Accuracy of HBO Series: Rome (would like opinions before buy

[Historylover]

Thank you very much Graham I will have to look into that! All the best, Jonathan

[Narukami]

I had heard rumors of a "Rome" movie, but that was before the set at Cinecitta was damaged by fire. Anybody know anything about it since then?

This from IMDB:

Nothing is impossible. Kevin Mckidd (Vorenus) said that they felt still had a story to tell. However it is unlikely since many are at peace with Vorenus's death. It is true that there is no concrete evidence that he is dead, and therefore HBO could bring him back, but with Anthony dead (and he is DEAD) there would be something missing from the film.

UPDATE

I copied here the stuff about Rome. Use the clicky for the rest of the interview. Enjoy!

http://www.movieweb.com/dvd/news/29/27229.php

Ray Stevenson has brought us to Rome and he will bring us to a War Zone later this year. This versatile actor is certainly a rising star in the biz, and his new film, Outpost, is hitting the DVD shelves on March 11. I recently had the chance to speak with the actor over the phone about this new project and much much more. Here's what he had to say.

...I also have to ask about Rome. Have there been any talks about...

Ray Stevenson: Have there been talks about Rome? Oh my God. (Laughs)

There have been?

Ray Stevenson: I hate to say anything, but yes. Bruno Heller, the writer and director of the show, and Bill MacDonald are in talks now for a Rome movie project.

Really? Wow. So they want to bring everyone back?

Ray Stevenson: Well, everybody who's not dead. (Laughs) There's a lot of history there, and if Punisher: War Zone goes well, obviously our profiles may help. The tricky thing with a movie, is that HBO is pay-per-view. It has a limited audience, it has its audience. You've got to try and find a movie that will stand alone and yet serve both the existing audience and attracting new ones. There was so much maturity and so much richness and so much good stuff that came out of it, that I've got my fingers, eyes, nose, teeth and everything crossed, because, in a heartbeat I would go back and do it, but people way beyond my pay scale will be making that decision.

Is there a script for this right now, or are they still developing it?

Ray Stevenson: Well, Bruno started working on the script, and then they called the writers strike. You'd have to make a call to Bruno Heller and people like that. I'm not sure what HBO's legal position or involvement or ownership issues... I mean, these are all being discussed by other people. All I can say is that there's positive talk about it. I wish I could sit here and tell you more, because I'd probably be more excited than you would be, but I'm just quietly keeping everything crossed, and encouraging from my sideline position.

...That's great, Ray. That's about all I have for you. Thank you so much for your time.

Ray Stevenson: No worries. You take care. Thank you very much.

Still just a rumor -- as we all know there are legions of great scripts and great movie ideas that never make it past pre-production despite a sea of "Green Lights." In an industry where not making a film (as in not Not Taking a Risk) is easier than making one it is little wonder than many good scripts languish in development limbo.

Will we see a Big Screen Rome? Perhaps...but I would rather a third TV season where they have the time to spend telling a story in detail. Of course the presupposes they have a script worthy of the subject matter. :?

Narukami

[Narukami]

Interestingly, when I talked with Steven Saylor, he said the things he disliked most about the HBO series were 1) their portrayal of Cleopatra, and 2) the low-budget presentation of Alexandria.

I imagine he would! I've met Steven a couple of times at historical symposia; he declared to hold a soft spot in his heart for Elizabeth Taylor's Cleopatra.

As we have enumerated in other threads devoted to this topic, the portrayal of Cleopatra is but one example on a long list of Historical "sins" committed by this series just in terms of the story.

Yes, they did make some changes for the sake of dramatic flow, almost every film does. However Rome played so fast & lose with so many aspects of the story (people, places and actions -- ignored, glossed over, or made up entirely) that Cleopatra is but one of many disappointments.

And yet...

I did enjoy the series (for the most part) and felt a lot of the gravitas was lost when Caesar died. (Guess they really couldn't change that, but it would not surprise me if someone did consider keeping him alive. :? )

Of course, if they did embark on a third season they run the risk of running into the time covered by I Claudius and I doubt they want to get into a "Who's better?" battle with that venerable BBC series.

But imagine bringing back Derek Jacobi to reprise his portrayal of Claudius... Now that would be something. 8)

:wink:

Narukami

[Wander]

Narukami:

Thanks for the Titus Pullo interview! It's great to hear the possibilities are still open. And, for all its faults, I still feel Rome did it better than anyone else has. (With all due respect to Derek Jacobi and the limitations of a tiny BBC budget!)

I agree that I'd enjoy a third season more than a movie, but I'm of the school of thought that, "If a little is good, more must be better." Either way, I'll take what I can get, and just hope for a movie that boosts interest enough to launch another season (with sets, etc. already built for the movie, it might be less expensive...).

Does anyone know what happened to the Forum set they built in Spain? I think it was built for, "The Fall of the Roman Empire," and then showed up in a lot of the sword-and-sandal epics that followed. Is it still standing?

[Nomad661]

*ahem* Excuse me, but VORENUS LIVES!!! Coz Bruno Heller said so. This from an interview with Kevin McKidd:

For full disclosure, I'm a huge "Rome" fan. And at the end of the interview, he mentioned that there are talks about creating a "Rome" movie.

When McKidd asked executive producer Bruno Heller if he would be in it, since his character is dead, Heller told him, "Oh, you're not dead."


http://www.after-darkness.com/archive/i ... -6783.html

[Wander]

Well, then there's the seed of a plot: What happened to Vorenus, how he survived, what happened to his family, doubtless leading up to a reunion with Titus Pullo -- and thence to a possible third season.

Sounds good to me.

[Nomad661]

I'm thinking there won't be cause for a reunion. It would seem that Pullo will have something to do with seeing Vorenus is hidden from Octavian.

What if they picked up their family and went to one of the provinces? Naw. I guess we really need to stay in Rome for it to work.

Hmm. I'll bet there is some fan-fic out there with some good ideas.

Nomad

[Wander]

I think there would have to be a reunion of Pullo and Vorenus, just because they're the duo that the viewers know and expect.

And now you've got me looking for Rome fanfic.

[Nomad661]

I think there would have to be a reunion of Pullo and Vorenus, just because they're the duo that the viewers know and expect.

And now you've got me looking for Rome fanfic.

Oh, no! I didn't make myself clear, I guess. I thought there would be no need to reunite Pullo and Vorenus because they never would have parted!

Vorenus, though not dead, certainly is terribly wounded and will need to hide out from Octavian. So I'm thinking that Pullo will be in charge of that. Plus, the Vorenii are Pullo's family. Someone must look out for those daughters and little Lucius, and he has his son to look after, brat though he is!

Lyde is a part of that family, too, so I imagine she'll have some role in the care of the children.

[FlaviusCrispus]

Very exciting news about the possible movie / 3rd season, though I'm trying not to get my hopes up too much.

Back to the original question of how "accurate" the TV series Rome is, please check out my Romeblog on the Legio VI website:

http://www.legionsix.org/HBO%20Romeblog.htm

(Be advised it goes backwards, from the later episodes to the earliest, as you scroll down.)

[Nomad661]

I love your blog, FlaviusCrispus. I noticed something funny, though. The following description is placed next to the photo of Pullo driving his sword into Cicero:

Pullo has him kneel, then, ever so gently...drives his sword down through Cicero's shoulder blade and into his heart

But this would be difficult as Pullo seems to be driving the sword into Cicero's right shoulder! But then, another thought occurred to me. As a conservative, could Cicero's heart be on his right side :?: :wink:

[Na Saighdiuir]

As a conservative, could Cicero's heart be on his right side :?: :wink:

My guess is that he didnt have a heart at all! .News of the possibility of a thire series is quite exciting though.Loved it from start to finish.

[Wander]

I think those of us who'd like to see a third season need to be careful in getting our hopes up. The rumors from the "semi-official" sources (Ray Stevenson, Kevin McKidd, and indirectly, Bruno Heller) only speak of a movie. A third season is just something a few of us have said we'd like to see.

Of course, if we all start inundating HBO and the BBC with emails and letters, it probably wouldn't hurt.

[Sean Manning]

After the second season, I'm not eager for a third. The natural storyline is over (Caesar's rebellion -> Caesar/Pompey civil war -> murder of Caesar -> fall of the Republic at Phillipi -> squabble over which strongman will rule it -> Octavian becomes emperor).

[Libitina]

*ahem* Excuse me, but VORENUS LIVES!!! Coz Bruno Heller said so. This from an interview with Kevin McKidd:

For full disclosure, I'm a huge "Rome" fan. And at the end of the interview, he mentioned that there are talks about creating a "Rome" movie.

When McKidd asked executive producer Bruno Heller if he would be in it, since his character is dead, Heller told him, "Oh, you're not dead."


http://www.after-darkness.com/archive/i ... -6783.html

Spoilers! Poor guy might not have watched it all yet :wink: