The movie 300

[Dreamweaver]

Who here is interested in seeing this http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/1809262865/trailer?

I know that I am.

[LagomorphPrime]

I saw a trailer for it 2 weeks ago and have been eagerly awaiting it ever since. Frank Miller is the man.

[Parzival]

Not interested.

I'd love to see a movie on the Spartans and the battle of Thermopylae.

But this is going to be a farce. <shrug> I'm not not fond of the fantastical crap, but I can stomache it.
The Spartans talking about freedom as a virtue, however...
(The TV preview also show them going into battle without armor, and evidently, the prefered way to use with a spear is to jump into the air and stab forward and down.)

Could we *please* have some nod toward historical authenticity?

[SilverDragon]

Could we *please* have some nod toward historical authenticity?

You mean like Troy?

[scampers off]

[BattleNymph]

I want to see it just for the visual imagery alone, if nothing else!

Some beautiful pictures!

[Parzival]

You mean like Troy?

[scampers off]
<launches otter-seeking missile>

Just Troy? I remember some horrid Arthur thing, where Gueneviere was some kind of warriorwoman.

<shrug> What can I say? Hollywood sucks.

[dirkgentry2006]

Frank Miller is very hit and miss with me. And for the last 10 years or so - he's been mainly miss.

Although I love some of his work - some of it presents the best case possible for even successful authors needing editting - and sometimes very heavy editting.

Also - sometimes - I think he needs a boot upside the head. After that sequel to the Dark Knight Returns (the Dark Knight Strikes Back I believe was the title) - I'm ready to provide the boot. (gawds - that was awful)

However -300 wasn't a bad graphic novel - in fact, I'd say it's the best thing Miller has done in the last decade.

I understand they've cut out one of the subplots I found annoying (the Stumblios stuff).

Historically accurate? Oh, Hell NO. Not a bit.
But they weren't even vaguely aiming at that.

This movie got greenlit only because of the moderate success Sin City had at the box office. They wanted to make another Frank Miller movie - and 300 is pretty much the only other film-worthy Frank Miller property you can adapt without having to hassle with Marvel or DC (or various random 3rd parties) for film rights. Most of his better work has been dealing with Batman, Daredevil or various other corporate owned characters.

No - yeah - it's historically inaccurate. But in this case, that's sort of like complaining that Sin City wasn't more like an episode of Cops.

[dirkgentry2006]

<launches otter-seeking missile>

Just Troy? I remember some horrid Arthur thing, where Gueneviere was some kind of warriorwoman.

<shrug> What can I say? Hollywood sucks.

Historical epics have a way of flopping stateside - and even if they make up their money internationally (like Kingdom of Heaven (http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=kingdomofheaven.htm), major studios will be skittish about the genre for a few years.

[Parzival]

Thank you for reminding me of another time Hollywood butchered history. <troutsmack> I'd managed to forget that one.

[dirkgentry2006]

Meh.

The History Channel is a wonderful thing - and that's pretty much the only place you're going to get a semblence of accuracy in a mainstream venue anymore.

I can't recall the last time there was a "historical" epic from Hollywood that didn't butcher history.

But until there's a proven strong correlation between historical accuracy and box office revenue, that's unlikely to change.

[Joe Kickass]

I could care less that Xerxes is present at the battle of Thermopylae. I'd watch this for stunning visuals and great action, not historical accuracy.

[Parzival]

Bah. Hollywood has the History Channel bought and paid for.
About a quarter of it's programming seems to be shows arguing that Hollywood's latest historical epic isn't so far-fetched.

[Archaelos]

I want to see 300. From the trailers, it looks like a mythologized version of the story, which is fine by me, and I suspect would have suited the real people involved as well.

A good historical movie, in my opinion, conveys the tone, feel, and mood of the times and the people who lived in those times. Historical accuracy is fine for what its worth, but at a certain point, I think attempts at "reality" overshadow the needs of the story.

For instance, I liked Kingdom of Heaven quite a lot. Certainly the story has a good dose of Hollywood editing, the conflation of no less than three "real" people into the character of Balian, the introduction of the "ennobled peasant" myth, the villainization of Guy de Luisignan. However, I do believe the film projects the feeling of Baldwin IV's Jerusalem, a place of uneasy peace and grudging respect maintained more or less by the will of a single man (Baldwin IV).

The most recent butchering of the King Arthur legend, otoh, mehhh...true neither to mythos nor to the scant historical record. For all it's pretensions, I felt it failed to convey anything of the period(s) in question, and only served up a muddled mess of political correctness and unwarranted revisionism.

300 may dissappoint me in a similar was as King Arthur, but the visuals look impressive enough I might forgive it anyway. :)

[BattleNymph]

Isn't this film (300) taken from a graphic novel or something?

Hmmmmm *goes to look*

[Zayda]

I'm actually looking forward to seeing it. I have been since I saw a trailer for it around Thanksgiving.

[Origen]

Isn't this film (300) taken from a graphic novel or something?

Hmmmmm *goes to look*

http://www.amazon.com/300-Frank-Miller/dp/1569714029/sr=8-1/qid=1169754472/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/104-4344644-9038312?ie=UTF8&s=books

[BattleNymph]

http://www.amazon.com/300-Frank-Miller/dp/1569714029/sr=8-1/qid=1169754472/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/104-4344644-9038312?ie=UTF8&s=books

Thanks. Here's what I found.


Based on the epic graphic novel by Frank Miller, 300 is a ferocious retelling of the ancient Battle of Thermopylae in which King Leonidas (Gerard Butler) and 300 Spartans fought to the death against Xerxes and his massive Persian army. Facing insurmountable odds, their valor and sacrifice inspire all of Greece to unite.

[Wook]

I want to see 300. From the trailers, it looks like a mythologized version of the story, which is fine by me, and I suspect would have suited the real people involved as well.

Totally agree with this. If I want to know the history I can pick up a book and read it. And I have. This is one of the most epic battles in the history of the world and it involved a level of heroic sacrifice that IMHO hasn't been seen since.