Movie: Last Days of Pompeii (1913)
We saw clips from this when we went to the Pompeii exhibit (part of the Big Christmas Road Trip), and decided we wanted to see the whole thing.
Pros: Gorgeous sets with lots of nice details, especially the interiors and the gardens. We spotted some replicas of items we had seen in the museum; a famous relief depicting a Dionysian procession is prominently displayed early on. The women's hair seems appropriately elaborate. Impressive crowd scenes. Surprisingly good special effects for 1913.
Cons: Silly plot that disregards petty details like, oh, Roman culture or Egyptian religion. (meritahut's SPQR Blues has spoiled us - we expect WAY more accuracy!) Presumably this is the fault of the original novel. Also, the costumes don't look right - I honestly don't think Roman men wore gauze paisley shawls during any period of the Republic or the Empire, nor, I suspect, did they wear their hair Prince Valiant-style.
Pros: Gorgeous sets with lots of nice details, especially the interiors and the gardens. We spotted some replicas of items we had seen in the museum; a famous relief depicting a Dionysian procession is prominently displayed early on. The women's hair seems appropriately elaborate. Impressive crowd scenes. Surprisingly good special effects for 1913.
Cons: Silly plot that disregards petty details like, oh, Roman culture or Egyptian religion. (meritahut's SPQR Blues has spoiled us - we expect WAY more accuracy!) Presumably this is the fault of the original novel. Also, the costumes don't look right - I honestly don't think Roman men wore gauze paisley shawls during any period of the Republic or the Empire, nor, I suspect, did they wear their hair Prince Valiant-style.