Interesting project, currently being filmed in my neck of the woods. It centers on the old legend about the Roman 9th Legion heading out into the Highlands of Scotland... and never being heard from again.

Historically, it's nonsense of course, for a variety of reasons - not least of which being the fact that at least some parts of the 9th are well attested in what is now the Netherlands years after their alleged disappearance round these parts. The main problems for me, though, are these:

1) The director is having the locals speak Gaelic, for what he calls "historical accuracy"... even though Gaelic wouldn't be heard in that area for a few centuries yet (he'd have been better off having them speak Welsh, as it happens).

2) He's basing the native population on what he understands about places like Skara Brae... which is separated from his supposed locations by several millenia, and several hundred miles. Entirely different people, culturally, lingsuistically and, in fact, in every possible way.

However..... I am very much looking forward to the film as pure entertainment. I've enjoyed the directors other work, particularly "The Last King Of Scotland", and this is being talked about as doing more for Scotland than "Braveheart" did. Braveheart, of course, is total nonsense but did wonders for the global profile of Scotland.

Just an early "heads-up" for fans of historical films. It seems well cast, it's certainaly got a good director and the Highlands segments are actually being filmed in the Highlands (bit of a novelty, that). Historical accuracy notwithstanding, it's well worth keeping at the back of your mind until it's realeased in late 2010.

EDITED AFTERTHOUGHT - My particular interest in this may stem from the fact that most of my archaeological interest is concentrated on both the area and time period covered by this film. The Romans in Scotland is my specialist subject.

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Ah, Rosemary Sutcliff.
The novel was read to my class by our teacher at primary school, and it so stuck in my mind that I hunted down a copy a few years ago. The denouement was somewhere under Ben Cruachan, as I recall, though I imagine they might struggle to find a location in that vicinity without a view of the road, railway line, reservoir or the 4x4 tracks in the surrounding estate.

Anyway, it can't possibly be worse than Braveheart. Merciful heavens, tell me it can't be any worse than Braveheart ...

Grant Hutchison

Carelessly, I've never bothered looking out the book. In her defence, when she wrote her book it was generally accepted that the 9th had vanished, presumably at sword point, in the Highlands. It's a children's book, isn't it? So is The Hobbit, and I love that, so maybe I should get my hands on it.

The Highland sequences are being shot - as we speak- around Achiltibuie, so plenty wilderness.

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Ach! Hallo Stranger!

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Mak: Pass the pepperoni please.
Fazor: "Hail, Bautainia! We pledge our hearts to thee! Science and woo, some babbling too, and astron-oh-meee!"
slang: And it made ash out of yew and tree.

Yes. Short and simply written. The adventures of a couple of Roman soldiers who set out into the horrors of Scotland to discover the fate of the missing Ninth legion and to retrieve its eagle standard. IIRC, she hooks the recovered eagle to a real archaeological find of a Roman-vintage eagle in England, although that in due course turned out not to have been a legionary eagle standard.
Not much complexity or character development to it, it must be said.

Grant Hutchison

Indeed, hello! I slipped off quietly for a year or so for reasons I can't be bothered getting into. I may be back!

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it's Scotland- just put a bunch of drunk guys in kilts and give a few of them bagpipes, then make them talk like Groundskeeper Willy or the "use your dipstick, Jimmy" guy from the tv commercials.. that's as historically accurate as the American audience needs their movies to be.

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The.. Best.. Thread..Ever...

Slight derail, though related through the lost eagles, does anyone know any movies have been made to commemorate the 2000 years anniversary of the loss of eagles of the 17th, 18th and 19th?

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Ah, you've seen Braveheart ...

Grant Hutchison

At least, for the shooting of Blackadder: Back and Forth, when they needed someone to play a Scottish horde they used a horde of Scotsmen (according to the credits).

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Eagle of the Ninth was filmed as a BBC series many years ago I seem to remember.

found it from 1977 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0397778/

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Everryone knows that the Ninth is still lurking under York's Treasurer's house
http://www.welcometoyork.co.uk/treasurer_haunt.html

I wonder if John Goodricke ever saw them when he lived there...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Goodricke
(presumably he would not have heard them, being stone deaf)

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Yes, I drink some schnapps, and sing "Als Die Roemer Fech Geworden...." Or put on the Heino CD of the same song and sing along.....I can post a home video and put everone off their feed......

Dale in AL

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Found a really nice Folio edition of it in my dad's extensive library, and am reading it. I'm enjoying it! Although there are several historical mistakes, the depth of detail is taking me by surprise. For a children's book, it does manage to create an authentic feeling second century Britain - although it wouldn't stand up to much scruitiny. I think my enjoyment is enhanced by my knowledge of, and huge interest in, Roman Scotland and my familiarity of several of the locations the characters visit - particularly the sites of some of the Roman installations and native duns I've been to.

Edited afterthought: There aren't many fictional books I've read in which brochs (like I have in my avatar!) are mentioned, so that's bonus points right there.

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One is featured in 'Great Northern' by Arthur Ransome.

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I've not read that. It's set on the Isle Of Lewis, isn't it? Or, at least, on the Western Isles? I bet my dad has got a copy somewhere.... Thanks for the pointer.

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It's on an unnamed 'Western Isle' It's one of my fave books from childhood, it's the last of the 'Swallows and Amazons' books.

The Broch plays a small but important part in the story. Among other things you will learn why a Deer Forest has no trees in it, the differences between a Black Throated and Great Northern Diver and why a sailing boat needs Legs.

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Hey, I lived on a couple of the western isles for many years... so it's only the middle one of those examples which is something I could learn. Thanks again.

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I haven't seen the TV series [actually I think I did see bits of it when I was 14, 32 years ago, but I don't remember much of it] but I would strongly recommend the radio adaptation which I have on tape.

Of Rosemary Sutcliff's other works, I'd especially praise Song for a Dark Queen, which is about Boudicca.

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Differences between Black THroated and Great Northern (Loon in the USA) Divers is a major part of the plot.

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Supposedly the world's longest lived(?) ghosts.

Yes, it appears that ghosts usually fade away after a while, otherwise we'd be swamped by the ghosts of innumerable human ancestors dating back to the Palaeolithic...

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You mean when people forget about them?

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Sorry...although I have tried mightily to resist I have to say now that every time I read this thread title in the forum, it looks like someone's proud post about shooting the 9th hole 2 under par...especially seeing that the OP is a Scot. Carry on.

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Yeah ...
It's a moderately well-known book in Scotland, so that joke does go the rounds. I'm sure we can expect another outbreak when the film is released.

Grant Hutchison