The Movie 300 (Videos)

 So to set a few things straight about this blog on 300, it will not focus on the timing of the propagandizing of the war effort in our Imperialist quest of “moral clarity and purpose” of “American Exceptionalism” to further “Infinite Justice” and “enduring Freedom” of “U.S. Global Leadership” throughout the globe. A foreign policy bent on creating a Pax Americana through full spectrum dominance of military might. Just as the Pax Britania of the British with their Navy or the Pax Romona of a revived Roman Empire. If you really want to know how I feel about the present situation (If you haven’t already guessed) you can read an article I wrote back in 2003 called  Neocon Imperialism Or Apocalypse Now.

The movie 300 is a liberal adaptation of the the battle of Thermopylae in 480BC that is based on a comic book series that was initially published as a monthly five-issue comic book series by Dark Horse Comics in 1998.  Frank Miller took the comic world by storm with the issues that were titled Honor, Duty, Glory, Combat and Victory. The work was collected as a hardcover graphic novel in 1999 and was adapted into the 2007 film 300. The story is the telling of the heroic tale of the epic battle in which three hundred Spartan soldiers fought to hold back the entire Persian army. The series won three Eisner Awards, including Best Limited Series, Best Writer/Artist (Miller), and Best Colorist (Varley).

 Having established his career in comics in the late 70's, he gained tremendous fame for writing the dark crime comic Daredevil which infused life into Elektra, and then moved onto the highly acclaimed and redefined Batman: The Dark Knight Returns and Batman: Year One.  Miller's star continued to rise with his Sin City series and its successful film adaptations that gave us the recently movieized Sin City co-directed with Robert Rodriguez. For his complete works click here.

The Operatic movie version of 300 with intense CGI atmospherics is based on his liberal adaptation of the historic version of the battle which depicts and glorifies the ancient Spartan war fought in defense of their democracy.  Frank was inspired by the 1962 film The 300 Spartans, a movie that Miller watched as a young boy.

 

In the movie Xerxes (a RuPaul look alike ) acted by Rodrigo Santoro plays a giant who leads monsters and a million man army against King Lenodias played by Gerard Butler and 300 of his Spartan Ubermen six packed warriors at the Hot gates (Thermopylae).

Gerad Butler (King Lenodias)

I know the ladies had a good time at this movie as even a video making fun of the flesh fest was made with the song, "It's raining Men".

For the record though, I felt a little better about myself when I learned that although these guys trained like Navy seals for six months, those stomachs were still painted on for the movie. But I know the ladies still aren't mad and I'll bet you had no idea that the RuPaul look alike Xerxes was the actor below.

Rodrigo Santoro (Xerxes)

What’s fun is to see the use of the Laconic humor the Spartanw were known for. (The term "Laconic" - meaning a terse statement - comes from the Spartans' famous one-liners.)  In the trailer, we hear a phrase uttered by Dienekes when told that Persian arrows were so numerous as to blot out the sun: "Good, then we can fight in the shade."  In another conflict, when Phillip II of Macedonia threatened the Spartans by saying "If I win this war, you will be slaves forever", the Spartan embassy returned with the response "If".  Another example was that when Xerxes offered to let the Spartans live if they would surrender their weapons, only to receive the testosterone driving response molon labe: "Come and get them!”

The film that acts like a double shot of testosterone for the Alpha male. Saturated with CGI (virtual backgrounds) that create all visual spaces of the film in reminding us that this is myth where every landscape is environmentally created with blue screen.

Playing like a music video Xbox 360 game, the camera pans through a 360 degree arc where most of the shots resemble artwork rather than a moving picture. Sweeping pallets of color slavishly adhere to its source's color scheme of burnished gold and blood red.

Spolier Warning
 Here's a look at the final scence

To get an inside look at the making of the film
take a look at some of these video journals.

Video Journal # 1:
"300" First Look: Adapting the Graphic Novel

Writer/Director Zack Snyder provides a first glimpse into the amazing
world of "300." Discussing the initial process of adapting the graphic
novel and some of the challenges he faces as a filmmaker
while bringing the illustrated pages to life.

 

Video Journal # 2: Production Design:
A modern approach to creating an ancient world

Production Designer Jim Bissell gives an in depth look at the enormous
 amount of planning that was required while designing the world of 300.
 Jim discusses how multipurpose terrains and completely digital
 landscapes were designed to blend seamlessly with relatively
more traditional set pieces.



Video Journal #3: Behind The Scenes:
"Spartan Training"

Check out Video Journal #3 and hear fitness trainer
 Mark Twight  talk about the intense fitness approached
 he used to prepare the cast for battle.



Video Journal #4:
Costume Designer Michael Wilkinson:
Wardrobe

Check out Costume Designer Michael Wilkinson discuss the
creative process involved in creating a wardrobe inspired by
the painterly pages of Frank Miller's graphic novel 300.



Video Journal #5

This video takes an in-depth look at the amazing amount of
stunt work that was required while making "300". Also, learn more
 about Damon Caro, Chad Stahelski & their team on their website:
 http://www.87eleven.com

 Video Journal #6:

Check out Journal #6 which features Lena Headey
as she discusses her work on the film.

Video Journal # 7

300 vs. History

The Spartans
A Nation of Fighters

As history tells us the Persian King Darius lost the battle at Marathon (490 BC).  His son, Xerxes, tried again (480 BC) to conquer Greece.  The Greeks sent an allied army of a few thousand hoplites (heavily armed infantry) to Thermopylae (hot gates)--a narrow mountain pass in northeastern Greece.  The Greek city of Sparta houses its finest warriors, and 300 of these soldiers were chosen to meet the Persians. Vastly outnumbered, the Greeks held back the enemy in one of the most famous last stands of history.The point was to stall the Persians long enough that the city states could prepare for later major battles when the Persians broke through.

 
After  days of repelling wave after wave of Persians, the Greek contingents from most of the remaining city states, realizing the desperately bad odds, left Thermopylae to return to their cities and defend them for when the Persians came through the pass.  This left the Greek commander Leonidas and 300 Spartans to defend all of mainland Greece against 310,000 Persians and their allies.  A traitor, Ephialtes, informed Xerxes of a path that would enable Xerxes to encircle the Spartans. However, that doesn’t stop the Spartans from throwing their hearts into the fray, determined to take as many Persians as possible with them.

    At sunrise, Xerxes made his libations and...made his attack.... (T)he Greeks, knowing that their own death was coming to them from the men who had circled the mountain, put forth their utmost strength against the barbarians; they fought in a frenzy, with no regard to their lives...Most of them had already lost their spears by now, and they were butchering Persians with their swords... (T)he Greeks retreated into the narrow part of the road, and...defended themselves with daggers--those who had any of them left--yes, and with their hands and teeth, and the barbarians buried them in missles some attacking them in front...while those who had come round the mountain completed the circle of their attackers.  (Herodotus.  History.)

The inscription over their graves read, "Go, stranger, and tell the Spartans that we lie here in obedience to their laws."

 Below is a cool History Channel version of

The Battle of Thermopylae