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Author Topic: Netflix series Barbarians.  (Read 10345 times)

Offline Sir Barnaby Hammond-Rye

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Re: Netflix series Barbarians.
« Reply #30 on: October 25, 2020, 02:27:37 PM »
There is a brief moment near the 36 second mark showing a roman wearing an elaborate exercise/sports helmet.  Face fully covered.  Highly unlikely to be worn on a campaign.

I thought that was the old view, and that more recent opinion, based partly on re-enactor's trials, was more favourable.

Part of the argument was that it would restrict vision, but apparently that has not found to be the case with the replicas.

Offline Inkpaduta

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Re: Netflix series Barbarians.
« Reply #31 on: October 26, 2020, 12:16:38 AM »
Looking forward to see it but gave a sigh that there had to be other woman warrior.

Offline commissarmoody

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Re: Netflix series Barbarians.
« Reply #32 on: October 26, 2020, 05:06:25 AM »
Finished episode 4 really starting to get annoyed with the Merry Sue. Costumes are still great though.  lol
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Offline Antonio J Carrasco

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Re: Netflix series Barbarians.
« Reply #33 on: October 26, 2020, 06:36:43 AM »
I thought that was the old view, and that more recent opinion, based partly on re-enactor's trials, was more favourable.

Part of the argument was that it would restrict vision, but apparently that has not found to be the case with the replicas.

I wouldn't put too much faith in re-enactor's trials, though. Their value as evidence is very limited. 

Offline Atheling

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Re: Netflix series Barbarians.
« Reply #34 on: October 27, 2020, 08:45:53 AM »
I think I had a dream last night about Tacitus rolling uncomfortably in his grave  lol

Offline Captain Blood

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Re: Netflix series Barbarians.
« Reply #35 on: October 27, 2020, 09:17:48 AM »
Started watching it. A couple of episodes in. Quite like it. They’ve made a pretty good fist of the Romans’ armour and so on. Better than usual. Not sure the Romans all looking like modern Italians has quite the right feel, but it’s a small gripe.
The story is tripe, of course, and the lead characters cartoonish stereotypes who behave in all the improbable and melodramatic ways you’d expect them to.  But that’s generally the case with these sorts of ‘historical’ series. So far, I way prefer it to the execrable ‘The Last Kingdom’ at any rate  ::)
I shall stick with it.

Offline Atheling

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Re: Netflix series Barbarians.
« Reply #36 on: October 27, 2020, 10:10:00 AM »
Why do all so called 'barbarian' characters seem to have mullets of varying states of 80's-ness?   lol

Lost Kingdom, Vikings and now Barbarians..... do they know something that the historians don't?  lol

Watched the whole series. 4/10 from my personal perspective.


Offline Mad Doc Morris

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Re: Netflix series Barbarians.
« Reply #37 on: October 27, 2020, 10:15:54 AM »
So far, I way prefer it to the execrable ‘The Last Kingdom’ at any rate

Perhaps it's a cultural thing as I much easier endure the BS on offer in "Last Kingdom" than the – admittedly similar – presentation of "Barbarians". :D
I'm a sucker for all things Roman. So I watch it anyway. But that whole Arminius/Teutoburg arc has been done to death in German historical culture. And despite its eschewal of nationalistic tropes the show adds nothing new to the mix. Germanic people may be less hairy and less idealistic but all the more ill-mannered underdogs just interested in their 'freedom' (whatever that means). Meanwhile the 'appeal' of Roman culture again seems limited to a treacherous longing for power or simply forced breakup with one's family. Added to that, an evil empire, fair bit of gore, a leading warrioress character – there's a lot of lazy writing.

Well, nerds like me aren't easy to please and there will be many others perfectly happy with the show as it is. It's definitely a step up in production values – if not in sound engineering, the original German is really hard to understand at times. I just had hoped for a more innovative bit of story-telling.

Offline Sterling Moose

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Re: Netflix series Barbarians.
« Reply #38 on: October 27, 2020, 10:30:14 AM »
Quote
Why do all so called 'barbarian' characters seem to have mullets of varying states of 80's-ness?


Maybe they took their lead from the Perry Bros, their Ancient Germans sported a variety of hairstyles.

Swabian knot anyone?
'I saw the angel in the marble and carved until I set him free.'

Offline Atheling

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Re: Netflix series Barbarians.
« Reply #39 on: October 27, 2020, 11:12:05 AM »


Maybe they took their lead from the Perry Bros, their Ancient Germans sported a variety of hairstyles.

Swabian knot anyone?

Swabian knots are one thing......



This is quite another.......

Offline Belgian

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Re: Netflix series Barbarians.
« Reply #40 on: October 27, 2020, 06:42:04 PM »
Binge-watched the series last weekend and although I enjoyed the setting and uniforms I was less impressed by the acting, storyline and especially the actual battle ...

As the series seem to focus on the battle of Teutoburg Forest it was really a shame that the battle was so fantasy in tactics and wasn't really inspired by the actual battle fought on three days probably with much less fire ... lol Also no mention of the earthen wall and trench that said really disappointed and although not bad, it wasn't very good either. The Germans talking German and the Romans Latin was interesting and great touch but would have prefered a more decent storyline and especially battle.
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Offline Maniac

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Re: Netflix series Barbarians.
« Reply #41 on: October 28, 2020, 12:13:16 AM »
Binge-watched the series last weekend and although I enjoyed the setting and uniforms I was less impressed by the acting, storyline and especially the actual battle ...

As the series seem to focus on the battle of Teutoburg Forest it was really a shame that the battle was so fantasy in tactics and wasn't really inspired by the actual battle fought on three days probably with much less fire ... lol Also no mention of the earthen wall and trench that said really disappointed and although not bad, it wasn't very good either. The Germans talking German and the Romans Latin was interesting and great touch but would have prefered a more decent storyline and especially battle.

It is amazing, sometimes, how much Hollywood has to 'hollywood-ize' things.  It's why I did not enjoy Troy, as an example.  The written stories don't need 'elaboration' just condensation to fit the format and time available.  Your comment doesn't fill me with hope it that it gets any better.

Last Kingdom suffers from lack of scale (it continually underwhelms with the numbers it has for battles/retinues/etc) and lack of costuming.  At least the plot is better than 4 wading through dung and miraculously not getting sick to steal the eagle from a camp of thousands. 
« Last Edit: October 28, 2020, 03:24:53 PM by Maniac »
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Offline Inkpaduta

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Re: Netflix series Barbarians.
« Reply #42 on: October 28, 2020, 02:08:18 AM »
Watched two episodes so far. Didn't realize that they took the Legion eagle out with small patrols.
Also seems that all the Romans were mounted. Otherwise not all that bad to just sit and watch.

Offline Silent bob

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Re: Netflix series Barbarians.
« Reply #43 on: October 28, 2020, 06:49:12 AM »
Imagine this, if you will, a film written and produced by wargmers/re-enactors.....say Zulu II (the reboot)

Most of it set in the dark....lots and lots of gun fire, very few casualties on the British side, 'Gunny' Bromead and Chard seem to get on....Hooky is a teetotalling model soldier....Colour Sgt Borne is small, scawny and young....no drunk Witt nor no Ulla  (:-*)

But very good armour and haircuts....

I'm not sure how it would go down at the box office though....

I have trouble with anything historical on TV & Movies but these things are 'info-tainment' and not meant to be part of a university thesis.....at least Barbarians has brought Varus and Herman The German to the public domain, in some kind of historical context.....

Offline Atheling

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Re: Netflix series Barbarians.
« Reply #44 on: October 28, 2020, 08:17:53 AM »
Imagine this, if you will, a film written and produced by wargmers/re-enactors.....say Zulu II (the reboot)

Most of it set in the dark....lots and lots of gun fire, very few casualties on the British side, 'Gunny' Bromead and Chard seem to get on....Hooky is a teetotalling model soldier....Colour Sgt Borne is small, scawny and young....no drunk Witt nor no Ulla  (:-*)

But very good armour and haircuts....

I'm not sure how it would go down at the box office though....

I have trouble with anything historical on TV & Movies but these things are 'info-tainment' and not meant to be part of a university thesis.....at least Barbarians has brought Varus and Herman The German to the public domain, in some kind of historical context.....

Whilst I agree about artist's being at liberty to use artistic, something fundamental to free speech/expression, license. I also know that is can be folly if it takes the pee. A balance has to be drawn and the production team failed the test IMHO. I'm not angry, bitter or anything of that nature, just mildly amused and having a chuckle to myself about what was at the end of the day, essentially a misleading story about historical events.

 

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