(no subject)
300 has hit the theaters with a storm. I find the movie thrilling and fun, if morally reprehensible. It's really gorgeous, and some of the choreography is terrific. Frank Miller's dialogue makes comic book morality really pop.
So the word is that there's going to be a sequel. As the movie is about a lot of people who die, there's no continuing characters. Frank Miller said it's going to be another epic battle with Greeks. Which do you think it will be?
Poll 301 Spartans
So one thing that kind of bugs me is an effort to de-gayify Greeks. I imagine it goes on because the same sort of people who like to worship Western thought as exemplified by statues and white guys tend to not be so cool with some of the oldest statues and earliest white guys being gay.
"Those boy loving Athenians" is the phrase (and in the movie's defense, the only phrase) that I'm referring to. It's not a comment a Spartan would make, because they were pretty big on man-on-man action themselves. I'm a little sensitive because I've just recently read Ilium, which had a line where someone talks about really vague obscure rumors that Homer meant to depict Achilles and Patrocles as lovers. Yes, there are rumors to that effect for the following reason:
Man, I'm being bitchy. I thought the movie was a lot of fun. Trust me folks, the movie can hit your liberal bone this badly and still entertain you.
Anyway, here's the battles. I can't think of another well-known battle where Greeks lose. That's why we love them. They were winners until the Romans came along.
Marathon The prequel. The big problem is that the Spartans didn't show up because of the Carnea festival, even after a guy ran twenty-odd miles to Sparta and died due to insufficient cross-training.
Salamis A naval battle. This is the actual battle that stopped Xerxes. After Salamis, he couldn't supply his armies. Again, though, the heroes are Athenians.
Chaeronia An epic battle where the combined forces of Greece are defeated by their hilbilly neighbors to the north, Macedonians. The more recognizably macho (but still sexually flexible) Macedonians carry the day, so maybe this will appeal.
Granicus The first big battle for Alexander the Great. Like a movie, Alexander was outnumbered by the Persions. Like a more cheerful movie, Alexander won handily.
Gaugamela The battle that dethroned the Persian King. It featured a small army being submerged into a large army like a box turtle sinking into an aquarium. The large army got demoralized and panicked.
So the word is that there's going to be a sequel. As the movie is about a lot of people who die, there's no continuing characters. Frank Miller said it's going to be another epic battle with Greeks. Which do you think it will be?
Poll 301 Spartans
So one thing that kind of bugs me is an effort to de-gayify Greeks. I imagine it goes on because the same sort of people who like to worship Western thought as exemplified by statues and white guys tend to not be so cool with some of the oldest statues and earliest white guys being gay.
"Those boy loving Athenians" is the phrase (and in the movie's defense, the only phrase) that I'm referring to. It's not a comment a Spartan would make, because they were pretty big on man-on-man action themselves. I'm a little sensitive because I've just recently read Ilium, which had a line where someone talks about really vague obscure rumors that Homer meant to depict Achilles and Patrocles as lovers. Yes, there are rumors to that effect for the following reason:
- The Iliad was written in the context of a largely bisexual society.
- Achilles throws away his honor and rushes to his certain doom to avenge Patrocles and spends days defiling the body of the man who killed him.
- It's really, really obvious.
Man, I'm being bitchy. I thought the movie was a lot of fun. Trust me folks, the movie can hit your liberal bone this badly and still entertain you.
Anyway, here's the battles. I can't think of another well-known battle where Greeks lose. That's why we love them. They were winners until the Romans came along.
Marathon The prequel. The big problem is that the Spartans didn't show up because of the Carnea festival, even after a guy ran twenty-odd miles to Sparta and died due to insufficient cross-training.
Salamis A naval battle. This is the actual battle that stopped Xerxes. After Salamis, he couldn't supply his armies. Again, though, the heroes are Athenians.
Chaeronia An epic battle where the combined forces of Greece are defeated by their hilbilly neighbors to the north, Macedonians. The more recognizably macho (but still sexually flexible) Macedonians carry the day, so maybe this will appeal.
Granicus The first big battle for Alexander the Great. Like a movie, Alexander was outnumbered by the Persions. Like a more cheerful movie, Alexander won handily.
Gaugamela The battle that dethroned the Persian King. It featured a small army being submerged into a large army like a box turtle sinking into an aquarium. The large army got demoralized and panicked.