Posted on 11/27/2004 6:36:33 PM PST by quidnunc
Well, I thought it was simply terrible. The film goes on for nearly three hours, but we hear nothing of what either supporters or detractors of Alexander, both ancient and modern, have agreed were the central issues of his life. Did he really believe in a unity of mankind, and were his mass mixed marriages, Persian dress, and kowtowing cynical, sincere, or delusions of megalomania? We see nothing of the siege of Tyre, Gaza, much less Thebes or even the burning of Persepolis. Other than the talking head Ptolemy, none of his generals have much of a character. There is nothing really in detail about the page purging other than a single reference; Stone, I would have thought, could have had a field day with Alexanders introduction of both crucifixion and decimation.
-snip-
(Excerpt) Read more at victorhanson.com ...
Q: The movie Alexander the Great delves in to Alexander's bi-sexuality perhaps to generate buzz and to push a political agenda. Would you please comment on the historical record here? Would an accusation of homosexuality have been considered calumny in ancient times?
Hanson: Professor Thornton who writes on our pages has a great book, Eros, which explains ancient Greek sexuality quite candidly without theoretical pretensions. In a word, Alexander was probably not that different from either his father or most Macedonian horse lords in their approach to sex: an interest in the feminine, whether that be women or young boys and girlish adults who served as female surrogates. The key would have been insistence of the male role in all such encountersand eventual marriage with children.
-snip-
(Victor Davis Hanson in VDH Private Papers, November 27, 2004)
http://victorhanson.com/articles/Private%20Papers/Question%20Log/November.html
FYI
Heh heh!!!
It is hard to make a story about a prodigy boring. Alexander was someone whose extraordinariness was apparent at an early age, someone who struck everyone who encountered him. Notwithstanding the fact that he had a colossal mean streak at times as was shown at Thebes, Tyre, and Persepolis and to trusted comrades like Parmenion and Cleitus.
It's the same problem with "The Alamo" and "Troy". Hollywood does not believe in heroism. It does not believe in extraordinary people. It wants flawed anti-heroes.
Much like Stone himself, I suppose.
Another thing about Follywood is that they want to present a story that conforms with their worldview. Combine that with the fact that we don't have actors and actresses today, only "stars." That is why the next Alexander movie will feature that doe-eyed twinkie, Leonardo DiCrappio, as the title role.
Alexander's achievements and enduring fame have nothing to do with his sexuality which was consistant with his time...only more so, as is usually the case with men of great power.
now THAT"S damn funny!
Because his talent is not meager. He's made some great films and is a master of his craft.
Hansen doesn't know what he's talking about. It's he who's letting his political bias cloud his judgement. Making great films is very hard to do. Only a few succeed and none, or almost none, consistantly. Let him try to do it if he wants credibility as a critic.
I gather you must have liked that schlock, Larry.
Is that a sweatshirt he's wearing?
You mean like Maximus in Gladiator, or John Wayne or Humphrey Bogart in any of their movies, or John Travolta in Get Shorty, or Mel Gibson in Payback or most of his movies, etc., etc.
You're another idiot who speaks before he thinks.
Is that a cellular service relay tower in the background?
Nope. Haven't seen it. But I walked out of Troy...Crapola. Actually, I avoid most movies and don't make it throught most that I do try to watch.
Haven't seen the movie...but I expect it to be complete crap. You'll have to explain your comment. I'm guessing that the music is bad too?
rofl, I've seen enough horrible $100 million movies to know that mediocrity hasnt stopped Hollywood from funding directors. IMHO, Stone had one great movie, Platoon, and the rest was mediocre or worse.
You will not get anything out of Hollywood without some sex scene. Fags run everything from writing to those big film-splicing machines in Santa Monica.
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