Troy is not the Illiad and I'm not upset at it for that
Re: Ian's latest post.
Okay, let's see if I have this right. You're annoyed with the movie because many of the changes made do not preserve the spirit of the Illiad. And because it damages the same work by obfuscating it. (I was wondering how long it'd be before you brought up Spinoza.)
On the first point, no, it doesn't preserve the spirit of the Illiad. I agree with you there. But I'm comfortable with that. Because I'm comfortable with the way they've updated the myth for modern audiences.
That's not to say that I think Troy is the definitive modern retelling of the myth - legend? I'm rusty on my mythological terms - of Troy. I'm also not saying that I prefer the story in Troy to that in the Illiad. I don't. Just that I think Troy works. I think the changes were fine because this wasn't a film interpretation of the Illiad, but of the myth. I know I'm repeating myself here, but while I've read your responses, they haven't done anything to convince me otherwise.
On the second point, you might be right. But we, by talking about it, are not going to prove or disprove your point. But for a moment let's take your point as a given. A movie unfaithful to its source material obfuscates that source material. Fine. Does this mean that Homer's interpretation of the myth of Troy is sacred and that none should dare trying to update the myth unless they preserve the spirit of his work? Come on. Homer doesn't own the myth.
Okay, let's see if I have this right. You're annoyed with the movie because many of the changes made do not preserve the spirit of the Illiad. And because it damages the same work by obfuscating it. (I was wondering how long it'd be before you brought up Spinoza.)
On the first point, no, it doesn't preserve the spirit of the Illiad. I agree with you there. But I'm comfortable with that. Because I'm comfortable with the way they've updated the myth for modern audiences.
That's not to say that I think Troy is the definitive modern retelling of the myth - legend? I'm rusty on my mythological terms - of Troy. I'm also not saying that I prefer the story in Troy to that in the Illiad. I don't. Just that I think Troy works. I think the changes were fine because this wasn't a film interpretation of the Illiad, but of the myth. I know I'm repeating myself here, but while I've read your responses, they haven't done anything to convince me otherwise.
On the second point, you might be right. But we, by talking about it, are not going to prove or disprove your point. But for a moment let's take your point as a given. A movie unfaithful to its source material obfuscates that source material. Fine. Does this mean that Homer's interpretation of the myth of Troy is sacred and that none should dare trying to update the myth unless they preserve the spirit of his work? Come on. Homer doesn't own the myth.
