Oliver Stone's Alexander

[Dutchhoplite]

Just be happy Mel Gibson didn't direct it

[satalexton]

oh c'mon, there's one redeeming factor: The Phalanx.

Those 3-4 short minutes of phalangitai in actions sooths me like warm cocao...far better than the nonsense on 'history' channel...

...as for the rest, let's ignore 'em >_>

[Macilrille]

SO, for me, more negative than positive. Could've and should've been great. Ollie really missed the mark on that one- but on the other hand, I'm glad that Ridley Scott didn't have a go at it. I'm so tired of his bombast. Maybe Peter Jackson?

I hope you are joking
I never saw Alex for the same reason I see no historical films. But as part of a Viking Job I had to endure all thee PJ botch-ups of TLotR in gear. I wanted to find him, challenge him to a duel and cut him open so I could se the guts spilling from his fat belly while he tried in vain to keep them in.

Just be happy Mel Gibson didn't direct it

Would have had more spanking in it, and the Brits would invariably be put in a bad light in some way.

[Hax]

Also, it probably would've had included an insane Thraikian who claimed to speak to Zeus (Stephen was the only thing that made Braveheart good).

[antisocialmunky]

I hlike how you think, Hax.

[athanaric]

But as part of a Viking Job I had to endure all thee PJ botch-ups of TLotR in gear. I wanted to find him, challenge him to a duel and cut him open so I could se the guts spilling from his fat belly while he tried in vain to keep them in.

Assuming of course you find him before I run him over with a tank.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

"I like big fat men like you. When they fall they make more noise. And sometimes they don't get up."

oh c'mon, there's one redeeming factor: The Phalanx.

Yeah, and some nice stills of Babylon etc. (also to be found in EB I). But pictures and scenery isn't all. If somebody screws up the story and perverts the main characters, the movie becomes twisted, making it even worse than a plain bad film with no qualities to it.

[Ludens]

No more slasher-fantasies involving Hollywood persona, please. You are free not to like them, but then you are free not to watch their work, too.

[athanaric]

You are free not to like them, but then you are free not to watch their work, too.

Not quite, Ludens. The world we live in forces these painful images into our minds to stay there forever, via marketing (ads screaming at you on every corner) as well as via your fellow human beings. You wanna talk about history or great works of fiction with other people, and it turns out all they know (and believe in) is the distorted stuff they saw in a film or a documentary.
Images are powerful, much more than words. Every journalist or historian knows this. Filmmakers have a responsibility.

[bobbin]

oh c'mon, there's one redeeming factor: The Phalanx.

Yeah it was nice to see the box technique used to trap the chariots at Gaugamela being portrayed.

The major annoyance for me was Colin Bloody Farrell.....why oh why him of all people?

[Skullheadhq]

Not quite, Ludens. The world we live in forces these painful images into our minds to stay there forever, via marketing (ads screaming at you on every corner) as well as via your fellow human beings. You wanna talk about history or great works of fiction with other people, and it turns out all they know (and believe in) is the distorted stuff they saw in a film or a documentary.
Images are powerful, much more than words. Every journalist or historian knows this. Filmmakers have a responsibility.

WIN!
This is sadly true, my friends thought the persians used rhinos and where all pierced after they watched 300

[Macilrille]

No more slasher-fantasies involving Hollywood persona, please. You are free not to like them, but then you are free not to watch their work, too.

This is not actually true, as I said it was part of a job- a very painful part. Much worse than when Jakob chopped me with his daneaxe...

That being said, we should keep on topic, but I can hardly express my intense dislike for PJ any other way without it being too weak.

Back to topic, Alex, I have not seen it for the same reason I very- very rarely see historical films (Stalingrad is great though). But one thing I applaud about it is (if it is true) that they hired an Ex Marine Drill Instructor to make the phalangati move in unison by drilling them then drilling them some more. If true, I like that aspect.

[Ibrahim]

one thing I applaud about it is (if it is true) that they hired an Ex Marine Drill Instructor to make the phalangati move in unison by drilling them then drilling them some more. If true, I like that aspect.

you mean Dale Dye? yeah, he's good.

[Skoran]

WIN!
This is sadly true, my friends thought the persians used rhinos and where all pierced after they watched 300

Nobody can be THAT dumb ... I teach history to 12 year olds and even they know thats not true.

[Ibrahim]

Nobody can be THAT dumb ... I teach history to 12 year olds and even they know thats not true.

yes, they can. in fact, they can be dumber (warning; extremely stupid behavior on his part). though yes, most people aren't like that, and hank God for it.

anyways: yes, people are really this influenced by movies/TV. I have people come to me saying the dumbest things abou dinosaurs, usually from movies and cheesy television series.

[mountaingoat]

doyouthinkhesaurus?

[Skullheadhq]

Nobody can be THAT dumb.

In fact, it was a real discussion during History class!
We were 13y old then, but I [played EB back then as well.

[Macilrille]

Ye Gods, and here I cannot get a job teaching history and enlightening youth here in Denmark...

[NeoSpartan]

Ye Gods, and here I cannot get a job teaching history and enlightening youth here in Denmark...

hum... try applying to a school/college in the US.

My Middle East/North Africa history professor is from Germany. He has been in the US for 3 years now. There are quite a few faculty like that.

p.s might be a little harder now due to the economy being slow as *****

[Ludens]

Not quite, Ludens. The world we live in forces these painful images into our minds to stay there forever, via marketing (ads screaming at you on every corner) as well as via your fellow human beings. You wanna talk about history or great works of fiction with other people, and it turns out all they know (and believe in) is the distorted stuff they saw in a film or a documentary.
Images are powerful, much more than words. Every journalist or historian knows this. Filmmakers have a responsibility.

Fair point, and I agree to some extent. Still, wishing that Jackson dies an agonizing death for not treating LotR with respect is a bit... excessive. He is a story-teller, and is entitled to his own vision of the story just as much as you are.

There are many things wrong about today's media culture, but Peter Jackson is not the only one responsible for this.

[HunGeneral]

anyways: yes, people are really this influenced by movies/TV. I have people come to me saying the dumbest things abou dinosaurs, usually from movies and cheesy television series.

In fact, it was a real discussion during History class!
We were 13y old then, but I [played EB back then as well.

Well thats how we humans are: basicly stupid and if done right easy to influence. No wonder most Republics simply don't work as they should...

There are many things wrong about today's media culture, but Peter Jackson is not the only one responsible for this.

Thats true.

[Macilrille]

Fair point, and I agree to some extent. Still, wishing that Jackson dies an agonizing death for not treating LotR with respect is a bit... excessive. He is a story-teller, and is entitled to his own vision of the story just as much as you are.

There are many things wrong about today's media culture, but Peter Jackson is not the only one responsible for this.

Nope but he is the Kurt Westergaard of Tolkien, and I will even give him a fair chance to defend himself mano-a-mano ;-)

Let us get back to EB discussions anyway, I have no more to say that will not derail things even more.

[Hetairos Alexandrou]

Back to topic?

The third cut of the film is better organised, and the battle scenes are much better.

Agreed. I've got Alexander Revisited, which is not only longer, but goes around Alexander's relationships a bit more and has bloodier battle scenes - seeing a hypaspist's head getting smushed to jelly by Elephantes Indikoi is niiiiice!

And on a side note, however bad people think the film was, I think we can all agree on the score - LEGENDARY. Very atmospheric. I'm currently using it as background music to my Makedonian campaign.

[satalexton]

I still stand by the battle scenes, especially the phalangitai. Seeing them joyfully slaughter their foes makes me scream "ALL HAIL MAKEDONIA!!!!" everytime.

[Hax]

I still stand by the battle scenes, especially the phalangitai. Seeing them joyfully slaughter their foes makes me scream "ALL HAIL MAKEDONIA!!!!" everytime.

We have medicine for this, you know that?

[mountaingoat]

We have medicine for this, you know that?

gladius?

[satalexton]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hc_qVDvSnVU

ALL HAIL MAKEDONIA!!!!!

[HunGeneral]

We have medicine for this, you know that?

Arrow between the eyes?

Althoug who needs medicine for that?

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

ALL HAIL MAKEDONIA

[Rahwana]

We need to get those Makedophile Romaioktonoi out.

[Subedei]

I think it sucked! Battle scenes alrighty, but the rest...i don´t know. 2 much of everything.

[HunGeneral]

We need to get those Makedophile Romaioktonoi out.

Asking them to keep to themself and behave has brought the best results so far.