Historical Accuracy of Movies

Hi Mallery. I am afraid I have not read that book. Doesn’t sound like my thing.
Victory definitely worth a visit. Is in Portsmouth, about 90mins from central London.
Have never seen a Battleship and that one sounds interesting. Thanks.

Two things on Mark’s comments.

Further to Marc’s comments
#1.  Looking at the Agrarian society farmers model.  It’s important to distinguished that in the Nomad society, the Raider/warrior is the Farmer.  Pillaging as he moves along, living off the milk of his horse, loot from the conquest, bounty of the land.

As for Mongol Officers - Let’s review some important distinctions.  I wouldn’t necessary call Mongol officers “Staff” officers in the sense we know them - but it’s important to note that Mongol officers were not needlessly expended - but rather protected.

The Mongol battlefield tactics were a combination of masterful training with excellent communication and discipline in the chaos of combat. They trained for virtually every possibility, so when it occurred, they could react accordingly. Unlike many of their foes, the Mongols also protected their ranking officers well. Their training and discipline allowed them to fight without the need for constant supervision or rallying, which often placed commanders in dangerous positions.

Whenever possible, Mongol commanders found the highest ground available, from which they could make tactical decisions based on the best view of the battlefield as events unfolded. Furthermore, being on high ground allowed their forces to observe commands conveyed by flags more easily than if the ground were level. In addition, keeping the high command on high ground made them easier to defend. Unlike the European armies, which placed enormous emphasis on personal valor, and thus exposed their leaders to death from anyone bold enough to kill them, the Mongols regarded their leaders as a vital asset. A general such as Subutai, unable to ride a horse in the later part of his career due to age and obesity, would have been ridiculed out of most any European army of the time. But the Mongols recognized and respected his still-powerful military mind, who had been one of the Genghis’ most able subordinates, so he was transported around in a cart.

I wish the sequnece of battles in the Lord of the Rings movie would have followed the books. The movies make Gondor out as weak, instead of truthfully divided on two fronts.

@Imperious:

…if you view it like a SNL skit…

That may be my problem, I think that SNL really, REALLY sucks compared to how they were in the 1980s, maybe the early 1990s as well.

@stuka:

@Cmdr:

Team America kinda sucked, IMHO.

First of all Team America did not suck.

In my, most humble and amiable opinion, it did.  That sex scene was WAY too long.  Some of it was funny, but it is not something I would classify as a work of art or something I would tell anyone had any intrinsic value.  But as I said, that’s my, most humble, opinion on the matter.  You are free to enjoy it all you want.  :lol:

@stuka:

Second, you should take the H out of IMHO cuz there is never anything humble about your opinions.

As always, I am but your humble and obedient servant.  However, I do believe that all of my opinions are humble and contrite and only given in the best interests of all mankind.  If I were to keep my, humble, opinion to myself, how could I help the wee little children?  Oh won’t anyone PLEASE think about the children!!!  They need my voice added to the cacophony of ideas they are subjected too in this tumultuous world!

@stuka:

Finally, ''W", though I have not seen it yet, is just a movie. And Bush himself is becoming a back drop aka old news… thank Judas.

I would like to, please, ask you to refrain from discussing President George W. Bush.  We are ONLY referring to the quality of the cinematic experience that is the movie “W” by Mr. Oliver Stone - may his ancestors rest in peace.

@ABWorsham:

I have never had a taste for Oliver Stone movies.

@Imperious:

me too. like 95% of them are the same idea transposed no matter how unlikely it fits to reality. Its like that Moore fellow…same thing but i little less as ridiculous, but still far out.

You know, I never really paid much attention to who the director/producer was to a movie until Clint Eastwood started making movies left and right.

That said, I felt this particular movie (the writing, the producing, the camera shots and some of the acting) was so particularly bad, and the advertising for the movie so religiously harped on who directed and produced it, that I had to attribute this disaster of a film to Mr. Oliver Stone.

“Soldiers of the Western Front! Your great hour has arrived. Large attacking armies have started against the Anglo-Americans. I do not have to tell you more than that. You feel it yourself. WE GAMBLE EVERYTHING! You carry …the holy obligation to give everything to achieve things beyond human possibilities for our fatherland and our Fuhrer!” –-Von Rundstedt

stated so well by him at the onset of the great gamble in the west dec. 16th 1944. Very inspiring.

Also:

“Now is the winter of our discontent
    made glorious summer by this son of York…” spoken from Sir Laurence Olivier as Richard III the entire opening soliloquy of act one scene one. Its the greatest thing i ever heard coming from any actor.Its so intense and perfectly done for such a hard bunch of lines setting the tone of where Richard III’s ambitions are. I love that entire movie.

“Frankly my dear, I don’t give a damn”

“I made him an offer that he couldn’t refuse”

“I don’t think wer’e in Kansas anymore Toto”

eh, than dont believe me, or agree with me. this is one of a few topics i dont particularly care about.

@El:

… and the wayward son returns to wrest his heritage back from Xi, the evil usurping brother. (Xi jumped ahead in posts, but seems to be on an extended hiatus.)

(Maybe, with a little encouragement, I can instigate a power struggle. That would be coup!

I think we’ve got a forum or two to help pull datafrom… if we can find them! :roll: One was almost an A&A Academy Awards(my capital a fingers hurt now.)

My vote for WPE is Wild2000. Lotsa posts then he gets mad(or whatever) and goes through putting smilies(?) for every post after deleting the words. That is a sorehead/obsessive/wacko, I think.

I think I may have been gone for a longer period oftime than Wild2000, but then again, I guess only the administrator would know. By the way, what ever happened to djensen? Does he ever post?