Posted on 03/22/2007 5:05:56 AM PDT by IrishMike
Crowds are flocking to see the film 300 about the ancient Spartans last stand at the pass at Thermopylae against an invading Persian army. Yet many critics, in panning 300, have alleged that the film is essentially historically inaccurate. Are they right?
Here are some answers. But first two qualifiers. I wrote an introduction to a book about the making of 300 after being shown a rough cut of the movie in October. And, second, remember that 300 does not claim to follow exactly ancient accounts of the battle of Thermopylae in 480 B.C. Instead, it is an impressionistic take on a graphic novel by Frank Miller, intended to entertain and shock first, and instruct second.
Indeed, at the real battle, there werent rhinoceroses or elephants in the Persian army. Their king, Xerxes, was bearded and sat on a throne high above the battle; he wasnt, as in the movie, bald and sexually ambiguous, and he didnt prance around the killing field. And neither the traitor Ephialtes nor the Spartan overseers, the Ephors, were grotesquely deformed.
When the Greeks were surrounded on the battles last day, there were 700 Thespians and another 400 Thebans who fought alongside the 300 Spartans under King Leonidas. But these non-Spartans are scarcely prominent in the movie.
Still, the main storyline mostly conveys the message of Thermopylae.
A small contingent of Greeks at Thermopylae (which translates to The Hot Gates) really did block the enormous Persian army for three days before being betrayed. The defenders claimed their fight was for the survival of a free people against subjugation by the Persian Empire.
(Excerpt) Read more at article.nationalreview.com ...
As a classics professor, Hansen ought to know!
Oh man I feel such a fool. The writers of 300 betrayed my naive, childlike trust.
Hanson ping.
I was looking forward to his take on the movie.
I've also read Frank Miller's Sin City graphic novels and even 300 many moons ago.
This movie was Frank Miller's mythic vision come to life. It wasn't meant to convey an accurate portrayal of history, it was meant to carry the central themes into a new medium. Much like the old Irish folk tales moving from oral tradition to the written word.
A superb movie that was beautifully crafted. But no, it won't be for everyone.
Isn't that the truth! Well stated!
Much like the old Irish folk tales moving from oral tradition to the written word.
A superb movie that was beautifully crafted. But no, it won't be for everyone.
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I really enjoyed it, twice.
Saw it yesterday. Taking my Father-in-Law to see it tonight. My 33rd week pregnant wife is not happy that she can't see it until it hits DVD.
WHAT? Hollywood not telling the true story as it happened??? i'm shocked and dismayed. i feel i've been lied to.
Oh well, I guess they will just have to take solace in the mere popularity of the film and hope that the millions of dollars they are raking in will help to ease the pain at the awards.
Let me know if you want in or out.
Links: FR Index of his articles: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/keyword?k=victordavishanson
His website: http://victorhanson.com/
NRO archive: http://www.nationalreview.com/hanson/hanson-archive.asp
New Link! http://victordavishanson.pajamasmedia.com/
Thank you for the ping!
Because it doesn't trash America? That is the first thing that came to mind.
Well ruin the whole movie for me, willya? I bet he didn't have an iPod either. Dang historians...
The movie was probably pretty true to how the Greeks would have liked to have it portrayed.
Thanks for the ping.
This is an excellent read.
I actually met VDH last year at an ISI seminar...I think there are some pics posted here at FreedomWorks.org:
http://www.freedomworks.org/informed/issues_template.php?issue_id=2612
VDH signed both my books; "Mexifornia" and "A War Like No Other"
I haven't seen 300 yet...I'm not much into going to movie theaters anymore. I'll probably just wait until it comes out in DVD and watch it on the home theater.
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