phil andrade Posted 9 April , 2015 Share Posted 9 April , 2015 Mel Gibson has been eclipsed. Russel Crowe is now the new Australian voice of Gallipoli : this version has a uniquely pro Turkish emphasis. This is very much a curate's egg of a film, I think. I recoil in dismay from some aspects, and heartily endorse others. It's very brave in what it endeavours to do. Let me invite feedback from forumites who have seen it. Phil (PJA) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WhiteStarLine Posted 9 April , 2015 Share Posted 9 April , 2015 Phil, we went to see it here in Australia, bristling with prejudice as we expected to see a tub-thumping exploitation of all our national myths. It is a wonderful film, with an emphasis on Turkish viewpoint, customs and culture. It is not a war film per se, but takes us through the grief and guilt of a father who loses three sons, then his wife (from grief). It takes place as he traces their fate, with the occasional flashback. The age old antipathy of the Greeks and Turks is covered, even if it is difficult to believe Turkish Gallipoli veterans would fall for such an obvious train ambush. My wife had recently returned from an inter-faith tour of Turkey and appreciated the re-creation of the Ottoman empire. I liked seeing the water diviners at work - they used to be plentiful when I was a kid, always claiming to know that there was a stream underfoot and always impossible to verify! Highly commend it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moggs Posted 9 April , 2015 Share Posted 9 April , 2015 Excepting the "hollywood" romance aspect, this film was remarkably well made. Its fairness to multiple points of view was very well handled. Jonathan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phil andrade Posted 10 April , 2015 Author Share Posted 10 April , 2015 The unflinching depiction of the gruesome work of the IWGC worked well. There were one or two " Alas poor Yorick" vignettes which testified to Crowe's thespian directorship. And the awful, harrowing fate of lying mortally wounded on the field was brought home to us very graphically. The effort was in large measure inspired by a desire to acknowledge the ordeal of Turks, both in the carnage at Gallipoli and in the ethnic cleansing episodes afterwards. It brought De Bernier's Birds Without Wings novel to mind. A brave and well intentioned film. Russel Crowe excels at combining the rugged hard man persona with something very sensitive. Phil (PJA) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moriaty Posted 10 April , 2015 Share Posted 10 April , 2015 Having just seen the film, I agree with all the above comments, it is a bit of a curate's egg. The "romance" is fairly embarrassing and the "three weeks later" a bit of a cop out, but, overall, an interesting film. Moriaty Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bernard_Lewis Posted 10 April , 2015 Share Posted 10 April , 2015 Its in my local cinema at the end of the month and we plan to tag along... Bernard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
auchonvillerssomme Posted 11 April , 2015 Share Posted 11 April , 2015 I have seen a couple of reviews of the book, they are very positive, has anyone read it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vista52 Posted 11 April , 2015 Share Posted 11 April , 2015 Here's Russell Crowe interviewed on the Chris Matthews Show on MSNBC. I didn't see the interview but was listening on Satellite Radio. I thought he came off very well. There seems to be some video problems with the clip but the audio is there. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KAKZqdgcqwk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Herekawe Posted 11 April , 2015 Share Posted 11 April , 2015 Mel Gibson has been eclipsed. Russel Crowe is now the new Australian voice of Gallipoli : this version has a uniquely pro Turkish emphasis. This is very much a curate's egg of a film, I think. I recoil in dismay from some aspects, and heartily endorse others. It's very brave in what it endeavours to do. Let me invite feedback from forumites who have seen it. Phil (PJA) LOL You had better make that the Australiasian voice of Gallipoli as I believe technically he is still a Shaky Islander having been refused Australian citizenship a couple of times despite having lived there since he was 4. James Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dannyboy1807 Posted 15 April , 2015 Share Posted 15 April , 2015 I've watched it and I really enjoyed it. Russell Crowe put in a great performance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kitchener's Bugle Posted 15 April , 2015 Share Posted 15 April , 2015 I enjoyed it very much, it was very well made with some stunning photography........ the only thing that I am still trying to get my head around is how the Greeks came out at the end being the "bad boys"...................... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bruce Posted 16 April , 2015 Share Posted 16 April , 2015 Ayesha and I went to see the film last evening. I was pleased to see that the British officers weren't portrayed as stupid blimps, and also how pro Turkish the film was. Anticipating a bias towards the ANZACs, the latter was a bonus. the scenery was stunning, as one would expect, and the acting good. Like others, I could have done without the romance, but other aspects were very well handled, such as the task facing the IWGC and then the British and Aussies having to try to intercede between Greeks and Turks. An enjoyable film, and one I would recommend. Bruce Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gilly100 Posted 16 April , 2015 Share Posted 16 April , 2015 Looking forward to seeing this movie. Crowe calling the landings an invasion might have stirred a few up, but of course it was exactly that. Given the Turks had sided with who they did, the word invasion is but a moot point in the context of the wider conflict. The Turks endured this assault and prevailed as we all know. From there it was not too rosy. No winners in the end many would argue. An interesting angle for the movie by the sounds of it, so off to the cinema. Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin spof Posted 16 April , 2015 Admin Share Posted 16 April , 2015 For those members in Australia, it is on Channel 7 on Monday night. I must admt that when I heard about a movie wth Russell Crowe and an Australian production about Gallipoli, I put it way doen my lisdt of films to see. Now that I've read the feedback here I am going to change my views and give it a go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kitchener's Bugle Posted 17 April , 2015 Share Posted 17 April , 2015 The stunning outback is showcased in the film and how challenging life was living there at that time.. I would like to think that most Australians would be appreciative of that!... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Chandler Posted 17 August , 2015 Share Posted 17 August , 2015 Watched it at the weekend and enjoyed it, although the romance aspect was a little clunky, I think it deserves credit for taking a different angle on the subject. At the beginning it said 'inspired by true events' rather than 'based on a true story' which I'm always a little wary about, what proportion of it was factual (in terms of RC's character's story I mean)? Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bernard_Lewis Posted 17 August , 2015 Share Posted 17 August , 2015 Saw it and enjoyed it! Bernard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toby Brayley Posted 18 August , 2015 Share Posted 18 August , 2015 (edited) I thought it started off okay at least, then deteriorated rapidly into a unbelievably story and ended almost farcical! I must admit the almost Ottoman perspective was refreshing and was not as one-sided and "off hand" as I had been told (admittedly, by a rather anti Turk Australian friend of mine). I see the usual British clichés have yet to be shaken off with regards ANYTHING to do with Gallipoli! Worth a watch....but I still feel like I wasted a tenner on the DVD but this was almost remedied as I bought Testament of Youth at the same time and enjoyed every minute of that (absolutely nothing to do with the fine Alicia Vikander mind you!). Edited 18 August , 2015 by Toby Brayley Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted 31 August , 2015 Share Posted 31 August , 2015 Watched it today on Netflicks with very high expectations. Possibly the worst film I have seen in years. MG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toby Brayley Posted 31 August , 2015 Share Posted 31 August , 2015 Not that I wish to gloat at the fact you wasted two hours of your life Martin, but I am glad someone else feels the same as I. All I have heard is how great it is! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted 31 August , 2015 Share Posted 31 August , 2015 Not that I wish to gloat at the fact you wasted two hours.... Funnily that was exactly what I said to Senior Management. The stereotyping was beyond puerile and (sadly) quite predictable; all the British Army Officers (once again) portrayed as pompous, arrogant insensitive martinets. I see in the intro titles it was allegedly 'based on real events'. Edit: I am wondering which of the 11 Australians 'missing and POW' at Gallipoli the 'real events' were based on. It is a pretty narrow line the film-makers were walking. I would have far greater respect for the film-makers and the film (which incidentally had some beautiful cinematography) if they had been honest and said that it was based on someone's rather vivid imagination a load of nonsense. MG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Black Posted 31 August , 2015 Share Posted 31 August , 2015 Having seen the trailer i decided to give it a miss. As the saying goes, opinions on the film are a bit marmite...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gilly100 Posted 1 September , 2015 Share Posted 1 September , 2015 Well I have always liked Russell Crowe as an actor. I was not overly impressed with the movie but treated it knowing it would not be historically accurate. At least the Ottoman Turks came off as the good guys. I wondered how much Russell knew about the treatment of Ottoman Greeks and Armenians as I watched the menacing black clad Greeks running amok. Watched it twice, won't bother again, preferred Gladiator and Romper Stomper. Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 18 September , 2015 Share Posted 18 September , 2015 Most airlines now show the film on long distance flights. So I could enjoy the movie and chose it from the menu. It is a great movie with an unbiased view on the Turkish site. Many hardliners with everlasting resentments or prejudices against the Ottoman Turks will not accept the movie, but I liked it very much because it gave another inside view into the Turkish sacrifices as well, That is today widely accepted in documentaries. well worth to watch Crowe acting superbly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Nulty Posted 14 October , 2015 Share Posted 14 October , 2015 Just watched it online for free at https://genvideos.org/watch?v=The_Water_Diviner_2014#video=PC7XsUTgmFOcNy7QPartsWHezOCbW3Q7pSO-q26WCM0 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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