Waterloo - Director Sergei Bondarchuk (1 Viewer)

[aujj65]

Man, don't get me started on the Sharpe series, the Waterloo episode in particular is just downright comical; never knew Sharpe killed the prince of orange or lead the final charge on the French lines after the Old Guard was beaten back..............

I quite agree this was a dismal last episode, as it was clearly a tv budget I would have kept the focus on the action around Hougemont or La Haye Sainte and perhaps have the odd referral to what was happening on the main battle field and the Prince of Orange's wig was probably one of the worse in tv history!

You have to read the books George. Of course they are works of fiction so the hero is intended to do things no one actually did but the books are extremely well researched and ofter much historical data that you would have to spend weeks finding on your own. Like all television, the TV series is a great compromise for a whole variety of reasons. After you read (or listen to, all are available as ipod or mp3 down loads at audible.com) a book or two, then we can compare notes.

All the Sharpe episodes are made on a TV budget and are based on the rather well written books by Bernard Cornwell. As Bill has stated there is a lot of research to each novel and the fictitious hero Sharpe and the Chosen men are fitted in as appropriate. As for Sharpe killing the Prince of Orange – well perhaps Sharpe was shooting at that wig! Not a bad representation of Hougo-Sainte for a TV show of only 1 hour 45 minutes.

Just an excuse to give the French a kick up the pants!

Jeff

 

[trooper]

My main problem with Sharpe's Waterloo is not the shooting of the Prince of Orange, after all some anonymous French soldier wounded him, all Bernard Cornwell did was to give the shot to Sharpe. The main problem was the photography. It would have been better to have packed the French Guard in tightly shoulder to shoulder and used close up shots to give the impression of mass instead of the long shots with a dozen or so men well spaced out.

 

[Spitfrnd]

My main problem with Sharpe's Waterloo is not the shooting of the Prince of Orange, after all some anonymous French soldier wounded him, all Bernard Cornwell did was to give the shot to Sharpe. The main problem was the photography. It would have been better to have packed the French Guard in tightly shoulder to shoulder and used close up shots to give the impression of mass instead of the long shots with a dozen or so men well spaced out.

Agreed, it is well discussed that the battle scenes in Waterloo were crushed by budget constraints. It is one of the poorer video adaptions actually.