8 Days That Made Rome.... (with Bettany Hughes)

[Glorfindel]

It is definitely irritating when they make mistakes that could be
rectified with a little more care.   Don't they usually employ
experts to advise on this ?   However, I expect the end result
is always a compromise between expert advice and budget
allowance / time.

For me, the bottom line is that I would always rather have the
chance to see an army in action (as this can be a source of
inspiration), even if there are issues which could/should be fixed.


Phil

[paulr]

Lindybeige did a mini-rant on the role of expert advisors in films based on his discussions with a few and apparently the compromise is almost entirely towards budget / time / artistic ...

[Leman]

So how come a simple pectoral plate and montefortino helmet is more expensive than lorica segmentata and gallic helmet? At least they got the oval shields right(ish).

[toxicpixie]

'Cos there's lots of people re-enact or do programmes/films on the Empire, so there's loads of kit floating about and more being made relatively cheaply but no one actually does any for the Republic (or very few), so it's more expensive and you can't just "borrow" the IXth Legion Re-enactment Brigade for the crowd scenes?

I suspect the producers and money men also "know" what they expect a "proper" Roman soldier to look like, so we're having those thank you very much!

[Leman]

Except about five years ago the BBC did and I remember how refreshing it was to see Roman legionaries from the second century BC actually looking like they were from the second century BC. This was a great series but at the time I was unable to watch all the programmes or record them. This was docudrama as it should be done (in fact iirc each programme was a self-contained drama). I would love to get hold of this series on DVD or Bluray but cannot remember what it was called. Anybody able to help me out with this?

[toxicpixie]

That wasn't "Rome" with the Beeb in conjunction with HBO, I guess? From memory that was all "tits and segmentata"

A (very) quick web search doesn't turn anything else up as likely from Auntie - no memory at all of actors, writers etc?

Edit -

Ah ha, would it be this - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_Rome:_The_Rise_and_Fall_of_an_Empire ?

The few piccies of early episodes suggest they might have proper kit...

[Leman]

Many thanks for that - that's the one and only £7 on Amazon Prime, so have ordered one. 

[toxicpixie]

Spot on, let us know if it's any good!

[mollinary]

That wasn't "Rome" with the Beeb in conjunction with HBO, I guess? From memory that was all "tits and segmentata"

Actually, no it wasn't. Lots of 'tits and bits' but not a lorica segmentata in sight! And it was tremendous fun, with excellent performances from Ciaran Hinds as Julius Caesar, Kenneth Cranham as Pompey, James Purefoy as Mark Antony and Max Perkins as the young Octavian. Brilliant atmosphere, one of the few series of its type which made it clear that Rome was a strange and alien place, with weird and unfamiliar beliefs and practices, and not merely Surbiton in fancy dress.

And what is the highlight of our TV today?  "I'm a non-entity, Rescue my Career!"

Mollinary

Mollinary

[Westmarcher]

 ..... plus Keven McKidd as Vorenus and Ray Stevenson as Pullo (who, in real life, was also a Centurion - Caesar's Gallic Wars). 

[toxicpixie]

I only managed bits of episodes here and there. I must have caught all the fleshy bits and missed the fighting

Am I thinking of "Spartacus"? I barely got thru half an episode, the sepia tone filming and uncanny valley photography was a bit much!

Isn't the current "historical" highlight "Bromans", where a bunch of gym muscled beefcake accompanied by spray tanned beauties pretend to be gladiators in a contest of total Roman authentic "I'm a Strictly Bake Off Batchelor Looking for Love Got Talent Factor" proportions?  

[mollinary]

I only managed bits of episodes here and there. I must have caught all the fleshy bits and missed the fighting

What there was of the fighting was very well done, from Caesar in Gaul to Pharsalus and Philippi.

[Leman]

I particularly liked the centurions' use of the whistle to control the legionaries in the din of battle, although I'm not sure how authentic it was. I did enjoy Rome though; Spartacus however only grabbed my attention for half an episode.

[d_Guy]

Spartacus however only grabbed my attention for half an episode.

I only made a quarter - my wife less than 5 minutes.

The guy with the whistle wasn't a referee then?

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

Plebs is good too! 

[Raider4]

'Rome' was good (at least the first series - don't remember watching a second?).

'Rome: The Rise and Fall of and Empire' was a bit dull I thought, other than the Nero episode. Michael Sheen was good in that.

'Spartacus' is just rubbish, but strangely watchable, if only to see just how far they'll go. At least John Hannah and Lucy Lawless looked like they were enjoying themselves.

To get back to the OP, not seen the Bettany Hughes programme. I really don't like a documentary if it includes dramatized bits - they're generally rubbish and spoil it for me.

Simon Schama and his 'History of Britain' remain my highpoint for history programmes, although I 've seen few good things on BBC 4 recently.

Cheers, M.

[Sandinista]

made it clear that Rome was a strange and alien place, with weird and unfamiliar beliefs and practices, and not merely Surbiton in fancy dress.

I lived in Surbiton for 15 years, it's pretty weird. Bedsits and brothels with a growing number of Hipster types.

cheers
Ian

[Orcs]

I could watch this just for the lovely curvaceous Bettany Hughes

[Glorfindel]

>>I could watch this just for the lovely curvaceous Bettany Hughes

Amen...

[Leman]

Not really my type. I prefer the goth historian.