The Eagle - Movie

[Paul]

The beggining is good but it went downhill afterwards. The seal people are ?...well........odd. 
The actors were divided, Romans as Americans, the rest scottish etc
Quote;
"In a reversal of Hollywood films about the Roman Empire, Macdonald said the Romans are played by American actors and Rome's enemies by British actors. The Romans are played by Americans "to achieve a little contemporary symbolism", with Bell using his native Sunderland Mackem accent, and Scots Gaelic standing in for Pictish"

[Prof.Witchheimer]

Havent seen it yet but loved the book as a kid, those Mowhawks make the mind boggle, the researchers must live in cloud cuckoo land. Best picts seen so far were those in the Costner Robin Hood and then they were anachronistic

The picts looking Mowhawks are a sacrifice to Hollywood and to the market stereothypes, I guess. I'm sure it's not the case of a failed research but of a conscious decision to take that way despite the historical accuracy.

btw, it reminds me of the shock I've had watching the Spielberg's "Hook" and seeing pirates playing Baseball

Anyway, better historical movies with some historical inaccuracy than any.

[Mad Doc Morris]

Don't know what to think about this movie. I read the book as a kid, enthused by all things Roman even back then. However, in the early 90's it looked already a bit dated, and I liked other novels on the same topic better. Therefore I didn't expect too much from its adaptation to the big screen. Still I was disappointed.
Put aside all historical accuracy, which adds greatly to my enjoyment of movies if they get it right, but doesn't either distract if not, the story was just lacklustre. Can't decide if it was due to the script (which had some ridiculous dialogues and quite a few flaws), the production values (come on, embossed shields, muscle cuirasses and bracers are very old-school) or just the one-dimensional character drawing (both by script and acting). These shortcomings made it quite tedious, and I normally don't check the time while watching a film, but here I did. And I haven't yet mentioned the hammer-style actualisation with "Quest for Fire"-Taliban being rightfully chastised by heroic soldiers, just let down by their decadent home country…

However, I still wanted to like this movie, for it had Romans in it - and, what's more, a centurion as a leading character! From what I've gathered, Centurion might be a tad better. But I can't bring myself to endure the massive splatter it seems to contain.

[Captain Blood]

Macdonald said the Romans are played by American actors and Rome's enemies by British actors. The Romans are played by Americans "to achieve a little contemporary symbolism", with Bell using his native Sunderland Mackem accent, and Scots Gaelic standing in for Pictish"

And with the leading Pictish baddie portrayed by that fine young actor Tahar Rahim (see 'A Prophet' if you haven't yet done so. Best prison movie ever... Well, darkest anyway... )

So, let me see, that's a French Algerian actor portraying a Pict as a kind of proto-Native American speaking modern Scots-Gaelic...
I think Ken MacDonald got a bit over-confused with his symbolism here...

In the brilliant 'Apocalypto', Mel Gibson used exclusively Native American actors to portray Native Americans, speaking a lost Meso-American language... Say what you like about Mel Gibson, that to me, is an approach which has real artistic integrity.

Whereas a French Algerian actor portraying a Pict as a Native American speaking modern Scots-Gaelic, does not 

Right, I'm off to find 'Centurion'...

 

[Lowtardog]

Right, I'm off to find 'Centurion'...

 
You may regret that

[Plynkes]

I only grudgingly agreed to watch Centurion because Olga Kurylenko (Ukrainian/Russian/Belarusian/French playing... God knows what) was in it.


Unfortunately she wasn't enough to keep me watching it past the twenty minute mark or so. I just don't think this kind of film is my cup of tea.  

[Prof.Witchheimer]

Well, this girl has delivered very bad acting but she was in a difficult position, Picts=Mohawks were a stupid idea but that crying pictish amazonish "Electra" killer wasn't much better

[Malamute]

Right, I'm off to find 'Centurion'...

 
You may regret that

 

Don't pay for it Richard, I'll lend it to you. Its certainly not worth the £3.00 I paid for it.

[THE CID]

Why did Mark Strong { a normally good actor } speak with an American accent.        THE CID.

[Captain Blood]

Presumably because he was a Roman, and all the Romans had American accents?

It's the same barmy film logic that meant in the utterly dire, Alexander, all the Macedonians - including poor old Val Kilmer - had to speak with Irish accents, because Colin Farrell as Alexander spoke with an Irish accent (presumably because he can't do accents apart from American), so all the other Macedonians had to be Irish as well...

Irish, I ask you! 

(Please don't get me wrong, I love Ireland and I love the Irish, but there is just something slightly comical about making the greatest ancient conquering army of the entire known world, speak in Dublin City accents...  ) 

[Plynkes]

I think it sort of made sense. Greeks and Romans traditionally often have British accents in Hollywood films (which is just as daft when you think about it). But the Greeks considered the Macedonians to be uncouth barbarians on the edge of civilisation but not wholly of it, so if we stick with film tradition what better voice to give them than the voice of the British Isles' own fringe tribe of hard-drinking uncouth barbarians?


Er, I think that came out as an insult to the Irish. Wasn't meant as one. 

[Prof.Witchheimer]

no idea what are you all speaking about, guys, I've watched all three movies, Centurion, Alexander and The Eagle and actually all actors have spoken a perfect German, absolutely accent free.

 

[Lowtardog]

no idea what are you all speaking about, guys, I've watched all three movies, Centurion, Alexander and The Eagle and actually all actors have spoken a perfect German, absolutely accent free.

 

 

[The Baggagetrain]

This film is very good, it is a what if type of film. But they dress right look right and fight right. Have a look and if you can get the DVD then do I think you will like it a great deal.

It came out before the film The Eagle, its British made (I think) and it’s called Centurion it did not get all the publicity as the Hollywood backed The Eagle. Which is a great shame as it’s a Great film IMHO.



nice bit of infor on the IX here too

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legio_IX_Hispana

regards
Stephen

[ZuluPaul]

Saw both of the films & liked them. Of course I was not looking for an historical documentary but just a fun movie.