I'm assuming if it took place before NOW then it's historical, so any James Bond film, but not Alien.

I find a lot of historical films have things 'wrong' which spoils them for me. I think the biggest disappointment was the trampetting Confederates in Gettysburg, not to mention the vastly overweight Confederate wargamer at the start of the film. He really looked like he marched a great distance on short rations - not! Second  biggest was the entire Light Brigade in red trousers in the charge of. Didn't spot anything in the new version of The Alamo, but I expect some knowledgable person will be along soon to disabuse me.

L.A. Confidential

Quote from: Techno on 04 October 2016, 05:38:57 AM
How are we actually defining 'historical' ? 

Definition of Historical:-]

of, pertaining to, treating, or characteristic of history or past events: historical records; historical research. 2. based on or reconstructed from an event, custom, style,

I submit that Lord of the rings is a non-fictional work of past events, as written down by his holiness JRR Tolkien

La Reine Margot
Barry Lyndon


and, as a terrible warning, The Triumph of the Will.

Not a film as such but the French series  Les Rois maudits was superb

"Triumph of the Will" is a masterpiece of cinematography.

Quote from: Leman on 04 October 2016, 07:23:13 AM
I'm assuming if it took place before NOW then it's historical, so any James Bond film, but not Alien.

I find a lot of historical films have things 'wrong' which spoils them for me. I think the biggest disappointment was the trampetting Confederates in Gettysburg

"Trampetting"?

Yes, I also wondered (e.g., why worry about Johnny Reb tramping all over the grass?) but I think he means inappropriate use of the trampette* when explosions occur. 

*a small square trampoline used in gymnastics.  

Indeed he does - boom boom!

I was going to ask if 'Debbie does Dallas' was allowed? But I've not seen it, so it is beside the point, really.

I'll throw 'All the President's Men' into the mix.

Has to be historical. Debbie DID Dallas might be allowed.

As i recall Debbie did Dallas sometime in the mid-70s. Thus it is completely historical, as she is now in a care home, just outside Austin.

Few things are sadder than seeing the sex-kittens of one's youth thirty years on.

I really enjoy the ones that draw you emotionally through the events and the action.
This is probably what rules writers mean when they aim to develop "cinematic" sets.

Anyhow, a bit of scriptwriting portraying the jepoardy of junior (and sometimes senior) command is worth a thousand explosions in my book:

For that reason:

4. Sink the Bismarck - most of us know the story, and particularly the ending, and there is so little action on the seas. Most of the drama occurs at naval command away form the action.
3. A bridge too far - I had to have one "blood and guts" epic in here.
2. Zulu - Rattles through the episodes, superb cast, doesn't allow the glory to disguise the gory - all together now "Men of Harlech stand ye ready ..."
1. Ice cold in Alex'. - Few explosions, but you feel every bead of sweat as John Mills tries to keep his ragtag crew, and mostly himself together, and make it to the pub. Watch it repeated on the telly, alone without interruptions, turn up the heating, and treat yourself to a cold one at the end.

All those plus

the Longest Day
battle of the River Plate
The Yangtze Incident
A Hill in Korea
Dunkirk (John Mills)
Battle of Britain
The Duellists
Malta Story