"Napoleon, The Directors Cut - What's new?" Topic

I think we can all agree, Napoleon was dire. Great uniforms, a visual treat, but otherwise…

But has anyone been brave enough to watch the Directors cut? Got to admit, I'm tempted, but I'd like an idea at least of what's new before I commit.

I am just starting to watch it myself. Took a lot of 'courage' to do so. Apparently there is a lot on Marengo (though, again, Napoleon is leading a cavalry charge) and there is a scene about the Cadoudal plot to blow up Napoleon on the way to the opera. Even if these scenes are good, they will not save such a disaster.

I am not sure Cadoudal was involved in the bombing, so that would be another point to chalk up for Sir Ridley.

I doubt it will help

Absent a new movie I am content with the basic waste of time involved in the original.

Who seriously cares. It's an awful bit of rubbish.

Jeez, the more I read about "Napoleon", any version, the less I'm inclined to EVER watch it. Life is too short and I've seen enough bad Nappy flicks.

When I think about it, the only Nappy movies I can say I enjoy and still own and will watch are few --

Napoleon (Abel Gance's silent epic)
War and Peace (1968, the long Russian one -- if that counts)
Waterloo (1970) (we all know that one)
The Emperor's New Clothes (2001) (hardly known to anyone, but a delightful film and Ian Holm is terrific in the lead role)

I could also include Love and Death, maybe, sort of (Woody Allen's pastiche).

But wow, that's hardly any at all. Why is the emperor so ill-served by cinema?

Good to see The Emperor's New Clothes cited, as it's my favourite film about Napoleon. Ian Holm – IMHO a talented actor who has not been accorded the recognition he deserves – succeeds in making one actually sympathise with Boney – unlike Phoenix in the Ridley Scott debacle!

Good to see The Emperor's New Clothes cited, as it's my favourite film about Napoleon. Ian Holm – IMHO a talented actor who has not been accorded the recognition he deserves – succeeds in making one actually sympathise with Boney – unlike Phoenix in the Ridley Scott debacle!

How could eight hours of the same horrible film be any better?
I wish Steven Spielberg or Peter Jackson had directed the film with the same resources.

I am with you Old Contemptible. I read somewhere that Spielberg had the rights to Kubrick's research and script and was planning on making a mini-series about Napoleon. I hope that the Scott debacle does not put him off.

I steeled myself to watch the director's cut. Some of the extra scenes were not bad but the history was still poor and overall there really was not any improvement. The first and second Italian campaigns get a scene or two but Marengo is reduced to one cavalry charge led by Napoleon! There another scene with a diplomatic dinner with national flags placed on the table, but they are all modern ones including a German national flag 70 years before there was a Germany! Still no Wagram or Leipzig.

Well I gave it a chance. It will not be added to my collection of Napoleon films.

Thank you Artilleryman. That is the information I was curious about.

I should imagine that someone decided non-wargaming/military enthusiasts would not recognise the flags of the period, so decided to use modern days ones. Hey, remember this is a film for general entertainment, it is not a documentary for us lot! If it was a documentary then yes, we should all be up in arms about it!