Netflix’s Alexander..

[Hypaspist]

Ok, so I watched the whole of the Netflix series on Alex and I’m shocked. Absolutely disastrous turdshow. Anyone seen it? He wore basically the same armour throughout the series And they didnt get anything right with regard to his army, uniforms, tactics, formations. Where were the famous sarrisas?? But the most appalling thing was how he wore the Pharao hat in the battle of Gaugamela!! Do better, Netflix!

[Alexias]

I haven't seen it, but the general opinion seems to be that it is just for mass-consumption rather than the purists.

[marcus]

I haven't seen it, but the general opinion seems to be that it is just for mass-consumption rather than the purists.

I made it as far as about 10 minutes into episode three and I've failed to summon the enthusiasm to press 'play' to watch any more. It is awful.

What angers me the most is that they got so much wrong that they could easily have got right. It seemed to me that they assumed that the audience was stupid, and couldn't cope with an accurate portrayal of the history.

[Hypaspist]

It was absolutely atrocious that they had him wear a Pharao’s hat during the battle of Gaugamela. Beyond insane.

[hiphys]

I watched the whole of the Netflix series on Alexander and I'm upset and angry. I read comments on many mistakes of the series (army, tactics, dress and so on), but I think the whole planning is wrong: its true headline should have been "Alexander Romance". Even the so-called 'experts' had done their worst in their explanations. For example they tell three times that Darius wasn't of royal lineage and only wedding Stateira he became king. But all ancient sources agree that Darius became king on his own right! And what about the Egyptian (?) priestess playing many times with coins and statuettes? It seems that the very name of Alexander means only telling new lies freely, as if there weren't already too much on him!

[cuthbertdavies]

Can you give me a list of all the movies? I've seen a lot but it seems there are many movies I've missed.

[Alexias]

Can you give me a list of all the movies? I've seen a lot but it seems there are many movies I've missed.

Oh Lord, that's a big ask!

There haven't been that many movies with a cinematic release that I am aware of. The main ones I know of are Oliver Stone's Alexander, Richard Burton's Alexander the Great, and the Indian Sikander.

As for television/streaming documentaries, there are innumerable ones. Possibly one of the best is Michael Wood's 'In the Footsteps of Alexander', but there are plenty of others, some of which are only partial eg there was one a few years ago where someone (I don't remember his name) visited the Hindu Kush area to follow sites where Alexander visited. And there are countless documentaries on YouTube.

The only drama TV series I can think of is the Indian 'Porus', which was abandoned part way through. Other docu-dramas such as this Netflix one seem to be thinner on the ground, but I think there was an older one which may be available on YouTube. Maybe someone can provide you with a link. As always though, the constraints of drama will often mean they are not wholly accurate as characters and and events are often syncretised. Good luck!

[mavra22]

Can you give me a list of all the movies? I've seen a lot but it seems there are many movies I've missed.

As for television/streaming documentaries, there are innumerable ones. Possibly one of the best is Michael Wood's 'In the Footsteps of Alexander', but there are plenty of others, some of which are only partial eg there was one a few years ago where someone (I don't remember his name) visited the Hindu Kush area to follow sites where Alexander visited. And there are countless documentaries on YouTube.

That recent docuseries on Alexander's passage through the Hindu Kush is by David Adams, titled "Alexander's Lost World"!

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLB8z ... ure=shared

[dean]

Hi,

Yep, I saw the netflix series a few months ago. It wasn't exactly what I was hoping to see.
Let's just leave it at that.

I remember also watching the Oliver Stone movie and there was an option to watch the film with director's commentary- also, Robin Lane Fox was the film's historical advisor and he discussed the many liberties Stone took in the same running commentary. I understand that Fox was allowed to be an extra in the film at the Gaugamela battle.

Anyway, guess that the netflix series won't be used in many schools in history class or at least I hope it won't...
regards,
Dean.

[Alexias]

I haven't seen it, but it seems to have provoked quite a bit of Alexander interest as there is quite a bit of activity over on AO3 (Archive of Our Own fan fiction).

It is the 20th anniversary of Stone's movie later this year and I was hoping to do something in the forum to mark it. Yes, there is a shot of Lane Fox riding as a cavalryman in the Gaugamela scenes.

[Jeanne Reames]

There were a LOT of liberties taken, many all about cost. For example, the (daughter) Barsine is too old because it's apparently super-expensive to bring minors onto a set. And there aren't nearly enough people, even guards for Alexander, due to lack of money. They couldn't afford a lot that was suggested. It may have been bought by Netflix, but Netflix didn't give it much in the way of funding. "Shoe-string" budget describes it. And they never showed any of the costumes or scene mock-ups to the historical advisors.

It seems to have been enjoyed by people who aren't hugely familiar with Alexander. The whole time, they kept emphasizing that 98% of the viewers would know nada about him, so it had to make sense to them.

[hiphys]

But if lot of liberties were taken because of the lack of money, why Netflix added a lot of nonsense to Alexander's history, such as the old Egyptian priestess, the Persians playing polo, Alexander begging the Persian governor of Egypt on his knees, and so on? Is it necessary to tell so many lies only to cut down the budget?

[marcus]

There were a LOT of liberties taken, many all about cost. For example, the (daughter) Barsine is too old because it's apparently super-expensive to bring minors onto a set. And there aren't nearly enough people, even guards for Alexander, due to lack of money. They couldn't afford a lot that was suggested. It may have been bought by Netflix, but Netflix didn't give it much in the way of funding. "Shoe-string" budget describes it. And they never showed any of the costumes or scene mock-ups to the historical advisors.

It seems to have been enjoyed by people who aren't hugely familiar with Alexander. The whole time, they kept emphasizing that 98% of the viewers would know nada about him, so it had to make sense to them.

Yes, the whole issue of audience targeting is interesting. I recently gave up on the adaptation of Cornwell's "The Winter King" because it was so bad. One of my friends, who owns a TV production company, explained it thus: "They assume that the people who have read the book will hate it anyway, so they target it at people who won't know how bad it is." I suppose the same could be said of this series.

I felt for you, Jeanne, seeing you named as a historical adviser, and then seeing the complete mess they made of it!

[Jeanne Reames]

But if lot of liberties were taken because of the lack of money, why Netflix added a lot of nonsense to Alexander's history, such as the old Egyptian priestess, the Persians playing polo, Alexander begging the Persian governor of Egypt on his knees, and so on? Is it necessary to tell so many lies only to cut down the budget?

The polo thing was weird. I told them that was later. (The Persians DID play polo! But it's medieval.) They wanted it anyway (instead of a hunt, which I suggested) because, I think, it felt to them more refined, and that was the image they were going for. I don't object to NOT portraying Persia as ignorant and/or barbaric, but it's a good example of the sort of decisions they made over history.

I also told them Pelusium surrendered to Alexander before he ever got there but, again, they wanted to crank up the drama and (I'm sure) liked the visual image of the Macedonian army (e.g., bout 50 guys, ha) held up in front of this massive gate, as symbolic.

So a lot is budget, but some was dramatic choice. Again, AS a fiction author, I understand that sometimes you go for drama. But there were choices they made that I wouldn't have. Then again... their story, not my story.

(I'll also add that there are arguments on at least some things. I did not like the emphasis on Alexander "as a god," which they clearly did. But I know a number of my colleagues do believe he came to think of himself that way, whereas I don't think he did, or at least with the caveat that "son of a God" = hero, not divine, except possibly by apotheosis after death. So THOSE are issues, as well--disagreements among the specialists.)

[Jeanne Reames]

I felt for you, Jeanne, seeing you named as a historical adviser, and then seeing the complete mess they made of it!

Thanks, Marcus. I thought of my job as keeping out the more egregious errors. E.g., what *didn't* get in, because I nixed it. LOL But as advisor, you are simply that: advisor. Their story, their vision.

And yes, they frequently noted that MOST of the viewers would know next-to-nothing about Alexander and the documentary had to be aimed at those (literally) hundreds of thousands/millions ... not the couple hundred (maybe a couple thousand) who were experts. This, mathematically, makes sense. I know (from experience) that making something more accurate will lose readers who are there only for the drama/story, and you still won't please half the people who DO know because your personal vision differs from theirs and they'll hate yours.