300 Blu-ray – Blu-ray, February 4, 2014

Before going to see "300" this afternoon I watched the 1962 film "The 300 Spartans." I have a strong affection for the marching music in the film and the shot of Leonidas leading the Spartan phalanx for the last time, plus an enduring sense of injustice at the Persians dispatching the last Spartans by wave after wave of cartoon arrows. I had read Frank Miller's "300" when it was first published in five issues so I knew what to expect. This film is not history: it is art. Granted, we are talking post-modern art, but that still counts as art in a world where computers are as important as cameras when making a movie.The Battle of Thermopylae was fought in 480 B.C. The Persian army of Xerxes (Rodrigo Santoro) is invading Greece with the largest army the world has ever seen. With the Spartan army prohibited from marching north because of a religious festival, King Leonidas (Gerald Butler in fine form) heads for the natural bottleneck on the main road between Locris and Thessaly with the 300 men of his bodyguard. After three days of battle the Spartans were betrayed by a man named Ephialtes who showed the Persians a mountain path that led behind the Greek lines. While the rest of the Greek soldiers retreated, the 300 Spartans and 700 Thespians were slaughtered to the last man. Simonides composed a famous epigram that was engraved as an epitaph on a commemorative stone placed on top of the burial mound of the Spartans at Thermopylae: "Go, stranger, and tell the Spartans, That we lie here in obedience to their laws."Miller was inspired by historical events but was not constrained by it in telling his story. In his version Ephialtes (Andrew Tiernan) is no longer a poor shepherd but a deformed figure who was born to parents who fled Sparta rather than leave their infant on a rock to die, adding elements of pathos and irony hitherto unseen with regards to the character. Nor is this movie the attempt to faithfully bring Miller's art to life that we saw with "Sin City," which is perfectly fine with me. Besides, director Zack Snyder's film reminded me more of lots of other films, from "Gladiator" to "Hero," more than it did "Sin City." I want to say that what we saw of this type of modern filmmaking in "Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow" has been refined, but that would be quite an ironic comment to make about such a gory and gritty film. Ultimately, the movie is rather impressionistic in nature, emphasizing graphic images over everything else, which brings us back around again to the idea that "300" is art and not history.I was quite pleased the overall "300" met my expectations. During the first part of the battle Snyder ("Dawn of the Dead") resorts to the rapid series of cuts that I have come to deplore in contemporary action films because I can never tell what is happening. I understand that a battle is a sea of chaos, but if I cannot tell what is going on I become distracted. I want to see what is happening in order for the scenes to become memorable to me. Fortunately the rest of the movie takes full advantage of slow motion technique we see in the trailers and television spots for the film. In fact, "300" makes better use of slow motion than any film I can remember, mainly because the point is not to prolong the suspense (e.g., the end of the fight in "Rocky II"), but to let you see what is happening (e.g., River's fight scenes in "Serenity"). Think of watching big hits in football in slow motion replay and you get a sense of how Snyder is able to strategically slow down the action to see not only the power but also the grace of the violence.Looks are everything in this film, so the Spartans fight bare-chested, the better for their muscles to ripple, while the Persians might be the most overdressed warriors in cinematic history (although I admit that I have to wonder where the Spartans were hiding their helmets on the long trip from Sparta to the Hot Gates). "300" is a film that glories in visual excess as the army of Xerxes becomes a computer generated million man march and the pass at Thermopylae exists between towering pillars of rock. This may or may not be the most computer generated figures on the screen at one time in the history of the world, but I have to believe "300" offers the biggest piles of corpses we have ever seen. As if quantity was not enough to overwhelm the Spartans, Leonidas and his men are confronted by a towering Xerxes and a host of monstrous men and animals. The net result may well be the best comic book movie to date, despite the fact the hero is a historical figure and not a superhero.This adaptation plays up a subplot regarding what is happening back at Sparta while Leonidas and his body guard face annihilation as Queen Gorgo (Lena Headey) attempts to play politics with Theron (Dominic West), who complains about the legitimacy of the king's actions rather than deal with the reality of a Persian army coming to crush Greece. But it is hard to care about such machinations in the face of the historical record and the fact that the drama is happening at Thermopylae and not back in Sparta. There are notes sounded about saving Greece from the Persians and civilization from the evils of Asian mysticism, but the legacy of the Spartans has nothing to do with their role in the development of democracy. Almost two millennium before the Alamo there was this story of a group of warriors that sacrifice their lives in a battle so that their people could win the war. The story of the 300 Spartans at the Battle of Thermopylae is that of the first great last stand.

This remarkable and inspirational film is a literal tranlatrion from a visual novel or comic book format novel based on the famous stand of Leonidas King of Sparta and his small army of volunteers at the pass of Thermopyle. Because the director chose to make his movie resemble the picture/novel, it is not a life-like film, though close to that, but somehow, far more intense. As in the original artwork, non-important details of background, character and plot and even of situation, are eliminated, and this elimination of detail allows us to focus all our attention on the power of the story. And, it becmes all the more powerful because the story is true; Leonidas did lead his men against the overwhelming masses of the Persian invaders, and although the Spartans did not stop the ivasion, they delayed it for a time, thereby teaching the invaders that conquest of the Greek city-states would cost them far more than they imagined.As one would expect in a comic book or visual format devoted to the struggles of heroes, the Greek warriors are shown as a band of supremely beautiful, athletic and muscular athletes. Physical magnificence overwhelms almost everything. That kind of magnificence fiits the Greek tradition which says that proud nakedness is a sign of courage; even of sanctity. That's why the statues of Greek heroes are shown naked, or in the originals, wearing helmets but holding nothing but their lances. Bravery requires no covering. Logic suggests that the actors in this film, to be true to history and tradition, would be both naked and magnificent. But, present reality being what it is, a film of frank nakedness certainly wouldn't be distributed in this country, and besides, it is virtually inconceivable that an entire cast of perfectly matched fine specimens of masculinity could be found; therefore, we bow to the costumer's decision to clothe the performers in something like leather Speedos, and the animator's decision to use digital techniques to multiply on screen many "copies" of one or wo archetypes, and to animate them endlessly. But all this is done with such facility that in only a few seconds of watching the film one is unconscious of the effort to achieve the effects, and engrossed in a forever-engrossing story. It is the equivalent of doing on tape what Greek sculptors did during the Helenistic age when they carved the famous Altar at Pergamum. The figures are exagerated and many are naked, details are eliminated, and the emotional and physical exertion of the warriors in their battle dominates one's perception; the marble seems to sweat, to bleed, and we can almost hear screams issuing from some of the faces of the wounded and dying.There's another version of this story available and for rent; THE THREE HUNDRED SPARTANS. You can find it at Critics Choice or any number of othe sources. Although it was made three or four decades ago, it was a well made Hollywood technicolor film and is an excellent and realistic re-enactment of the incident at Thermopalye. Matter of fact, it migt be of some use to compare the two versions. If you do you'll see that in this newer but more abstract version, Persia and the Persian King is not shown as a real or historic indiidual, but rather as a symbolic figure on a rich and fantastic catafalque who represents not the king, but tyrany and slavery and abject surrender, for to the Spartans the warriors of the King are seen as slaves. And the Spartans distinguish themselves as free men who will never surrender themselves or allow themselves to be enslaved. Of course its done with a kind of confrontation of physiques as one might see it in a wrestling ring, when a big baddie associated in name and style with death and perversity, confronts a clean or at least cleaner cut athlete who fights honorably and represents all the cheering audience thinks of as good and worthy, wihin themselves.To get an idea of the story is easy enough: many commentators have described it in detail, so there's no need for me to go into it here. There are not many characters, for the plot is lean. Thre's a heroine, a villanous traitor on the front and another in the Spartan council chamber. But, nothing described by anybody here can adequately convey the power of the story; its effect is electric and rousing beyond almost anything you can imagine. Irrational though it may be, it is as though some part of Leonidas' courage manages to get itself itno your bloodstream and there to mingle with your hormones and genes in such a way as to nullify all the petty slights, insults and compromises we undergo every day, and to allow us to touch the fuel source of the flame of manhood that burns within us all. It is a celebration: At a time of so many ignoble compromises, a triumph. Call it a seance, if you like. Or a testosterone high. Or think of it as the pep talk of a great coach in the smelly locker room of conflict. Call on your memories of General Patton and imagine why his army held him in such high esteem. Or, if you like, consider it a specific against the endlessly onanistic Politically Correct bilious whining of those who don't either respect themselves or like men, and who hate raising boys.

probably one of the best movies