What are your favorite historical epic movies?
How do you define a historical epic?
Hello and thank you for being a DL contributor. We are changing the login scheme for contributors for simpler login and to better support using multiple devices. Please click here to update your account with a username and password.
Hello. Some features on this site require registration. Please click here to register for free.
Hello and thank you for registering. Please complete the process by verifying your email address. If you can't find the email you can resend it here.
Hello. Some features on this site require a subscription. Please click here to get full access and no ads for $1.99 or less per month.
What are your favorite historical epic movies?
How do you define a historical epic?
by Anonymous | reply 62 | October 19, 2021 7:23 PM |
This was inspired by the Nicholas and Alexandra thread.
Is Titanic a historical epic? Is The English Patient? How about Once Upon a Time in Hollywood?
by Anonymous | reply 1 | October 15, 2021 3:37 PM |
It is my favorite genre. Here are a few of my favorites:
Lawrence of Arabia (1963)
Bridge on the River Kwai (1957)
Doctor Zhivago (1965)
Sunshine (1999)
Colonel Redl (1985)
Nicholas and Alexandra (1971)
My Fair Lady (1964)
Ben-Hur (1955)
Saving Private Ryan (1998)
The Aviator (2004)
The English Patient (1997)
Braveheart (1995)
Empire of the Sun (1987)
The Kremlin Letter (1970)
Mephisto (1981)
Spartacus (1960)
Exodus (1960)
Patton (1970)
Nixon (1995)
Special mention to The Godlen Bowl. It is a historic epic book and a decent Merchant-Ivory film.
by Anonymous | reply 2 | October 15, 2021 3:41 PM |
The Golden Bowl****
I am the OP of the Nicholas and Alexandra thread. LOL
by Anonymous | reply 3 | October 15, 2021 3:42 PM |
Ben Hur!!!
by Anonymous | reply 4 | October 15, 2021 3:45 PM |
Becket (1964) is, in my opinion, the best acted movie ever made. Add it to the list.
Peter O'Toole, Richard Burton, Sir John Gielgud, and SIR DONALD WOLFIT make this movie.
by Anonymous | reply 5 | October 15, 2021 3:46 PM |
Can we include series or is it strictly movies? How about The Borgias?
by Anonymous | reply 6 | October 15, 2021 3:48 PM |
R2's list needs Last of the Mohicans and Gladiator.
by Anonymous | reply 7 | October 15, 2021 3:50 PM |
r5, don't forget the wonderful Martita Hunt!
by Anonymous | reply 8 | October 15, 2021 3:51 PM |
Dr Zhivago, of course.
by Anonymous | reply 9 | October 15, 2021 3:53 PM |
The King and I
The other movie with David Niven and Deborah Kerr maybe(?). Can't remember the name but supposed to be good.
by Anonymous | reply 10 | October 15, 2021 3:54 PM |
55 Days at Peking !
Charlton Heston, Ava Gardner, David Niven, Harry Andrews, and Leo Genn.
by Anonymous | reply 11 | October 15, 2021 3:58 PM |
r2/r3, expanding on my list from your thread (off the top of my head):
Doctor Zhivago (1965)
Titanic (1997)
Ben-Hur (1959)
Once Upon a Time in the West (1968)
The English Patient (1996)
The Leopard (1963)
Indochine (1992)
Sunstroke (2014)
The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957)
My Fair Lady (1964)
Saving Private Ryan (1998)
Exodus (1960)
Patton (1970)
Khartoum (1966)
Cold Mountain (2003)
The Last of the Mohicans (1992)
Gladiator (2000)
Barabbas (1961)
King of Kings (1961)
Germinal (1993)
1917 (2019)
Joyeux Noel (2005)
The Right Stuff (1983)
Zulu (1964)
Enemy at the Gates (2001)
War and Peace (1966-68)
Glory (1989)
Rob Roy (1995)
Danton (1983)
by Anonymous | reply 12 | October 15, 2021 3:59 PM |
Two wonderful French ones are the stunning Horseman on the Roof, basically love in the time of cholera in Aix En Provence and Queen Margot with evil Catherine de Medici poisoning everyone and unleashing the worst and most brutal wedding in history.
by Anonymous | reply 13 | October 15, 2021 4:00 PM |
R12 Great list! Istvan Szabo has some GREAT historical movies: Mephisto, Confidence, Colonel Redl, and Sunshine with Ralph Fiennes.
Ralph Fiennes in Eugene Onegrin is great, too! Read the Pushkin novel, watch the Tchaikovsky opera, and the watch the Fiennes film.
by Anonymous | reply 14 | October 15, 2021 4:01 PM |
Forgot about Queen Margot, love that film. And, of course, the nude scene with Vincent Perez!
by Anonymous | reply 15 | October 15, 2021 4:03 PM |
Historical epics center on some real event or person from the past. I don't think My Fair Lady or The English Patient qualifies. Though the characters may be based on real people and events, the central stories are largely fiction.
by Anonymous | reply 16 | October 15, 2021 4:04 PM |
Braveheart
Dances with Wolves
Tombstone
Marie Antoinette by Sofia Coppola
GWTW
Schindler's List
All This and Heaven Too
by Anonymous | reply 17 | October 15, 2021 4:08 PM |
No Out of Africa yet?
by Anonymous | reply 18 | October 15, 2021 4:12 PM |
r16, I'm genre-fluid -- if a movie is set in the past, is lengthy (generally more than two hours), and features characters experiencing events directly impacted by the time period they're living in, I consider it a historical epic -- thus, My Fair Lady and The English Patient are historical epics to me.
by Anonymous | reply 19 | October 15, 2021 4:14 PM |
My Fair Lady? Historical Epic?
MY FAIR LADY?
by Anonymous | reply 20 | October 15, 2021 4:18 PM |
The continually overlooked and under appreciated Reds.
by Anonymous | reply 21 | October 15, 2021 4:18 PM |
The magnificent and visually stunning Gandhi.
by Anonymous | reply 22 | October 15, 2021 4:23 PM |
R12 understands the assignment.
by Anonymous | reply 23 | October 15, 2021 4:26 PM |
I don't think REDS has been overlooked.
by Anonymous | reply 24 | October 15, 2021 7:04 PM |
R22 Gandhi is great! I own it on Blu Ray. Ben Kingsley leads an epic cast-
Martin Sheen, Sir John Gielgud, Candace Bergen, Trevor Howard, John Mills, Rosen Seth, Ian Charleson, Edward Fox, Nigel Hawthorne, Michael Hordern, Richard Vernon, and, of course Rohini Hattangadi as Kasturba.
by Anonymous | reply 25 | October 15, 2021 7:19 PM |
A historical epic can't simply be "set in the past." It has to be about history happening: it should show people struggling thought major historical events while dressed in fancy clothes. Indeed, ideally, it should feature a romance that contrasts the humanity of individual characters with relentless forces out of their control. There should also be lots of extras, famous actors playing real historical figures, and a sweeping score. Dr. Zhivago may be the perfect example of the historical epic.
by Anonymous | reply 26 | October 15, 2021 8:14 PM |
[quote] and, of course Rohini Hattangadi as Kasturba.
Of course.
by Anonymous | reply 27 | October 15, 2021 8:41 PM |
[quote] The other movie with David Niven and Deborah Kerr maybe(?). Can't remember the name but supposed to be good.
No, incorrect.
by Anonymous | reply 28 | October 15, 2021 8:42 PM |
I think a historical epic has to be based on historical figures, not fictional ones. Otherwise, it’s a period drama.
by Anonymous | reply 29 | October 15, 2021 8:43 PM |
Historical Epics are movies with an interval {for emptying the bladder).
by Anonymous | reply 30 | October 15, 2021 8:45 PM |
[quote] The other movie with David Niven and Deborah Kerr maybe(?)
Casino Royale?
by Anonymous | reply 31 | October 15, 2021 8:46 PM |
[quote] It is my favorite genre.
I agree, R2. They need to be seen on the big screen.
Unfortunately all the historical epics since Brad Pitt's 'Troy' are digital cartoons other than real movies.
by Anonymous | reply 32 | October 15, 2021 9:12 PM |
Mary Queen of Scots (the Redgrave / Jackson one). I know it’s cheesy but I just love it.
by Anonymous | reply 33 | October 15, 2021 9:19 PM |
Love the Biblical ones: King of Kings, Greatest Story Ever Told, The Robe, Quo Vadis, Demetrius and the Gladiators. And I'm an atheist.
by Anonymous | reply 34 | October 16, 2021 12:26 PM |
"My Fair Lady" is not a "historical epic"!! Good grief, Charlie Brown!
by Anonymous | reply 35 | October 16, 2021 12:45 PM |
It isn’t for you, r35.
by Anonymous | reply 37 | October 16, 2021 5:15 PM |
"The Birth of a Nation" and "Intolerance" (of course).
by Anonymous | reply 38 | October 16, 2021 5:16 PM |
My Fair Lady is NOT an epic.
by Anonymous | reply 39 | October 16, 2021 5:16 PM |
Farewell My Concubine and Memoirs of a Geisha count for me as I don’t know much about those cultures and it’s a sweeping lesson within the story.
by Anonymous | reply 40 | October 16, 2021 5:43 PM |
The Last Emperor is the best, hands down, of this genre.
by Anonymous | reply 41 | October 16, 2021 5:47 PM |
Danton's Death
by Anonymous | reply 42 | October 16, 2021 7:37 PM |
Lion in Winter (1968) Hepburn, O'Toole, Hopkins, Dalton...
by Anonymous | reply 43 | October 16, 2021 8:12 PM |
If it originated on the stage, it ain’t an EPIC.
by Anonymous | reply 44 | October 16, 2021 8:17 PM |
Last night I started the 1927 silent "Napoleon." It's five and half hours long, so I'll be watching in installments. So far it's beautifully and imaginatively shot, seems technically advanced for its day, but I have to roll my eyes at how abjectly worshipful it is of its subject. But worth viewing if you're fond of historical epics and/or film history.
by Anonymous | reply 45 | October 16, 2021 8:22 PM |
Maybe a little tighter and more recent then most epics, but the depiction of Prague Spring and its effects on a handful of characters in The Unbearable Lightness of Being is an amazing sweeping film and actually holds up to and is the equal of the book.
by Anonymous | reply 46 | October 16, 2021 8:29 PM |
Has The Year of Living Dangerously and Hotel Rwanda been mentioned yet?
by Anonymous | reply 47 | October 16, 2021 8:30 PM |
Not every movie that takes place during historic events is an historical epic.
An epic has grand set pieces, spectacular costumes, extravagant locations and many characters.
by Anonymous | reply 48 | October 16, 2021 8:37 PM |
My emphasis is on the epicness of the historical moment in time- historically, politically, emotionally and the impact on people, not the sets and the costumes it can pull off. The latter are obviously the people championing My Fair Lady, instead of a film capturing genocide and the slaughter of populations.
by Anonymous | reply 49 | October 16, 2021 8:41 PM |
I place My Fair Lady in the context of the time period, the role of class, and the role of sex. Thus, it's an epic to me.
by Anonymous | reply 50 | October 16, 2021 8:50 PM |
Saw The Last Duel today. A solid entry in the genre.
by Anonymous | reply 51 | October 16, 2021 8:51 PM |
If everyone gets to declare their favorite movie an epic, all order breaks down. Is that what you want?
by Anonymous | reply 52 | October 16, 2021 8:52 PM |
Could you say it's an epic musical?
How about The Sound of Music? Surely, that qualifies as a historical epic.
by Anonymous | reply 53 | October 16, 2021 8:56 PM |
Nein!
by Anonymous | reply 54 | October 16, 2021 9:03 PM |
If you allow SoM in, you open the door for Cabaret, do you really want that to happen?
by Anonymous | reply 55 | October 16, 2021 9:32 PM |
How about Fiddler on the Roof?
by Anonymous | reply 56 | October 16, 2021 9:41 PM |
Nyet!
by Anonymous | reply 57 | October 16, 2021 9:42 PM |
Co-sign on R41. Superb on every level, I wish they would release a new print, it might get me back to a theater.
by Anonymous | reply 58 | October 16, 2021 10:48 PM |
The Vikings! Curtis, Leigh, Douglas, Borgnine! And the delicious Frank Thring.
by Anonymous | reply 59 | October 16, 2021 11:17 PM |
[quote] And the delicious Frank Thring
I wonder why George Cukor vetoed him doing Zoltan Karpathy?
Perhaps Frank was just little too, too, over-the-top and camp.
by Anonymous | reply 60 | October 16, 2021 11:28 PM |
The Last Emperor is a great choice, R41: fascinating story, great-looking cast, stunning cinematography and music, war and social upheaval. It even has Peter O’Toole in it, which is practically a genre requirement.
by Anonymous | reply 61 | October 17, 2021 12:28 AM |
Is there a movie app - like Mubi or Dekko - but devoted entirely to historical films and TV shows? If not, would you like one?
I would, and the menu would be designed around time period and location. For example, you start with the early 20th century, then Russia, and you have Doctor Zhivago, Nicholas and Alexandra, Reds, Sunstroke, etc.
by Anonymous | reply 62 | October 19, 2021 7:23 PM |
Yes indeed, we too use "cookies." Take a look at our privacy/terms or if you just want to see the damn site without all this bureaucratic nonsense, click ACCEPT. Otherwise, you'll just have to find some other site for your pointless bitchery needs.
Become a contributor - post when you want with no ads!