Does Anyone Like "Brave Heart" (The Movie)?

[Jem_Kielty]

FREEEEEDOMMMMMMMMMM!!!!!!

[donaldscuckoo]

The film was inacurate, the trees for a start where all Sitka spruce (American), I know there are loads of other stuff wrong with the movie but for entertainment value it was good. Oliver Stone's film JFK was also so inacurate that a whole generation of Americans now have this man's warped view of how one of the greatest icon's of our time met his untimely death, the reason I add this is for the same fact that cinema going audiences all over the world have a warped view of how two of Scotland's greatest icon's (Bruce and Wallace) lived and for the film's sake in Wallace's case died.

But I suppose for todays generation of Playstation, Big Mac n fries, going into the history books and actually reading THE FACTS! is something that dweebs and i'm sorry to say myself do. There should be some kind of warning at the start of these films in big bold letters mentioning the "facts" in them have been taken a liberty with.

There is one thing that was acurate though throughout the whole of "Braveheart" the Scottish hate of and for everything English.

[sgriobhadair]

Originally posted by donaldscuckoo

But I suppose for todays generation of Playstation, Big Mac n fries, going into the history books and actually reading THE FACTS! is something that dweebs and i'm sorry to say myself do. There should be some kind of warning at the start of these films in big bold letters mentioning the "facts" in them have been taken a liberty with.

There is one thing that was acurate though throughout the whole of "Braveheart" the Scottish hate of and for everything English.

A spirited post! Your instincts are right, but oh I wish it were easy to know the facts. "History is bunk," said Churchill, meaning that the 'facts' are never reliable, if only because history is always written by the winners. The facts of Wallace and Bruce will always be elusive. The great learned men of our time squabble over them. What endures with not-so-learned folks is the legend. "Braveheart" is just the lastest distortion of history in pursuit of entertainment (and big bucks). We are all victims of our cozy fantasies. Is it true, for example, that the Bruce's men marched into battle to the tune of "Scots Wha Hae," which freaked out the English because it was a funeral dirge? I was brought up to believe that was the case, but it's probably just a story.

I am dedicated to the pursuit of the "facts", not just the story. Most people would rather cling to a convenient illusion and defend it with all their might. It takes honesty and energy, yet it should be a habit, to constantly re-examine what we think we know.

As for the hatred of the English, it sounds to me as if you're doing a little projection of yourself there. I don't hate the English. I intensely dislike a certain brand of Englishness: the toffee-nosed, oh-so-superior, patronising know-it-all with marbles in his mouth. But I have some good English friends who really shouldn't be penalized for being born on the wrong side of the border. They deserve sympathy, not condemnation.

So I have to say: Not all Scots hate the English. Those who do should re-examine their prejudices. It's a mark of wisdom to direct your righteous anger at the appropriate targets. If you lose a fight with your wife, don't kick the dog.

If I go on like this much longer I'll fall out of the pulpit... aagh... too late....

[PRgirl]

SR,
I liked your pulpit sermon. I found it a lot of fun. Anyway, your exchanges with sg and Polwarth let me know why I am not quite getting along with Ms. Polwarth. It clears it up for me. Lol.

Now, SR, I don't know who you are really. But you are definitely bright and interesting and with some thoughts in many ways that I share. Strange how much in common people have when they read each other's thoughts without prejudice.

In terms of Braveheart. I never saw the flick. Not because I wasn't interested in the theme, but because my husband asked me if people were going to speak in the movie with some kind of Scottish accent or Irish accent. I said yes. He refuses to go to those movies. I took him to see Henry V by Kenneth Branaugh, and enjoyed myself but my husband kept poking me in the rib cage and asking me in Spanish, "What did he say? I don't understand a single word of that weird sounding English, I have a hard enough time figuring out the gringos in the States with my cut up English..I can't understand these folks at all." At the end of Henry V, my ribcage was sore, and I had to give my husband an hour long recap of the dialog...translated from Shakespearean English to modern Puerto Rican Spanish and it gave me a big headache. I did not want to repeat the experience again. I once asked my husband why he did not put more time into perfecting a clear accent for his English. ANd he made me laugh....he said, "I already have dedicated many years to the Imperialist Arrogant English speakers....I want to choose my language torture from now on...and I choose to be given a headache and sweat for Mandarin Chinese...so leave me alone." Lol. Oh, I still want to see it someday though. Even though it is a Mel Gibson Hollywood version.

I enjoy reading exchanges between Scottish folks....especially sweet ones like sg.

Prgirl

[Jem_Kielty]

penalized for being born on the wrong side of the border. They deserve sympathy

Ignorant racism is annoying. There's really no need to regard one country as better than the other no matter how patriotic we are. Unless perhaps in jest or of course at a footie match.

[sgriobhadair]

Originally posted by Jem_Kielty

Ignorant racism is annoying. There's really no need to regard one country as better than the other no matter how patriotic we are. Unless perhaps in jest or of course at a footie match.

Is there any other kind of racism? It was a joke. Lighten up, my fine English friend.

[Scottish_Republican]

There is one thing that was acurate though throughout the whole of "Braveheart" the Scottish hate of and for everything English.

The English would despise the Scots if we took over their country. In fact some already despise Blair as a "Scot".