speculations about Oliver Stone's movie

[nick]

Hi Companions -With the casting of the major roles nearly complete and shooting to start September, I'm finally getting excited about the Oliver Stone movie. In the meantime I have updated the Movies section:
http://www.pothos.org/alexander.asp?paraID=110As it is reported that (quote): "This film will concentrate on those eight years of battles, as well as his relationship with ... Hephaestion" (end quote) I have been speculating about what we're going to see. Here are my thoughts (I'll have to wait a full year to see if I'm right or wrong)...1. King Philip isn't yet casted - but he won't even be in the movie at all! It says: "eight years of battles..." So, the movie will start with Philip's funeral. We won't get a glimpse of A's father...2. "Eight years of battle" would begin - say - 336 BC or 334 BC and end in - well - 326 BC. Alexander won't die at all in this movie! The movie ends as Alex marches into India - after the Roxane wedding, the ultimate betrayal of Heph. As Lord of Persia he has alienated his Macs and murdered his generals. Fin. (Stone has been shooting in Thailand - for the elephant scenery of India - but the entire cast can stay in Morocco for now.) The final scene: Alexander's demoralized troops descending into the green void of India.3. Alexander isn't really the main character. Ptolemy (Hopkins) is. He'll see his friends killed and murdered, narrowly escapes A's reign of terror as a seasoned old fox.4. If the movie is a success, we'll have "Alexander II - the Sequel", including the Hydaspes battle, filmed almost entirely in Thailand, Poros (not yet casted), Statira (not yet casted, she will be an infant at Issus) and Cassander poisoning Alexander. Cassander is casted now for a role in the first movie, to return as the great avenger in the sequel.5. If the sequel is a success - we'll have a Lucas-like "Alexander III - the Prequel", including Philip and dealing with A's boyhood up to the murder of Philip.Is my imagination running wild? Your thoughts please.Best regards -
Nick

[beausefaless]

Deleted

[karen]

Nick, your imagination is running wild with the idea that Philip isn't going to be in the movie, anyway... unless those script excerpts (or "sides" as they're called) are for this prequel you're suggesting and not the movie being shot. The Alexander at age 7 one has Alexander being taught Greek mythology by his dad, and the Alexander at age 12-14 one is the Boukephalos scene, with Philip huffing, "You could never ride him!" of course.As there are no Philip sides, nor an announcement, perhaps they are in secret negotiations with an actor. I know that there have been hints that Mel Gibson will play Philip in the Baz Luhrmann movie.Love & peace,
Karen

[xxx]

Some of what you will see (and what got Stone's filming originally thrown out of Greece):
He will portray Alexander as being rather a 'flaming' homosexual with a few females on the side...
He will have Alexander know his son
He will portray Alexander as being poisoned not because it's correct which he knows it isn't, but for dramatic effect.Stone is lousy on bios - I don't expect much.

[karen]

In regard to historical inaccuracies, I think... and hope... that the saving grace here will be that there are two movies.With any luck, the two will provide two entirely different interpretations of Alexander, and thus leave people realizing the truth -- that, historically, he is very much a mystery.Love & peace,
Karen

[gahauser]

These blockbuster films are strictly for entertainment, not biography. (You can watch the history channel for that). I think it's fantastic there is so much interest in him. Is it possible to just sit back, let them do their thing, and enjoy the work for what they are?? No one will ever get it perfect, and to be honest, unless you were alive back then, do we really have anything more than interpretations to rely on?
Nick, I guess we'll have to wait and see if your predictions are right! Hang onto it for future reference.
Cheers!

[Kal]

I read an old interview with Stone and he seemed to honestly believe Alexander's death was a conspiracy (no surprise). I think both Karen and ga made good points.#1 Movies are interpretive mediums, hence sticking strictly to a book or history seems kind of...ineffectual.#2 Not THAT much "hard evidence" is known about Alexander, so it's all opinion anyway to a certain degree, and why not let movies be just another opinion in a long list of opinions?That said, I do have the caveat that the difference between novels and history is I think the filmmaker does have SOME responsibility to what is *known* in history. So, like, making Alexander die at 40 or something (to exaggerate my point) would not be desirable.I don't think Stone will make Alexander a 'flaming homosexual.' That's just my opinion, but I think the movie will have more depth than that.Jared Leto (who is playing Hephaistion) said that Stone's script was the better of the two. I trust Leto's opinion to a good extent, as he's made some interesting and what I consider good movie choices in his career (Requiem For A Dream, Fight Club, Switchback, to name a few) with some good directors.Personally I think the characterizations will be evenhanded, not stereotypes.And I agree that I doubt very highly that Anthony Hopkins will be the main character. The film is called, after all... ALEXANDER

[anna]

Well, Jared Leto did make some good choices in his carrer, but he was pretty bland in all of them. Let's say - he wasn't the one who made the biggest impact on me in Requiem For The Dream or Fight Club. I barely remember he was there.But physically he isn't bad for Hephaistion (sp?).
I have to say that the casting from THIS point of view is definitely far from worse. And Collin can act and has so much-needed charisma. So far - so good. But Oliver's thirst to find too much sensation and conspiracys in every bio is a bit frightening. And however good the actual script may be - there's still a long road to the final result, even when director is his own scriptwriter.But again - he doesn't deal with an ordinary human being. And no, he doesn't has to stick to the facts - not all of them are filmable, and not all of them ARE facts. All we have to day on our hands is just that - subjective points of view and speculations.Did they find their "Roxanne" yet, by the way?! Oh no-o-o-o-o-o!!!!!! I just checked IMBD - they have Rosario Dawson name attached... OK, so can i take the my compliments about "not bad physical casting" back? And now we know the name of the great villain and conspirator - Cassander! Well, this one, at least, logical and understandable. Ok, conspiracys-conspiracys..."sigh"... I'm dying to see the first pictures from the set!!!!!!

[Kal]

Yeah, and Jonathan Rhys Meyers is playing Cassander, and he can do sexy antagonist in his sleep.Stone's propensity to conspiracize* everything is a bit troublesome, but I think that's part of his charm as a storyteller. ;)I do admit I would've loved to see what Ridley Scott could've done with this movie, or Ang Lee or even a more subtle filmmaker like the guy who did Donnie Darko.I think even IF Leto is a "bit bland" that is what you'd want playing against someone with Farrell's screen presence. They have to compliment each other. Speaking as someone who's seen 99% of Leto's work, I can say with some confidence that he never plays the same character twice. He's quite different in all of his films, whether the role be small (as in Fight Club), or substantial (as in Prefontaine). And I think that's a plus. I think he'll blend really well into the role so it's not some Name instead of Hephaistion.But I'm partial, I admit.
* conspiracize ... yes it's a made up word, but I don't care.

[jan]

I know that this is long ago that this message was posted, but I would like to know how much is known about Barsine, Hercules, and their travels with Alexander. I read that when Alexander married Roxanne, Barsine moved back to some other place. Did she take her son with her? Do you know? Thanks for this as I consider this to be very important to know.Jan

[jan]

Nick, I have a question about the Palace of Darius. Can you tell me if there is information about the palace itself for the details to make a correct reconstruction. Today, I have been going through all the data available on the palace and have seen several reconstructions. Do these follow the details exactly? Thanks,Jan

[peter]

i quite understand the modern ethos of hetrosexualising facts it stems from fear of anyone who has slept with their own sex excelling at anything? homosexuality was an ancient greek way of life, women were locked away and only kept for breeding more full blooded citizens, a greek mans life concisted of the gymnasium, war and all male symposia, and his emotional needs etc was mostly provided by anther male this is a historical fact! alexander himself would not feel it odd if his needs were met by a man! he would not think of himself as a flaming homo just normal. please consult your local ancient history professor!!!!

[peter]

hi g a hauser. i had what may be called a classical education we did the greeks, romans and ancient world not kings and queens of GB! a lot was edited as not suitable for minors so i read up on the banned bits in later life. when i was old enough to travel i visited all the places i read about inc persepolis, susa, pasegarde etc, trying to follow in the footsteps of the great one. ive seen most of greece & italy also. my travelling companion was mostly tomes of historical books. ive been asked if im writing a book, well im dead ignorant, cant spell etc i would probably end up writing one like the current masses read now (im being facetious) and not like the great renault. alexander is not much liked in iran today, i think its because they think it insults their manhood to have been conquered by some one who liked men? im shure thats why they make up fables turning him into a ladies man? a country that stones to death gays must have some major hang ups? did u know that there were no female nudes in early clasical art only male nudes, till praxiteles scandalized every one much later with his aphrodite? it was a case of male beauty for the enjoyment of other men. the most beautiful lads would parade nude in an all male beauty contest and have ribbons tied round their best feature. ive seen vases of the time depicting these beauty contests. the men of these times would want to date these stunners! i dont think alexandeer was immune to their charms!?.

[Smit]

Oliver Stone havent jet made any Sequels so I dont think that he is going to this time. the rest is expectationSmit

[Smit]

Oliver Stone havent jet made any Sequels so I dont think that he is going to this time. the rest is expectationSmit