What are your favorite historical films?

[Ferran]

Some are accurate, others have a good presentation, but are full of political correctness and/or lack of entertainment.

I haven't seen many, so I'm not sure if making a list would be a good idea. For now, I will just say that Braveheart rules.

[Gladstone]

Originally Posted by Ferran

Some are accurate, others have a good presentation, but are full of political correctness and/or lack of entertainment.

I haven't seen many, so I'm not sure if making a list would be a good idea. For now, I will just say that Braveheart rules.

Braveheart was a good one and had a lot of good battle scenes. I like period pieces even if the plot is not necessarily accurate to history...though I certainly prefer if it is. Let's see...the 1960 version of Lawrence of Arabia..gave an interesting angle to the desert war of WWI. The Gangs of New York....which presented a fairly accurate picture of mid nineteenth century New York City.

I appreciated the first parts of Enemy at the Gate which presented the truth about how the Reds treated their own at least during the early parts of that ghastly war, which pretty much consisted of killing and abusing their own people. Kind of interesting how the movie makers only come out with the truth of that matter after the "Cold War" is declared to be ended. Such is life.

[Gladstone]

Almost forgot Gladiators which was impressive.

[Zrinski]

I liked Braveheart....although it's not quite accurate thus not very historical in the sense that it doesn't follows real historical event but only being placed at that time.

I also like Kingdom of Heaven, also one not very accurate movie, but IMO very good movie...I was impressed by Joaquin Phoenix who played the role of King of Jerusalem under the mask without revealing his face.

Ben-Hur was not that bad also. There are some other fims as well.

Russia:
- Alexander Nevsky
- The Battle for Moscow
- Rasputin

Germany/Hungary:
- Colonel Redl
- Hanussen
- Mephisto

American religious films:
- The Ten Commandments
- Quo vadis?

[Herac]

The top of mind: Braveheart. That's why everyone hates the English.

Tha Last Samurai and King Arthur (although is not a very historical movie) are good also.

[svin]

Originally Posted by Herac

Tha Last Samurai

Far from historic, IMHO, but I like this film.

[Gil]

Originally Posted by Zrinski

I also like Kingdom of Heaven, also one not very accurate movie, but IMO very good movie...I was impressed by Joaquin Phoenix who played the role of King of Jerusalem under the mask without revealing his face.

It wasn't Joaquin Phoenix playing that part, it was Edward Norton.

I have given up on trying to classify movies according to their acuracy, mainly because movies are, in the end, a mean to entertain the masses and as such usually don't portray things as they were but rather as the audience wants to see.

Anyway, historical or historical fiction or epic movies are one of my favourite genres. To name a few:

Master & Commander
Gladiator
Troy
King Arthur
The Last Samurai
The Passion of the Christ
Black Hawk Down
Band of Brothers (TV)
Deadwood (TV)

and my all time favourite:

"Non", ou A Vã Glória de Mandar. (portuguese epic)

[Zrinski]

Originally Posted by Manji

It wasn't Joaquin Phoenix playing that part, it was Edward Norton.

Ah...yes. I always mix those two..don't know why.

[Prinz Eugen]

The duelists
Waterloo
Braveheart
The Last Samurai!

[Menydh]

Originally Posted by Herac

The top of mind: Braveheart. That's why everyone hates the English.

Mel Gibson also gives good account of the English in The Patriot.

To me, King Arthur (2004). It rejects the stealing of the historical figure and transformation by the English, and presents it as the Prydyn that he was, the Briton who fought off Anglo-Saxons.

Keep Prydain Tidy!



Throw Tramps Out of the Parks!

[Gottslav]

Not particularly fond of such movies, but here's my list. Perhaps, not all are the best there is, but somehow they have stuck in my mind over the years.

Bismarck (1940, dir. Wolfgang Liebeneiner)
War and Peace (1967 - USSR, dir. Sergei Bondarchuk)
Gladiator
Braveheart
The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc
I Na Kamnyakh Rastut Derevya (Captive of the Dragon/Even on Rocks, Trees Grow), Oragens fange is the Norwegian title (1985 - USSR/Norway)
Die Nibelungen (1924, dir. Fritz Lang)

[Galaico]

My favourites:
Braveheart
Gladiator
Saving Private Ryan
Der Untergang (Downfall)

Not favourite but I like them:
Master & Commander
Kingdom of Heaven
King Arthur
Enemy at the Gate

[Siegmund]

David Lean's movies have an epic grandeur, even if they are not particularly historical. My favorite by far is Dr. Zhivago, based on the novel by Boris Pasternak, starring Julie Christie among others.

Another period piece I found unusually compelling was the four part Comte de Monte Cristo, based on the famous novel by Alexandre Dumas, starring Gérard Depardieu. Fantastic.

Now, if only someone would put Victor Hugo's Quatre-vingts treize on film. What a portrayal, albeit a highly stylized one, of the French Revolution that would be!

[Strengthandhonour]

I like just about historical film,but some come to mind more than others. I saw a lot of people liked Braveheart, but I forgot what was the actual name of the battle..the one with the bridge, how come in the movie there was no bridge in the battle?...
King Arthurt,Der Untergang,Stalingrad,Das Boot,Kingdom of heaven,Gladiator( ),El cid,300 Spartans,etc.

[aldela]

i liked kingdom of heaven..
and there are a couple of old bbc series that are also quite good

[Strengthandhonour]

Originally Posted by aldela

i liked kingdom of heaven..
and there are a couple of old bbc series that are also quite good

Like what?I claudius?