On Troy, I have been reading a lot about it in my old Mythology books, and now that I see what the characters were like, I am not sure if Brad Pitt will portray a very accurate Achilles, but I am sure it will be a great movie regardless (Spoilers for thos
PostPosted:Tue May 11, 2004 12:07 pm
<div style='font: 12pt ; text-align: left; '>Now, first of all, Achilles is portrayed as being the greatest and strongest warrior of the time, a very brutal individual; after slaying Hector of Troy (the greatest warrior of the Trojans), he dragged his body around the city of troy with his chariot in celebration. I couldn't help but to compare his character to the Witch King of Angmar who had a prophecy that no man could harm him, and similar, Achilles was indestructable, being dipped in the infernal waters of the River Styx, yet he had one weakness, and that was his heel. Apollo who had been on the side of the Trojans guided the poisoned arrow of Paris to that heel killing the warrior. They have Nathan Jones cast as "Boagrius" a character I am not familiar with in Greek mythology, personally I feel as though Nathan Jones (who looks like a 6 foot 10 Stone Cold Steve Austin) would have portrayed a much better Achilles.
Secondly, it seems they are surrounding the story around Paris and Achilles, which is strange, though Paris is certainly a major character, Achilles is not; he is only noted for his battles really. The story in all of its versions has always surrounded Helen. Helen was immortal, the daughter of Leda (Queen of Sparta) and Zeus (who raped Leda), and the most beautiful woman in the world. In her youth she was kidnapped by Theseus who was the King of Athens, Theseus who had grown old now and desired to sleep with a daughter of Zeus before the died. Theseus slept with Helen, and then went after Persephone in Hades, which is where he finally met his end. Helen then married Menelaus of Mycinae (not by her choice, Menelaus was not a good looking person), brother of Agmemnon, and they had a few children. Plagues ravaged Greeece during their marriage, and so Menelaus went to Troy (as recommended by the Oracle) and there met Paris (who had far superior looks to Menelaus). Helen upon laying eyes on Paris instantly fell in love, and Paris too fell in love with Helen. So Helen was kidnapped by Paris, and for the first time she had a loving relationship (true love), they had a few children together.
Agmemnon has to be a very cold and ruthless character: in his fury at the dishonor to his house (as Menelaus his brother had the most beautiful woman in the world kidnapped from him) declared war on Troy, but the Gods were against him, and he was told to sacrifice his own daughter so that the winds would change and his ships would travel to Troy. He waged war for 10 years, and finally was successful, he leveled the city to the ground and burned it. After this, he took Cassandra, who was the sister of Paris and Hector, and raped her. Yet in his victory he had already payed a price too high in his own daughter and sleeping with other women, and his own Queen Clytaemnestra killed him in her hatred for him. So in casting Agmemnon, I would have rather chosen Sean Bean who I believe would play the part well; he plays a good villain. Instead they have have Sean Bean playing Odyseus, also known as Ulyses, and a very major character in Greek Mythology, but more of a family man, and not evil like Agmemnon.
Either way, though I am not really satisfied with the casting, I really hope to be proven wrong, but either way be I rigth or wrong, I am expecting a great movie (be it accurate or inaccurate of the original legend).
Here is the cast:
Cast overview, first billed only:
Julian Glover .... Triopas
Brian Cox .... Agamemnon
Nathan Jones .... Boagrius
Adoni Maropis .... Agamemnon's Officer
Jacob Smith .... Messenger Boy
Brad Pitt .... Achilles
John Shrapnel .... Nestor
Brendan Gleeson .... Menelaus
Diane Kruger .... Helen
Eric Bana .... Hector
Orlando Bloom .... Paris
Siri Svegler .... Polydora
Lucie Barat .... Helen's Handmaiden
Ken Bones .... Hippasus
Manuel Cauchi .... Old Spartan Fisherman
Sean Bean .... Odysseus</div>
Secondly, it seems they are surrounding the story around Paris and Achilles, which is strange, though Paris is certainly a major character, Achilles is not; he is only noted for his battles really. The story in all of its versions has always surrounded Helen. Helen was immortal, the daughter of Leda (Queen of Sparta) and Zeus (who raped Leda), and the most beautiful woman in the world. In her youth she was kidnapped by Theseus who was the King of Athens, Theseus who had grown old now and desired to sleep with a daughter of Zeus before the died. Theseus slept with Helen, and then went after Persephone in Hades, which is where he finally met his end. Helen then married Menelaus of Mycinae (not by her choice, Menelaus was not a good looking person), brother of Agmemnon, and they had a few children. Plagues ravaged Greeece during their marriage, and so Menelaus went to Troy (as recommended by the Oracle) and there met Paris (who had far superior looks to Menelaus). Helen upon laying eyes on Paris instantly fell in love, and Paris too fell in love with Helen. So Helen was kidnapped by Paris, and for the first time she had a loving relationship (true love), they had a few children together.
Agmemnon has to be a very cold and ruthless character: in his fury at the dishonor to his house (as Menelaus his brother had the most beautiful woman in the world kidnapped from him) declared war on Troy, but the Gods were against him, and he was told to sacrifice his own daughter so that the winds would change and his ships would travel to Troy. He waged war for 10 years, and finally was successful, he leveled the city to the ground and burned it. After this, he took Cassandra, who was the sister of Paris and Hector, and raped her. Yet in his victory he had already payed a price too high in his own daughter and sleeping with other women, and his own Queen Clytaemnestra killed him in her hatred for him. So in casting Agmemnon, I would have rather chosen Sean Bean who I believe would play the part well; he plays a good villain. Instead they have have Sean Bean playing Odyseus, also known as Ulyses, and a very major character in Greek Mythology, but more of a family man, and not evil like Agmemnon.
Either way, though I am not really satisfied with the casting, I really hope to be proven wrong, but either way be I rigth or wrong, I am expecting a great movie (be it accurate or inaccurate of the original legend).
Here is the cast:
Cast overview, first billed only:
Julian Glover .... Triopas
Brian Cox .... Agamemnon
Nathan Jones .... Boagrius
Adoni Maropis .... Agamemnon's Officer
Jacob Smith .... Messenger Boy
Brad Pitt .... Achilles
John Shrapnel .... Nestor
Brendan Gleeson .... Menelaus
Diane Kruger .... Helen
Eric Bana .... Hector
Orlando Bloom .... Paris
Siri Svegler .... Polydora
Lucie Barat .... Helen's Handmaiden
Ken Bones .... Hippasus
Manuel Cauchi .... Old Spartan Fisherman
Sean Bean .... Odysseus</div>