Looks like a good short film
Film Napoleon (Dir. Ridley Scott)
- Thread starter horsechoker
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Looks like a good short film
Commodus 
Should be epic. Kurbrick had wanted to do a napoleon film but never got around to it.
Looks great. I hope Scott wont have too many hickups regarding historical accuracy as in Gladiator though (as much as Gladiator is a great film).
The cinematography looks amazing.
Skeptical. Ridley Scott knows he comprimises when he makes blockbusters, but when he gets it right he is among the best, living, to do it. He has craft to his work, in truth, that most blockbuster makers do not have (even his crap ones have some kind of redeeming feature to them).
Just being fairly well read up on Napoleon, and the French Revolutionary period, and the Wars, thereafter, I'm not sure any director living, barring Kubrick (past), is going to get this right. That Russian epic, eight hours, is the only thing that approximates it. War and Peace (if you have a week to spare, it's worth watching). That's the scale of it, imo, if you're making a serious character study. Lord of the Rings without the over-the-top mythology. 15 years of war and 15 years of revolutionary ferment and action which precedes it (in various phases). Just cannot tell that story in 3 hours or 4 hours. Even documentarians will seriously struggle.
Ken Burns, over ten hours, would get it right as per the American Civil war documentary he made. It requires that kind of treatment. Just not really blockbuster stuff. Kubrick's Barry Lyndon is an example of how to do a character study of this kind with the scale implied. Doctor Zhivago. Others. But it's rare that it all comes together. Paths of Glory, Apocalypse Now, Deer Hunter. FFC/SC knew how to do it. (Spartacus for added depth). (Lean too, masterful at it: Lawrence of Arabia, Bridge on the River Kwai, D.Z. mentioned). That's the gold standard in war film character studies.
Just being fairly well read up on Napoleon, and the French Revolutionary period, and the Wars, thereafter, I'm not sure any director living, barring Kubrick (past), is going to get this right. That Russian epic, eight hours, is the only thing that approximates it. War and Peace (if you have a week to spare, it's worth watching). That's the scale of it, imo, if you're making a serious character study. Lord of the Rings without the over-the-top mythology. 15 years of war and 15 years of revolutionary ferment and action which precedes it (in various phases). Just cannot tell that story in 3 hours or 4 hours. Even documentarians will seriously struggle.
Ken Burns, over ten hours, would get it right as per the American Civil war documentary he made. It requires that kind of treatment. Just not really blockbuster stuff. Kubrick's Barry Lyndon is an example of how to do a character study of this kind with the scale implied. Doctor Zhivago. Others. But it's rare that it all comes together. Paths of Glory, Apocalypse Now, Deer Hunter. FFC/SC knew how to do it. (Spartacus for added depth). (Lean too, masterful at it: Lawrence of Arabia, Bridge on the River Kwai, D.Z. mentioned). That's the gold standard in war film character studies.
Not that I disagree but there's a 5-hour silent version that was well-loved by Kubrick by all accounts. Think it had a restoration a couple of years back.
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0018192/
Not to derail this thread, but isn't he working on a new Alien film at the moment? Do we have a thread on here already?
I love me some historical epics. Too bad so many of the kiddos these days don't care for them. I remember going to see Gladiator in the theatre with my dad and still one of my favorite movie watching experiences. I also love the older stuff like A Bridge Too Far, Hunt for the Red October, etc. I even loved Kingdom of Heaven (esp the Director's Cut).
Trailer looks good. I hope he takes the traditional approach of focusing primarily on a segment of his life with flashbacks rather than trying the Alexander approach and trying to fit his entire life span in the running time.
Trailer looks good. I hope he takes the traditional approach of focusing primarily on a segment of his life with flashbacks rather than trying the Alexander approach and trying to fit his entire life span in the running time.
Yeah historical epics are cool. Love 'em too.
Oh wow. I'm pumped for this.
A film about the French? No thanks.
They should make a cinematic universe with historic leaders before having one big Avengers style film.
Imagine Napoleon, Churchill, George Washington, Knut, Genghis Khan team up to take on Hitler
Imagine Napoleon, Churchill, George Washington, Knut, Genghis Khan team up to take on Hitler
I hope they show the bit at Waterloo where Sharpe stares across the battlefield at Napoleon while the Imperial guard he routed retreats.
For you information, another Napoleon epic is coming out in 2024. A seven-part series by Steven Spielberg and HBO. It's been in the works for seven years and has been written and produced based on Spielberg having full access to all Kubrick's research, notes and screenplay outlines.
They should make a cinematic universe with historic leaders before having one big Avengers style film.
Imagine Napoleon, Churchill, George Washington, Knut, Genghis Khan team up to take on Hitler
https://deadline.com/2023/02/steven...bricks-napoleon-7-part-series-hbo-1235266372/
One of Stanley Kubrick’s lost projects, a large-scale biopic of Napoleon Bonaparte, has been in the works for HBO for the last seven years.
Steven Spielberg, who has been involved for at least ten years, now says he is “mounting a big production” and the project will become a seven-part series for the premium cable network.
Deadline understands that the project is still in the development stages but it is nearing a series order.
Speaking at the Berlin Film Festival, The Fabelmans director said, “With the co-operation of Christiane Kubrick and Jan Harlan, we’re mounting a large production for HBO on based on Stanley’s original script Napoloeon. We are working on Napoleon as a seven-part limited series,” he said.
More intrigued by Phoenix in the main role and interested in the way he will approach the character. After all, one thing that Ridley Scott does well (and, sadly, seems to be a lost art nowadays) is that he allows breathing room in his scenes for his actors to actually perform. Can't say that i share the optimism around his name, though. Just two excellent films since the turn of the century (and he's been quite prolific) and if i had to pick "a nearly flawless and memorable Ridley Scott masterpiece", i would probably have to go back to 1991.
I'm a bit skeptical about this- it's a film right and not a tv series? I think this could be like Alexander and be far too much of a task to fit everything meaningful in the man's life into a three hour film and it looks like they're covering quite a lot rather than focusing on a specific point. Also the last book i read on Napoleon depicted him as a very witty guy with a lot of charm; Phoenix is a great actor but he seems a bit dour in the clips.
It could be great I just feel tv epics are better for historical figures like Alexander, Hannibal, Caesar, Genesis etc.
And when am I getting my Hannibal vs Scipio epic?
It could be great I just feel tv epics are better for historical figures like Alexander, Hannibal, Caesar, Genesis etc.
And when am I getting my Hannibal vs Scipio epic?
After what Spielberg did to Eyes Wide Shut, and the train wreck That was A.I., I’m thinking this is a harbinger of doom.
Phoenix is always incredible and honestly I can’t think of anyone better for this than Scott.
Phoenix is miscast but it looks better than I expected.
I'm a bit skeptical about this- it's a film right and not a tv series? I think this could be like Alexander and be far too much of a task to fit everything meaningful in the man's life into a three hour film and it looks like they're covering quite a lot rather than focusing on a specific point. Also the last book i read on Napoleon depicted him as a very witty guy with a lot of charm; Phoenix is a great actor but he seems a bit dour in the clips.
It could be great I just feel tv epics are better for historical figures like Alexander, Hannibal, Caesar, Genesis etc.
And when am I getting my Hannibal vs Scipio epic?
Vin Diesel wants to produce a trilogy about Hannibal, however, he's struggling to get it off the ground. State of the industry doesn't like historic epics. Cnuts.
Also, there's a fantastic mini-series from 2002 on French TV called 'Napoleon'.
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Granted, but on this one has at least working to Kubrick's finished screenplay. It's practically connect the dots this time.
No. He's producing both a new Alien movie and TV show based on the popular horror franchise. The new Alien film Romulus will be directed by Fede Álvarez, director of the 2013 Evil Dead re-imagining , The Girl in a Spider's Web and recently Don't Breathe.
The Alien TV show on the other-hand will be helmed by Fargo TV show creator Noah Hawley.
Concept Art for the Alien TV show :
Fede Álvarez's Alien Romulus is reportedly set between Ridley's original (ALIEN) and James Cameron's (ALIENS) action blockbuster sequel.
With the film staring a young cast.
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They should be speaking Spanish, this is not accurate.
Tbf if Diesel would also be the one playing Hannibal it d probably be a cheese fest.
I think the problem with these things is the sheer amount of money and effort that goes into making a high quality production. Look at what happened with the Rome series for instance. CGI has come a long way but it's still no proper standin for excellent costume and set design.
That's sad. Such an amazing story and has everything a blockbuster needs.
I think there's an Alexander tv show coming on Netflix soon but i wonder if it will be mired in controversy like the dreadful Cleopatra debacle.
Very interested to see Paul Rhys' Talleyrand, someone I think is even more interesting than Napolean historically.
I love Phoenix but I think you might be right. Napoleon was emotional and charismatic afaik. Phoenix seems really restrained in this. I'd probably still enjoy it.
I'm only starting to look into him but I think you're right. There's a load of figures around the periphery of this period who are really interesting. Castlereagh, Metternich and von Clausewitz are all people I'd like to learn more about.
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As long as Henry gets shanked by a bayonet. I'll see it twice.
That Rome set was incredible. Five miles of pure set design. We got robbed of that show.
Of all the historical epics created, I still can't believe there's no modern Julius Caesar film.
Joaquin Phoenix piqued my interest.
I really want a Hannibal Barca movie. He's a badass in history.
Are the Irish still that upset over the handball?
I read Agincourt by Bernard Cornwell and it would make an absolute belting historical epic.