Minor problem with 'Historical' movies....

[Jacob Saltband]

You know the way the movie end......like the new 'Pompeii' movie.

[Threeshades]

I have a problem with them as well. If these movies are supposed to depict ancient or medieval times, how do they have cameras?

More on topic: Haven't seen it. How does it end and what is the problem with it?

[Arnwyn]

Threeshades wrote:

More on topic: Haven't seen it. How does it end and what is the problem with it?

I think he means in general terms - a problem some people might have with 'historical' movies is that you already know how it'll end. History, and all that.

So, for example, Pompeii. You know everyone's in for a world of hurt, because, you know, Pompeii. (My guess with Pompeii, though, is maybe you watch to see if the protagonists are one of the 'few survivors' or something...)

[Jaelithe]

Either that, or one of the more famous statue-skeletons.

[Jacob Saltband]

Arnwyn wrote:

Threeshades wrote:

More on topic: Haven't seen it. How does it end and what is the problem with it?

I think he means in general terms - a problem some people might have with 'historical' movies is that you already know how it'll end. History, and all that.

So, for example, Pompeii. You know everyone's in for a world of hurt, because, you know, Pompeii. (My guess with Pompeii, though, is maybe you watch to see if the protagonists are one of the 'few survivors' or something...)

Pretty much this.

Also like the movie 'Valkyrie' about the mission to kill Hitler, pretty sure that mission ends in a failure.

[feytharn]

...and then you get something like 'Inglorious Basterds' ;-)

[Jaelithe]

Or History of the World, Part I. :)

[Jacob Saltband]

Jaelithe wrote:

Or History of the World, Part I. :)

WHAT? 'History of the World, Part I' wasnt a factual account of history? Darn.

[KahnyaGnorc]

My problem is that they are often just love stories interrupted by historical events.

[John Kretzer]

Jacob Saltband wrote:

You know the way the movie end......like the new 'Pompeii' movie.

Well you could become willfuly ignorant of history so if they make a movie about you will be surprised by it.

[Craig Bonham 141]

Just watching a story unfold can be entertaining, even if the end result is known. Characters can be interesting and compelling. Visuals can be stunning and engaging. The end is only a part of the story. Not always the most important part.

[limsk]

Knowing how the Titanic is gonna end up didn't dissuade a lot of folks from watching Leo and Kate on the doomed ship :)

I think a good movie stands/sucks on its own merits, regardless of whether the ending is obvious due to history (or the book version).

[Lord Fyre]

KahnyaGnorc wrote:

My problem is that they are often just love stories interrupted by historical events.

But, that is realistic.

Life happens. The rest of the world does not stop for your personal love story.

[Threeshades]

Arnwyn wrote:

Threeshades wrote:

More on topic: Haven't seen it. How does it end and what is the problem with it?

I think he means in general terms - a problem some people might have with 'historical' movies is that you already know how it'll end. History, and all that.

So, for example, Pompeii. You know everyone's in for a world of hurt, because, you know, Pompeii. (My guess with Pompeii, though, is maybe you watch to see if the protagonists are one of the 'few survivors' or something...)

Oh... yeah, herp-de-derp. That makes sense, I read the sentence completely differently.

[KahnyaGnorc]

Lord Fyre wrote:

KahnyaGnorc wrote:

My problem is that they are often just love stories interrupted by historical events.

But, that is realistic.

Life happens. The rest of the world does not stop for your personal love story.

It isn't the historical events I don't like; it is the fact that the movie just ends up being a love story. It is a bait and switch oftentimes.

[Hama]

It's made for the masses. Unfortunately, the masses usually possess horrible horrible taste.

[Abyssal Lord]

KahnyaGnorc wrote:

My problem is that they are often just love stories interrupted by historical events.

Like that mini-series in the 1980s called "Last Days of Pompeii" with an all-star cast that get top billing but most are only glorified cameos?

[thejeff]

Do you actually know how it will end? More than any other movie really?

Sure you know the volcano blows and the town gets buried, but you don't have any idea how the characters lives play out. Do any escape? How do their personal plot arcs get resolved? Pretty much everything else about the movie.

It's not like if it wasn't a historical, the volcano would be a huge surprise anyway. It would be in all the trailers...

And it's not like you don't usually know basically how most movies are going to end anyway. If it's an action thriller, the hero saves the day and gets the girl if there is one. If it's a romantic flick, the couple gets together by the end. If it's a disaster move, the disaster happens.

The details are what matters. The characters, their individual arcs. How they overcome the plot complications.

[Mike Franke]

Jacob Saltband wrote:

You know the way the movie end......like the new 'Pompeii' movie.

I thought the same when titanic came out and it looks like this one is trying the same, love story during a disaster.

[Lord Snow]

Think about it like this - a historical movie is a dramatization of the lives of invented people in some famous historical background. The story you are watching is not of the big event taking place, but of the personal journey and fate of the characters.

And so, the story of the movie Pompeii is not "something bad and mysterious is going to happen in this ancient roman city", but rather, "watch how the lives of X, Y, and Z, our beloved heroes, reach their climax during the volcano eruption at the city of Pompeii". See? now you don't know how the story ends, because it's about the lives of the characters.

[Lord Fyre]

Lord Snow wrote:

... our beloved heroes, reach their climax during the volcano eruption ...

Hmmm ...