50 Greatest Movies of All Time...

[Rkolter]

I assumed I would be replacing Aliens with Alien. Alien was one of those movies that never should have had a sequal.

The thing about 300 is that while it seemed gimmicky... all the gimmicks are based on real events. So they're not gimmicks at all.

The wall of corpses the Spartans made? Real.

Elephants and Rhinos and the short work the Spartans made of them? Real.

The Immortals, a crack team of warriors who wore hoods so you could never see their faces? Real.

Leonidas being told that a king must die to save sparta? Real.

Spartan's army of Holy-Fuck Tougher than Steel sons of bitches? Absolutely correct. Considered the best army humanity had created at that time. Training in the movie based on historical record.

Million-strong enemy with boats as far as the eye could see? Almost a quote from history. Biggest army the world had ever assembled at the time.

300 soldiers, led by their king, holding a fortified key choke point? Absolute fact, although it was LESS than 300 soldiers. That same choke point had been held before against advancing armies. It's a great spot.

The 300 only defeated when a crippled Spartan who was refused the right to serve gave up a passage in the mountains? Also fact.

The enemy's king, a giant, never touched the ground, believe to be a god. All true - at nearly 7 feet tall to the Spartan's average 5' 3" or so... and believed to be a god by his people. Also, bled on the battlefield thanks to the Spartans.

The Spartan queen? No record of her giving her body to a council member for his vote, but she was a badass who backed her husband to the hilt (the only thing fiercer than a Spartan soldier is his wife) and changed the council's decision.

I'm sure every day wasn't cloudless, and the blood was worse, and the dust was deeper, they didn't have an uber-deep pit to kick people into (although they did kill the messenger) and the enemy didn't cut peoplese arms off and attach sabres to them... but basically yeah - that's how it's believed to have happened.

[Rkolter]

I think I know why I liked 300 so much compared to other war shows, which I usually don't care for.

I went to see it as a summer blockbuster and really enjoyed it. It was only later that I found out it was pretty much real. I would probably have had a different attitude going in if I'd known that in advance.

*shrug* 300 rocked. It's on my 50. Which ones are on your 50 that aren't on the list?

[Yeahduff]

Yeah, fuck the canon. Metropolis, Citizen Kane, Casablancas, all fantastic movies. I doubt a single one would be on a top 50 list of mine. Put 300 on your list if you want. Hell, put Ernest Goes to Camp on your list. Just be prepared to defend yourself.

I was pretty sure Predator was action trash. Not that there's anything wrong with that.

[Killbert-Robby]

Predator is not action trash.

To be perfectly clear here, I didnt mean trash in the "THAT SUCKS" way. I mean, the first half of the movie is topless men shaking hands and showing off their muscles as they do so. I meant trash in a "Its not a deep, involving, detailed plot. Its guns blazing, big men, and funny accents". I don't think I even need to explain how Predator is an action classic and kicks ass.

[Rkolter]

If I put Ernest goes to Camp on my list, you are welcome to attack me with a rhino or a guy with sabers attached to his arm stumps.

[Mr.Bob]

I always liked Ernest goes to Jail. When he gets put on the electric chair and it malfunctions and he becomes a god.

[War]

Actually the numbers at the battle of Thermopylae were nothing like 300 versus eleventy million billion. The actual battle itself consisted of around 7000 Greeks versus 80,000 Persians. Modern estimates put the total size of Xerxes army at just over 200,000 excluding service personnel.
The Persians didn't use elephants or rhinos in the battle of Thermopylae.
Spartans were some of the best warriors of the time due to their armour and formation fighting.
There is no record of Ephialtes being crippled, neither was he Spartan. He did betray Greece and give the Persians knowledge of another path.

I submit U-571 as a film of astounding historical accuracy.

[Killbert-Robby]

I submit The Passion

<__________<

[Jesusabdullah]

Titanic.

Also: Ernest Scared Stupid.

[Rkolter]

Actually the numbers at the battle of Thermopylae were nothing like 300 versus eleventy million billion. The actual battle itself consisted of around 7000 Greeks versus 80,000 Persians. Modern estimates put the total size of Xerxes army at just over 200,000 excluding service personnel.
The Persians didn't use elephants or rhinos in the battle of Thermopylae.
Spartans were some of the best warriors of the time due to their armour and formation fighting.
There is no record of Ephialtes being crippled, neither was he Spartan. He did betray Greece and give the Persians knowledge of another path.

I submit U-571 as a film of astounding historical accuracy.

Actually the Spartan portion of the force was 300 or slightly less than 300, depending on if you accept Herodotus word or not. In any case, the others who fought there were volunteers, not soldiers by trade, or forced into service. The exception being the Thespians, who also fought to the death (there were 700 of them). Without doubt though, the Spartans were the backbone of that army.

A male spartan's life basically was military training for the first thirty years. Their formations were well described in the movie, and they were in fact, tough as steel balls. Strength and toughness were qualities they selected for. They also had large shields and used a phalanx formation, which was especially good against the Persians and doubly good given their position.

I've got one source that lists Elephants and Rhinos having been employed by Xerxes, but not at Thermopylae. And you're right about Ephialtes - he was greek, but not a Spartan, and not crippled. Too many representations of him crippled; got blinded by that.

I'm surprised you didn't catch me about the whole tossing the Persian emmisary into a well thing - the Spartans did that after all. Good for them.

[BrownEyedCat]

300 Spartans, sure. But 500 Helots. Spartans, by the way, were full citizens of Sparta. Helots were the slave/laborers of Sparta.

Interestingly, not having seen the film, this is where I got most of my info about it. It's a fun read: http://history-spork.livejournal.com/7181.html

[Killbert-Robby]

Oh yeah, the well thing is awesome, which is why my Sparta references always go *boots into a well* rather than *boots into a hole*

Ephialtes, as far as I remember, was a shepherd or goatherd who lived in the hills there, yeah?

[Rkolter]

300 Spartans, sure. But 500 Helots. Spartans, by the way, were full citizens of Sparta. Helots were the slave/laborers of Sparta.

Interestingly, not having seen the film, this is where I got most of my info about it. It's a fun read: http://history-spork.livejournal.com/7181.html

I like this site...

Battlefield. Spartans have fun slaughtering the wounded.

Leonidas: Okay, there's another Persian legation coming. If they assassinate me, all of Sparta will go to war!

fourth_rose: This logic fails me. Also, I notice that when the Persians kill him during a meeting, it's assassination. What, then, is throwing ambassadors into a pit?

cutecoati: Reason, I suppose.

[Yeahduff]

Enough of this movie.

Ghost World is the best movie ever made. Followed closely by Spirited Away.

To you.

[Levi-chan]

Being somewhat historically accurate doesn't save 300 from being a polarized, vapid piece of film-making. One of my numerous problems with it is a portrayal of Spartans as overtly masculine in contrast with Xerxes' androgyny.

Funny, considering Spartans' institutionalized pederasty.

The small things they omitted, altered and stylized so that they can portray Spartans as strong, masculine, beautiful supermen in contrast with eastern monsters do matter. For all the accuracy it claims, it's the 10% fallacy that holds great weight and could have radically changed how the film turned out.

[TheSuburbanLetdown]

I remember there being a review that basically stated, "Super-buff Greek homos vs. a bunch of androgynous Persian trannies. How could you not like it? It's like the gayest movie ever made." It was something like that.

Enough of this movie.

Ghost World is the best movie ever made. Followed closely by Spirited Away.

Spirited Away is fantastic. As for Ghost World? I'd need to see it again. Too bad someone has my copy of it.

[Killbert-Robby]

Enough of this movie.

Ghost World is the best movie ever made. Followed closely by Spirited Away.

To you.

*slaps both movies onto his to-watch list*

[TheSuburbanLetdown]

Enough of this movie.

Ghost World is the best movie ever made. Followed closely by Spirited Away.

To you.

*slaps both movies onto his to-watch list*

Do it. They're both pretty good. I do suggest reading Ghost World before watching the movie though.

[Yeahduff]

As a fair warning with Ghost World, it's a rather idiosyncratic choice and I don't expect everyone to go along with me. But it speaks profoundly to me, and I didn't want to movie to ever end when I first saw it. It's not going to have this effect on all who see it, but I think that's how things SHOULD work. Very few things are going to work for everyone, and if you recognize that you can speak to a certain audience in a very specific way and they'll love you for it.

Spirited Away has no such concerns. It is one of those very rare works that is nearly universal. Just a timeless grace and beauty and wonder and all that crap. Great stuff.

Dr. Strangelove might be next. Hilarious, biting, insightful movie.

[Killbert-Robby]

Enough of this movie.

Ghost World is the best movie ever made. Followed closely by Spirited Away.

To you.

*slaps both movies onto his to-watch list*

Do it. They're both pretty good. I do suggest reading Ghost World before watching the movie though.

I'm not sure, but I think I may already have. I'll leaf through it at the book store and see if the bells ring any louder. Otherwise I'll just follow the advice, not like I'm in a hurry : Malta doesn't have much in the range of movies so I'd probably have to wait til I was in England again.