Braveheart versus Gladiator

[boohoo]

Watched gladiator for the first time yesterday - was alright - I liked one of the fight scenes and the actors could acted (I was comparing it with Kingdom of heaven). But was a same old kinda Hollywood epic that won't be filed into my "great movies I have seen" section of my brain.

 

[Groucho]

And of course it's not pretending to be a re-enactment of history.

Although it did pretend to be. They also claimed to have accurately reproduced Classical Rome - but they hadn't.

 

[Santino]

all the italian and spanish characters have blue eyes (not impossible, just unlikely and distracting)...

Actually, I think both Italians and Spaniards were fairer back then, before both places were conquered by Arabs. North Italians are often blue-eyed.

 

[kakuma]

Although it did pretend to be. They also claimed to have accurately reproduced Classical Rome - but they hadn't.

yea it fucking was

pretty much how i remember it (only less british accents)

 

[Hollis]

The idea of watching some Yank twaddle featuring Mel Gibson 'biggin up' the Scots simply doesn't appeal.

 

[gsv]

I was Alexander and Troy recently

You were both???

I was Alexander and Troy recently and they are woeful

Aahhh (((Orang Utan)))
Don't do yourself down mate


GS(v)

 

[Orang Utan]

You were both??? Aahhh (((Orang Utan)))
Don't do yourself down mate

Past lives innit?

 

[maya]

...simple, innit?

braveheart: mel gibson

gladiator: joaquin phoenix

 

[upsidedownwalrus]

These kinds of films haven't been made very well recently - I saw Alexander and Troy recently and they are woeful - not a patch on the swords-and-sandals epics of the 40s and 50s - Ben Hur, El Cid, Samson & Delilah etc etc

Yeah IMO the best thing in this kind of vein recently was the Rome TV series, which I thought was excellent.

 

[Orang Utan]

Yeah IMO the best thing in this kind of vein recently was the Rome TV series, which I thought was excellent.

I enjoyed that initially, but got very bored after the 3rd episode or so

 

[Pickman's model]

I enjoyed that initially, but got very bored after the 3rd episode or so

i'm quite enjoying it, but i lost count of the historical fuck-ups after reaching 127 or so.

 

[Orang Utan]

i'm quite enjoying it, but i lost count of the historical fuck-ups after reaching 127 or so.

I don't think that side of it matters too much

 

[Pickman's model]

I don't think that side of it matters too much

did you miss the lesbian fling between servilia and octavian's sister? or the incest bit?

 

[Orang Utan]

I think I missed both

 

[Swearing Nonna]

Braveheart every time, I luuuurve that film!

I've watched it a number of times cos I am that sad

I'm with Orang on the epics such as El Sid and the like, perfect Sunday afternoon viewing where no one can see me cry

 

[oi2002]

Braveheart was utter shite as is nearly everything Gibson has done since Mad Max II. Gladiator was OK at least when yerman Phoenix got to ham it up.

 

[Sigmund Fraud]

Braveheart was utter shite as is nearly everything Gibson has done since Mad Max II. .

You're forgetting the brilliance that is Lethal Weapon II. Lets see Russel five bellies Crowe beat Apartheid all on his own (ok Danny Glover and Patsy Kensit did chip in a bit I spose).

 

[EastEnder]

Gladiator every time.

You can fast forward through the tedious "touchy feely" moments and that effete muppet baddy dude, straight on to the cool fight scenes and wicked CGI.

Braveheart is a bunch of make up wearing nonces poncing around Scotland.

No contest.

 

[spanglechick]

btw - i have a spare copy of the extras disk for gladiator (but not the film itself) - anyone want it? pm me... (not worth a whole recycle thread)

 

[agricola]

Gladiator would win hands down except for the fact that Patrick McGoohan is by far and away one of the best evil characters ever:

"But Sir! Wont we hit our own men?"

"Yes"

well it goes something like that

 

[the B]

Gladiator every time.

If Eastender agrees, it has to be true!

 

[Swearing Nonna]

Braveheart was utter shite as is nearly everything Gibson has done since Mad Max II.

Nooooooo mad max films belong with scrapheap challenge. . .on the scrapheap

Am I right in thinking that William Wallace was hung drawn and quartered in spitalfields?

 

[mr_eko]

It's Gladiator for me every time. That opening scene is breathtaking, the CGI recreation of Rome is spectacular and the story and the characters have the kind of impact and scale that an epic like this really demands.

 

[keane4president]

Gladiator by a squeek.

 

[DexterTCN]

In the trailer for Mel's new film, Apocalypto - trailer link - he associates BraveHeart with Passion of the Christ.

Crowe gets my vote by a Scottish mile.

 

[maya]

'Gladiator' = a formulaic, megahyped, stiff, flat, humourless thick-ear actioner in Roman threads from a director capable of far, far, far greater things.

'Braveheart' = a humanistic tale of glory in defeat with in stark physical and emotional relief from a director who surpassed himself and others' expectations and never did anything remotely as good.

Ironic, eh.

...but...b..but... Gladiator has got Lisa Gerrard on the soundtrack and everything!!?
*embraces inner goth*

 

[Orang Utan]

All Lisa Gerrard's soundtracks sound the same - lots of nice synth chords and aaahaahing - very pleasant but grating after a while

 

[maya]

All Lisa Gerrard's soundtracks sound the same - lots of nice synth chords and aaahaahing - very pleasant but grating after a while

i know, but i just like the *idea* of her.
you know- sad, moody laments, sorrow/death/mist etc.
i don't own any of her albums, nor have i heard them.

i just like to remind myself of my secret goth tendencies.

 

[Stigmata]

Braveheart?

Claims to be a biopic of a real figure, so loads of people will now believe that's what actually happened!

If I wanted fantasy i'd have watched Lord of the Rings.