04-23-2008, 09:28 PM
I was able to avoid "Pathfinder", thank the odd gods of the Galaxy, so I will say that "300" was the worst, followed closely by "King Arthur". I condemn "300" because I have run into so many kids who really believe that the Battle of Thermopylae was as portrayed in that god-forsaken film. Remember that we live in a post-literate culture where many of our citizens get whatever information they have from the movies, TV, and the 'Net. I feel very strongly that this places a very much greater burden upon those who make and market historical films to be accurate. So far, I have been repeatedly and terribly disappointed.
As to "King Arthur", the portrayal of Bishop Germanus in particular and Christianity in general was so bloody distorted as to be sickening. I mean, how in the heck did we get the worst of the Inquisition operating north of the Wall around 500 CE? Further, what in heck was a senatorial class Roman family doing living north of the Wall, for God's sake? And then there was Keira Knightly's B&D leather outfit that I am certain that Pictish women commonly wore. Hey, and didn't you LOVE that spatha that Arthur took from his daddy's grave?
Actually, I found the business of the battle on the frozen lake to be among the least distressing parts once you accepted that it was plagiarized from Sergei Eisenstein's classic "Alexander Nevsky." The incident actually happened where the Teutonic Knights charged out onto frozen Lake Priepus and had the ice give way beneath them. The Russians call it "The Miracle of the Ice."
As a recommendation for historical accuracy, try Ridley Scott's "The Duellists." It catches the ambience of the Napoleonic hussars to a "T" and the costuming is spectacularly accurate. The dueling scenes are the best that I have ever seen.
As to "King Arthur", the portrayal of Bishop Germanus in particular and Christianity in general was so bloody distorted as to be sickening. I mean, how in the heck did we get the worst of the Inquisition operating north of the Wall around 500 CE? Further, what in heck was a senatorial class Roman family doing living north of the Wall, for God's sake? And then there was Keira Knightly's B&D leather outfit that I am certain that Pictish women commonly wore. Hey, and didn't you LOVE that spatha that Arthur took from his daddy's grave?
Actually, I found the business of the battle on the frozen lake to be among the least distressing parts once you accepted that it was plagiarized from Sergei Eisenstein's classic "Alexander Nevsky." The incident actually happened where the Teutonic Knights charged out onto frozen Lake Priepus and had the ice give way beneath them. The Russians call it "The Miracle of the Ice."
As a recommendation for historical accuracy, try Ridley Scott's "The Duellists." It catches the ambience of the Napoleonic hussars to a "T" and the costuming is spectacularly accurate. The dueling scenes are the best that I have ever seen.
