300 remains to be thought of by many to be Zack Snyder‘s best film (in shut competition with Watchmen). The bloody historic motion movie depicts the battle between 300 Spartan troopers and the Persian military on the Battle of Thermopylae in 480BC. Starring Gerard Butler, Lena Headey, Michael Fassbender, Dominic West, and David Wenham, the film is crammed with all the attractive combat choreography, muddied colour palette, and gradual movement that Zack Snyder followers lose their minds over. However, it is from traditionally correct.
Historical Greek historian, Roel Konijnendijk, sat down with Historical past Hit to look at 300, and assess whether or not it’s correct or not. Sadly for rookie historical past buffs, who use motion pictures as their templates for actual historical past, 300 ought to by no means be quoted as a supply. Konijnendijk broke down many scenes, however centered on the fights and motion sequences. However, earlier than finding out the armor, weapons, and ways, the movie’s title won’t truly be correct. “Some sources inform us there have been solely 300. However there are simply as many sources, or much more, that say that the Spartans despatched 1000,” he started.
The Spartans of their revealing armor is among the most recognizable photographs from 300. “That is the place we see the Spartans in armor for the primary time. You see how fully ridiculous they give the impression of being,” Konijnendijk identified, persevering with:
“It is turn into such an iconic factor. It is turn into very onerous now to keep away from this impression. You have got these guys wearing simply their capes with their very dangerous rendition of shields and spears. The Spartans would have worn armor in battle. They, in fact, put on tunics and armor over their tunics. They usually’re presupposed to have helmets and greaves. Their shields are presupposed to be product of wooden, with bronze overlaying… It is a cartoony model that seems within the graphic novel.”
Sorry ‘300’, Battle Rhinos Aren’t Actual
As King Leonidas and the 300 Spartans battled the Persian forces, King Xerxes despatched wave after wave of elite troops from throughout Persia’s empire at them. In Zack Snyder’s movie, they included conflict rhinos, elephants, and the dreaded Immortals. “They do numerous actually bizarre issues,” Konijnendijk continued. “A few of them have introduced conflict rhinos, which aren’t a factor. I should not have to actually specify that conflict rhinos are usually not a factor.” Whereas the conflict rhinos are pure fantasy, conflict elephants have been actual. However, they weren’t used till a century later. “Battle elephants clearly did characteristic in historic warfare. However, not at the moment. We do not know of any Persian military utilizing conflict elephants till the Battle of Gaugamela in 330 [BC].”
“I don’t know what Frank Miller was snorting when he got here up with this!”
Associated
Henry Cavill & The Rock Lead Sequel to a Zack Snyder Favourite in Epic Idea Trailer
Little question many a Snyder fan would like to see this film occur.
Essentially the most harmful foes in 300 have been undoubtedly Xerxes’ Immortals, an elite group of Persian troopers. However, the best way Frank Miller (who wrote the 300 graphic novel) and Zack Snyder depict them is pure fiction. “It is so bizarre. What’s going on with these guys?,” Konijnendijk mentioned, watching the Immortals’ introduction.
“The Immortals are actual, they’re an actual unit, that we wrestle to know as a result of they solely seem in Herodotus [the Greek historian], and by no means once more in historical past. They’d have seemed completely nothing like this. These guys are simply bizarre monster… ninjas? I don’t know what Frank Miller was snorting when he got here up with this! The film even says that they have been serving the Persians for 500 years. The Persian empire had existed for about 70 years at this level. And even much less.”
Nonetheless, whereas 300 is probably not anyplace near a documentary, that was by no means actually the purpose. So sit again and revel in Snyder’s ridiculously fantastical retelling whereas await the arrival of the prequel.
300
- Launch Date
-
March 9, 2007
- Runtime
-
117 minutes