War and Peace 2016 (3 Viewers)

[Ragnar]

First ep not to bad......Good to se the series start off in 1805 { still 7 years away from Borodino}.
Possible good battles along the way...Austerlitz maybe?
Also spotted both Russian and French troops in Greatcoats nice touch.... and Pierre seems totally clueless at this point!

 

[Obee]

First ep not to bad......Good to se the series start off in 1805 { still 7 years away from Borodino}.
Possible good battles along the way...Austerlitz maybe?
Also spotted both Russian and French troops in Greatcoats nice touch.... and Pierre seems totally clueless at this point!

Likewise, I've just seen the first episode and loved the accuracy shown in the uniform details. Looking forward to the following ones,

John

 

[maddadicus]

Caught episode 1 last night.

Uniforms seemed ok, tactics not so much. That said, the small battle they showed looked ten times better than anything I saw in any of the Sharpe episodes, so it's got that going for it, which is nice.

How they depict Borodino will be the real test.............

Any continued negative vibes about Sharpes will absolutely end our on again, off again relationship..( Except when I come begging for you to sell me anything.^&grin ) Michael

 

[jazzeum]

Saw the second episode last night and thought it pretty good. However, if you are expecting battles and uniforms, you will not see them in this episode.

I'm thinking about purchasing the book, which I know would be quite an undertaking. I have not read too many Russian authors so this might be a good place to start.

 

[Warrior]

Saw the second episode last night and thought it pretty good. However, if you are expecting battles and uniforms, you will not see them in this episode.

I'm thinking about purchasing the book, which I know would be quite an undertaking. I have not read too many Russian authors so this might be a good place to start.

Wait; you mean this mini series is based on a book?.......................:wink2:

 

[jazzeum]

The book is 1,300 pages long {eek3} Well, time to take the plunge.

 

[hotel3alpha]

All,

That is one book that I have just not have had the courage to tackle.

John from Texas

 

[Warrior]

All,

That is one book that I have just not have had the courage to tackle.

John from Texas

I can give you the short version; boy meets girl, another boy meets girl, boy shoots boy, boy leaves girl, boy witnesses huge battle, boy gets captured, army retreats and freezes to death, boy comes home, Mother Russia triumphs...............FIN.....................................

 

[jazzeum]

I can give you the short version; boy meets girl, another boy meets girl, boy shoots boy, boy leaves girl, boy witnesses huge battle, boy gets captured, army retreats and freezes to death, boy comes home, Mother Russia triumphs...............FIN.....................................

Whew, you just saved me a lot of reading.

Naah, I'm still going to give it a try.

 

[Warrior]

Saw the second episode last night and thought it pretty good. However, if you are expecting battles and uniforms, you will not see them in this episode.

I'm thinking about purchasing the book, which I know would be quite an undertaking. I have not read too many Russian authors so this might be a good place to start.

I'm confused on the time line for this mini series, I read it's an 8 hour/four part miniseries, but with all the commercials, it should be a five part miniseries then?

Anyway, Borodino and the retreat from Moscow are looming................

Edit; NM..............it's a six part miniseries, but in the US, it will be broadcast as four two hour episodes, so two down, two to go.................

 

[jazzeum]

All the commercials is why I tape it and watch later. I think I saw the movie with Henry Fonda but can't remember it so wonder how it compares.

It's obvious that Andrei never should have listened to his father. With a fiancée like that....

 

[Warrior]

All the commercials is why I tape it and watch later. I think I saw the movie with Henry Fonda but can't remember it so wonder how it compares.

It's obvious that Andrei never should have listened to his father. With a fiancée like that....

I do the same, I DVR it and watch it the next day............the Henry Fonda version is not bad, Borodino was basically French infantry attacking a small redoubt wearing bearskins and greatcoats (what, no shakos; plus Napoleon did not commit the Old Guard at Borodino), the attack failed, so then cavalry went in wearing some sort of cape and took the redoubt................that's all she wrote.

The Russian version, directed by the same director who did Waterloo, did a longer version of Borodino, a lot of smoke, troops running around left, right and center, cavalry running amok, an attack on the great redoubt, mostly loads of confusion for about 20 minutes.

As you can tell, I'm not in this for the story, I'm in it for the battles......

 

[jazzeum]

In poking around, the version to purchase seems to be the 2008 Vintage Classics edition. Seems to be a very good translation.

 

[Warrior]

One more two hour episode to go, Borodino and the retreat from Moscow are looming.

We'll see how both play out...............

 

[jazzeum]

In poking around, the version to purchase seems to be the 2008 Vintage Classics edition. Seems to be a very good translation.

Actually, this version by Pevear and Volokhonsky has come in for some criticism. The Anthony Briggs version, issued by Penguin, has been better received and is the one I've decided to read.

 

[Ragnar]

One more two hour episode to go, Borodino and the retreat from Moscow are looming.

We'll see how both play out...............

You guys's are moving to fast..I might have to avoid this thread {possible spoilers}...they like to stretch shows out down here!
War & Peace 1hr per week....perfect for me, they did the same thing with Texas Rising.

 

[Warrior]

SPOILER ALERT............................

So I read on the wargaming forum I'm member of that Borodino consists of about 10 minutes of action, mostly centered around a redoubt with three cannons and about 30 troops fighting around it, no cavalry whatsoever.

Ok listen; I fully understand that for 99% of the viewers of this series, the costumes, love story, ballroom dances and such are the main attraction, but for the 1% of us who'd like to see Borodino done up right, this is a massive disappointment. The budget on this was about 10 to 12 million, with what looks like about $87.00 of which being spent on the WAR aspect of the story.

Again, I get it, it's War and Peace, but it while it shouldn't be WAR and peace, it also shouldn't be War and PEACE either. The PBS Masterpiece theater version did a better job on Borodino from what I can gather.............this makes me appreciate the Russian version from the 60's/70's even that much more, about a 20 minute depiction of Borodino with thousands of extras in uniforms, infantry, cavalry and artillery.............

Too bad...................

 

[jazzeum]

Sorry, I disagree but this series is not supposed to be the battles of Napoleon vs Russia but War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy, also includes the Battle of Borodiino, which, as I'm finding out since I'm reading the book and reading about the book, is more than just battles. Moreover, the makers and the BBC have to appeal to a larger audience than people who just have an interest in the battles.

I saw from Amazon that there is a 1972 version with Anthony Hopkins. I may order that. If you have any ideas where to get the Russian version, please let me know.

Perhaps I will start a thread about the book in the book section.

 

[Warrior]

Sorry, I disagree but this series is not supposed to be the battles of Napoleon vs Russia but War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy, also includes the Battle of Borodiino, which, as I'm finding out since I'm reading the book and reading about the book, is more than just battles. Moreover, the makers and the BBC have to appeal to a larger audience than people who just have an interest in the battles.

I saw from Amazon that there is a 1972 version with Anthony Hopkins. I may order that. If you have any ideas where to get the Russian version, please let me know.

Perhaps I will start a thread about the book in the book section.

Right, which is why I said in my post people would disagree with my comments.

And I understand the series is not about the battles of Napoleon vs Russia but more about the novel War and Peace.

And yes, I also understand they are appealing to a wide audience, which is why I said 99%/1%, I fall in the 1% that cares about Borodino, 99% including you do not.

The 1972 version with Anthony Hopkins is the original BBC version; as a kid, I watched it and was hooked on Napoleonics, specifically the 1812 Russian campaign, Borodino and the retreat from Moscow and I began reading about it.

The US version of War and Peace did a decent job of depicting Borodino, the retreat from Moscow and the Battle of Berezina. Also, Pierre was captured by the French and took part in the retreat, Henry Fonda played Pierre in the US version and did a very good job IMO.

Again, whatever; as a Napoleonics enthusiast, color me disappointed.

 

[jazzeum]

Actually, at least on this Forum or historical minded forums, your view would probably be the majority one, which I understand.