Posted on 03/26/2007 6:36:58 AM PDT by RDTF
A society that does not value its warriors will be destroyed by one that does.
A low-budget movie with no recognized stars that presents a cartoonish version of an event that happened long ago and far away is a surprising box office hit.
The movie is "The 300," about the battle in 480 B.C. at Thermopylae between Greeks and Persians. Its opening grossed more than $70 million, more than the next 10 highest grossing movies playing that weekend combined.
"The 300" has been denounced by the government of Iran, and the battle it describes was cited by former Vice President Al Gore in his congressional testimony Wednesday as inspiration for Americans to fight global warming. That's a lot of buzz.
"The 300" has plenty of violence, sex and the largest number of ripped abdomens ever seen on the silver screen, which doubtless counts for much of its appeal. But there is more to it than that.
"The 300" is a simple story of good versus evil. A handful of valiant Spartan warriors, inspired by love of country and love of liberty, fight to the death against a foreign oppressor. (Go tell the Spartans, stranger passing by, that here, obedient to their laws, we lie.)
-snip-
"300" is soaked with the masculine virtues of courage, honor, patriotism and self-sacrifice, and the camaraderie that exists among fighting men who have been through a shared ordeal. These are little valued in Hollywood or contemporary society, and there is a hunger for them. This, I think, is the key to the movie's appeal.
We need to rediscover these virtues. At once the most preposterous and the most dangerous of contemporary beliefs is "nothing was ever settled by violence."
-snip-
(Excerpt) Read more at post-gazette.com ...
"Taking up arms is not a holy mission and being killed in battle does not lead to martyrdom."
Probably not in general, but it can.
Just depends on the situation.
That's part of the Hollywood/cartoonish aspect of the movie. The real reason they lost was because the Persians, probably due to treachery, found a pass around the Spartan position and got into their rear.
All this bandwidth over a minor detail!!
In any case it amazes me how small differences freak people out enough that they are accused of being trouble makers or trolls (subterfuge's remarks about me).
That is why I love our constitution because imagine the power of life and death at the hands of a person who would freak out at such minor differences.
I know wonder wants me banned for disagreeing with him on a minor point - I wonder if it would be a big leap if he had the power would he send me to a gulag for being a dissenter to his version of orthodoxy?
There's something almost poetic about that exchange.
At Marathon the Persians had no time to deploy their horses. At Platea where the Greeks defeated the Persian land forces after Salamis, they were able to gather a cavalry force good enough to prevent their flanks being turned. Head to head the Persians stood no chance against the heavier infantry.
After that the Macedonian Greeks developed cavalry good enough to allow the Greeks to develop combined arms tactics which allowed Alexander to take over the Persian empire.
It amazes me the amount of group think going on here. Scary.
Don't you mean a nu?
:)
That's exactly right. Even the comic-book movie aludes to the fact that the Spartans wanted to confront the Persians at the narrow pass exactly for that reason. In the open field, the Spartans were toast.
I sadly agree. I have been called Newbie several times by such small minded people because I dared call them on their facts or opinion - how dare I! Like it's highschool and I have to sit at the freshman table. I hate cliques and I hate group think. I am frankly shocked I am encountering group think on what is a conservative forum. I though we would be free thinkers in here.
Thanks for the medical advice, I'll up my meds. Just send me your bill.
"I don't consider this movie a realistic outlook on real life. "
I should learn to love the taste of Kool-Aid one day...
Well then show a little humility and thoughtfulness yourself. You pontificate as if you're the end-all to the discussion. No disrespect to you if you're legit, but when a new poster shows up and so adamantly expresses a view counter to a lot of us, we're suspicuous. If I'm wrong and you're not a subversive (there are many on the forum) then I apologize. With all due respect, I suggest you just move on to another thread if you haven't already.
Happy Freeping.
What? It was counter to you - not a lot of you - and it did not involve politics in any way - but a discussion of history. I have no way to respond back to that - I assume having a strong opinion and having a chess match of ideas would be fun for most on here.
If I'm wrong and you're not a subversive (there are many on the forum) then I apologize.
Subversive? What next - will I be called a counter revolutionary? See my remark about group think.
I heard that Spartans were notorious homosexuals. I don't see how any conservative can support a movie about them.
Whatever. I tried to apologize even though you're brand new here and show little in the way of give and take. It's all about you.
See you 'round the forum.
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