Napoleon (2023): Can We Fix It?

[@patavinity1262]

I think the only way to make a good feature-length film about Napoleon is to choose a particular episode of his life and focus on that. You can't cram in any more than that and also make a good historical film. It doesn't work.

[@SmokeDog1871]

Similar to the Steve Jobs 2015 movie

[@Thought_Processing_]

So a tv show of 10 episodes of 1h30min each?

[@patavinity1262]

@@Thought_Processing_ If not more. The story of his life, from his youth to his death, including the historical context requires a lot of footage to depict it properly.

[@steelsaddle2339]

You haven't watched the video yet have you? That's what he did

[@ianfurness8875]

I think only 3 episodes are needed: 1787 to 1799, French Revolution to victory in Italy and marrying Josephine, but ultimate defeat in Egypt; 1800 to 1812, Consul and Emperor, Marengo and Austerlitz, but ultimately losing in Russia; 1812 to 1814, the Little Wars story; Waterloo has been told already but that would be #4 if needed

[@sdporres]

This video makes me so terribly sad. I want to watch this movie (your version, I mean) so badly. Someone give Greg 200 million dollars please.

[@chrismoraal1769]

Well summarized Greg! The limitations are realistic and your revision is exactly the type of movie I would love to see brought to screen. The revisions make a ton of sense for portraying the best and worst of Napoleon. And since we already have a Waterloo movie it makes sense to focus on this portion of his life. I only hope that Scarpa doesn't make Cleopatra a disaster as well.

[@Cancoillotteman]

I mean of course he will. Now we know how little he cares for history. I'm curious to see how much of a whiner Octavius is gonna be and how much of a mindless brute Marcus Antonius is gonna be. You can be sure they'll have no redeeming qualities.

[@alphanerdgames9417]

Make this movie! Hire an artist to story board it like a comic book and voice actors to bring it to life.

[@anthonychambers2397]

Brilliant I wish only your version gets done Forward immediately to Ridley

[@andyedwards9222]

I don't suppose you'll get a call from a big director/ producer but if you do i look forward to watching the final film.

[@dandepalma9305]

A lot of hard work and dedication went into this rewrite. Thanks for taking the time and sharing with us. I wonder how it might have worked if Scott had made the main character not Napoleon but a fictional character? In a turn like the excellent board game, Legion of Honor, we see Napoleon and the major historical players move through history but experience the story through our every man, a junior officer who rises up through the ranks and whose eventual demise is tied to Napoleon's hubris. It worked in Gladiator, and it obviously couldn't have hurt.

[@PaulGoldstone-fm2rx]

You miss two aspects. First, Napoleon's return to Paris was to a city that had been materially made better by Napoleon - he was a builder. Having Napoleon return to a wealthy Paris that has the Arc de Triumph, shows how he built an Empire with Paris as its capital. Second, I wonder if Napoleon was suicidal at times in 1814 - walking his horse over a shell at Arcis Sur Aube. That is a great way to show how at the end he is falling apart.

[@Cancoillotteman]

Actually a whole series (not mini series, full fledged one) about the French Revolution and then 1st Empire would be passionating ! As a choice I'd place the pilot at the signing of the Treaty of Paris. It gives the perfect opportunity to introduce the scenery, stakes (social disparity and anger), main caracters AND to anchor the date into collective American psyche. Also since the American Independance War was one of the main drain on French royal tresory during second half of XVIIIth century it thematically makes sense. Then use a time ellipse for second episode to 1788, ending the episode with the calling of the General Estates. Going faster to give an idea, finales of seasons : 1 : 14 July 1789, fall of the Bastille 2 : Louis XVI failed escape and capture at Varenne 3 : dual event played parallel during the finale : Louis' execution and the French victory at Valmy 4 : Enter Napoleon, Finale is his victory at Rivoli 5 : Egyptian campaign and fallout : ending on the Coup of the 19. Brumaire (=10 November) 6 : Machination and inter-coalition fighting, focus on Haitian Revolution, ends on Trafalgar 7 : The Grande Armée : Finale : Iena-Aurenstedt 8 : Blood and Snow through Poland, season ends at the batrayal of Spain and overthrow of the Bourbon King 9 : Hybris. Spain, Portugal and Russia invasions. Finale at Borodino & Burning of Moskow 10 : All in. Disastrous retreat from Russia, accumulation of pressure and betrayals all the way to the Battle of the Nations at Leipzig 11 : "It is only beautiful when useless" : desperate defense all the way to the abdication 12 : 100 days. Of course, climax is at Waterloo. But the last episode actually focuses on the treaty of Vienna, while a distraught Napoleon takes to ink and paper, to write down his memoirs. Ney is executed, commanding himself the platoon who'll shoot him. Okay, now I REALLY wanna see that being done !

[@13thLegio]

Good work Greg

[@budder_bro]

It's amazing how Ridley Scott makes an great Napoleonic movie like The Duelists but completely fumbles Napoleon

[@christianbuchholdt3492]

Good to see a constructive piece of criticism on ‘Napoleon’ for a change. I think the problem with your solution is that you are mixing two aspects of the popular imagination of Napoleon: the warrior and the lover. For the former we have ‘Waterloo’; for the latter ‘Désirée’. Keep up the good work, Greg!

[@frankbrugge5375]

First of all: the movie should be a little longer than it was. It is certainly possible to capture the highlights of his life in a 3 hour movie (just like Oppenheimer, which despite its length was a very big succes) What I specifically missed were good quotes: Don’t interrupt your enemies when they are making a mistake. And one should also be included, when Napoleon is just a general he could have said: the moments a fear most, is when politicians make decisions… he never said that in real life but suits his character very well

[@AVPalmerERY]

Song at 11:26?

[@EWBTS]

I would watch the remake!

[@trajanthegreat2928]

"You think you're so great because you have knowledge of History!" - Ridley Scott probably

[@ddc2957]

“You think you’re so great because you have books!”

[@OldOneTooth]

Since the movie seemed to tell the story through the eyes of a salacious British tabloid, what I think it needed was a British newspaper writer as a narrator to tie it together going to the headline along with a cartoon which dissolves into the scene, this makes clear the fiction, the story tracking the writer and the British publics relationship with napoleon with political patrons sharing information and expectations of the spin they want put on it to control the public, showcasing the patrons fears which guide how the public represented by two readers must be manipulated to avoid the fears by changing their perceptions.

[@nellgwenn]

That's exactly one of the ideas I had too.

[@demete1230]

I would love to see a movie like that about any historical period, I don’t recall it’s been done before ? You could use this idea for lots of other subjects, 14-18, 39-45, 2001, 1870, etc, I think it could be very entertaining

[@lordbruno47]

I wish we got a Game of Thrones style show for the Napoleonic Wars. It would feature the politics, diplomacy and intrigue paired with epic set pieces covering the conflict over many seasons, I think it'd be brilliant if done well.

[@Joggi98]

Stephen Spielberg is working on a seven-part miniseries for HBO based on a Napoleon script Stanley Kubrick wrote in the '80s

[@liberalhyena9760]

That was mentioned at the end of the video. The project has been in the works a long time and there is no guarantee it will come to fruition.

[@CrazySC833]

^^This. Like, I respect THE HELL out of Ridley Scott for attempting this but like, 3 hours wouldn't even cover his rise/his campaign in Italy. I agree, they should have done an HBO "Adams" MULTI-PART series or like you said, a "Game of Thrones" epic. I agree that people are absolutely STARVING for good cinema again, this would be enormous if done correctly.

[@scontevideo]

You're more or less describing "War and Peace".

[@redsands1001]

He'll I'd have taken a crown style take on napoleon and josephine

[@milesreidy7864]

one positive of Ridley Scott's approach to historical accuracy is that, in comparison, he has managed to make Mel Gibson appear as a peer-reviewed history don at Oxford. A statement I never expected to be able to make.

[@denroy3]

At least Mel knew he was making entertainment.

[@fh854]

@@denroy3philistine…

[@Alvarezpl]

@@fh854 Decent people I've heard. They fought against an evil tribe.

[@felixmurat1677]

I sometimes wonder what a 3 movie trilogy covering Napoleon's 1814 campaign would look like.

[@sterlingmoose9335]

It would look like an expensive box office flop. Regular audiences don't have the interest for it and a few hundred history buffs and wargamers aren't going to make it a blockbuster.

[@felixmurat1677]

@@sterlingmoose9335 That's true, I just wonder what it would look like visually and story-wise.

[@davidbuckley2435]

Nah, you could do 1814 in a single movie easily, but as the culmination of a trilogy. Film 1: Austerlitz until 1809ish. Film 2: Russia and the first half of 1813 Film 3: Leipzig until the end of the 1814 campaign

[@ddc2957]

It’s only a workable story in written format or mini-series (minimum 6 parts). Movie will never be the format.

[@PMMagro]

Like the Hobbit triology?

[@chappyhall6682]

Not only was this a really interesting and compelling video essay, it was also really high quality. Props to everyone who worked on it!

[@matheusjanczkowski9107]

The death of Prince Poniatowski is a great idea to show the international nature of the Grande Armé and to show the disastrous retreat off Leipzig. However, to give the impression of personal loss to Napoleon, I believe that the death of Marshall Bessières is more appropriate, because it shows how he died needlessly carrying out reconnaissance himself due to the lack of cavalry; while his death was blow to Napoleon, due to their connection. In my opinion, both tragedies could be featured, since both occurred during the battle of Leipzig or close to it.

[@LittleWarsTV]

A most excellent idea, yes!

[@fortpark-wd9sx]

Agree. Within the context of 1812 and its aftermath, the Polish zone, which is in between the Germanic and the Russian spheres, unfortunately tend to be forgotten.

[@brettpierotte6285]

This reminds me of discussions I had with some of my fellow history teachers regarding Steven Spielberg's movie Lincoln starring Daniel Day-Lewis in the title role. This was a biopic that really only focused on the last 4 months of Lincoln's life and his efforts to win ratification of the 13th Amendment and end the Civil War. One of my colleagues was disappointed that the film didn't cover more of Lincoln's life and political career. I argued, as Greg does here regarding Napoleon, that moviegoers actually got a deeper understanding of Lincoln's political genius and moral character by narrowing the focus onto one particular dramatic event from his presidency rather than trying to tell his entire life story. It's the old maxim: when you try to cover everything, you wind up understanding nothing.

[@chriswyles553]

Just as the 1970 Waterloo gives you a far greater insight into the person of Napoleon than Scott’s effort, even though Waterloo is focussed exclusively on that particular campaign and the battle itself.

[@Joggi98]

"You think you're so great because you have boats!" was the single greatest movie moment I witnessed in 2023. How dare you slander such perfection!

[@ddc2957]

All it was missing was for Napoléon to slam his chamber door & for Linkin Park to start blaring from his stereo.

[@Dayvit78]

"i tried so hard and got so far, but in the end, it doesn't even matter" @@ddc2957 lol

[@stranger299a]

The Brit should have just replied " You're goddamn right"

[@StatsScott]

Fascinating proposition. I think you did a great job staying within the ‘notes’/structure restrictions the Director would have imposed yet still came up with a very interesting but much more focused and achievable film.

[@MB-oc1nw]

It's hard to believe the man who made Napoleon is the same man who made The Duelists

[@LittleWarsTV]

Truly. But remember…different writers. Writing is everything. Well ok, not everything. But a lot.

[@ddc2957]

It’s also a hungry young man at the outset of his career vs a crabby old washed up prick in his 80’s. None of us are the same decades apart.

[@TheStockwell]

Scott has always - always - had a problem finding and selecting good scripts. When he has a good script, we see Russell Crowe in "Gladiator." When Scott makes an inept choice of script, you get the four OTHER films he did with Crowe. Best wishes from Vermont ❄️

[@accountnamewithheld]

Scott is over 80, it's time he got out and retired.

[@TheStockwell]

@@accountnamewithheld Judging by the quality of the Alien sequels/prequels, quirky television projects like "Raised by Wolves," and "Napoleon," Scott has already retired from making cinematic achievements. Now, he's just turning out product and hoping one will be a masterpiece. As long as WHATEVER he comes up with either makes money or causes a commotion, studios will bankroll him. Best wishes from Vermont ❄️

[@giovannifusco00]

Napoleon would rather lose again at Waterloo than watch this film.

[@novachronoyt2928]

I would definitely see Napoleon do that LOL

[@SobotRex]

Greg, please continue to produce these fantastic looks at historical movies. It’s really some of the best content on this channel. You’ve got a real talent for this.

[@davidbenedict5617]

Just finished watching the video. I initially subbed because I loved the 1813 wargaming campaign. When I saw this, I was instantly intrigued by the concept, and after finishing, I really enjoyed the video.

[@LittleWarsTV]

Glad you enjoyed it! The 1813 campaign finale is next!

[@jordansmith1541]

Why is that so many "amateurs" can produce better ideas in their spare time than so-called "professionals" who are paid obscene amounts of money...

[@LittleWarsTV]

Because the so called “professionals” like the writer hired for this film actually have far fewer qualifications that most folks realize. 3 uncelebrated, B list screenplays in 20 years of work is, frankly, not much of a resume. And when you see that’s who wrote the movie it makes a lot more sense

[@anarchistmugwump9137]

​@LittleWarsTV I do feel rather bad for this screen writer, it's not like a GoT situation where the writers were given full licence to butcher the story on a cultural juggernaut. I imagine this one person is the sole credit of a great deal of treatments and deadlines and studio mandates.

[@Anvilarm07]

Greg, this was a fantastic video, and a great idea for a movie. The $250 millions you need to make it is in the mail. You will need a 60-second opening montage during the opening credits to get Napoleon to Russia - just flashes - and I would change your ending very slightly to him coming inside as the rain starts and examining a map so the camera can slowly pan in on the village of Waterloo. No dialogue would be needed at that ending beyond what you've written. Oh, we might have to change the title to "Napoleon and Ney." (And we have to keep Vanessa Kirby recast as Louisa. But you can dump Phoenix for someone else.)

[@LittleWarsTV]

Oooo I like that ending!

[@GazalAlShaqab]

If you could cast Zofia Wichłacz as Maria Walewska, it would be nice! :)

[@Gecko....]

I still mourn for Kubrick's Napoleon. The dude spent years collecting and collating every single piece of literature and information he could find on Napoleon. It would have been a masterpiece I think, we got Barry Lyndon which was brilliant but still...

[@AlecFlackie]

Fascinated by your rewrite. As you say. there is no other individual in history (and I include religious figures and roman emperors) whose life could not be summarised easily in celluloid. Even Abel Gance's five (or is it seven) hour attempt only goes as far as 1796! Probably one of the most comprehensive production so far.

[@Gruoldfar]

It should be: No, Napoleon did not trick the austrians on a lake…In their own country!

[@normtrooper4392]

It's absolutely baffling that ridley scott got someone so inexperienced as a writer for this.

[@josefavomjaaga6097]

I suspect (based on some interview snippets I've read) that Ridley Scott went into this movie with a very strong preconception of who Napoleon was and what he wanted to show about him. Then he started to actually read up on his subject a bit, and it started to dawn on him that things might be a tiny bit more complicted than what he had in mind. So he tossed the books and the research to the writer and said: Make my idea happen.

[@omarenriqueguzmanlopez3522]

Now that's a movie I would fund! Well done Greg!

[@rechnin6680]

I love the opening scene to the old Waterloo film, "Abdicated, abdicated, I will not!"

[@andrewtodd5919]

Excellent job Greg , your version would be far superior indeed. To truly make a movie at least capture the true essence of the character.

[@lukaskubik4698]

This movie makes a sin much worse than being a complete historical inaccuracy. It is boring as all hell, confused and all over the place.

[@christopherf8912]

The best way to describe the original film is a first draft of a British fan fiction of Napoleon.

[@davidcollins2648]

The ending for a part 2 would be interesting to show the fates of 3 Marshals; Ney, Bernadotte and Murat, Ney executed for devotion and as scapegoat, Murat for his greed in trying to retain the crown of Naples and Bernadotte being crowned King of Sweden. Each would require cameos during the film of course.

[@thomassenbart]

But Hollywood would equally ruin this production as well by making Ney a woman, Murat Black and Bernadotte trans.

[@emilianohermosilla3996]

Kingdom of heaven: Director’s cut is an amazing movie with historical inaccuracies but it’s characters and narrative are talking about the world now, they’re a background for contemporary arguments/thought, at least that’s the way I view it. But Napoleon is a complete different monster such as you stated. I just wish they did these types of movies concentrating themselves on Rome, Ancient Greece, revolutionary France, etc. but they deserve and need a TV show or a miniseries, not movies!

[@wankertosseroath]

I always thought a mini-series following a group of Napoleon's soldiers who eventually are brought into the Old Guard would be great. That way you still see Napoleon and his Generals, as well as the pivotal battles, but it would be more-so shaped around their ferocious belief in him, only to end up being killed at Waterloo wondering what it was all worth as Napoleon flees from the battlefield.

[@divinuminfernum]

i think something like that was made in the past - it was french language only though. I dont know why it has not gotten any translation still

[@warlordofbritannia]

Reverse Sharpe? I like it

[@wankertosseroath]

@@divinuminfernum sounds cool! Wonder where I might find it

[@divinuminfernum]

@@wankertosseroath sadly i cannot recall the name of it as it was in french, i will try and find it again

[@divinuminfernum]

@@wankertosseroath okay i found it - JEAN-ROCH COIGNET : Capitaine de la Garde Impériale - its from 1969-70 and was i think based on experiences of Coignet. Its of course a tv series so its budget for battle scenes is very low.

[@sneakyarcher12]

If I was to make a theme for a Napoleon show/movie I would portray it as what if Napoleon had writen about his life before he died like he said he would when in exile. He would act as the narrator of his life, giving context and presenting his true emotions over what he had done, his triumphs and mistakes, supported by a member of his Guard that came into exile with him and was with him from the start which allows him to add to the narative and context.

[@erikslim8024]

That is actually what the Waterloo movie did. The film makers allowed Napoleon to narrate his thoughts. Your advice might work in a new film.

[@princeofmoskova]

You are correct Greg, you should pick one Marshal to zoom in on and I think you've made the perfect choice. Bravo on this presentation!

[@pavelvaverka3972]

I think without idiotic moves like invasion of Spain, Portugal and Russia campaign, France would won hegemony Europe. That's why is he hated till today. I see lacking ideas and balance with evaulation about sense and meaning of Napolenic era. In long durée England bested France over Europe, but it was close call after all.

[@helenafarkas4534]

my "idea" going into the movie was that it would be Napoleon retelling his greatest hits from exile on St Helena. that (to me) would explain the older Phoenix in scenes that took place early in his career. It also would account for jumping around the timeline. that was evidently not the case as soon as the movie opened

[@nellgwenn]

That is an idea I had as well.

[@chriss9397]

The Duelists is based on a story by one of the finest writers in the English language, Joseph Conrad. English wasn't his first language - that was Polish. His story, The Duel, is easily recognized in the Scott film, if I recall rightly. That film was noted for its attention to detail, as if Scott were competing with Kubrick in creating "real" scenes down to the hair. A writer named Gerald Vaughn-Huges created the script from Conrad's novella, adding characters and scenes. His additions, rather than detracting from Conrad's intentions, furthered them. They weren't subtractions of the kind Scott and his wannabe writer piped up.

[@chriss9397]

Maria Louisa was a pawn in the game, IMHO. Exploring her emotional life would take you well beyond the end of your film, through her remarriage, the death of their son, and her life's end. Of all Napoleon's entourage, though, she strikes me as the only intellectual cipher. You give her a character arc better than she deserves, IMHO. I don't see leaving him as her own choice, but you could sell it. Good job!

[@alexkarman4679]

A five hour "Director's Cut" won't un-frozen-lake Austerlitz, LOL

[@WargamingHistory]

The movie was a complete Travesty. Agree the script is complete rubbish, childish, a very English cartoon type ogre. I like your film idea, let’s fund it!

[@colin6644]

Brilliant and professional analysis. Thank you! This could be a good time to put a stop to arrogant, over-confident ‘directors’ who use the names of real people to sell their own stupid stories. Sorry, Sir Ridley - you’re capable of being better than this.

[@comstr]

Please do the sequel: WELLINGTON. Act 1- India. Act 2- Spain and Portugal. Act 3- Waterloo. You can even use Phoenix again!

[@therearenoshortcuts9868]

the Phoenix shall rise again!! harhar!!

[@tigwu]

Wellington wouldn't be a sequel to a Napoleon movie, a youtube short at best.

[@AHersheyHere]

I know Chalamet is busy with Dune but, the 28 year old French-American actor would’ve been perfect for a ‘two actor method’, Chalamet for the Italian campaign to Phoenix’s tired, aged Emperor Napoleon, struggling with gout.

[@LittleWarsTV]

Excellent casting choice. Brooding, charismatic, age appropriate!

[@ddc2957]

I didn’t realise Chalamet was that old already but I’ve said this as well - Chalamet has the look of a young Napoléon.

[@paulcross7755]

This is excellent, well thought out. Great work.

[@akaisamurai]

I was expecting another video about the historical nature of the film (Not that there is anything wrong with that.) and was pleasantly suprised at this most unique video. Thumbs up for the passion as I imagine it must have been a lot of work.

[@paulbentley1705]

Ridley Scott made a mistake and he’s not man enough to admit it. This seems to be the fashion of Hollywood people today.

[@Aiden-og6ty]

i dont even want to watch this video its just gonna make me sad thinking about what couldve been

[@Ron-F]

The main problem with this movie is that was made by people that really dislikes Napoleon. It is such a negative portrait that the audience should be surprised how he could achieve so much.

[@thomassenbart]

Actual Napoleonic history is amazing, intricate, compelling and full of everything a film could wish for. Why anyone, like Scott would think he could make something better, is an example of pure hubris.

[@amtmannb.4627]

Excellent screenwriter! The focus on 1812-14 is very interesting, however maybe the British/American public would miss the British in the movie. To characterize Napoleon as an evil leader I would focus on the Egyptian campaign which was deadly for the French soldiers and the people of Egypt too. So many battles, so bloody fightings. So evil orders in that campaign. The main character would be Kléber and his death a great ending especially if you compare it with the rise of Bonaparte at the same time. Cheers!

[@oskar6661]

Ridley Scott is simply no longer a quality director. He's just bitter/angry about it, and can't accept that he's no longer relevant. The saddest part is watching his interviews when he was doing ALIEN (only his 2nd(?) film?). He complains about a ton of things that filmmakers do ...only to then do all those things in his later films. He forgets all of his own advice, and loses what made him a decent director earlier in his career. Duelists is significantly better than most of his later films (and I'd imagine better than Napoleon).

[@LittleWarsTV]

The Last Duel, his previous film, bombed at the box office but was actually quite good. Definitely undercuts the argument that he “doesn’t have it” anymore.

[@toxichammertoe8696]

09:25 I remember seeing the episode of Mythbusters where they literally Polished 💩s from different animals to see one had the brightest gloss....The lion's turd had the brightest gloss but at the end of the date it was still💩!

[@slartybartfarst55]

I really liked this idea for a script. I too love Ridley Scott, and really wanted to see this on the big screen. Circumstances prevented that, and now I'm glad they did - I am not a big fan of ignoring History for the sake of Art. Some divergence yes (Gladiator), but not that much!

[@douglaseckert8983]

On Amazon Prime, ‘just finished the multi-part Napoleon bio from 2002 - EXCELLENT. Star Christian Clavier puts his whole heart and soul into it and pulls it off, even while struggling with English every step of the way.

[@mikemontesa3181]

Well done! Really liked your analysis and plan for a rewrite. If I were a studio exec, I'd green-light this!

[@jessel3621]

Napoleon and Josephine is an interesting story. Most wargamers just want the battles, but I would prefer a Game of Thrones style series focused on characters and politics.

[@ddc2957]

The two should complement one another. Who had any idea why Napoléon was fighting the Austrians watching that movie!?

[@danielconde13]

"Can we fix it?" - sure we can. Ignore it in its entirety, and watch 2002 show "Napoleon" instead. You're welcome.

[@alexkarman4679]

Joaquin Phoenix is NOT a "Great Actor". Gladiator was a great film despite him, not because of him. If Joaquin Phoenix had even one more line in that film, he would have turned it into a B movie and an MST3K riffing favorite. Not only is he a bad actor, but he gets attracted like a magnetic weather vane to bad scripts. Any movie, like Napoleon, that re-writes history in order to prop up a Joaquin Phoenix character is by definition a bad movie. Gladiator rewrote history in order to prop up a Russel Crowe character, and that is an altogether different thing.

[@OcarinaSapphr-]

This was marvelous! #TheDespotofAntrim also had ideas for how to focus the scope of #NotMyNapoleon - I kind of agree with him that the 'greatest hits'-format with biographical movies has been done to death, pardon the pun- it lacks creativity & depth. If people want to do bio-pics in the future, I agree they will have to shake up the format- & avoid the birth-to-death/ last high-point-style, that currently exists, for the most part -- unless they're going to give the subjects the space they deserve (especially someone as complex & history-heavy as Napoleon)- he mentioned Steven Spielberg is going to adapt Kubrick's Napoleon script into a series- I *really* hope that's true...

[@WillJackson-wi1nw]

Dude, hate to break it to you, but a strong female lead in a movie about Napoleon is virtually impossible and it would just be out of place. Why, you ask? Because historically Napoleon never acknowledged women's rights to begin with.

[@SeanRCope]

Wait for the four hour release. Interesting your interpretation of the movie interpretation of the battle of Austerlitz though. Blizzard? I think it was fog. But I digress. Where did the movie ever describe the later BIG battles? It was about he and Josephine. Wasn’t made for wargamers/armchair historians.

[@markcastle5826]

I’m a movie fan and a history buff. This was possibly one of the most bilge worthy films of all time. Reminds me of one of those Tony Curtis films from the 1950’s …… ‘Yonder lies the castle of my fadder’ , type of thing.

[@pavelvaverka3972]

Thank You, if I have a billions of USD I will throw you the budget... Script is done and I have killer tips for soundtrack composer from Japan.

[@floriandebontdelbarre2700]

The main issue with Scott's Napoleon is not its inaccuracies or choices of artistic deviation. It was simply bound to fail as a single movie. Napoleon's life, successes and impact on Europe has so much content that it simply can't fit into a single film. Either it should've been a film series or a full multi-season series, with each movie/season focusing on a campaigns or chapter of his life. Take a look at Waterloo (1970), which only focused on the Hundred Days

[@ddc2957]

You’re right of course film simply isn’t the format for his story but it still could’ve been something worthwhile with a different approach. Scott could hardly have made it worse.

[@denroy3]

No, you can't fix it. Joker Napoleon as played by Whacko Phoenix cannot be salvaged. The basic storyline cannot be salvaged. The whole thing is an abomination that should be incinerated

[@Jew_Gi_Oh]

The 1970 Waterloo movie did an infinitely better job of portraying the Battle of Waterloo only because they chose to only focus on the final battle in the Napoleonic Wars! When even a 2002 TV mini series does a better job than a huge budget Hollywood film!

[@Seansds]

Just watched the movie and your version would have been way better. Disappointed in Scott’s version. Disjointed, boring and laughable when it shouldn’t have been. I can get over historical inaccuracies and an actors age but there was no story arc. Not sure how that movie got green lit.

[@Myke...]

I still feel ridley's filters are too yellow or too dark. Whats the point of having fantastic costumes with colours if most of it disapears in the dark. Waterloo seemed to me to have the best feel in colour and dramatic lighting, that reminds me of constable and Turner and the massive romantic pictorial paintings of the era

[@LittleWarsTV]

He does love his color grading. Feels like he’s leaned more heavily into aggressive color grading in recent films too

[@Myke...]

Probably to hide special effects. @@LittleWarsTV

[@HistoryMonarch1999]

Before I saw the movie I heard about the comedy thing and I was like “wait really?” And let me say even those critisms were wrong I was so. Bored. It also might’ve been me but I did not like all the filters and coloring too many scenes outside Egypt meshed together too much

[@Cyanide_and_Loneliness]

Its not even the historical inaccuracies that make this movie bad, thats at least a passable sin, but making a movie about napoelon's rise to and fall from power so bloodly boring and somehow make it into a romance. HOW do you even do that? Its a well known fact napoleon and Jeosophine absolutely hated and cheated on each other. All the scenes we wanted to see were like 5 minutes long and instead we get a crappy sax scene between Napoleon and jeosophine.

[@reecedignan8365]

If I had to write a Napoleon Story in my own way, it would be 4 movies and most of the focus would be instead on his marshals (or at the start to be marshals) and the generals and men around him. They would be our main protags while Napoleon would be there as a character but instead of having to portray the full mind of napoleon, it’s actually slightly easier to learn his genius and failures by what the men around him say. Imagine seeing Napoleon planning out his decisions on the map of Italy but not from his eyes but from Bethiers seeing this genius and giving good excuse as to why thing may be spelt more plainly or in certain ways as besides being the main man to write the orders, Napoleon did try to almost teach all his Marshals the ways of war. As for how to split the movies up: 1 - Napoleons early career, Toulon, the “wiff of grape” (which we’d see not from Napoleons eyes but Murat the Captain in charge of the local barracks who brought him the cannons), and the main bulk of the movie the Italian Campaign. 2. Starts with his failed return from Egypt but revitalisation and the coup of the directory. We’d move through his political years with the main event being Morrengo. After that we would skip a few years and move to him seizing power, overthrowing the council of peers and crowning himself emperor at the end. 3. We’d start working our way through his campaigns, Aust, Jena, Fried, Austria, and so on until we get to Russia, our movie going all the way up to Moscow where it ends on the brutal thoughts of needing to retreat. 4. We meet up at the end of the retreat maybe as Ney and Berthier read through the reports of how many dead and such. We then play through a small section of the German Campaign with a main mast of the movie focused on Leipzig and the Defence of France. We’d pretty much go until Paris is taken, his absolution and finally his first exile. Why not Waterloo? Because at this point without making several more movies covering the peninsular war and Wellington and everything there, it would just not be as strong. So it is best to just leave it at his first exile and say “look there is an amazing old Waterloo movie that’s just as memorable and amazing, go watch that if you want the final chapter”

[@LittleWarsTV]

Sign us up for the four film treatment!

[@goran7777]

This would actually be really good! Waterloo is such an underrated movie

[@thomast8539]

I thought Rod Steiger, Christopher Plummer and the rest did just fine in Waterloo.

[@robertphair4285]

Battle scenes total bollocks but the film is the Napoleon Josephine love story. Waterloo was particularly rubbish.

[@nickjennings8757]

Great work Greg. Still haven’t seen the film and have no intention of wasting 2-4 hours of my life. But, your video was excellent and I agree what more interesting period to show Napoleon and his best and his worst!

[@palious13]

I thought Napoleon (1955) did a good job of covering the majority of his life.

[@irishmarine3]

I, for one, welcome LWTV's new era of movie essays

[@LittleWarsTV]

Fun to do every now and again! Especially when they relate to a game we have going on!

[@AppleMak2010]

I agree with everything, Greg. I was immensely disappointed with almost everything with the movie. Well, that's Hollywood.

[@bruce4130]

Russian filmmakers much better job! War and peace Russia n movie a gem!

[@therearenoshortcuts9868]

no one can convince me that this film wasn't a tax write-off for some rich guy LOL a guy who probably hates Napoleon

[@Alfie-ft3bx]

Just watch the 1927 one, you won’t regret it it’s definitely long enough

[@TheStockwell]

How feeble and disappointing was this film? It came out a short time ago - and it's already time for a remake! 😂

[@StephenLuke]

If I were a movie director, I would have to look back on the historical records, the dates, the ages of the historical characters, the accuracy of the weapons, clothes, places, and everything that will make a historical film very intriguing to watch.

[@Meerdalf]

Imagine a multi season tv show covering his entire life, it would be incredible with so much more depth than a single movie. imagine Vikings but Napoleonic.

[@davefranklin4136]

Personally, I draw parallels to the bad (IMO) 2019 Midway movie. It also tried to cover too much - e.g. it did not need to include Pearl Harbor, at least not to the degree it did, especially when it did it so poorly. Similar comment WRT the Marshall Islands raid. I cringe now thinking about the scenes flying around and through the mountains, when the highest point on Kwaj is something like 12 feet above sea level. Midway also had a (again IMO) dreadful rendition of the main character - in this case Ed Skrein's portrayal of Richard Best as if he was just off Jersey Shore. The only thing missing was Snooki. And don't get me started on that stupid dead stick carrier landing thing...

[@Carl-MGR]

I think the 2018 Midway is leagues better than the dreadful bore that is the 70s Midway. And it includes a lot of really authentic scenes and moments for people who know the battle. Is it perfect? No, it really should include more Yorktown, and IIRC you don't see a Wildcat the whole movie. But it's not even remotely as bad as Napoleon.

[@bruce4130]

Scott’s ego got in the way of a potentially great movie of the decade!

[@colink563]

This is a great idea and already enjoy the opening scene more

[@johnmccann5725]

Thanks for the vid, clearly our Gregg is a man of many talents. Maybe a cameo as the Tsar in this new release? Your take on films failure is spot on. If you want to do Napoleons rise and fall, a mini series is the way to go, plenty of everything that makes a good story present if well written and focussed and allowed enough time to tell. War and Peace redone recently managed that. But as per your challenge, if it has to be a film, then a much tighter focus is required and you ve clearly given some thought on how to achieve that. Well done

[@steveseyboldt7206]

I wonder how Sir Ridley would react to this movie pitch. I think the audience and critics would have liked it.

[@LittleWarsTV]

From everything I’ve read, Ridley gave the writer a lot of leeway to tell whatever story the writer wanted. At least, that’s what’s been said in interviews. Hard to believe a director of Ridley’s experience wouldn’t have weighed in at all?

[@stephenholcomb9278]

VERY well done Sir! The movie you outline is one I would have watched, bought the DVD, and the Extended version after that. The travesty of Scott's film I refuse to grace with my eyes.....