2016 RTE Drama: Rebellion - no spoilers please (mod warning in post #1)

castletownman

Speaking of Game of Thrones actors, I knew I recognised Elizabeth's father from somewhere.

He is none other than Ser Barristan Selmy

Bellerstring

Can't believe the broadly positive reviews for the first episode of this.
It was everything I feared RTE would do wrong.
They sacrificed the story of the signatories and leaders of the insurrection, the planning, the setbacks and doubts, the drive that led them to the GPO, for a glossy costume drama about love and infidelity across the social divide.
I thought it was cliched nonsense, more suited to a modern soap opera than a serious reflection of the birth of our nation.
Could they not have enlisted someone like Paul Greengrass to direct this?
Certainly would have injected some badly needed grittiness and realism into it (try Bloody Sunday or United 93. No unnecessary love stories/unwanted pregnancies in those!)
I read somewhere that this will be equal to RTE's production of Strumpet City.
It won't.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

Bellerstring wrote: »

Can't believe the broadly positive reviews for the first episode of this.
It was everything I feared RTE would do wrong.
They sacrificed the story of the signatories and leaders of the insurrection, the planning, the setbacks and doubts, the drive that led them to the GPO, for a glossy costume drama about love and infidelity across the social divide.
I thought it was cliched nonsense, more suited to a modern soap opera than a serious reflection of the birth of our nation.
Could they not have enlisted someone like Paul Greengrass to direct this?
Certainly would have injected some badly needed grittiness and realism into it (try Bloody Sunday or United 93. No unnecessary love stories/unwanted pregnancies in those!)
I read somewhere that this will be equal to RTE's production of Strumpet City.
It won't.

How many times do people need to be told? There will be numerous things on TV this year about the Rising. This isn't the only thing RTÉ will be doing. They haven't missed their chance to do anything.

Strazdas

Bellerstring wrote: »

Can't believe the broadly positive reviews for the first episode of this.
It was everything I feared RTE would do wrong.
They sacrificed the story of the signatories and leaders of the insurrection, the planning, the setbacks and doubts, the drive that led them to the GPO, for a glossy costume drama about love and infidelity across the social divide.
I thought it was cliched nonsense, more suited to a modern soap opera than a serious reflection of the birth of our nation.
Could they not have enlisted someone like Paul Greengrass to direct this?
Certainly would have injected some badly needed grittiness and realism into it (try Bloody Sunday or United 93. No unnecessary love stories/unwanted pregnancies in those!)
I read somewhere that this will be equal to RTE's production of Strumpet City.
It won't.

The series is not about the Rising though, nor it's leaders or the organisation of it. It's a fictional account of characters caught up in the Rising (on different sides). Seeing as the characters are fictional, the emphasis is going to be totally on their lives.

Corholio

TICKLE_ME_ELMO wrote: »

How many times do people need to be told? There will be numerous things on TV this year about the Rising. This isn't the only thing RTÉ will be doing. They haven't missed their chance to do anything.

It's going to be the only drama series about it, which is their headline piece of all the shows they have, documentaries etc. I too think they should have told it in a better way, the fictional character way seems a cheap way out of having to tell the story with complete liberty available. But leaving that aside, even as a show I thought it was almost sickly sweet in it's portrayal of drama and had very little hook to keep watching it.

qweerty

I sympathise with @Bellestring. Especially considering that Rebellion is the headline (and only) drama commissioned for the centenary. That said, though, I think the Rising and Civil War are too complex and contentious to be dramatised accurately, entertainingly and, therefore, satisfyingly. I didn't enjoy Charlie, and if Rebellion were in the same vein I think it would be even worse. The screenwriter has obviously decided to focus on what the Rising meant to the people of the day: how they viewed it, how it affected them. Rebellion shouldn't be seen as a comprehensive reenactment, then, but, by examining a particular aspect, as a contribution to the overall reflection on the period.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

Corholio wrote: »

It's going to be the only drama series about it, which is their headline piece of all the shows they have, documentaries etc. I too think they should have told it in a better way, the fictional character way seems a cheap way out of having to tell the story with complete liberty available. But leaving that aside, even as a show I thought it was almost sickly sweet in it's portrayal of drama and had very little hook to keep watching it.

Maybe it's not RTÉ but there's definitely something else coming that focuses on The Rising itself and is a drama. Liam Neeson's son is playing Michael Collins in it.

weadick

TICKLE_ME_ELMO wrote: »

Maybe it's not RTÉ but there's definitely something else coming that focuses on The Rising itself and is a drama. Liam Neeson's son is playing Michael Collins in it.

That was the film that a documentary maker from the north was trying to get made. He made a small bit of money off of kickstarter and some limited funding but I don't think he has got what he needed to make it. It was meant to be shot last year for release at Easter. I wouldn't fancy its chances of ever being made. I think big movie makers are afraid of touching anything to do with that period in Irish history. Aside from the fact that they usually create controversy they don't do well outside of Ireland. Michael Collins was a flop and since making it Neil Jordan has gone from being one of the hottest directors in Hollywood to a maker of odd ball and niche pictures that noone sees. Wind that shakes the barley just broke even I think, despite the publicity from Cannes.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

weadick wrote: »

That was the film that a documentary maker from the north was trying to get made. He made a small bit of money off of kickstarter and some limited funding but I don't think he has got what he needed to make it. It was meant to be shot last year for release at Easter. I wouldn't fancy its chances of ever being made. I think big movie makers are afraid of touching anything to do with that period in Irish history. Aside from the fact that they usually create controversy they don't do well outside of Ireland. Michael Collins was a flop and since making it Neil Jordan has gone from being one of the hottest directors in Hollywood to a maker of odd ball and niche pictures that noone sees. Wind that shakes the barley just broke even I think, despite the publicity from Cannes.

Didn't know this project had stalled. It had support from the Irish Film Board and financial backing from Northern Irish equivalent, along with some biggish names on board.
You may be right about things like this having no market outside Ireland which would make the producers of this program all the smarter for shaping it around some average Joe types. Especially given it's a co production with an American channel. Something like this has the potential to sell in any number of countries.

Michael Collins may have been a flop for the studio that made it but until Brooklyn came along it was the most successful Irish film ever made.

The Wind That Shakes The Barley suffered from idiots in the press jumping on the idea that it was a British Bashing film before even seeing it. It was never going to do well in the UK because of this notion that was spread around. It's a shame though because of all the films dealing with this general period of Irish history it is the best one, and goes way beyond the "Irish good, British bad" idea that people assumed it had.

JohnFalstaff

weadick wrote: »

That was the film that a documentary maker from the north was trying to get made. He made a small bit of money off of kickstarter and some limited funding but I don't think he has got what he needed to make it. It was meant to be shot last year for release at Easter. I wouldn't fancy its chances of ever being made. I think big movie makers are afraid of touching anything to do with that period in Irish history. Aside from the fact that they usually create controversy they don't do well outside of Ireland. Michael Collins was a flop and since making it Neil Jordan has gone from being one of the hottest directors in Hollywood to a maker of odd ball and niche pictures that noone sees. Wind that shakes the barley just broke even I think, despite the publicity from Cannes.

The Wind that Shakes the Barley was a huge success. It made most of its production budget of €6.5 million back in Ireland and the UK alone where it took in €6.2 million at the box office.

It took in a further €5.1 million in receipts in France. Overall it made about €18 million worldwide, and that does not include any subsequent DVD, TV or streaming rights.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

JohnFalstaff wrote: »

The Wind that Shakes the Barley was a huge success. It made most of its production budget of €6.5 million back in Ireland and the UK alone where it took in €6.2 million at the box office.

It took in a further €5.1 million in receipts in France. Overall it made about €18 million worldwide, and that does not include any subsequent DVD, TV or streaming rights.

Surprisingly, you're right. It took a lot of money in some quite random countries.... over 2 million $ in Italy.

http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?page=intl&id=windthatshakesthebarley.htm

JohnFalstaff

TICKLE_ME_ELMO wrote: »

Didn't know this project had stalled. It had support from the Irish Film Board and financial backing from Northern Irish equivalent, along with some biggish names on board.
You may be right about things like this having no market outside Ireland which would make the producers of this program all the smarter for shaping it around some average Joe types. Especially given it's a co production with an American channel. Something like this has the potential to sell in any number of countries.

Michael Collins may have been a flop for the studio that made it but until Brooklyn came along it was the most successful Irish film ever made.

The Wind That Shakes The Barley suffered from idiots in the press jumping on the idea that it was a British Bashing film before even seeing it. It was never going to do well in the UK because of this notion that was spread around. It's a shame though because of all the films dealing with this general period of Irish history it is the best one, and goes way beyond the "Irish good, British bad" idea that people assumed it had.

The film took in more money in the UK than it did in Ireland.

Strazdas

qweerty wrote: »

I sympathise with @Bellestring. Especially considering that Rebellion is the headline (and only) drama commissioned for the centenary. That said, though, I think the Rising and Civil War are too complex and contentious to be dramatised accurately, entertainingly and, therefore, satisfyingly. I didn't enjoy Charlie, and if Rebellion were in the same vein I think it would be even worse. The screenwriter has obviously decided to focus on what the Rising meant to the people of the day: how they viewed it, how it affected them. Rebellion shouldn't be seen as a comprehensive reenactment, then, but, by examining a particular aspect, as a contribution to the overall reflection on the period.

It's important to realise that Rebellion is not a docu-drama. A straightforward retelling of the Rising through the eyes of the principle protaganists would be a very different type of drama with a different feel. I've no problem at all with them showing the Rising through the eyes of fictional characters, it's actually an interesting way of doing it as we have no idea what is going to happen to any of them.

TCDStudent1

Strazdas wrote: »

It's important to realise that Rebellion is not a docu-drama. A straightforward retelling of the Rising through the eyes of the principle protaganists would be a very different type of drama with a different feel. I've no problem at all with them showing the Rising through the eyes of fictional characters, it's actually an interesting way of doing it as we have no idea what is going to happen to any of them.

I've a strong feeling jimmy isn't going to survive!

Strazdas

TCDStudent1 wrote: »

I've a strong feeling jimmy isn't going to survive!

Yes, I assume one or two characters won't be alive by Episode 5

RainyDay

TCDStudent1 wrote: »

I've a strong feeling jimmy isn't going to survive!

Strazdas wrote: »

Yes, I assume one or two characters won't be alive by Episode 5

I've a strong feeling that

Pearse gets shot in the end, Connolly too.

.

josephryan1989

weadick wrote: »

That was the film that a documentary maker from the north was trying to get made. He made a small bit of money off of kickstarter and some limited funding but I don't think he has got what he needed to make it. It was meant to be shot last year for release at Easter. I wouldn't fancy its chances of ever being made. I think big movie makers are afraid of touching anything to do with that period in Irish history. Aside from the fact that they usually create controversy they don't do well outside of Ireland. Michael Collins was a flop and since making it Neil Jordan has gone from being one of the hottest directors in Hollywood to a maker of odd ball and niche pictures that noone sees. Wind that shakes the barley just broke even I think, despite the publicity from Cannes.

If you were to do justice to the story you would make a movie of similar length and scope as Downfall, Der Baader Meinhof Komplex or A Bridge Too Far. But of course assembling a massive cast and a massive budget for an incident which is largely unknown outside of Ireland is hugely risky.

That said though there are a number of books about the Rising - my personal favorite is The Easter Rebellion by Max Caulfield - which would be the basis of a tremendously exciting action thriller because it flits back and forth between the planning of the rebels and the unpreparedness of the British before showing the action from both perspectives in vivid detail.

Get a talented director on board and convince a big name to get on board and you would have a cracker of a movie.

Bellerstring

Strazdas wrote: »

It's important to realise that Rebellion is not a docu-drama. A straightforward retelling of the Rising through the eyes of the principle protaganists would be a very different type of drama with a different feel. I've no problem at all with them showing the Rising through the eyes of fictional characters, it's actually an interesting way of doing it as we have no idea what is going to happen to any of them.

Who cares what happens to any of them??
They are fictional!!!
They never existed!!
On the 100th anniversary of the most iconic event in Irish history, a serious, authentic and definitive drama deserved to have been produced which focused on Pearse, Connolly et al and told their story from before Easter week until their deaths.
Like I said in a previous post, every other country I can think of have serious dramas with their historical leaders in a central role, good or bad - Che Guevara or Adolf Hitler, JFK or Winston Churchill, Abraham Lincoln or Richard Nixon, etc..
In 100 years we haven't got ONE film which deals directly with the events of Easter week.
Rights to film in the GPO, Dublin Castle or St Enda's may never be granted again.
Was such a shame to waste them on this dross.

TCDStudent1

Bellerstring wrote: »

Who cares what happens to any of them??
They are fictional!!!
They never existed!!
On the 100th anniversary of the most iconic event in Irish history, a serious, authentic and definitive drama deserved to have been produced which focused on Pearse, Connolly et al and told their story from before Easter week until their deaths.
Like I said in a previous post, every other country I can think of have serious dramas with their historical leaders in a central role, good or bad - Che Guevara or Adolf Hitler, JFK or Winston Churchill, Abraham Lincoln or Richard Nixon, etc..
In 100 years we haven't got ONE film which deals directly with the events of Easter week.
Rights to film in the GPO, Dublin Castle or St Enda's may never be granted again.
Was such a shame to waste them on this dross.

It is possible to care for fictional characters. Think of a movie where you hope for the underdog to come good at the end. Almost every drama series or movie involves you caring for fictional characters


The problem with the easter rising is that there is so much going on, so much to fit in, that it almost makes it impossible to fit into a single drama series or a single movie.

Strazdas

Bellerstring wrote: »

Who cares what happens to any of them??
They are fictional!!!
They never existed!!
On the 100th anniversary of the most iconic event in Irish history, a serious, authentic and definitive drama deserved to have been produced which focused on Pearse, Connolly et al and told their story from before Easter week until their deaths.
Like I said in a previous post, every other country I can think of have serious dramas with their historical leaders in a central role, good or bad - Che Guevara or Adolf Hitler, JFK or Winston Churchill, Abraham Lincoln or Richard Nixon, etc..
In 100 years we haven't got ONE film which deals directly with the events of Easter week.
Rights to film in the GPO, Dublin Castle or St Enda's may never be granted again.
Was such a shame to waste them on this dross.

There's no obligation on them to produce a docudrama about the leaders of the Rising. They're already planning to show a major documentary series about the Rising narrated by Liam Neeson. There's also a danger such a drama series could have ended up being worthy but very boring.

TCDStudent1

Strumpet City was based on a book but it's worth pointing out that it was also centred around fictional characters with occasional appearances of Jim Larkin.

The Black Oil

I enjoyed the first episode. I've not seen Love/Hate or Game of Thrones. I had no expectations of this either historically, or dramatically. I guess with a lot of these things the tone can feel self-important or overwraught. Didn't find that to be the case here. I don't feel as though the love story stuff is getting in the way. Oh, and there's always some bureaucratic twithead with a moustache who fails to act on the intel.

'Which nation?'

Birdie Num Num

TICKLE_ME_ELMO wrote: »

The Wind That Shakes The Barley suffered from idiots in the press jumping on the idea that it was a British Bashing film before even seeing it. It was never going to do well in the UK because of this notion that was spread around. It's a shame though because of all the films dealing with this general period of Irish history it is the best one, and goes way beyond the "Irish good, British bad" idea that people assumed it had.

I think I would have enjoyed The Wind That Shakes The Barley if I hadn't had seen the brilliant Land and Freedom years earlier. It felt like Loach just rehashed it to me.

Speaking of rehash. Rebellion did a reasonable job of using the Mikado scene from Chariots of Fire too.

Dob74

Two deaths tonight. The guard outside dublin caslte Mae talks too. And Francess the deadhard republican.

Mod edit
Spoiler tags added

The Rape of Lucretia

Dob74 wrote: »

Two deaths tonight. The guard outside dublin caslte Mae talks too. And Francess the deadhard republican.

.

Well thats great. Thanks. Will make watching it all the more enjoyable knowing what happens. Removes that nasty unpredictability element.
Any more to add and we wont need to watch it at all ?



Mod edit
Please don't quote spoilers. Report them and mod can deal with them

amdublin

Mod:
Warning added to post #1. Do not post spoilers without spoiler tags

Dob74

The Rape of Lucretia wrote:

Well thats great. Thanks. Will make watching it all the more enjoyable knowing what happens. Removes that nasty unpredictability element. Any more to add and we wont need to watch it at all ?

It's a guess not fact.

goose2005

the rising fails and Pearse and Connolly get shot.

also it would be great if Michelle Fairley ended up dying at another Red Wedding on Easter Monday...

josephryan1989

I was reading The Easter Rebellion by Max Caulfield and noticed the first attack by British lancers on the GPO was led by Colonel Hammond. Any relation to Hammond in the Castle?

ricero

I find the republican woman very annoying. Hopefully she gets the bullet first