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Life and Art from FT Weekend
Culture chat: ‘Napoleon’ with Simon Schama
Dec 9, 2023
Historian Simon Schama and film expert Raph Abraham discuss Ridley Scott's film 'Napoleon', exploring its portrayal of Napoleon's rise, battles, and relationship with Josephine. They compare it to other biopics, debate the humor in the film, and discuss the popularity of historical films and the impact on mainstream cinema. They also express annoyance with Spotify Wrapped lists and desire for more Beatles songs.
25:09
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Quick takeaways
- The film Napoleon received mixed reviews from the guests, with Simon appreciating the accurate atmosphere and depiction of Napoleon, but feeling that the portrayal of his romantic relationship with Josephine lacked authenticity, while Raph enjoyed the irreverent approach to Napoleon's personal life but found the abrupt shifts in tone between battle scenes and intimate moments jarring.
- Despite the mixed reception of Napoleon, historical films are gaining popularity, offering a variety and originality that engages audiences, sparks interest in history, and provides an alternative to the dominance of superhero movies, although they face budget challenges.
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Thoughts on the Film Napoleon
The film Napoleon received mixed reviews from the guests. Simon appreciated the accurate atmosphere and depiction of Napoleon, but felt that the portrayal of his romantic relationship with Josephine was lacking in authenticity. Raph enjoyed the irreverent approach to Napoleon's personal life, but felt that the abrupt shifts in tone between battle scenes and intimate moments were jarring. Both guests felt that the film failed to provide a complete understanding of Napoleon as a leader and left them with unanswered questions.
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