'Troy' director draws parallels to Iraq war

expatica ^ | 10 May 2004

[dennisw]

10 May 2004

BERLIN - The world premiere of the Hollywood big-budget epit "Troy" in Berlin Sunday saw German-born director Wolfgang Petersen draw parallels between the Trojan war and the US-led war in Iraq.

Hundreds of star-struck fans lined the red carpet in the dome-shielded central plaza of Sony Center in the heart of Berlin as Petersen and the film's romantic leading man, heartthrob Brad Pitt, arrived for the premiere of the USD 175 million (EUR 147 million) movie.

Towering above them and the fans was the Trojan horse itself, the actual full-size replica that was built for the movie and that was brought to Berlin and reassembled for Sunday's world premiere.

Petersen, director of the World War II German submarine classic "Das Boot" (The Boat) and the action-thriller "Air Force

One", said he has been taken aback by the way the conservative rightwing has taken over the White House with a militaristic agenda.

The invasion of Iraq occurred just as shooting for the film got underway in Malta.

"I couldn't believe it," 60-year-old Petersen told Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa. "I thought, it's as if nothing has changed in 3,000 years. People are still using deceit to engage in wars of vengeance."

While stressing that he "did not make this film with the intention of making an anti-American statement", Petersen said the parallels between the Trojan war and the Iraq war became more apparent daily during the filming.

"Just as King Agamemnon waged what was essentially a war of conquest on the ruse of trying to rescue the beautiful Helen from the hands of the Trojans, President George W. Bush concealed his true motives for the invasion of Iraq."

He added, "I wouldn't make a movie like 'Air Force One' now," which showed Air Force One under attack from terrorists.

Pitt, 40, who plays Achilles in the epic, said he could identify with the mythical character's passions, both in love and on the battlefield.

"He was a passionate guy," Pitt told a Berlin news conference. "I partly identified with him. I mean, I'd go into battle to defend my principles."

Petersen is especially on the defensive in America following a disastrous review Friday of his film.

The Hollywood Reporter, a major movie industry trade paper, said in a damning review that Petersen's movie fails to appeal to crowds who thrilled to "Gladiator" and also fails to appeal to "male audiences conditioned by video-game combat on a movie where soldiers beat on one another with primitive Bronze Age weapons".

Though "inspired" by "The Iliad" by Homer, the film makes no mention of Greek gods, distorting the entire Greek myth, the paper said.

While giving kudos to actor Peter O'Toole as ageing King Priam, the newspaper scathingly says the dialogue is "corny" and, "The battles tend to look like those body pileups in rugby matches, and the drama remains stubbornly unfocused and remote."

The legendary war circa 1200 B.C. ignites when Paris (played by Orlando Bloom) prince of Troy steals away Helen (Diane Kruger), the much younger wife of Menelaus (Brendan Gleeson) from the brutish king of Sparta. Pitt plays Achilles, receiving an arrow to his heel at the climax of the movie.

"The film's more intimate scenes between generals in conflict or families in peril bog down with strained, even corny dialogue and static action," The Hollywood Reporter said.

DPA

[dennisw]

Euro-director barf alert!

[ken5050]

and don't forget that the star of this epic, Brad Pitt, predicted that the movie would start a fashion revoluton, of men wearing skirts...

[Future Snake Eater]

and don't forget that the star of this epic, Brad Pitt, predicted that the movie would start a fashion revoluton, of men wearing skirts...

I already got mine!

[LadyDoc]

Pitt, 40, who plays Achilles in the epic, said he could identify with the mythical character's passions, both in love and on the battlefield.

Really?

Achilles was a very young man.

He was a draft dodger. His mom helped him hide from the draft in a haram, dressed as a woman. Ulysses suspected where he was hiding, and went to the harem dressed as a merchant. He opened his sack of wares, showing beautiful jewelry and a few swords. All the ladies were drawn to the jewels, but one "lady" started examining the swords, and Ulysses knew he had his man.

The reason Achilles would have been allowed in the harem and not caught as a man is obvious. He wasn't attracted to the ladies. He had a boyfriend.

One of the subplots in the Iliad is that Achilles revenged his boyfriend's death.

If this is really "anti bush", do you want to bet it will not be a hit?

http://www.aint-it-cool-news.com/display.cgi?id=17511

the good news is that the fansites hate it.

The bad news is that they love the disaster film on global warming...

[dennisw]

and don't forget that the star of this epic, Brad Pitt, predicted that the movie would start a fashion revoluton, of men wearing skirts...
I already got mine!
____________________

OK. Who's going to post the first photo of a guy wearing a dress, a kilt, a skirt, a Greek style warrior's skirt? And wasn't Alexander the Great, gay? HMmmmmmmmmmm....

[Future Snake Eater]

Hey, I just wear it for comfort!

[dennisw]

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/Troy-1132530/reviews.php

RATING: ROTTEN  READING: 57%

(FRESH = 60% or Greater)

Reviews counted: 7
Fresh: 4  Rotten: 3
Average Rating: 6.3/10

 

[Puppage]

[Puppage]

Hey, I just wear it for comfort!

Not that there's anything wrong with that.

[<1/1,000,000th%]

"He was a passionate guy," Pitt told a Berlin news conference. "I partly identified with him. I mean, I'd go into battle to defend my principles."

"If only I had some principles," Pitt added.

[Dick Vomer]

Well I think if the director feels that the movie is the same as the current Iraqi War ............ I'll just sit at home and watch his movie on FOX, with two of my daughters "Ken" dolls dressed up in skirts holding my son's toy swords on top of the big screen.... it's cheaper and I won't be giving this Euro-b#tch my money. It's funny how we conservatives are money grubbing capitalist and America's "dirty" conservative money is spent watching his movies.... they want to take your money then spit in your face.... screw em.

Hey thanks for the American-hating update.

This is an example of the way to boycott.... if it is a marginal movie and you have the "option" to see it or not....

then we as conservatives can "not".

I'd recomend that the Vast Right Wing Conspiracy people ...."us" write the studio and forward a letter or e-mail (letters are more effective cause of the time involved) to the director telling him how you feel and that you and anybody you talk to will hold back from seeing his movie cause of the spew coming from his cake-hole. He has freedom of speech to say what he wants.... we've got freedom to disagree and withold funding a##holes like him.

Freedom... it' beautiful.

Then the director will understand............................"Freedom isn't "Free".

[dennisw]

Boxers, briefs or al fresco. His choice. I guess jockstrap is a fourth.

[Rummyfan]

"I couldn't believe it," 60-year-old Petersen told Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa. "I thought, it's as if nothing has changed in 3,000 years. People are still using deceit to engage in wars of vengeance."

Have liked some of Petersen's earlier films, but here he shows he is not very bright. Prediction: this is the summer turkey - why else is it opening in Berlin? Too bad he wasted the use of Peter O'Toole.

[dennisw]

Have liked some of Petersen's earlier films, 

Same here and why I posted this.

but here he shows he is not very bright. Prediction: this is the summer turkey - why else is it opening in Berlin?

Opening in Berlin because Petersen is German and because Heinrich Schliemann was the German archeologist who rediscovered Troy

Researchers at Troy
Researchers at Troy. With Homer's Iliad as his guide, Heinrich Schliemann
(above left) went hunting for ancient Troy in 1870. The ...
www.iit.edu/~agunsal/truva/schlie.html - 2k - May 10, 2004 - Cached - Similar pages

[Moonmad27]

Where's that picture of Braveheart?

[dennisw]

TROY (TRUVA) - 4000 years old Ancient City

[exDem from Miami]

"Air Force One" was stupid.

IIRC, 10000 rounds of automatic weapons fire expended inside the plane's cabin, and they didn't even break any windows.....

[TigerTale]

One of the subplots in the Iliad is that Achilles revenged his boyfriend's death.

I recently finished reading the Illiad, and I am going through it again, on audio, in a different translation.

Contrary to contemporary opinion, there is no sexual undertone to the relationship between Achilles and Patroclus. This is a de-constructionist myth.

Patroclus was taken in by Achilles father, after Patroclus killed another boy in anger. If anything, the relationship of Achilles to Patroclus is as towards an adopted brother.

The original source of Achilles legendary rage towards Agammemnon is that Agamemmenon takes from him Breisis, a girl Achilles has been given as booty from a previous battle.

For another opinion on the matter, check out Smiling Through the Cultural Catastrophe by conservative classics professor Jeffrey Peter Hart.

Regarding Achilles, Hart says: "His love for Patroclus (and there is no indication that they are sexual lovers) is as intense as his contempt for Agammemnon, or his savage determination to destroy Hector."

Achilles truely loves Patroclus, his faithful squire and friend--but there is no reason to conclude either of them are gay.

Unfortunately, due to the contemporary obsession with homosexuality, many male friendships in literature (Achilles and Patroclus in the Iliad, David and Jonathan in the Bible, Frodo and Sam in "The Lord of the Rings") get misinterpreted sexually, losing much of their power and depth.

[yarddog]

Remember the reason Achilles was angry and wouldn't fight was because Agamemnon had taken Achilles girl, I think it was Breiseis (sp?).

Also Achilles wanted to go to war. He was only hiding to please his Mother. When Odyseus uncovered him Achilles was willing to go not unwilling.