Introduction
Historical events and figures are often used as central elements of movies. However, various filmmakers typically rely on significantly different means to describe the same story. This statement perfectly applies to two films about Napoleon Bonaparte. The first of them is a 1927 silent movie by Abel Gance, while the second is a this-year interpretation featuring Joaquin Fenix by Ridley Scott. The two focus on the life and career of a famous French politician, but one cannot state that they are identical. A closer analysis of these motion pictures reveals that even though they have some parallels in terms of plot, differences in the narrative and filmmaking techniques are essential.
Similarities
To begin with, one should comment on a similarity between the two selected films. The two directors decided to focus on the same historical figure, which obliged them to discuss the same events that had been the most influential in his life. That is why Napoleon’s participation in battles and his relationship with Josephine are essential elements of the narrative in both films. Thus, it is possible to mention that the modern movie mirrors the Poetic Realism version from 1927 in depicting these facts. Even though the two directors had the same ideas and events as their starting points, they did not create very similar pictures because of their differing approaches.
Differences
The information above demonstrates that there are a few significant differences between the films and the first of them refers to the narrative techniques. The original version of Gance’s film lasted for over four hours, while the modern movie is 158 minutes long. That is why it is not surprising that Gance managed to enrich his picture with more details of Napoleon’s life. Thus, the Poetic Realism version tried to depict more real-life events and processes that happened to Napoleon, while Scott’s narrative technique included a compressed narrative of the protagonist’s biography. Furthermore, the modern adaptation was uninterested in Napoleon’s military genius and inner emotions and drew more attention to action sequences.
The second notable difference relates to filmmaking techniques because there were almost 100 years between the two pictures. Even though it was a silent film, Gance did his best to make it innovative and appealing. For instance, the movie is famous for a panorama triptych, which was a bold and technologically challenging decision of that time. In other cases, the film relies on traditional and elementary filmmaking processes in comparison to current opportunities.
On the contrary, Scott benefited from the modern advancements and opportunities of computer-generated images. They allowed the director to create verisimilar scenes of guillotine executions and bloody battlefields. As has been mentioned above, action sequences received more attention from Scott, and he decided to devote more screenplay to these events. This information results in a single observation regarding the new version: Napoleon of 2023 is a modern blockbuster rather than a history movie since it did not try to convey realism.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the comparison of the two selected movies has demonstrated that they have both similar and distinct features. While the plot and historical basis are the only shared facts, differences are more notable. These films represent various epochs, and it is not surprising that the directors relied on discrepant filmmaking and narrative techniques.
As a result, Gance’s version is characterized by more realistic value, while Scott managed to create a picture that satisfies modern tendencies, drawing more attention to visual effects. However, this discovery does not mean that any of the films is better than the other one. Each picture is worth watching, and various audience groups can find some appealing features in the movies.
Works Cited
Gance, Abel, director. Napoleon. Gaumont, 1927.
Scott, Ridley, director. Napoleon. Scott Free Productions, 2023.