Napoleon (miniseries) (2002)

Did you know there was an epic miniseries on the life of Napoleon? From the wiki it looks pretty interesting with John Malkovich and Gerard Depardieu involved. How did I not notice that?

Imdb facts

Clips at the official site - available on DVD.

Youtube clip of Battle of Austerlitz

Battle of George Square 1919

Anniversary today of the mass picket and riot in Glasgow that scared the authorities so much in the wake of the Bolshevik revolution they sent in 10,000 English troops and tanks into the city - no Scottish soldiers were deployed for fear of their disloyalty.

Emhar Crimean/Franco-Prussian war figures out

It's a bit of a golden age for 1/72 plastic figures at the moment with many interesting and well produced sets coming out - and none more eagerly awaited by me than this set of French infantry for the reign of Napoleon III. Check out the above review for images... Zouaves and Prussians to come. Features British company Emhar's poseable plastic so some variation is possible within the given sculpts. With all the manufacturers in this scale producing good quality figures like this I hope more people get into plastic as they are aesthetically better anatomically than most metal figures and the scale fits in with the stuff you find in model shops...and it won't cost an arm and a leg.

Also new out at the moment is Italian infantry of World War 1. Hat Industries are about to produce early Great War French. I'd like to see someone produce compatable white metal figures to fill in the gaps - for example gun crews for the Franco-Prussian war - to go on ACW guns and limbers. (Incidentally I am thinking of using Fire and Furia Francese mods to the Fire and Fury rules. If I ever get that far).

When wargaming was in its infancy you used to be able to get figures in this style - why not now? I presume the answer is in the UK where small scale model soldier production is part of our heritage if you like - plastic figures are looked down upon. Not so in continental Europe where they love 1/72 plastics but they have no cottage industry of figure making so can't fill the gaps. Does that make sense? Chances are you've stopped reading by now anyway but to conclude - if you think 1/72 plastic figures are just for kids then you're missing out on a lot of good things in the industry - the only problem is waiting for new sets to come out.

Yorktown reenactment DVD trailer 2

More footage from last autumn's event in Virginia celebrating the final battle in the war for American independence. Great camera work. Looks worth buying. More historical shorts from the filmmakers here including some pleasant American Civil War sequences.

Monochrome Set 'Eine Symphonie des grauens' from 1979

Here's a really early clip of this brilliant band from 1979. I've never seen this clip before - looks like it's from before Andy Warren joined so this is very early on - the Rough Trade era. Title means 'A Symphony of terrors' and is from the subtitle of Nosferatu by FW Murnau. Cherry Red have issued a Monochrome Set dvd - based on their Destiny Calling VHS with some extras... it's pretty good - unmissable if you're a fan...otherwise ...maybe

Catch me who can

Next year is the bicentennial of this event - the showing of Trevithick's locomotive 'Catch me who can' in Euston Square London - seen here in this print by Rowlandson in the National Library of Wales - it came off the track and this was seen by Trevithick as a failure and he retired from inventing. More here on Trevithick's engines and if this particular engine survived. Anyway, how about someone recreating this famous event? - I'd go see it.

Early locos

I find these engines pretty interesting.

'Alatriste' movie trailer

I love the pike - the weapon that is - and the first 10 seconds of this trailer for what looks an amazing Spanish historical movie has some pike action that is stunning. Rarely do you see Pike and Shot warfare being done well on the screen but this looks very good. Viggo Mortensen plays the fictional Captain. The setting is 17th century Spain... it's a modern swashbuckler - what more do you need to know - watch the trailer! Official site

CSS 'Let's make love and listen to death from above'

We've got tickets to see this brilliant band from Brazil next month in Bristol. It's unusual to find something that both Susan and myself like but we love this band. They remind us of Kleenex on some songs. CSS Myspace

Battle on Snowshoes

Photos of the French and Indian war skirmish of 1758 reenacted in the snow in North America recently are on this gallery. This historically involved the famous Robert Rogers of Rogers' Rangers fame. He lost. Not surprising as Canadians and Natives were masters of winter warfare.

Also here for pictures and movies of earlier reenactments. Looks bitterly cold but I am pretty jealous of them out there in the snow. Well done. Shows there's more to do in winter than stay in. Snowshoes movie site

Bunker Hill diorama

This is an impressive recreation of this battle of the American Revolution made using 1/72 miniatures. I wish I had the perseverence to do an epic project like this but it looks like a collective effort, so I suppose it's a social activity too. Plenty of images on the Strelets site. Well done.

Hellzapoppin clip

Yesterday was my Dad's 77th birthday so I thought I'd put something up that he would enjoy if he looked at my blog - and chose this clip from the 1941 classic movie Hellzapoppin. Such an original movie.

Roger Fenton

I love looking at Roger Fenton's photographs of the Crimean War. They are a link to a world now gone. Not really that many on the web though sadly. He took quite a few pictures of this lady who I presume is a vivandiere of a Zouave regiment. His photos are remarkable documents and deserve to be put into a book that is accessible to all. Index of Eastman images

Some are here

His letters are interesting - for example

While they were falling in I went down to the edge of the ravine down wh the troops were to march to the trenches before the attack[.] The French columns were approaching, Zouave’s leading. As they drew near our soldiers not on duty stood as a hedge on each side and cheered each regiment as they passed. Most of the French seemed wild with excitement tho’ some looked very anxious and well they might for it was certain that many of those voices cheering so loudly wd be still in death before the sun had set. When they had passed I went back to our columns and heard Genl Pennefather going amongst the men and begging them not to shout so as they were only giving the Russians notice of what was coming.

Fenton's letters from the Crimea

Crimean stone throwing skirmish

Found this and thought it interesting...could make an amusing low budget battle movie.

"Incident in Crimea - A party of ten men of the 33rd encounter a dozen Russians. Both sides having expended all their ammunition, resort to throwing stones."

Who won?

Animals and men at last fm

Tank recovered from lake after 62 years

A captured T-34 with German markings was dragged out of a lake in Estonia where it was dumped by the retreating Germans. It was found to be in relatively good order and the enthusiasts plan to restore it. Apparently a boy noticed tank tracks leading to the lake and saw bubbles coming to the surface.

Crimean war reenactors

I thought while investigating warfare in the age of steam it might be worth looking at the reenactors of the Crimean war. Check out the King's Hussars site for images of the anniversary event in the Crimea celebrating the Charge of the Light Brigade.

19th foot - British redcoats of the period

In the US - group recreating British troops.

The Diehards have a Crimean section. Recreating the 55th and 77th.

Abel Gance's Napoleon

One of the great historical movies of all time with a cast of thousands. Dieudonne who played Bonaparte became obsessed with the man and recited his farewell address to the troops every year. I was lucky enough to see this movie on the big screen with an orchestra - particularly thrilling to see the final scene in tryptich... across three screens.

Jean-Baptiste Tournassoud

I spend quite a bit of my time peering at old photographs. There's nothing better than an old image for capturing days gone by. This French photographer has captured the end of an era with his. This scene is part of a series of autochromes capturing the French army on the eve of the Great War in all their colourful old world glory. His scenes of country life are a treasure too.

Images of 1870

Interesting site with lots of images - like this one - watch them as a slideshow - makes a little movie of the Franco-Prussian war. Beautiful graphics. Links are useful too.