Henry VIII programme

[woodgnome]

i had exactly the same sensation - i.e. that it wasn't meant so much for my eyes, as those overseas.

now if the beeb were to commission a series that truthfully and unsparingly documented the brutality of tiberius' reign, that really would be something to applaud. not such an easy sell to middle america though, methinks (check these sample pages of 'Caligula: Divine Carnage' for a hint as to why):

sample one
sample two
sample three

interesting to note that some of the text directly contradicts the programmes assertion that tiberius died one of the most popular emperors ever and that, in fact, he rarely attended the games such was his loathing for the roman populace.

[Pervert]

"History is the propaganda of the victors." ~Ernst Toller

Tony Robinson's take on Caligula was interesting, showing that while the man was by no means a paragon of virtue neither was he the monster portrayed in so many histories. Given he hated the Senate and its members and did all he could to hurt them, it's no surprise his name was blackened after his death.

What we know about leaders and kings from the ancient world up until the middle ages is open to doubt. Richard III, child-killing hunchbacked monster or a good king villified by the Tudor propagandists in order to legitimise that house's claim to the throne? Vlad Tepes, Romanian patriot or sadistic mass-murderer? In the end history only reflects what you bring to it.

"There is no truth. There is only perception." ~Gustave Flaubert

[woodgnome]

> "There is no truth. There is only perception." ~Gustave
> Flaubert

can that be true?

[steve56]

i heard that in the 60s just trying to recall who told me i know mason williams recorded it,think it dates back to 14/1500s i tend to like baroque music as well.

[Wink Wink]

Looks like the BBC are going to give this the same treatment. Lots of computer trickery of Mount Vesuvius exploding. Lots of 21st century dialogue & a Hollywood type voice over as the look at what happened on that fateful day when Pompeii was engulfed in ashes.

Think it's destend for the American TV market!

It's on next Monday 20th if anyone is interested!

[steve56]

bring back frankie howard i say,lol the prologue

[steve56]

no ,seriously i think they are making all these modern dramas set in historic times to ge more people interested in the events eg henry v111/pompeii etc.

[Wink Wink]

The Romans seem to be the big thing at the moment, what with Colosseum, Pompeii.....programs on Channel 4 about them etc.

Getting back to Henry VIII.......everytime I think about it I keep seeing Sid James as Henry in Carry on Henry.......lol.

[steve56]

they had good settings the old carry ons,there was a series made in the 70s called carry on laughting which looked at historical things.