Movies In Ancient Greece
While I was compiling this list I realized that I have seen more war movies set in Roman times than movies set in Ancient Greece. Maybe it isn't surprising as there.
I love when you do these lists. I have seen 300, Troy, and the Helen of Troy miniseries. 300 is outstanding and well-deserves its place on your most original list.
I liked Troy, but was upset with some of the changes of the myth. I did not mind Orlando Bloom as I am not a female who resents his unavailability. Quit being a hater. I am always disappointed by the actresses who portray Helen. Their faces would not launch a thousand ships. In fact, in Troy, Brad Pitt was the most beautiful thing on screen. I have The Trojan Women in my instant queue, but am not in a hurry to watch it.
The others are not highly regarded as far as I know. Hollywood should dig into this fertile topic. Marathon, Alcibiades, just to mention two great stories. My pleasure, I like doing them. You got it wrong. I do, admittedly not like Orlando Bloom, but I do really not like Brad Pitt. Good-looking for me, means also intelligent looking which is not his case.
And, like Mel Gibbson and others, he looks too modern for me, too 21st century. And not Greek. I thought she was an OK Helen of Troy but a Grace Kelly type would have been more appropriate.
You didn’t say anything about the mini-series, is it worth hunting down? The Trojan Women has an interesting cast. I guess I would have to say the miniseries was forgettable because I do not remember it well.
I do recall that there was some nudity even though it was made for TV. Funny how that’s the only thing I recall. Oh, and I do remember the actress was not all that.
(And by that I mean all of her was not all that). As to Pitt as Achilles, perhaps you should consider that Achilles was very much a modern man – egotistical, anger management problems, sulky, arrogant arrogant. He was not a typical ancient Greek male.
I have to add my 2 cents. The Troy movie had lots of eye candy. And it was good but I spent most of the movie being angry at the notion that the Helen character was being SO selfish that she would cause the down fall of her people. A rulers daughter should know better! Im not fluent in Greek history so though I know its based on truth I hope the real Helen had more good reasons than simple petty vanity to do as she did. I also thought youngest brother was rather eager to ignore military heirarchy while the eldest was too permisive.
Perhaps Im too critical. I felt the Helen character was pretty faithful to Homer in personality. The problem with assessing whether Helen is a villainous who would willingly bring on a war for love is in the myth it is unclear whether the war begins with an elopement or a kidnapping and then you have to factor in whether she was under a love spell or was really in love with Paris. Since the movie dispenses with the gods and Helen is portrayed as eloping, this makes her a despicable character. I think Bana’s portrayal of Hector was spot on and I commend the movie for giving him his due.
Another site had a thread about movies where the good guy loses. This movie should be at the head of the list. What a tragedy that Achilles is so famous and most people have not heard of Hector. (This movie helped.) Pitt does a pretty good job showing that Achilles was a jerk, but then the film gives him a noble death which he did not get in the myth. I was force-fed Greeky mythology in school and still my memory is a bit sketchy. I had a feeling Helen was not much more than a toy in the hands of the Gods and indeed stolen.
I doubt her free-will. Of course the movie showed this in a different light. In the mythology Hector gets his share.
Not to include the God’s who were omnipresent in the myths is a choice to make it more historical and I didn’t mind that. I’ not familiar with the position of women in Ancient Greece but could imagine, she didn’t have much to say. I will have to watch it again and try to not see Brad Pitt and may appreciate it more. But I agree with lifewith4cats, it is a beautiful movie.
Ancient Greece Map
So here’s the next and last installment about the film industry’s take on ancient civilizations with some of my about Ancient Greece. This is such an enduring subject with high profile and blockbusting movies about Ancient Greece still rolling out in cinemas in the most recent months. It’s also a subject that appeals to all – from Disney fans to the most macho of macho men. If you’re up for some action, adventure, myth and legend, romance and heartbreak, you’ll love these movies about Ancient Greece.