After watching the movie I thought the Persians were portrayed as a bit unreasonable and unbelievable. After reading this I guess a comics rendition of Persians is spot on. Get bent out of shape and start wars over nothing.
What people forget to realize about the movie is that it's all being told by that one Spartan that was sent back. So he's telling the tale of his king. And when have you ever heard someone tell a story where they didn't exaggerate the truth.. ex.. the 10ft tall Xerxes, the mutant monster immortal guys, the guy with the saws for hands, etc etc.
I'm persian. Please don't make comments about the way we treat women and lump us all into one category of "terrorism". Dont' judge us by our worst specimens and please don't assume an entire population is a certain way.
^ Then tell the rest of the Persians to denounce terrorism and woman beating. As a whole, your group doesn't denounce it, so you deserve to be lumped into one category - savage terrorists.
Iranian women live in a much better culture than those in the Arab countries supported by the US.
Saudi Arabia is considered one of our primary allies in the Middle East. Saudi women can't vote, drive, or travel without a male relative. All but three of the Sept 11 terrorists were Saudis. Osama bin Ladin is a Saudi. You want "savage terrorists", 9:55? They got 'em.
While we're at it, Persians aren't Arabs, either. Why don't you turn off Fox News and learn something about another culture.
"While we're at it, Persians aren't Arabs, either."
And yet, because they're whining about a movie about the ANCIENT Persons, they are being assholes.
I don't have any problem with ancient Romans being portrayed as baddies, and I'm part Italian. They should stop trying to get special treatment and try to actually accomplish something positive.
Oh, and 300 ROCKS. Best action movie I've seen in eons!
Jesus Christ, Iranians. Does it always have to be about you these days? You've got your nukes, what more do you want?
That movie was fucking sweet, and it's not called "Those fucking ancestors of Iran ruined the world" or some bullshit like that. It was an important time in history, and I think Frank Miller made an awesome graphic novel, and an awesome movie to go with it. The point of the movie is that Spartans were bad-ass, not that the Persians were the biggest assholes in history...although if anyone probably deserved that title it was Xerxes. According to everything I've ever read, he was pretty much a huge piece of shit tyrant.
This just in, the movie 300 is suffering at the box office due to the Iranian boycott of the film. The producers stand to lose millions of dollars. It very well may become one of the biggest flops ever in Hollywood.
Please! There is no such thing as an "account" of the battle of Thermopylae. Don't mistake literature for history. In that specific case, the latter uncloaked many lies that the first "accounted".
They are upset?bunch of idiots. How many people who weren't thinking of watching this movie are NOW going to watch it, just to find out what they're all upset about....I know I am.
this movie was historically and politically flawed.
the greeks were big on homosexuality and when they went to war, the older soldiers would recruit younger soldiers for sex and stop fucking with them once they grew beards. but what really happened is the greeks faught affectionately during the battle with the persians because they were all lovers....yet the spartans were portrayed as heroes with honor and the persians were portrayed as cowards and Xerxes was portrayed as some queer.
Wow, some of these comments prove incredible ignorance on the part of the readers of this website. The only good Iranian is a dead Iranian? Are you kidding me? Who the hell do you think you are? I can only imagine the onslaught of criticism if someone were to say that about an Israeli. I am disgusted.
This movie rocked, and the male bodies on display were amazing. Does anyone know the name of the actor who played the youngest Spartan warrior? The one who got decapitated, at which point I screamed out "FUCK, NOW I HAVE TO STOP MASTURBATING!" ?
people need to understand that this is movie is based on real history! this did happen!! granted it was a very long time ago! when i saw the movie, it was a little far fetched with the animals and what not. i doubt there was a guy with arms as knives either...but what do you expect? its a movie portraying the war. they have to sell some tickets! in fact, two parts of the movie were incorrect: there were not only 300 spartans, there were actually more soldiers from other areas of greece but the spartans had the front line and thats why it was more important that the title be 300! only 300 spartans went to battle because of the olympic games at the time. the second inconsitency is the fact that leonidas bowed down to him. In history, he does not. they made him bow down so the other spartan can jump from behind him and kill the messenger. either or, it was very well portrayed! i am greek and know the history very well since i was brought up reading all of this in history books. Persia went on a conquest to try and take over the world. Xerxes was only doing what his father and grandfather tried doing as well, he also failed though. again, iranians should do nothing but watch this movie and move on with thrie lives because it isnt denouncing them at all....its talking about a history that included them! yes, they were the ones trying to invade, but thats history. it happened, move on with your life, and shut up and accept the fact that it did happen! there always has to be someone coming out and saying bad shit about everything! face the fact that your ancestors fucked up! plain and simple
i never knew people were still these days are still as ignorant,as prejudice and as racist as before. I'm glad that I respect people enough not to judge like the people commenting here. I'm also glad some of the commenters are educated and mature enough to recognize some of these filthy comments. People always talk about how the world should change their views. Maybe some of you should think of maybe changing yourself first before judging other people's actions. Change starts from within.
The readers on this site are just too ignorant. I am not even Persian and I am completely offended. Not by the movie, but by these comments. Eww...
Anyhoo I loved 300! The movie was based on a graphic novel (which was loosely based on history), so please don't get all analytical of the film. Historical accurancy was not relevant. I for one just wanted amazing action sequences and beautiful graphics, which I got.
Also I am going to have to agree with whoever mentioned the rampant homosexuality within the ancient Greek culture. It made no sense to me that Xerxes looked like Rupaul and the Spartans looked like the epitome of masculinity when in reality those 300 men probably participated in some orgy each night. And did anyone esle peep the oh so obvious flirtation between the Spartan with the long hair the one who's father was the captain. Yea...
Also I'm a chick so I completely loved the Queen's role. She was so ride or die, lol
I love it when people say "Um, yeah...well, I'm not Iranian. I'm PERSIAN!" Well, unless you were born before 1935, you're pretty much Iranian. And so are your parents. Ashamed of your nationality much?
although "ignorant" at least these liberals are content enough with their lives that they do not feel the need to make nasty comments to make themselves feel better.
i think its a moral issue not a political one.
i feel bad that you were not loved enough through your childhood that you feel you must make others feel inadequate. i hope someday you realise that there is more hope in love than hate.
I'm so glad that I couldn't piece Persians with Iranians or Iraquis or anyother middle eastern race of people. I watched this bad ass movie and never thought anything other than it was a bad ass movie.
American must remember that different cultures have different value systems. Americans seem to think it is ok to WWF and monster truck over everything (even history). Just as it is not legal to smoke cannabis (unlike Holland) or walk around naked in public (like New Guniea) so Americans should respond with more understanding of this response. It is not a historically accurate film, again. Americans seem to think America reprsents "the world" when America simply represents its own ideals, laws and opinions.
Maybe the Iranians can cut off their penises in protest of 300.
"Bakalakadaka, Mohammed Jihad!"
By Anonymous, on 9:47 AM
Are you people retarded? Iranians don't speak Arabic, aren't Arabs, and never were, to my knowledge, Arabs. I also liked the comment about them sending nukes at us. Can you really not read the news? THEY DON'T HAVE NUKES. Morons. Yes, it's stupid they are complaining, but how do you know who is actually complaining? It could be a made up story by some journalist.
Seriously folks, being a racist is only useful if you want to get Paris Hilton to like you. And that's only useful if you want to get the clap.
Well, I'm Iranian and am far more offended by what the so-called government of my country has done to its people and the image of Iran around the world for the past 27 years. If they were so worried about how the world views Iran then maybe they should not have been funding terrorism and death squads throughout the Middle East and beyond and maybe they should do something about the 18 million Iranians living below the poverty line in an oil and gas-rich country. The mullahs running my country are thugs in religious garb and acting all offended about some film based on a graphic novel is the height of hypocrisy and a symbol of their deep cynicism and disrespect for the world.
Although I don't like reading some of the things people here are saying about Iran and Iranians, I understand. If some other country acted the way Iran has in the last 27 years I wouldn't think much of it either.
Has anyone stopped to think this all just a political maneuver from Ahmandinejad? I mean, there's no chance he has his fingers in a few newspapers, just like Bush has his hands all over Fox News?
Not to be a conspiracy-theorist, but really, we have an anti-semetic, anti-American religious zealot whose own people consider him a dangerous nutjob. Any chance he's pulling a fast one just to drum up a little anti-US sentiment amongst his people because they are royally getting tired of his demented ass and ready to boot him out? Seriously, all politicians do this. It's the classic US Vs. THEM move. All politicians use it and always will whenever they need a scapegoat to distract from what a lousy job they are doing. I won't believe a word of this bullshit unless I hear it from an actual Iranian, a real flesh-and-blood member of the Iranian public, not a politician, not a journalist bought off by a politician, an actual member of the public. If I do, then I'll reconsider whether 300 is as bad as claimed. Until then I'll just assume this is more propaganda bullshit from a madman with nukes who's royally fucking over his own people.
p.s. All you people throwing out the anti-Iranian bullshit need to die in a fucking fire. And all you people throwing the anti-Americanism in response are just as bad. You're all like a bunch of kids having a slap fight on the playground.
Seriously, its a god damn movie, watch it and enjoy it! It is for entertainment purposes...i swear people always come up with political issues or some sort of issues about a movie if they don't really like it. Take a chill pill and enjoy the graphics, fight scenes and the hot bare chested people. If you are intrigue with the 300 like I am, check out 300 at zannel. Can't wait for Dark Horse to come out...
Anon 1:51 whispered between his lipstick-covered teeth:I mean, there's no chance he has his fingers in a few newspapers, just like Bush has his hands all over Fox News?
You're a small-minded, Liberal moron if you actually believe that.
Who gives a crap?? Reading all these negative posts just proves how much alike ALL humans are no matter what race. Nobody gives anyone a chance or the benefit of the doubt. It's so easy to judge and criticize. You are all the same and just perpetuate what every culture has been doing to each other for centuries. Everyone hates each other, everyone is a terrorist, blah blah blah. Uneducated idiots lump all muslims together as terrorists, the same type of uneducated idiots lump all americans together and label us terrorists and war mongers .... I say we gather all these morons in a room so they can cut each other's throats.
I think it's pretty amusing that Iranians see a movie about Sparta and Persia as an attack on Iran. Walk up to most Americans and they couldn't tell you where Iran is today, much less where Persia was, and they sure as hell wouldn't know that Iranians are Persian. To most of America if you're brown and worship Allah, you're an Arab. Period. To assume that the moviegoing public makes any connection between Xerxes' Persians and modern Iran is laughably out of touch with most of America's grasp of history or geography.
whoever says that this movie is just based on a book and loosely based on actual facts is fucken retarted and must have been either american or persian! that actually happened! it was not exactly how the book or the movie made them out to be....but it did fucken happen!!! now for the homosexual comment, what does that have anything to do with????? spartans were warriors!!! they died for their country! i would take the spartans over any army of 300 and the spartans would dominate!!! i mean, take away all the grenades and guns and shit like that and have hand to hand combat like they did and the spartans would come out victorious! i hate when thickheaded assholes come on to forums and blogs and shit like this and talk shit without even knowing the truth behind things.....every single one of the posts, with regards to a few, have been about the issue at hand. yes we all live in america, but why is it that every dam american out there hides the fact that american can do no wrong!?!?!? the fucken iraq war is a mistake!!!! u dont see greeks and persians saying shit we fucked up!! american always fucks up and will continue to fuck up!!!! so enough with the gay comments, enough with the "its based on a book" comments!!! there are other countries and cultures out there that have history...not just the U.S. and sorry to say, but the u.s. history has nothing compared to the greek and persian history....
Just reading all the ignornant comments under this post is ridiculous.
"Fuck Iran, fuck Arabs, fuck Muslims. We should have nuked the Middle East a long time ago.
By Anonymous, on 1:54 PM "
seriously, this person probably did it for attention but do you know how ignorant, racist and prejidice he must be?? and that is really sad. You HAVE no idea what is going on over there and how so my orphaned children and mothers are starving and how they just want to restore life back. the ones you "hate" are the extremists and radicals who have nothing to do with "normal" middle easterns" Osama Bin Ladin is a Wahhabi, not even a good following Muslim. He just uses the term "Islam" to get people together, yet this is a high sin for Muslims to kill and hate anyone else. Im an afghan-america 18 yrs old girl who was born and raised in the United States. My family left Afghanistan in 1979 and have never been back becasue of the war with the Soviets. Then came the civil war between different regions, and then the evil Taliban came. Then Stupid Bin Ladin took over our country and this is why Afghanistan is the poorest country in the entire world. Images you hear and see on t.v. can be skewed for a certain audience. No one has an idea what is going on over there except those who are there facing it. It is just sad after so much, people will still be ignorant about everything. p.s. Iran does not have any nukes. JUST LIKE IRAQ. i love the united states and everything about it, but it makes me sad when people all over the world can hate with such fury and make it spread.
as for those making a big deal about the iranians not being arabs, who cares? they are muslims and believe in a violent religion where making jihad and killing apes (Jews) and pigs (Christians) is rewarded by Allah.
In response to the comment made about my comment: I am neither uneducated or retarted, so...
1) I know that the Battle of Thermopylae happened asshole. What I meant by loosely based history is that the graphic novel exagerrated everything (including the unhuman darkness of the Persian empire). Also while the battle did happen and the Spartans proved their ability to execute strategic battle tactics, there are no true accounts of the actual battle. All we really know is that there were few against many or whatever and that the Spartans kicked ass until their glorious deaths, blah, blah, blah.
2) I agree that the Spartans were great warriors, but it just happened to bother me that Xerxes looked like a flamboyantly gay male when it is common knowlede that the Greeks participated in homosexual acts when at war.
Calm the fuck down and let others have their opinions!!! I can't understand why you're so defensive/ angry...
Meanwhile, while the Iranians are freaking out, gay pride parade entrants are in a frenzy over who can make the best Xerxes' travelling throne float. Betch.
My goodness, there are some stupid comments on this thread! I'm sure the intelligent Iranians reading it are smart enough not to get offended by people who come here to anonymously spew bile, just to get folks riled. As for Iran being pissed: who cares? What a bunch of fools. As if anyone, these days, even associates the magnificence of ancient Persia with the primitive yahoos running the modern incarnation--Iran--at the moment. I'm sure we've all been whipped into an anti-Iranian frenzy and a desire to go to war with poor little Iran because this evil film has instilled fear in us of giant Iranian lobster beasts, mutant rhinos, and pierced-nippled Persian lesbians with bad make-up jobs!
PS. To the person wondering who the young beheaded Spartan hottie was, I believe his name is Tom Wisdom. I think he is in his thirties, although he definitely looked much younger.
I particularly liked the comments about how Spartans were queers. Leaving aside any REAL historical EVIDENCE about homosexuality in Greece (are there even any?), funny how (if we make the assumption they were) those "queers" etc managed to kill so many Persian Empire soldiers. Mind you most of their soldiers were not even Persian, but I guess few care about this. So, if you are such a fanatical, good "persian" soldier, how do you feel getting killed by a bunch of "queers"? Bunch of morons that probably ARE homosexual and don't admit it even to themselves.
I haven't seen the movie yet, but I am going to when it comes out on DVD. As one more poster here said, yes there were more soldiers on the greek side at that battle. 700 more. But if my memory serves me right, they were ordered to leave the battlefield before the final assault. Still, 300 or 1000, the odds were heavily against them, at best 30 to 1, though some reports claim even greater numbers for the persian army. The "300" fought and died to delay the ongoing persian army. They went there knowing they had no chance to survive, that they would not only die but also lose the battle. Still, their action (together with the other much much larger battles )was what saved the greek civilization.
seriously, the battle of Thermopolye happened. the persian tried to invade they got their asses kicked. the movie is based on a graphic novel that is LOOSELY based on the historical event. there are going to be some false things about it since it was a graphic novel, not an offical historical account.
i havent seen the movie yet but i know the event. i had a week long in depth discussion about the battle in my senior history class.
I dont understand why all(a majority) of middle easterners have to piss and moan about everything that may have even the slightest negative portrayl of them or their history. fucking grow up. im german and my anscesrty is straight german, but do I or my family piss and moan about every movie that come out about the nazi regime or hitler or the holocaust because it portrays germans as terrible people. NO! it happened. the germans were fucked up and terribley brutal towards jews and did some horrific things. still its what happened. get the fuck over it over it. dont forget waht happened, just get over it.
if middle eastern people are tired of stereotypes and critisiscisms about their people that are mostly accurate, do something about it then. dont sit back and allow them to perpetuate, dont sit back and say the radical extremists dont represent your whole people. they continue to because they are the only ones heard about and they are basically portraying all middle eastern because there arent any middle easterners coming out and standing up for all the righteous followers of islam who only want to live their lives and worship their religion. and i know there are those ones out there, my girlfriend(she is muslim) is one of them. she wants to worship her religion and live a good life. she doesnt worry about all the stereotypes about muslims because she isnt fucking stupid like so many others in this world.
now im all pissed off about peoples ignorance im going to write a nice blog about this bullshit.
because
ITS A GOD DAMN MOTHER FUCKING MOVIE! GROW A FUCKING PAIR AND STOP BEING FUCKING STUPID!
The movie was amazing. Leaving aside historical accuracy which is often difficult for historians to come with the movie rocked. Even the director and writer said the movie wasn't meant to be accurate ... they changed alot of things in favor of a great visual experience. Yeah, the Persians weren't portrayed in the best light but the movie was from the pov of the Spartans. Anyone remember Troy? The Spartans were portrayed rather poorly in that movie. They are just movies.
For anyone who hasn't seen it .. go .. it's amazing ...
I'm iranian (aka Persian) and want to see this movie, and am pretty sure i won't be offended by it. But I don't understand the personal attack on all Iranians in the below comments. It just doesn't seem necessary or accurate.
Some of you people embarrass the hell out of me. I am an American woman & I am sick & tired of people with their brainwashed perception of other peoples culture. How can you call others monstars when you say ignorant shit like "Bomb them all"???? Did 911 teach you nothing but cold-hearted-Bush-inflated-propaganda? Sometimes I wonder just how civilized do we think we are when we basically mask our ignorance & animalistic behavior with a false sense of entitlement. You guys are a bunch of Bush Babies and need to EFF'In kick rocks! Just because you don't understand the reasons why they are offended doesn't mean that the don't have the human right to have these feelings. IDIOTS!!!!
I´m from Scandinavia and I don´t get offended when vikings are constantly portrayed in art as savages and brainless ruffians, do you think I should? After all, they were my ancestors not that long ago...
i shouldnt be, but i am really shocked speechless by how ignorant some of you people are. how can you say muslims are violent hypocrites and follow that by saying "bomb them all"? you people dont deserve the priveledge of living in a beautiful country like america when such hatefull and racist garbage comes out of your mouth.
just because the movie isnt about "american history" doesnt mean you have to make fun of it....and i still dont understand why you have to bring the homosexual aspect into this! what does that have anything to do with the movie/battle? to the person who stated that we lost the battle, yes you are correct. but like in the movie, all hell broke lose and thats all xerxes could take over! and for the "Persians" who are pissed off, your king was supposedly a nice guy when he took over land/country.....he treated the kings from those lands with respect....do u know what he did with leonidas??? he cut off his head and didnt let anyone take the body! did they show that in the movie? no! did they show how the persians took over other parts of the world? no...they only showed how they couldnt manhandle 300 spartans....and by getting your asses kicked, you complain that its degrading and hollywood is starting a war on you??? let me guess why! cuz its not the persians side of the story!! thats why...fucken idiots!!! im so angry right now that people would make comments about another persons culture and a countrys history. greece has one of the most beautiful histories in the world! why try and degrade it with the gay comments and shit like that....and for those who call themselves americans, there is no such thing as a real american anymore....this is the only country in the world that everyone considers themselves american...you just occupy space in the country of america.....cuz if you trace your roots back, youll find that not everyone was born here 100% so get over it and respect others cultures, history, and country
I love how someone got offended because someone esle pointed out the fact that the Greeks were open-minded with sexuality. Clearly you are uneducated to say that those claims have no historical accuracy. Read some ancient greek mythology, look at some paintings. If their "Gods" participated in same gender sexual acts and their paintings portrayed this, why are you refuting it?
And I never downplayed their tactical and war genius because of what they did in their spare time. It was you who equated being "queer" (as you said it) with being unequipped to fight in battle and win. I'm just saying...
Personally, while I was watching the movie, the first parallel I made was the American government with numerous other countries and strange weapons at it's disposal against a country full of people who would fight to the death to defend its way of life.
I don't even see how they can be mad at it referring to "The Persian Empire" when it was really ambiguous as to which nation was at the center of it, especially for the average person who was there just to watch some badass blood and gore..
ITS CUZ OF IGNORANT ASSHOLES LIKE U THAT PUT THE WORLD AT STAKE OF SELF DESTRUCTING..OPEN UR FUCKING EYES. FORGET UR MINDS....ASK URSELF HOW MUCH OF THE MEDIA IS TRUE?? JUST CUZ THIS MOVIE HAS AMAZING GRAPHICS AND TECHNLOGY DOESNT MEAN IT IS POLITICALLY CORRECT OR TRUE..IT IS MADE THIS WAY TO PERSUADE AN IGNORANT INDIviDUAL TO THINK THIS CertAIN WAY...for example their beliefs about the persians...ASK URSELF OR DO SOME FUKING RESEARCH.even though u mightfeel like a dumbass after learning the truth
I guess it's just the timing of the movie that makes it offensive to Iranians. "Historical" action movies tend to make some culture evil! Come on, Braveheart? Gladiator? Saving Private Ryan? And the author made a good point, this is based on a comic book... lighten up!
Woah! Could you people be more racist and horrible? Have you ever seen an Iranian film? They have a burgeoning movie industry and make the most incredibly beautiful films. You don't have to hate them because they're not American.
Cmon this is all very simple. One nuke missile, Tehran, right afterwards "sorry sorry sorry computer error sorry sorry sorry" (find somebody who can keep a straight face while apologizing) and it's done. It's not like they could do anything about it.
As always, Sam Kinison said it best, except you have to substitute nuking for retaliatory anal sex: "Sorry honey, it slipped! What? No, no, it had nothing to do with you wrecking the car last week. What are you saying? I would never do something like that on purpose - I love you! Oops, it slipped again."
I was dragged to this film by a friend of mine, who is Persian, her father was born and raised in Iran. I actually liked the movie. So did she. In fact, and I kid you not, she joked: "damn Persians." at the end of the movie. Obviously, she wasn't actually damning her own people, she has perspective and a fantastic sense of humor. Anyway, it's not like England banned Braveheart, this fuss is over nothing, a dramatized account of a very very very old story should not be taken so damn seriously.
Jeeeez! I can't believe people are actually getting offended over silly internet comments. It's a goddamn movie. Who cares. I saw it on Saturday. Xerxes was rocking an ancient Mystic Tan and I'm pure sure some body glitter, too. What the fuck do you want.
I AM ABSOLUTELY APPALLED AT THE COMMENTS I AM READING!!!!! I WAS BORN HERE! I WAS RAISED IN THIS COUNTRY! MY PARENTS IMMIGRATED HEAR BEFORE I WAS BORN TO RAISE THERE CHILDREN IN A FREE SOCIETY... IT MAKES ME SICK TO THINK THAT I LIVE AMONGST IGNORANT RACIST PEOPLE WHO MAKE REMARKS LIKE ALL IRANIANS SHOULD DIE!
I USED TO COME TO THIS SITE TO LAUGH AND READ SILLY BULLSHIT AND NOW I AM READING UTTERLY HURTFUL AND OFFENSIVE COMMENTS ABOUT MY RACE. AFTER ALL THESE YEARS OF CALLING THIS COUNTRY MY HOME... I FEEL LIKE AN OUTSIDER. SO ... YEAH, YOU'RE ALL WONDERING WHY WE WORRY ABOUT MOVIES LIKE THIS???? IT'S BECAUSE IT BRINGS OUT THIS KIND OF IGNORANCE AND HATRED. FROM NOT WITH OUT MY DAUGHTER TO GOD KNOWS WHATE OTHER NEGATIVE PORTRAYALS OF MIDDLE EASTERERS IN OTHER MOVIES! I AM SOOOOOO SICK OF THIS SHIT! I AM SO SICK OF LIVING WILL ALL THIS NEGATIVITY PROJECTED ON ME JUST BECAUSE OF A CORRUPT GOVERNMENT THAT'S RULING OVER IRAN.
well it's much passed the point to argue with you stupid racist people in a humane way. so i'm just gonna say, fuck you. Iran will soon get nukes and then you can just suck their balls. as if they haven't fucked you enough already in Iraq and Israel. you totally deserve it. and btw if you can't ditinguish between Arabs, Iraqis and Iranians that just proves you're a bunch of morons. way to go guys, be proud of how stupid you are.
There are so many stupid fucking Americans out there I swear. Sometimes I'm embarrassed for our country. The lack of knowledge and the "bomb them all" attitude we carry is going to get us nowhere fast.
Wake-up America! We're not the only people in the world.
Geez...this is the funniest thread I've read in a long time. I saw the movie and loved it -- if you're Persian and are offended by it, you need to seriously get a life. It's a MOVIE based on a COMIC BOOK. On top of that, it's a MOVIE based on a COMIC BOOK loosly based on a battle that happened YEARS AGO. Fuckin' A, it's not a documentary. Criminy!
ok...i have a degree in history...this movie is based upon a comic, based upon history WHICH WE CANNOT ABSOLUTELY VERIFY. There was a battle of thermopylae; there were 300 Spartans and there were persians. Otherwise, we don't know any details that we can absolutely veryify. THE MOVIE IS FICTION. This is another example of the current mid-east mindset, and an excuse to try and make America look more evil than it really is. Their goal is to control their population and spread their bastardized, hateful form of Islam...
So...quite a few people leave inflammatory knee-jerk responses. A lot of people lump a group of people from a large region together. And still others berate bad behavior. It's a movie. Not a great movie but a movie about a war during a time when we are in armed conflict. Yes..I worked in a Jewish temple and more than half of the members were Iranian. So take the time to learn something posters. Films have been used as propaganda for some's political agenda against others [see..Birth of a Nation]. All of this energy could be pooled together to kick this government back in gear. Your local and national politicans should be getting your emails. We have a deficit. We have unemployment. We have soldiers left twisting in the wind IF they make it back at all. We have a 'war' which is just a land grab for control of oil. We have way more important things to argue about it. How about making the world a better place!
I swear I want to smack some of these new readers sometimes.
To bridge, Vida, ect; can you PLEASE come down off your imaginary intellectual high-horse for a second and explain WHY you read a blog that is so *supposedly* beneath you? Trying to insult the authors of a blog that you read does NOT make you seem catty or witty or whatever the hell else it is you're going for.
Tell you what, find me any real evidence (not wiki or assumptions from people that lived thousands of years after those times) about homosexuality in ancient Greece, and I will admit my mistake. If there is one mention in every 10000 ancient writings that could be seen as "gay", for some God or human, how would that make the whole of society nothing but a homosexual orgy nest? With the same logic, 2000 years from now, the humans should think that in the year 2007 most of the people are transexuals and all babies are born asexualy.
Whilst it is true that Xerxes desecrated Leonidas' body, it was said later that he greatly regretted doing so and that it was a source of shame to him later on.
All of the racist comments here are being posted by one "anonymous" waste of life. Oh, and by "Jose" funny how someone by the name of JOSE is lashing out ignorant statements... isnt that the pot calling the kettle black, JOSE?????
6:15 PM - The persians didn't get their "asses kicked" at Thermopylae, they won. Sad how for the Greeks the battles against the Persians are such a huge part of their history - which they never tire of bringing up - whereas for the ancient Persians they represented no more than border disputes at the Westernmost edge of their empire. The importance of the battles are exaggerated because of Herodotus' written accounts of them which made it to the West. In ancient Persian accounts of that time they are merely a footnote. Alexander was just a marauding Macedonian thug whose "empire" collapsed soon after he died whereas the Persian empire continued on for many centuries after with a sophisticated system of government, society and infrastructure, not to mention art, culture and the first universal declaration of human rights. And to those of you who think ancient Greece was "democratic": read a history book.
History is written by the winners...nothing is factual. Think a king on the winning OR losing side would allow anyone under their rule to spread a tale that didn't paint them in the absolute best light?
That's what's wrong with so many regardless of race or culture - they take everything SO seriously! EVERYTHING is true and everything's a lie...depending on where you're standing when the story's told.
I wasn't interested in this movie at all, but I'll see it now. Controversy is an excellent attractor...perhaps the film has some Persian financers and they think with a little drama, their take will be bigger.
I can't wait to buy this movie on DVD, all that MAN MEAT!!!....yummmmmm. I sooo see long lasting masturbation sessions to this movie, 300 sets of pecs and abs, even if they're computer abs, they're FINE.
Yes Leonidas' head was cut off, but this was a rather strange act for the Persians, who were to all accounts very respectful of their fallen enemies. In fact Xerxes felt really bad about it and 40 years later returned the body to the Spartans.
Yeah man! zhto i ellada!!! movie was a little over done with the graphics and shit like that but come on folks...it happened....get on with life and have a drink! later!
The Iranians have been agressive pains in the ass since writen history began about 3000 BC. They have been invading their neighbors in a serial fashion just about every 100 years. They are getting ready to do it again but this time with ICBMS and Nukes. After 5000 years of not being able to get along, maybe genocide is not all that bad of an idea.
Why all the faux outrage at Iranian outrage? Doesn't a certain portion of their population have the right to get their knickers in a twist about movies such as this when certain portions of OUR population are STILL fighting Roe v. Wade? ...and so shall it ever be...
"American must remember that different cultures have different value systems. Americans seem to think it is ok to WWF and monster truck over everything (even history)."
But how come our American culture means we all like WWF and monster trucks? I'm american that's not part of my life. Oh yeah, I forgot it's totally cool to make racist statements about Americans, just not the rest of the world. My bad.
I never ever ever said that the greeks won the battle. Learn to read. I said that it was a battle that delayed the persians enough and helped the greeks to stop the persian empire's invasion.
And this is one of the reasons that is still well known, because they fought under knowledge they were going to be greatly outnumbered and definetely lose the battle and die, and still decided to do it, for the greater good, which the succeeded. You lost the war, live with it.
ef: Right, and you're the same guy who's insisting the ancient Greeks weren't gay even though every historical account (by Greeks themselves) says the contrary. Pffff. Your ancestors loved to suck cock and take it in the ass, live with it.
ALL of you people fucking unbelievable,like you know idiots who the hell cares it is just a movie trying to recount the things that happened at thermopolaye, even if it isnt true so what if it makes iranians look bad. it was like 10 000 years ago. and the only reason that people today hate iranians, is because of their fuking government. THEY ARE ARABS the FUKIN ARABS caused the revolution and also back when that mohammed came,none of us probably lived before the arabs came and made them muslims
i don't care if this movie is offensive or not,i just think hollywood should stop making this kind of movies.you're just too much AMERICAN."Troy" was horrible and didn't even respect the real story,i study ancient greek and it made me wanna cry for all the terrible errors i saw in that movie.and "Alexander" was even worse,GARBAGE.just keep making your stupid love movies and leave our history alone thank you
OMG!!! Ef get over the whole gay thing. It's like you're in denial over a people who lived thousands of years ago. I mean to them they weren't gay. As I said they were just more free with sexuality. There were no classifications as there are today. To them sex was sex was sex was sex, no matter who it was with. They didn't give a fuck about who they were fucking, they just wanted to fuck. Get over it. It really is not that big of a deal. I mean its not like I deny the coolness of Odysseus because he might of had sex with his lieutenant on a 12 year war campaign. If I were on a 12 year journey with only women I may turn lesbo my damn self. Jeez...
PLEASE show me some historical evidence that you claim to support that. ANY. I am not talking about a blog, a wikipedia post, but any real evidence from that time. There is none! All the assumptions were made from centuries after the period, assumptions fueled by christian expansion in the lands that had to manufacture anything and everything to undermine the old ways and accuse them of a lot of things, one of which this vast homosexual society. Just use your freaking brain. Do research. Don't take the word, opinion of some guy that tries to sell a book.
i don't care if this movie is offensive or not,i just think hollywood should stop making this kind of movies.you're just too much AMERICAN
And...we're supposed to apologize for that? I agree that many American movies suck, but I think that's more due to bloated budgets, scripts-by-committee, actors and actresses with tans running deeper than their emotions, and pansy-ass producers who are terrified of a movie that might reflect real life than it is to any supposed "American" disregard for history or intelligent filmmaking.
I like all the uproar "300" is causing. It's not a "safe" movie. And anyone who watches it and gets offended, or who wails about how we 'mericans just can't seem to get history correct, need to get a life and understand that it's a MOVIE. To come onto a blog and cry about how we should stop making movies with our technology and our money and our ideas is just pathetic.
Make your own film. The technology is there, a free Blogger site will advertise it, and YouTube will play it. Lord knows, plenty of other people are doing just that. Someone who puts forth the effort to create their own unique vision is much more admirable than someone who whines about how other people just shouldn't be allowed to do "offensive" things.
Oh good god, people! I didn't want to reply because there have been so many ridiculous racist and homophobic comments on here, but come on!
As a Classics student, I can assure you that:
1) The Battle at Thermopylae did exist. The point is that this is a ADAPTATION of a GRAPHIC NOVEL. Therefore EVERYTHING is going to be exaggerated!
2) The Spartans were notorious for their homosexuality - which has been documented in many ways, be it through art or literature, but-
a) it was not the same culture as the one in which we live, and homosexuality then did not equate effeminity - without going into too much detail, the idea then was that those who penetrated were masculine, those who *were* penetrated were soft and submissive - therefore the soldiers sleeping with younger men would have been perceived as strong and dominant characters.
b) In reference to the couple of posters who complained about the representation of Xerxes as "queer" when the naturally-homosexual Spartans were masculine- what is the problem here? First off, the ancient Greeks saw the Persians as being pale, flabby and feminine Easterners, so having Xerxes as an overly camp character is actually an interestingly accurate insight into the perception of the Persians. And furthermore, why, even if they were indulging in homosexual acts, would a WARRIOR race such as the Spartans not be as muscular as they have been depicted? These guys were brought up to become warriors!
Finally, why oh why do people insist on posting any old racist comment because they're anonymous? You just look like a twat. Grow Up.
I'm not going to get into the whole "This film is offensive to Iranians" argument, because, as a Brit, it would be as stupid as me complaining that "Braveheart" depicted the English unfavourably.
It was a war. It happened. 2000-odd years ago. This is a FICTIONAL account based on a COMIC. Let's get some perspective here!
Christ, ef, take any fucking college course (high school, even) in philosophy or Western history. When Aristotle, Sophocles etc spoke about "love" it was ALWAYS between a man and a boy. My college philo prof (who was Greek, BTW) explicitly said so numerous times.
Just grow up. Ask your dad or whatever. The truth shall set you free, or something.
Oh and if wikipedia is good enough for millions of other people then I'm pretty sure it's good enough for you. This isn't a court of law.
i dont really see why a movie, yes a movie would casue this much issues. Didnt it already happen and we all know the outcome and we all know the storyline then why blame someone else for portraying this film. Another thing poor iranians give me a freaking break. You burn our flags, you talk down to us like wre trash when u dont even know us. Do u see us burning dolls of presidents in the streets or say Amercians suck.. Yeah we might suck til yuor ass gets a natural disaster then your whining ass people beg for money like we suppose to help you. Then we help you and you want to kill us....hmm maybe just a thought
Having read Ef's comments which show him to be in complete denial over any homosexuality - there is evidence, the fact that you have not seen it and the fact that you appear to refuse to want to see it explains the hard line you are taking.
I don't know why I'm getting into this now, but -
There is plenty of evidence, dating right back to Plato, who talks about homosexuality in his Symposium. I'm not saying he's advocating it, but the fact that it is mentioned proves that it existed. The female poet Sappho's works depict lesbian love affairs.
There is also in existance a court record from ancient Greece (I haven't got the source with me now - if you are that desperate to see it I will look it up) in which a young man was taken to court for indulging in homosexual acts.
Finally, the greatest amount of evidence is from art depicted on pots. If you know anything about the period, you'll know that a large amount of what we know comes from this art work - and there are literally hundreds depicting homosexual courtships - these have been found from Sparta, Athens and Crete. Again, if you really want me to, I will find prepare this all for you.
The idea of homosexuality then was different to how it is now - the men that indulged in it only did so in the period before they got married, and the Greeks did not have a problem with men doing both. It was an accepted rite of passage that boys (meaning around age 15 - 19) would enter into a courtship with an older male (twenties) who would mentor them, and have sex with them.
Finally, the point I want to make is that you seem to be getting offended by the idea that the ancient Greeks were homosexual - this was not the case at all. It was not practiced or even condoned by all, by any means, but it was widespread enough amongst the elite, certainly around the classical period.
I'm sure you will no doubt argue that I have no evidence to support my claims, but as I am writing my university dissertation on the subject, believe me, I have plenty of evidence. What is interesting that so many people have views as archaic as your own that they have overlooked or completely ignored evidence of homosexulity, believing it to be immoral - whether you do or not, you must accept that it was a part of the culture then, however small.
Like I said, if you want to know more, I'll send it all to you via email.
The turth of the film is that the Persians had a slave army that thought Xerxes was a god. Warfare in that time was gory (swords aren't as clean as bullets) and to uphold the image of a wrathful God and strike fear into the Greeks, Xerxes' men would have done such things. The Greek empire no longer exists like that and I think most American viewers were pretty aware that it was a dramatized fiction. It also made some of the Greeks looks worse (the evils, the politicians) because they were backstabbing swine.
fran, I never said that there wasn't any homosexuality in ancient Greece. Of course there was! But some idiots seem to believe, and continue talking, like it was as widespread as drinking water. As you said, there are passages about it, about specific cases/individuals and insinuations for some group of people. That is very different than to say it was a common practice and a rule in the societies then.
For whoever mentioned the wiki as a serious source because millions of people read it, you might as well trust the old Pravda.
And don't worry, I have my share of college experience.
I am happy to see that many westerners on this comments page are not apologising for who they are. Show the third world the middle finger ! I am sick and tired of those parasites and savages benefitting from tax payers' money.
I love being prejudiced. I am happily prejudiced against islam, arabs, crazy iranians and third world trash. And, as soon as I find out what the word "racist" means, I am sure that I will be proud to be that too.
I look forward to the day when Iranians taste American steel.... when radical Islamic Iranians are shot to death by the thousands with U.S. made 5.56mm rounds. Damn radical Islam to hell - these bastards are the reincarnation of Nazis in a new form.
I would like to know why "Persians" still refer to themselves as such. I don't understand, since "Persia" hasn't existed in, well, a very long time. Shouldn't they call themselves "Iranian?" I live in West Los Angeles which has a very large Middle-Eastern population and I constantly see "Persian Pride" bumper stickers and wonder what that's all about. Is it because nobody in their right mind would display an Iranian or Iraqi flag or other proclamation of allegiance while in the US while we're at war with terrorists who just so happen to occupy that part of the world? Someone please explain it to me.
Because there is no Iranian nation. Something similar with the old USSR. They were soviet citizens, but there was no soviet nationality. They were russians, ukranians etc etc.
ef, ef, ef, ef - you really need to get a clue. Iran is not like the old USSR and there sure as hell is an Iranian nation. "Persia" is the name given to Iran by the West since the ancient Greek days. "Iran" is the name Iranians use for their country (You know, the same way that we call Germany "Germany" and Germans call it "Deutschland"?) and is the ancient traditional name for that land. In the early 20th century a modernizing king called Reza Shah wanted "Persia" to be called by it's true, Iranian name of Iran and had it officially changed. Some Iranians today prefer to call themselves "Persians" as a way of distancing themselves from the people running Iran today, not because there is no Iranian nation. Iran has such a bad image that many Iranians just don't want to be associated with it. Funny thing is the language of Iran is still correctly referred to as "Persian". Go figure.
"2) I agree that the Spartans were great warriors, but it just happened to bother me that Xerxes looked like a flamboyantly gay male when it is common knowlede that the Greeks participated in homosexual acts when at war."
because, you know, the standards of what is masculine and feminine behavior has been the same for thousands of years. yes, the spartans had gay sex. they also had an entire culture dedicated to war and athleticism. sticking your cock in a new place isnt going to make you grow highlights and speak with a lisp. fighting and competiting athleticly from a young age, however, is going to make you pretty buff. Xerxes didn't look "flamboyantly gay" to me...he looked like a showy ruler who believed he was a God and adorned himself to display his wealth and Godliness... which he was. his costume and appearance matched the appearance of his harem, his soldiers and all his possessions. what the hell does homosexuality have to do with any of that? your image of a gay man is that of a modern, openly practicing male who's thrown himself into the "new" gay culture.
This by far has to be one of the best and most intriguing comment threads I've ever see. I'm loving the fact that there are a few of us out there who still read and know our "history".
129 Comments:
After watching the movie I thought the Persians were portrayed as a bit unreasonable and unbelievable.
After reading this I guess a comics rendition of Persians is spot on.
Get bent out of shape and start wars over nothing.
By Anonymous, on 9:42 AM
Maybe the Iranians can cut off their penises in protest of 300.
"Bakalakadaka, Mohammed Jihad!"
By Anonymous, on 9:47 AM
Of course Middle Easterners are going to get bent out of shape over something as trivial as a movie. What else is there to do in the desert?
By Anonymous, on 9:49 AM
What people forget to realize about the movie is that it's all being told by that one Spartan that was sent back.
So he's telling the tale of his king. And when have you ever heard someone tell a story where they didn't exaggerate the truth.. ex.. the 10ft tall Xerxes, the mutant monster immortal guys, the guy with the saws for hands, etc etc.
I thought this movie was fantastic.
By Anonymous, on 9:50 AM
I'm persian. Please don't make comments about the way we treat women and lump us all into one category of "terrorism". Dont' judge us by our worst specimens and please don't assume an entire population is a certain way.
By Elaheh, on 9:52 AM
^ Then tell the rest of the Persians to denounce terrorism and woman beating. As a whole, your group doesn't denounce it, so you deserve to be lumped into one category - savage terrorists.
By Anonymous, on 9:55 AM
Hypocrites.
By Shangri-la Dee Da, on 10:02 AM
Iranian women live in a much better culture than those in the Arab countries supported by the US.
Saudi Arabia is considered one of our primary allies in the Middle East. Saudi women can't vote, drive, or travel without a male relative. All but three of the Sept 11 terrorists were Saudis. Osama bin Ladin is a Saudi. You want "savage terrorists", 9:55? They got 'em.
While we're at it, Persians aren't Arabs, either. Why don't you turn off Fox News and learn something about another culture.
By Carson, on 10:08 AM
And who knew Iranians visit this site?
By Shangri-la Dee Da, on 10:16 AM
"While we're at it, Persians aren't Arabs, either."
And yet, because they're whining about a movie about the ANCIENT Persons, they are being assholes.
I don't have any problem with ancient Romans being portrayed as baddies, and I'm part Italian. They should stop trying to get special treatment and try to actually accomplish something positive.
Oh, and 300 ROCKS. Best action movie I've seen in eons!
By Anonymous, on 10:29 AM
^Seriously?!
By Anonymous, on 10:29 AM
Jesus Christ, Iranians. Does it always have to be about you these days? You've got your nukes, what more do you want?
That movie was fucking sweet, and it's not called "Those fucking ancestors of Iran ruined the world" or some bullshit like that. It was an important time in history, and I think Frank Miller made an awesome graphic novel, and an awesome movie to go with it. The point of the movie is that Spartans were bad-ass, not that the Persians were the biggest assholes in history...although if anyone probably deserved that title it was Xerxes. According to everything I've ever read, he was pretty much a huge piece of shit tyrant.
By The Docktator, on 10:31 AM
They'll keep attacking us until we kill them all. Simple as that.
By Anonymous, on 10:34 AM
Iranian: Derka derka. derka derka derka.
us: I hear someone babbling something... ehh, turn up the music.
By i don't like you in any way, on 10:44 AM
Mmmmhhh... Lena Headey :)
By Anonymous, on 10:50 AM
This just in, the movie 300 is suffering at the box office due to the Iranian boycott of the film. The producers stand to lose millions of dollars. It very well may become one of the biggest flops ever in Hollywood.
By Anonymous, on 10:53 AM
The only good Iranian is a dead Iranian.
By Anonymous, on 10:55 AM
hahah that's what I've been saying.
By Anonymous, on 11:08 AM
Hello, it's entertainment. Everyone needs to take a chill pill and lighten up!
And I was totally prepared to hate the movie, I loved it. It was beautiful and entertaining, definitely one of the best I've seen in a long time.
By Elizabeth, on 11:18 AM
Fun fact: In the actual account, ...
Please!
There is no such thing as an "account" of the battle of Thermopylae. Don't mistake literature for history. In that specific case, the latter uncloaked many lies that the first "accounted".
By Die Krautsalaten, on 11:30 AM
They are upset?bunch of idiots. How many people who weren't thinking of watching this movie are NOW going to watch it, just to find out what they're all upset about....I know I am.
By Anonymous, on 11:58 AM
We should answer all their complaints with a big fat NUKE. Would solve a whoooooole lotta problems.
By Anonymous, on 12:07 PM
this movie was historically and politically flawed.
the greeks were big on homosexuality and when they went to war, the older soldiers would recruit younger soldiers for sex and stop fucking with them once they grew beards. but what really happened is the greeks faught affectionately during the battle with the persians because they were all lovers....yet the spartans were portrayed as heroes with honor and the persians were portrayed as cowards and Xerxes was portrayed as some queer.
By prettyboy, on 12:16 PM
These disgusting comments just prove the criticism right. I'm surprised that the author of a gossip blog isn't more analytic of media.
Wait, what am I saying? Let's go back to our regularly scheduled distraction and dissect Brangelina.
By Vida, on 12:18 PM
shit man that oracle was hot
By Anonymous, on 12:27 PM
Wow, some of these comments prove incredible ignorance on the part of the readers of this website. The only good Iranian is a dead Iranian? Are you kidding me? Who the hell do you think you are? I can only imagine the onslaught of criticism if someone were to say that about an Israeli. I am disgusted.
By Anonymous, on 12:32 PM
This movie was fantastic. At no point did I think it was historically accurate though - the giants and crazy hunchback kind of gave it away....
One more thing - "please don't assume an entire population is a certain way."
Please copy and mail that to the extremist muslims who keep trying to blow shit up if it isn't to their liking.
By Anonymous, on 12:38 PM
This movie rocked, and the male bodies on display were amazing. Does anyone know the name of the actor who played the youngest Spartan warrior? The one who got decapitated, at which point I screamed out "FUCK, NOW I HAVE TO STOP MASTURBATING!" ?
By Anonymous, on 12:43 PM
people need to understand that this is movie is based on real history! this did happen!! granted it was a very long time ago! when i saw the movie, it was a little far fetched with the animals and what not. i doubt there was a guy with arms as knives either...but what do you expect? its a movie portraying the war. they have to sell some tickets! in fact, two parts of the movie were incorrect: there were not only 300 spartans, there were actually more soldiers from other areas of greece but the spartans had the front line and thats why it was more important that the title be 300! only 300 spartans went to battle because of the olympic games at the time. the second inconsitency is the fact that leonidas bowed down to him. In history, he does not. they made him bow down so the other spartan can jump from behind him and kill the messenger. either or, it was very well portrayed! i am greek and know the history very well since i was brought up reading all of this in history books. Persia went on a conquest to try and take over the world. Xerxes was only doing what his father and grandfather tried doing as well, he also failed though. again, iranians should do nothing but watch this movie and move on with thrie lives because it isnt denouncing them at all....its talking about a history that included them! yes, they were the ones trying to invade, but thats history. it happened, move on with your life, and shut up and accept the fact that it did happen! there always has to be someone coming out and saying bad shit about everything! face the fact that your ancestors fucked up! plain and simple
By Anonymous, on 12:43 PM
i never knew people were still these days are still as ignorant,as prejudice and as racist as before. I'm glad that I respect people enough not to judge like the people commenting here. I'm also glad some of the commenters are educated and mature enough to recognize some of these filthy comments. People always talk about how the world should change their views. Maybe some of you should think of maybe changing yourself first before judging other people's actions. Change starts from within.
By anna, on 12:43 PM
The readers on this site are just too ignorant. I am not even Persian and I am completely offended. Not by the movie, but by these comments. Eww...
Anyhoo I loved 300! The movie was based on a graphic novel (which was loosely based on history), so please don't get all analytical of the film. Historical accurancy was not relevant. I for one just wanted amazing action sequences and beautiful graphics, which I got.
Also I am going to have to agree with whoever mentioned the rampant homosexuality within the ancient Greek culture. It made no sense to me that Xerxes looked like Rupaul and the Spartans looked like the epitome of masculinity when in reality those 300 men probably participated in some orgy each night. And did anyone esle peep the oh so obvious flirtation between the Spartan with the long hair the one who's father was the captain. Yea...
Also I'm a chick so I completely loved the Queen's role. She was so ride or die, lol
By People, on 12:53 PM
Liberals are too ignorant to realize how ignorant their own comments are, so they just cry "racist" and move on with their ignorant little lives.
By Anonymous, on 12:59 PM
I love it when people say "Um, yeah...well, I'm not Iranian. I'm PERSIAN!" Well, unless you were born before 1935, you're pretty much Iranian. And so are your parents. Ashamed of your nationality much?
By Jose, on 1:05 PM
although "ignorant" at least these liberals are content enough with their lives that they do not feel the need to make nasty comments to make themselves feel better.
i think its a moral issue not a political one.
i feel bad that you were not loved enough through your childhood that you feel you must make others feel inadequate. i hope someday you realise that there is more hope in love than hate.
By anna, on 1:11 PM
I'm so glad that I couldn't piece Persians with Iranians or Iraquis or anyother middle eastern race of people. I watched this bad ass movie and never thought anything other than it was a bad ass movie.
By Anonymous, on 1:12 PM
American must remember that different cultures have different value systems. Americans seem to think it is ok to WWF and monster truck over everything (even history). Just as it is not legal to smoke cannabis (unlike Holland) or walk around naked in public (like New Guniea) so Americans should respond with more understanding of this response. It is not a historically accurate film, again. Americans seem to think America reprsents "the world" when America simply represents its own ideals, laws and opinions.
By Anonymous, on 1:23 PM
Maybe the Iranians can cut off their penises in protest of 300.
"Bakalakadaka, Mohammed Jihad!"
By Anonymous, on 9:47 AM
Are you people retarded? Iranians don't speak Arabic, aren't Arabs, and never were, to my knowledge, Arabs. I also liked the comment about them sending nukes at us. Can you really not read the news? THEY DON'T HAVE NUKES. Morons. Yes, it's stupid they are complaining, but how do you know who is actually complaining? It could be a made up story by some journalist.
Seriously folks, being a racist is only useful if you want to get Paris Hilton to like you. And that's only useful if you want to get the clap.
By Anonymous, on 1:26 PM
I'm greek and from Sparta...you don't see us getting worked up about a Spartan warrior played with a scottish accent.........it's a movie!
By Anonymous, on 1:26 PM
jose your mexicanso shut up no one cares in white america
By Anonymous, on 1:33 PM
These stupid, bigoted remarks revolt me. Sorry Elaheh.
BTW, what are conservative whack-jobs doing on a celebrity gossip blog? Go back to Fox News.
By bridge, on 1:34 PM
bridge lisped: "BTW, what are conservative whack-jobs doing on a celebrity gossip blog? Go back to Fox News."
We're here to make the blog "fair and balanced" you Liberal douche-bag. Go back to reading moveon.orgie.
By Anonymous, on 1:45 PM
Well, I'm Iranian and am far more offended by what the so-called government of my country has done to its people and the image of Iran around the world for the past 27 years. If they were so worried about how the world views Iran then maybe they should not have been funding terrorism and death squads throughout the Middle East and beyond and maybe they should do something about the 18 million Iranians living below the poverty line in an oil and gas-rich country. The mullahs running my country are thugs in religious garb and acting all offended about some film based on a graphic novel is the height of hypocrisy and a symbol of their deep cynicism and disrespect for the world.
Although I don't like reading some of the things people here are saying about Iran and Iranians, I understand. If some other country acted the way Iran has in the last 27 years I wouldn't think much of it either.
By Ali, on 1:49 PM
Has anyone stopped to think this all just a political maneuver from Ahmandinejad? I mean, there's no chance he has his fingers in a few newspapers, just like Bush has his hands all over Fox News?
Not to be a conspiracy-theorist, but really, we have an anti-semetic, anti-American religious zealot whose own people consider him a dangerous nutjob. Any chance he's pulling a fast one just to drum up a little anti-US sentiment amongst his people because they are royally getting tired of his demented ass and ready to boot him out? Seriously, all politicians do this. It's the classic US Vs. THEM move. All politicians use it and always will whenever they need a scapegoat to distract from what a lousy job they are doing. I won't believe a word of this bullshit unless I hear it from an actual Iranian, a real flesh-and-blood member of the Iranian public, not a politician, not a journalist bought off by a politician, an actual member of the public. If I do, then I'll reconsider whether 300 is as bad as claimed. Until then I'll just assume this is more propaganda bullshit from a madman with nukes who's royally fucking over his own people.
p.s. All you people throwing out the anti-Iranian bullshit need to die in a fucking fire. And all you people throwing the anti-Americanism in response are just as bad. You're all like a bunch of kids having a slap fight on the playground.
By Anonymous, on 1:51 PM
Fuck Iran, fuck Arabs, fuck Muslims. We should have nuked the Middle East a long time ago.
By Anonymous, on 1:54 PM
Seriously, its a god damn movie, watch it and enjoy it! It is for entertainment purposes...i swear people always come up with political issues or some sort of issues about a movie if they don't really like it. Take a chill pill and enjoy the graphics, fight scenes and the hot bare chested people. If you are intrigue with the 300 like I am, check out 300 at zannel. Can't wait for Dark Horse to come out...
By TheFlyingPig, on 1:54 PM
Anon 1:51 whispered between his lipstick-covered teeth: I mean, there's no chance he has his fingers in a few newspapers, just like Bush has his hands all over Fox News?
You're a small-minded, Liberal moron if you actually believe that.
By Anonymous, on 2:23 PM
This is what the U.S. should be getting up and doing. KICKING SOME BUTT!
By Lara, on 2:25 PM
Anonymous 1:54 PM -
You're a good argument for late term abortions.
By Anonymous, on 2:36 PM
Who gives a crap?? Reading all these negative posts just proves how much alike ALL humans are no matter what race. Nobody gives anyone a chance or the benefit of the doubt. It's so easy to judge and criticize. You are all the same and just perpetuate what every culture has been doing to each other for centuries. Everyone hates each other, everyone is a terrorist, blah blah blah. Uneducated idiots lump all muslims together as terrorists, the same type of uneducated idiots lump all americans together and label us terrorists and war mongers .... I say we gather all these morons in a room so they can cut each other's throats.
By Anonymous, on 2:55 PM
I think it's pretty amusing that Iranians see a movie about Sparta and Persia as an attack on Iran. Walk up to most Americans and they couldn't tell you where Iran is today, much less where Persia was, and they sure as hell wouldn't know that Iranians are Persian. To most of America if you're brown and worship Allah, you're an Arab. Period. To assume that the moviegoing public makes any connection between Xerxes' Persians and modern Iran is laughably out of touch with most of America's grasp of history or geography.
By Sally, on 3:01 PM
whoever says that this movie is just based on a book and loosely based on actual facts is fucken retarted and must have been either american or persian! that actually happened! it was not exactly how the book or the movie made them out to be....but it did fucken happen!!! now for the homosexual comment, what does that have anything to do with????? spartans were warriors!!! they died for their country! i would take the spartans over any army of 300 and the spartans would dominate!!! i mean, take away all the grenades and guns and shit like that and have hand to hand combat like they did and the spartans would come out victorious! i hate when thickheaded assholes come on to forums and blogs and shit like this and talk shit without even knowing the truth behind things.....every single one of the posts, with regards to a few, have been about the issue at hand. yes we all live in america, but why is it that every dam american out there hides the fact that american can do no wrong!?!?!? the fucken iraq war is a mistake!!!! u dont see greeks and persians saying shit we fucked up!! american always fucks up and will continue to fuck up!!!! so enough with the gay comments, enough with the "its based on a book" comments!!! there are other countries and cultures out there that have history...not just the U.S. and sorry to say, but the u.s. history has nothing compared to the greek and persian history....
By Anonymous, on 3:03 PM
Just reading all the ignornant comments under this post is ridiculous.
"Fuck Iran, fuck Arabs, fuck Muslims. We should have nuked the Middle East a long time ago.
By Anonymous, on 1:54 PM "
seriously, this person probably did it for attention but do you know how ignorant, racist and prejidice he must be?? and that is really sad. You HAVE no idea what is going on over there and how so my orphaned children and mothers are starving and how they just want to restore life back.
the ones you "hate" are the extremists and radicals who have nothing to do with "normal" middle easterns" Osama Bin Ladin is a Wahhabi, not even a good following Muslim. He just uses the term "Islam" to get people together, yet this is a high sin for Muslims to kill and hate anyone else.
Im an afghan-america 18 yrs old girl who was born and raised in the United States. My family left Afghanistan in 1979 and have never been back becasue of the war with the Soviets. Then came the civil war between different regions, and then the evil Taliban came. Then Stupid Bin Ladin took over our country and this is why Afghanistan is the poorest country in the entire world. Images you hear and see on t.v. can be skewed for a certain audience. No one has an idea what is going on over there except those who are there facing it. It is just sad after so much, people will still be ignorant about everything.
p.s. Iran does not have any nukes. JUST LIKE IRAQ.
i love the united states and everything about it, but it makes me sad when people all over the world can hate with such fury and make it spread.
By Zohal, on 3:09 PM
"Im an afghan-america 18 yrs old girl"
speaking on behalf of all of us...do you have pictures???
By Anonymous, on 3:19 PM
Ali @ 1:49 = voice of reason. thank you!
By Anonymous, on 3:19 PM
as for those making a big deal about the iranians not being arabs, who cares? they are muslims and believe in a violent religion where making jihad and killing apes (Jews) and pigs (Christians) is rewarded by Allah.
i vote we drop a bacon covered nuke on iran.
By Anonymous, on 3:24 PM
U-S-A! U-S-A! U-S-A!
By Anonymous, on 3:24 PM
In response to the comment made about my comment: I am neither uneducated or retarted, so...
1) I know that the Battle of Thermopylae happened asshole. What I meant by loosely based history is that the graphic novel exagerrated everything (including the unhuman darkness of the Persian empire). Also while the battle did happen and the Spartans proved their ability to execute strategic battle tactics, there are no true accounts of the actual battle. All we really know is that there were few against many or whatever and that the Spartans kicked ass until their glorious deaths, blah, blah, blah.
2) I agree that the Spartans were great warriors, but it just happened to bother me that Xerxes looked like a flamboyantly gay male when it is common knowlede that the Greeks participated in homosexual acts when at war.
Calm the fuck down and let others have their opinions!!! I can't understand why you're so defensive/ angry...
By People, on 3:27 PM
Gerard Butler was excellent as King Leonidas. Even though he's Scottish he looked Greek.
Loved 300. Going to see it again.
By Yvette, on 3:27 PM
Meanwhile, while the Iranians are freaking out, gay pride parade entrants are in a frenzy over who can make the best Xerxes' travelling throne float. Betch.
By Lily, on 3:32 PM
My goodness, there are some stupid comments on this thread! I'm sure the intelligent Iranians reading it are smart enough not to get offended by people who come here to anonymously spew bile, just to get folks riled. As for Iran being pissed: who cares? What a bunch of fools. As if anyone, these days, even associates the magnificence of ancient Persia with the primitive yahoos running the modern incarnation--Iran--at the moment. I'm sure we've all been whipped into an anti-Iranian frenzy and a desire to go to war with poor little Iran because this evil film has instilled fear in us of giant Iranian lobster beasts, mutant rhinos, and pierced-nippled Persian lesbians with bad make-up jobs!
PS. To the person wondering who the young beheaded Spartan hottie was, I believe his name is Tom Wisdom. I think he is in his thirties, although he definitely looked much younger.
By Anonymous, on 3:51 PM
I particularly liked the comments about how Spartans were queers. Leaving aside any REAL historical EVIDENCE about homosexuality in Greece (are there even any?), funny how (if we make the assumption they were) those "queers" etc managed to kill so many Persian Empire soldiers. Mind you most of their soldiers were not even Persian, but I guess few care about this.
So, if you are such a fanatical, good "persian" soldier, how do you feel getting killed by a bunch of "queers"?
Bunch of morons that probably ARE homosexual and don't admit it even to themselves.
I haven't seen the movie yet, but I am going to when it comes out on DVD.
As one more poster here said, yes there were more soldiers on the greek side at that battle. 700 more. But if my memory serves me right, they were ordered to leave the battlefield before the final assault.
Still, 300 or 1000, the odds were heavily against them, at best 30 to 1, though some reports claim even greater numbers for the persian army.
The "300" fought and died to delay the ongoing persian army. They went there knowing they had no chance to survive, that they would not only die but also lose the battle. Still, their action (together with the other much much larger battles )was what saved the greek civilization.
By Ef, on 4:00 PM
seriously, the battle of Thermopolye happened. the persian tried to invade they got their asses kicked.
the movie is based on a graphic novel that is LOOSELY based on the historical event. there are going to be some false things about it since it was a graphic novel, not an offical historical account.
i havent seen the movie yet but i know the event. i had a week long in depth discussion about the battle in my senior history class.
I dont understand why all(a majority) of middle easterners have to piss and moan about everything that may have even the slightest negative portrayl of them or their history.
fucking grow up. im german and my anscesrty is straight german, but do I or my family piss and moan about every movie that come out about the nazi regime or hitler or the holocaust because it portrays germans as terrible people. NO! it happened. the germans were fucked up and terribley brutal towards jews and did some horrific things. still its what happened. get the fuck over it over it. dont forget waht happened, just get over it.
if middle eastern people are tired of stereotypes and critisiscisms about their people that are mostly accurate, do something about it then. dont sit back and allow them to perpetuate, dont sit back and say the radical extremists dont represent your whole people. they continue to because they are the only ones heard about and they are basically portraying all middle eastern because there arent any middle easterners coming out and standing up for all the righteous followers of islam who only want to live their lives and worship their religion. and i know there are those ones out there, my girlfriend(she is muslim) is one of them. she wants to worship her religion and live a good life. she doesnt worry about all the stereotypes about muslims because she isnt fucking stupid like so many others in this world.
now im all pissed off about peoples ignorance im going to write a nice blog about this bullshit.
because
ITS A GOD DAMN MOTHER FUCKING MOVIE! GROW A FUCKING PAIR AND STOP BEING FUCKING STUPID!
people need to fucking learn to ease up
By Anonymous, on 4:05 PM
4:05 PM -
Uh, the greeks lost Thermopylae. Clue, get one.
By Anonymous, on 4:22 PM
The movie was amazing. Leaving aside historical accuracy which is often difficult for historians to come with the movie rocked. Even the director and writer said the movie wasn't meant to be accurate ... they changed alot of things in favor of a great visual experience. Yeah, the Persians weren't portrayed in the best light but the movie was from the pov of the Spartans. Anyone remember Troy? The Spartans were portrayed rather poorly in that movie. They are just movies.
For anyone who hasn't seen it .. go .. it's amazing ...
By Anonymous, on 4:54 PM
I'm iranian (aka Persian) and want to see this movie, and am pretty sure i won't be offended by it. But I don't understand the personal attack on all Iranians in the below comments. It just doesn't seem necessary or accurate.
By Sara, on 4:57 PM
Leaving aside any REAL historical EVIDENCE about homosexuality in Greece (are there even any?)
Are you kidding me? Evidence besides art, historical lit and poetry? Ever wonder how the word "lesbian" came about? Try reading some Sappho.
By Sally, on 5:05 PM
bomb them all,nough said
By Anonymous, on 5:06 PM
Some of you people embarrass the hell out of me. I am an American woman & I am sick & tired of people with their brainwashed perception of other peoples culture. How can you call others monstars when you say ignorant shit like "Bomb them all"???? Did 911 teach you nothing but cold-hearted-Bush-inflated-propaganda? Sometimes I wonder just how civilized do we think we are when we basically mask our ignorance & animalistic behavior with a false sense of entitlement. You guys are a bunch of Bush Babies and need to EFF'In kick rocks! Just because you don't understand the reasons why they are offended doesn't mean that the don't have the human right to have these feelings.
IDIOTS!!!!
By idonotlikebushbabies, on 5:24 PM
I´m from Scandinavia and I don´t get offended when vikings are constantly portrayed in art as savages and brainless ruffians, do you think I should? After all, they were my ancestors not that long ago...
By Anonymous, on 5:46 PM
i shouldnt be, but i am really shocked speechless by how ignorant some of you people are. how can you say muslims are violent hypocrites and follow that by saying "bomb them all"? you people dont deserve the priveledge of living in a beautiful country like america when such hatefull and racist garbage comes out of your mouth.
By Anonymous, on 6:08 PM
just because the movie isnt about "american history" doesnt mean you have to make fun of it....and i still dont understand why you have to bring the homosexual aspect into this! what does that have anything to do with the movie/battle? to the person who stated that we lost the battle, yes you are correct. but like in the movie, all hell broke lose and thats all xerxes could take over! and for the "Persians" who are pissed off, your king was supposedly a nice guy when he took over land/country.....he treated the kings from those lands with respect....do u know what he did with leonidas??? he cut off his head and didnt let anyone take the body! did they show that in the movie? no! did they show how the persians took over other parts of the world? no...they only showed how they couldnt manhandle 300 spartans....and by getting your asses kicked, you complain that its degrading and hollywood is starting a war on you??? let me guess why! cuz its not the persians side of the story!! thats why...fucken idiots!!! im so angry right now that people would make comments about another persons culture and a countrys history. greece has one of the most beautiful histories in the world! why try and degrade it with the gay comments and shit like that....and for those who call themselves americans, there is no such thing as a real american anymore....this is the only country in the world that everyone considers themselves american...you just occupy space in the country of america.....cuz if you trace your roots back, youll find that not everyone was born here 100% so get over it and respect others cultures, history, and country
By Anonymous, on 6:15 PM
I love how someone got offended because someone esle pointed out the fact that the Greeks were open-minded with sexuality. Clearly you are uneducated to say that those claims have no historical accuracy. Read some ancient greek mythology, look at some paintings. If their "Gods" participated in same gender sexual acts and their paintings portrayed this, why are you refuting it?
And I never downplayed their tactical and war genius because of what they did in their spare time. It was you who equated being "queer" (as you said it) with being unequipped to fight in battle and win. I'm just saying...
By People, on 6:54 PM
Personally, while I was watching the movie, the first parallel I made was the American government with numerous other countries and strange weapons at it's disposal against a country full of people who would fight to the death to defend its way of life.
I don't even see how they can be mad at it referring to "The Persian Empire" when it was really ambiguous as to which nation was at the center of it, especially for the average person who was there just to watch some badass blood and gore..
whatever >.>
By Anonymous, on 6:59 PM
ITS CUZ OF IGNORANT ASSHOLES LIKE U THAT PUT THE WORLD AT STAKE OF SELF DESTRUCTING..OPEN UR FUCKING EYES. FORGET UR MINDS....ASK URSELF HOW MUCH OF THE MEDIA IS TRUE?? JUST CUZ THIS MOVIE HAS AMAZING GRAPHICS AND TECHNLOGY DOESNT MEAN IT IS POLITICALLY CORRECT OR TRUE..IT IS MADE THIS WAY TO PERSUADE AN IGNORANT INDIviDUAL TO THINK THIS CertAIN WAY...for example their beliefs about the persians...ASK URSELF OR DO SOME FUKING RESEARCH.even though u mightfeel like a dumbass after learning the truth
By Anonymous, on 7:08 PM
teehee "monstars"
By Anonymous, on 7:09 PM
I guess it's just the timing of the movie that makes it offensive to Iranians. "Historical" action movies tend to make some culture evil! Come on, Braveheart? Gladiator? Saving Private Ryan? And the author made a good point, this is based on a comic book... lighten up!
By Anonymous, on 7:18 PM
@ 7:08: You're a fucking retard. Learn how to spell.
By Anonymous, on 8:28 PM
Woah! Could you people be more racist and horrible? Have you ever seen an Iranian film? They have a burgeoning movie industry and make the most incredibly beautiful films. You don't have to hate them because they're not American.
By Anonymous, on 8:39 PM
Cmon this is all very simple. One nuke missile, Tehran, right afterwards "sorry sorry sorry computer error sorry sorry sorry" (find somebody who can keep a straight face while apologizing) and it's done. It's not like they could do anything about it.
As always, Sam Kinison said it best, except you have to substitute nuking for retaliatory anal sex:
"Sorry honey, it slipped! What? No, no, it had nothing to do with you wrecking the car last week. What are you saying? I would never do something like that on purpose - I love you! Oops, it slipped again."
By Anonymous, on 9:41 PM
comic book. yes, but if you lok in the history books, minus the beasts, it's all true. 300 soldiers against 1 million barbarians!!!! Zito ellatha!
By Anonymous, on 9:43 PM
I was dragged to this film by a friend of mine, who is Persian, her father was born and raised in Iran. I actually liked the movie. So did she. In fact, and I kid you not, she joked: "damn Persians." at the end of the movie. Obviously, she wasn't actually damning her own people, she has perspective and a fantastic sense of humor. Anyway, it's not like England banned Braveheart, this fuss is over nothing, a dramatized account of a very very very old story should not be taken so damn seriously.
By Anonymous, on 9:59 PM
Jeeeez! I can't believe people are actually getting offended over silly internet comments. It's a goddamn movie. Who cares. I saw it on Saturday. Xerxes was rocking an ancient Mystic Tan and I'm pure sure some body glitter, too. What the fuck do you want.
By April, on 10:30 PM
I AM ABSOLUTELY APPALLED AT THE COMMENTS I AM READING!!!!! I WAS BORN HERE! I WAS RAISED IN THIS COUNTRY! MY PARENTS IMMIGRATED HEAR BEFORE I WAS BORN TO RAISE THERE CHILDREN IN A FREE SOCIETY... IT MAKES ME SICK TO THINK THAT I LIVE AMONGST IGNORANT RACIST PEOPLE WHO MAKE REMARKS LIKE ALL IRANIANS SHOULD DIE!
I USED TO COME TO THIS SITE TO LAUGH AND READ SILLY BULLSHIT AND NOW I AM READING UTTERLY HURTFUL AND OFFENSIVE COMMENTS ABOUT MY RACE. AFTER ALL THESE YEARS OF CALLING THIS COUNTRY MY HOME... I FEEL LIKE AN OUTSIDER. SO ... YEAH, YOU'RE ALL WONDERING WHY WE WORRY ABOUT MOVIES LIKE THIS???? IT'S BECAUSE IT BRINGS OUT THIS KIND OF IGNORANCE AND HATRED. FROM NOT WITH OUT MY DAUGHTER TO GOD KNOWS WHATE OTHER NEGATIVE PORTRAYALS OF MIDDLE EASTERERS IN OTHER MOVIES! I AM SOOOOOO SICK OF THIS SHIT! I AM SO SICK OF LIVING WILL ALL THIS NEGATIVITY PROJECTED ON ME JUST BECAUSE OF A CORRUPT GOVERNMENT THAT'S RULING OVER IRAN.
I AM NEVER VISITING THIS SITE AGAIN...
By Anonymous, on 11:20 PM
well it's much passed the point to argue with you stupid racist people in a humane way. so i'm just gonna say, fuck you. Iran will soon get nukes and then you can just suck their balls. as if they haven't fucked you enough already in Iraq and Israel. you totally deserve it.
and btw if you can't ditinguish between Arabs, Iraqis and Iranians that just proves you're a bunch of morons. way to go guys, be proud of how stupid you are.
By Anonymous, on 11:43 PM
There are so many stupid fucking Americans out there I swear. Sometimes I'm embarrassed for our country. The lack of knowledge and the "bomb them all" attitude we carry is going to get us nowhere fast.
Wake-up America! We're not the only people in the world.
By Anonymous, on 11:48 PM
Geez...this is the funniest thread I've read in a long time. I saw the movie and loved it -- if you're Persian and are offended by it, you need to seriously get a life. It's a MOVIE based on a COMIC BOOK. On top of that, it's a MOVIE based on a COMIC BOOK loosly based on a battle that happened YEARS AGO. Fuckin' A, it's not a documentary. Criminy!
By Anonymous, on 11:48 PM
ok...i have a degree in history...this movie is based upon a comic, based upon history WHICH WE CANNOT ABSOLUTELY VERIFY. There was a battle of thermopylae; there were 300 Spartans and there were persians. Otherwise, we don't know any details that we can absolutely veryify. THE MOVIE IS FICTION. This is another example of the current mid-east mindset, and an excuse to try and make America look more evil than it really is. Their goal is to control their population and spread their bastardized, hateful form of Islam...
By Anonymous, on 12:11 AM
So...quite a few people leave inflammatory knee-jerk responses. A lot of people lump a group of people from a large region together. And still others berate bad behavior. It's a movie. Not a great movie but a movie about a war during a time when we are in armed conflict. Yes..I worked in a Jewish temple and more than half of the members were Iranian. So take the time to learn something posters. Films have been used as propaganda for some's political agenda against others [see..Birth of a Nation]. All of this energy could be pooled together to kick this government back in gear. Your local and national politicans should be getting your emails. We have a deficit. We have unemployment. We have soldiers left twisting in the wind IF they make it back at all. We have a 'war' which is just a land grab for control of oil. We have way more important things to argue about it. How about making the world a better place!
By Anonymous, on 12:40 AM
I swear I want to smack some of these new readers sometimes.
To bridge, Vida, ect; can you PLEASE come down off your imaginary intellectual high-horse for a second and explain WHY you read a blog that is so *supposedly* beneath you? Trying to insult the authors of a blog that you read does NOT make you seem catty or witty or whatever the hell else it is you're going for.
Just thought I'd let you know.
By Chantelle, on 3:13 AM
Tell you what, find me any real evidence (not wiki or assumptions from people that lived thousands of years after those times) about homosexuality in ancient Greece, and I will admit my mistake.
If there is one mention in every 10000 ancient writings that could be seen as "gay", for some God or human, how would that make the whole of society nothing but a homosexual orgy nest?
With the same logic, 2000 years from now, the humans should think that in the year 2007 most of the people are transexuals and all babies are born asexualy.
Just think for yourself.
By Ef, on 4:03 AM
Whilst it is true that Xerxes desecrated Leonidas' body, it was said later that he greatly regretted doing so and that it was a source of shame to him later on.
By Anonymous, on 5:12 AM
All of the racist comments here are being posted by one "anonymous" waste of life. Oh, and by "Jose" funny how someone by the name of JOSE is lashing out ignorant statements... isnt that the pot calling the kettle black, JOSE?????
By Anonymous, on 5:25 AM
6:15 PM -
The persians didn't get their "asses kicked" at Thermopylae, they won.
Sad how for the Greeks the battles against the Persians are such a huge part of their history - which they never tire of bringing up - whereas for the ancient Persians they represented no more than border disputes at the Westernmost edge of their empire. The importance of the battles are exaggerated because of Herodotus' written accounts of them which made it to the West. In ancient Persian accounts of that time they are merely a footnote.
Alexander was just a marauding Macedonian thug whose "empire" collapsed soon after he died whereas the Persian empire continued on for many centuries after with a sophisticated system of government, society and infrastructure, not to mention art, culture and the first universal declaration of human rights.
And to those of you who think ancient Greece was "democratic": read a history book.
By Khashayar Shah, on 5:43 AM
History is written by the winners...nothing is factual. Think a king on the winning OR losing side would allow anyone under their rule to spread a tale that didn't paint them in the absolute best light?
That's what's wrong with so many regardless of race or culture - they take everything SO seriously! EVERYTHING is true and everything's a lie...depending on where you're standing when the story's told.
I wasn't interested in this movie at all, but I'll see it now. Controversy is an excellent attractor...perhaps the film has some Persian financers and they think with a little drama, their take will be bigger.
By Anonymous, on 6:36 AM
It's a work of fiction. It's a MOVIE. I don't remember seeing advertising for it that labeled it a documentary.
By Anonymous, on 6:38 AM
I can't wait to buy this movie on DVD, all that MAN MEAT!!!....yummmmmm. I sooo see long lasting masturbation sessions to this movie, 300 sets of pecs and abs, even if they're computer abs, they're FINE.
By Anonymous, on 6:39 AM
Yes Leonidas' head was cut off, but this was a rather strange act for the Persians, who were to all accounts very respectful of their fallen enemies. In fact Xerxes felt really bad about it and 40 years later returned the body to the Spartans.
By Anonymous, on 6:43 AM
all these Iranian comments are causing excessive body hair to form on Lena Headey's pictures.
By Anonymous, on 7:29 AM
Yeah man! zhto i ellada!!! movie was a little over done with the graphics and shit like that but come on folks...it happened....get on with life and have a drink! later!
By Anonymous, on 7:31 AM
Awesome movie.
Iranians, go rail about something important like those assholes in your country that make you all look bad.
By Anonymous, on 7:49 AM
The Iranians have been agressive pains in the ass since writen history began about 3000 BC. They have been invading their neighbors in a serial fashion just about every 100 years. They are getting ready to do it again but this time with ICBMS and Nukes. After 5000 years of not being able to get along, maybe genocide is not all that bad of an idea.
By Anonymous, on 9:38 AM
Why all the faux outrage at Iranian outrage? Doesn't a certain portion of their population have the right to get their knickers in a twist about movies such as this when certain portions of OUR population are STILL fighting Roe v. Wade?
...and so shall it ever be...
By Anonymous, on 9:53 AM
"American must remember that different cultures have different value systems. Americans seem to think it is ok to WWF and monster truck over everything (even history)."
But how come our American culture means we all like WWF and monster trucks? I'm american that's not part of my life. Oh yeah, I forgot it's totally cool to make racist statements about Americans, just not the rest of the world. My bad.
So lame
By Anonymous, on 11:16 AM
I never ever ever said that the greeks won the battle. Learn to read.
I said that it was a battle that delayed the persians enough and helped the greeks to stop the persian empire's invasion.
And this is one of the reasons that is still well known, because they fought under knowledge they were going to be greatly outnumbered and definetely lose the battle and die, and still decided to do it, for the greater good, which the succeeded.
You lost the war, live with it.
By Ef, on 11:26 AM
ef: Right, and you're the same guy who's insisting the ancient Greeks weren't gay even though every historical account (by Greeks themselves) says the contrary. Pffff.
Your ancestors loved to suck cock and take it in the ass, live with it.
By Anonymous, on 1:15 PM
ALL of you people fucking unbelievable,like you know idiots who the hell cares it is just a movie trying to recount the things that happened at thermopolaye,
even if it isnt true so what if it makes iranians look bad. it was like 10 000 years ago. and the only reason that people today hate iranians, is because of their fuking government. THEY ARE ARABS
the FUKIN ARABS caused the revolution and also back when that mohammed came,none of us probably lived before the arabs came and made them muslims
By Anonymous, on 1:27 PM
i don't care if this movie is offensive or not,i just think hollywood should stop making this kind of movies.you're just too much AMERICAN."Troy" was horrible and didn't even respect the real story,i study ancient greek and it made me wanna cry for all the terrible errors i saw in that movie.and "Alexander" was even worse,GARBAGE.just keep making your stupid love movies and leave our history alone thank you
sorry for my bad english....
By Anonymous, on 1:34 PM
OMG!!! Ef get over the whole gay thing. It's like you're in denial over a people who lived thousands of years ago. I mean to them they weren't gay. As I said they were just more free with sexuality. There were no classifications as there are today. To them sex was sex was sex was sex, no matter who it was with. They didn't give a fuck about who they were fucking, they just wanted to fuck. Get over it. It really is not that big of a deal. I mean its not like I deny the coolness of Odysseus because he might of had sex with his lieutenant on a 12 year war campaign. If I were on a 12 year journey with only women I may turn lesbo my damn self. Jeez...
By People, on 3:35 PM
1:15
PLEASE show me some historical evidence that you claim to support that. ANY.
I am not talking about a blog, a wikipedia post, but any real evidence from that time. There is none! All the assumptions were made from centuries after the period, assumptions fueled by christian expansion in the lands that had to manufacture anything and everything to undermine the old ways and accuse them of a lot of things, one of which this vast homosexual society. Just use your freaking brain. Do research. Don't take the word, opinion of some guy that tries to sell a book.
By Ef, on 3:39 PM
Anonymous said...
i don't care if this movie is offensive or not,i just think hollywood should stop making this kind of movies.you're just too much AMERICAN
And...we're supposed to apologize for that? I agree that many American movies suck, but I think that's more due to bloated budgets, scripts-by-committee, actors and actresses with tans running deeper than their emotions, and pansy-ass producers who are terrified of a movie that might reflect real life than it is to any supposed "American" disregard for history or intelligent filmmaking.
I like all the uproar "300" is causing. It's not a "safe" movie. And anyone who watches it and gets offended, or who wails about how we 'mericans just can't seem to get history correct, need to get a life and understand that it's a MOVIE. To come onto a blog and cry about how we should stop making movies with our technology and our money and our ideas is just pathetic.
Make your own film. The technology is there, a free Blogger site will advertise it, and YouTube will play it. Lord knows, plenty of other people are doing just that. Someone who puts forth the effort to create their own unique vision is much more admirable than someone who whines about how other people just shouldn't be allowed to do "offensive" things.
By Kimberly, on 4:13 PM
Oh good god, people! I didn't want to reply because there have been so many ridiculous racist and homophobic comments on here, but come on!
As a Classics student, I can assure you that:
1) The Battle at Thermopylae did exist. The point is that this is a ADAPTATION of a GRAPHIC NOVEL. Therefore EVERYTHING is going to be exaggerated!
2) The Spartans were notorious for their homosexuality - which has been documented in many ways, be it through art or literature, but-
a) it was not the same culture as the one in which we live, and homosexuality then did not equate effeminity - without going into too much detail, the idea then was that those who penetrated were masculine, those who *were* penetrated were soft and submissive - therefore the soldiers sleeping with younger men would have been perceived as strong and dominant characters.
b) In reference to the couple of posters who complained about the representation of Xerxes as "queer" when the naturally-homosexual Spartans were masculine- what is the problem here?
First off, the ancient Greeks saw the Persians as being pale, flabby and feminine Easterners, so having Xerxes as an overly camp character is actually an interestingly accurate insight into the perception of the Persians.
And furthermore, why, even if they were indulging in homosexual acts, would a WARRIOR race such as the Spartans not be as muscular as they have been depicted? These guys were brought up to become warriors!
Finally, why oh why do people insist on posting any old racist comment because they're anonymous? You just look like a twat. Grow Up.
I'm not going to get into the whole "This film is offensive to Iranians" argument, because, as a Brit, it would be as stupid as me complaining that "Braveheart" depicted the English unfavourably.
It was a war. It happened. 2000-odd years ago. This is a FICTIONAL account based on a COMIC. Let's get some perspective here!
By fran, on 6:23 PM
Christ, ef, take any fucking college course (high school, even) in philosophy or Western history. When Aristotle, Sophocles etc spoke about "love" it was ALWAYS between a man and a boy. My college philo prof (who was Greek, BTW) explicitly said so numerous times.
Just grow up. Ask your dad or whatever. The truth shall set you free, or something.
Oh and if wikipedia is good enough for millions of other people then I'm pretty sure it's good enough for you. This isn't a court of law.
By Anonymous, on 6:32 PM
i dont really see why a movie, yes a movie would casue this much issues. Didnt it already happen and we all know the outcome and we all know the storyline then why blame someone else for portraying this film. Another thing poor iranians give me a freaking break. You burn our flags, you talk down to us like wre trash when u dont even know us. Do u see us burning dolls of presidents in the streets or say Amercians suck.. Yeah we might suck til yuor ass gets a natural disaster then your whining ass people beg for money like we suppose to help you. Then we help you and you want to kill us....hmm maybe just a thought
By Anonymous, on 6:36 PM
Having read Ef's comments which show him to be in complete denial over any homosexuality - there is evidence, the fact that you have not seen it and the fact that you appear to refuse to want to see it explains the hard line you are taking.
I don't know why I'm getting into this now, but -
There is plenty of evidence, dating right back to Plato, who talks about homosexuality in his Symposium. I'm not saying he's advocating it, but the fact that it is mentioned proves that it existed. The female poet Sappho's works depict lesbian love affairs.
There is also in existance a court record from ancient Greece (I haven't got the source with me now - if you are that desperate to see it I will look it up) in which a young man was taken to court for indulging in homosexual acts.
Finally, the greatest amount of evidence is from art depicted on pots. If you know anything about the period, you'll know that a large amount of what we know comes from this art work - and there are literally hundreds depicting homosexual courtships - these have been found from Sparta, Athens and Crete. Again, if you really want me to, I will find prepare this all for you.
The idea of homosexuality then was different to how it is now - the men that indulged in it only did so in the period before they got married, and the Greeks did not have a problem with men doing both. It was an accepted rite of passage that boys (meaning around age 15 - 19) would enter into a courtship with an older male (twenties) who would mentor them, and have sex with them.
Finally, the point I want to make is that you seem to be getting offended by the idea that the ancient Greeks were homosexual - this was not the case at all. It was not practiced or even condoned by all, by any means, but it was widespread enough amongst the elite, certainly around the classical period.
I'm sure you will no doubt argue that I have no evidence to support my claims, but as I am writing my university dissertation on the subject, believe me, I have plenty of evidence. What is interesting that so many people have views as archaic as your own that they have overlooked or completely ignored evidence of homosexulity, believing it to be immoral - whether you do or not, you must accept that it was a part of the culture then, however small.
Like I said, if you want to know more, I'll send it all to you via email.
By fran, on 6:42 PM
JOSE
You just need to shut the fuck up.
thank-you.
By Anonymous, on 7:16 PM
The turth of the film is that the Persians had a slave army that thought Xerxes was a god. Warfare in that time was gory (swords aren't as clean as bullets) and to uphold the image of a wrathful God and strike fear into the Greeks, Xerxes' men would have done such things. The Greek empire no longer exists like that and I think most American viewers were pretty aware that it was a dramatized fiction. It also made some of the Greeks looks worse (the evils, the politicians) because they were backstabbing swine.
By Anonymous, on 10:18 PM
fran, I never said that there wasn't any homosexuality in ancient Greece. Of course there was! But some idiots seem to believe, and continue talking, like it was as widespread as drinking water.
As you said, there are passages about it, about specific cases/individuals and insinuations for some group of people. That is very different than to say it was a common practice and a rule in the societies then.
For whoever mentioned the wiki as a serious source because millions of people read it, you might as well trust the old Pravda.
And don't worry, I have my share of college experience.
By Ef, on 2:40 AM
The Internet is serious business.
By Anonymous, on 5:38 AM
I am happy to see that many westerners on this comments page are not apologising for who they are. Show the third world the middle finger ! I am sick and tired of those parasites and savages benefitting from tax payers' money.
I love being prejudiced. I am happily prejudiced against islam, arabs, crazy iranians and third world trash. And, as soon as I find out what the word "racist" means, I am sure that I will be proud to be that too.
By Anonymous, on 5:53 AM
I look forward to the day when Iranians taste American steel.... when radical Islamic Iranians are shot to death by the thousands with U.S. made 5.56mm rounds. Damn radical Islam to hell - these bastards are the reincarnation of Nazis in a new form.
By Anonymous, on 7:21 AM
I would like to know why "Persians" still refer to themselves as such. I don't understand, since "Persia" hasn't existed in, well, a very long time. Shouldn't they call themselves "Iranian?" I live in West Los Angeles which has a very large Middle-Eastern population and I constantly see "Persian Pride" bumper stickers and wonder what that's all about. Is it because nobody in their right mind would display an Iranian or Iraqi flag or other proclamation of allegiance while in the US while we're at war with terrorists who just so happen to occupy that part of the world? Someone please explain it to me.
By Anonymous, on 10:16 AM
Because there is no Iranian nation. Something similar with the old USSR. They were soviet citizens, but there was no soviet nationality. They were russians, ukranians etc etc.
By Ef, on 11:47 AM
Just so we're clear, a Hollywood movie offends you, but terrorism and your treatment of women isn't a problem?
LMAO RIGHT ON! THIS IS WHY I LOVE THIS BLOG!
By Anonymous, on 2:12 PM
ef, ef, ef, ef - you really need to get a clue. Iran is not like the old USSR and there sure as hell is an Iranian nation.
"Persia" is the name given to Iran by the West since the ancient Greek days. "Iran" is the name Iranians use for their country (You know, the same way that we call Germany "Germany" and Germans call it "Deutschland"?) and is the ancient traditional name for that land.
In the early 20th century a modernizing king called Reza Shah wanted "Persia" to be called by it's true, Iranian name of Iran and had it officially changed.
Some Iranians today prefer to call themselves "Persians" as a way of distancing themselves from the people running Iran today, not because there is no Iranian nation. Iran has such a bad image that many Iranians just don't want to be associated with it.
Funny thing is the language of Iran is still correctly referred to as "Persian". Go figure.
By Anonymous, on 4:47 PM
5:53 AM -
Pigs love rolling in shit too.
Well, you at least prove one thing: you don't have to come from a "trash" country to be trash, eh?
TV dinner for one tonight? Yeah, thought so.
By Anonymous, on 4:51 PM
"2) I agree that the Spartans were great warriors, but it just happened to bother me that Xerxes looked like a flamboyantly gay male when it is common knowlede that the Greeks participated in homosexual acts when at war."
because, you know, the standards of what is masculine and feminine behavior has been the same for thousands of years. yes, the spartans had gay sex. they also had an entire culture dedicated to war and athleticism. sticking your cock in a new place isnt going to make you grow highlights and speak with a lisp. fighting and competiting athleticly from a young age, however, is going to make you pretty buff.
Xerxes didn't look "flamboyantly gay" to me...he looked like a showy ruler who believed he was a God and adorned himself to display his wealth and Godliness... which he was. his costume and appearance matched the appearance of his harem, his soldiers and all his possessions. what the hell does homosexuality have to do with any of that? your image of a gay man is that of a modern, openly practicing male who's thrown himself into the "new" gay culture.
By Anonymous, on 10:46 PM
4:47 PM,
you are right about the names. Thank you for the clarification.
By Ef, on 5:40 AM
This by far has to be one of the best and most intriguing comment threads I've ever see. I'm loving the fact that there are a few of us out there who still read and know our "history".
By Anonymous, on 4:31 AM
All right, let's break it down:
Iranian government "complaints": stupid
Retaliatory racist comments: stupid
Whiny "historians": stupid
POORLY PUNCTUATED ALL-CAPS RANTS!!1: really stupid.
All clear? Okay, thanks. Bye.
By Anonymous, on 6:20 AM
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