However, Herodotus tallies 5.283.220 men for the Persian side, not counting eunuchs, whores, cooks, carrier slaves and indian dogs.
Gotta' watch out for them whores. Their dangerous. I can't remember which war it was, but I heard stories of prostitutes hiding razor blades in their mouths, and, ahem, unmentionables. So when soldiers of the opposing side came to take a break in conquered lands, they were met with extreme prejudice. Oh their poor little weenies. I think this actually took place during the western frontier of the Americas, though I'm not certain. Then again, I'm no historian...
I've also not overheard a person who took the film as a serious representation of past, historical events. In fact, I believe they were there for the same reason as I: just to watch a movie of fluff and action. Films started off as entertainment. And this film fulfilled that portion nicely, in my opinion.
I know Miller's work intimately, and there's nothing stopping me from outing it for the american-idiot version of history it is, based on his warped sense of 'cool', full of self-defeating inconsistencies in morality and tone.
Sure, extremely subtle. THIS IS SPARTA! and LEAVE THE DEMOCRACY TO THE ATHENIANS! and Xerxes as space alien pierced towelhead and Efialtis like a deformed midget subtle. All-american subtle.
Adarias, it's good that you can't handle historical inaccuracy when a film is based on history. If it was just an 'it's all entertainment folks!' spinoff, loosely based on historical facts, it should not hold any actual ties to history. How many people are going to see this film and think it has actual historical accuracy? A lot of them. That's bad. Bad for history, bad for films, bad for comics, bad for greeks and certainly bad for the descendants of the Persians (Iran, Iraq), whom the american warmongering machine has spared no effort to darken in the media anyway.
Wow. Sometimes I wonder whether you hold a built-up hate for certain, despised artists, or the American people who enjoy them, as evident of this post and of those in the past. Sure, you are entitled to your opinion, but sometimes I just don't get the bashing. I admit that I'm American, yet I hold no ties to any political movement within this government. I also admit that the American media can brutally distort images into something they are not, and that we come off as the pretentious nation who practically embodies a super-hero flying in to save the day screaming, " How can I save your pathetic, shitty country today (smiles with shiny sparkly white teeth)!!" But again, that's just the media. Who's to say other countries are not guilty of political lies, or stretched truths laid out by the media? The truth is not all Americans are mindless idiots. Their are many of us, who are of civil, and respectful minds that respect other cultures. The others, whose ways are unshakable, are not unlike those of other countries who do not wish to change. All countries have idiots, or practically full of them.
I also do not believe the center point of the film was built to glorify a win over Persia, or any Middle Eastern, or Asian cultures. It seemed be more of a film based off of a story teller's point of view, where the soldiers of Sparta were told the story of the certain "300"( yes I know that wasn't an exact number, but again mindset=not actual historic event), and how they fought off an giant, oncoming, Persian force. The characters of the story were to believe a glorified battle against Persians, but the audience, in my opinion, should be lead to believe a story of how the smaller dog can stand up to the bigger dog when pushed. Fighting for your freedom, and all that jazz that's been overdone a billion times in bazillion movies. I don't believe there was any undertone of hatred toward specific cultures, or race.(I know this comes off as an ignorant overview of racism or prejudice. It's everywhere, yet I see this as a view of pride. Pride is non-sense, and shall do you know good in the long run. I hope in the future, EVERYONE can get over themselves...)
Now I understand you are an opinionated force among people here at Pixelation. Do I expect you to adhere, or all of a sudden become enlightened with American pop culture? No. You've made your point clear, many times before, that you are not here to make friends, but moreover, critique. This I understand. I also understand that your points are NOT coming from an elitist Greek attitude, as some of your favorite ink artists are Latin AMERICAN( in my mind, I see no difference in the word American, as it's a Continent; North and South of course, but no different none the less. It's a little stupid seeing people saying Mexicans, or other latinos aren't American. No R-tards, WE ARE AMERICANS, just like you.). My point, though splattered and off-topic at times, is why with the slight American hatred. I don't really understand why one can't turn the other cheek and just laugh at the ridiculousness of the whole patriotic mess we've made with ourselves, and American artists who take it further. As an artist, do you fear that American art is threatening to take over decent art of other worldly cultures? I honestly don't believe that it shall, or ever will. I guess it's just hard for me to understand you sometimes, Helm. I don't know why. I could be reading you wrong, though...