however, I thought I'd get the opinions of the Bedlam cognicenti!

I didn't get to see this when it was first out and was intrigued by the mixed reviews. I borrowed the DVD last night. Briefly, my opinion, whilst I did enjoy it and it was watchable, I thought it was just too 'comic book' (ooops graphic novel), the cgi was just overdone and the script left a lot to be desired. Don't get me wrong, I did enjoy it, I just think it could have been so much better!

Oh, and the music, don't get me started!

What do you guys think?

I did enjoy it when I went to see it at the cinema, I wasn't expecting too much and found the film didn't bore me or drag, but that's hardly acclaim.

I should watch it again on DVD.

I watched it and enjoyed it for it what it was.

The whole point was that it was never supposed to be a realistic representation of the tale of the battle Thermopylae, it was a screen adaptation of Frank Miller's interpretation of that tale which he presented to the world in his graphic novel, and I thought it was executed brilliantly, see pics below:

I also like this director's cinematographic style, I believe he was also responsible for Sin City, which was another film I really enjoyed, that also tried to bring the old detective comic books to life on the big screen.

Yours truly,

But the kids learn their history from all these movies, especially now that there are DVDs of just about everything.

Does this account for the Americans complete lack of understanding of the rest of the world? Right up to the three most likely contenders for the Presidency?

I am not knocking all Americans here - I have worked with many over the years and most of those who have spent a long time overseas have a different view to those at home or out for the first time. But the ignorance of world geography and history is very disturbing (and is now fairly obvious in many Brits, too).

This film was, as QuickSilva says, an adaptation of a cartoon and was very good in that way. But it sure didn't develop the history of the politics of the time, the interchange of civilisations, what led up to the event, what followed after.

That was my 1833rd post. What happened in 1833?

Just off the top of my head - Abolition of Slavery Act (UK) and Factory Act (established a fixed working week)(UK).

Rest of the world - not much!!

Prove me wrong !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

1833 was a good year for leeks.

*** 300 - Film Spoiler Below ***.

my opinion, whilst I did enjoy it and it was watchable, I thought it was just too 'comic book' (ooops graphic novel), the cgi was just overdone and the script left a lot to be desired.

IMHO I considered the film to be shown from the mind's eye of the story told around a fireside some ten's of years after the battle, when a story of heros is told the wolves are bigger the moon is brighter and the saber toothed elephants more fierce than real life, this idea of a story by narration is if anything renforced by the final sceen where the camera pans back to show the new army massing for the attack with the same voice being answered by the crowd.

Sin City was similar as it was told in the first person by "Marv" I believe.

It is difficult to communicate a story in the same way for every film on the big screen, Cloverfield which was discussed elsewhere on TV is a good example, I disliked it but bought the DVD to allow me a second go at "enjoying" it on the small screen.

I saw Rambo 4 last night, a suitable film with a beer for a dozy night at home, the gore factor was a bit high but the effects and camera angles they had used to capture realistic (?) battlefield injuries was impressive. None of the John Wayne era clutching your chest to break a blood bag to allow a small red patch to creep across your heart as the actor says his final line. Traumatic amputations and seeing day light through people shot with a M107. For the entertainment factor I enjoyed the "realistic" death on film in Burma more than the intended realistic filming of sea monster death on the streets on New York in Cloverfield.

Sorry to labor the point with a final example; CSI. Great entertainment, but clearly faked "realistic" slow-mo bullets penetrating livers and brightly colored bile oozing into the bloodstream. A gory realistic show about death that older kids can show on TV - clever idea. (Also boosted people taking majors in this field.)

That was my 1833rd post. What happened in 1833?

Just off the top of my head - Abolition of Slavery Act (UK) and Factory Act (established a fixed working week)(UK).

Rest of the world - not much!!

Prove me wrong !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

There were a couple of other things HB

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1833

But not much.

I don't know about anyone else but until i watched it i thought it was called Zoo

That's about all i remember about it.

Quicksilva, love the artwork. If i remember rightly, you still owe me one for my MrBoJangles avatar, which you promised me age ago

That was my 1833rd post. What happened in 1833?

Just off the top of my head - Abolition of Slavery Act (UK) and Factory Act (established a fixed working week)(UK).

Rest of the world - not much!!

Prove me wrong !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

There were a couple of other things HB

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1833

But not much.

I didn't know it was the year Babbage put forward his analytical machine (which developed into the computer).

Wikepedia do not mention it as the year of the death of William Wilberforce, who was the main proponent of the Anti-slavery movement. He died, the Act was passed in 1833, but it did not come into force until 1834 - so he never saw the culmination of his life's work.

oops yes you're right I do

Edit that was Post # 1492 !

This has more than Wikipedia, in it's own specialised field - but I'm way off topic - again!

http://www.brainyhistory.com/years/1883.html

Other than being historically inaccurate, it was too cartoonish for my tastes

That was my 1833rd post. What happened in 1833?

Just off the top of my head - Abolition of Slavery Act (UK) and Factory Act (established a fixed working week)(UK).

Would you like to explain that to my boss?

Other than being historically inaccurate, it was too cartoonish for my tastes

Good analysis and I agree, toooo cartoonish. Could have done better with what is a great story!

History as a topic has lost a great deal of it's appeal to the younger generation. The 300 flawed as it was, may at least have sparked a few of the younger audience to read more about the subject. In the age of the Xbox, historical accuracy may need a hand.

History as a topic has lost a great deal of it's appeal to the younger generation. The 300 flawed as it was, may at least have sparked a few of the younger audience to read more about the subject. In the age of the Xbox, historical accuracy may need a hand.

So True

History as a topic has lost a great deal of it's appeal to the younger generation. The 300 flawed as it was, may at least have sparked a few of the younger audience to read more about the subject. In the age of the Xbox, historical accuracy may need a hand.

So True

And sad really!

The DVD set does have a great deal relating to the history so perhaps people will get more from that. The battle which one sees being prepared for {Plataea} was less than a year after Thermopylae and marked the end of Xerxes attempts to invade the Greek mainland with the aim of total conquest, though politically they still schemed.

Xerxes himself had left already after the victory at Thermopylae and then the critical {naval} loss at Battle of Salamis. The commander Mardonius recaptured Athens prior to Plataea {tradition also tells of the battle of Mycale, said to be fought on the same day which further depleted the Persian Navy} but the loss of these two battles lead to the end of the Persian campaign, and some argue ensured the birth of what today we describe as Western Culture, though there was still the minor matter of the Peloponnesian Wars, in part caused by the growth of Athens and the tensions this caused for Sparta itself..

Regards

The DVD set does have a great deal relating to the history so perhaps people will get more from that. The battle which one sees being prepared for {Plataea} was less than a year after Thermopylae and marked the end of Xerxes attempts to invade the Greek mainland with the aim of total conquest, though politically they still schemed.

Xerxes himself had left already after the victory at Thermopylae and then the critical {naval} loss at Battle of Salamis. The commander Mardonius recaptured Athens prior to Plataea {tradition also tells of the battle of Mycale, said to be fought on the same day which further depleted the Persian Navy} but the loss of these two battles lead to the end of the Persian campaign, and some argue ensured the birth of what today we describe as Western Culture, though there was still the minor matter of the Peloponnesian Wars, in part caused by the growth of Athens and the tensions this caused for Sparta itself..

Regards

There you go.... Debate on a film the majority on here don't care for, has led to an informative post. Well done.

I agree!

however, I thought I'd get the opinions of the Bedlam cognicenti!

I didn't get to see this when it was first out and was intrigued by the mixed reviews. I borrowed the DVD last night. Briefly, my opinion, whilst I did enjoy it and it was watchable, I thought it was just too 'comic book' (ooops graphic novel), the cgi was just overdone and the script left a lot to be desired. Don't get me wrong, I did enjoy it, I just think it could have been so much better!

Oh, and the music, don't get me started!

What do you guys think?

Ya, know Catman comic books are the way of the future. There is a Brit that has turned parts of the Bible into comic books, manga style, that is the style from the Japanese. Will kids learn their religion from a buffed out anime Jesus? at least he will have cool hair, eh?

Yeah, check it out on npr.org.

Now that just sounds too weird bops! But I will check it out!

Now that just sounds too weird bops! But I will check it out!

Very silly, but I am sure it will appeal to someone.

But the kids learn their history from all these movies, especially now that there are DVDs of just about everything.

Smart kids will understand that this stylized fictional story and what actually happened in Greece are two different things. I used to read heaps of Asterix cartoons as a kid, they didn't make me think the Romans were defeated by French barbarians with a magic potion.

Does this account for the Americans complete lack of understanding of the rest of the world? Right up to the three most likely contenders for the Presidency?

Separate issue I think. You can't blame comic books or Hollywood for people being ignorant. The water is there, the problem is that the horses don't drink. An attempt at an accurate portrayal in movie form of Greek history won't make much money because the masses want mostly mindless entertainment rather than facts.

I am not knocking all Americans here - I have worked with many over the years and most of those who have spent a long time overseas have a different view to those at home or out for the first time. But the ignorance of world geography and history is very disturbing (and is now fairly obvious in many Brits, too).

While I think the problem is real and not only confined to Americans even though as a group they seem to lead the way into ignorance, I don't think movies like 300 have much to do with the issue.

This film was, as QuickSilva says, an adaptation of a cartoon and was very good in that way. But it sure didn't develop the history of the politics of the time, the interchange of civilisations, what led up to the event, what followed after.

Nope, and even though I enjoyed 300 as a great CGI popcorn battle, I personally would have liked to see something that went deeper into the issue. An expensive TV series along the lines of HBO's Rome would be great.

Anyways, film is a one-way communication visual medium and by definition not suited to teach people to reflect like the text medium does.

Thanks for you feedback Meadish! Very interesting.

Meadish, what you may not know was that there were at least two other versions in development hades, as they say, one based on the well received novel, Gates of Fire, by Steven Pressfield, {believe it's on the required reading list at some Military Academies} but 300 pushed them to the back burner, and may have extinguished them. Agree a BBC style series would be of interest, but maybe the 'birth of civilisation' point might make a few nervous in these PC times.

I see there's even a FAQ entry on Pressfield's site on this.

Regards

/edit add link//

Meadish, what you may not know was that there were at least two other versions in development hades, as they say, one based on the well received novel, Gates of Fire, by Steven Pressfield, {believe it's on the required reading list at some Military Academies} but 300 pushed them to the back burner, and may have extinguished them. Agree a BBC style series would be of interest, but maybe the 'birth of civilisation' point might make a few nervous in these PC times.

I see there's even a FAQ entry on Pressfield's site on this.

Regards

/edit add link//

Very good book, that.

But the kids learn their history from all these movies, especially now that there are DVDs of just about everything.

Smart kids will understand that this stylized fictional story and what actually happened in Greece are two different things. I used to read heaps of Asterix cartoons as a kid, they didn't make me think the Romans were defeated by French barbarians with a magic potion.

Does this account for the Americans complete lack of understanding of the rest of the world? Right up to the three most likely contenders for the Presidency?

Separate issue I think. You can't blame comic books or Hollywood for people being ignorant. The water is there, the problem is that the horses don't drink. An attempt at an accurate portrayal in movie form of Greek history won't make much money because the masses want mostly mindless entertainment rather than facts.

I am not knocking all Americans here - I have worked with many over the years and most of those who have spent a long time overseas have a different view to those at home or out for the first time. But the ignorance of world geography and history is very disturbing (and is now fairly obvious in many Brits, too).

While I think the problem is real and not only confined to Americans even though as a group they seem to lead the way into ignorance, I don't think movies like 300 have much to do with the issue.

This film was, as QuickSilva says, an adaptation of a cartoon and was very good in that way. But it sure didn't develop the history of the politics of the time, the interchange of civilisations, what led up to the event, what followed after.

Nope, and even though I enjoyed 300 as a great CGI popcorn battle, I personally would have liked to see something that went deeper into the issue. An expensive TV series along the lines of HBO's Rome would be great.

Anyways, film is a one-way communication visual medium and by definition not suited to teach people to reflect like the text medium does.

Rome, now there was an x-rated run through history.

Meadish - congratulations.

You took my superficial take on the situation and added a lot of meat.

That must be why I spent so many years working with Swedish construction firms. The aim was to do things right, and the profit would come. Not to do things for profit and hope that they were right.