Modern Mistakes in Ancient Movies

Movie studios pour millions into making their historical blockbusters as accurate and authentic as possible, which makes spotting their obvious errors all the more enjoyable! Here are some of the biggest blunders of ancient world film-making.

300 (2006)

Aside from the imperialistic undertones and modern ideologies of warfare – rudimentarily speaking the ‘us’ against ‘them’ syndrome – this fictionalised retelling of the Battle of Thermopylae has too many rather obvious gaffs.  The first example comes at the risk of upsetting the Gerard Butler fan club, as in the scenes where King Leonidas has his mouth open – quite a few – his modern fillings can be seen adorning his gleaming nashers.  Also, in a movie that prides itself on impressive CGI, would it be too much to ask to air brush out a few vaccination scars: most noticeable on the left arms belonging to Daxos (Andrew Pleavin) and Queen Goro (Lena Headey), respectively. 

10000BC (2008)

It would be easy, and perhaps cruel without a full critique (which will arrive on these pages at some point), to say this whole film is generally a mistake.  Somewhat more tactful would be to highlight that the ships in the movie would never need their sails raised when travelling northward on the Nile, as they’d be blown back by prevailing winds; the metalwork seen mastered onscreen acts as if to cut the very title in two as this was a feat only achieved circa 5500BCE; and the earliest Egyptian pyramid, so lorded over in the film, is believed to have been built around 2630BCE. 

Alexander (2004)

There will be those disappointed with Oliver Stone’s reluctance to fully examine the US involvement in Iraq through his Alexander.  But when one side calls him a raging liberal and the liberals themselves don’t quite believe in the usefulness of his propaganda tendencies, and he says he’s not a political filmmaker, is it any wonder mistakes are noted? Whilst it might be more historically believable (not necessarily accurate) than Gladiator or Troy, Colin Farrell’s shoulder tattoos, bowls filled with fruit not around until 283BCE, and the month of June mentioned before the Julian Calendar claims it as a date in 45BCE, all suggest a rethink. 

Ben-Hur (1959)

It may be one of the most famous big budget movies of its time, but if the money is on the screen in this picture then there are a few fake notes also in circulation.  In the courtyard of Ben-Hur’s home when Judah (Charlton Heston) and Messala (Stephen Boyd) are talking, the noise from a nearby road and its revving motorcycles betrays the authenticity of the scene.  Also, before the famous race the Star of David is pinned onto Judah’s belt in order to goad the Romans – except the Star of David was never a symbol of Judaism until the Middle Ages. 

Gladiator (2000)

It’s one of the best loved films about gladiatorial times, but after considering some of the historical inaccuracies it is unlikely most will feel Maximus (Russell Crowe) has “entertained”.  From leaflets and Lycra shorts to seventh century Saxon helmets, perhaps the sheer number of errors spotted in this film relates more to its mainstream popularity than any real bellyache we have with its fictitious history?  Then again when a weapons-fest of a film uses a term like “fire” before firearms themselves are a glint in any maniac’s eye, it is rather unforgivable form. 
 

Life of Brian (1979)

With the satirical nature of this film you might think it would be hard to underline any absolute errors that weren’t deliberate mistakes.  Considering these examples against the witticisms and sheer brilliance of the Monty Python team, you’d probably be right.  For example, when Brian (Graham Chapman) and the others begin singing in the last scene a tourist is seen walking in the background or, when a blind man falls into a pit moments after regaining his sight, a white mattress is clearly positioned to break the fall.  Finally, consider the flimsy cross Brian carries compared to the one he is raised upon.
 

Spartacus (1960)

Sword & Sandals doesn’t get much more epic than this, but when the sandals on display are purchased from the local Wal-Mart the audience’s suspension of disbelief springs back like some zealous Bungee-cord.  A shiny coin to anyone who spotted the anachronism in that last sentence.  Whether it’s a truck driving past in the hills of a particular battle scene or Antonius (Tony Curtis) wearing a Rolex watch, the impeccable attention to detail which was later a recognisable trait of director Stanley Kubrick’s oeuvre is called into question here.

The Passion of the Christ (2004)

In a film such as this it becomes difficult to identify actual errors from chosen artistic decisions, and even murkier to explore historical accuracies juxtaposed with various and varied biblical accounts.  So we’ll just stick to the good old-fashioned movie gaffs instead.  As Mary (Maia Morgenstern) attempts to clean the bloodied cobbles a camera pans inadvertently to reveal the shadow cast from a Boom mic; and when Pontius Pilate first commandingly enters the court and rests his arm on his stone chair, he’s either a little too commanding in wobbling the hard stone or it’s just that film-set favourite: painted polystyrene.  

The Ten Commandments (1956)

It’s difficult to consider Charlton Heston as an adopted-Egyptian prince and deliverer of the Hebrew slaves today, but that’s exactly who he was in playing Moses in this 1956 classic.  Exemption from this list, however, is not a common courtesy extended to a classic.  Given that the stone tablets are said to be the word of god, you’d think hiding the scripture already clearly written on them before this great revelation might be an idea.  And from a visible safety pin on the young Moses’ nappy to a watch on the adult incarnation as he stands on top of the great Mount Sinai, it seems Heston didn’t believe much in the character either. 

Troy (2004)

The spectacular set pieces and beau monde costume design of Troy threatens to skirt over the attention span of even the most conscientious of continuity editors.  Its very loose basis on the ancient Greek epic The Iliad - but with an exclusion of the influence of gods - means the ten-year war unfolds in a fortnight, but that’s not exactly an error or a factual bone of contention.  What are faults, however, are the shattered illusions of ancient Greece when Mexican dialogue can be heard from extras; a group of Llamas wandering around later confirm the suspicions that it was just cheaper to shoot in South America instead. 
 

Read or leave comments

About The Author

Andrew McWhirter

Last three pieces by this author:

Robot in Disguise: Dr. Zahi Hawass | Woo's Wish: East/West Unison | Top 5 Archaeology Movies

After prostituting the English language as a copywriter in the murky world of advertising Andrew returned to education, where he specialised in Film and Communication at Glasgow Caledonian University and Critical Writing on Film at The University of Glasgow.  He’s about to embark on a PhD entitled: Film Criticism in…