Pompeii: The Last Day
Encyclopedia
Pompeii: The Last Day is a 2003 dramatized documentary that tells of the eruption of Mount Vesuvius
on 24 August 79 AD
. This eruption covered the Roman
cities of Pompeii
and Herculaneum
in ash and pumice, killing all those trapped between the volcano
and the sea. The documentary
portrayed the different phases of the eruption. It was directed by Peter Nicholson and written by Edward Canfor-Dumas
.
in co-production with TLC
.
for Outstanding Sound Editing for Nonfiction Programming (Single or Multi-Camera) for this production.
It was the highest rated specialist factual programme of the year with an audience of 10.3 million and a 40% share.
from the point of view of assorted inhabitants of Pompeii
and Herculaneum
whose names and occupations are known, including a local politician and his family, a fuller
, his wife, and two gladiator
s. Historical characters included Pliny the Elder
and his nephew Pliny the Younger
.
It draws heavily on the eyewitness account of Pliny the Younger
as well as historical research and recent discoveries in volcanology
. Extensive CGI
was used to recreate the effects of the eruption.
when the fourth pyroclastic surge
hit died instantly or slowly suffocated to death.
, facing the forum, and the Temple of Apollo
, across the portico to the left, are inaccurate, and the shown state of the porticoes around the forum
is also at least questionable, as they all appear intact during this recreation of the 79 eruption; it is widely known that at least the Temples of Jupiter and Apollo had been destroyed 17 years before, during the 62 earthquake
, and that they had not been rebuilt by the time the city was finally destroyed in the 79 eruption.
Mount Vesuvius
Mount Vesuvius is a stratovolcano in the Gulf of Naples, Italy, about east of Naples and a short distance from the shore. It is the only volcano on the European mainland to have erupted within the last hundred years, although it is not currently erupting...
on 24 August 79 AD
Anno Domini
and Before Christ are designations used to label or number years used with the Julian and Gregorian calendars....
. This eruption covered the Roman
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
cities of Pompeii
Pompeii
The city of Pompeii is a partially buried Roman town-city near modern Naples in the Italian region of Campania, in the territory of the comune of Pompei. Along with Herculaneum, Pompeii was destroyed and completely buried during a long catastrophic eruption of the volcano Mount Vesuvius spanning...
and Herculaneum
Herculaneum
Herculaneum was an ancient Roman town destroyed by volcanic pyroclastic flows in AD 79, located in the territory of the current commune of Ercolano, in the Italian region of Campania in the shadow of Mt...
in ash and pumice, killing all those trapped between the volcano
Volcano
2. Bedrock3. Conduit 4. Base5. Sill6. Dike7. Layers of ash emitted by the volcano8. Flank| 9. Layers of lava emitted by the volcano10. Throat11. Parasitic cone12. Lava flow13. Vent14. Crater15...
and the sea. The documentary
Documentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
portrayed the different phases of the eruption. It was directed by Peter Nicholson and written by Edward Canfor-Dumas
Edward Canfor-Dumas
Edward Canfor-Dumas is an award-winning TV scriptwriter and novelist. After winning a scholarship to Latymer Upper School, Hammersmith, he read English Literature at New College, Oxford. Soon after, he started penning scripts for popular television series such as The Bill and Kavanagh QC...
.
Production
The film was produced by the BBCBBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
in co-production with TLC
TLC (TV channel)
TLC is an American cable TV specialty channel which initially focused on educational content. Since 1991 TLC has been owned by Discovery Communications, the same company that operates the Discovery Channel, Animal Planet and The Science Channel, as well as other learning-themed networks...
.
Awards
Sound supervisor Simon Farmer won the 2005 Primetime Emmy Award57th Primetime Emmy Awards
The 57th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards were held on September 18, 2005, hosted by Ellen DeGeneres. The 2005 Primetime Emmy Awards show was broadcast on CBS....
for Outstanding Sound Editing for Nonfiction Programming (Single or Multi-Camera) for this production.
- BAFTA 2004 nominations for Flaherty and RT Audience
- Winner: BBC Factual Audience Award
- Winner: RTS Education Award
It was the highest rated specialist factual programme of the year with an audience of 10.3 million and a 40% share.
Plot
The documentary tells the story of the eruption of Mount VesuviusMount Vesuvius
Mount Vesuvius is a stratovolcano in the Gulf of Naples, Italy, about east of Naples and a short distance from the shore. It is the only volcano on the European mainland to have erupted within the last hundred years, although it is not currently erupting...
from the point of view of assorted inhabitants of Pompeii
Pompeii
The city of Pompeii is a partially buried Roman town-city near modern Naples in the Italian region of Campania, in the territory of the comune of Pompei. Along with Herculaneum, Pompeii was destroyed and completely buried during a long catastrophic eruption of the volcano Mount Vesuvius spanning...
and Herculaneum
Herculaneum
Herculaneum was an ancient Roman town destroyed by volcanic pyroclastic flows in AD 79, located in the territory of the current commune of Ercolano, in the Italian region of Campania in the shadow of Mt...
whose names and occupations are known, including a local politician and his family, a fuller
Fulling
Fulling or tucking or walking is a step in woolen clothmaking which involves the cleansing of cloth to eliminate oils, dirt, and other impurities, and making it thicker. The worker who does the job is a fuller, tucker, or walker...
, his wife, and two gladiator
Gladiator
A gladiator was an armed combatant who entertained audiences in the Roman Republic and Roman Empire in violent confrontations with other gladiators, wild animals, and condemned criminals. Some gladiators were volunteers who risked their legal and social standing and their lives by appearing in the...
s. Historical characters included Pliny the Elder
Pliny the Elder
Gaius Plinius Secundus , better known as Pliny the Elder, was a Roman author, naturalist, and natural philosopher, as well as naval and army commander of the early Roman Empire, and personal friend of the emperor Vespasian...
and his nephew Pliny the Younger
Pliny the Younger
Gaius Plinius Caecilius Secundus, born Gaius Caecilius or Gaius Caecilius Cilo , better known as Pliny the Younger, was a lawyer, author, and magistrate of Ancient Rome. Pliny's uncle, Pliny the Elder, helped raise and educate him...
.
It draws heavily on the eyewitness account of Pliny the Younger
Pliny the Younger
Gaius Plinius Caecilius Secundus, born Gaius Caecilius or Gaius Caecilius Cilo , better known as Pliny the Younger, was a lawyer, author, and magistrate of Ancient Rome. Pliny's uncle, Pliny the Elder, helped raise and educate him...
as well as historical research and recent discoveries in volcanology
Volcanology
Volcanology is the study of volcanoes, lava, magma, and related geological, geophysical and geochemical phenomena. The term volcanology is derived from the Latin word vulcan. Vulcan was the ancient Roman god of fire....
. Extensive CGI
Computer-generated imagery
Computer-generated imagery is the application of the field of computer graphics or, more specifically, 3D computer graphics to special effects in art, video games, films, television programs, commercials, simulators and simulation generally, and printed media...
was used to recreate the effects of the eruption.
Death throes
Most of the people who were in PompeiiPompeii
The city of Pompeii is a partially buried Roman town-city near modern Naples in the Italian region of Campania, in the territory of the comune of Pompei. Along with Herculaneum, Pompeii was destroyed and completely buried during a long catastrophic eruption of the volcano Mount Vesuvius spanning...
when the fourth pyroclastic surge
Pyroclastic surge
A pyroclastic surge is a fluidized mass of turbulent gas and rock fragments which is ejected during some volcanic eruptions. It is similar to a pyroclastic flow but it has a lower density or contains a much higher proportion of gas to rock ratio, which makes it more turbulent and allows it to rise...
hit died instantly or slowly suffocated to death.
- The death throes of those in the family of Julius Polybius are based upon the 1975 discovery of the skeleton of a heavily pregnant girl (Julia) surrounded by her family, in the actual House of Julius Polybius. Julia's husband, Sabinus is shown to have most likely poisoned himself, and presumably was the skeleton lying near the foot of the bed that Julia's body was found on, with the bones of her fetusFetusA fetus is a developing mammal or other viviparous vertebrate after the embryonic stage and before birth.In humans, the fetal stage of prenatal development starts at the beginning of the 11th week in gestational age, which is the 9th week after fertilization.-Etymology and spelling variations:The...
found as well. - The death of Stephanus the Fuller is based upon a cast found of a man in the fetal position (locked up in an on-site warehouse for safekeeping).
- The death of Stephanus's wife, Fortunata, is based upon the discovery of the body of a rich bejeweled lady in the gladiator barracks, alongside those of gladiators.
- In HerculaneumHerculaneumHerculaneum was an ancient Roman town destroyed by volcanic pyroclastic flows in AD 79, located in the territory of the current commune of Ercolano, in the Italian region of Campania in the shadow of Mt...
, the death throes are much simpler, as most people were found during excavations either on the beach or inside the boat houses. Additionally, unlike PompeiiPompeiiThe city of Pompeii is a partially buried Roman town-city near modern Naples in the Italian region of Campania, in the territory of the comune of Pompei. Along with Herculaneum, Pompeii was destroyed and completely buried during a long catastrophic eruption of the volcano Mount Vesuvius spanning...
, when the pyroclastic surges hit Herculaneum, people there were instantly killed whereas most Pompeians slowly suffocated, although some died instantly.
Cast
- Rachel Atkins - Plinia
- Omar BerdouniOmar BerdouniOmar Berdouni is a Moroccan actor now residing in London.After attending the American School of Tangier, he moved to London and graduated from the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art in 2003. He has starred in a number of feature films including The Hamburg Cell, United 93, "The Situation", The...
- Callistus - Emily Canfor-Dumas - Slave girl
- Jim Carter - Polybius
- Rebecca Clarke - Fortunata
- Chrissie Cotterill - Epidia
- Jonathan FirthJonathan FirthJonathan Firth is a British actor best known for his roles in such noted British television productions as Middlemarch, Far from the Madding Crowd, and Victoria & Albert.-Early life:Jonathan Firth was born in Essex, England...
- Stephanus - Martin Hodgson - Gaius - Pliny the YoungerPliny the YoungerGaius Plinius Caecilius Secundus, born Gaius Caecilius or Gaius Caecilius Cilo , better known as Pliny the Younger, was a lawyer, author, and magistrate of Ancient Rome. Pliny's uncle, Pliny the Elder, helped raise and educate him...
- Leigh Jones - Sabinus
- Neji Nejah - Restitutus
- Tim Pigott-SmithTim Pigott-SmithTim Pigott-Smith is an English film and television actor.-Early life:Pigott-Smith was born in Rugby, Warwickshire, the son of Margaret Muriel and Harry Thomas Pigott-Smith, who was a journalist. He was educated at Wyggeston Boys' School, Leicester, King Edward VI School Stratford-upon-Avon, and...
- Pliny the ElderPliny the ElderGaius Plinius Secundus , better known as Pliny the Elder, was a Roman author, naturalist, and natural philosopher, as well as naval and army commander of the early Roman Empire, and personal friend of the emperor Vespasian... - Chad Shepherd - Africanus
- Katherine Whitburn - Julia
- Robert Whitelock - Celadus
- Inika Leigh Wright - Hedone
- George Yiasoumi - Felix
Depiction
A computer-generated depiction of the eruption is inaccurate. The depiction of the Temple of JupiterTemple of Jupiter (Pompeii)
The Temple of Jupiter, Capitolium, or Temple of the Capitoline Triad was a temple in Roman Pompeii, at the north end of its forum...
, facing the forum, and the Temple of Apollo
Temple of Apollo (Pompeii)
The Temple of Apollo is a temple dedicated to the Greek and Roman god Apollo in the ancient Roman town of Pompeii, southern Italy.Facing the north side of the town's basilica, it is the town's most important religious building and has very ancient origins...
, across the portico to the left, are inaccurate, and the shown state of the porticoes around the forum
Forum (Roman)
A forum was a public square in a Roman municipium, or any civitas, reserved primarily for the vending of goods; i.e., a marketplace, along with the buildings used for shops and the stoas used for open stalls...
is also at least questionable, as they all appear intact during this recreation of the 79 eruption; it is widely known that at least the Temples of Jupiter and Apollo had been destroyed 17 years before, during the 62 earthquake
62 Pompeii earthquake
The 62 Pompeii earthquake occurred on 5 February. It had an estimated magnitude of between 5 and 6 and a maximum intensity of XI or X on the Mercalli intensity scale. The towns of Pompeii and Herculaneum were severely damaged. The earthquake may have been a precursor to the eruption of Mount...
, and that they had not been rebuilt by the time the city was finally destroyed in the 79 eruption.
External links
- Official Press Release at BBC Press Office
- Official Press Pack at BBC Press Office