This was in yesterdays news.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/6446183.stm

Now, concidering this is a film based on Frank Miller's comic book which was published in 1998 (inspired by the 1962 film The 300 Spartans) and loosely depicts the Battle of Thermopylae, do the Iranians have a point? Or are they just being over sensitive given the current climate?

Did they accuse Miller of the same thing back in 1998 or the makers of The 300 Spartans in 1962?

I'd quite like to see this film anyway, I'm a fan of Frank Miller, V for Vendetta was superb, even if he didn't like it.

P.S. I didn't know if to put this in here or Mass Debate, so please move it if you think it would be better suited there.

Having read this article I felt compelled to make a response, both for this site and for the Iranian's...

This is gonna be a list of points so people can nit pick as they wish!

1) This is a film and as such cannot be taken seriously.

2) The "Persians" were bastards, historically one of the worst races, killing and plundering everything in their path to dominion! (kinda like Nazi's??)

3) This movie portrays event's that happened a long time ago I think any person of any level of intelligence could realise that this is not the same race as the modern Iranian's, who I'm sure are as pleasant as anyone, just cos they are different in race and religion doesn't make them worse or better than anyone else?

4) If you want to take issue with films that portray a not great side of a nations heritage then why did the british not take issue with Ghandi which portrayed the British as a brutal and bloody race who used violence to make their point. Why did we not I hear you say (or not), we didn't because this is what happened, hell we're not proud of the fact we used to be like that but we realise that it is part of our PAST.


So I think to conclude that the Iranian government are overreacting to something that is really just going to be a good film, I find the fact they think of it as "plundering Iran's historic past and insulting this civilization" as laughable at best, sure they were a big civilization but that's like saying the British Empire was a "good thing" foolish and small minded.

Please bear in mind that I am English (or British, whatever) so I am 'slating' my own heritage too!

Peace Out!

I'd quite like to see this film anyway, I'm a fan of Frank Miller, V for Vendetta was superb, even if he didn't like it.

The comic was written by Alan Moore, so I don't really care what Frank Miller thinks of it. Zack Snyder the director of 300, is going to be directing an adaptation of Alan Moore's Watchmen.

As far as the Iranians are concerned its ancient history, just get over it already.

The comic was written by Alan Moore

V for Vendetta was indeed written by Alan Moore, my bad, and it was he who said he didn't like the movie, not Frank Miller. It was Sin City Frank Miller did that I was thinking of. Just got my authors mixed up there.

the iranians are over reacting and generaly bing petty. as usual.

fuck 'em, if you dont want movies made about you hundreds of years from now then you shouldnt be going around being bastards and conquering everything and everyone you can find.

Ok so now I've seen this film I have to say this.... hahahahahahaha

It was F****NG amazing, one of the best films I've seen in a while, action and a massive body count, encompassed by a reasonable plot with some relatively unknown actors. What a great film!

Go adn see it in the cinema it's what I'll do when it comes out in the UK!

I thoink it'll look more amazing than big screen on the little screen the way I watched it! Still brilliant!!!!

Tickets booked for 11:30 am thursday morning.

Can't wait. I know it's not gonna be supremely taxing on the brain, but eveyone needs a popcorn movie once in a while....

I can't wait to see it!

Gonna try and get my date to take me to it when we arrange going out because none of my friends wanna go and he's a film geek like me.

V for Vendetta was indeed written by Alan Moore, my bad, and it was he who said he didn't like the movie, not Frank Miller. It was Sin City Frank Miller did that I was thinking of. Just got my authors mixed up there.

Alan Moore > Frank Miller

Comic book nerdary aside, the 300 was a pretty good comic, the film (from what ive heard from reliable sources) is utter pish though.

After seeing it today I can say that it was a bit over hyped. Still a very good movie and worth it to go see, though. People ripping each other apart on a battlefeild set to some heavy guitar riffage is pretty aweseme. The acting was fairly good for an action movie but Xerxes, the bad guy, just looked like a tranny without a wig. The sub plot involving the Queen of Sparta was a bit silly and pointless but I do realize the need for some boobage in a movie like this. A very styling movie. It looked great on the big screen and will look stunning in HD.

I can't be arsed with drawing analogies from this movie with what is going on in the real world. Thats not what I go see movies like this for and to read any more into it is just silly and inane. It's a complete gorefest of an action movie and nothing more. Lets leave it at that.

Fuck the over hyped shit, I thought it was fantastic. Incredible fight scenes, and seeing those Spartin "Adonises" makes me want to go to the gym and bulk up some :P

Went to see it with my daughter, who did enjoy it. This has to be the most homo erotic film I've seen in ages. All those muscles, oiled skin and posing pouches! I kept thinking of the pilot in Airplane asking the kid if he liked gladiator movies. I thought it was a right load of old tosh.

Well the movie isn't even historically accurate, from what I've heard, as there were more than just 300 Spartans against the Persian army, but until I see it I won't comment further on that front. Although I will say, since when has Hollywood ever been historically accurate?

However, this film is only really mean't to be a gore fest, with great special effects, loosely based on a famous historical battle. It happened 2500 years ago, how can the ancient Persians really be compared to modern Iranians?

Must say seeing a short clip last night of a battle scene it looks excellent.

I have not seen the film yet, but I am concerned that Irans response to it is a little more sinister than just a toutchy over-reaction.

I suspect that the Iranian government have realised that it is in their interest for their population to feel anti-western at the moment, strengthening support for their own government, and this is a perfect opportunity for them to shout and point and make it look like the western powers have made a deliberate attempt to launch a proporganda attack on them.

I would hope that the average person would give this a little more thought and realise the following.

1. This film must have been in production for a long time, its probably a few years since the screenplay was drafted from the comic. And political attacks are rarely planned so many years in advance.

2. The average western person going to see an action film like this is probably not even aware that persia and iran are related. So its not much use as proporganda without Iran making a fuss.

3. There are much affective ways of influencing the opinions of westerners.

stevie_b
Well the movie isn't even historically accurate

That would be because it is a comic book adaptation, which it's self only loosely depicted the Battle of Thermopylae.

That's what I thought Xavier, are they realy clever enough to predict years in advance that it would be worth while to make an expensive and epic movie based on a comic for propaganda? I think not.

is there much in the way of female nudity? cos if there is, i'm not watching it with my dad :no:. starship troopers was bad enough!

There aint MUCH in the way of female form, other than one semi naked nymphette dance and a sex scene - somewhere between arty, tasteful and totally unnecessary.

It is eye-popping, gory and and fun.

Lots of good things to say about this. I liked that the Spartan King was Scottish*. I don't think it was intentional but modern translators of Greek comedy almost always choose to give the Spartan characters Scottish accents, I suppose to convey the sense of cultural differences. I also liked the suggestions that other Greeks were "boy lovers" when there was a stereotype throughout the whole of Greece that Spartans liked anal sex. All very funny. I did find it quite homoerotic but again, that's quite fitting considering all the bum fun the Greeks enjoyed.

Some scenes were taken right out of Gladiator. I think some of the music was in Gladiator too.

I liked that the film threw in a mention of hubris and didn't explain what it meant. It's nice not to be patronised.

I enjoyed it a lot and I recommend it to anyone with a stomach for gore.

*However this did mean that everytime he yelled "SPARTANS!", in my head, the voice of that referee from Gladiators shouted "Spartans.. READY! Persians... READY! You will go on my first whistle...".

I thought this was a great film. I saw it at the IMAX and it was well worth it. I did get a wee bit dizzy during some of the fight scenes though!

If I had two thumbs, I'd put them both up.

Personally, I was disappointed in it. It had a bit of a story to tell, but the way it was told was sadly lacking to me. Some of the fight scenes were done quite well but then there was way too much Slo-Mo used especially at unnecessary points.

My brother certanily enjoyed it more than I did but I think that was mostly down to the gore factor.

I watched 300 the other day and enjoyed it although its not the sort of film I would usually watch. There were indeed some very well toned bodies in it.

i really enjoyed it, didn't take it to seriously and saw it as just a good fight movie, Lady friend thought it was rubbish though. one of her points being the music was pretty incosistent. which i can see but whatever still thought it was great. think all the great lines that the king had made it for me. Quazimoto was a bit weird though.

Told my gay friend to check it out on his next date.

The gore was tops. Made me giggle a lot.

What made me giggle even more was when I misheard a line:

when the queen stabbed the nasty guy and coins spilled out, I thought everyone was yelling 'treasure!' (in a terrance and phillip stylee). It turned out they were calling him a traitor. It took me about fifteen minutes to stop shrieking with laughter.

See that's another thing. Typical woman, gets away with adultery because he husband was off killing himself just so she could sleep with another man...

I thought it was enjoyable, but a bit soulless compared to LOTR...