(no subject)
Mild rant ahead.
Why oh why is nothing sacred to Hollywood anymore? Why has it insisted on producing films based on ancient epics/ancient history? Is it because some of the writers are too lazy to come up with their own unique ideas so they just pinch un-copyrighted material? Arrrrrgh! I mean, as if Troy wasn't bad enough (and believe me I will never forgive Wolfgang Petersen for that) there was then threats of an Alexander movie with Leonardo Dicaprio. Thankfully that never emerged, but there was then the 300. (I'm ignoring Oliver Stone's Alexander for my sanity's sake - I actually liked the film quite a lot, but was probably the only person who did.)
Don't get me wrong, 300 was a fun film and didn't even pretend to be historically accurate, but it did ancient history no good because it was so completely glammed up. It was like Lara Croft or Indiana Jones in comparison to real archaeologists.
Now I discover they've made a film about Beowulf. Can it be any worse than the atrocity that was Arthur? One can only hope and pray that this is not the case. Still. First impressions with trailers are leading me to not get my hopes up. It looks...bad. But the point of this slightly long-winded ramble is that I'm now concerned far more by rumblings in the Hollywood system that an account of Gilgamesh could be in the works.
No. Don't do it film people everywhere. I am begging you.
After The Iliad, Gilgamesh is my favourite ancient epic. I adore the characters, the stories and the gods. I love the flow of the plot and the overall motivating theme of soulmates and the wish to do anything for the one you hold closest to you heart. But wait, what's this? Oh no, of course! Gilgamesh's soulmate happens to be... *gasp* Enkidu! Worse still - he's a man! Well that won't do at all, according to Hollywood (unless you're a gay cowboy, and even then it must end in tragedy) so Enkidu has been written out of the film.
W.T.F?!
You take away Enkidu and it is far, far, far worse than demoting Patroclus to whiny younger cousin. You take away Enkidu and there is no freaking epic at all. Gilgamesh's whole motivation is based around Enkidu and the fact that the gods created them as soulmates who were absolute equals. I CANNOT STAND THIS ANYMORE! I resign from my life in disgust and am moving to a cave to become a hermit.
Oh, and Hollywood - next time you're thinking about using an ancient epic for a film? Think twice. In fact, think more than twice. Keep thinking until it doesn't happen, or until you've hired some historians who know what they're talking about and freaking well listen to them.
And that's the rant for the day. I feel better now, so goodnight world.
Why oh why is nothing sacred to Hollywood anymore? Why has it insisted on producing films based on ancient epics/ancient history? Is it because some of the writers are too lazy to come up with their own unique ideas so they just pinch un-copyrighted material? Arrrrrgh! I mean, as if Troy wasn't bad enough (and believe me I will never forgive Wolfgang Petersen for that) there was then threats of an Alexander movie with Leonardo Dicaprio. Thankfully that never emerged, but there was then the 300. (I'm ignoring Oliver Stone's Alexander for my sanity's sake - I actually liked the film quite a lot, but was probably the only person who did.)
Don't get me wrong, 300 was a fun film and didn't even pretend to be historically accurate, but it did ancient history no good because it was so completely glammed up. It was like Lara Croft or Indiana Jones in comparison to real archaeologists.
Now I discover they've made a film about Beowulf. Can it be any worse than the atrocity that was Arthur? One can only hope and pray that this is not the case. Still. First impressions with trailers are leading me to not get my hopes up. It looks...bad. But the point of this slightly long-winded ramble is that I'm now concerned far more by rumblings in the Hollywood system that an account of Gilgamesh could be in the works.
No. Don't do it film people everywhere. I am begging you.
After The Iliad, Gilgamesh is my favourite ancient epic. I adore the characters, the stories and the gods. I love the flow of the plot and the overall motivating theme of soulmates and the wish to do anything for the one you hold closest to you heart. But wait, what's this? Oh no, of course! Gilgamesh's soulmate happens to be... *gasp* Enkidu! Worse still - he's a man! Well that won't do at all, according to Hollywood (unless you're a gay cowboy, and even then it must end in tragedy) so Enkidu has been written out of the film.
W.T.F?!
You take away Enkidu and it is far, far, far worse than demoting Patroclus to whiny younger cousin. You take away Enkidu and there is no freaking epic at all. Gilgamesh's whole motivation is based around Enkidu and the fact that the gods created them as soulmates who were absolute equals. I CANNOT STAND THIS ANYMORE! I resign from my life in disgust and am moving to a cave to become a hermit.
Oh, and Hollywood - next time you're thinking about using an ancient epic for a film? Think twice. In fact, think more than twice. Keep thinking until it doesn't happen, or until you've hired some historians who know what they're talking about and freaking well listen to them.
And that's the rant for the day. I feel better now, so goodnight world.