New Hannibal Film

[DecimusCaesar]

Oliver Stone's Alexander has been perceived as an anti-American film. Although I cannot really read this into it, many of Stone's scrutinisers seemed to believe that the film was more about the war in Iraq than an epic journey of conquest set in the 4th Century BC.

 

I can see their point a little bit, but over all I can't see Alexander as making direct parallels with the war in Iraq. I think another director would have made less subtle referances, but Stone admits that he's a huge fan of Alexander, and he therefore wanted to concentrate more on the character of Alexander and less on modern day politics. Which is very odd considering his other films. Maybe if he had made blatant referances to modern events, many viewers would have enjoyed the film, seeing as they could connect with the events shown.

As for Hannibal, we might get a hint towards the war in Iraq; but considering that this was a war between two superpowers for control of the mediterranean, it will be much harder to make the comparison. Unless Vin Diesel attempts to approach the story by having the Romans declare war on Carthage first, and portaying the Carthaginians as noble peaceful people...which he might do.

[Stoic]

What's with all the negativity? This movie is going to be great! Who can actually sit there and defend those dastardly Brits? I mean, if Hannibal hadn't invaded Britain to free the slaves, who would have? I am looking forward to the sequel "Hannibal vs. the Third Reich".

[votadini]

Sounds great. How about Chow Yun Fat as Scipio? Has to be up there with the Steven Seagal-playing-Genghis Khan biopic that failed to come to fruition a couple of years back.

[Caesar CXXXVII]

Scene 112 -

DIESEL-Hannibal : "Oh Emperor Pompey , now that I coquered Egypt from you Greek , surrender to me or die !"

M. Gibson-Pompey : "Dear and fool Alexander , I am not Pompey but Henry IX , I am not an Emperor but an Archon and you did not conquered Egypt but Atlantis , so go fish !"

DIESEL-Hannibal : "where ? , all is land here in China"

 

CUT

[DecimusCaesar]

SCENE 125-

 

Hannibal is surrounded by Roman soldiers, they all close in on him like dogs setting on a rabbit. Hannibal pulls out his sword - Rock music starts to play. Hannibal spins, swirls and flies through the air cutting through the Romans in slow motion (with some whooshing sounds) - blood splatters on the screen. One Roman knocks Hannibal from behind, his sword drops; leaving him unarmed. The Roman is about to kill Hannibal. Hannibal grabs the hastatus from the Roman's hand and sticks it through his neck- blood squirts all over the place...in super slow motion.

 

Hannibal: Hastatus la Vista, baby!

 

Hannibal suddenly drops in agony. Behind him we see the evil Captain Marcus Barcus, General of the Felix Legions. Hannibal has been brought down by a electrical stun gun in the general's hand.

 

Marcus: Casear (seize) him! Take him down to Emperor Pompey's palace at once, for tomorrow the lions shall feast on him in the Colosseum!

 

2 Soldiers grab Hannibal and shakle him.

 

Soldier 1: Our general's barcus is worse than his biteus.

 

A sound is heard. A figure steps out of the shadows. General Marcus and the soldiers turn to face this figure.

It is none other than Spartacus, leader of the Slave Revolt and defeater of the Assyrians.

 

Spartacus: Why don't you boys do yourself a favour and let him go.

 

Marcus: Why? What will you do, SLAVE? We are many, and you are but one pugnacious, ploppy pleb.

 

Spartacus: One...two...three...it doesn't matter how many of you will fight me...as long as you know this, I'm about to get Classical world on yo' ass!

 

Marcus smirks.

 

Spartacus: You'll be smirking on the other side of Anno Domini, Roman!

 

Spartacus pulls out a wooden machine that shoots flaming arrows at the Roman soldiers. They fall to the floor in flames...in super slow motion.

 

Marcus drops to his knees and begs for mercy, while Spartacus swaggers towrds him.

 

Marcus: Please, let me live...I'll give you anything...my villa...my chariot...my rolex...Anything!

 

Spartacus punches him in the face, knocking him unconcious. Spartacus lights a cigar in victory while sitting on top of Marcus' body.

 

Spartacus: Romanize that!

 

CUT

Edited January 6, 2007 by DecimusCaesar

[Caesar CXXXVII]

 

I am waiting for the next scene

[WotWotius]

SCENE 125-

 

...the Roman is about to kill Hannibal. Hannibal grabs the hastatus from the Roman's hand and sticks it through his neck- blood squirts all over the place...in super slow motion...CUT

 

No, Hannibal uses the force to disarm him!

[Julius Ratus]

I am waiting for the next scene

 

 

Scene 324

 

Hannibal sits in a Roman jail cell. "Hello Cornelia, there once was a senator who tried to quantify me...

Edited February 19, 2007 by Julius Ratus

[CiceroD]

Talking about up and coming bad Rome movies

 

Has anyone seen the trailer for "The Last Legion" ?

 

Apparently they have a girl in tight pants swinging blades Xena-style and a Sword of Destiny lol. Wow I guess I really dont know too much about 476 A.D.

 

[Skarr]

If Vin Diesel is a true history buff, as someone claims, it seems to me that at some point or the other, doing an Internet search would have revealed the existence of this site or at the very least, references to Livy or Polybius.

 

However, it seems to me that sometimes, projects are undertaken with a definite agenda in mind and to lend this a measure of authenticity, someone suggests - "in order to really propagate these ideas, we need something more tangible ... why don't you search history for someone we could use".

 

"Aha", comes back the reply, "why not Hannibal? He would be a perfect vehicle for our agenda and all we'll need to do is to use a broad creative brush"...

 

Well, I could be wrong, rather, I hope I'm wrong about this and ultimately, we will get a half decent portrayal, with some real historical research being done before the final script is approved.

 

Let's hope Vin Diesel does the right thing. As someone already pointed out, he did a good job as Riddick and hopefully, he'll do a better one as Hannibal and I don't see the need either to eulogize him as a hero who fought for a chimeral "freedom", a modern twist on an ancient story, which would be enough to make even the average historical buff cringe in horror and disgust at the travesty being offered on screen.

 

Some parts of "Rome" also make me cringe, especially the most recent one where Brutus is disappointed he cannot offer a "birthday cake" to Cassius. Give me a break, guys, if there's one thing that Brutus would have avoided talking about at Philippi, it would have been "cake" for Cassius, a man he grew to despise but was forced to tolerate, because of the bed they jointly made together. But here they are, bonding like brothers on the eve of battle, laughing in the face of death instead of pissing their pants like the cowards they were.

[Primus Pilus]

Some parts of "Rome" also make me cringe, especially the most recent one where Brutus is disappointed he cannot offer a "birthday cake" to Cassius. Give me a break, guys, if there's one thing that Brutus would have avoided talking about at Philippi, it would have been "cake" for Cassius, a man he grew to despise but was forced to tolerate, because of the bed they jointly made together. But here they are, bonding like brothers on the eve of battle, laughing in the face of death instead of pissing their pants like the cowards they were.

 

While I agree with the birthday cake frivolity as being a bit stupid, according to both Plutarch and Appian, Brutus and Cassius were quite reconciled and accommodating by the time of Philippi. Both express Brutus' mourning at the death of his friend. Still, I agree that writers missed some interesting possibilities. MPC expresses similar disappointment in this episode in the 'Rome TV Series' forum, though he clearly has a different angle on the details.