I think the only way to make a good feature-length film about Napoleon is to choose a particular episode of his life and focus on that. You can't cram in any more than that and also make a good historical film. It doesn't work.

@SmokeDog1871

5 ай бұрын

Similar to the Steve Jobs 2015 movie

@Thought_Processing_

5 ай бұрын

So a tv show of 10 episodes of 1h30min each?

@patavinity1262

5 ай бұрын

@@Thought_Processing_ If not more. The story of his life, from his youth to his death, including the historical context requires a lot of footage to depict it properly.

@steelsaddle2339

5 ай бұрын

You haven't watched the video yet have you? That's what he did

@ianfurness8875

5 ай бұрын

I think only 3 episodes are needed: 1787 to 1799, French Revolution to victory in Italy and marrying Josephine, but ultimate defeat in Egypt; 1800 to 1812, Consul and Emperor, Marengo and Austerlitz, but ultimately losing in Russia; 1812 to 1814, the Little Wars story; Waterloo has been told already but that would be #4 if needed

"You think you're so great because you have knowledge of History!" - Ridley Scott probably

@ddc2957

5 ай бұрын

“You think you’re so great because you have books!”

one positive of Ridley Scott's approach to historical accuracy is that, in comparison, he has managed to make Mel Gibson appear as a peer-reviewed history don at Oxford. A statement I never expected to be able to make.

@denroy3

4 ай бұрын

At least Mel knew he was making entertainment.

@fh854

3 ай бұрын

@@denroy3philistine…

I wish we got a Game of Thrones style show for the Napoleonic Wars. It would feature the politics, diplomacy and intrigue paired with epic set pieces covering the conflict over many seasons, I think it'd be brilliant if done well.

@Joggi98

5 ай бұрын

Stephen Spielberg is working on a seven-part miniseries for HBO based on a Napoleon script Stanley Kubrick wrote in the '80s

@liberalhyena9760

5 ай бұрын

That was mentioned at the end of the video. The project has been in the works a long time and there is no guarantee it will come to fruition.

@CrazySC833

5 ай бұрын

^^This. Like, I respect THE HELL out of Ridley Scott for attempting this but like, 3 hours wouldn't even cover his rise/his campaign in Italy. I agree, they should have done an HBO "Adams" MULTI-PART series or like you said, a "Game of Thrones" epic. I agree that people are absolutely STARVING for good cinema again, this would be enormous if done correctly.

@scontevideo

5 ай бұрын

You're more or less describing "War and Peace".

@redsands1001

4 ай бұрын

He'll I'd have taken a crown style take on napoleon and josephine

Since the movie seemed to tell the story through the eyes of a salacious British tabloid, what I think it needed was a British newspaper writer as a narrator to tie it together going to the headline along with a cartoon which dissolves into the scene, this makes clear the fiction, the story tracking the writer and the British publics relationship with napoleon with political patrons sharing information and expectations of the spin they want put on it to control the public, showcasing the patrons fears which guide how the public represented by two readers must be manipulated to avoid the fears by changing their perceptions.

@nellgwenn

4 ай бұрын

That's exactly one of the ideas I had too.

@demete1230

4 ай бұрын

I would love to see a movie like that about any historical period, I don’t recall it’s been done before ? You could use this idea for lots of other subjects, 14-18, 39-45, 2001, 1870, etc, I think it could be very entertaining

I sometimes wonder what a 3 movie trilogy covering Napoleon's 1814 campaign would look like.

@sterlingmoose9335

5 ай бұрын

It would look like an expensive box office flop. Regular audiences don't have the interest for it and a few hundred history buffs and wargamers aren't going to make it a blockbuster.

@felixmurat1677

5 ай бұрын

@@sterlingmoose9335 That's true, I just wonder what it would look like visually and story-wise.

@davidbuckley2435

5 ай бұрын

Nah, you could do 1814 in a single movie easily, but as the culmination of a trilogy. Film 1: Austerlitz until 1809ish. Film 2: Russia and the first half of 1813 Film 3: Leipzig until the end of the 1814 campaign

@ddc2957

5 ай бұрын

It’s only a workable story in written format or mini-series (minimum 6 parts). Movie will never be the format.

@PMMagro

5 ай бұрын

Like the Hobbit triology?

Not only was this a really interesting and compelling video essay, it was also really high quality. Props to everyone who worked on it!

This reminds me of discussions I had with some of my fellow history teachers regarding Steven Spielberg's movie Lincoln starring Daniel Day-Lewis in the title role. This was a biopic that really only focused on the last 4 months of Lincoln's life and his efforts to win ratification of the 13th Amendment and end the Civil War. One of my colleagues was disappointed that the film didn't cover more of Lincoln's life and political career. I argued, as Greg does here regarding Napoleon, that moviegoers actually got a deeper understanding of Lincoln's political genius and moral character by narrowing the focus onto one particular dramatic event from his presidency rather than trying to tell his entire life story. It's the old maxim: when you try to cover everything, you wind up understanding nothing.

@chriswyles553

3 ай бұрын

Just as the 1970 Waterloo gives you a far greater insight into the person of Napoleon than Scott’s effort, even though Waterloo is focussed exclusively on that particular campaign and the battle itself.

Why is that so many "amateurs" can produce better ideas in their spare time than so-called "professionals" who are paid obscene amounts of money...

@LittleWarsTV

5 ай бұрын

Because the so called “professionals” like the writer hired for this film actually have far fewer qualifications that most folks realize. 3 uncelebrated, B list screenplays in 20 years of work is, frankly, not much of a resume. And when you see that’s who wrote the movie it makes a lot more sense

"You think you're so great because you have boats!" was the single greatest movie moment I witnessed in 2023. How dare you slander such perfection!

@ddc2957

5 ай бұрын

All it was missing was for Napoléon to slam his chamber door & for Linkin Park to start blaring from his stereo.

@Dayvit78

4 ай бұрын

"i tried so hard and got so far, but in the end, it doesn't even matter" @@ddc2957 lol

@saltzkruber732

3 ай бұрын

The Brit should have just replied " You're goddamn right"

I always thought a mini-series following a group of Napoleon's soldiers who eventually are brought into the Old Guard would be great. That way you still see Napoleon and his Generals, as well as the pivotal battles, but it would be more-so shaped around their ferocious belief in him, only to end up being killed at Waterloo wondering what it was all worth as Napoleon flees from the battlefield.

@divinuminfernum

5 ай бұрын

i think something like that was made in the past - it was french language only though. I dont know why it has not gotten any translation still

@warlordofbritannia

5 ай бұрын

Reverse Sharpe? I like it

@wankertosseroath

4 ай бұрын

@@divinuminfernum sounds cool! Wonder where I might find it

@divinuminfernum

4 ай бұрын

@@wankertosseroath sadly i cannot recall the name of it as it was in french, i will try and find it again

@divinuminfernum

4 ай бұрын

@@wankertosseroath okay i found it - JEAN-ROCH COIGNET : Capitaine de la Garde Impériale - its from 1969-70 and was i think based on experiences of Coignet. Its of course a tv series so its budget for battle scenes is very low.

This video makes me so terribly sad. I want to watch this movie (your version, I mean) so badly. Someone give Greg 200 million dollars please.

Greg, please continue to produce these fantastic looks at historical movies. It’s really some of the best content on this channel. You’ve got a real talent for this.

Fascinating proposition. I think you did a great job staying within the ‘notes’/structure restrictions the Director would have imposed yet still came up with a very interesting but much more focused and achievable film.

It's hard to believe the man who made Napoleon is the same man who made The Duelists

@LittleWarsTV

5 ай бұрын

Truly. But remember…different writers. Writing is everything. Well ok, not everything. But a lot.

@ddc2957

5 ай бұрын

It’s also a hungry young man at the outset of his career vs a crabby old washed up prick in his 80’s. None of us are the same decades apart.

@TheStockwell

5 ай бұрын

Scott has always - always - had a problem finding and selecting good scripts. When he has a good script, we see Russell Crowe in "Gladiator." When Scott makes an inept choice of script, you get the four OTHER films he did with Crowe. Best wishes from Vermont ❄️

@accountnamewithheld

5 ай бұрын

Scott is over 80, it's time he got out and retired.

@TheStockwell

4 ай бұрын

@@accountnamewithheld Judging by the quality of the Alien sequels/prequels, quirky television projects like "Raised by Wolves," and "Napoleon," Scott has already retired from making cinematic achievements. Now, he's just turning out product and hoping one will be a masterpiece. As long as WHATEVER he comes up with either makes money or causes a commotion, studios will bankroll him. Best wishes from Vermont ❄️

I love the opening scene to the old Waterloo film, "Abdicated, abdicated, I will not!"

The death of Prince Poniatowski is a great idea to show the international nature of the Grande Armé and to show the disastrous retreat off Leipzig. However, to give the impression of personal loss to Napoleon, I believe that the death of Marshall Bessières is more appropriate, because it shows how he died needlessly carrying out reconnaissance himself due to the lack of cavalry; while his death was blow to Napoleon, due to their connection. In my opinion, both tragedies could be featured, since both occurred during the battle of Leipzig or close to it.

@LittleWarsTV

4 ай бұрын

A most excellent idea, yes!

@fortpark-wd9sx

4 ай бұрын

Agree. Within the context of 1812 and its aftermath, the Polish zone, which is in between the Germanic and the Russian spheres, unfortunately tend to be forgotten.

Greg, this was a fantastic video, and a great idea for a movie. The $250 millions you need to make it is in the mail. You will need a 60-second opening montage during the opening credits to get Napoleon to Russia - just flashes - and I would change your ending very slightly to him coming inside as the rain starts and examining a map so the camera can slowly pan in on the village of Waterloo. No dialogue would be needed at that ending beyond what you've written. Oh, we might have to change the title to "Napoleon and Ney." (And we have to keep Vanessa Kirby recast as Louisa. But you can dump Phoenix for someone else.)

@LittleWarsTV

5 ай бұрын

Oooo I like that ending!

Well summarized Greg! The limitations are realistic and your revision is exactly the type of movie I would love to see brought to screen. The revisions make a ton of sense for portraying the best and worst of Napoleon. And since we already have a Waterloo movie it makes sense to focus on this portion of his life. I only hope that Scarpa doesn't make Cleopatra a disaster as well.

@Cancoillotteman

3 ай бұрын

I mean of course he will. Now we know how little he cares for history. I'm curious to see how much of a whiner Octavius is gonna be and how much of a mindless brute Marcus Antonius is gonna be. You can be sure they'll have no redeeming qualities.

Napoleon would rather lose again at Waterloo than watch this film.

@novachronoyt2928

2 ай бұрын

I would definitely see Napoleon do that LOL

Just finished watching the video. I initially subbed because I loved the 1813 wargaming campaign. When I saw this, I was instantly intrigued by the concept, and after finishing, I really enjoyed the video.

@LittleWarsTV

5 ай бұрын

Glad you enjoyed it! The 1813 campaign finale is next!

Fascinated by your rewrite. As you say. there is no other individual in history (and I include religious figures and roman emperors) whose life could not be summarised easily in celluloid. Even Abel Gance's five (or is it seven) hour attempt only goes as far as 1796! Probably one of the most comprehensive production so far.

If I was to make a theme for a Napoleon show/movie I would portray it as what if Napoleon had writen about his life before he died like he said he would when in exile. He would act as the narrator of his life, giving context and presenting his true emotions over what he had done, his triumphs and mistakes, supported by a member of his Guard that came into exile with him and was with him from the start which allows him to add to the narative and context.

@erikslim8024

4 ай бұрын

That is actually what the Waterloo movie did. The film makers allowed Napoleon to narrate his thoughts. Your advice might work in a new film.

Excellent job Greg , your version would be far superior indeed. To truly make a movie at least capture the true essence of the character.

The ending for a part 2 would be interesting to show the fates of 3 Marshals; Ney, Bernadotte and Murat, Ney executed for devotion and as scapegoat, Murat for his greed in trying to retain the crown of Naples and Bernadotte being crowned King of Sweden. Each would require cameos during the film of course.

@thomassenbart

4 ай бұрын

But Hollywood would equally ruin this production as well by making Ney a woman, Murat Black and Bernadotte trans.

Now that's a movie I would fund! Well done Greg!

You are correct Greg, you should pick one Marshal to zoom in on and I think you've made the perfect choice. Bravo on this presentation!

Napoleon and Josephine is an interesting story. Most wargamers just want the battles, but I would prefer a Game of Thrones style series focused on characters and politics.

@ddc2957

5 ай бұрын

The two should complement one another. Who had any idea why Napoléon was fighting the Austrians watching that movie!?

my "idea" going into the movie was that it would be Napoleon retelling his greatest hits from exile on St Helena. that (to me) would explain the older Phoenix in scenes that took place early in his career. It also would account for jumping around the timeline. that was evidently not the case as soon as the movie opened

@nellgwenn

4 ай бұрын

That is an idea I had as well.

The best way to describe the original film is a first draft of a British fan fiction of Napoleon.

If I were a movie director, I would have to look back on the historical records, the dates, the ages of the historical characters, the accuracy of the weapons, clothes, places, and everything that will make a historical film very intriguing to watch.

Kingdom of heaven: Director’s cut is an amazing movie with historical inaccuracies but it’s characters and narrative are talking about the world now, they’re a background for contemporary arguments/thought, at least that’s the way I view it. But Napoleon is a complete different monster such as you stated. I just wish they did these types of movies concentrating themselves on Rome, Ancient Greece, revolutionary France, etc. but they deserve and need a TV show or a miniseries, not movies!

Brilliant I wish only your version gets done Forward immediately to Ridley

This is excellent, well thought out. Great work.

I don't suppose you'll get a call from a big director/ producer but if you do i look forward to watching the final film.

I was expecting another video about the historical nature of the film (Not that there is anything wrong with that.) and was pleasantly suprised at this most unique video. Thumbs up for the passion as I imagine it must have been a lot of work.

The main issue with Scott's Napoleon is not its inaccuracies or choices of artistic deviation. It was simply bound to fail as a single movie. Napoleon's life, successes and impact on Europe has so much content that it simply can't fit into a single film. Either it should've been a film series or a full multi-season series, with each movie/season focusing on a campaigns or chapter of his life. Take a look at Waterloo (1970), which only focused on the Hundred Days

@ddc2957

5 ай бұрын

You’re right of course film simply isn’t the format for his story but it still could’ve been something worthwhile with a different approach. Scott could hardly have made it worse.

"You think you're so great because you have boats!" show the greatest of British Navy and the insignificant of French/Napoleon,this makes British heart pumping with joy.

Imagine a multi season tv show covering his entire life, it would be incredible with so much more depth than a single movie. imagine Vikings but Napoleonic.

As a historian-to-be and history fanatic, shivers of joy were running down my spine hearing your version and your ideas for a Napoleon-movie 🥰 Just one minor change: I would change the death of prince Poniatovski with those of General Duroc or Mortier, which died just months before the battle of Leipzig, because they were both closer more intimate friends. Especially the death of Duroc through a canonball impected Napoleon, since it dragged on for two days. So Napoleon had to watch Duroc die a very painful and slow death.

A five hour "Director's Cut" won't un-frozen-lake Austerlitz, LOL

Awesome video, love all your content on history movies

This was so high effort. Really good video!

This is one of the best you tube videos I have ever seen. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I, for one, welcome LWTV's new era of movie essays

@LittleWarsTV

5 ай бұрын

Fun to do every now and again! Especially when they relate to a game we have going on!

Actual Napoleonic history is amazing, intricate, compelling and full of everything a film could wish for. Why anyone, like Scott would think he could make something better, is an example of pure hubris.

I know Chalamet is busy with Dune but, the 28 year old French-American actor would’ve been perfect for a ‘two actor method’, Chalamet for the Italian campaign to Phoenix’s tired, aged Emperor Napoleon, struggling with gout.

@LittleWarsTV

5 ай бұрын

Excellent casting choice. Brooding, charismatic, age appropriate!

@ddc2957

5 ай бұрын

I didn’t realise Chalamet was that old already but I’ve said this as well - Chalamet has the look of a young Napoléon.

Well done! Really liked your analysis and plan for a rewrite. If I were a studio exec, I'd green-light this!

damn good re-write, i was thinking for the opening sequence we can do the following (while taking a bit, but not too much historical liberty): 1) open in the middle of the battle of Berezina (can also put in some elements from the battle of krasny) - epic action + battle music 2) the main Russian force has arrived and began their assault on the French stragglers 3) Napoleon has already crossed the bridge, while Ney is still trapped on the far side 4) Ney rallies the men and announces that no fighting man is leaving alive and they shall all die here for the emperor 5) Miloradovich brags to Kutuzov that they shall have multiple French Generals as their prisoners tonight 6) with great reluctance the entire Young Guard division is sacrificed to hold off the Russian assault until sunset 7) Napoleon holds a council with his marshals to discuss the strategic situation that night - this can serve to provide more background: there might be a coup in Paris rumor is spreading that Napoleon has been captured or killed, Minsk where most of the French supply is stored has fallen to the Russians, Napoleon should abandon the army and travel secretly through Europe to Paris to rebuild the army etc

Please do the sequel: WELLINGTON. Act 1- India. Act 2- Spain and Portugal. Act 3- Waterloo. You can even use Phoenix again!

@therearenoshortcuts9868

4 ай бұрын

the Phoenix shall rise again!! harhar!!

@tigwu

4 ай бұрын

Wellington wouldn't be a sequel to a Napoleon movie, a youtube short at best.

Loved the video! And loved the movie you came up with! Would have loved to see it on screen. And yes, it sounds way better than the one just out.

Really incredible work in this video, from the contents to the presentation.

This is impressive. A solid outline on its own terms, but also a clever fix of everything wrong with Scott's film. Using the retreat from Moscow, the German Campaign of 1813, and Napoleon's first exile to structure the rising and falling action works very nicely. If you were to write a full draft, just remember: 'show, don't tell'. I like your use of novelistic prose, but it's something professional readers will often critique in a screenplay. You can almost always trim your action lines more than you think. Have you seen the Abel Gance film? It covers Napoleon's childhood, his return to Corsica, Toulon, 13 Vendémiaire, and ends with his entry into Italy in 1796. The chase sequence on Corsica has the most incredible wide shot. It's good stuff.

Excellent screenwriter! The focus on 1812-14 is very interesting, however maybe the British/American public would miss the British in the movie. To characterize Napoleon as an evil leader I would focus on the Egyptian campaign which was deadly for the French soldiers and the people of Egypt too. So many battles, so bloody fightings. So evil orders in that campaign. The main character would be Kléber and his death a great ending especially if you compare it with the rise of Bonaparte at the same time. Cheers!

The movie ending with a Animal House-type ending crawl with what everyone did after the movie ended. Like Bernadotte becoming king, etc etc.

I really liked this idea for a script. I too love Ridley Scott, and really wanted to see this on the big screen. Circumstances prevented that, and now I'm glad they did - I am not a big fan of ignoring History for the sake of Art. Some divergence yes (Gladiator), but not that much!

As a novel writer of scifi epics I agree with this whole video! One day we may get a 3 hour movie going over Naploen's milltary career in it's entirty but the chances are very small that could ever happen with the 2023 movie's production value. Which your version would be epic and should have been 100% what the movie should have been.

The main problem with this movie is that was made by people that really dislikes Napoleon. It is such a negative portrait that the audience should be surprised how he could achieve so much.

Make this movie! Hire an artist to story board it like a comic book and voice actors to bring it to life.

That's impressive, to go beyond criticism and show how it could be better. Great work Greg, that's the film I wish I'd seen!

I'd love to see this film. Really interesting take!

Great work Greg. Still haven’t seen the film and have no intention of wasting 2-4 hours of my life. But, your video was excellent and I agree what more interesting period to show Napoleon and his best and his worst!

fascinating & educational. I learned so much about movie writing here.

Bravo Greg and Team! Well done. You always impress me as to how much you truly understand history.

Great proposals and ideas. That would be a great script. Maybe a few minor characters could appear too, with a minor role or at least mentioning indirectly: (1) Louis-Nicolas Davout (as a not much rewarded and yet best and most faithful general until the end), (2) André Masséna (as a great but cruel general, allowing for a reminder of previous Italian campaigns), (3) Joachim Murat (to represent Napoleon's nepotism), (4) Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington (also to mention his roles in Spain and that campaign which contributed to Napoleons real failures on land warfare), and (5) a reference to Horatio Nelson and British fleet's role in defeating Napoleon in reality. For all of them together, maybe just 15-20 more minutes - even with indirect reference in dialogues - would complete a bit the overall picture providing at least a minimal reference to British main role and their historical characters and facts, which are almost forgotten in Scott's movie.

@LittleWarsTV

4 ай бұрын

Particularly like your suggestion of Murat as a secondary supporting role. That ties perfectly into Napoleons character arc in 1812-14. Yet another marshal who deserted him, albeit for different (and fascinating) reasons

@fortpark-wd9sx

4 ай бұрын

Interesting point about Murat. As an alternate suggestion, already with other movies and TV series on Napoleon, perhaps the movie could be based on Murat's point of view. 😊😊

@josefavomjaaga6097

4 ай бұрын

@@fortpark-wd9sx A movie on Murat is overdue, come to think of it.

A lot of hard work and dedication went into this rewrite. Thanks for taking the time and sharing with us. I wonder how it might have worked if Scott had made the main character not Napoleon but a fictional character? In a turn like the excellent board game, Legion of Honor, we see Napoleon and the major historical players move through history but experience the story through our every man, a junior officer who rises up through the ranks and whose eventual demise is tied to Napoleon's hubris. It worked in Gladiator, and it obviously couldn't have hurt.

If only Ridley Scott had had access to you. Well done, sir!

Outstanding video. Fun to watch. I think it would be a great movie.

Absolutely brilliant content!

Yes! Do a Kickstarter! Make the film! Little Wars Cinema! 😁

If I had to write a Napoleon Story in my own way, it would be 4 movies and most of the focus would be instead on his marshals (or at the start to be marshals) and the generals and men around him. They would be our main protags while Napoleon would be there as a character but instead of having to portray the full mind of napoleon, it’s actually slightly easier to learn his genius and failures by what the men around him say. Imagine seeing Napoleon planning out his decisions on the map of Italy but not from his eyes but from Bethiers seeing this genius and giving good excuse as to why thing may be spelt more plainly or in certain ways as besides being the main man to write the orders, Napoleon did try to almost teach all his Marshals the ways of war. As for how to split the movies up: 1 - Napoleons early career, Toulon, the “wiff of grape” (which we’d see not from Napoleons eyes but Murat the Captain in charge of the local barracks who brought him the cannons), and the main bulk of the movie the Italian Campaign. 2. Starts with his failed return from Egypt but revitalisation and the coup of the directory. We’d move through his political years with the main event being Morrengo. After that we would skip a few years and move to him seizing power, overthrowing the council of peers and crowning himself emperor at the end. 3. We’d start working our way through his campaigns, Aust, Jena, Fried, Austria, and so on until we get to Russia, our movie going all the way up to Moscow where it ends on the brutal thoughts of needing to retreat. 4. We meet up at the end of the retreat maybe as Ney and Berthier read through the reports of how many dead and such. We then play through a small section of the German Campaign with a main mast of the movie focused on Leipzig and the Defence of France. We’d pretty much go until Paris is taken, his absolution and finally his first exile. Why not Waterloo? Because at this point without making several more movies covering the peninsular war and Wellington and everything there, it would just not be as strong. So it is best to just leave it at his first exile and say “look there is an amazing old Waterloo movie that’s just as memorable and amazing, go watch that if you want the final chapter”

@LittleWarsTV

5 ай бұрын

Sign us up for the four film treatment!

@goran7777

5 ай бұрын

This would actually be really good! Waterloo is such an underrated movie

This is brilliant, Greg. Really looking forward to seeing Spielberg's seven-part series. I have still not recovered from the shock of watching the 2023 film :)

Greg, this is brilliant. I confess, when you signaled a "surprise" woman, I hoped it would be Madame Mere, his mother, such an anchor was she to his life. But your three women are far superior. [Though he was surrounded by women - his sisters should be mentioned.] Your choices are good ones - commanders like Ney can explain themselves to the viewer who doesn't know all the history. An actual plot: disillusionment! Man versus man, man versus himself. Betrayal. Abdication. There's more than one tragedy locked in this story.

Greg. This video was better than the movie! Two words:: crowd funding. You got this!

You nailed it. Your exercise makes so much sense & that's probably the problem. Too bad Ridley wasn't able to watch this video prior to his latest. Send Spielberg the video. You never know.

@LittleWarsTV

5 ай бұрын

Spielberg is working from Stanley Kubricks old script notes, and that should be quite interesting!

Maria Louisa was a pawn in the game, IMHO. Exploring her emotional life would take you well beyond the end of your film, through her remarriage, the death of their son, and her life's end. Of all Napoleon's entourage, though, she strikes me as the only intellectual cipher. You give her a character arc better than she deserves, IMHO. I don't see leaving him as her own choice, but you could sell it. Good job!

Excellent work!!

Great job, I would most certainly prefer your version over what I have seen of Ridley Scott's Napoleon. It always baffles and saddens me that Hollywood ignores real history full of all the drama and tragedy of the human experience.

Great script Greg! Love your ending. I am glad to say that I correctly guessed your choices about time period, the opening scene and the main female lead before you revealed them. ❤🎉

Greg, as a screenwriter I have to say you NAILED this as an idea. I’ve yet to see Scott’s film, regardless your idea is really solid! One of my favourite episodes: a lesson in history and art 👍🏼👍🏼

The Duelists is based on a story by one of the finest writers in the English language, Joseph Conrad. English wasn't his first language - that was Polish. His story, The Duel, is easily recognized in the Scott film, if I recall rightly. That film was noted for its attention to detail, as if Scott were competing with Kubrick in creating "real" scenes down to the hair. A writer named Gerald Vaughn-Huges created the script from Conrad's novella, adding characters and scenes. His additions, rather than detracting from Conrad's intentions, furthered them. They weren't subtractions of the kind Scott and his wannabe writer piped up.

I'm fussy about video essays. Very. Fussy. And you nailed it. I especially agree on the importance of writing.

Excellent ... and sad too; your script is the movie we all wanted to see. I'm a huge Ridley Scott fan, but I have to remain silent if asked to defend 'Napoleon'. Well done to you Greg and the team.

Great video. I would love to see your script as an actual movie!!! What is the song at the intro?

@LittleWarsTV

4 ай бұрын

A free KZread music track. I think it was called Parisian cafe

Very impressive work, Greg. Cheers! From a frenchy.

Thanks for the vid, clearly our Gregg is a man of many talents. Maybe a cameo as the Tsar in this new release? Your take on films failure is spot on. If you want to do Napoleons rise and fall, a mini series is the way to go, plenty of everything that makes a good story present if well written and focussed and allowed enough time to tell. War and Peace redone recently managed that. But as per your challenge, if it has to be a film, then a much tighter focus is required and you ve clearly given some thought on how to achieve that. Well done

09:25 I remember seeing the episode of Mythbusters where they literally Polished 💩s from different animals to see one had the brightest gloss....The lion's turd had the brightest gloss but at the end of the date it was still💩!

I still mourn for Kubrick's Napoleon. The dude spent years collecting and collating every single piece of literature and information he could find on Napoleon. It would have been a masterpiece I think, we got Barry Lyndon which was brilliant but still...

Fantastic! Well done Greg! This actually made 30 minutes of the 3 hours I wasted late last year worth it because I could engage meaningfully with your rewrite. Here in the UK most Napoleonic Wargaming mostly centres around 100 days or the Peninsular so it is good to see the 1812-1814 period getting the love it deserves. A film like yours would bring this fantastic period of history to a wider audience. Given Oliver Stone’s treatment of history with Alexander it is a shame he didn’t do Napoleon - although who knows what accent he’d give a Corsican!

@LittleWarsTV

5 ай бұрын

A rare Oliver Stone Alexander shout out! Nice.

Scott's Napoleon debuted while on hospice care. "Saving" the movie would be an act of necromancy.

This is a great idea and already enjoy the opening scene more

It's absolutely baffling that ridley scott got someone so inexperienced as a writer for this.

@josefavomjaaga6097

4 ай бұрын

I suspect (based on some interview snippets I've read) that Ridley Scott went into this movie with a very strong preconception of who Napoleon was and what he wanted to show about him. Then he started to actually read up on his subject a bit, and it started to dawn on him that things might be a tiny bit more complicted than what he had in mind. So he tossed the books and the research to the writer and said: Make my idea happen.

Thanks for the video. I am really impressed by how you rewrite the script… and how that probably supports your other videos, I guess, explaining the high quality of Little Wars TV. But there is one issue: omitting Waterloo. As wargamer and hobby historian I understand. And agree. I fully agree. But, there is a but: a Hollywood movie like this needs things that the audience at large recognises, as you well put it at the start with the retreat from Russia. When I watched the movie I think, but didn’t check, that perhaps more than 90% of the audience had never heard of the battle of Leipzig. And they still didn’t as you rightly mention. I might well have been the only one missing it, amongst a lot of other things. There is no escaping Waterloo in any Hollywood movie on Napoleon. And I deliberately use the word “escape” because I would love to have it omitted. But we can’t. I think. Centuries of our educational system somehow… missed Leipzig. And the Prussians. And 1814… And… the list goes on… To most I think the sequence is: Berezina - Elba - Waterloo - St. Helena. And that is what is shown… And I understand this kills the option for sequel. But there too is a but. Hollywood already has found it for us: prequel!

On Amazon Prime, ‘just finished the multi-part Napoleon bio from 2002 - EXCELLENT. Star Christian Clavier puts his whole heart and soul into it and pulls it off, even while struggling with English every step of the way.

fun fact Ridley is Diddy's neighbor. imagine skimming Nepoleon books while trying to ignore Diddy parties in the background.

This is masterful….great work!

Favourite episode(s) definitely is this spring 1813 campaign. Love the strategic discussions and fog of war! Already started making my own hex map!

The part I enjoyed the most about this movie was Josephine. The actress who played her did an excellent job.

I snoozed through the Ridley's Napoleon but I watched and listened to this proposal with the baited breath. That would have been a great flick and you completely put both Ridley and his screenwriter to shame with the clever concept you present here. Thank you!

Excellent stuff!