Tag: film

Accuracy in film story-telling and book-story telling in The Eagle film and The Eagle of the Ninth book

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Rosemary Sutcliff‘s The Eagle of the Ninth historical novel tells a story which is not followed to the letter by The Eagle film-makers Jeremy Brock (writer), Duncan Kenworthy (producer) and Kevin MacDonald (director ). In fact, there are several differences, although I believe the film captures well both the essence of the story that Rosemary told and the essence of the novel. Since Rosemary was a writer  not a film story-teller , I believe she would have respected decisions by film-makers to change aspects of story.

A lover of good stories (and amongst other things, film Westerns) she might have understood that MacDonald and colleagues sacrificed absolute accuracy to her book to the requirements of a good story on film. She would have respected them choosing a good film-story (as they saw it) over absolute faithfulness to the book. My evidence? This from her about the historical accuracy of her books:

Since I am a writer, not an historian, I will sacrifice historical accuracy. I really very seldom have to do it, and then it is only a matter of perhaps reversing the order of two events, or something like that. But if it does come to the crunch, I will choose a good story over absolute historical accuracy.
Source: Interview with Rosemary Sutcliff  by Raymond H Thompson (and also here on this blog)

The Eagle: video behind the scenes of The Eagle with Channing Tatum and Jamie Bell

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In this ” exclusive (video) interview” for The Telegraph (I think),  the actors and director of The Eagle film (based upon the great The Eagle of the Ninth historical novel by Rosemary Sutcliff) talk on the set in Scotland in 2009 about the relationship between Marcus (Channing Tatum) and his slave Esca (Jamie Bell).

Source: The Eagle | Behind the scenes with Channing Tatum and Jamie Bell | Telegraph.

Jamie Bell, Channing Tatum at premiere March 9th and signing copies of The Eagle of the Ninth by Rosemary Sutcliff at Waterstone’s Piccadilly Branch 10th March

Anthony Lawton2 Comments

The Eagle Film Tie-In Leading stars in The Eagle film of The Eagle of the Ninth by Rosemary Sutcliff – Jamie Bell and Channing Tatum,– were at the premiere in Leicester Square on March 9th and signed books at the Piccadilly branch of Waterstone’s the next day. Details of the book signing here.

The rules of battle included:  “the queue will be restricted to the first 150 people who will be issued with a special wristband -wristbands will issued from 4pm on the day when people buy The Eagle film tie-in book from Waterstone’s Piccadilly, or when they bring a valid receipt with their copy”.

We’ve been calling The Eagle movie ‘Brokeback Eagle’

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From a long Scottish newspaper article about the book, film and filming – timed to coincide with the end of the Glasgow Film Festival and the looming release of The Eagle film in the UK:

(Kevin) Macdonald is using the novel as a framework for a film brimming with authenticity and yet which unfolds as something of a modern boys’ own adventure, a tale of bravery and friendship. “Kevin and I have been calling it Brokeback Eagle,” laughs the film’s leading man, Channing Tatum, when I join him in his centurion’s quarters in the furthest quarter of the fort.

“There has been a lot of joking about that, because there is this male friendship that binds the story together,” he continues. “Obviously, it’s not really a homoerotic element, but it is inherent in a story about two people who come from different backgrounds, who go through an awful lot together and hate each other at times, but end up with respect and friendship for one another. You could say it is a buddy movie in the classic tradition.”

The two buddies (in the film The Eagle based on the Rosemary Sutcliff book The Eagle of the Ninth) are Marcus Flavius Aquila (Tatum), a young centurion who arrives in Britain in 127 AD, and a Briton, Esca (Jamie Bell), who becomes both retainer and friend.
Source: ‘We’ve been calling it Brokeback Eagle’ – Herald Scotland

Women like The Eagle movie more than men!

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From the Internet Movie Database site:

The Eagle's viewers like it, especially women!