CGI in 300 (2007) by Kyle Gardner

In the film 300, 2007 by Zack Snyder, audiences follow the story of a battle between the Spartans and Perisans. The Spartan’s are led by King Leonidas who faces off against King Xerxes and the Persians. According to an article by Dean Richards in the Chicago Tribune titled Film gives stars ‘rippling abs’ , 2007 it suggests that most of the film was made through use of CGI. In this article Richards interviews the cast as well as director Zack Snyder. The director Zack Snyder tells Richards that 300, 2007 had a “small budget of $60 million; 1.306 digital effects were used in the film” (Snyder, 2007). This is quite an amazing feat considering most ancient roman films have been shot naturally without the use of CGI. In the past, films like Quo Vadis, 1951 built enormous sets and had extremely large budgets. As modern technology has advanced film producers have been able to rely on shooting scenes with green screens inside a studio more and more, saving money on elaborate film sets and extras. One of the most interesting parts about the making of the film 300, 2007 is that it is highly based on the comic book also titled 300, 1998 by Frank Miller. In the short film 300 | A Glimpse from the Set: Making 300 the Movie | Warner Bros. Entertainment, 2020 director Zack Snyder discusses how all of the elements of the comic book were almost identically replicated in the adaptation to the big screen. 

In the short film Snyder goes into detail about some of the aspects of how CGI can create these landscapes that would not be possible if you were shooting with a regular camera. Snyder makes a very interesting point when discussing the first battle scene where the Persians descend on the Spartans near the water.  He explains that “when you blow out a highlight in a photograph the sky would be white. That’s not what happens in 300. The highlights are blown out but the sky still has detail and in some ways even though it sounds super simple, it’s incredibly different from the way you see” (Snyder, 2020). This is a fascinating point by Snyder as it suggests that many of the important scenes from the comic book would not have been able to be recreated without the use of CGI technology.  The film 300, 2007 uses CGI to make the battle scenes look extremely dramatic and brutal like they once were back in ancient times. In Ancient Rome and Greek history there have been many examples of the brutality of battle, but none better than the Iliad. The Iliad is an ancient epic poem which was written by Homer. The Iliad and the film 300 have many similarities in their depictions of combat. In Book IV of the Iliad there is a section that is very similar to the scene in 300, 2007 at the 52:03 minute mark of the film. This section of the Iliad states “He struck at the projecting part of his helmet and drove the spear into his brow; the point of bronze pierced the bone, and darkness veiled his eyes” (Homer, Book IV). Here, there is brutal murder that occurs as a spear has gone through a warrior’s head. This section is almost uncanny to the 52:03 mark of the film 300, 2007 where a Spartan kills a persian by throwing a spear through their head. The CGI in the film 300, 2007 is an amazing feat and it enhances the viewing experience immensely. Although the film 300, 2007 is not an entirely non-fictional tale, it does an impressive job of emulating 300, 1998 the comic book as well as ancient texts such as the Iliad. 

Homer. “Book IV” Iliad

Zach Snyder. 300 (2007)

Mervyn Leroy. Quo Vadis (1958)

300 | A Glimpse from the Set: Making 300 the Movie | Warner Bros. Entertainment. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v–r6XKICks&t=4s

Miller, Frank. 300. Dark Horse Books, 1998. 

Richards, Dean. “Film Gives Stars ‘Rippling Abs’.” Chicagotribune.com, 24 Aug. 2018, https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-2007-03-09-0703100025-story.html.

CGI in Gladiator (2000): The Development of a Modern Appeal

Throughout the film Gladiator (2000), directed by Ridley Scott, special effects are heavily incorporated into various scenes, adding more realistic substance to the work. This film was released in the time of which CGI (computer-generated imagery) was first being put to use in productions in its full effect. While the first prototype of CGI was introduced in 1972, created by the co-founders of Pixar, it was not until the 1990s when special effects would become a key component in film making (Huffpost; 5/12/16). As this film debuted in the year 2000, there is no doubt that the effects seen in this film would provide its first consumers with an impression of how early CGI would be incorporated in works to come in the future. The popularity that CGI received from its beginning works and forward contrasts with the methods early twentieth century films would use to appeal to its audiences; many films would sexualize the roles of female actors for this purpose. Gladiator utilizes its effects to enhance the battle scenes between the Romans and barbarians, as well as resurrect the attraction towards gladiatorial combat from the era of Ancient Rome. 

Films released during the early twentieth century–many being depictions of ancient civilizations–established female roles that would be used to romanticize historical events, as well as appeal to a male audience. Laura Mulvey, a film theorist from the United Kingdom, identifies the role of women in films during this time as a “visual presence [that] tends to work against the development of a story line, to freeze the flow of action in moments of erotic contemplation” (Mulvey 750). Through costuming and establishing sexualized roles for female actors, filmmakers essentially made efforts to draw large attraction from male consumers. The picture Gladiator contradicts these efforts, as Ridley Scott chose to implement a great deal of CGI into the work, appealing to a much more diverse audience. The violent battle scenes and gladiatorial combat within this film makes the viewing experience much more realistic, as CGI makes “the blending of fantasy and reality almost seamless” (Morgan; 6/4/17). Films that initially incorporated CGI gave filmmakers the opportunity to entertain audiences by reducing the gap between fiction and non-fiction, rather than sexualizing the roles of women. Establishing a far more realistic experience in a film provokes a greater deal of engagement from the audience, and allows viewers to subconsciously implement themselves into the work itself. 

The idea that an audience is capable of metaphorically placing themselves into the setting of a movie can be confirmed through the scenes of gladiatorial combat within Gladiator. During the era of Ancient Rome, gladiators were viewed as athletes, and the combat of which they participated in was a sport that many Romans found great interest in spectating. For this reason, Gladiator could be identified, not only as a historical drama, but also as a sports film. The appeal towards the violence amongst gladiators can be confirmed by Ancient Rome’s Cicero, as he states “enjoyments, then, of games, and gladiators, and banquets, all which things our ancestors desired, are not to be taken away from the Roman people” (The Orations of Marcus Tullius Cicero; 36:77). Gladiator restores this attraction to gladiatorial violence, which can be seen in the video clip implemented below, as the audience ecstatically roars and cheers when Maximus finally defeats his opponent in the colosseum with him (The Battle with A Retired Gladiator | Gladiator | Screen Bites). Due to how scenes such as this include gruesome effects through the use of fake blood and mortal wounds, viewers are given the same sense of excitement and rush of adrenaline that Roman citizens experienced as audiences for gladiators.

The computer generated imagery utilized throughout the entire course of Gladiator established a new source of attraction for consumers in future films. Productions after this film’s release would similarly use these advanced effects to create a realistic experience towards fiction based works, an example being the Harry Potter film series. Gladiator additionally veers away from the earlier filmmaking trends of sexualizing women, and essentially set a precedent for future films that would include scenes of ancient combat, such as 300 (2007). In present day filmmaking, women are still undoubtedly portrayed in a sexual manner, as gender equality still remains to be a social justice issue today. Though the introduction of CGI decreased how often this sexist style of cinema would be utilized, this reduction should have come long before special effects were implemented into filmmaking. Ridley Scott’s Gladiator set the scene for limitless CGI capabilities, and ultimately proved that sex appeal can be trumped by thinning the barrier between fiction and reality.

Works Cited

“The Battle with A Retired Gladiator | Gladiator | Screen Bites.” Youtube, Screen Bites, 6 Nov. 2014, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lTmlYKiLBHI. Accessed 2 Nov. 2021. 

Cicero, Marcus Tullius. “Chapter 36; Section 77.” The Orations of Marcus Tullius Cicero In Defense of Lucius Morena, Prosecuted for Bribery. 

Huffpost-Australia. “How CGI Changed Movies Forever.” HuffPost, HuffPost, 18 July 2016, https://www.huffpost.com/archive/au/entry/how-cgi-changed-movies-forever_n_9155494. 

Morgan, Patric. “How CGI Has Changed the Movies and What We Can Expect in the Future.” HuffPost UK, HuffPost UK, 5 Apr. 2018, https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/patric-morgan/cgi-movies_b_15805762.html. 

Mulvey, Laura. “Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema.” Film Theory and Criticism, 4th ed., pp. 750–750.

Gender Roles and Historical Inaccuracies in Zack Snyder’s 300

In Zack Synder’s 300, the leader of the Spartans, Leonidas, is portrayed not only as a king and warrior, but as a loving husband and father due to the fleshed-out role of his wife Gorgo. Similarly, Gorgo appears as a wife and mother, but also as a queen who stands by her king’s side and supports the welfare of the state. Thus, the establishment of female gender roles contribute to the construction of male heroism in a way that is not only tied to militaristic power in Zack Snyder’s film 300.

At the beginning of the film there is a scene of the royal family in their private quarters, and there is a Persian envoy who abruptly interrupts them. Through this, Snyder establishes Leonidas as an affectionate father and husband before anything else. In the following scene the queen takes it for granted that she is allowed to participate in the hearing with the envoy and even addresses him at a personal level. To his indignant enquiry, “What makes this woman think she can speak among men?” she replies “Because only Spartan women give birth to real men.”

Leonidas depends on his wife’s validation in his decision to send Sparta to war with the Persians

About one minute into this scene is the moment that Gorgo is shown as the truly influential character that she is in the film. She appears in this scene as an active, self-confident wife and queen who advises and supports her husband. Gorgo is the one who ultimately encourages Leonidas to make his irreversible choice, because before the king kicks the Persian into the depths of the cistern, he turns around to his wife to make sure she backs his actions. He does nothing until she nods in agreement with his plan. The contrast between the characters of Leonidas and Gorgo emphasizes the juxtaposition between male and female gender roles in ancient Greece, as much as Synder’s 21st century interpretation blurs these stereotypes.

The feats of the heroes in the Trojan War shapes the environment in Homer’s Odyssey just as in Snyder’s 300. Warfare in general is a recurring theme, and to prove oneself in war or warlike situations is an intrinsic part of being a man, which culturally parallels the standard in 300. War is seen as dignifying to a man and to a nation, and it brings both glory and fame, as it gives them the opportunity to exhibit their strength, physical courage, and prowess. Success as a warrior adds to a man’s status, and this success defines the masculine gender roles during ancient times. Events in Homer’s Odyssey reinforce these male gender roles while also introducing female roles for the period. In the first book of the Odyssey, the suitors are having a feast in the hall of Odysseus’ palace and listening to the music of the bard, who is singing about the return of the heroes from Troy. Penelope, the wife of the hero Odysseus, requests for the bard to sing another song, since hearing about Troy and the misery caused by the war causes her too much sorrow in reminding her of Odysseus. Telemakhos then makes the following reply to his mother Penelope,

“You should go back upstairs and take care of your work,

Spinning and weaving, and have the maids do theirs.

Speaking is for men, for all men, but for me

Especially, since I am master of this house.”

(Homer, Book 1, 376-9)

In the twenty-first book there is a similar situation. Penelope has arranged a contest, but Telemakhos prevents Penelope from being present at and watching the contest by again telling her that she should attend to her weaving and spinning since weaponry is the concern of men only, stating

“But, mother, you should go to your own rooms
and keep busy with your proper duties,
the loom and spindle, and tell your women
to go about their tasks. The bow will be
a matter for the men, especially me,
since power in this house is justly mine.”

(Homer, Book 21, 350-355)

In the Odyssey, women are prominent characters and have major roles in the action of the story, allowing for a clearer conception of gender roles to be developed. However, these two scenes show how limiting these gender roles can be, as Penelope has stepped outside the boundaries of the perceived female role. Homer’s ancient source recognizes that male and female roles were sharply defined and plainly separated so that certain activities were considered to participated in by men only, while others concerned only women. In both instances in the Odyssey, Penelope accepts what her son Telemakhos tells her to do, indicating an absolute respect for the division of roles. Women in Homer’s world had very few rights and very little power, which makes the men seem ever more strong. The Odyssey contrasts 300 in that in 300, women (at least Gorgo) have more overt power and influence in society.

Citing Zack Synder’s film 300 as a perfect example of life in Greece would be misleading as well. The historical inaccuracies in the film are well known, whether it be the Orientalist subtexts surrounding the Perisan War or the deformed creatures in the Persian army. Zack Snyder has adapted this story for box-office success (Basu, 2007). Arguably, the inclusion of Gorgo as a major influential character could be to cater to a wider audience. It also could be the modern era in which this film was produced bending the historical accuracy of the interpretation. The entire film selects certain elements of the classical tradition to combine with modern notions, thus producing a historically inaccurate composite, which many critics have asserted. In 2007, Basu, Champion, and Lasch-Quinn wrote an article for the Classical Outlook arguing that the film 300 exploits aspects of ancient history to fuel American Orientalist xenophobia.

While Spartan women did have more rights in society than other cultures at the time, Zack Synder’s 300 may have dramatized the female gender role for the sake of the plot, modern reception, and to construct Leonidas’ character as not only a king and a warrior, but a husband and a father.

Basu, Subho, et al. “300: THE USE AND ABUSE OF HISTORY.” The Classical Outlook, vol. 85, no. 1, American Classical League, 2007, pp. 28–32, http://www.jstor.org/stable/43939764.

Homer. The Odyssey. London : New York :W. Heinemann; G.P. Putnam’s sons, 1919.

Movieclips. “300 (2006) – This Is Sparta! Scene (1/5) | Movieclips …” Youtube.com, 2006, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Prc1UfuokY.

Maximus and Leonidas: The Models of the Heroic Character

Throughout the course, we have documented many characters from various films based on historical events and periods. We have covered films on a broad spectrum from real-life characters like Marcus Aurelius and fictional stories such as “300”. Specifically, we covered Roman movies with certain characters that caught my interest because they all share the ability to lead. In Gladiator, Maximus, the main character and Roman General who was sold into slavery after losing his family, exemplified the character trait of being a leader. Along with Maximus, as Leonidas in the film 300, who served as the leader of the Spartans, who had one of the world’s best militaries at the time. Both Leonidas and Maximus shared the ability to lead, a heroic trait that every heroic character in any movie had.
Maximus is one of the most revered film characters in film history because he was a leader. In Gladiator Maximus was a notable general whom people had come to respect and serve until his family was taken from him by the Commodus. Commodus’ father, Marcus Aurelius, viewed him unfit to lead Rome and chose Maximus to be his successor over his son. After murdering his father, Commodus seeks revenge on Maximus for doing nothing but being a suitable leader. When Spaniard slave traders find Maximus, he becomes a gladiator and earns respect from his peers again. In the scene when Maximus takes on enemies in the arena and then says the most famous line in movie history, “Are you not entertained?” Before entering the arena, every Gladiator is lined up and calls him “the Spaniard” out of respect. Maximus’ leadership is a spectacle, and the gladiators who later follow him into battle also realize this. The gladiators only note his leadership but by movie critics as well. Andy Singer, with the Naples Daily News, in his article “Down to Business: Seven leadership lessons from Maximus,” covers the lessons that can be learned from Maximus on leadership. Everyone reveres Maximus’ leadership traits. They are used as a model for leadership roles such as Captain America, Thor, and other prominent movie characters.
In the movie 300, Leonidas is the main protagonist and the leader of the Spartans. The Spartans were a group of warriors in ancient Greece who opposed the Athenians, who were the people of Athens, and the Persians in the movie who were portrayed as monsters and evil beings. Leonidas was an actual figure in history and served as the leader of the Spartans. His courage, determination, and leadership made the Spartan people want to follow him, even to death. Sparta was built upon conflict and war, making Leonidas the perfect leader because Leonidas was more of a military leader. Leonidas is prepared to die and does die for his people and men, which is the Spartan code. You either die or prevail in battle; running is not an option. In the film, Leonidas kicks Persian messengers into a well or hole of some sort, spitting in King Xerxes’ face. This scene represented his compelling leadership because before he does that he screams “This is Sparta” another influential movie scene, effectiveMaximus. Leonidas is willing to break the rules of warfare by attacking a messenger. He wants the Spartans to see his strength and not back down to anything. Leonidas’ character is seen in many characters that base their strength and pride on military strength. Both Leonidas and Maximus are influential characters in the cinema community but in different ways. Both men share heroic qualities that make people want to follow them.
Through the films 300 and Gladiator, you can see how Leonidas and Maximus are similar. Although 300 is wildly unrealistic, you can see Leonidas’ character traits and qualities through his behavior throughout the film. He was a man devoted to his people, family, and men, dying for it in the end. Maximus as well died for everything he believed after he had avenged his family. When closely looking at both of these characters, think about every Superhero or military movie you have watched. These heroic traits and acts of valor shown by Maximus and Leonidas are evident within newer characters. The reason for this is simple, Maximus and Leonidas were already proven to be great characters that audiences alike resonated with. This made them models for newer heroic characters because a movie is successful when the audience relates and ultimately enjoys the character. So why not base them on previous characters who have shown significant success? When something is successful, it is reintroduced as something else time and time again.

Postmodernism: Titus Andronicus

Titus Andronicus is regarded as Shakespeare’s bloodiest play, and Julie Taymor’s adaptation doesn’t shy away from that legacy. Rape, murder, cannibalism, and dismemberment are all included in this at times hard to watch adaptation. Taymor takes a postmodern approach, and it’s apparent from the stylistic meshing of eras and music that, to Taymor, the past century has been chaotic indeed. Intentionally fascist imagery dominates the screen, creating a look akin to Mussolini’s Rome, and every frame of film is packed to the brim with visual allusion. This begs the question, why did Julie Taymor choose to adapt Titus Andronicus in such a way?

In the Roman world, such a punishment as dismemberment was far from uncommon. There was simply no concept of cruel and unusual punishment. The Emperor Aurelian had a favored method of execution according to the Scriptores Historiae Augustae that saw the condemned tied to two trees. The trees were then bent to the ground and secured with rope. When the ropes were cut, the trees would spring upward and tear the condemned into pieces (Sabin, Philip; van Wees, Hans; Whitby, Michael (2007). The Cambridge History of Greek and Roman Warfare: Volume 2, Rome from the Late Republic to the Late Empire.).

William Hogarth (British, London 1697–1764 London)

In modern times, such a punishment is unheard of. Even our harshest offenders are not always deemed worthy of execution. At some point, this level of violence shifted from a punitive measure to the crime itself. Taymor’s Titus brings this barbarism back into modernity. We watch the characters discuss and commit their heinous acts amidst the bright neon lights of arcade games and in cars on well-paved streets. They wear modern clothes as they rape and mutilate; their hands are chopped off in gleaming silver kitchens. This blend of time is not by mistake. Taymor is making a statement by introducing the glitz and glam of modernity into the grim violence of a stylized Ancient Rome.

Critic Philip French says of Titus, “People may suffer, but they are not ennobled by their experience. The incessant cruelty, the sense that nothing turns out the way people of goodwill expect, is part of the experience of this past century. The abrupt switches of mood, the shafts of black humour, the pick ‘n’ mix of fashions and styles (in music, setting, decor), the sex ‘n’ violence, are characteristic of the art of our own time.” (French, P. Film of the week: Titus. The Guardian.)

We delude ourselves if we say such violence no longer exists. It simply happens where we can’t see. Taymor uses postmodern film-making to show us this. By bringing antiquated material into the near-present, Taymor brings with it the violence. The horrors of the past, which we so often think exist only in the past, exist around us everyday. The vilification of rape survivors, suffering as entertainment, the almost casual brutality displayed in the film: Taymor is reminding us that those things have not disappeared. Neither should our reaction to them. Horrifying actions deserve a horrified response.

Titus benefits from phenomenal performances out of its cast. The characters, in all their exaggerated glory, are made believable thanks to strong directing and acting. It is easy to get distracted in the sometimes messy visuals, or get lost in the twisting story, but Titus is a prime example of what postmodern cinema is capable of.

French, P. (2000, September 3). Film of the week: Titus. The Guardian. Retrieved November 1, 2021, from https://www.theguardian.com/theobserver/2000/sep/03/features.review27. 

Womack, J. (2017, June 26). Ancient roman punishment was swift, cruel and unusual. Wyoming County Report. Retrieved November 1, 2021, from https://www.wycoreport.com/ancient-roman-punishment-was-swift-cruel-and-unusual/article_a2046211-e8b5-518a-9fe7-8a65cf30014c.html. 

Sabin, Philip; van Wees, Hans; Whitby, Michael (2007). The Cambridge History of Greek and Roman Warfare: Volume 2, Rome from the Late Republic to the Late Empire. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. p. 439

Titus . (1999). 

Stronger as One

In the movie 300(2007) by Zack Snyder who is known for action movies. Throughout the whole movie you can see how brutal and relentless the three hundred soldiers were. One common thing you notice while watching the movie is the solders’ ability to work together. Yes, they are exceptionally good individually while fighting but when they work together and stay on the same page, they are unstoppable. They are a small army, but their skills and togetherness help them take down huge armies like the Persians. The three hundred solders held their own against thousands. People work better together than they do alone and that’s one thing this movie teaches you. The Spartans knew their brothers would be next to them in battle and you can really see it in all fighting scenes.

You can really see the ruthlessness and togetherness in this group of solders.

You can see the shields are a huge part of the Spartans battle style. Every movement the Spartans make with their swords and shields are so smooth and precise. There togetherness and closeness are unreal, they all stay close and tight to each other while they fight since they are stronger as a unit. Which is smart since they don’t have a lot of Spartans, they must stay tight and together. If they were separated it would be easier for the enemies to pick them off one on one.

old vase

Media File(opens in a new tab)

This is a vase that has the Spartans fighting style during the battle of Thermopylae. Very close and ready to fight. You can also notice the art on their shields and the hats on their head. Makes me wonder if that stood for different ranking among themselves. They are also shirtless which was something you notice while learning about Spartans. That is their style, most if not all the Spartans are strong and visible muscular. The Spartans are always ready to fight and have a unique intimidating look to them, like in the movie 300(2007) when they noticed the arrows that the Persians shot at them. The Spartans were aware, and King Leonidas yelled “Tuck tail”(three hundred). Then started to laugh and refer to the Persians as cowards for firing arrows at them from a distant. The way that they all immediately dropped, and no hesitation shows how well trained they are. The Spartans are Elite soldiers “the Battle of Thermopylae would go on to serve as a reminder for what the Greeks could do when they worked together”(Jones). This battle is the definition of individually we are one raindrop, but together we are a whole ocean. People use this battle as motivation. It is not always about the size of your enemies it is all about how work you want to put in to become elite. It all starts with the training, “Spartan men learned not only how to fight but also how to trust in and work with one another, something that proved to be rather effective when fighting in the phalanx”(Jones). When raised to fight together and have each other’s back developed a strong and elite army. It is in their blood to fight together and love each other.

“If the 300 Spartans had stayed home and if Persians had won the Greco-Persian Wars, the Western concept of freedom most likely would not exist”(Basinger)

The reason the battle of Thermopylae was so important is because of the quote above this. If the three hundred Spartans never got involved there is a good chance the world would be different for us today. That is why togetherness, closeness, and bravery come to my mind while researching Spartans and watching the movie “300”. It takes a lot of bravery to take three hundred soldiers and fight the biggest army at the time. Not only just fight them but hold their own and make the Persians know were not going anywhere and we will fight till the death because that is what the Spartans were born to do.

https://www.film-rezensionen.de/wp-content/uploads/2007/04/300-Frontpage-1536×819.jpg

Citations

“The Battle.” The Battle of Thermopylae, battle-of-thermopylae.weebly.com/the-battle.html. Accessed 1 Nov. 2021.

Jones, Matthew. “The Battle of Thermopylae: 300 Spartans against the World.” History Cooperative, The History Cooperative, 12 Mar. 2019, historycooperative.org/the-battle-of-thermopylae-300-spartans-against-the-world/.

Chan, Amy. “The Significance of Thermopylae: Why We Ought to Thank the Spartans for the Constitution, Chick-Fil-a, and Capitalism.” HistoryNet, HistoryNet, Sept. 2016, http://www.historynet.com/the-significance-of-thermopylae.htm.

‌

‌

‌

Blog #2: The Heroic Portrayal of King Leonidas in Zack Snyder’s 300 (2006)

The movie 300 directed by Zack Snyder and released in 2006 is a modern sword and sandal film based off of a Frank Miller comic series of 1998 and the ancient Battle of Thermopylae (Kiger). While the action film is not fully historically accurate, it does contain a great deal of legitimate information regarding the Spartan soldiers and their conflicts during that time. The film’s protagonist, Leonidas, a true character, is seen as the leader of the Spartan army throughout the film and is continuously presented to the audience as a man of great courage and loyalty. The film was similar to a lot of our previous movies as it heroically portrayed the protagonist mostly through combat and battle scenes.

Leonidas Early Life, 300 (2006)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uH2M5rh1gvE

In the beginning of the movie Snyder visually shows the audience Leonidas’s background and early life. Leonidas is put to the test at a very young age where he has to pass challenging tests of loyalty and toughness in order to become a Spartan solider. In a History.com magazine titled How Ancient Sparta’s Harsh Military System Trained Boys Into Fierce Warriors, Patrick Kiger, the author, “talks about early Spartan training and how they would begin at the age of seven” (Kiger). The scene begins with the judgment of the boy as a baby seeing if he has the genes accustomed to become a Spartan man (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uH2M5rh1gvE). The boy is then put into the Spartan training camp at a young age where he is constantly being tested of his bravery. The clip then ends with the boy taking out a monstrous looking wolf with nothing but a spear in his hand. While this clip above is somewhat accurate it does exaggerate the Spartan training process a bit in order to intrigue the audience. Snyder developed this scene for his movie in order to show where the heroic traits and values Spartan men have stem from, specifically Leonidas’s.

Leonidas Speech 300 (2006)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8B_hLUPhaE

As the movie develops Leonidas seems to only become stronger and more fearless then any Persian man or army. The clip above exhibits one of the battle scene the Spartans have against the Persian army. Snyder begins the scene with a terrifying shake of the earth with the sound and look of an earthquake (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8B_hLUPhaE). Leonidas then reveals that it is the noise of the vast Persian army. Incredibly outnumbered, Leonidas fearlessly smirks seeing the army and prepares his men with a glorifying speech that motivates his men for battle. Snyder uses this scene to show Leonidas’s charismatic side which is something new as we are used to visually seeing him be brave through physical combat. This scene was similar to the speech in the movie Spartacus where the protagonist speaks a phenomenal speech to his army before the time of combat. Similarly, in both scenes the directors focus on the man talking, but also express the army being talked to at the same time which reveals the army’s trust and loyalty towards the speaker.

After two days of holding the army the Spartan Allies began to loose hope as the Persians were gaining ground on them. In Herodotus’s Histories Book 7, Herodotus talks about this time during the battle and says,

“Leonidas himself sent most of his allies away as he worried that all of them  might otherwise be killed. But he felt that for himself and the Spartans with him, it would not be decent to leave the post that they had originally come to guard” (7.220).

Knowing his fate, Leonidas courageously sent his allies back to their families and held his ground with his men for Sparta. Herodotus then mentions the history of a “Spartan oracle” and how it says that ” Sparta will be saved if a Spartan King were to die” (7.221). Whether the oracle was true or not Leonidas held his ground for the love of his Country and his people.

Ending Fight Scene, 300 (2006)https://www.flickr.com/photos/lifes__too_short__to__drink__cheap__wine/2321195425

The battle scene in the movie ends pretty similarly to the historical account Herodotus mentions in his work. Hit with arrows and scraped up Leonidas is still seen fighting courageously using all of the energy he has left. Leonidas dies a very heroic and glorious death in the movie where he is seen as the last Spartan standing fearing nothing but the powerful will of himself. Snyder portrays Leonidas’s death as he the leader is seen dead with all of his soldiers laying in the middle of all of them visually expressing his rank as their ruler.

From the Birth of King Leonidas all the way to his glorious death Snyder expresses extreme loyalty and traits of heroism within the character. Through scenes of combat and violence, and through scenes of speeches and charisma, Snyder attracts the audience to this character of power and courage. Seen not only in the movie, but heard from the ancient writing’s of Herodotus, Leonidas is known to be a man of great strength and bravery.

Works Cited

Herodotus. Herodotus (Book 7) : the Histories. London, Eng. ; New York :Penguin Books, 1996.

Kiger, Patrick J. “How Sparta Used Harsh Training to Produce ‘Perfect’ Warriors.” History.com. A&E Television Networks, September 8, 2020. https://www.history.com/news/sparta-warriors-training.

LeeMajors. “300 Final Battle Scene.” Youtube, 5 Oct. 2013, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8B_hLUPhaE

Snyder, Zack. “300 The Movie.” Flickr. Yahoo!, March 9, 2008. https://www.flickr.com/photos/lifes__too_short__to__drink__cheap__wine/2321195425.

SpartaChannel. “Leonidas was a Kid.” Youtube, 11 Mar. 2017, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uH2M5rh1gvE

Panhellenic Identity and the Other in 300

Essential to Zach Snyder’s 300 is how he chooses to portray the Spartans. Not only in how they act, but how he contrasts them with everyone else in the film. These depictions are not only historically inaccurate but also go so far to create an image of the Other that it is offensive.

The most clear case of Othering is the inclusion of multiple monsters in the Persian army, such as a mutant large giant with blades for arms (“300”, 2007). Also, the Persian immortals, only called so because they always had the same number of soldiers in the group, are depicted as having deformed faces in 300 (Herodotus, 7:83). In addition to the soldiers, the entire Persian culture was attacked by Snyder. The portrayal of the Persians as the Other and its effect on some viewers can be seen as Farshad Farahat writes that “I began to resist the movie’s depiction of Iranian women as deviant sexual teasers pimped out by their King Xerxes” (Farahat 2010, 3). His emotions were so strong in response to the depiction of his own people that “When a ‘300’ protagonist yelled, ‘Persians, you motherless whores,’ I yelled back, ‘My mother is Neda!'” (Farahat 2010, 3). Neda refers to a young Iranian woman that was killed while peacefully protesting for liberty. Snyder is choosing to show an entire cultural region as grotesque and monstrous, meanwhile those descended from ancient Persians are more accurately represented by Neda. While Zach Snyder’s goal may have been too simply present a villainous antagonist, the degree with which he depicted Persian culture in a poor light cannot be understated.

Not only did Snyder go out of his way to demonize the Persians, but he contrasted them with a Spartan group that is depicted as much more honorable than material history suggests. 300 claims that the Spartans were the only Greeks fighting by the end and shows the other Greeks as cowards who fled, as seen in the clip below.

“300.” YouTube, YouTube, 14 May 2010, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qubItQjdSHA. Accessed 1 Nov. 2021. 

While the scene shows a glorious speech before a heroic last stand, the truth, according to Herodotus, of the final days is much different.

When learning that Xerxes had discovered the mountain path, king Leonidas sent away the other Greek groups (Herodotus, 7:220). While most left, some stayed behind; the Thespians refused to abandon Leonidas, and the Thebans were held back, “The Thebans did not want to be there, but Leonidas held them back, treating them as hostages and keeping them there against there will” (Herodotus, 7:222). So, 300 portrays the Spartans as their own heroic insulate group for the most part, when in reality, the situation was much more Panhellenic than depicted in the film. Also, in 300 slavery is used to show Persian culture as the Other and barbaric, but in reality, the Spartans were also holding people against their will and sending them to death as well. The clip of Leonida’s speech and the movie as a whole inspire the audience to connect with Sparta as a people fighting for righteous freedom and equality. However, in reality the Spartans engaged in many of the same barbaric actions as the Persians.

The last example of Othering in 300 can be seen in the Greek’s ability to cast many different groups into the Other category. The movie opens with a dramatic telling of how Spartans cast deformed or unperfected children out of society; the hunched man seen in the following clip was one of these children.

“300.” https://youtu.be/J3trMDuL56M. 

The scene shows Ephialtes attempting to join the Spartan fighting force, but Leonidas turns him away due to him being unable to maintain the phalanx formation. Herodotus’s Histories Book Seven makes no mention of Ephialtes being hunched, rather it seems Snyder made an active choice to venture even farther from historical facts for this character. Snyder does all that he can to depict the Spartans as the superior and most honorable group, from showing Spartans in superior arms compared to the Arcadians or to reproducing the Persians as monstrous and immoral.

Zach Snyder is using the “Western gaze” (Burney 2012, 26). Shehla Burney explains, “This Western gaze, not unlike the deadly ‘male gaze’ in feminist theory, subjectifies and objectifies all that it sees in its own image, through its own colored lenses, and from its own position of power” (Burney 2012, 26). Snyder is operating with an extremely Western perspective in his directing. How the Persians and Spartans are shown in 300 clearly demonstrates the use of a Western lens and orientalist mindset to characterize the Persians as the Other and Spartans as a culture much more honorable than they likely were.

Works Cited

“300.” https://youtu.be/J3trMDuL56M. 

“300.” YouTube, YouTube, 14 May 2010, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qubItQjdSHA. Accessed 1 Nov. 2021. 

Burney, Shehla. “CHAPTER ONE: Orientalism: The Making of the Other.” Counterpoints, vol. 417, Peter Lang AG, 2012, pp. 23–39, http://www.jstor.org/stable/42981698.

Farahat, Farshad. “GUEST ESSAY: One Iranian American Wrestles with ‘Xerxes’ and ’300′.” Los Angeles Times, 28 Sept. 2010. 

Herodotus. “Book Seven.” Histories. 

History through the lens of a fictionalized 300

The film 300(2007) is a cinematic adaptation of Frank Miller and Lynn Varley’s  graphic novel with the same name. I will be exploring the contrast between the events that occurred in the Persian invasion of Greece and the fictional elements embedded by both Frank Miller and Zack Snyder. I will specifically be analyzing the Battle of Thermopylae.

First and foremost, the most profound form of historical inaccuracy in the movie is that it  incorporates the idea that only 300 Spartan warriors took part in the fight against millions of Persians. According to Herodotus’ Histories Book 7, there was a group of 300 men from Sparta led by Leonidas but they were joined by other troops like the Thebans before arriving at Thermopylae(7.205.2).The exact number of participants in the war on the Greek side is unclear from ancient writers such as Diodorus who writes that 300 spartans,1000 Lacedaemonians and 3000 other Greek warriors were sent to the battle.(11.4.5).  Trogus on the other hand claims that Xerxes was being challenged by a total four thousand Greek fighters led by Leonidas.(17.11).The incorporation of the fictionalized 300 Spartans by Zack Snyder goes hand in hand with the famous Hollywood’s representation of Ancient Rome and Greece with male heroic figures. The 300 men against Xerxes is a much more heroic representation than what exactly happened at Thermopylae.

Heroic Spartan figures in the film

Secondly, In the fourth chapter of the graphic novel, there is another representation of historical fantasy. We are introduced to the Immortals who were also at the battle and regarded as the best fighters from Persia. They were very crucial in the battle of Thermopylae because they managed to break down the Spartan defenses.  The movie’s representation of the Immortals seems to conflict with the historical writings of Herodotus. They are shown in both the film and the graphic novel as non-human creatures with metal masks to hide their horrendous faces. They are first mentioned as part of the famous Persian infantry (Hdt. 7.40.1-42.2). They are later described as soldiers with special  fighting formations and unique weapons. (Hdt. 7.55. 2-3). There is no mention of face deformations in the history writings about the Immortals. Because the movie is based on a graphic novel, the representation of the immortals as ugly looking creatures against the handsome and masculine Spartans satisfies the hero defeats villain genre.( Basu, 2007, 2).

Historical stone carvings of the Immortals

The Comic Version of the Immortals as shown by Frank Miller

The misrepresentation of history  in the film has had its effects. The contrast between real history and the fictionalization of this film has raised a lot of criticism. There are many aspects of orientalism instilled in the film. One critic pointed out that the Persian military and officials in the film were mostly of a darker complexion in contrast to the heroic white, and very masculine Spartans.(Basu, 2007: 29). This is a form of prejudice that Hollywood has continued to display over the years although it continues to raise tensions for example  the nation of Iran through its President unapologetically denounced and resented the film with claims of historical alteration and perversion.(Farahat, 2010,1-2). The scenes from the  historical battle of Thermopylae portrayed in the film have been linked with re-awakening the political tensions between Iran and Israel. (Keshmirshekan, 2019, 306).

In conclusion, the film version of 300 by Zack Snyder managed to tell a story using a combination of captivating visuals and use of CGI. It is a kind of film produced with an aim of being a box office Hollywood classic with less attention to historical facts.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Basu, Subho,.. ed. 2007 “300: The use and abuse of history.” The Classical Outlook, vol. 85, no. 1, American Classical League, pp. 28–32, http://www.jstor.org/stable/43939764.  

Diodorus, Library of History Book xi 

Farahat, Fashard. 2010 “One Iranian American wrestles with Xerxes and 300” Los Angeles Times pp. 1-7

Frank Miller,..ed.1999, 300. Dark Horse Comics

Herodotus, 1996, the Histories. Book VII, London, Eng. ; New York :Penguin Books, 

Keshmirshekan, Hamid, 2019 ed. “The ‘300’ stroke.” Contemporary Art, World Cinema, and Visual Culture: Essays by Hamid Dabashi, Anthem Press, pp. 301–10, https://doi.org/10.2307/j.ctvf3w2p5.20.

Trogus, 1853, Historiae Philippicae. York street, Covent Garden. 

Zack, Snyder. 2007, Director “300” Legendary Pictures

What it Takes to be the Hero of a 20th Century Sword and Sandal Film

Maximus Decimus Meridias in “Gladiator” and King Leonidas in “300” show common characteristics that a heroic protagonist must have in a 20th century sword and sandal film. Ridley Scott, the director of Gladiator, and Zack Snyder, the director of 300, give us a main character that the audience gets to analyze and then root for as they show us their virtues throughout their respected films. After analyzing both characters, it is conclusive that a 20th century sword and sandal protagonist must be strong mentally and physically, be courageous and brave, and be able to lead while gaining respect from those around them.

“Gladiator” (dir. Scott) opens with Maximus and his army fighting in a battle. In the opening moments it is clear that Maximus is a superior warrior, and a very respected general of the Roman Army. “Strength and honor” is a saying used amongst the soldiers, and it tells the audience two virtues that are important to the Roman army. It is evident in the fighting scene that the army fights with strength and honor, and this is a direct reflection of their general Maximus. Maximus and his army win a very lopsided battle brutally overcoming the army of Germania. It is clear from the opening scene that Maximus Meridias is very strong mentally and physically, fights courageously, and has clear respect from all of his soldiers. “The character of Maximus reaches back to an idea of masculine bravery and goodness” (Cyrino 229).

“300” (dir. Snyder) starts the plot with a Persian messenger coming with a threatening message from Xerxes. Xerxes asks for a sacrifice of “Earth and Water” meaning land from Sparta. As a result of this request King Leonidas kills the messenger and eventually takes a small army to battle the enormous Persian army ruled by Xerxes. It is clear that Leonidas embodies strength and shows no weakness in any aspect of his life. He fears nothing, and the Spartan soldiers who follow him show their respect when they follow him to the battle of Thermopylae even when it was treason to do so and had no real chance of defeating the entire Persian army. King Leonidas feels disrespected by the Persian messenger, and because he fears nothing he stands against the enormous Persian army. His actions show the traits of strength, bravery, and leadership throughout the entire film and it is clear to the audience what King Leonidas stands for. “(The) stand against the invading Persian army at the pass of Thermopylae in central Greece is one of the enduring tales of Greek heroism, invoked throughout Western history as the epitome of bravery exhibited against overwhelming odds” (Britannica 1).

The death scene for a sword and sandal protagonist is like the icing on a cake. Maximus and Leonidas both die in ways that emphasize the characteristics and morals that they stand for. Maximus dies at the hand of Commodus, who Maximus had just killed in a setup gladiatorial battle. He essentially sacrifices himself for the good of Rome because now they are free of a terrible Caesar. Leonidas dies because his small group of Spartan soldiers were surrounded by the hundreds of soldiers of the Persian army. Leonidas was given the option to surrender, but Leonidas instead chose to fight until his glorious death, where he died with honor. The death scenes in these two films make the audience certain that these two characters are extremely brave and strong. They both die with honor and belief in what they stand for. The death of a hero protagonist in a sword and sandal film is a very important part of the movie because it will show just how courageous the character is. These kinds of deaths are inspired from previous sword and sandal films that came before them. “Like Spartacus, the proud Maximus is subject to humiliation and brutality in the Roman arena. Both Maximus and and Spartacus die virtually sacrificial deaths in the daring effort to achieve their goals” (Cyrino 230).

The inspiration for these heroic traits is a result of characteristics that characters from older sword and sandal films possessed. Stanley Kubrick, the director of the 1960 sword and sandal film, “Spartacus” gives us a protagonist hero that possesses similar virtues that Maximus and Leonidas also have. All of which are strong, brave, and great leaders. And all of which die for what they believe in sacrificing their own life for the good of the purpose they fight for.

The hero of a sword and sandal film has always seemed to be loved by the audience. The viewer must be able to root for the protagonist of a sword and sandal film, or else the movie will not be as entertaining. If they did not possess these traits, then the audience would see them as weaker and will not get the experience that the director would want them to get. Although all of these characters may fight for different purposes and in different settings the traits of strength, bravery, and leadership are easily spotted in all of these heroes. This makes for a more entertaining movie, and a protagonist that the audience grows to love and root for.

Works Cited

Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopedia. “Leonidas”. Encyclopedia Britannica, 7 Jan. 2019.

Cyrino, M. 2005. Big Screen Rome. Blackwell Publishing, Malden, MA.

Scott, Ridley. Gladiator. 2000. DreamWorks Distribution, Glendale, California.

Snyder, Rick. 300. 2006. Warner Bros, Burbank, California.