Any New Ideas for Movies?

[76monza]

It seems to me that Hollywood has not been doing avery good job with coming up with creative ideas for Historical correct movies. Look at what has been done over the last 25 years. We talk about LOTM, The Patriot, Jerimiah Johnson, the Mountain Men and some others. But the actual stories and events that have transpired over the last 250 years has not been represented by Hollywood very well.

I don't know about the rest of you guys, but I'd like to see something new and different done in the movies. If you had your way what historical books, novels or events would you like to see done and done well by Hollywood.

Personally I would like to see Larry McMurty's "Berrybender Chronicles" done as well as Harold Coyles, "Look Away" and "Until the End." Either story would be a nice change from the usual manure churned out.

 

[BLAHMAN]

It would be intersting to see a movie based upon the capture of some whites by different Indian tribes, the way they were accepted into tribes, or perhaps their eventual demise. Or the complexities of the interactions of different tribes.

How about a movie about the revolution based upon the everyday affairs and complex comingling of colonlials and the King's men? There is a facinating book called "Redcoats and rebels" that describe the revolution from the British point of view. It is fun to read transcripts from letters sent home from "that place, America". Those that inhabited the colonies were considered dirty, uneducated, improper and socially beneath the upper crust of the Bristish society. Quite a few officers thought that a commission sent to the Amercan Colony was a detriment to their record, or a form of punishment. These "officers" could buy a commision based upon their families wealth and their status in social circles in England. Military training wasn't really necessary.

I thought the movie LOTM was good, but there are several conflicting stories occuring. If you read the novel by Cooper, you will understand that their were conflicts raging between different characters. The characters themselves had quite a bit of depth to them, as the book portrayed them.

Unfortunatly, the movie industry knows that the average attention span of sitting and watching a movie is about 2 hours max and they therefore must get the job done in a short amount of time.

 

[Keith]

I could pass on the Berybender's. :sorry:

I don't recall the author or title, but the author of the Sharpes books wrote one about the Revolution that would be good. Takes place in occupied Philadelphia. :redthumb:

Terry C. Johnston wrote some real good books. The Titus Bass stories or the Plainsmen series would be great movies. :thumbsup: :redthumb: Two thumbs way up!

Then there is Alan Eckerts books. :thumbsup:Unfortunately, most historical fiction is really long. It wouldn't translate into a two hour movie well.

 

[brian]

yep it takes a long time to walk accross the country,
I thought gangs of new york was perty good,
but you had to read the book to know what thay were talking about.
the alamo was a lot better than the john wayn version,
but I 'd really like to see somthing on susan magofin and the army of the west.
or any thing else on the mexican war,
frankley I think the mex war is to politicly controversial
still, and no one wants to touch it with a ten foot pole.
the movie, ones mans hero, was some serious one sided,
anti american propaganda, that I could have lived without.
but the props were good.

more film capn bragg.
BB

 

[streamsidejeff]

How about a movie based on Jim Bridger or Kit carson. I have read books about both of them and was amazed on how many different things they did. Bridger lived a long time,fur trapper and army scout was only a part of his life.

 

[dlemaster]

I agree that one of Allen Eckerts books would make a very good movie, in particular "The Frontiersman" would work well.
Also a good movie could be made based on James Smith's captivity at Braddock's Defeat in 1755, or Mary Ingles captivity 1755 in Southwest Virginia, and Jenny Wiley in 1793 (I believe)in Eastern Kentucky. And then there is Johnathan Alder's captivity, he lived with the Shawnee and grew up with Techumseh.

Regards, Dave

 

[Black Hand]

A good, historically accurate movie on Robert Rogers. Quite a story, that man.
Black Hand

 

[ed zeransky]

how 'bout a lewis wetzel movie? i suppose hollywood would turn him into the devil, though.

 

[Ohio Joe]

O'kay, call me nuts, but I'd like to see them make a movie about the famous 1874 Creedmoor match!

I would also like to see them make a movie about the creation of the NMLRA from 1931 Portsmouth, Ohio (that started it all) to present.

If they could do justice to each one of these movies, I think they would be with us forever!

I have other ideas too, but I'll stop with these two.

 

[Slamfire]

I don't know about a movie but a tv mini series about Fremont would be a good'n. Hollyweird could pain him as an ogre intent on stealin' California from the poor misguided Mexicans. We could give him an assistant who having stolen Texas lusted for the rest of temperate Mexico. With a little research some nifty equipment could be got up for use. Some Hall's carbines for use by Fremont's army (?) that built a fort on the hill top near Montery when the local bigwig ordered him out of California. :crackup:

 

[Desert Rat]

Just saw NorthWest Passage again last night on tv with Spencer Tracy, it was kinda campy but a good effort for the time. A re-make of this movie with some advisement (ala LOTM and Patriot) and it would be easy to turn out something great.

 

[Gary]

A Lewis Wetzel flick would be good too. Expect protests by the Red Man though. Can't say I'll blame 'em.

 

[ed zeransky]

the way i see it, what wetzel did was no different than what most eastern indians did, only he was better at it, and as far as i can tell never killed women or children. but i have no ideas about hollywood understanding or getting it right.

 

[mark starr]

I'd like to see a remake of the Big Sky the original was poor.

 

[Gary]

How about the post-war (Mother of All American Family Feuds or The Late Great Unpleasantry Between States) novel, "Surry of Eagle's Nest," by Stuart's Aide-de-Camp, John Esten Cooke? It seems more adaptable to a movie about Jackson in the Valley than Gawds & Ginerals.

I generally don't read hysterical fiction but I had to figure out one of the illustrations by Winslow Homer.

BTW, the novel is based in part on Cooke's experience as Stuart's aide. I checked with Robert Krick's, "Confederate Staff Officers," and his entry read something to the extent that Stuart wanted to replace Cooke with a more capable officer.

 

[shmrck1]

smokeydays,
I know this mite be slightly off topic,
but i always thought i would like to see the movie
"STANLEY & LIVINGSTON" remade. I have even gone so far
as to do some casting...Mel Gibson or Kevin Costner as
Stanley and Sean Connery as Livingston.
:imo: I would put this movie in my top
10 of all time favorite movies. Spencer Tracey is
outstanding :applause: :applause: :applause:
in this movie!
snake-eye......rating
:thumbsup: :front: :redthumb: :hatsoff:

 

I still say they need to make a really good movie about the beginnings of the Revolutionary War. Cover the events leading up to it as well as the start of it... the Tea Party, Paul Revere, Lexington & Concord, Bunker Hill, etc.

 

[Ohio Joe]

What about the complete life of Daniel Boone - 1735 to 1820... We get a lot of early history covered with Boone's life story. It would have to be at least 4 to 6 hours, so we may be looking at a trilogy. I'm not sure even 4 to 6 hours could do the man justice???

 

[Bill L]

I would have to agree with a movie about Lewis Wetzel.He had to be the most interesting character on the Virginia frontier. :agree:

 

[76monza]

StaticXD00d,

I'm kinda liking that idea about a movie about the beginnings of the revolution. Lots of action, cool guns, cool clothes and who knows, if executed properly a history lesson to boot! Does a movie get any better?

Smokeydays