tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7201660899514011402.post2612982304526573103..comments2024-03-28T10:44:41.756-05:00Comments on The War Movie Buff: MY 600th POST!War Movie Buffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05999735218343872013noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7201660899514011402.post-17332163325212229872019-12-20T18:01:06.459-06:002019-12-20T18:01:06.459-06:00Thanks. I hadn't remembered the political stu...Thanks. I hadn't remembered the political stuff. I guess I need to rewatch the series. The series was amazing and it is incredible to me that it was made.War Movie Buffhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05999735218343872013noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7201660899514011402.post-34237437948951945972019-12-20T11:57:41.180-06:002019-12-20T11:57:41.180-06:00I haven't seen or read the Sharpe series (alth...I haven't seen or read the Sharpe series (although your review has sparked my interest!) so I will save my comments for Hornblower.<br /><br />The books are excellent historical adventures. Historical in the way that they explore historical situations of the Napoleonic wars and the mindsets of people living in them (there is an episode where Hornblower, in the interest of his country, gives his "word of honor" that he has news of an important fact - sees his foe accept this as proof of the fact - and then agonizes about how he will live in disgrace for the rest of his life). Adventure in the sense that naval crews from all sides are always trying to take on problems above their weight through a combination of cleverness and audacity. You'd think, after reading these books, that the main weapon of Ships of the Line are rowboats filled with raiding parties.<br /><br />The series is well done. Although there are clearly strict limitations on what special effects are available the stories are skillfully designed to work within those limitations. It unfortunately indulges in that lazy sort of historical writing where Hornblower and the more sympathetic characters seem to anachronistically share the writer's political opinions while antagonists and unsympathetic characters are strawman monarchists. If you are going to debate political issues in a historical drama why not give people realistic positions and have the courage to let those with whom you disagree put forward good, historically-appropriate arguments for their side so that the audience can better understand the period? No doubt there's a danger of going too shallow or too deep but in Hornblower it seems that they did not really try. For this, and because the series runs much slower than the books, I find the books superior (but would still recommend the series).Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7201660899514011402.post-11080142407214975562017-03-03T08:45:38.054-06:002017-03-03T08:45:38.054-06:00I have done a comparison of "Damn the Defiant...I have done a comparison of "Damn the Defiant!" to "Horatio Hornblower" at http://warmoviebuff.blogspot.com/2012/08/dueling-movies-horatio-hornblower-vs.html<br /><br />I am preparing a comparison of "Damn the Defiant!" to its source "Mutiny".War Movie Buffhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05999735218343872013noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7201660899514011402.post-83870230624624223212017-03-03T08:41:48.770-06:002017-03-03T08:41:48.770-06:00I did not go into the source material because I am...I did not go into the source material because I am preparing Book/Movie posts on them. I appreciate your information and it is sound. As a preview, I have a feeling that I will find that the Hornblower movies are improvements over the books.War Movie Buffhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05999735218343872013noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7201660899514011402.post-66744068023208243142017-03-03T00:54:50.489-06:002017-03-03T00:54:50.489-06:00Check out "Damn The Defiant!" and "...Check out "Damn The Defiant!" and "Billy Budd". They both do an admirable job at portraying life aboard one of His Majesty's ships. Defiant depicts the events leading up to the Nore Mutiny and Budd shows a courtmartial situation. I have always been partial to the Gibson-Hopkins version of "The Bounty" which was based on the book by Richard Hough rather than the traditional Nordhoff take on the events.André7https://www.blogger.com/profile/04529840090218454738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7201660899514011402.post-32318388447693650552017-03-03T00:49:30.170-06:002017-03-03T00:49:30.170-06:00There is so much more to say. As I am a fan of bot...There is so much more to say. As I am a fan of both Cornwell and Forester and both television series. You insist on comparing the two without refering back to the source material. The Sharpe is far closer to its source material, not only with regards to plot points, but to character. Forester's Hornblower is a loner. The closest thing he ever has to a friend is Bush, and that relationship is far more one of Bush's having unabashed hero worship for the hero. Hornblower on paper is far more interesting than he is on screen. The series creators have insisted on creating a warm mentor-relationship between Hornblower and Pellew. This was not so in the book. Hornblower's superiors rarely if ever let him know how much admiration they had for him. His gun crew is pure invention. Creating a "posse" for Hornblower weakens him greatly. His self doubt and reserve would never allow him to develop familiarity with his men. Forester has often been criticized for historical and nautical innacuracies. He was an adventure writer who often got even basic seamanship on Napoleonic vessels wrong. What he did right was very right though. He created a character that was compelling. Sharpe is far more faithful and translates better to the screen.André7https://www.blogger.com/profile/04529840090218454738noreply@blogger.com