if ever you do see a torch burning with
a smokeless flame in a film you can be
pretty certain that it's uh benefiting
from the modern petrochemical Industries
uh big Flames created lots of smoke in
days of your sorry but that's just the
way it was in the movies you could stand
around for ages looking really cool
against a a backdrop of burning Timber
uh without succumbing to smoke
inhalation and the ancient world it
seems was lit with these huge huge very
very bright smokeless flames in
mysterious bowls right next to the walls
whereas archaeologists would have us
believe that if they wanted more light
they would just put more wicks in their
lamps and Ridley Scott in Gladiator
would have us believe that the Romans
used nap arm against the Germans I don't
think so and of course in every scene of
Milling citizens in the market uh you've
got to have fire breathers yeah all
right why do they put us here on guard
again what do you mean
well we're almost completely blind and
we're standing completely the wrong
place there's the point
actually okay we're in position where
are the sentries I don't know why aren't
they at the top of the slope I don't
know okay right 10,000 arrows it's
amazing that the centuries didn't notice
10,000 people carrying fire I know
brilliant isn't it is this really the
most efficient way we can think of for
setting fire to these ball things uh
yeah I I I think it's a really good plan
actually but wouldn't the arrows Landing
in the sand just you know get snuffed
out yeah you'd think that wouldn't you
yeah sge I'm frightened here they come
here they
come steady Lads steady it's all right
they haven't uh they haven't developed
Petr chemical Industries so we're
completely safe don't worry Lads when
those great big fails of a roll over
those little Flames they'll just snuff
them out oh oh oh no oh flinking flip oh
no no vual chemical Industries those
gor it's all right the w't come through
the fence they can't possibly come
through the fence it's a well made
fence
how get to the fence why did we the
theot of
the the wall defensive wall oh yes we
buil that at the bottom of the Ser as
well br oh no I just finished ping
that they're jumping over the oneall
they believe it oh no that one as well
we must get the gunpowder store get the
gunpowder
store the gunpowder store we don't have
guns
no
last what
a greatost well in this sequence um we
have the king in a room which is quite
clearly in the middle of the look at the
angle of the Sun and yet it's got fires
lit everywhere apparently for light the
Torches are really high up on the wall
you need a ladder to change them
although do you need to change them are
they in fact torches they appear to be
metal tubes with a sort of trumpet at
the top with a big flame coming out of
it what do you think that is let them
come now here's another scene with two
of the main characters talking away and
the set designer clearly thought that
putting some fire in the background
would be good because you know fire
that's dead medieval isn't it um so high
up on the wall we see a couple Flames
burning what are they what what burns
like that in the ancient world is it is
it coal is it charcoal is it wood is it
is it oil what is it and and why is it
there it's not for heat cuz heat rises
that's not going to heat anyone usefully
and it's not for light either cuz it's
the middle of the day they're gas jets
they are completely pointless gas jets
I say I'm appallingly lost you couldn't
uh put me on the right road to wincher
could you no right