Kmar
Truth is my Bitch
+5,695|6974|132 and Bush

A lot of roman history is gone. .. and most of the history we do have has been altered or manipulated by christian monks who were charged with maintaining that knowledge during the dark ages.

You're absolutely right about history being a great story all by itself. Some of the stories I've heard in the war docu's I have are jaw dropping fascinating.
Xbone Stormsurgezz
Uzique
dasein.
+2,865|6843
i'm not disputing or discussing the origins or debating the historiography of ancient studies... im just saying there is a lot of great known source material (the nature and veracity of which isn't worth going into-- it's irrelevant)... but every time these dramas set in the ancient world boil down to the same trite bullshit. there have been a few roman fillms/dramas/series (i can't think of the names right now) that cover, say, the human dramas and, say, the complex interplay and relation between politics and personal lives... we don't need another gory, instant gratification gladiator-fest. i just think it's a cash in, post-300.
libertarian benefit collector - anti-academic super-intellectual. http://mixlr.com/the-little-phrase/
Jay
Bork! Bork! Bork!
+2,006|5731|London, England

dayarath wrote:

I really don't see the appeal in either series tbh.

The classical period is such a fantastic time to stage a movie / series in but they all seem to fuck up. Bad dialogue, mediocre actors, bad fighting scenes (terrible filming mostly)... HOW

A movie about Crassus in Parthia f.ex. would be absolutely great to watch. Yet all we get stuck with is this drama bullshit or over the top 300 stuff...
Because shows like Rome and Spartacus have to appeal to non-diehard history lovers. I took Rome for what it was: entertainment and gratuitous tits. Rather enjoyed it.
"Ah, you miserable creatures! You who think that you are so great! You who judge humanity to be so small! You who wish to reform everything! Why don't you reform yourselves? That task would be sufficient enough."
-Frederick Bastiat
Jay
Bork! Bork! Bork!
+2,006|5731|London, England

Uzique wrote:

i'm not disputing or discussing the origins or debating the historiography of ancient studies... im just saying there is a lot of great known source material (the nature and veracity of which isn't worth going into-- it's irrelevant)... but every time these dramas set in the ancient world boil down to the same trite bullshit. there have been a few roman fillms/dramas/series (i can't think of the names right now) that cover, say, the human dramas and, say, the complex interplay and relation between politics and personal lives... we don't need another gory, instant gratification gladiator-fest. i just think it's a cash in, post-300.
Of course it is. And they'll keep milking it for all they can until the mob gets bored and they move on to something else. Period pieces are in on the premium channels. Rome on HBO, Spartacus on Starz, The Tudors on Showtime. None of them are anything more than soap operas in costume. I dig it.
"Ah, you miserable creatures! You who think that you are so great! You who judge humanity to be so small! You who wish to reform everything! Why don't you reform yourselves? That task would be sufficient enough."
-Frederick Bastiat
Uzique
dasein.
+2,865|6843
i've never really had the time or headspace for soap operas
libertarian benefit collector - anti-academic super-intellectual. http://mixlr.com/the-little-phrase/
Jay
Bork! Bork! Bork!
+2,006|5731|London, England

Uzique wrote:

i've never really had the time or headspace for soap operas
It's something to watch with the woman. I despise 99% of the shit she watches but I can sit down for an episode of a show like that (or top chef).
"Ah, you miserable creatures! You who think that you are so great! You who judge humanity to be so small! You who wish to reform everything! Why don't you reform yourselves? That task would be sufficient enough."
-Frederick Bastiat
Shocking
sorry you feel that way
+333|6372|...
I'm just saying, they're having these series take place in that time and barely even scratch the surface of what those times must've been like. There's so much stuff they could do (which I'm quite certain would interest your average couch potato), but they don't. To me that just feels like a lot of wasted opportunities.

Not to say that the series are bad, but they might aswell have taken place in any other generic timeperiod, as you said, it's soap operas in costumes.
inane little opines
Kmar
Truth is my Bitch
+5,695|6974|132 and Bush

Uzique wrote:

i'm not disputing or discussing the origins or debating the historiography of ancient studies... im just saying there is a lot of great known source material (the nature and veracity of which isn't worth going into-- it's irrelevant)... but every time these dramas set in the ancient world boil down to the same trite bullshit. there have been a few roman fillms/dramas/series (i can't think of the names right now) that cover, say, the human dramas and, say, the complex interplay and relation between politics and personal lives... we don't need another gory, instant gratification gladiator-fest. i just think it's a cash in, post-300.
They boil down to the same bs because they have the precedent of profit. That is what they pitch to studios. You know that. They aren't interested in breaking ground. If they can repackage the same proven box office hits and continue to bring in revenue they will.

However, the interplay of politics and personal life is largely what the show Rome is about. Spartacus on the other hand is mostly decapitations and tits.
Xbone Stormsurgezz
Jay
Bork! Bork! Bork!
+2,006|5731|London, England

dayarath wrote:

I'm just saying, they're having these series take place in that time and barely even scratch the surface of what those times must've been like. There's so much stuff they could do (which I'm quite certain would interest your average couch potato), but they don't. To me that just feels like a lot of wasted opportunities.

Not to say that the series are bad, but they might aswell have taken place in any other generic timeperiod, as you said, it's soap operas in costumes.
https://weblogs.cltv.com/news/local/chicago/Money%20stacks.jpg
"Ah, you miserable creatures! You who think that you are so great! You who judge humanity to be so small! You who wish to reform everything! Why don't you reform yourselves? That task would be sufficient enough."
-Frederick Bastiat
Shocking
sorry you feel that way
+333|6372|...
Well the pacific was pretty succesful right (and a pretty good series)? You really don't need to stick with the same shit just because you're certain it works.

Perhaps it was only because spielberg's name was plastered on it so it's allowed to follow its own direction
inane little opines
Jay
Bork! Bork! Bork!
+2,006|5731|London, England

dayarath wrote:

Well the pacific was pretty succesful right (and a pretty good series)? You really don't need to stick with the same shit just because you're certain it works.

Perhaps it was only because spielberg's name was plastered on it so it's allowed to follow its own direction
I thought the Pacific sucked personally. It was completely disjointed, slow, and not very interesting. Character development was almost non-existent.
"Ah, you miserable creatures! You who think that you are so great! You who judge humanity to be so small! You who wish to reform everything! Why don't you reform yourselves? That task would be sufficient enough."
-Frederick Bastiat
Shocking
sorry you feel that way
+333|6372|...
only watched 2 episodes, thought it was ok - but it was well received as far as I know
inane little opines
Kampframmer
Esq.
+313|5215|Amsterdam

JohnG@lt wrote:

dayarath wrote:

Well the pacific was pretty succesful right (and a pretty good series)? You really don't need to stick with the same shit just because you're certain it works.

Perhaps it was only because spielberg's name was plastered on it so it's allowed to follow its own direction
I thought the Pacific sucked personally. It was completely disjointed, slow, and not very interesting. Character development was almost non-existent.
yeah it wasnt all too great, but the original band of brothers was (one of) the best mini-series ever made
Jay
Bork! Bork! Bork!
+2,006|5731|London, England

Kampframmer wrote:

JohnG@lt wrote:

dayarath wrote:

Well the pacific was pretty succesful right (and a pretty good series)? You really don't need to stick with the same shit just because you're certain it works.

Perhaps it was only because spielberg's name was plastered on it so it's allowed to follow its own direction
I thought the Pacific sucked personally. It was completely disjointed, slow, and not very interesting. Character development was almost non-existent.
yeah it wasnt all too great, but the original band of brothers was (one of) the best mini-series ever made
Absolutely. BoB is probably the best mini-series ever produced. It made you care about the characters. It made you love Winters. You felt like you were right there with them.

With The Pacific I was like 'who just died?'.
"Ah, you miserable creatures! You who think that you are so great! You who judge humanity to be so small! You who wish to reform everything! Why don't you reform yourselves? That task would be sufficient enough."
-Frederick Bastiat
Kmar
Truth is my Bitch
+5,695|6974|132 and Bush

dayarath wrote:

Well the pacific was pretty succesful right (and a pretty good series)? You really don't need to stick with the same shit just because you're certain it works.

Perhaps it was only because spielberg's name was plastered on it so it's allowed to follow its own direction
Saving private ryan>band of brothers>the pacific. You'll not each success ensured Hanks a similiar styled docudrama.

A good series but nowhere near the entertainment value of something like "The World at War". Not for me.
Xbone Stormsurgezz
Kampframmer
Esq.
+313|5215|Amsterdam
When it comes to mini-series, generation kill is very close second to Band of brothers. They are both very different even though they have a similar setting, following soldiers. (a very small similarity when you look at the story etc.)
Jay
Bork! Bork! Bork!
+2,006|5731|London, England

Kampframmer wrote:

When it comes to mini-series, generation kill is very close second to Band of brothers. They are both very different even though they have a similar setting, following soldiers. (a very small similarity when you look at the story etc.)
GK is fantastic.

My favorite scene in the entire series is when Iceman is riding through Baghdad, flashes the peace sign and says "Vote Republican". That had me rolling for a good ten minutes (and yes, it was in the book and made me laugh there too)
"Ah, you miserable creatures! You who think that you are so great! You who judge humanity to be so small! You who wish to reform everything! Why don't you reform yourselves? That task would be sufficient enough."
-Frederick Bastiat
ROGUEDD
BF2s. A Liberal Gang of Faggots.
+452|5762|Fuck this.
Total Recall tri-titties/10  Still an awesome movie.
Make X-meds a full member, for the sake of 15 year old anal gangbang porn watchers everywhere!
Poseidon
Fudgepack DeQueef
+3,253|6910|Long Island, New York
Saw Leaving Las Vegas last night. 8/10

It really sucks that Cage gets such shitty roles. He really is a decent actor. He just gets caught up in shit like The Wicker Man..
Jay
Bork! Bork! Bork!
+2,006|5731|London, England

Poseidon wrote:

Saw Leaving Las Vegas last night. 8/10

It really sucks that Cage gets such shitty roles. He really is a decent actor. He just gets caught up in shit like The Wicker Man..
He plays the same character in every single movie. Seriously, he's the worst.
"Ah, you miserable creatures! You who think that you are so great! You who judge humanity to be so small! You who wish to reform everything! Why don't you reform yourselves? That task would be sufficient enough."
-Frederick Bastiat
Poseidon
Fudgepack DeQueef
+3,253|6910|Long Island, New York

JohnG@lt wrote:

Poseidon wrote:

Saw Leaving Las Vegas last night. 8/10

It really sucks that Cage gets such shitty roles. He really is a decent actor. He just gets caught up in shit like The Wicker Man..
He plays the same character in every single movie. Seriously, he's the worst.
Like I said: He just needs the proper roles. In LLV, the role of suicidal drunk was perfect for him because of his acting style. He's not a good actor as in someone who can play a multitude of roles (like some would say about Christian Bale), he's more of someone who has a specific type of persona, and portrays it perfectly. I think Mark Wahlberg, who is another fantastic actor who gets caught up in shitty movies.
Shocking
sorry you feel that way
+333|6372|...
his voice... hnnnngnggng
inane little opines
Jay
Bork! Bork! Bork!
+2,006|5731|London, England

Poseidon wrote:

JohnG@lt wrote:

Poseidon wrote:

Saw Leaving Las Vegas last night. 8/10

It really sucks that Cage gets such shitty roles. He really is a decent actor. He just gets caught up in shit like The Wicker Man..
He plays the same character in every single movie. Seriously, he's the worst.
Like I said: He just needs the proper roles. In LLV, the role of suicidal drunk was perfect for him because of his acting style. He's not a good actor as in someone who can play a multitude of roles (like some would say about Christian Bale), he's more of someone who has a specific type of persona, and portrays it perfectly. I think Mark Wahlberg, who is another fantastic actor who gets caught up in shitty movies.
I like Wahlberg.

There are few constants in this world but one of them is this: if Nicholas Cage is in a movie it's going to be terrible. It's not because he gets bad scripts. It's because he's awful.
"Ah, you miserable creatures! You who think that you are so great! You who judge humanity to be so small! You who wish to reform everything! Why don't you reform yourselves? That task would be sufficient enough."
-Frederick Bastiat
presidentsheep
Back to the Fuhrer
+208|6334|Places 'n such
I thought the weather man was pretty good, his voice sorta suited the role of a boring guy going slightly crazy...
I'd type my pc specs out all fancy again but teh mods would remove it. Again.
Jay
Bork! Bork! Bork!
+2,006|5731|London, England

presidentsheep wrote:

I thought the weather man was pretty good, his voice sorta suited the role of a boring guy going slightly crazy...
Some people really like him or he wouldn't keep getting so many roles. The sound of his voice sets my teeth on edge and makes me want to throw stuff To each their own.

Last edited by JohnG@lt (2011-02-25 09:23:25)

"Ah, you miserable creatures! You who think that you are so great! You who judge humanity to be so small! You who wish to reform everything! Why don't you reform yourselves? That task would be sufficient enough."
-Frederick Bastiat

Board footer

Privacy Policy - © 2025 Jeff Minard