300 - Who's seen it and whaddya think

[Oskaar]

I've seen it three times and may go back again. I love the way it was shot, the storyline and the violent pageantry of the battles. Very nicely adapted from the graphic novel by Frank Miller. I also like his bent on the artistic interpretation of the historical events at Thermopylae.

Very cool stuff. Of course the fact that they had a smokin' hot redheaded oracle couldn't have had anything to do with that now could it??

That's my story and I'm stickin to it.

Cheers,

Oskaar

 

[ucflumberjack]

Braveheart used to be my favorite movie, but i think 300 has taken the spot. i think the movie was awesome, not completely historically accurate, but awesome. I wanna be a spartan, im gonna go make a shield and a spear and kill a wolf. :angry5:

 

[Chimerix]

Well, I saw something called "300," but it can't possibly have been the same movie you two are talking about. The one I saw was almost, but not quite, completely devoid of redeeming qualities. The one good thing I can say about the one I saw... it ended.

I could go on at length about specifics of what I found lacking, but this movie now shares the same category in my brain that Paris Hilton does: Things I'm sorry I know anything about.

 

[sandman]

The copy I saw of it over here wasn't very good quality (local "haji-burn" bootleg variety) and it was blurry in some spots as well, but I enjoyed the movie anyway.

Frank Miller's vision and cinematographic fingerprint was all over it. Quite a bit like "Sin City" in that respect.

I enjoyed the plain black and white approach to right and wrong for a change; I could totally empathize with the military having to deal with dirty politicians, etc.. (go figure) :icon_salut:; and the special effects were pretty impressive when it came down to it. The battles were played out fairly well considering everything, and the sarcastic remarks during the exchanges with the king and the Persians as a whole never failed to make me laugh.

Unfortunately for me, the "smokin' hot redheaded oracle" scene was one of the times where the picture was blurred so I missed that part. I guess I'll have to actually get a decent copy when I get home or wait for it to come out on cable to see that part.

I won't vouch for historical accuracy (I wasn't there) or depth of emotion/social impact (couldn't care less), but I was entertained. Of course, that's why I watch movies in the first place. :icon_thumright:

Then again, I'd never even heard of Thermopylae until I saw "The Last Samurai" :laughing7:

:cheers:
Rob

 

[Oskaar]

Yup, this was signature Frank Miller at it's best, it's ripped really nicely from his graphic novel. He made no attempt in the novel (or in this flick) to make a political statement, or to convey the historicity of the event. He wanted to take the event and blow it up into a fantastic story of honor, and glory (time and kleos in ancient Greek)story told by Dilios (David Wenham).

I looked at it from the perspective of someone (Dilios) sensationalizing the battle to make it even more fantastic sounding. It's normal to exagerate details, but, in the ancient world it was a way for one to live on long after they had died in songs, legends and poetry. Herodotus even alluded to that in his "Histories" when he said:

...ta genomena ex anthropon, erga megala te kai thomasta (sorry for any misspellings, my ancient Greek isn't very good) Loosley translated as "So that the great and astonishing deeds of men shall not fade over time" Anyhow, it's basically the story that Dilios is telling the Spartans who are about to go into battle at Platea against the Persians.

I really enjoyed how the traitor Efialtes was portrayed as a hunchback, and how the giant was factored in. There was actually a legitimate historical general in the Persian army who was almost 8' tall but he died in a small village on the way to the battle. He was famous/infamous throught the Persian army and even after his death, the small Greek village worshiped him as a demi-god. So to me, it's easy to see how someone with a belly full of wine and a desire to boost his own fame for having been involved in an epic battle would make it seem even greater than it was.

Obviously history has a very different version of the Battle at Thermopylae where there were actually about 1900 men holding the line. 300 Spartans, 900 Helots and about 700 Thespians who would not leave despite being ordered to do so by Leonidas. Of course the Thebans wasted no time in deserting and Mede-izing but that's another story...steenking Thebans!

Anyhow, anyone who went into this flick looking for a historical-drama would be disappointed, but it was vintage Frank Miller.

Cheers,

Oskaar

 

[ucflumberjack]

im not sure who i think was hotter, the oracle or the queen...... im leaning towards the oracle though...

 

[sandman]

Hey, of COURSE they were larger than life... they were the Spartans. :laughing7:

I notice the numbers in the movie also didn't include the retainers and slaves... but I guess they didn't count back then when they were tallying the butcher's bill.

The whole "honor before life" and the "do what's right because it's the right thing to do" aspects were part of why I liked the movie so much in the first place. I don't do gray areas to well when it comes to right and wrong. If all you do is spend your time mediating about it, before you know what's hit you you'll be living in a society run by crooked politicains and rich industri...al...ists... (oops) :laughing7:

I really did enjoy the inate sarcasm the king used so often when speaking with the Persians. Especially the envoys and heralds... hehehe.

Once I get that new screener copy I'll definitely be watching it again to see what I missed the first time through.

I think my favorite line of the movie was during the hail of arrows when the one Spartan said something about "You HAD to say we'd fight in the shade" and started laughing. That was classic.

I could never be a movie critic in real life... I don't give a hoot about a movie's social impact or what lessons can be slipped in to support the lastest "cause du jour". Movies are for escapism and for entertainment. If you want social impact, read a book and learn the real background on things. Of course, with some of the comments you made on this one Oskaar I can see I'm going to be doing some googling in the near future. LOL

My interest in this particular topic has officially been piqued now and I won't be able to let it go until I find out more about it myself.

Personally, I'm with ucflumberjack on this one. I want to make me a sword and go wolf hunting. :angry5:
:cheers:

 

[Oskaar]

There's a pretty good book called Thermopylae - Battle for the West by Ernle Bradford.

He goes into a lot of the socio-economic, cultural, religious and political backgrouns of the players in the war. Including motivations, rivalries, etc.

He has an annoying habit of assertin to the reader that Herodotus was a pro-Athenian writer. While Herodotus spent time in Athens he was born in Halicarnassus and the Athenians (like most other Greek tribes) didn't take foreigners as citizens. So Herodotus was born in Halicarnassus, moved to Athens, and then ended up in Thurii. It's not really known (I don't think) if he died in Thurii.

Anyhow, long story short. There is some great information in the book, but take Bradford's assertions that Herodotus was a rabid pro-Athenian with a grain of salt.

Cheers,

Oskaar

 

[sandman]

Cartman "Schweeeet".... Amazon here I come!!

Thanks for the tip Oskaar. :icon_thumleft:

I'm sure they have a search tool there... ::ducking quickly like any good noob knows to do when mentioning search tools::
:cheers:
Cheers

 

[Kube]

I've seen it twice on the IMAX. I'm afraid I've ruined it for watching it on the small screen. I loved it. I just had one problem with it. Was it me or did both sex scenes include buggery? Freakin greeks lol.

 

[sandman]

HA!!! I'm sitting out here in the desert watching it on xbox using a blurred image because the haji-burn I located was poor quality... and you watched it on IMAX??? :laughing4:

I'll be glad just to get a chance to see a CLEAR copy. ;D

Just messing with you Kube... I'll bet it totally rocked on IMAX dude.

*** Wait a sec... did you say sex scenes??? Dang hajis edited it for content as well. Well this just sucks. Man I hate it when they do that crap. I'm telling you guys, war is truly hell.

 

[Angus]

There was also a very good 2 hour program on the History channel recently running through the complete history of the battle, starting with the initial Persian invasion and including the battle at sea. Included background on why the Spartans were so good at fighting.

Angus

 

[Kube]

We need to get a traveling imax screen for you guys. I think it would definately help. I know after watching it on that big screen I sure wanted to go out and kick some ass.

 

[sandman]

To Kube: That would be sweet! They could show it before heading out on missions up in the IZ (International Zone). Not for me though. I did my time as a troop brother. I'm just a civilian contractor over here this time around. I retired from the military two years ago. (Just about a year after I got back from my deployment up there). I'm strictly here in a support capacity this time dude.

To Angus: Ahh the History Channel... and old veteran's best friend and resource for old military movies as well as the new stuff shown in great detail. ya just gotta love that History Channel. Of course now I'll be checking schedules and emailing them asking for a repeat of it after I get home in July. LOL

 

[akueck]

There's a good book, sort of a "historical fiction" take on Thermopylae: "Gates of Fire" by Steven Pressfield. It was part of the reading list for a "War in Ancient Greece and Rome" class I sort-of took.

Still haven't seen 300 yet though. Just saw the latest Superman last weekend, so I'm getting around to it...

 

[Rhianni]

300 was awesome. Good action and it was very Frank Millerish. Too bad marvel didnt stick closer to his Daredevil run. It might have been good.