Helen of Troy on USA.

[SpringPlum]

It's been years since I read The Illiad, but was Theseus in the book? I honestly don't remember... Was the guy that kidnapped Helen the first time Theseus?

Yeah, Theseus, along with Pirithous, kidnapped Helen, although it wasn't in The Illiad. Her brother, Pollux, and her half-brother, Castor, retrieve her and kidnap Theseus's mother for good measure. Theseus isn't killed in the process however.

 

[The Serge]

Okay. Thanks.

That's another thing I didn't care for. If that's Theseus, why isn't it ever mentioned that he too is the son of a god?

I would have rathered they didn't say anything abuot the gods than cut them out so oddly. It was very poorly handled.

 

[Petrosian]

I had to turn it off rather quickly on monday. One of my gaming friends came over and was going into near physical shock at the continual assaults to historical accuracy in the armours, gears, weapons, buildings and so on. Since i did not know CPR, it was an easy choice when his face started turning blue.

"Breath, BREATH! I turned it off, its OK. Come back to us. Step away from the light! Turn away from the LIGHT!"

meanwhile, I liked the long protracted rear view of helen we got towards the end of spisode one. Man that was really good.

 

[CCamfield]

Byzantium? A city that won't be founded for something like 1,500 years after Troy is destroyed? Umm, okay.

Founded in 650-625, so more like 500 years, but still ridiculous.

Agamemnon being described as the "High King" of Greece was kind of silly too.

Well, it's not too inaccurate a statement, but still kinda cheesy.

I have to say I'm kind of glad I didn't remember to watch this.

 

[jdavis]

Founded in 650-625, so more like 500 years, but still ridiculous.



Well, it's not too inaccurate a statement, but still kinda cheesy.

I have to say I'm kind of glad I didn't remember to watch this.

They were some pretty good butt shots, but other than that it was pretty typical USA channel stuff. I thought it was funny that they fought the whole war in a thousand yard area in front of the gates. When Achillies is supposed to drag Hector's body around the city he actually just made small circles around a bonfire. Oh and if you pulled your cloak up over your head you became a master of disguise and could just wander around the Greek camp. If you watched it just for fun it wasn't so bad but when you actually started looking at it in any depth it fell right apart.

 

[fba827]

Okay, finished watching it all... some random thoughts/comments.

1) Several ppl mention that references to other people's demi-god status was left out of discussion.

I agree, I would have also enjoyed those sorts of mentionings as it would make things (like Achillies fall) even more understandable to those who do not know the back story. However, at the same time, I do have to admit, the title is "Helen of Troy" I will give the writers the benefit of the doubt and say that maybe it was a decision made to keep focus on Helen and why she was so wonderful.

2) The whole Paris choosing Aphrodite thing.

Umm - is it just me or did they only show the goddesses offering him stuff but he never actually made a decision? I gotta say that leaves SO many questions like why were the goddesses offering him these things. Even if they did not want to stick to historical epics, the least they could have done is explained why the goddesses just up and said "hey, us three people of great power are deciding to come here and give you stuff"

3) Not very accurate

As said.. but, I let it go for the sake of just seeing what they did with the movie

4) Some scenes...

The Agamemnon killing his daughter. and the rape of Helen at the end... I got sick at that last one and litterally had to stop and do something else for a bit to get it out of my mind. (but, admitedly, I have issues.. )

5) I would have enjoyed more involvement from the gods..

But, for the same reasons they didn't go into the demi-god status of others, I'll give the benefit of the doubt that this was a concious decision. I would rather they sticked with one or the other though -- either they are there with manifestation or not there but things happen where you could question it being coincidence or hand of god. For instance, the whole wind picking up thing after the sacrifice, that was subtle but no actual presense.. it could be left interpreted as coincidence or make you wonder if Artemis was really there. This countered by the manifestation of Hera, Athena, and Aphrodite... there presense left no question... I would (personal opinion) rather have had all references to the gods in the movie be either one way or the other.. not this combination...

6) Cassandra's treatment

I do think they waited too long to explain why no one was listening to Cassandra.

I mean, at the beggining, the King was ready to have his new born (first son!) tossed off a mounatin based on Cassandra's statement.

Yet, later, her words were not headed and no explaination was given.

Only sometime near the end (after the brother's death) did the Queen say that the father just assumed the fire Cassandra saw was his burning love (or was it loins ?) for Helen. Okay, that may explain it a little but what about before Helen entered the picture? Not much was offered in the way of explaining why the king paid much head to cassandra anymore....

just the way it was done, it came off as a huge change in the king (willing to kill an infant versus willing to see if they really will burn down the city)...


That's all I shall ramble for now.. have stuff I am supposed to be doing will add more later.


Over all, not something a 10th grader should watch instead of reading the Illiad

But, as a movie, it was enjoyable none the less.

 

[Storm Raven]

Founded in 650-625, so more like 500 years, but still ridiculous.

Umm, Troy was destroyed in the prehistory of Greece, probably before 1000 BC. Byzantium wasn't founded until hundreds of years after Christ, so, 1,500 years seems to be a minimum.

 

[Farganger]

Umm, Troy was destroyed in the prehistory of Greece, probably before 1000 BC. Byzantium wasn't founded until hundreds of years after Christ, so, 1,500 years seems to be a minimum.

Byzantium is usually held to have been founded in the 6th or 7th century BC. You are thinking of its *renaming* as Constantinople perhaps . . .

 

[Black Omega]

Yes, them mentioning Byzantium was weird but no big deal. A few hundred years off is practically historically accurate compared to some of the other stuff done with this mini-series.

They certainly weren't shy about showing skin, were they?

Sad the Greek Gods and all the other heros were left out. I'm a big Diomedes fan and he's not even mentioned.

Really, the part I disliked was making it the Paris show. He gets Hector's military prowess, so Hector's just a wimp getting beat in his only two real fighting scenes. The Greeks are universally the bad guys, which gets annoying after a while.

 

[Black Omega]

And I generally consider it a bad sign when the main bad guy looks too much like Edmund Blackadder