DemonKing Posted December 28, 2004 Posted December 28, 2004 Hi all. I just saw Alexander yesterday (despite the panning most prople are giving it), and I was pleasantly surprised. Unlike the abomination that was Troy, this film was actually remarkably accurate in terms of the ancient source material...major stuff like Alexander killing one of his best friends in a drunken rage and the "Consipracy of the Pages" were there and even little details like the guy who assassinated Alexander's father having an accomplice waiting by with horses to try and make a getaway were included, for example. The costumes were pretty accurate and I thought that when CGI was used it was to good effect (the entry into Babylon, for instance). The battles, weapons, equipment and tactics were also pretty acurate (although far too brief in the overall context of the film). I think the film has two main flaws...while all the key elements of Alexander's life are present the film is a bit disjointed (for instance, why do we get a flashback to the assasination of Phillip's father right at the end of the film for instance, when it would have seemed to me far more appropriate to have it in sequential order like the rest of the film) and sometimes lingers too long on ancient Ptolemy (Antony Hopkins) rambling when some more detail on some of Alexander's early victories would have been preferable. Finally the homosexual elements of the story probably repelled a lot of the traditional key audience for such a film (testosterone laden young men). Frankly even I thought they were a little overdone - the point could have been achieved without the frequent longing looks and hugs. The film does make some effort to show that homosexual relations between Macedonian men were commonplace and accepted, but this doesn't mean that the traditional cinema-going audience is able to accept this quite so willingly. Also you can't see this film without mentioning the awful wigs they stuck on Colin Farrell (the first time you see him as "the young Alexander" actually drew groans from the audience) and the terrible accents either: Angelina Jolie sounds Russian, while the Macedonians sound like half-Scottish/Irish barbarians! Overall, it's a great film if you want to see a reasonably realistic depection of the life and times of Alexander...but not so great if you're looking for a typical Hollywood blockbuster epic with a macho hero.
Baneblade Posted December 28, 2004 Posted December 28, 2004 Hi all. I just saw Alexander yesterday (despite the panning most prople are giving it), and I was pleasantly surprised. Unlike the abomination that was Troy, this film was actually remarkably accurate in terms of the ancient source material...major stuff like Alexander killing one of his best friends in a drunken rage and the "Consipracy of the Pages" were there and even little details like the guy who assassinated Alexander's father having an accomplice waiting by with horses to try and make a getaway were included, for example. The costumes were pretty accurate and I thought that when CGI was used it was to good effect (the entry into Babylon, for instance). The battles, weapons, equipment and tactics were also pretty acurate (although far too brief in the overall context of the film). I think the film has two main flaws...while all the key elements of Alexander's life are present the film is a bit disjointed (for instance, why do we get a flashback to the assasination of Phillip's father right at the end of the film for instance, when it would have seemed to me far more appropriate to have it in sequential order like the rest of the film) and sometimes lingers too long on ancient Ptolemy (Antony Hopkins) rambling when some more detail on some of Alexander's early victories would have been preferable. Finally the homosexual elements of the story probably repelled a lot of the traditional key audience for such a film (testosterone laden young men). Frankly even I thought they were a little overdone - the point could have been achieved without the frequent longing looks and hugs. The film does make some effort to show that homosexual relations between Macedonian men were commonplace and accepted, but this doesn't mean that the traditional cinema-going audience is able to accept this quite so willingly. Also you can't see this film without mentioning the awful wigs they stuck on Colin Farrell (the first time you see him as "the young Alexander" actually drew groans from the audience) and the terrible accents either: Angelina Jolie sounds Russian, while the Macedonians sound like half-Scottish/Irish barbarians! Overall, it's a great film if you want to see a reasonably realistic depection of the life and times of Alexander...but not so great if you're looking for a typical Hollywood blockbuster epic with a macho hero. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> with different casting and director the movie could have been good, instead just OK. 68/100, IMHO. "If at first you don't succeed... So much for skydiving." - Henry Youngman.
Darque Posted December 28, 2004 Posted December 28, 2004 Hmmm... I may see this one. I avoided Troy like the plague.. I hate historical innacuracy in movies... I mean I can understand small mistakes and minor embelishing, but from what I hear that movie is a mishmash of a dozen time zones and 2 or 3 stories
Cantousent Posted December 28, 2004 Posted December 28, 2004 How can a movie based on the Iliad be historically inaccurate, you doofus?!?! I'm not too demanding of films when it comes to accuracy. After all, it creates both interest in the field as well as a need for classicists. I like that! Okay, on Alexander, here're my two big beefs: 1) Monologues without end. Shut up, Ptolemy, we get the idea. Alexander is a deranged visionary. Gothca. We understand. No need to start out the film with a four hour monologue. 2) The Indian battle. You know, a good battle scene can save a bad film. This could have worked well. Instead, Stone puts some freaky filter on his camera and the blood looks like mustard and the leaves look pink. ugh. Give me a break. Most of the other stuff doesn't bother me, even Alexander's over the top insanity. We can't know Alexander's frame of mind at the end of the Indian campaign. Who is our source for Alexander anyhow? Arian, I think? This late antiquity stuff gets away from me sometimes, but I think he had access to Ptolemy, which would explain Ptolemy's central roel in the film. I dunno, I think Stone did a terrible job. Fionavar's Holliday Wishes to all members of our online community: Happy Holidays Join the revelry at the Obsidian Plays channel:Obsidian Plays Remembering tarna, Phosphor, Metadigital, and Visceris. Drink mead heartily in the halls of Valhalla, my friends!
Darque Posted December 28, 2004 Posted December 28, 2004 How can a movie based on the Iliad be historically inaccurate, you doofus?!?! <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Baneblade Posted December 28, 2004 Posted December 28, 2004 Hmmm... I may see this one. I avoided Troy like the plague.. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Troy was better. :ph34r: 73/100, IMO How can a movie based on the Iliad be historically inaccurate, you doofus?!?! <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Never mind that, how can he (Darque) use Selphie as an avatar pic, that's like... SICK. I think Stone did a terrible job. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Fully Agree with you here buddy.... the man hasn't done a decent picture sence Platoon(and I don't generally like war movies). maybe he was stoned while filming it ? " "If at first you don't succeed... So much for skydiving." - Henry Youngman.
Ludozee Posted December 29, 2004 Posted December 29, 2004 How can a movie based on the Iliad be historically inaccurate, you doofus?!?! <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Never mind that, how can he (Darque) use Selphie as an avatar pic, that's like... SICK. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Darque, no offense, but I thought you were a woman? And the Iliad isn't quite historical accurate, it's a bunch of stories and legends written and re-written and so forth. They contain a core of truth, but to say the stories are historical accurate goes a bit too far IMO.
PrincessSarah Posted December 29, 2004 Posted December 29, 2004 I saw Troy purely for an eye candy movie. Proud purveyor, owner and operator of the Wonder Twins
Cantousent Posted December 29, 2004 Posted December 29, 2004 Oh, you just wanted to oogle Brad Pitt's bod. Fionavar's Holliday Wishes to all members of our online community: Happy Holidays Join the revelry at the Obsidian Plays channel:Obsidian Plays Remembering tarna, Phosphor, Metadigital, and Visceris. Drink mead heartily in the halls of Valhalla, my friends!
PrincessSarah Posted December 29, 2004 Posted December 29, 2004 Brad Pitt, Orlando Bloom, Eric Bana.... Proud purveyor, owner and operator of the Wonder Twins
PrincessSarah Posted December 29, 2004 Posted December 29, 2004 I'll pass on Brian Cox. All that movie needed was Ewan McGregor....naked on a gold platter... Proud purveyor, owner and operator of the Wonder Twins
Errantry Posted December 29, 2004 Posted December 29, 2004 Ha. Don't worry about asking a little too much from one movie . . .
DemonKing Posted December 29, 2004 Author Posted December 29, 2004 How can a movie based on the Iliad be historically inaccurate, you doofus?!?! Well the city of Troy did actually exist...but of course as you point out, "The Illiad" is literature. Of course, saying that, the movie bears very little resemblance to the literature. Who is our source for Alexander anyhow? Arian, I think? Arrian, Plutarch & Quintus Curtius Rufus are the main ones. Most people think Arrian is the best source, especially for the battles. All that movie needed was Ewan McGregor....naked on a gold platter... <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Have you seen "The Pillow Book"? One of my exes made me go see it and you get to see a young Ewan "tackle-out", if that sort of thing rocks your boat (actually the film wasn't all bad).
EnderAndrew Posted December 29, 2004 Posted December 29, 2004 Ewan appeared naked in many of his early films. Sarah especially seemed to enjoy Velvet Goldmine.
Child of Flame Posted December 29, 2004 Posted December 29, 2004 How can a movie based on the Iliad be historically inaccurate, you doofus?!?! Well the city of Troy did actually exist...but of course as you point out, "The Illiad" is literature. Of course, saying that, the movie bears very little resemblance to the literature. Who is our source for Alexander anyhow? Arian, I think? Arrian, Plutarch & Quintus Curtius Rufus are the main ones. Most people think Arrian is the best source, especially for the battles. All that movie needed was Ewan McGregor....naked on a gold platter... <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Have you seen "The Pillow Book"? One of my exes made me go see it and you get to see a young Ewan "tackle-out", if that sort of thing rocks your boat (actually the film wasn't all bad). <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Isn't The Pillow Book the source material for the Kama Sutra....or is the movie unrelated?
Darque Posted December 29, 2004 Posted December 29, 2004 Never mind that, how can he (Darque) use Selphie as an avatar pic, that's like... SICK. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> What makes you think I'm a "he" fool?
EnderAndrew Posted December 29, 2004 Posted December 29, 2004 Well the Volourn's gender thread got deleted. I can start a Darque gender thread... And from what I understand, Darque hadn't played FF8, and didn't know who Selphie was. She just liked the picture.
Darque Posted December 29, 2004 Posted December 29, 2004 I can start a Darque gender thread... Not if you know what's good for you :angry:
Mars Posted December 29, 2004 Posted December 29, 2004 I thought troy was a pile of bollox, my parents liked it tho. Wackos!!! But strangely enouh my dad is a prefessor/teacher of some sort in greek mythology, so he knows homer back to front.
DemonKing Posted December 29, 2004 Author Posted December 29, 2004 I thought troy was a pile of bollox, my parents liked it tho.Wackos!!! But strangely enouh my dad is a prefessor/teacher of some sort in greek mythology, so he knows homer back to front. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> That is weird. I only liked 2 bits of Troy - the Bana/Pitt fight and watching Orlando get the living snot beaten out of him (until he morphed into Legolas II at the end of the film). It was basically a Brad Pitt calender otherwise.
Diogo Ribeiro Posted December 29, 2004 Posted December 29, 2004 Sarah especially seemed to enjoy Velvet Goldmine. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Who didn't? ... uhh... carry on.
Baneblade Posted December 29, 2004 Posted December 29, 2004 Never mind that, how can he (Darque) use Selphie as an avatar pic, that's like... SICK. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> What makes you think I'm a "he" fool? <{POST_SNAPBACK}> He/She who cares this is an internet forum, That was never the point in my post. But Selphie..... oh well, it could've been Rinoa *shrugs* (good thing it wasn't) Besides I'm now convinced that you're actually an experimental A.I. program, and therefore neither He or She but It. "If at first you don't succeed... So much for skydiving." - Henry Youngman.
PrincessSarah Posted December 30, 2004 Posted December 30, 2004 Sarah especially seemed to enjoy Velvet Goldmine. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Who didn't? ... uhh... carry on. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Honey and glitter drenched Ewan McGregor? How could anybody pass that up? Proud purveyor, owner and operator of the Wonder Twins
Aponez Posted December 30, 2004 Posted December 30, 2004 Well the Volourn's gender thread got deleted. I can start a Darque gender thread... <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Nice idea, but Volurn can be jealous because his thread got deleted and now we started other and not re-started his again PRIUS FLAMMIS COMBUSTA QUAM ARMIS NUMANCIA VICTA
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