Films/DVD Asylum

Posted by Analog Scott (A) on April 07, 2007 at 22:53:54

In Reply to: Scott, I might have taken a small thought for a long walk! posted by dave c on April 7, 2007 at 18:46:48:

>One point I would raise, what do you...I...we... mean by myth(ic)?

Mythic where the truth becomes stretched to legend. Homer's Illiad and Odyssey, Beowolf, King Arthur and the Knights of the round table. Stories rooted in history but epic and magical in their accounts.

>I have a feeling we might be using the word differently to each other.
"Yes it is visually stylized (mythic) but it was very well researched."
Presumably largely using the Cartledge source, or was that just for the film?

I don't know allthe sources frank Miller or Zack used but I know they both went to great legths to know the history. Miller even visited the original locations before hew began drawing.

>The Herodotus version would seem to be the ultimate source and as ever with stories/events this old, we take what we have and probably a lot of puff with it but who could tell?

Ultimately Herodotus was the primary source. And I think much of the attitude in this movie comes straight from him. certainly several lines were taken stright from Herodotus. ironically lines that have been much maligned as stupid by some critics that didn't think to do their homework. Those critics made me laugh.

>I am genuinely surprised that Frank Miller isn't realising the comparisons that could/will/have been made between Sparta and modern USA. I would actually have guessed he was setting that sort of thing up, but that's just my presumption.

I doubt he was setting anything up. he wrote the graphic novel back in 98. Between then and the release of the movie it was never an issue to my knowledge.

>Isn't the Aryan superman (OK so the Spartans aren't blonde supermen) a mythic figure by now? Or at least a stereotype?

We never saw the guys as Aryan. Richard Cetrone, Guillermo Grispo, Patrick Sabongui, Chad Stahelski and Daniel Hernandez don't really fit the bill. actually most of our Spartans also played Persians. the idea was pretty non Aryan. they were Spartans, they were trained to the hilt to be the best warriors in all the world and they were modelled after the drawings of a comic book artist.

>OK, I will let you the fact that in going back to Sparta, you could possibly ignore the modern interpretation of such a figure (the Nazi) as you are staging the story before that event, and going to the source.

That is pretty much it.

>But are the shaved chests a historical thing?????????

No. that is a style thing. but so are 20 foot elephants. Immortals played as man/beasts, ephores as hideous diseased men, etc etc. The *imagry* is highly stylized. But it is mostly taken from actual Greek art.

>Just a joke but then again...

No, I getcha but you'd be surprised how many people saw this as some sort of statement about race and/or sexuality when in fact it was merely an attempt to be true to the artwork.

>I will go to see it tomorrow or Tuesday and see for myself.

Gosh, I hope you like it. I feel after all this it will be my fault you went.

>I think my delicate sensibilities will survive!
I don't mind big stories... I even watched the whole of Alexander...

You out lasted me there.