Alexander

[Shinnen]

I just came back from one of the World Gala Premiere locations of Alexander. It was a really really big event... but being in a rather insignificant country to international showbiz... we don't have celebs like Angelina Jolie attending the event. But 7 halls in the multiplex screening the movie.



The movie isn't bad... reasonably good. But it's got a lot of press bashing from all over the world for one thing, bisexuality.



I think mostly the bashing was due to people who don't support or are homophobic. Which is a really bad attitude that can lead to people thinking they have the right to kill someone because they are different.



Anyhow... it's a good show... a bit long... Angelina Jolie's performance is top notch... with... a... ???russian/dracula ??? accent. Only thing i have to say is... Colin Farrell (no offense to his fans if any here) has.. skinny chicken legs which looked prettily waxed. So not right for a warrior/ruler/man

CheerZ

Shinnen



She's the most amazing girl in the whole world. She's the only girl who makes my heart beat faster and slower at the same time. When I'm not with her, I'm not living. I'm not existing until I can hold her in my arms again.- hence i'm not here now

[Hemiola]

Hi Shinnen



You mean to say that they actually depict Alexander's relationship with Hephaestion the way it was (i.e. without suggesting that they were just "the bestest friends ever" )?! That would be something new! Tell me, do they also depict his relationship with the infamous "Persian Boy", so well described in Mary Renault's novel??



If so, who plays Hephaestion? Who plays the Boy?

[Gatito Grande]

Jared Leto plays Hephaestion.



I have really mixed feelings about seeing this movie. On the one hand: the basic story. I mean, C'mon: Alexander the Great! (I loved the Classical World even before Xena made me nuts for anything Greek! ). Then there's the bisexuality: sure, we've all heard allusions to "the detestable practices of the Ancient Greeks" (as later tight-ass historians would put it ), but how many times do we actually know the name of said Ancient Greek's lover? Plus---Big Plus!---there's Angelina Jolie: she's getting GREAT reviews, and I think it's so bold, on her part, to take the role of AtheG's mother, Olympias (when most female stars her age would be paranoid about taking any "older" part. Ye gods forbid! )



OK, that's all to the Good.



However: 1) we're talking Oliver Stone here (director w/ all the subtlely of being walked on by an Indian War Elephant ) 2) Why did anyone think a little punk-*ss like Colin Farrell was BIG ENOUGH for this role? (I watched an infomercial---lamely-veiled as a "documentary"---of Farrell preparing for the role, and he was Truly Pathetic: I wouldn't follow him on a march to the outhouse, much less to the edges of the Known World, w/ the most formidable armies ever stuck in the way) 3) All the Rotten Reviews the movie is getting (everything except AJ) 4) The fact that the movie is supposedly Very Bad, and definitely Very Long 5) The parts of the story left out: No cutting of the Gordian Knot? Good googly-moogly!



GG Last but not least: 6) For all the bad reasons listed above, I've heard several reviewers say that this movie marks the *death knell* of the Classical Revival on Film, which began w/ Gladiator : Say it ain't so!!! Out



Unless maybe a New Revival can begin w/ a Xena movie?

[Shinnen]

Hehe... I seem to think Hesphaestion seems to be a hot guy. Anyway... Colin Farrell isn't suitable for this role, while doing the publicity materials for Alexander, the senior exec in charge kept lamenting that there aren't enough "manly" photos of him to work with. Which... I have to admit... is true. Even pretty boy Brad Pitt looked better in Troy. I wouldn't mind Hugh Jackman in the starring role.



Hemiola Hi

Quote:

---

Tell me, do they also depict his relationship with the infamous "Persian Boy", so well described in Mary Renault's novel??

---

Yes... the Persian Boy (Bagoas??) was in there. Very feminine looking. The actor for Bagoas is Francisco Bosch. But the relationship wasn't really as obvious as with Hephaestion. I would say... minor flirtation in the movie.



But as I mentioned before... it's not a bad movie. The reviewers and journalists are bigots who if living in US are probably one of the half who voted for the CURRENT(grape/president ). no offense to the Americans here



Angelina Jolie's role isn't really big. But it was a pivotal role in the movie. It's cool to see her bravely take the role of the Mother (hot mama!)



As well as greeks writing in pointy alphabet english (I'm no historian but hey... pointy alphabets in English??) hehe... Malaysia had 9 cuts in Alexander. Wondering how US would go with slicing and dicing of the movie. Alexander is banned in 3 countries if i'm not mistaken.



For all bigotry malaysian journalists and government is... I fear for the press reviews coming out this Saturday for me to insert into the last batch of press ads in the major national papers. Too much sexuality bashing on the minority is too much for me.

CheerZ

Shinnen



She's the most amazing girl in the whole world. She's the only girl who makes my heart beat faster and slower at the same time. When I'm not with her, I'm not living. I'm not existing until I can hold her in my arms again.- hence i'm not here now

Edited by: Shinnen at: 11/25/04 5:35 pm

[Gatito Grande]

Well, I finally saw this today, and I have to say that I really liked it: screw the critics!



Farrell was better than I expected (one scene excepted). I love the description of Angelina as "camp glamor": Yowza! Loved Jared Leto's eyeliner (why don't more guys wear it? )



OS wimped on showing the (homo)sex between Alexander and Hephaestion, but at least their intimacy was there for all to see. Yay!



GG Loved (or at least liked) most everything, except the number of times I had to close my eyes at the animal-abuse scenes. Human (faked) deaths, no prob---animals (horses, cows, elephants---any other critters?), no way! Out



Hey, this is new: (Is this supposed to be my conscience? Or---and?---the source of my headaches?)