Hollywood Needs History Lesson
 

I was watching The Last Samurai yesterday, and I spotted a major error. I don't know for sure but I would be safe to say that the telephone was not invented in 1876-77

One scene in the movie when the samurai's were ridding on horseback to town (Japan). The camera panned down and in that scene you can see (Clear as day) telephone polls with mass telephone lines. I don't even think that eletricity was being used as we know it in todays world.

Any history buffs out there that can confirm when this for sure?

They have people in charge of "continuity" that are suppose to catch those errors and have them edited out. Obviously the missed that scene. lol

I know exactly the scene your referring to. I believe it was obvious because the director was attempting to show how the emperor was trying to modernize Japan. However, those were wires, but not nessesarily telephone wires, but could easily have been telegraph wires which were in widespread use during that time period.


spaz

I am thinking telegraph wires too :)

I thought the telegraph was invented in the 1880's or at least in use after the 1880's

well here we go heh heh,
The soldier in the movie (played by Tom Cruise) is a Civil War veteran who after the war continued to serve as an 'Indian Hunter' forgive my non-PC term there, who later travels to Japan with the mission of moderizing the Japanese Army.
American Civil War dates from 1861-1865, so he had to travel to Japan some time after that. The telegraph started to be in use in Japan in 1873 and was in widespread use (thoughout Japan) by 1878. So, in theory, those lines could very well have been pausible as well as plausible for the time period in question.

Thanks for the thread, gave me a chance to look into a rather obscure part of history that I found enjoyable


spaz

Jesus guys, just enjoy the movie :D

Some people have a lot of time on their hands :D

Re: Hollywood Needs History Lesson
 

spaz is a history buff, so yeah
and
Yahoo'd all that info in less than 15 minutes :)


spaz

It's still fine that they weren't using a cell phone at that time |pokefun|