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06-02-2004, 01:15 PM

Channel 4 (in the UK) are showing a documentary about the wild animal 'hunts' in the Arenas of the Roman Empire. Part of the 'Secret History;' strand, and entitled 'Beasts of the Roman Games', showing at 9.00pm on Monday 7th June. 
 
It apparently has some pretty poor reconstructions, but it might be worth seeing. 
 
Not sure why it's 'Secret History', though. Perhaps simply because whoever comissioned the programme hadn't heard of it before...

06-02-2004, 10:11 PM

Psst... Wanna know a secret? They actually hunted animals in the arena.. But hushhhh....

**Robert Vermaat** · 06-03-2004, 05:35 AM

I bet that afterwards a slave went round the arena carrying a big sign saying that 
"No animals were hurt during the making of this production" 
 
Valete, 
Valerius/Robert

Gashford · 06-03-2004, 11:56 AM

Hello all 
 
Pretty poor reconstructions ... that's our group you are talking about! 
 
In our defence, as with almost all filming the film company get what they want, you wear what they bring and do what they ask. They ignored our research in favour of their own costumes, in the end the guys where basically paid as extras, but from what I have been told the reconstructions ... sfx work etc ... isn't that bad ... but I willh ave to wait and see I guess. 
 
I think it got sold to secret histories rather than being specifically made by them. Graham Ashford
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06-03-2004, 12:56 PM

Graham, 
 
Did you dress up as a Lion ? 
 
Conal

06-04-2004, 08:39 AM

Graham, 
 
Sorry if I have slandered you and your group! 
 
I was just going on the review of the programme and the rather fuzzy images on the trailers...

scythius · 06-04-2004, 02:27 PM

Gashford wrote: 
Quote:<hr>In our defence, as with almost all filming the film company get what they want, you wear what they bring and do what they ask. They ignored our research in favour of their own costumes, in the end the guys where basically paid as extras, but from what I have been told the reconstructions ... sfx work etc ... isn't that bad ... but I willh ave to wait and see I guess.<hr> 
 
<nodding> 
This is exactly why the IX Hispana hasn't taken much film work for a while (other than a recent documentary about Roman reenactment). We have experienced the same issues, and have decided that unless we have major control over HOW we are used, it probably isn't something we want to do. 
 
We have sent some of our club-owned kit out with other folks for projects they have undertaken with film production companies. 
 
Scythius 
LEG IX HSPA - COH III EXPG - CEN I HIB 
 
- FIDELITAS - - VIRTUS - - MAGNANIMITAS -

06-05-2004, 12:43 AM

Those pinheads. Shame on them for not being smart enough to use your research and kit. Poo Poo on them Tongue

I suddently had a thought of that stupid show where they make mechanical animals (with hydralically powered jaws and steel teeth and crap...Like a Mecha-Crocodile versus a Mecha-Great White Shark, yeah think about that for a minute) and pit them against each other...Oh wait, they make a mechanical animal...attatched to a Bobcat vehicle...Then make a Computerized version and pit those against each other.... 
 
So How about a Mechanical Gladiator versus a Mechanical Head Of a Lion? 
 
Hey, speaking of Hollywoodumbs...We are a big collection of Roman reenactors with sharp-pointy things...I say we March on Hollywood and lay the smackdown and demand fair treatment and proper representation!...who's with me? -ANDY aka "Roman Dude" Svaviter in Modo, Fortiter in Re 
 
www.higgins.org

Gashford · 06-07-2004, 06:10 AM

It is a constant problem with filming in that the folk want what they envisage and not (unless it is the same by fluke) the latest thoughts on its interpretation. 
 
No insult or slander of the group taken at all. Us gladiators live to short a lives for squabbles like that 
 
An old friend of mines classical tutor was in the research and consultancy team for Gladiator and eventually left because they would not listen to what was going on. I am sure that there are a good many others that have similar tales from the same and other films. 
 
I have often wondered about whether or not we should take on such work but then I look at the equipment that the filming was able to purchase for us for what I consider our real work - historical locations - and the pain is dulled some what. 
 
All the best Graham Ashford
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Gashford · 06-09-2004, 08:27 AM

Did anyone watch the programme, what did you think? 
 
Like I said we sent four guys up there and in all that I think they used one of our spears and two wooden weapons ... the rest was all theirs ... ho humm 
 
[url=http://www.touchproductions.co.uk/html/default.asp?pageid=4&progid=36" target="top]Here[/url] is the Touch Production write up and a couple of poor piccies. 
 
All the best Graham Ashford
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Edited by: <A HREF=http://p200.ezboard.com/bromanarmytalk.showUserPublicProfile?gid=gashford>gashford</A> at: 6/9/04 10:29 am

06-09-2004, 09:27 AM

Well, it could have been worse 
 
Actually, it was quite interesting. It didn't quite have the "oooh what nasty people for killing all those fluffy animals" attitude that I'd half expected - actually quite willing to defend their behaviour! The reconstructions were... interesting. And it had Andrew Wallace Hadrill (who must by law appear in all documentaries about the Romans) who is generally value for money. I always think he seems rather wistful, even when describing the Empire's most unpleasant aspects. 
 
One notable downside was a completely invented character who had put on a beast show; he was supposedly the owner of a genuine villa (I forget which one), but since they knew nothing about him other than the fact he had put the show on and done well from, it was entirely made up. BUT, they gave the impression it was a real account, and it was only at the end that I realised it wasn't. 
 
All in all, fairly interesting but nothing much new.

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