300.

[Azure]

Who is going to see it?

I don't think I will be staring up at the night sky pondering it's deep philosophical questions but it looks styled enough for me to take a shot at it. I do appreciate how there is finally something celebrating some good old fashioned brutality, homosexual men running about in thongs aside.

[Innes]

already downloaded, already seen, i thought it was one of the best films i have seen and the quality was surprisingly great for a pirate copy.

[Pirate Balloon]

Seen a few other peoples comments on what it's like, and it sounds like its worth a watch. I mean, not only for the half naked homoeroticness of it all, but the war scenes look pretty, well... epic.

[Enraged Wang 07]

Ive 'Legally' (yeh right) downloaded 2 copies of this and so far only found a spartan porno and a cheesy american snowboarding high school drama, 3rd time lucky i hope!

[Dark]

im going to see it friday.

i dont get people who download everything. I would much prefer to see a film with friends on a big screen or even just when a films on tv then watch it on a pc screen.

[jodahunter]

aha, tis called a dvd burner!

[Enraged Wang 07]

I dont have any money to go and see it, if i did i'd go and see it first screening, but i dont.



:(

[Spindryer]

I can remember i think Innes showing me a link to 300. back on PS360 in a thread and i was blown away with it. I will DEFINITY go and see this film and im even go to pay it with the respect it deserves and watch it at the BIG screen with the BIG sound experience.

Make your own mind up and go check out the Films web site HERE (http://300themovie.warnerbros.com/)or if your feeling lazy then just Click HERE (http://www.themoviebox.net/movies/2006/0-9ABC/300/trailer.php)to watch a trailer for the film.

[sub]

I would go and see it but the picture and sound at the local Odeon is awful, will be waiting for it to come out on DVD.

Now The Shooter i'll be going and seeing at the cinema :D

[gradinator]

I'd love it if the trading standards were reading all this...

Are they the organisation im thinking of?

Anyhow whats this film like I found Gladiator to be meh but I hear it's as deep as 2001:ASO I like deep films.

Also whats the bbfc rating?

[BlueHoopedMoose]

Ive 'Legally' (yeh right) downloaded 2 copies of this and so far only found a spartan porno and a cheesy american snowboarding high school drama, 3rd time lucky i hope!

i hope you get a virus and your PC blows up :mad:

[Spindryer]

i hope you get a virus and your PC blows up :mad:

Yeah your right Blue, he should get a iMac and then he wouldnt have to worry about anything going wrong ever again.

[Razor]

This film is ****ing amazing.
Better than any of the other Ancient Greece based films by a long shot.
The fight scenes cocked up a leg a pissed over those seen in Troy and Gladiator.
Anyone not sure whether it's worth seeing go and watch it for the love of god. :)

[Spindryer]

I have also just come back from watching this film at the cinima and here is my brief review:

I thought the film was weak in places and lacked any real side plot with added action. From start to finish it was about 1 thing and 1 thing only and at times this became a bit boring.

BUT.

That being said this has to be one of the best films Ive seen for a long while and the battle scenes are like no other you have seen before. Though watching them u just have to sit there and think .....Wow fair play those Spartans are double hard *******s.


So to have a sum up i would say this film isn't for everybody and many will not like it but for me this film had some of THE best battle scenes i have ever scene and people will be quoting from film for years to come (well the book really).

8/10 - Great film but needed more story and side line action to keep it entertaining though out.

[Azure]

I agree with Spindryer to the letter, it just celebrates being a bunch of hard *******s, and to be fair the Spartans were hard.

Trained like animals to be fighting machines from birth til the age of 25, kind of pisses on the British Army's 6 weeks lol.

Anyways, yeah it is just a "lollipop" film you sit and watch it and nothing taxes the brain and nothing is "interesting" really, but you are just continually frazzled by the fighting and post production effects, not just in the fighting scenes but overall, there are some grand picture shots in there which are stunning.

The gf ironically loved it to bits, as there were a bunch of sweaty hunks on show at all times and the story she could "Kepp up with". She normally falls asleep or loses the plot in anything like gladiator, and stuff like fight club etc well you can just forget it, she said she wants to see it again as of this morning so I think somewhat ironically she liked it more than me.

[gradinator]

Well i'm booked to go see it with me mateys on the coming thursday,

Reading Azure's comments have me doubting if i'll enjoy the film at all. I wasn't a fan of Gladiator and I like my movies deep, thought provoking and emotional (Clockwork / Shawshank / Goodfellas)

Still sometimes braindead is the best policy, who knows about that.

[zcaliber]

It doesn't come close to Gladiator. It was damn brutal though, very refreshing.

One part I wasn't impressed with though-
instead of just grazing his cheek...

http://imagecloset.com/uimages/bwy1174847483r.JPG

Is what should have happened.
edit: Apparantly this IS pretty much what happened, in which case just enjoy my immence paint skills

[Azure]

Hahaha yeah that was bad ass.

[Tim]

Saw this earlier today. 7/10, little plot but great action and just the colours in the film were really amazing.

Yeah lol not quite his face but a fair bit of his lip.

[Azure]

I think too many people will judge it as a well "film" when it is heavily adapted from the comic book.

I bet if someoen went through the comic book itd be true to it in alsmost every frame and that is why it plays through as it does.

I went through some of the video journals when they were making it and it showed xerxes and the hunchback guy in the actual graphic novel and the film had captured them almost perfectly, so I would not doubt that the layout of the film is 1:1 with the comic book and that should be taken into heavy consideration as to what the film was trying to acheive instead of viewing it like any other film.

I don't know why I want to say this but I'll spit it out, I thought 300 was a far better film than any of the spider man films. Probably because it stayed true to teh book rather than go super-stupid.

[Enraged Wang 07]

I managed to cram some money together and go see it, the story was weak but thats not really what it was about, it was about being brutal and hard. And it was just that.

Battle scenes are second to none and had me giggling like a school girl at the immenseness of it.

Anyone notice the huge amount of Nipples?

[Spindryer]

Welll now that you mention it .............

[gradinator]

Complete tripe, complete...

Overuse of cgi and slow motion that was not used in moderation. Combine with lack of plot and lack of good dialogue 'we've been expecting you' made me replay goldfinger in my head and tune out like a bird flying from it's cage.The lack of anything to discuss when it ends except good or bad hurts even in my friends circle.

If you want to see a brainless film that thinks it's epic because of how many actors / extras are on screen at once, this is for you.

This wasn't even visually entertaining, it has nothing on the lackluster gladiator and thats one hell of an insult.

Zack (the director) take your half arsed, copy cat direction and jump down that hole with lots of water and earth, cheers.

[Azure]

Overuse of cgi and slow motion that was not used in moderation. Combine with lack of plot and lack of good dialogue

Hmm over use of graphics, lack of deep plot and no great dialogue...

Sounds almost like an adaptation of a graphic novel!

[Spindryer]

Grad i don't make a habit of what im about to do but on this point i think i will. Grad i think your wrong it is one thing for opinion to state its "not for u" but u at least you should appreciate how good that film was in parts. It was a master piece throughout its battle scenes and even though everyone including me have said it lacks really story and need more going on but everyone still has taken there hat off to the brilliance that is displayed in the battles. Name a film that can be on par with it for just battle scenes because when i saw 300 it was head and shoulders above everything i had ever seen before to date.


So yes it was boring in parts and lacked any depth but Jesus man at least show some respect for how visual stunning the battles were in the film and to be far there were more than one ;)

[carocat]

Hmm over use of graphics, lack of deep plot and no great dialogue...

Sounds almost like an adaptation of a graphic novel!
Are you saying that that's how all graphic novels are?

Sin City was different and well worth watching.

[Dark]

Sin city was a great film. I'd say that if grad thinks 300 overused graphics and whatever he should think that bout Sin City as well.
Quite a lot of slow mo and stuff in that film.

[Spindryer]

I bet he doesn't like Matrix much either lol.

[carocat]

Matrix is shite. I never understood why everyone is raving so much about that film [I'm not even going to mention the follow ups].

I haven't seen 300 and I don't think I will until my housemates buy it on DVD as none of my friends or other people whose opinion I care about have liked it.

[Pirate Balloon]

The first Matrix is good (only seen it like twice though, because it does me head in). The rest get progessively worse.

That's fact.

[carocat]

The first Matrix is good (only seen it like twice though, because it does me head in). The rest get progessively worse.
Isn't that a complete contradiction? You like it, but it does your head in?

[Retro]

Matrix is ****, i think its one of the most over rated bits of film making ever.

Grad you know my view on 300. And i am slightly disappointed that you were not impressed with some of the scenes.

I saw it yesterday, went unto the cinema with my mates all chatting about how awesome its was, and i was thinking to myself like **** is it...

But when i cam out i was gob smacked, ****ing rock music in a a film based god knows how many years ago! Quality, i loved every second of the battle scenes. The slow, in between story lines were a pile of wank and ruined it completely.

4/10, but only for the fight scenes.

[gradinator]

To me the fighting was simply slow down / speed up while going from left to right.

Reminded me of a side scroller beat em up which is fine in moderation but they used it for a good 10 mins of the film in total.

I have to state it's not my type of film (genre wise) and I like thoughtful stuff.

If you liked stuff like the Scorpian king you would love this movie but I didn't. I saw it with mates or I would have passed it up.

Haven't seen Sin City and I have a feeling I won't like Matrix.

---Films with better battle scenes----

Well I'm not into the ancient stuff but Saving Private Ryan, Bridge too far, Full Metal Jacket ectra.

And I know that isn't the point being as they are modern war but as I said I don't like that genre and avoid it.

[Azure]

You haven't seen the matrix? GTFO.

[zcaliber]

The Matrix is quality, as are the sequels. There was never anything like it when it was released. I've never seen such blatant hating 'just because everyone likes it' before on this forum. Pack it in cat, retro, alternatively, provide me with at least 50 good reasons why you're allowed to call such a profound film 'shite'. Sometimes you gotta bite the bullet and accept the fact we are only what, point something different in our DNA, and when something that good comes out it's only human nature to unanimously enjoy it.

[Azure]

I thought revolutions/revelations were a lot weaker than the first one but that is like saying getting shot in the face by a 12 gauge is less lethal than getting shot in the face by an RPG.

As a set series I thought it was masterful and the first film was a true step into different ideas which were presented in a way that let everyone enjoy it. If you want to hate on something that had mass appeal do it on Star wars episode 1,2,3 they were actually ****.

[zcaliber]

They were undoubtedly ****, but once in a while, being slightly less critical than you, I can just about force myself to enjoy **** films, predominatly in this case for the clashing of lightsabers and nicely drawn CGI scenery, aswell as nostalgia (closely related to the soundtrack). The first of the 3 wasn't ****, though.

[Azure]

Episode 1 was on the line of cheese and good star wars. I was hoping for a progressive step up to number two then three, not a freefall descent to a hard, yet blissful end.

[Pirate Balloon]

Isn't that a complete contradiction? You like it, but it does your head in?No. I never said i didnt like it. I said it was GOOD.

I saw it and i thought it was good. But i dont watch it anymore because it's not really my type of film any more. It just isnt interesting for me. I do regard it as an oringinal and good film though.

A lot of the people who dislike it have little knowledge of film, or are just atni-trend hippies.

[quickshot89]

300 = quality

everything about it was fast paced, and fun to watch

all the time i could see why bungie picked the name Spartan, its just a great film

[Cackhandedchimp]

I'd give it 4/10.

The fight scenes were the only good bits.

Bad acting
Retarded sex scenes. (Slo mo doggy style? No thanks)
Lots of repetitive dialogue that I couldn't be bothered to interpret/listen to
Too much slo-mo in battle (always followed by a 4x speed finishing move)
The clothes - Sausage fest
Oooh, let's have as many animals as we can in here - elephants and rhinoceroses, why not!
Too many redundant bits that could've been cut out ie the 5 minute silences where it focuses in on one person

And what the hell was the point of the film if the 300 didn't need to have bothered as in the end there was some MASSIVE Greek army who would beat the Persians anyway?

There was no point to anything but the battle scenes. And even they were pointless for aforementioned reasons.

And I can't stand it when the leader guy says things in such a retarded way. (Although it is comical).

THITH! ITH! STHPAR-TAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!

Spartans, what is your profession?

AROO! AROO! AROO!

[Azure]

I was in borders today and saw the graphic hardback of 300. The film follows the book to the letter.

Film = great at taking after it.

Complaints should be forwarded to the writer of the novel rather than any actors or directors, they all did a fine job of taking on for better or worse a near perfect shell of the hardback.

As for the clothing, they were wholly naked with their dicks hanging out for half the book btw.

[Tim]

And what the hell was the point of the film if the 300 didn't need to have bothered as in the end there was some MASSIVE Greek army who would beat the Persians anyway?


At this point Greek was not one country and so there was no Greek army before the 300. The 300 fought to buy time for others to create an alliance among the many Greek groups. They also proved that you could stand up to the might of Persia and so raised Greek morale and convinced them it was a fight worth fighting. The MASSIVE army was formed BECAUSE of the 300.

[Cackhandedchimp]

It's all fictional anyway, they played with the original battle, it's in no way accurate.

[Azure]

It is more accurate than what you'd give credit for.

[quickshot89]

It's all fictional anyway, they played with the original battle, it's in no way accurate.

lol, its very accurate probably, the story is legend

ever wonder why bungie chose to call the main protagonists Spartans for halo? that's right, after the 300 Spartans in Greek mythology

[Mazzy]

Im just watching this now. DVD FTW !

[gradinator]

That's it though the story is legend, legend is always exadurated over all those years it's been retold.

For all we know there was 400 spartans and the decided it sounded better to say 300.

Take any legend with a pinch of salt, theres tons of variations of the likes of Oliver Twist and that still has the original source material.

[Pirate Balloon]

Like the bible!

[Azure]

Actually modern history believes the 300 were accurate and they faced an estimated army ranging from 200k to 500k persians.

Spartans 300
Mantineans 500
Tegeans 500
Arcadian Orchomenos 120
Other Arcadians 1,000
Corinthians 400
Phlians 200
Mycenaeans 80
Thespians 700
Thebans 400
Phocians 1,000
Opuntian Locrians 13
Total 5,200+


Persians

Fleet crew 517,610
Infantry 1,700,000[54]
Cavalry 80,000[55]
Arabs and Libyans 20,000[56]
Greek troops allied with Persians 324,000
Total 2,641,610This is the account for the land armies present at Thermopylae. Regarding the total number of forces Xerxes I assembled to invade Greece (land army, fleet crew, etc.), this number is nearly doubled in order to account for support troops and thus Herodotus reports that the total Persian force numbered 5,283,220 men,[57] a figure which is regarded as erroneous by modern estimations. The poet Simonides, who was a near-contemporary, talks of four million. Ctesias of Cnidus, Artaxerxes II of Persia's personal physician, wrote a history of Persia according to Persian sources one century later that unfortunately has not survived, and gives 800,000 as the total number of the original army that met in Doriskos, Thrace, after crossing the Hellespont.

Modern estimates

Modern scholars have given different estimates based on knowledge of the Persian military systems, their logistical capabilities, the Greek countryside, and supplies available along the army's route. Modern estimations tend to consider the figures given in ancient texts as miscalculations or exaggerations on the part of the victors.

It is assumed that if Herodotus' 300,000 estimate at Plataea were to be accepted, then the land army at Thermopylae may not have surpassed 500,000, which accounts for one fifth of Herodotus' record.[58] Others give an upper limit of 250,000 total land forces and 500,000 for the expedition. The main reason most often given for these values is a lack of water. Sir Frederick Maurice,[59] was among the first to estimate that the army could not have surpassed 175,000 due to this reason, at a time when hydrological data on Greek rivers was unavailable. The topic has been controversial. In the past, a number of scholars had suggested land force figures lower than 100,000 and higher than 350,000,[60] while more popular modern views support ranges between 100,000-150,000 or 150,000-200,000.[61] Another widely supported view holds that Herodotus may have confused the Persian terms for chiliarchy and myriarchy (one thousand and ten thousand).[62] The topic has been hotly debated but the general consensus revolves around the figure of 200,000.[61] All those estimates concern the land forces alone, whereas the entire Persian presence, including support troops and fleet crew, would almost double this number.[62]

The numbers given by Herodotus on the Persian fleet are considered largely realistic. It is generally maintained that Herodotus or his sources had access to official Persian Empire records of the forces involved in the expedition,[61] and it is more likely the numbers on the fleet were given precisely, whereas the contingent of the army may have been listed in general terms rather than exact figures.[61] Whatever the real numbers were, it is clear that Xerxes I was anxious to ensure a successful expedition by mustering an overwhelming numerical superiority by land and by sea.[61]


Wiki.

[Mazzy]

Very good film, just one long battle, cant beat that.

[Dirty Bernard]

I think too many people will judge it as a well "film" when it is heavily adapted from the comic book.

I bet if someoen went through the comic book itd be true to it in alsmost every frame and that is why it plays through as it does.

I went through some of the video journals when they were making it and it showed xerxes and the hunchback guy in the actual graphic novel and the film had captured them almost perfectly, so I would not doubt that the layout of the film is 1:1 with the comic book and that should be taken into heavy consideration as to what the film was trying to acheive instead of viewing it like any other film.

I don't know why I want to say this but I'll spit it out, I thought 300 was a far better film than any of the spider man films. Probably because it stayed true to teh book rather than go super-stupid.

I BELIEVE THAT THIS IS ACTUALLY (LOOSELY) BASED ON TRUYE EVENTS. SO IT WOULD HAVE TO STAY PRETTY TRUE TO THE BOOK IF THAT WAS BASED ON TRUE EVENTS ALSO

oh just realised some has already said it lol

[Cackhandedchimp]

Well in the film it was 1 million Persians, and in reality it was probably less than half of that.

[IcemanLeigh]

Went to see this last night and thought it was absolutely amazing!

If you notice, most of the story is being narrated. This is the guy with one eye retelling the story to his 10,000 man army (or whatever it was) The idea of the film is that it is legend being retold, Literally in parts.

Can you honestly say that you have never been through an event and then retold it to another person without exaggerating? I highly doubt it.

The fight scenes were superb, and the storyline did exactly what it had to. People complain about the storyline, and the beggining being slow, but if it were not for this it would have been a completely mindless film, which would have been mildly entertaining at best. You cant have superb without a backstory.

[Azure]

"Well in the film it was 1 million Persians, and in reality it was probably less than half of that."

In reality you're a whining *****, move along.

[Dannyooo]

why do u guys care anyways it was a pro film just leave it at that.

[Pirate Balloon]

And I can't stand it when the leader guy says things in such a retarded way. (Although it is comical).

THITH! ITH! STHPAR-TAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!Gotta love how the yanks throw a Scotish and a Welsh actor or two in there, and they'll all just assume that they're foreign and thats the end of it :rolleyes:
Spartans, what is your profession?

AROO! AROO! AROO!Hhah yeah, kinda lost it's effect the millionth time. Although it did make me laugh thinking of how gay that sounds, but the US Rangers still do it with that "HOO-AH!" macho bullshit.

[Cackhandedchimp]

"Well in the film it was 1 million Persians, and in reality it was probably less than half of that."

In reality you're a whining *****, move along.

...? You verge from making intelligent points to ones like that. Sort out who you want to be, a Liam clone or a person with real opinions.

[Azure]

You don't like the film because you think it sucks, then you are told it is based on a graphic novel that it accurately portrays. So then you have to try and find fault with history itself. You didn't like the film as is that's fair enough there is no need to chew on every last thing you can think of to try and discredit it.

The historians believe it was around 7000 men of which 300 were spartans versus a land army of 200-500 thousand from an actual invasion force numbering from 1 million to 5 million.

What is the problem?

Are you trying to suggest that 300 spartans against 500,000 men at a ratio of 1666:1 is any less impressive than 3333:1? There is no point picking at those numbers, in either case the fact they lasted as long as they did with no siege weaponry is still astounding either way.

Sort out who you want to be, a Liam clone or a person with real opinions.

I have my real opinion, and it is that you're a whining *****. Duh.

[Cackhandedchimp]

That's not a real opinion, though is it? It's like in my history classes when we're having a debate and then some retard will say "lol lets just blow up Iraq" and you think....

No. Say something valuable or don't say anything at all.

I don't even mind about the historical inaccuracies in the film - it just annoys me when people then decide that the film was literally what happened.

[Azure]

Tell you what though, about the historical inaccuracies and all it'd have been funny when they are all slow mo striding out in a line without their loincloths.

All 6 pacs and muscular thighs and then seeing a bunch of flaccid cold **** swinging about the place as the guy is trying to do his macho man speech.

[Spindryer]

Cack how can u imply that someones opinion isn't "real". If Azure thinks you are a whining ***** then in fact that IS his opinion of you.

I'm sure the film wasn't exactly how it happened but who cares it was a film and it was visually one of my favorite films i have ever seen and it did credit to the Novel,

if you didn't like it then jog on :)

[Cackhandedchimp]

This is a thread in a forum and I'm allowed to say I didn't like the film, and you have to accept that I didn't like it. This is a state your opinion thread, not let's all take 300 up the arse thread. As I previously said if you'd bothered to read the post, I'm not even bothered about the historical inaccuracies - it was just a point.

And by "real" I mean "valid".

[Spindryer]

Okay well I'm sure when Azure said "Whining *****" he actually meant "a nice chap", its so easy to misunderstand ppl when they write something but mean something different.

Take for example why you didn't like the film.... I mean i like others on this thread have brought up a number of things that we didn't like about the film but you seemed to focus on historic truth behind it all. Even though you say your not bothered it seems to be the center of your dis-like for 300.

I am interested in the "truth" of 300 so if you have any facts and figures with links i would love to see them. Of course you are entitled to not like the film but slating a film because your eyes doesn't portray what happened needs to be backed up with "why".

You could of said the acting was worse you had ever seen and left it at that and that would of been your opinion, it wouldn't of been based on facts like historic value.

[Innes]

found this through a bit off good ol' google

================================================== ==========

The phrase “300 Spartans” evokes not only the ancient battle of Thermopylae, but also the larger idea of fighting for freedom against all odds — a notion subsequently to be enshrined through some 2500 years of Western civilization.

Even today we remember the power of the Spartans’ defiance. “Come and take them,” they tell the Persian emissaries who demand their arms. “Then we will fight in the shade,” the Spartans boast when warned that the horde of Persian arrows will soon blot out the very sunlight. “Go tell the Spartans that here we lie obedient to their commands” the tombstone of their dead reads.

In 480, an enormous force of more than a quarter-million Persians under their King Xerxes invaded Greece, both to enslave the free city-states, and to avenge the Persian defeat a decade earlier at Marathon. The huge force of ships and soldiers proved unstoppable on its way west and southward until it reached the narrow pass at Thermopylae (“The Warm Gates”) in northern (central) Greece. There a collection of 7,000 Greeks had blocked the way. They hoped to stop Xerxes’ horde outright — or at least allow enough time for their fellow countrymen to their rear to mobilize a sufficient defense of the homeland.

Among the many Greek contingents was a special elite force of 300 Spartans under their King Leonidas — a spearhead that offered the other Greeks at Thermopylae some promise that they could still bar the advance of the vastly superior invader. And that hope proved real for two days of hard fighting. The vastly outnumbered, but heavily-armed Greek infantrymen in their phalanx — taking advantage of the narrow terrain and their massed tactics — savagely beat back wave after wave of advancing Persian foot soldiers and cavalry.

But on the third day of battle, Leonidas’s Greeks were betrayed by a local shepherd Ephialtes, who showed the Persians an alternate route over the mountains that led to the rear of the Greek position. When he realized that he was nearly surrounded, Leonidas nevertheless made a critical decision to stay and fight, while ordering most of the other various allies to flee the encirclement to organize the growing Greek resistance to the south.

Meanwhile the King and his doomed 300 Spartans, together with other small groups of surrounded Thespians and Thebans, would indeed battle to buy the Greeks time. They ranged further out from the pass on this third and last day of battle — at first with spears and swords, finally with teeth and nails —killing scores more of Persians. The last few Spartan survivors were buried under a sea of Persian arrows. The body of Leonidas was found among the corpses, his head soon impaled on a stick as a macabre reminder of the wages of resistance to the Great King of Persia.

The Greeks took encouragement from the unprecedented sacrifice of a Spartan King and his royal guard on their behalf. And so a few weeks later at the sea battle of Salamis near Athens — and then again the next year at the great infantry collision on the plains of Plataea — the Greeks defeated, and eventually destroyed, the Persian invaders. The rallying cry of the victors was Thermopylae, the noble sacrifice of the final stand of the outnumbered Greeks, and especially the courage of the fallen Three Hundred Spartans under King Leonidas.

So almost immediately, contemporary Greeks saw Thermopylae as a critical moral and culture lesson. In universal terms, a small, free people had willingly outfought huge numbers of imperial subjects who advanced under the lash. More specifically, the Western idea that soldiers themselves decide where, how, and against whom they will fight was contrasted against the Eastern notion of despotism and monarchy — freedom proving the stronger idea as the more courageous fighting of the Greeks at Thermopylae, and their later victories at Salamis and Plataea attested.

Greek writers and poets such as Simonides and Herodotus were fascinated by the Greek sacrifice against Xerxes, and especially the heroism of Leonidas and his men. And subsequently throughout Western literature poets as diverse as Lord Byron and A.E. Houseman have likewise paid homage to the Spartan last stand — and this universal idea of Western soldiers willing to die as free men rather than to submit to tyranny. Steven Pressfield’s novel Gates of Fire and the earlier Hollywood movie The 300 Spartans both were based on the Greek defense of the pass at Thermopylae.

Recently, a variety of Hollywood films — from Troy to Alexander the Great — has treated a variety of themes from classical Greek literature and theater. But 300 is unique, a sui generis in both spirit and methodology. The script is not an attempt in typical Hollywood fashion to recreate the past as a costume drama. Instead it is based on Frank Miller’s (of Sin City fame) comic book graphics and captions. Miller’s illustrated novelette of the battle adapts themes loosely from the well-known story of the Greek defense, but with deference made to the tastes of contemporary popular culture.

So the film is indeed inspired by the comic book; and in some sense its muscular warriors, virtual reality sets, and computer-generated landscapes recall the look and feel of Robert Rodriquez’s screen version of Sin City. Yet the collaboration of Director Zack Snyder and screenwriters Kurt Johnstad and Michael Gordon is much more of a hybrid, since the script, dialogue, cinematography, and acting all recall scenes of the battle right from Herodotus’s account.

300, of course, makes plenty of allowance for popular tastes, changing and expanding the story to meet the protocols of the comic book genre. The film was not shot on location outdoors, but in a studio using the so-called “digital backlot” technique of sometimes placing the actors against blue screens. The resulting realism is not that of the sun-soaked cliffs above the blue Aegean — Thermopylae remains spectacularly beautiful today — but of the eerie etchings of the comic book.

The Spartans fight bare-chested without armor, in the “heroic nude” manner that ancient Greek vase-painters portrayed Greek hoplites, their muscles bulging as if they were contemporary comic book action heroes. Again, following the Miller comic, artistic license is made with the original story — the traitor Ephialtes is as deformed in body as he is in character; King Xerxes is not bearded and perched on a distant throne, but bald, huge, perhaps sexually ambiguous, and often right on the battlefield. The Persians bring with them exotic beasts like a rhinoceros and elephant, and the leader of the Immortals fights Leonidas in a duel (which the Greeks knew as monomachia). Shields are metal rather than wood with bronze veneers, and swords sometimes look futuristic rather than ancient.

Again, purists must remember that 300 seeks to bring a comic book, not Herodotus, to the screen. Yet, despite the need to adhere to the conventions of Frank Miller’s graphics and plot — every bit as formalized as the protocols of classical Athenian drama or Japanese Kabuki theater — the main story from our ancient Greek historians is still there: Leonidas, against domestic opposition, insists on sending an immediate advance party northward on a suicide mission to rouse the Greeks and allow them time to unite a defense. Once at Thermopylae, he adopts the defenses to the narrow pass between high cliffs and the sea far below. The Greeks fight both en masse in the phalanx and at times range beyond as solo warriors. They are finally betrayed by Ephialtes, forcing Leonidas to dismiss his allies — and leaving his own 300 to the fate of dying under a sea of arrows.

But most importantly, 300 preserves the spirit of the Thermopylae story. The Spartans, quoting lines known from Herodotus and themes from the lyric poets, profess unswerving loyalty to a free Greece. They will never kow-tow to the Persians, preferring to die on their feet than live on their knees.

If critics think that 300 reduces and simplifies the meaning of Thermopylae into freedom versus tyranny, they should reread carefully ancient accounts and then blame Herodotus, Plutarch, and Diodorus — who long ago boasted that Greek freedom was on trial against Persian autocracy, free men in superior fashion dying for their liberty, their enslaved enemies being whipped to enslave others.

[Innes]

infact this may interest you spin, its a documentry on the discovery channel about the battle of Thermopylae.

.:: PaRt 1 ::. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R6BDHGa4CEY)
.:: PaRt 2 ::. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2IaHcshiwA)
.:: PaRt 3 ::. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8mzmzxpsabU)

**An historical documentary film from History Channel about the Spartans and the legendary Battle of Thermopylae.The film is divided in 3 videos.**

[Spindryer]

And that hope proved real for two days of hard fighting. The vastly outnumbered, but heavily-armed Greek infantrymen in their phalanx — taking advantage of the narrow terrain and their massed tactics — savagely beat back wave after wave of advancing Persian foot soldiers and cavalry

But on the third day of battle, Leonidas’s Greeks were betrayed by a local shepherd Ephialtes, who showed the Persians an alternate route over the mountains that led to the rear of the Greek position. When he realized that he was nearly surrounded, Leonidas nevertheless made a critical decision to stay and fight, while ordering most of the other various allies to flee the encirclement to organize the growing Greek resistance to the south


Seems the film was more on track than i thought. Cheers for information Innes once again you have proven your self in the art going the extra mile ;)

[Innes]

lol no problem spin, btw that documentry is pretty good

[Spindryer]

I agree, i was hoping to catch something like that on TV at some point so it was 25+ minutes well spent to watch.

[Simm0ns]

I liked it. Pretty much all action. Very good looking action too. No boring bits really. Cool cool overall. Id see it again.

[Dark]

Ben you say you found the talking bits boring but you did say you couldn't be bothered to listen to them. If I hadn't listened to any of the talking bits I probably would of found it boring as well.

[Spindryer]

Huh...They talked in the film? Jesus. I'll look out for the talking for when it comes out on DVD :)

[Cackhandedchimp]

you seemed to focus on historic truth behind it all.


Do you even read other peoples' posts?

For your benefit, here's my original post: I've put it in bold for you so it's easier to read.

I'd give it 4/10.

The fight scenes were the only good bits.

Bad acting
Retarded sex scenes. (Slo mo doggy style? No thanks)
Lots of repetitive dialogue that I couldn't be bothered to interpret/listen to
Too much slo-mo in battle (always followed by a 4x speed finishing move)
The clothes - Sausage fest
Oooh, let's have as many animals as we can in here - elephants and rhinoceroses, why not!
Too many redundant bits that could've been cut out ie the 5 minute silences where it focuses in on one person

And what the hell was the point of the film if the 300 didn't need to have bothered as in the end there was some MASSIVE Greek army who would beat the Persians anyway?

There was no point to anything but the battle scenes. And even they were pointless for aforementioned reasons.

And I can't stand it when the leader guy says things in such a retarded way. (Although it is comical).

THITH! ITH! STHPAR-TAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!

Spartans, what is your profession?

AROO! AROO! AROO!

Look at the phrase in red. It's the one you've been focusing on. Now look at the phrases in blue. They're the ones that you are not looking at.

[Pie In The Sky]

My Dad is the manager of all things on-air at the history channel, just thought I'd mention that :D

[Spindryer]

*Claps hands
*Smiles

Cack my friend good effort and if i was just a random kid that would of been enough but my friend you are not dealing with a random kid.....Not today. For a start let me add that you haven't listed ALL you original quotes have you....

So the question in hand is that i put to you that and i quote "you seemed to focus on historic truth behind it all". So have i just cause, lets see and this time lets include all your comments shell we ;)

*Quotes from the Cack him self.

*Oooh, let's have as many animals as we can in here - elephants and rhinoceroses, why not!

Well from the what historians believe the Persians throw these massive animals at the Greeks so to keep true it would of had to involve them.

*And what the hell was the point of the film if the 300 didn't need to have bothered as in the end there was some MASSIVE Greek army who would beat the Persians anyway?

Well again referring to historic value.......Its documented that because of the 300 final stand it gave time and inspiration to the rest of Greece to mount and assemble an army.

*There was no point to anything but the battle scenes. And even they were pointless for aforementioned reasons.

The film was about 300 Spartans standing against 250,000 Persians what else did you expect to see in the film? A song and dance and the guy getting the girl....Please


*And I can't stand it when the leader guy says things in such a retarded way. (Although it is comical).

Not that this comment holds any ground, but the guy looked a double hard ******* who had spent his life in training, maybe the word retard would be more fitting to someone who just sits back in life and passes judgement don't you think...

*It's all fictional anyway, they played with the original battle, it's in no way accurate.

Oh did they... Well do tell us Cack how it "really" happend because i missed the whole battle as i was out buying a new sense of humour ready to read your next reply on this thread. Take a look at the links Innes gave, i was even surprised how close to the film it was.

*Well in the film it was 1 million Persians, and in reality it was probably less than half of that.

Oh man u got the film there, it was merely 250,000 at a ratio of 833.3333333 to 1 those odds are far less impressive i know compared to 3333.3333 to 1 but then again after even 50 to 1 is a stupid number so don't get to hooked up on it. Unless you think that 1 man against 50 men is nothing special? let along 833....

*I don't even mind about the historical inaccuracies in the film - it just annoys me when people then decide that the film was literally what happened.

Well see as it stands no one knows how it "literally" happened but from what we do know that film wasn't far off and for all YOU know it could of been spot on, but that's the thing YOU don't so unless you would like to share with us how it "literally" happened i would have a nice cup of stfu ;)

*I'm not even bothered about the historical inaccuracies - it was just a point.

An opinion based point is far enough but when that point is trying to make out something is wrong which is based on historic value then you have to at least back up your clams of "why" it has inaccuracies. Which you haven't and is why Mr Azure summed you up quite nicely, i don't need to quote that one ;)



So do you think there's enough there just from you have said for me to be so bold to say that (and i quote my self again) "you seemed to focus on historic truth behind it all. " and "Even though you say your not bothered it seems to be the center of your dis-like for 300.". Maybe Cack just maybe if want to debate something that is based on historic facts from what is known that you at least back up your reasons next time.....

[gradinator]

It doesn't matter how many there were ratio wise, they lost didn't they.

If I say was to start a fight with one guy in the school yard and lose where my parade?
If I was to lose a fight against 5 kids in the playground i'd be called an idiot...
If I won, hell, I might get a nice spot on the local tv station? my own page on wikipedia or maybe a career in boxing...
But I lost?

Who gives the flying **** about the losers?

Oh because their brave?

I've seen better films about the glory of defeat and my favorate, it was called A bridge too far... in this film when the Germans simply out wait the Brits into using all their ammo the Brits surrender they don't aim for the German general with their last clip of ammunition...

I'm just throwing my own varied attempt at missing the point and posting idiotic comments, feel free to flame ;)

Or obsess about my obsession with modern war?

Both look good

[Spindryer]

Have you been drinking tonight Grad..... And to rip you on what you have just said would be to easy especially after the....They still lost and who cares comment. Sorry Grad i find your comments more amusing rather than taunting.

[gradinator]

Have you been drinking tonight Grad..... And to rip you on what you have just said would be to easy especially after the....They still lost and who cares comment. Sorry Grad i find your comments more amusing rather than taunting.

It's easter of course i've been drinking :p

Actually no, i'm just being amusing :) this threads getting too serious and heavy handed.

[Pirate Balloon]

I've seen better films about the glory of defeat and my favorate, it was called A bridge too far... in this film when the Germans simply out wait the Brits into using all their ammo the Brits surrender they don't aim for the German general with their last clip of ammunition...****in' class where they garrison that little white building on the edge of the bridge and shoot **** out of the Germans. Apprently that building is still there D:


I need to see that film again :(.

[Azure]

Erm they didnt lose, that is kind of the entire point. Their actions stirred a massive reaction from a fragmented Greece to pull together and fend off the Persians...

[Cackhandedchimp]

*Oooh, let's have as many animals as we can in here - elephants and rhinoceroses, why not!

Well from the what historians believe the Persians throw these massive animals at the Greeks so to keep true it would of had to involve them.

Yeah but what about the guy with knives for hands? Really realistic. :rolleyes:

[Azure]

Do you know for sure there wasn't a guy there with knives for hands?

How would you know what is realistic or not?

I have heard people calling them "pincers" and god knows what else the dude isnt a monster he has had his arms severed and blades attached as hands instead, I doubt that would be impossible to achieve. You also should try to understand that the persian empire would hunt and collect every type of freak they could encounter. As as for the animals... Wow, what is wrong with the animals? You can easily move those from India, you know where the Persian Empire bordered... :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

Realism isnt a point to attack either, for the 50th time the film is based on a comic book, that was "inspired"" by historical accounts... The film is exactly the same as the book in every last detail, from the gigantic size of the elephants to perfectly copying xerxes throne, the hunchback is perfectly done as well. Along with all the other more mundane stuff like the black emmisary at the start being kicked down the pit.

http://thadeu.files.wordpress.com/2006/08/xerxes.jpg
http://www.solaceincinema.com/wp-content/uploads/solace_300_comp_002-custom.jpg

http://static.flickr.com/112/260483509_24a4d018f1_o.jpg

http://static.flickr.com/96/262621061_67329cafdc_o.jpg
http://static.flickr.com/108/262621144_67cea64cc3_o.jpg
http://static.flickr.com/115/262551703_f3ff6493db_o.jpg
http://static.flickr.com/81/262552022_fad4663c9c_b.jpg
http://static.flickr.com/110/262552284_19bf5447ff_o.jpg
http://static.flickr.com/106/262552843_e657216869_o.jpg
"Realistically" they would have been using wooden shields but the film copied the COMIC BOOK. Also historically accurate would have had the spartans naked, but being as you are so adverse to "sausage fest" I can only assume you'd moan about that as well.

So please, stop ragging on about realism, anyone and everyone should be thankful that they went to such efforts to ACCURATELY portray the COMIC whilst still being based on historic facts. Will you complain about such stupid bollocks when spider man comes out?

[Azure]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/solaceincinema/262621144/

[Innes]

Erm they didnt lose, that is kind of the entire point. Their actions stirred a massive reaction from a fragmented Greece to pull together and fend off the Persians...

EXCACTLY so all this talk of THEY LOST is stupid, hense the big as greek army kicking the **** out of the persians......:roll:

[IcemanLeigh]

The talk of realism is ridiculous as well. The idea of the film, as I have mentioned before is that it is legend being retold. It isnt supposed to be a pure account of what actually happened.

If I lost in a fight to a million persians, I would want my story retold with a guy with knives for hands in there somewhere.

The point is, when legend is being retold, it is ALWAYS exaggerrated, that is what makes it legend. No-one knows which points are exactly true and which are exaggerrated.

[gradinator]

By my standards they lost because they all died.

They lost the battle but won the war

But they lost

[IcemanLeigh]

And what? Never had you down for a happy ever after guy.

Who cares?

Personally I would say that they won a fair few battles before they lost one actually, and even that one is only being retold because it was enough to spur a movement which then won the war. Think what you want though.

[Azure]

By my standards they lost because they all died.


I guess Russia lost WWII then...

[gradinator]

I guess Russia lost WWII then...

No because you are exaduarating and it's as simple as that.

The 300 died, so they lost

USSR suffered huge casualties but they didn't all die did they?

http://www.ddaymuseum.org/store/images/wwii_dummies.jpg

Only 13.99 at Waterstones ;)

[Azure]

Last edited by gradinator : Today at 05:04 PM.Reason: had to add more 'ownage'

Did all the Spartans die then? Were not entire battalions of Russian soldiers killed before they won?

If I am exaggerating it is only in line with your own.

https://unp.un.org/bookshop/covers_large/0764553224.jpg

If you had any sense at all you would sit there and think about what it is that they "lost", you judged them because they all lost their lives whereas the ****ing film alreayd has told you they consider it the greatest honour to die on the battlefield fighting for Sparta. So, to recap, they didn't give a **** that they lost their lives, they chose to, they won the war and they won the hearts and minds of their generation and those for centuries to come. Pleb.

Go administer your "ownage" elsewhere until you learn to assess things beyond the scope of what you would define "lost", which in itself is just contradictory.

The 300 died, so they lost

USSR suffered huge casualties but they didn't all die did they?

That is one of the most stupid things I have ever read.

[gradinator]

I can't believe this exists

http://www.icontemplate.com/images/dummies.jpg

I've given up all forms of arguement and debate with you Azure because you don't respect my opinion anyway.

Best thing for you to do is ignore me or ignore this thread.

I always wondered why you didn't black list me already? if it's on hope i'll stop being a '****ing idiot' I think i've had enough chances.

Anyhow, so much for grammar for dummies, suprised you didn't put this on instead?

http://images.ebookmall.com/lsi/s-image/0/0471750956.jpg

Ya dummy

[Azure]

Best thing for you to do is ignore me

Smartest thing I have read.

EDIT:> TO be honest, if you just make some sense then I might listen... But please respond to my comments on how they "lost".

[gradinator]

Thing is Azure I'm pretty sure i'm making sense, talking percifically about the 'ps3 sales' thread. Other people understood it and thought it was valid but you did not, thus i'm a '****ing idiot'...

I used myself in the examples about how they lost, this is to mean I personally felt they lost simply because they died. Not that the 300 didn't mind.

Simply because you did not agree with me does not mean i'm an idiot. Thats just bigotism in the highest sense.

[Azure]

No you are fine to say they lost because they died [not in ym eyes] but when I draw a parallel with Russia "Losing" you turn it on it's head and make no sense.


300 Spartans die, 10,000 spartans win. Grad says they "lose"

Millions? Of Russians die, Russia wins. Grad says they "win"

You're perfectly entitled to have a different viewpoint, just it'd be far better if it didn't contradict itself. And I fail to personally see how you could ever define them as losers when they held back an army of "whatever", that was their goal. Just because they didnt actually slay all of them and died in the end after killing thousands upon thousands of persians shouldn't mean they lose.

How would you feel if you were playing cricket and defended against 150 bowls from 8 different bowlers for 3 days solid and then someone knocked out your wickets and tehn called you a loser?

And for the record, I didnt call you an idiot in this thread, I called you an idiot in the PS3 thread. A "****ing" idiot IIRC, I still stand by that as what you said was ****ing idiotic.

[gradinator]

Ok I'll admit I didn't think this one through and I did contradict myself.

I'm not good at argueing but I do feel my opinion is valid and justified, if a little muffled (except this time, when i'm just wrong)

But you clearly don't see me as an idiot, otherwise you would have black listed me by now.

[Azure]

I'm not good at argueing but I do feel my opinion is valid and justified

Of course you fecking think YOUR opinion is valid and justified, everyone thinks that. You have to make OTHER people think that youropinion is valid and justified. Whether or not you are just paying lip service about your contradiction, it is that point that just made me sign off from what could have at least been something worth looking at in a different light.

[gradinator]

Other people do, not everyone but enough people do for me to actually write it down here.

Fact is while others may just disagree you don't expect opinions and instead dismiss them.

http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l312/Da_core/Furry_300.jpg

http://pr0n.encyclopediadramatica.com/images/a/af/GerardButler300DineHellFabulous.jpg

http://pr0n.encyclopediadramatica.com/images/6/6b/300coloring.jpg

[Spindryer]

If some says something stupid then you call them stupid - Stupid.

The 300 Spartans WON simple and i'll show you how simple.

Check list for the Spartans:

Hold the dam Persians back. [/] check :)
Give Greece time to get an army together. [/] check :)
Greece to then go on and win. [/] check :)

= Winner


Well all in a days work huh ;)

[Pirate Balloon]

You missed out "Dress homoerotically [/] check"

[IcemanLeigh]

talking percifically about the 'ps3 sales' thread. Other people understood it and thought it was valid but you did not, thus i'm a '****ing idiot'...
.

Did they?

By the way, did you mean specifically?

[Azure]

"Other people understood it and thought it was valid"

I was wondering about that as well, but you have to let the leash out a little...

As far as I recall he got called a **** by webly, and the same from jay and me and someone else... But instead I become a bigot :), probably something else I don't understand.

[BIG D 04]

I thought it was great, if I was anyone I wanted to be the Retard that get's all the Women or the Politican that takes advantage of the Queen except I wouldn't of been so cruel to call her a slag and I probably wouldn't have pissed her off either as that didn't go down well.

Yea thinking about I'd actually prefer to be the King, he died in Honour and had a great amount of respect.

[Spindryer]

BIG D we are trying to argue here.... Could you take you on topic and useful views somewhere else and leave us to gang up on Quickshot Gradinator.


Cheers :)

[BIG D 04]

Sorry....

*Runs of Crying*

[Spindryer]

Oh btw guys im not saying this is true as i haven't researched it yet (don't want to either) But some1 at work who knows a bit about his history told me that the Spartans where encouraged to be Gay....

They reckoned you fight better when u care about the ppl u fight with or something along those lines, as i said i haven't even begun to see if this he is right or not but has anyone heard this before?

[Pirate Balloon]

But wouldnt they be worried about breaking a nail or soemthing?

[Azure]

The film was criticised for its "If those athenian boy lovers can fight we will too" sentence, when yes they were not frowned upon for being homosexual, it kept women, who were always troublesome out the way and made them fight better.

Same throughout most of the Mediterranean and into the Roman Empire.

[Goalatzio]

I enjoyed it, loved the close up fighting scenes:D

[Pie In The Sky]

I just saw this.
Thought it was very very good. The fight-scenes were bad-ass to say the least.
Awsome film, loved it.

[Gaskin]

I still have not seen it, is it worth watching over the internet or not?

[Pie In The Sky]

Thats where I just saw it (see the veterans thread).
And yes it is, good way to spend a otherwise boring 2 hours.