Master and Commander

[Raglan]

okay so i was watching Master and Commander of the far side of the world, and not knowing a great deal about Nepolionic era, i was wondering just how close is the film.

Of course we can probably leave out the hollywood of Crows character, but ither than than is the 'feel' of the film correct, and how good is the historical stuff in it (not that i'm expecting the film to be based on history, but you know what i mean - sort of like gladiator, totally incorrect story, but the aspect of the film)

[conon394]

Well one thing is the French ship is a stand in for an American 'Big Frigate' like the Constitution - I believe it was so in the book (or rather in a book) but the movie changed the nationality to make it more palatable to Americans so has not to point out the war of 1812.

[Captain Jin]

okay so i was watching Master and Commander of the far side of the world, and not knowing a great deal about Nepolionic era, i was wondering just how close is the film.

Of course we can probably leave out the hollywood of Crows character, but ither than than is the 'feel' of the film correct, and how good is the historical stuff in it (not that i'm expecting the film to be based on history, but you know what i mean - sort of like gladiator, totally incorrect story, but the aspect of the film)

It's one of the most accurate portrayals of the age of sail out there. Crowe's character really isn't that hollywood either and he plays Aubrey pretty close to how he is in the books, not to mention that Aubrey himself is based heavily upon several famous British naval captains, most prominitely Thomas Cochrane, who if you read about that guy they could honestly make a bad ass movie about his life. I LOVE Master and Commander, it's one of my favorite movies, and my only wish was that they made more. But the movie is basically based around the plot of the 12th book, Far Side of the World, the first book is Master and Commander but there are scenes from several of the books that are placed into the movie so it's not completely true to the original book Far side of the world.

But they did an excellent job with the movie all the way down to the lives they live and the lingo they use. When you read the O'Brian novels you have to have a nautical dictionary by you cause he makes no attempt to describe wtf he's talking about, this is transferred to the movie (if you read the books you really catch a lot of these nuances in the movie), there was no dumbing down of the nautical terms for the standard audience ala Pirates of the Caribbean. It's a fantastic movie through and through and I want to see more.

[Khazrak]

It's one of the most accurate portrayals of the age of sail out there. Crowe's character really isn't that hollywood either and he plays Aubrey pretty close to how he is in the books, not to mention that Aubrey himself is based heavily upon several famous British naval captains, most prominitely Thomas Cochrane, who if you read about that guy they could honestly make a bad ass movie about his life. I LOVE Master and Commander, it's one of my favorite movies, and my only wish was that they made more. But the movie is basically based around the plot of the 12th book, Far Side of the World, the first book is Master and Commander but there are scenes from several of the books that are placed into the movie so it's not completely true to the original book Far side of the world.

But they did an excellent job with the movie all the way down to the lives they live and the lingo they use. When you read the O'Brian novels you have to have a nautical dictionary by you cause he makes no attempt to describe wtf he's talking about, this is transferred to the movie (if you read the books you really catch a lot of these nuances in the movie), there was no dumbing down of the nautical terms for the standard audience ala Pirates of the Caribbean. It's a fantastic movie through and through and I want to see more.

what he said

[Draksen]

In the book the enemy frigate is american.
But as the film is american, and was made during america's "the french are surrender monkeys cause they dont want to go to war with us in Iraq" phase, they slightly modified the scenario and decided that the enemy had to be french in the film too.
Simple tricks for simple people heh.
All in all a good film true.

[Georgy Zhukov]

In the book the enemy frigate is american.
But as the film is american, and was made during america's "the french are surrender monkeys cause they dont want to go to war with us in Iraq" phase, they slightly modified the scenario and decided that the enemy had to be french in the film too.

The french win 2/3 engagements in the film.

[Boyar Son]

In the book the enemy frigate is american.
But as the film is american, and was made during america's "the french are surrender monkeys cause they dont want to go to war with us in Iraq" phase, they slightly modified the scenario and decided that the enemy had to be french in the film too.
Simple tricks for simple people heh.
All in all a good film true.

so, besides the crying, anything useful to add?

BUT..seeing as you type an insulting post and never re-visit the thread again and run away........whats that old saying about the french??

[Draksen]

so, besides the crying, anything useful to add?

BUT..seeing as you type an insulting post and never re-visit the thread again and run away........whats that old saying about the french??

Boyar Son, where do you come from? I would need max 3 minutes to dig evidences of cowardice and surrendering in war among your people. Not too hard.
Not only your country isnt better than France, but it is most probably worse, and especially in term of military history.

Anyway, it wasnt meant to be an insulting post. I only wrote what I read about the scenario of the film.
And if I rarely revisite thread like this one, it's maybe because there are moronic idiots in it making everytime the same old pathetic jokes about the french. I care sometimes, most of the french though, dont. Maybe I should do like them after all.

[Boyar Son]

Boyar Son, where do you come from? I would need max 3 minutes to dig evidences of cowardice and surrendering in war among your people. Not too hard.
Not only your country isnt better than France, but it is most probably worse, and especially in term of military history.

Anyway, it wasnt meant to be an insulting post. I only wrote what I read about the scenario of the film.
And if I rarely revisite thread like this one, it's maybe because there are moronic idiots in it making everytime the same old pathetic jokes about the french. I care sometimes, most of the french though, dont. Maybe I should do like them after all.

oohh he returns! from USA. BUT, if you didnt know where i came from, why still imply that it sucks? its like..you hate everyone despite them being your friend one way or another...wait a minute..that old saying about the french

[Godless Pickle]

I think it was pretty well portrayed from my limited knowledge of naval history. Though Im not sure putting a bunch of forks and spoons in a cannon as grapeshot would work, but I might be wrong...

[Georgy Zhukov]

I think it was pretty well portrayed from my limited knowledge of naval history. Though Im not sure putting a bunch of forks and spoons in a cannon as grapeshot would work, but I might be wrong...

I think your thinking of Pirated of the Carribean not Master and Commander

[Godless Pickle]

I think your thinking of Pirated of the Carribean not Master and Commander

Ohhhh, oops. Well, M&C is still a great movie.....I feel like a dumbass...

[ivan_the_terrible]

I think it was pretty well portrayed from my limited knowledge of naval history. Though Im not sure putting a bunch of forks and spoons in a cannon as grapeshot would work, but I might be wrong...

Of course you're wrong! Have you not seen Pirates of the Carribean??

[Entropy Judge]

It probably wouldn't be as effective as proper, prepared grapeshot would be, but it would still work, as would any sort of scrap metal (which was, IIRC, the first grapeshot).

[Poach]

An American movie would never portray the United States as an entity as the bad guys, and certainly would never have them defeated as the "French" warship was in Master and Commander!

The film itself is an excellent portrayal of Naval life in that era, the makers clearly did make the effort to make it as true to life as they could, which does indeed make it an epic piece of film.

As for the forks and spoons btw, I see no reason why it wouldn't work. The inside of the cannon might take a few more scrapes than if firing standard grapeshot but forks and spoons are just as deadly when flying forwards you out a cannon than small metal balls.

[Draksen]

An American movie would never portray the United States as an entity as the bad guys, and certainly would never have them defeated as the "French" warship was in Master and Commander!

Exactly my point, my british friend.
Doesnt suit the american happy-happy-joy-joy spirit of their films.
Now the real question is: who decided to modify the scenario? Did they recieve instructions directly from the Pentagon or the white house?

[Poach]

Exactly my point, my british friend.
Doesnt suit the american happy-happy-joy-joy spirit of their films.
Now the real question is: who decided to modify the scenario? Did they recieve instructions directly from the Pentagon or the white house?

To be fair on the guys that made the decision to change the warship to a French one, I would have done the same. We all know fine well the movie would have been slammed, boycotted and despised in a US all fired up and waving flags over the tensions with Iraq, the war in Afghanistan and the general War on Terror.

A sad observation but I think the most reasonable one to make on the reasoning behind the change.

[Farnan]

An American movie would never portray the United States as an entity as the bad guys, and certainly would never have them defeated as the "French" warship was in Master and Commander!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Letters_from_Iwo_Jima (The US won but still)

[Draksen]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Letters_from_Iwo_Jima (The US won but still)

Saw thefilm twice and well, the US arent bad in it.
In fact, it underlines much more japanese fanatism than anything else. And war in general.
So nope, not a good counter example, sorry

[Poach]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Letters_from_Iwo_Jima (The US won but still)

That film was, however, made in conjunction with Flags of our Fathers which showed the same events from the US point of view, rather different from a stand-alone film with the United States as the enemy.