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Braveheart - Wrong Time Period
In the opening scene of the movie, there is bagpipe playing. The time period for the movie is around 1250. Bagpipes were not introduced into Scotland until the 1500s.
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Rated 5.0/10 (58 ratings) Your opinion?
Special Requirements: movie; eyes
Contributed By: Anonymous on 12-02-2000 and Reviewed By: Webmaster
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Comments:
C.W writes:
First of all I'm sure the reason this was done is because when people think of Scotland the most identify with bagpipes. Secondly most people aren't going to know what time period they are from and probably don't care. Most people (obviously not all) know it's only a movie and aren't there to overanalyze it to the point it isn't enjoyable. If you can think of a movie that is 100 percent historically accurate, let me know, because I don't know of any.
15 of 6576 found this helpful. Did you? Yes
Will Storrie writes:
I have to agree with C.W. on this point!
15 of 6576 found this helpful. Did you? Yes
Techster writes:
Actually, I believe that Uillean Pipes are being played in the opening scene. Still, even THEY didn't evolve until the beginning of the 18th Century.
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goodlittlebutcherboy writes:
...Excuse the producers for wanting to set the tone of the scene with some background music
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Du Nomad writes:
Bagpipes have been around in one form or another since the ancient Greeks. The Romans actually introduced the pipes (and the kilt, for that matter, which is a derivation of the toga) to the Celts in Julius Caeser's time. There is recorded evidence (documentation . . . obviously not sound recording :)) of pipers being at the Battle of Banock Burn (1314, shown briefly at the very end of the movie) and statues depicting pipers dating back to the 1200's. The exact type of pipe used in the film is probably not accurate, but their presence in that time period is absolutely correct.
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kev.middleman writes:
If the film was set in the 1250s it would have been very boring - Wallace wasn't born until 20 years later. I've been informed by an authority on the subject that the pipes seen played later in the film are Breton pipes. Still a mistake that French pipes were being played in Scotland, but they were probably chosen for their more melodic sound. Scots pipes have a drone whereas the Breton ones don't.
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Emmy writes:
As a matter of fact, the Scottish also did not wear kilts when in battle at this time. But, wouldn't you agree that it adds a certain something to the movie's whole feel? I think so.
15 of 6576 found this helpful. Did you? Yes
Pash writes:
It's called an anachronism. Shakespeare was famous for them. He had a clock, a doublet, and the Virgin Mary in "Julius Caesar." So even the greatest writer of all time messed up. The fact is that the slip-up doesn't take away from the film at all.
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MrHappyHamster writes:
This slipup is true. Men didn't wear kilts yet either at the time the story is taking place. This is just one of the many historical inaccuracies in this movie.
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ramon writes:
Simple Kilts were around in Scotland long before the 1300's. The viking king Magnus Barefoot conquered the Western Isles of Scotland around 1093 and fought in the north west of Scotland. By the time of his return, he and his men had adopted the weaqring of the kilt they'd seen in the battles - it's mentioned in the Magnus Barefoot Saga.
15 of 6576 found this helpful. Did you? Yes

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