TTRL more than SPR all you want, but if you're comparing the battle scenes between the two, the opening half hour of SPR destroys every single one of TTRL's battle sequences, tall grass or no tall grass.

 

[1138]

If I had a shit ton of cash and was a producer, these are the four historical conflicts/events that I would put on film.


2. 1453, The Fall of Constantinople
3. Battle of Vienna, 1683

I read through both of the wiki articles, and I have to say that I would be there day 1 to watch the movies based on these events if they ever were produced. Its such a shame that historical epics are no longer in fashion at Hollywood, when you have events such as these that have never been depicted in cinema. The last moments of Constantine XI has amazing potential:

He died on 29 May 1453, the day the city fell. His last recorded words were: "The city is fallen and I am still alive",[16] and then he tore off his imperial ornaments as to let nothing to distinguish him from of any other soldier and led his remaining soldiers into a last charge where he was killed

 

[ymmv]

Just watched Agora thanks to your recommendation. A really interesting and thought provoking movie, although I was disappointed to discover that it was pretty much pure fabrication.

Production work is outstanding though, looks really expensive. I don't understand how does a movie like this go completely unnoticed.

The movie was a complete commercial failure and I don't understand it. I was completely blown away by it when I got to watch it in 2010. I have no idea how accurate its portrayal of Alexandria in the Roman era is, but it certainly looks like the real thing.

 

[JB1981]

The movie was a complete commercial failure and I don't understand it. I was completely blown away by it when I got to watch it in 2010. I have no idea how accurate its portrayal of Alexandria in the Roman era is, but it certainly looks like the real thing.

It looks better than Gladiator IMO

 

[Carcetti]

I'll have to say Kingdom of Heaven even if I don't like rest of the film that much. I haven't seen the better cut yet.

 

[leadbelly]

You know, I don't think there has ever been a proper movie about King Richard. He was a horrible King to his people, but he was one hell of a warrior. I remember watching a documentary about him and he was like some kind of action hero. He literally used to take out like 20 men on his own. It's the sort of thing you'd roll your eyes at in a movie and say, "as if!" but he was really that good of a warrior. There are accounts of him by the Arabs at the time. There were battles where on realising King Richard was there, they ended up running away. He was feared by them. lol

He is a great person to make a film about because he was such a flawed character; a great warrior, terrible king.

 

[Hank Scorpio]

Might have already been mentioned but the second big battle scene in Alexander, in India, was pretty memorable imo. Seeing it in the cinema, the thuds and wailing of the elephants as they crash through the jungle and smash into the Macedonian centre was pretty thrilling.

The climax of the battle with Alexander on horseback facing off against the Indian King/General on his elephant was awesome.

 

[JB1981]

Might have already been mentioned but the second big battle scene in Alexander, in India, was pretty memorable imo. Seeing it in the cinema, the thuds and wailing of the elephants as they crash through the jungle and smash into the Macedonian centre was pretty thrilling.

The climax of the battle with Alexander on horseback facing off against the Indian King/General on his elephant was awesome.

Poor Bucephalus

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-nVCtzHI5VY

 

[IceCold]

I'd love to see a movie on the Reconquista or the battles of the Lusitanians (specifically Viriato/Viriathus) vs the Romans. They practically defeated the Romans (the general asked for a peace treaty) and only through bribery and betrayal were they able to beat Viriathus.

 

[ghst]

I've wanted to see this for a very long time. I read about half the first novel during the BotM thread and loved it, though I had to put it to the side. I don't know why I haven't bought the DVD, but it seems like whenever the DVD is in front of me I have other things I want to buy.

Ah, the Aubrey-Maturin stories: I just can't find time for any of you.

master and commander was a major dimensional dividing point in the universe. in one dimension, it did avatar numbers, and the collective iq of the cinema going public was raised to the point where even swashbuckling action films had to inhibit an earthy, grounded sincerity and an empathic authenticity to both characters and scenario to be successful.

the other dimension is the one we're in.

 

[yacobod]

I love TTRL, but you're reaching now, Snowy. Like TTRL more than SPR all you want, but if you're comparing the battle scenes between the two, the opening half hour of SPR destroys every single one of TTRL's battle sequences, tall grass or no tall grass.

do you have to turn every thread you post in into a Spielberg circle jerk?

threads clearly about pre-gun powder war movies etc.

 

[JB1981]

do you have to turn every thread you post in into a Spielberg circle jerk?

threads clearly about pre-gun powder war movies etc.

i think snowman and sculli intentionally post things like this to get each other's attention

in fairness to sculli he was responding to snowman and after posting SPR Omaha beach links he did ask what the criteria of the thread was

 

[dave_m123]

Return of the Jedi space battle. Amazing for its time.

 

[SCULLIBUNDO]

do you have to turn every thread you post in into a Spielberg circle jerk?

threads clearly about pre-gun powder war movies etc.

I asked which era and then saw other people posting more modern battles. Let the sun shine into your heart my broken friend. I'll always be right here. *takes off in spaceship*

 

[shintoki]

master and commander was a major dimensional dividing point in the universe. in one dimension, it did avatar numbers, and the collective iq of the cinema going public was raised to the point where even swashbuckling action films had to inhibit an earthy, grounded sincerity and an empathic authenticity to both characters and scenario to be successful.

the other dimension is the one we're in.

Master and Commander came out the same time Last Samurai did. I saw M&C already and went to Last Samurai. Ended up leaving to just go watch Master and Commander again. Saw it one last time in the cheap theaters before it left theaters.

 

[Kinyou]

Troy Director's Cut - (much more graphic than theatrical) And Achilles is a one-man army fucking BAD ASS, just cutting through fools. (this is cut like shit by the uploader.) WB wanted a PG13 movie when it came out. LOL @ them.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sp3qq8R6O88

I also really like these smaller fight scenes in Troy. It's like you'd expect a real perfect swordsman to fight. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sq-uMIZGETs&feature=related

 

[Hyuga]

Achilles vs. Hector >>>>>>>>>>> *

 

[-MB-]

I think some gaffer said it, but make a historical epic of the fall of Constantinople.

Guess u got your wish, somewhat.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D8ghM82M568&

Its a turkish production though.

 

[SapientWolf]

Saving Private Ryan was good, but it starts very realistic and ends completely opposite that. Tiger tanks blindly driving into streets and sticky socks? All realism went out in the last half of the movie.

Pretty sure the sticky socks were real.

Another method used by the British Home Guard in 1940 was to place a high explosive in a thick sock and cover the lower part with axle grease and then place the grease covered part in a suitable size tin can. The anti-tank sock was pulled out, the fuse lit and the sock thrown against the side of the vehicle where it would adhere until the explosion. It caused internal spalling of the armor plate, killing or injuring the tank crew inside.[8] By late 1940, the British had brought into production a purpose-built adhesive anti-tank grenade - known as the sticky bomb.

 

[ReturnOfTheRAT]

I knew 300 was in trouble when Mr. Slo-mo decided to highlight a scene of a foreground and background character doing the exact same set of moves against the Persian warriors. I don't know how they could let that slide.

The only reason I've gone back to it was to see Fassbender before he rose to prominence.

 

[LaserBuddha]

I knew 300 was in trouble when Mr. Slo-mo decided to highlight a scene of a foreground and background character doing the exact same set of moves against the Persian warriors. I don't know how they could let that slide.

Are we talking the same actors copy-pasted into the same scene, or do you just mean two different actors using the same sequence of moves? Because two warriors with the same military training using the same sequence of moves is absolutely expected.

 

[JB1981]

Pretty sure the sticky socks were real.

yea i thought he was wrong about that

 

[pauljeremiah]

I would love to make a mini-series based on the Emperor Vespasian & The Year Of The Four Emperors.

Wrote a blog post about it a few years ago. Have never really been able to get it off the ground, came very close once though.