300

[kimmy]

It'd be nice if they actually tried to make the movie historically accurate.

As I understand it, the movie (as well as the Frank Miller comic on which it is based) are in fact largely based on the chronicles of Herotodus, whose writings about the Battle of Thermopylae are the source of much of what we know about this time in history. And as I understand things, while modern scholars do agree there's some amount of exaggeration in the writings of Herotodus, they also believe that the kernel of the story is historical fact. While there seems to be some disagreement on whether the Persian army numbered 175,000 or 250,000 or 500,000 there's no arguing the fact that they outnumbered the Greeks by a vast proportion. While there's some disagreement on how many Greek allies were at the battle or how long they stayed, there's no disagreement that there were 300 Spartans. Or that they caused the Persians causualties of many times their own numbers-- Herotodus and modern scholars seem to agree on the number of 20,000 Persian casualties. And there seems to be no argument over the fact that the Spartans delayed the Persian invasion long enough for Athens and Sparta to mount a united naval counterattack on the Persia fleet, which effectively ended the invasion for good.

Even some of the moments that seem to have been Hollywoodism at its best-- lines like "Come and take them" or "...then we shall fight in the shade" were not inventions of the movie or the comic book, but rather come from ancient Greek accounts. I have read that modern Greek military units have adopted "Come and take them" and "then we shall fight in the shade" as their insignia, and that there is a monument to King Leonidas on the site of the battle with the inscription "Come and take them."

The movie and comic-book are no doubt a romanticized and biased account of the battle, which is no surprise since the writings on which they're based themselves would be a romanticized and biased account of the battle. And the movie makes no claim at being anything more. Indeed, the end of the movie reveals that the narrator is a Spartan soldier who was sent home to rally his countrymen to arms with a tale of heroism and inspiration. It is ridiculous to criticize the movie for being propaganda, when the movie itself acknowledges that very fact in its own narrative.

-k

[moderateamericain]

It'd be nice if they actually tried to make the movie historically accurate.

As I understand it, the movie (as well as the Frank Miller comic on which it is based) are in fact largely based on the chronicles of Herotodus, whose writings about the Battle of Thermopylae are the source of much of what we know about this time in history. And as I understand things, while modern scholars do agree there's some amount of exaggeration in the writings of Herotodus, they also believe that the kernel of the story is historical fact. While there seems to be some disagreement on whether the Persian army numbered 175,000 or 250,000 or 500,000 there's no arguing the fact that they outnumbered the Greeks by a vast proportion. While there's some disagreement on how many Greek allies were at the battle or how long they stayed, there's no disagreement that there were 300 Spartans. Or that they caused the Persians causualties of many times their own numbers-- Herotodus and modern scholars seem to agree on the number of 20,000 Persian casualties. And there seems to be no argument over the fact that the Spartans delayed the Persian invasion long enough for Athens and Sparta to mount a united naval counterattack on the Persia fleet, which effectively ended the invasion for good.

Even some of the moments that seem to have been Hollywoodism at its best-- lines like "Come and take them" or "...then we shall fight in the shade" were not inventions of the movie or the comic book, but rather come from ancient Greek accounts. I have read that modern Greek military units have adopted "Come and take them" and "then we shall fight in the shade" as their insignia, and that there is a monument to King Leonidas on the site of the battle with the inscription "Come and take them."

The movie and comic-book are no doubt a romanticized and biased account of the battle, which is no surprise since the writings on which they're based themselves would be a romanticized and biased account of the battle. And the movie makes no claim at being anything more. Indeed, the end of the movie reveals that the narrator is a Spartan soldier who was sent home to rally his countrymen to arms with a tale of heroism and inspiration. It is ridiculous to criticize the movie for being propaganda, when the movie itself acknowledges that very fact in its own narrative.

-k

well spoken indeed.

[schizo321]

"I do not seperate people, as do the narrow minded, into Greeks and barbarians."

Alexander the Great

[M.Dancer]

I watched Blades of Glory last night and I am moved to write that this movie Like 300 was also an ode to unabashed male heroism. It also has some mock homoerotic overtones, implied incest and an unsual take on Montreal Geography. Apparently you can skate on the Lachine Canal right past the old city hall directly to the Big Owe where they have an ice rink.

I'm not sure but I think that lack of Iranian/Arab characters might offend the the Iranian Figure skating community....

[AngusThermopyle]

Not really, I'm with the Communication and Electronics Branch; so it can be considered more of an administration [static] role since I'm not attached to a field unit.

Ha! I knew it, Garrison soldier. I suggest you ask for an operational TD and find out what the military actually really is. Sitting in a second or third line unit doesn't count.

[M.Dancer]

Okay, so I finally watched 300 last night. The homoeotic aspects are plain enough, the idealized male physiques......now I went to Malcolm Campbell High School in Montreal. My classmates were Spiro, Demi, Appollo and Gus......now these movie spartans all had muscles on top of their muscles and to be honest, so did Spiro and Appolo. But the thing is with Greeks, they're somewhat hirsute. Spiro had a rug on his back in grade 10. These movie Greeks had the same chest hair count as my wife.

And lets be honest, unless you are a male fashion model, waxing your chest (back, arms, thighs) is somewhat gay.....

Oh that the movie....amazing. The visual effects were stunning, the art direction was bold and adventurous and the sweeping panoramas were breath taking. But the story sucked. In other words, great movie but it was an hour and half too long.

[DogOnPorch]

If you want to watch a good movie of that period, you're better off with 'Alexander the Great' (1956) starring Richard Burton. At least it follows Plutarch's version of the Alexander story. 300 just plain sucked story-wise. Where did the Persians get trolls?? LOL.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Fast is fine, but accuracy is everything.

---Xenophon

[M.Dancer]

Where did the Persians get trolls?? LOL.

Or hand grenades?

[guyser]

And lets be honest, unless you are a male fashion model, waxing your chest (back, arms, thighs) is somewhat gay.....

Not to mention swimmers and triathletes. A host of other athletes that shave the legs only....

Edited October 18, 2007 by guyser

[ScottSA]

Okay, so I finally watched 300 last night. The homoeotic aspects are plain enough, the idealized male physiques...

Homoerotica is a subjective thing. Any barechested male is no doubt homoerotic to a homo, momo, so anyone who sees homoerotica in the movie is, well...rather in touch with his..errrr..."feminine side." What normal males see is unabashed heroism and a glorification of male strength...a welcome change from the feminized "sensitive" anti-hero of late 20th century Hollywood. The message of the movie is "rock on western society...remember when...?"

Now they need to make a movie about the Gates of Vienna, when we did it again, for the last time.

[M.Dancer]

.... unabashed.....

Is such a gay word.

Anyway.....this movie or cartoon, what ever...doesn't hold a candle to Spartacus

[ScottSA]

In reference to "unabashed"

Is such a gay word.

"abashed" is the gay root. That's why I put an "un" in front of it.

[M.Dancer]

In reference to "unabashed"

"abashed" is the gay root. That's why I put an "un" in front of it.

Na na na na...scotty is a gay abasher.......

[DogOnPorch]

Anyway.....this movie or cartoon, what ever...doesn't hold a candle to Spartacus

Agreed...but Spartacus? As Ralphie Cifaretto said in The Sopranos...

They didn't have &%$&% flat-tops in ancient Rome!!!

----------------------------------------------------

Fear knocked on the door. Faith answered. There was no one there.

---Christopher Moltisanti (Michael Imperioli)

[Black Dog]

The message of the movie is "rock on western society...remember when...?"

"...we kept slaves and carried out a rigorous eugenics program?"

Now they need to make a movie about the Gates of Vienna, when we did it again, for the last time.

The blog? I'm not sure watching a bunch of people in Ye Olde Renaissance Faire Garbe playing Magic: the Gathering and debating the finer points of who would win in a fight between Gandalf and Dumbeldore would make for very compelling viewing. Maybe a YouTube short...

[Canadian Blue]

What normal males see is unabashed heroism and a glorification of male strength...a welcome change from the feminized "sensitive" anti-hero of late 20th century Hollywood.

You've have obviously never seen Road House and Red Dawn.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Road_House_%281989_film%29

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Dawn

Not to mention every single Chuck Norris movie that has ever been made.

[M.Dancer]

Red Dawn has to be one of the worst movies ever made. It had only one redeaming feature, the location.

But like Red Dawn or 300, whether it is abashed male eroticism or unabashed male heroism.....it is fiction. And in the case of 300 and Red Dawn, it is bad fiction.

[Canadian Blue]

I'm just trying to find movies that showcase glorious masculinity in all its glory for the glory of phallic pride.

What did you think of Road House, anything with Patrick Swayze has to be good.

Edited October 19, 2007 by Canadian Blue

[M.Dancer]

I'm just trying to find movies that showcase glorious masculinity in all its glory for the glory of phallic pride.

What did you think of Road House, anything with Patrick Swayze has to be good.

He isn't my favourite contemporary actor....That wood be Johnny Depp.

The only Swayze movie that comes to mind is Ghost

[Canadian Blue]

I'm more of an Edward Norton fan.

[M.Dancer]

I'm more of an Edward Norton fan.

American History X

Second Best First Date Movie Ever.......

right behind "Once we were Warriors"...... http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0110729/

[Canadian Blue]

Never seen it, the last movie that I watched was 28 Weeks Later.