Braveheart

[highlander_Daz]

"hell they didnt even FILM in Scotland..... it was all Ireland that you saw!"

The first part of the film was Fort William at the foot of Ben Nevis, a lot of fight scenes were filmed in Ireland beacase they used the Irish reserve as "extras" and there are tax benefits etc involved in filming in Ireland.

"if you read the history on William Wallace he wasnt a nice guy..... the belt he hung his claymore on ( I cant remeber what its called) was supposedly made from the skin of an english officer,"

there is very very little known about Wallace and at the time he was attempting to repel an invading army and an illegal accupation that had carried out several massacres, not leasts a Berwick on Tweed, Even Longshanks was shocked to hear about an English soldier putting a women to the sword whilst giveing birth, so being a "nice guy" wasnt really an option.

Wallaces sword was 66 inches in length ( over five foot) so had he hung it from his belt it would have dragged along behind him rather uncomfortably.

They were very different times and in Longshanks he had a desperate and ruthless nemesis that would make todays "despots" pale into insignificance, any type of chivalary would have meant defeat, and at the time all Scots were subject to being hung drawn and quarted.

Ultimatly Wallace failed and even Bruces victory at Bannockburn was wiped out in 1707 but at least its a Union rather than occupation, however scotland is still used as a resource, our North sea gas and oil was plundered by the British government and all of Britains WMDs are kept in Scotland.

[Freelander Sporrano]

Just a little "Did you know" A good deal of Rob Roy was filmed in Austrailia Near Perth two castles were used Megginch and Drummond. good films both of them if you just take them for what they are..Entertainment

[highlander_Daz]

Interesting that David I didnt know that.


Another great scots film is Gregorys girl, real scots and real accents! fimed around Cumbernauld.
The guy who plays Wallaces Uncle, Brian Cox is an amazing actor, he was the original Hannibal Lector in "Manhunter" film, in my opinion his performance is one of the finest I have ever seen, truly spine chilling

[Graham]

Everyone knows about the inaccuracies of Braveheart. If you have the DVD it may have a second disc with a documentary on how the film was made. Mel Gibson confesses the liberties he took. He also says that so little is really known about Wallace and much of it is myth. For this reason mel felt justified in a little "artistic license".

I love the film, but I agree that Rob Roy is a better film in many ways, more believable.

[F16WarBird]

Interesting that David I didnt know that.


Another great scots film is Gregorys girl, real scots and real accents! fimed around Cumbernauld.

Gregory's Girl. I haven't seen that film in years. I remember laughing really hard when Gregory's friend was telling a girl how they process veal and her reaction to it.

[highlander_Daz]

It is a great film, but Sadly when the star of the film Gordon John Sinclair wanted to get into more mainstream films, his agent made him change his name to John Gordon Sinclair and have elocution lessons to get rid of his Glasgow accent, Ive seen him on telly since and he has no trace of an accent (apart from an English one).

[Andrew Breecher]

Just a little "Did you know" A good deal of Rob Roy was filmed in Austrailia Near Perth two castles were used Megginch and Drummond. good films both of them if you just take them for what they are..Entertainment

That may be, but I know that the village scenes in Rob Roy were filmed in Scotland, just at the base of Ben Nevis. My ex-girlfriend was hiking in Scotland and came across this ancient village...then was chased away by the film crew that had built it.

Andrew.

[An t-Ileach]

I agree with h_D about the effect that Braveheart (and Rob Roy) had on Scottish self-confidence. I think far too many liberties were taken with the stories of both characters (why change the name of Rob Roy's wife?). Maybe the historical allusions would perhaps have been better illustrated by having Jean Reno playing Wallace? He was after all, a Strathclyde Welshman and part of the Norman-Flemish aristocracy (Sir William Wallace of Elderslie) who probably spoke Norman French better than he spoke Scots. And, and...

But it really gave a boost to the Scots.

[Rob Wright]

Not to mention the help he recieved from the Douglases and Murray's.

Rob

[macwilkin]

Not to mention the help he recieved from the Douglases and Murray's.

Rob

And his support of the Balliol/Comyn claim to the throne, whilst the Bruce sought aid from Edward I -- that is one thing I really credit "Braveheart" for, showing the fact that Bruce was not always the ardent Scottish patriot that some of his apologists claim.

Cheers,

Todd