I hate these discussions
Last night I linked to this post over on Christa's blog, saying that anybody who would see Troy and complain the movie was different from the Illiad should read it. As she says in the post, Christa hadn't seen the movie, but was writing about the uses of myth and why differences from the Illiad and the movie should be acceptable.
I commented on the post, saying "Well said."
I assume after having read the post where I originally linked to Christa's post, Ian went and read the post and then made this comment on the post. Or more accurately, on my comment about it. [Edit: "my comment about it" being the original comment made on my blog, not the 'Well said' comment.]
In response, I made the following comment:
"I'm familiar with the myth Ian. Though I do intend to go back and reread it.
The Homeric epic was a great thing, but to expect something similar from a summer blockbuster is unrealistic.
However, I don't think that Troy went beyond what Christa said in this entry, even if it did show 'a profound ignorance towards the very real forces that shaped the way the Greeks and Trojans thought.' (Having said that, Christa may completely disagree with me once she's seen it.)
I went in expecting a modern retelling of the myth of Troy. Not a historically accurate reimagining of it. There's a crucial difference there. If it was claiming to be historically accurate, or if I was expecting that, then I'd be griping right along with you and making similar points.
If you want to continue this, let's do so in a more appropriate forum. Personally, I don't want to continue this. I hate picking apart movies and arguing over their merits."
Ian then posted this in his blog.
Even though I hate these discussions - ones that pick apart movies - I can't seem to walk away from them.
So, I'll respond in my next post.
I commented on the post, saying "Well said."
I assume after having read the post where I originally linked to Christa's post, Ian went and read the post and then made this comment on the post. Or more accurately, on my comment about it. [Edit: "my comment about it" being the original comment made on my blog, not the 'Well said' comment.]
In response, I made the following comment:
"I'm familiar with the myth Ian. Though I do intend to go back and reread it.
The Homeric epic was a great thing, but to expect something similar from a summer blockbuster is unrealistic.
However, I don't think that Troy went beyond what Christa said in this entry, even if it did show 'a profound ignorance towards the very real forces that shaped the way the Greeks and Trojans thought.' (Having said that, Christa may completely disagree with me once she's seen it.)
I went in expecting a modern retelling of the myth of Troy. Not a historically accurate reimagining of it. There's a crucial difference there. If it was claiming to be historically accurate, or if I was expecting that, then I'd be griping right along with you and making similar points.
If you want to continue this, let's do so in a more appropriate forum. Personally, I don't want to continue this. I hate picking apart movies and arguing over their merits."
Ian then posted this in his blog.
Even though I hate these discussions - ones that pick apart movies - I can't seem to walk away from them.
So, I'll respond in my next post.
