Brian Posted March 8, 2005 Report Share Posted March 8, 2005 Does anyone know of any movies that are based on historical events but yet remain somewhat true to the actual events? If so please list them here. Recently, I watched Hidalgo, and I was amused-meaning I watched it long enough to see the ending credits. I didn't like it because it was just another underdog winning the race-Hollywood style. It seems all they care about what it takes to get box office numbers while sacrificing the integrity of the actual event. Another movie I have in my TIVO wishlist is, "Charge of the Light Brigade". Courtesy of Iron Maiden, and their song, "The Trooper" I watched this movie when I was a young pup! Nowdays, I have learned that event was NOT a gutsy "you fire your musket but I'll run you through" event but rather a military order gone terribly wrong! I will be curious to see the movie again after all these years. I am pretty sure I saw the 1936 version with Errol Flynn, so it is going to be interesting how that movie plays out the events. Well if you have any others to add list them here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XXX Posted March 8, 2005 Report Share Posted March 8, 2005 I'm kind of partial to Under Fire. It's about a couple of American reporters who are covering the Nicaraguan guerrillas. It's a fictional story within a real historical event and when I saw it, it made me think, "Wow. Some of this looks like back home." Even the Spanish wasn't terribly mangled. Usually, movies set in Central America have cast members from Mexico and you immediately pick up on their heavy Mexican Spanish accent, which in turn makes the movie more bothersome. In this one, the accents are more subdued. Not really from the area, but at least not blatantly from Mexico. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Posted March 8, 2005 Report Share Posted March 8, 2005 "The Crucible" --Daniel Day Lewis : Except for the inevitable fictitious romance, this is one fine movie to get a taste of what the Salem witchcraft trials/ Puritan New England may have been like. Beautiful locations,sets, costumes--even down to bad teeth ( I like when someone thinks of details like that ! ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Posted March 8, 2005 Author Report Share Posted March 8, 2005 I'm kind of partial to Under Fire. It's about a couple of American reporters who are covering the Nicaraguan guerrillas. It's a fictional story within a real historical event and when I saw it, it made me think, "Wow. Some of this looks like back home." Even the Spanish wasn't terribly mangled. Usually, movies set in Central America have cast members from Mexico and you immediately pick up on their heavy Mexican Spanish accent, which in turn makes the movie more bothersome. In this one, the accents are more subdued. Not really from the area, but at least not blatantly from Mexico. WOW COOL... Thanks XXX. You didnt google 'historically correct movies' and post a large list of movie titles. You actually took the time to explain why you recommended this movie. Very Cool! I added it to my of to be watched movies! Thanks again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
syd Posted March 8, 2005 Report Share Posted March 8, 2005 Similar to the theme Under Fire, the movie The Killing Fields is a very horrific and accurate look at the Cambodian holocaust. The Killing Fields (1984), a remarkable and deeply affecting film, is based upon a true story of friendship, loyalty, the horrors of war and survival, while following the historical events surrounding the US evacuation from Vietnam in 1975. The authentic-looking, unforgettable epic film, directed by Roland Joffe was shot on location in Thailand (and Canada). Cambodian doctor, non-actor Haing Ngor, in his film debut, was an actual survivor of the Cambodian holocaust. He was tortured and experienced the starvation and death of his real-life family during the actual historical events revisited in this film. The film chronicles unforgettable scenes of suffering endured during the Cambodian bloodbath (known as "Year Zero") that killed 3 million Cambodians, when the courageous and indomitable Dith Pran endures the atrocities of the Pol Pot regime and is captured by the communist Khmer Rouge and punished for befriending the Americans. His struggle to stay alive in the rural, barbaric 're-education' labor camp, his two escape attempts from his captors, and his horrifying walk through the skeletal remains of the brutal massacres in the Valley of Death, the muddy "killing fields," all present potent apocalyptic images on his journey to Thailand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
invisible_r Posted March 8, 2005 Report Share Posted March 8, 2005 i believe that both "schindler's list" and "the pianist" are historically accurate, they are supposed to be based on true stories. i dont know any polish or german jews but based on what ive heard from my family and other people who have been in concentration camps, thats what the situation was like. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CanAm Posted March 8, 2005 Report Share Posted March 8, 2005 I love movies based on historical events, but I'm usually disappointed by the lack of attention to detail, historical revisionism and outright inaccuracies. That having been said, there have been some very well done historical epics. One of my favourite war movies is Gallipoli, starring a very young Mel Gibson. The movie accurately (although somewhat superficially) tells the story of the disastrous Gallipoli campaign (1915-1916) from the perspective of a young Australian soldier, portrayed by Gibson. Of the more than 500,000 Allied soldiers who participated in the campaign, approx. 300,000 became casualties. The goal of the Gallipoli offensive was to destroy the Turkish batteries that were protecting the Dardanelles, thus allowing Allied shipping unimpeded access to the Sea of Marmara and The Black Sea. The campaign was an unmitigated disaster. The Allied troops were pinned down and slaughtered on the beaches by Turkish soldiers commanding the heights. After more than a year, the surviving Allied troops were evacuated. Another of my favourite historical movies is Nicholas and Alexandra. The movie deals with the reign of Tsar Nicholas II. The movie relatively accurately details the rise of the Bolshevik party and the eventual execution at Ekaterinburg in 1918 of the Tsar and Tsarina and their five children. Although the Tsar and Tsarina are portrayed in a somewhat sympathetic light (while the Bolsheviks are shown to be little more than fanatical thugs), the movie is a moving account of two people doomed by their inflexibility and inability to embrace change. Perhaps my favourite historical movie is The Lion In Winter. The movie concerns the trials and tribulations of an ageing Henry II as he trys to decide which of his three sons shall inherit his throne. Complicating matters is the presence of Henry's scheming wife (Eleanor of Aquitaine) whom Henry has temporarily released from prison. As the family spends Christmas 1183 together, tempers flare and plots and schemes abound. Peter O'toole is brilliant as Henry II and Katherine Hepburn is magnificent as Eleanor. :happybanana: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XXX Posted March 8, 2005 Report Share Posted March 8, 2005 The Aussies have made some lesser-known war films. Gallipoli is one of them. I dunno how historically accurate those movies may be since you feel this slight resentment for the old British empire that volunteered them to fight wars in foreign towns with foreign minds. The best one that I've seen is Breaker Morant, which is set in the early 1900s in South Africa's Boer War. If you think Jack Nicholson's court martial scene with the line "you can't handle the truth!" was memorable, then you'd probably find a striking resemblance to Ed Woodward's ".303" speech: "We caught them and we shot them under rule .3...0...3!" You should also venture to see Prisoners Of The Sun, which accounts for Australia's role in WWII and what the Aussie POWs endured under Japanese captivity. Bryan Brown is in this movie too :: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DiggsUK Posted March 8, 2005 Report Share Posted March 8, 2005 Hi Brian, If you like good war films with a basis in truth, you may want to watch 'Stalingrad' by Joseph Vilsmaier'. It is a German film (dubbed into English) about a group of young German soldiers sent to fight in the city, and is harrowing. Not a hint of Hollywood here, and IMO that is essential for any semblance of historic accuracy in film. Regards Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete38890 Posted March 8, 2005 Report Share Posted March 8, 2005 "The Patriot," Mel Gibson's revolutionary war film based on his interpretation of Francis Marion, was a little simplistic, but generally accurate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DiggsUK Posted March 8, 2005 Report Share Posted March 8, 2005 Yeah, a southern 'slave-friendly' landowner of perfect character.... Regards Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XXX Posted March 8, 2005 Report Share Posted March 8, 2005 Yeah, a southern 'slave-friendly' landowner of perfect character.... Regards Bwaa :: Got there ahead of me. I'd suggest Carlos Diegues's Quilombo since Brasil shares a lot in common with their history of racism, slavery, and segregation with the US Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Posted March 10, 2005 Report Share Posted March 10, 2005 "Khartoum": Ok, first, you have to accept Charleton Heston as British ( he barely attempts an accent, but certainly looks like Gordon ) and Olivier as an Arab ( on DVD, that makeup is a little shocking, but believably played as a character ). This is an excellent retelling of the heroic seige during the 1870's of the Sudanese city of Khartoum-- factually accurate, great costumes, battle scenes and sets. "Zulu Dawn" : Get past Burt Lancaster as British (see above) and you have another excellent colonial-era movie portraying the massacre of British forces at Isandlawana (S. Africa). Military details are accurate and the cast of thousands impressive (1,500 British/friendlies v.s 20,000 est. Zulus ! ). Most importantly, it's balanced, no overtly good guy/bad guy judgements, unlike "The Patriot", (though the Brits are invading on questionable grounds ) -- just the facts, Jack. There is also a movie "Zulu" which I really like as well, except an annoying drunken preacher character who is both non-historical and unnecessary -- and in the story for too long, IMO. Micheal Caine's first big role, and he's impressive here ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DiggsUK Posted March 10, 2005 Report Share Posted March 10, 2005 Wasn't 'Zulu Dawn' about the black girl with the big.... Damn, wrong gendre! I agree with Kevin san, in particular 'Zulu' is a fine film with no moral undertow, and Michael Caine plays a wonderful English officer in the colonial style. I'm not sure about the singing bit, maybe partonising the Welsh boyos, but who knows. As an aside, they didn't have enough Zulus for the film and used cardboard cutouts for some of the longer shots. If you look closely you can just make them out on the ridges. Aother fine film with accuracy is 'Waterloo'. A 'cast of thousands' spectacular made in 1970 featuring Christopher Plummer as the Iron Duke, and Rod Steiger as the genitally challenged Napoleon. It doesn't show either side with moral superiority, and despite it being a Columbia film doesn't give all the good roles to Americans, nor does it have a Hollywood 'message' (I'm not knocking American actors, just the system). Regards Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Posted March 18, 2005 Report Share Posted March 18, 2005 What about... Apollo 13 and Titanic I mean there is always some potic license taken but these were 98-99% historically accurate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete38890 Posted March 19, 2005 Report Share Posted March 19, 2005 The thread is about historical accuracy, not political hysteria. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PSYCHOcatholic Posted March 19, 2005 Report Share Posted March 19, 2005 "We Were Soldiers" with Mel Gibson was Historically Correct to the strategy and movement...captures and kills. That...and all those Docu-Dramas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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