Ideas for Roman movies? (1 Viewer)

[larso]

I was doing a spot of reading the other day and came across a plan to make a movie about a legion of Romans captured in the Middle East (Battle of Carrhae I guess) and sent to China to fight for their new 'ruler'. There is apparently some evidence of sorts that this happened. In any case iy sounded interesting and I hope it comes off.

My thoughts today are, what else would make for an interesting Roman movie? The civil wars seem worth exploring, especially the ones involving Caesar and the ones after his death.

 

[Ragnar]

The 2nd Punic War, Vin Diesel has been trying to get this off the ground for a few years now seems to have a huge interest in the subject so that's a good thing! even better he wants to arc the story over three films.
I guess it depends on who wants to take a risk and bank roll the thing...Historical films have a hit and miss success rate.

 

[Martin Tabony]

"What did the Romans do for us?". Answer, built a bloody big wall!! It would be interesting to see more made on the lines of HBO's "Rome" rather than the usual Hollywood style.

Martin

 

[Rob]

Well the film might be good but please someone else in the lead. I saw a cinema ad for Fast and furious 6 that I thought would never end, in my opinion truly one of the biggest piles I've ever had the misfortune to witness.

Rob

 

[lancer]

Would love to see 2nd Punic War era film(s) done, if done well. I agree with Rob, Vin might not be the correct actor to lead in such a film. I'm thinking maybe Russell Crowe could return in a non-gladiator role, maybe as Hannibal. -- Al

 

[pugio]

I was doing a spot of reading the other day and came across a plan to make a movie about a legion of Romans captured in the Middle East (Battle of Carrhae I guess) and sent to China to fight for their new 'ruler'. There is apparently some evidence of sorts that this happened. In any case iy sounded interesting and I hope it comes off.

My thoughts today are, what else would make for an interesting Roman movie? The civil wars seem worth exploring, especially the ones involving Caesar and the ones after his death.

If I remember correctly, it was a campaign against the Parthians in the desert. A legion was decimated and all survivors were sold into slavery. An interesting SCI-FI novel, "Ranks Of Bronze" has the survivors sold to aliens who can only use the same technology of the planet when conquering said planet. The novel is very interesting with many strange turns. But it mostly about the legion and how they cope with their new life. I highly recommend this book.....

 

[larso]

"A legion was decimated"

Without looking it up, I think it was 6 or 8 legions, so even allowing for a high casualty figure there'd have been enough POWs for a conglomerate legion to be formed. This was before legions had numbers and may not have even been full time units either? I did read though that the Romans eventually regained the lost Eagles through diplomacy. There is some evidence that it was forbidden to mention a legion lost in battle. Hence there are scanty details on some that were - the 22nd Rapax somewhere in the Balkans (?) another probably in the 2nd Jewish rebellion. Either of these would make interesting movie stories to me.

I don't mind Vin, I could tolerate him as Hannibal, if his presence got the thing up.

 

[larso]

There's been a few Roman movies of late - 'Centurion' was probably the best, though 'The Eagle' was good in spots. 'The Last Legion' was fairly ordinary.

Looking at my CS Romans and Celts, I think a film about Boudicca would be great. The Britons were fairly feral, though the Romans got the ball rolling with some disgraceful antics first. In anycase there was a bit to the story and it would have some great battles!

 

[larso]

"An interesting SCI-FI novel, "Ranks Of Bronze" has the survivors sold to aliens who can only use the same technology of the planet when conquering said planet."

That reminds me of a Fantasy series. A legion is transported to another world and enters the service of an emperor there. I only read the one book - the last I think, and I quite enjoyed it. The name escapes me at this point?????

 

[Scott]

There's been a few Roman movies of late - 'Centurion' was probably the best, though 'The Eagle' was good in spots. 'The Last Legion' was fairly ordinary.

Looking at my CS Romans and Celts, I think a film about Boudicca would be great. The Britons were fairly feral, though the Romans got the ball rolling with some disgraceful antics first. In anycase there was a bit to the story and it would have some great battles!

There are some.....http://www.imdb.com/character/ch0071995/?ref_=tt_cl_t1

 

[theBaron]

...That reminds me of a Fantasy series. A legion is transported to another world and enters the service of an emperor there. I only read the one book - the last I think, and I quite enjoyed it. The name escapes me at this point...

I'm with you, Larso, I'm trying to remember a series of sci-fi novels about soldiers who are plucked from their time period and sent to fight on various worlds by a race of time-traveling beings. I can't remember if David Drake ("Hammer's Slammers") wrote them, or another author. My buddy Hershbell ("oldtrousers" here in TF) would know, he read them and told me about them. Maybe he'll see the thread.

Prost!
Brad

 

[bradleyl30]

There's been a few Roman movies of late - 'Centurion' was probably the best, though 'The Eagle' was good in spots. 'The Last Legion' was fairly ordinary.

Looking at my CS Romans and Celts, I think a film about Boudicca would be great. The Britons were fairly feral, though the Romans got the ball rolling with some disgraceful antics first. In anycase there was a bit to the story and it would have some great battles!

I agree Centurion is the best. I struggled with Eagle at first, but did enjoy some parts of it.

I like the idea of one with Boudicca, but would also like one that centers on Vespasian.

 

[pugio]

I'm with you, Larso, I'm trying to remember a series of sci-fi novels about soldiers who are plucked from their time period and sent to fight on various worlds by a race of time-traveling beings. I can't remember if David Drake ("Hammer's Slammers") wrote them, or another author. My buddy Hershbell ("oldtrousers" here in TF) would know, he read them and told me about them. Maybe he'll see the thread.

Prost!
Brad

The Misplaced Legion by Harry Turtledove

 

[theBaron]

The Misplaced Legion by Harry Turtledove

Thanks! I have his "Two Georges", written in collaboration with actor Richard Dreyfus, too, entertaining "what-if" fiction.

Prost!
Brad

 

[pugio]

Thanks! I have his "Two Georges", written in collaboration with actor Richard Dreyfus, too, entertaining "what-if" fiction.

Prost!
Brad

One of his better books, IMO, is "Guns of the South". Time-travelers trying to sell AK-47's to General Lee, to change course of the Civil War.

 

[Sahara]

A while back there was some talk of Simon Scarrows Eagle series books being produced as a TV series. I would love to see this happen but I haven't heard much on it in a while.

 

[pylgrym]

I for one would like a sequel to that wonderful stinker,
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1210344/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
Or, maybe a REAL deserving sequel to
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0056027/reviews?ref_=tt_ql_8
'
LOVE those gladiator flicks ... caught one on TCM the other day ... with SPARTANS??
'
pEEgEE

 

[larso]

I remember reading of plans to make a sequel to 'Gladiator'. Russell Crowe was very keen but you might recall that his character is dead! The plan apparently was to use the ancient understanding/ belief in the afterlife. From memory the young boy in the film grows up to be emperor himself - but a bad one. For some reason Crowe is able to strike a deal with Hades, who lets him return to sort things out. If all true, it was obviously too much of a stretch and didn't get off the ground.

 

[Currahee Chris]

Sooooooooo many options, we are talking 2000+ years of history. Here's my list

- Zama- Scipio and Hannibal would just be insane
- The life of the Consul Cinncinnatus would make for a wonderful drama
- Boudican revolt would be interesting. I think the movie going public loves it's heroines and hates the Romans. While she is a titan of the Ancient Roman world, if the movie is done right, it might shake the movie goers belief system. While it's easy to empathize with her for the injustice perpetrated amongst her daughters, not sure how people would react when she burns London and St Albans to the ground with a casualty count that makes Gettysburg and the Somme pale in comparison. I think Boudicca if done right, is better as a mini series.

- Anything along the campaigns of Septimius Severus and Vespasian. Constantine and the founding of Constantinople and adoption of Christianity could make for a very telling drama.

- Any of the wars fought along the Eastern frontier against Muslim expansion would be pretty interesting.
- How about looking at the Origins of Rome- the brothers Romulus and Remus and the split from the Etruscans.
- Finally, the fall of Constantinople in 1453 and the collapse of the Byzantines would be neat.

 

[theBaron]

Although I enjoy the BBC's TV production, I think that "I, Claudius" would be well-served as a movie production, with the resources that a studio can provide. Though, I don't think anyone would every turn in as excellent a set of portrayals as the actors in that production did.

Prost!
Brad