Hannibal got me
I watched Hannibal on Sunday night - I forgot about this all of yesterday. Did other people see it? Anyway, I thought it was not good. And I don't think you can spoiler the story of hannibal, so I'm not cutting this.
Alexander Siddig (Hannibal) was great - I love him, he's a good actor (AKA the fairytale prince in KoH). Shaun Dingwall (Scipio Africanus) was in it - I love him too, also a good actor (Rose's Dad). Mack-who-stole-Edna's-money-in-Emmerdale-aaaages-ago (Scipio the Elder) was in it - um, he's not the best actor ever, but still. Whatever, the actors failed to make it a good production.
I was going to write lots, but my head is currently frazzled because I've been working on Mycenaean pottery *all day* (*sigh* *yawn* *die*). So have some points:
1) I don't remember how much Scipio the Elder had to do with the start of the conflict, but he wasn't the main guy, so I don't want him to have that much screen time.
2) The battle of Lake Trasimene was a hugely important turning point in the war, so it deserves more screentime than a few dead guys in water.
3) The disastrous story of Flaminius' stupidity before and at LT is worth telling rather than ignoring.
4) Quintus Fabius Maximus Cunctator was one of the greatest Romans who ever lived (and has spawned his own fabian spin-offs!), so don't portray him like an old fool who complains a lot - he won this part of the war pretty much single-handedly, so don't diss his tactics![1]
5) I don't remember what Varro had to do with (any of) it, but Paullus was the guy who got defeated at Cannae, so let's have Livy's scene of his dying!
6) Well done on the cinematography and handling of Cannae, though, that was brilliant.
7) Shaun Dingwall's a great actor, but he just isn't Scipio, one of the greatest Roman military leaders of all time. He has... well, I don't mean to be offensive, but he has a comedy face. He shouldn't be in a role that doesn't have *some* comedy value!
That's it, now I curl up and go to sleep.
[1] That was almost 'don't diss his tictacs', which would have been funnier.
Alexander Siddig (Hannibal) was great - I love him, he's a good actor (AKA the fairytale prince in KoH). Shaun Dingwall (Scipio Africanus) was in it - I love him too, also a good actor (Rose's Dad). Mack-who-stole-Edna's-money-in-Emmerdale-aaaages-ago (Scipio the Elder) was in it - um, he's not the best actor ever, but still. Whatever, the actors failed to make it a good production.
I was going to write lots, but my head is currently frazzled because I've been working on Mycenaean pottery *all day* (*sigh* *yawn* *die*). So have some points:
1) I don't remember how much Scipio the Elder had to do with the start of the conflict, but he wasn't the main guy, so I don't want him to have that much screen time.
2) The battle of Lake Trasimene was a hugely important turning point in the war, so it deserves more screentime than a few dead guys in water.
3) The disastrous story of Flaminius' stupidity before and at LT is worth telling rather than ignoring.
4) Quintus Fabius Maximus Cunctator was one of the greatest Romans who ever lived (and has spawned his own fabian spin-offs!), so don't portray him like an old fool who complains a lot - he won this part of the war pretty much single-handedly, so don't diss his tactics![1]
5) I don't remember what Varro had to do with (any of) it, but Paullus was the guy who got defeated at Cannae, so let's have Livy's scene of his dying!
6) Well done on the cinematography and handling of Cannae, though, that was brilliant.
7) Shaun Dingwall's a great actor, but he just isn't Scipio, one of the greatest Roman military leaders of all time. He has... well, I don't mean to be offensive, but he has a comedy face. He shouldn't be in a role that doesn't have *some* comedy value!
That's it, now I curl up and go to sleep.
[1] That was almost 'don't diss his tictacs', which would have been funnier.