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'Britannia' - Clavdivs - 01-15-2018
https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2018/jan/11/mackenzie-crook-druids-britannia-jez-butterworths-mad-masterpiece-tv-series
My mother showed me the entry for this programme in the ''Television Times'', and I came upon this article. I am glad no-one, least of all the writer, seems to be taking this drivel seriously, but it abuses historical names and events (poor Aulus Plautius looks like a third-rate barbarian, the Celts are beneath contempt) and should be, as with most films and television productions, very clearly branded as rot.
Why bother when it is so plainly ludicrous? I fear, however, that historical ignorance is, unlike the schoolmaster, abroad in the land -- I distinctly remember hearing from my dear mother that not one of her present colleagues under the age of forty (she is sixty-one), in a respectable nursing-home, and well versed in the materia medica, recognised the date 1066 when chosen as the door-password. All the ladies of her age knew a good deal about the Conquest. It really is terribly sad.
RE: 'Britannia' - Nathan Ross - 01-15-2018
This one's been kicking around for years now - I asked about it back in 2015.
It seems to have been one of those blighted dramas that's been in script or development hell for years, and by the look of the finished article I'm not surprised!
I think Jez Butterworth only got involved on the strict proviso that he could ignore history altogether, and concentrate on fantasy druids dressed as mummys, smoking chillums at Stonehenge.
It also follows the rule of contemporary historical TV drama that everything set before the invention of the steam engine must resemble Game of Thrones.
RE: 'Britannia' - Clavdivs - 01-15-2018
I've never seen ''Game of Thrones'' but Britannia definitely belongs to the ''Dungeons and Dragons' Historical'' style that produced such horrors as ''Vikings'' and the intolerably bad ''300''. There ought to be a society for the prevention of cruelty to historians!
RE: 'Britannia' - Justin I - 03-02-2018
(01-15-2018, 05:47 PM)Clavdivs Wrote: I've never seen ''Game of Thrones''
You aren't missing much, at least in my opinion. Unless you're one of those horror movie buffs who enjoys cruelty for cruelty's sake. There are no characters or plotlines worth caring about in "Game of Thrones," and I've given it plenty of chances.
RE: 'Britannia' - Crispianus - 03-02-2018
(03-02-2018, 04:26 AM)Justin I Wrote:(01-15-2018, 05:47 PM)Clavdivs Wrote: I've never seen ''Game of Thrones''
You aren't missing much, at least in my opinion. Unless you're one of those horror movie buffs who enjoys cruelty for cruelty's sake. There are no characters or plotlines worth caring about in "Game of Thrones," and I've given it plenty of chances.
Game of Thrones is not Historical nor was in ever intended to be but rather Fantasy in the Sword and Sorcery genre, any connection with reality or history is purely coincidental, overall I quite enjoyed it but then I've always been an SF/Fantasy fan... it can be brutal though to be sure...
However I find the recent Viking and Saxon TV serials hard to swallow, complete tosh... and doubhtless "Britannia" is no better..
If you want to see History dont look there... there isnt any, better watch "Chelmsford 123" or "Up Pompei" at least there you'll get a good laugh
RE: 'Britannia' - Robert Vermaat - 03-02-2018
(03-02-2018, 04:26 AM)Justin I Wrote: Unless you're one of those horror movie buffs who enjoys cruelty for cruelty's sake. There are no characters or plotlines worth caring about in "Game of Thrones," and I've given it plenty of chances.
Not seeing myself as a 'horror movie buff who enjoys cruelty for cruelty's sake', I've much enjoyed it so far.
It's sheer fantasy which makes it enjoyable, whereas I cannot stomach shows like 'Vikings', 'Last Kingdom' or 'Britannia'.
RE: 'Britannia' - Graham Sumner - 03-10-2018
I would not describe myself as a horror movie buff who loves cruelty for cruelty's sake either but I love 'GoT.'
Equally I am devoted to 'Vikings' which while not 100% historically accurate certainly captures the spirit of the age.
Sadly I can also remember a time when a TV production showed the siege of a French castle by the Spaniards in the 17th century. The castle it seemed had a garrison of two and the Spanish 'army' consisted of three men. (Kudos to anyone who knows what I am talking about).
Comparing that with the siege of Paris sequence in 'Vikings' that just blew me away!
I have not seen 'Britannia' and by all serious accounts it is a load of old rubbish. However whatever we may think here, apparently it is proving popular, although the proof of that will be another series.
1066 used to be a date that "every British schoolboy knew". Unfortunately I agree that that is no longer the case.
Graham.
RE: 'Britannia' - Justin Swanton - 03-10-2018
The only history movie I personally recall about Antiquity that made a serious attempt at history was Hannibal, Rome's Worst Nightmare, and it was straight to TV.
RE: 'Britannia' - Renatus - 03-10-2018
(03-10-2018, 12:24 PM)Graham Sumner Wrote: 1066 used to be a date that "every British schoolboy knew".
When I was a boy (we're talking late-1940s, very early-50s), one of my comics ran a cartoon history of the Saxons and very funny it was too. I recall that one story was of Ethelred the Unready. However, when they came to the Norman Conquest, I wondered, even as a 7- or 8-year old, how they would get around Harold being killed by an arrow in the eye, hardly a subject for comedy. The solution was ingenious and amusing. Due to a logistical cock-up, the Normans were supplied not with arrows but with marrows. So Harold was knocked out by being hit in the eye by a marrow.
RE: 'Britannia' - Gunthamund Hasding - 03-11-2018
Well I was atracted by history by looking at historical movies even so bad as they were. I only realized much later what crap they were. From this point of view I think those films are important they might work as bait if you know what I mean. Truth is that i also ask myself how bad they are they can't even capture simple things
RE: 'Britannia' - Crispianus - 03-12-2018
(03-11-2018, 08:26 PM)Gunthamund Hasding Wrote: Well I was atracted by history by looking at historical movies even so bad as they were. I only realized much later what crap they were. From this point of view I think those films are important they might work as bait if you know what I mean. Truth is that i also ask myself how bad they are they can't even capture simple things
There is such a thing as well made, Historically Awfull films..... and then theres the others, the real turkeys...
As such theres a whole bunch I can genuinely say I like to watch though, I can forgive a lot in any movie, what rubs me up the wrong way is when claims are made about historical accuracy rather then just admitting the script writer, costume/set designers made it all up....
