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Centurion
#1
Neil Marshall is making a movie about the 9th Legion

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/con ... 546fe7e2da
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#2
Ah... very interesting.

But I do wonder about this line:

The movie, billed as a thriller set during the Roman invasion of Britain in A.D. 117

Probably just a journalist mistake -- unless they are not referring to the invasion under Claudius but to a later event (the invasion of Scotland?).

Perhaps those who have read this book might chime in with their thoughts of how this story stacks up historically. Are we in for something worthwhile, or another Last Legion / Arthur misadventure?

:wink:

Narukami
David Reinke
Burbank CA
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#3
Probably the invasion of scotland. Rosemary Sutcliff's novel has really influenced the British view of the Ninth Legion - as she had it, they went to Scotland and were massacred. I imagine that this film is a take on her book.

Marshall is a brilliant director - moreover, he's not a "hollywood" man. Centurion will be great: it won't be a historical document, and nor should it be. If you're going to the cinema looking for that, then you'll be disappointed, I imagine. There's never time or budget to be totally faithfull and script "mechanics" get in the way of telling the whole truth. BUt it will be gobs of fun!

Cheers

Russ
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#4
Ah...IIRC there is another thread about a film project using her book (Eagle of the Ninth...?)

Please do not misunderstand me, I'm all in favor of a rousing good time at the cinema. I enjoyed Kingdom of Heaven despite the obvious historical problems (Eva Green... what eyes) on the other hand I did not much enjoy Gladiator because of the historical problems.

I am not expecting a documentary, but I do want a level of fidelity to the time and place. Shakespeare in Love is a great film. An accurate portrayal of the Bard's life -- no, but it did capture the time and place beautifully and dropped historical tidbits with great dexterity. It was a lot of fun.

On the other hand I was less impressed that same year with Saving Pvt. Ryan and not because those film makers were lazy about their history. Quite the contrary. Both Spielberg and his screen writer went about trumpeting to one and all that their film would be the very first honest and the most accurate film about the Normandy invasion. Unfortunately his film did not live up to their hype.

As we have debated on these pages many times before a film like Centurion can be a mixed blessing -- it will bring many new recruits to our forum looking for more information while at the same time spreading a dose of misinformation. I think the same will be the case with the Starz Network production of Spartacus due out later this year.

Of course we can not judge a project yet unmade so I will remain optimistic and hope for a good time at the cinema.

Thanks again for the post and the link -- always good to keep up in the news.

:wink:

Narukami
David Reinke
Burbank CA
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#5
The ninth Legion had a history of being drubbed in Britain....so I guess it is easy to pick on the underdog.... :evil: :lol:
Visne partem mei capere? Comminus agamus! * Me semper rogo, Quid faceret Iulius Caesar? * Confidence is a good thing! Overconfidence is too much of a good thing.
[b]Legio XIIII GMV. (Q. Magivs)RMRS Remember Atuatuca! Vengence will be ours!
Titus Flavius Germanus
Batavian Coh I
Byron Angel
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#6
We (Britannia) have been heavily involved with this project.

We all had to sign stuff to say we couldn't talk about it.
The sets and sound-stages were closed and no photography allowed.

So I can't say too much until I get permission.


Soon as I do, I'll write something up for you guys.

(I can tell you that far more of an effort was made on the Roman legionary kit detail than on gladiator... dunno anything about the '117AD invasion' plot though).
BRITANNIA
<a class="postlink" href="http://www.durolitum.co.uk">www.durolitum.co.uk
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#7
Quote:So I can't say too much until I get permission.
Ooh, you tease! Who plays Cub? Go on, you can tell us that! Big Grin

Edit: Oops, misunderstood. I thought it was a remake of Eagle of the Ninth, but it seems that it isn't: Empire magazine article. Ninth Legion vs the Picts? Oh, dear. :roll:
posted by Duncan B Campbell
https://ninth-legion.blogspot.com/
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#8
Keep scanning the internet... I'm sure stuff will get leaked (deliberately or otherwise), but I can't say anything (sorry) or their lawyers get all medieval on my ass... or start giving my other pack animals a hard time :wink: )

There were a few recognizable bods on set though!
BRITANNIA
<a class="postlink" href="http://www.durolitum.co.uk">www.durolitum.co.uk
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#9
Well I can understand that, thanks and look forward to hearing more, though have seen pictures in the P & J of the legionaries....with hasta! :wink:

No offense intended here but did they contact any of the Period Roman groups
as well? I see from your outfit you are a later Roman group, I imagine you do earlier as well though, but it would have been fun to participate in something like this for an earlier Roman too. So near by as well! :mrgreen: (Lucky dogs) Smile
Visne partem mei capere? Comminus agamus! * Me semper rogo, Quid faceret Iulius Caesar? * Confidence is a good thing! Overconfidence is too much of a good thing.
[b]Legio XIIII GMV. (Q. Magivs)RMRS Remember Atuatuca! Vengence will be ours!
Titus Flavius Germanus
Batavian Coh I
Byron Angel
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#10
Isn't this the same film we are talking about on <!-- l <a class="postlink-local" href="http://www.romanarmytalk.com/rat/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=26102">viewtopic.php?f=7&t=26102<!-- l ? :?
Fasta Ambrosius Longus
John

We are not now that strength which in old days
Moved earth and heaven; that which we are, we are
One equal temper of heroic hearts,
Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will
To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield.

[Image: Peditum3.jpg]
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#11
What I can say:
I was asked in as an extras wrangler because of my work on Brit comedy Faintheart... they wanted a gobby drill sgt who could shout in latin and not make it look like modern drill... and eventually advise on how a legion would move.
(I later realised that it was connected to 2 other enquires I had made earlier, following a call from another society... and a call about hiring our boats but that's a long story).

That's all I knew, we knew little about the project until we were on set, security was that tight.

They wanted me to bring a few of my lads along (at short notice) so we were able to get only about 18 of us into the ranks, they only used my lads who lived within a 50 mile radius of the set and many of my lot are based near Shepperton & Pinewood. We worked closely with a very large stunt crew on some major action scenes that took days to shoot, many of whom we knew well after working with on features like Ridley Scott's Gladiator.

Given more notice about times and indeed the subject matter I'm sure we'd have loved to have seen more groups specific to this period involved.

Again I cannot comment about plot-lines or indeed plot-related techniques involving equipment, I am not sure who the historical kit consultant was - however I know that certain decisions were taken due to safety, set logistics & time constraints, a pila throw WAS indeed considered at one point.

In kit terms it IS a step closer to the standards set by groups like the ESG than the stuff in Gladiator, Imperial gallics & properly fashioned lorica are used (whatever the materials used :wink: ).
They had obviously been referring to the works of Connolly, Sumner & Junkelmann along the way, I did see these books somewhere in Shepperton :wink: .
Even classics like Ben Hur (that I must confess to adoring and watching every Easter Smile ) have truly awful Roman kit compared to more contemporary productions.

This production's wardrobe people really seemed to care about the accuracy... but

...this IS a feature film and not a documentary.

I know films like this are not to everyone's liking, but my take is that:

1. if societies can influence productions each time we work on them, then it's a step closer to movies that have full kit of a documentary standard.

2. I would prefer to be involved and be positive with the film industry, trying to change things slowly from the inside ... rather than have a sneering/superior attitude that I strongly believe- ulitmately does our hobby no favours (that's absolutely not a swipe at anyone here, I've always felt that).

3. Also - if it does well then the whole 'Roman' thing (or interest in classical warfare generally) gets raised in the public's imagination and as a result we all get more bookings, documentary work and who knows, probably new members!

Also - we had an excellent time and if the action scenes are anything to go by it'll get a good following :lol:
BRITANNIA
<a class="postlink" href="http://www.durolitum.co.uk">www.durolitum.co.uk
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#12
Did a quick Google....

Neil Marshall starts casting Centurion
Dominic West and Olga Kurylenko will go Roman

BY James White Jan 29th 2009 4:04


Neil Marshall has cast three actors in his sword-and-sandal thriller Centurion: 300’s Dominic West
[Image: DominicWest_300.jpg]
, Inglourious Basterds’ Michael Fassbinder (also in 300) and Quantum Of Solace Bond girl Olga Kurylenko
[Image: centurion1.jpg]

will star in the movie.



The film is set as the Romans are busy invading Britain in AD 117, and finds follows Quintus Dias, a Roman soldier who survives a Pictish attack on his fort.

To get his revenge, Quintus joins General Virilus’ Ninth Legion, which marches north to wipe the Picts from the planet.

But standing in their way is the natives’ leader, Gorlacon. Who, if you ask us, sounds like one of the baddies in Transformers.

And here is a short clip http://entertainment.stv.tv/home/78471- ... nturionem/

on the casting at Aviemore- plus some shots of what looks like the film version of a makeshift palisade/ watchtower?
[Image: wip2_r1_c1-1-1.jpg] [Image: Comitatuslogo3.jpg]


aka Paul B, moderator
http://www.romanarmy.net/auxilia.htm
Moderation in all things
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#13
Back on set at the end of this week (one more night shoot).

I'll try to find out more info for you chaps (who the advisor was on equipment), but again, I've no doubt stuff will get leaked bit by bit until the official publicity machine starts working (then hopefully I can get a piece together for RAT, I'm not being deliberately evasive, I just want to go through the official channels).

The clip shown looks like the stuff they shot in Scotland a week before transterring production to the Shepperton area... at that time I knew nothing about it, except that I had a meeting in Shepperton about some large scale historical fight scenes.

(Quite a lot of my lads work as extras and live in the Shepperton area & as they are registered with a few agencies - have been in a number of productions... one of our more senior members was an Imperial stormtrooper in Return of the Jedi's forest moon shoot back in the early 80's ... another has worked on a few Bond movies).

'Gorlacon' - yep it does sound like a Tranformers baddie doesn't it! :lol:

As soon as this wraps we're on another big production apparently... but that hasn't got a single Roman or Pict on it! :wink:
BRITANNIA
<a class="postlink" href="http://www.durolitum.co.uk">www.durolitum.co.uk
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#14
Quote:Back on set at the end of this week (one more night shoot).

I'll try to find out more info for you chaps (who the advisor was on equipment), but again, I've no doubt stuff will get leaked bit by bit until the official publicity machine starts working (then hopefully I can get a piece together for RAT, I'm not being deliberately evasive, I just want to go through the official channels).

The clip shown looks like the stuff they shot in Scotland a week before transterring production to the Shepperton area... at that time I knew nothing about it, except that I had a meeting in Shepperton about some large scale historical fight scenes.

(Quite a lot of my lads work as extras and live in the Shepperton area & as they are registered with a few agencies - have been in a number of productions... one of our more senior members was an Imperial stormtrooper in Return of the Jedi's forest moon shoot back in the early 80's ... another has worked on a few Bond movies).

'Gorlacon' - yep it does sound like a Tranformers baddie doesn't it! :lol:

As soon as this wraps we're on another big production apparently... but that hasn't got a single Roman or Pict on it! :wink:

Hey Dan, how's it going? Are you back there again this Sunday?

H
Hamish Moir
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#15
Yep... just wrapped (as are most of the outdoor scenes now).

Yesterday was intense wasn't it! :lol:

I'll pm you
BRITANNIA
<a class="postlink" href="http://www.durolitum.co.uk">www.durolitum.co.uk
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