Books: 300
300 by Frank Miller (1998, Dark Horse). I didn't like the movie. It occurs to me that I might simply have a problem with media based around Greek and Roman history as I also don't like Gladiator and couldn't get with the Rome HBO series (although I'm thinking about giving that another try). That said, I love Clash of the Titans (I know!) and was very nearly a Humanities major in college focused on the Roots of Western Civilization (even spending my Freshman year of college in a dorm and class structure focused on the subject. Nerd, me? Yes.). Hell, I'm even named from a classic Greek Myth.
I "get" the movie, mind. It's visually stunning. There are these bold, classic archetypes at play and everyone involved commits fully. It just left me flat. After reading the graphic novel, I understand why. Much of the film's story is created from whole cloth. Miller's source material has none of the mysticism or the fantastic creatures. Miller's original also has none of the betrayal and political intrigue that dominates Sparta in the film.
I enjoyed the graphic novel much more than the film. Strip away all that other BS (there is a place for that in the myths of the time) and you've got a spectacular historical tale. One Herodotus was proud to spin. One that makes me want to delve deeper. To learn more of The Hot Gates. To understand the rise of Persia who, by the way, are demonized as the dark skin evil here just as much as they are in the movie. Although, at least in the graphic novel, Frank Miller doesn't emasculate Xerxes. His sin here is hubris. In the film, there's this fay undertone to the character to contrast him with the hyper-masculine Leonidas that doesn't jibe for me. And, to remind myself why I always choose Greece when playing Civilization.
Recommended.
I "get" the movie, mind. It's visually stunning. There are these bold, classic archetypes at play and everyone involved commits fully. It just left me flat. After reading the graphic novel, I understand why. Much of the film's story is created from whole cloth. Miller's source material has none of the mysticism or the fantastic creatures. Miller's original also has none of the betrayal and political intrigue that dominates Sparta in the film.
I enjoyed the graphic novel much more than the film. Strip away all that other BS (there is a place for that in the myths of the time) and you've got a spectacular historical tale. One Herodotus was proud to spin. One that makes me want to delve deeper. To learn more of The Hot Gates. To understand the rise of Persia who, by the way, are demonized as the dark skin evil here just as much as they are in the movie. Although, at least in the graphic novel, Frank Miller doesn't emasculate Xerxes. His sin here is hubris. In the film, there's this fay undertone to the character to contrast him with the hyper-masculine Leonidas that doesn't jibe for me. And, to remind myself why I always choose Greece when playing Civilization.
Recommended.
