Ya…someone made a movie to psychologically fuck with the Iranians heads because everyone knows they have the most Imax theatres and are the world’s biggest movie goers per capita.
[quote]adziar wrote:
dollarbill44 wrote:
Give me a f%@king break.
No, the real funny thing is that most people that see this movie wouldn’t know where Persia is.
DB
Or the fact that about half the people going to see this movie don’t know that it’s originally based off an actual event… which I don’t understand why they’re even complaining about it since it d.id actually happen in the past it’s just a part of their history.
Besides why do people have to read into everything these days, they should just accept it as it is, a form of entertainment.
[/quote]
Actually it was based on a comic book. There never was a million persian soldiers to fight the battle. Remember history is written by the winners. I think it was 10,000 vs 300. Still very slim odds, but they outsmarted them and won.
…“American cultural officials”???
– ElbowStrike
[quote]SeanT wrote:
Actually it was based on a comic book. There never was a million persian soldiers to fight the battle. Remember history is written by the winners. I think it was 10,000 vs 300. Still very slim odds, but they outsmarted them and won.[/quote]
Eh?
“Herodotus says that Xerxes raised 5,283,200 men, not counting eunuchs, cooks, and prostitutes! Five million troops would be 20 percent of the entire empire. By Herodotus’ reckoning, they required four thousand tons of grain per day (four hundred thousand tons for a three-month campaign), drank rivers dry, and bankrupted cities with a single dinner. Modern historians guess that Xerxes’ host was actually five hundred thousand or less, still the largest army the ancient world had ever seen.”
– The Greeks: History, Culture, and Society by Ian Morris and Barry B. Powell.
Six million is, by most modern guesses, an large overestimation, but it was still a hell of lot more than just 10,000 Persians.
Remember, for most of the Battle of Thermopylae, there were a few thousand Greeks. Even after the Greeks were betrayed, it was 300 Spartans and 700 other Greeks who made the final stand. So even at the end of the battle there were 1,000 Greeks.
If there were only 10,000 Persians, the Greeks would have easily won the battle.
[quote]SeanT wrote:
Actually it was based on a comic book. There never was a million persian soldiers to fight the battle. Remember history is written by the winners. I think it was 10,000 vs 300. Still very slim odds, but they outsmarted them and won.[/quote]
Yeah but the comic is based on an actual event… based… not an exact representation of what happened. Most of what I’ve read says there were about 1000 Greeks - 300 Spartans and 700 Volunteers versus 100 000 - 500 000 Persians.
Besides it is still a part of their history whether we make a movie about it or not doesn’t change that fact.
I don’t give a squirt of piss about what Iran thinks. I hope it pisses them off. The way we eat our food, go to work, live our lives…it all pisses them off. They seem to be upset about anything we do. I just hope no pansy-assed politician or ACLU lawyer screws it up and starts making a big stink about offending our good friends, the Iranians.
[quote]ElbowStrike wrote:
“American cultural officials thought they could get mental satisfaction by plundering Iran’s historic past and insulting this civilization,” Javad Shamaghdari told semi-official Fars news agency.
…“American cultural officials”???
– ElbowStrike[/quote]
Is that like Entertainment Tonight or the Hiltons?
Maybe they mean MTV. They ARE pretty powerful.
Since when did we start caring whether Iran was outraged?
Fuck’em.
[quote]PGJ wrote:
That is hilarious. They are concerned about being perceived as “bloodthirsty”.
These are the same people who danced in the streets on 9/11.
The same people who teach their children to die for Allah in holy jihad.
The same people who dress thier children up as little suicide bombers.
The same people who gather in the hundreds of thousands and chant “Death to America, Death to the UK, Death to the Infidels”.
The same people who have publically made their #1 goal in life to eliminate Israel.
The same people who use children as human shields in combat.
The same people who preach that Jews use the actual blood of children to make bread.
Oh, yes. The movie “300” is really going to tarnish the image of Iran and other middle eastern nations.
[/quote]
Don’t you mean government not people? Sounds like you are a victim of propaganda. I do not know if there are many Iranians in your community but tere are alot in Tokyo. I have spoken to some and they say Iran isn’t how it is portrayed in American media. Some aren’t even Muslim but since Islam is the state religion(they can’t choose not to be) they are “Muslims” when in Iran. They don’t buy what their government tells them either about Americans. Many of them like Americans. All in all they seemed like any other people. It seems more like it is the work of a small faction.
Just like the people of Japan shouldn’t be identified with the policies of the right-wing government in place now e.g. denial of sex slves during WW2. Or American judged by the Bush administration.
By the way the right wingers in place in the Japanese government today have deep roots in American policy after WW2. Shinzo Abe’s(the prime minister) grandfather was a war criminal yet was not put on trial by the Americans. Many were let go since they were deemed useful. That Japan would play a useful role in the Cold War.(and one day re-arm) Some recruited as spies(which backfired).
Today Abe basically is promoting his grandfather’s agenda. I find it amusing that Mike Honda is trying(did he do it?) to denounce Japan’s use of sex slaves today. Since the people denying it today in Japan are part of the small right-wing nationalist factiona that was allowed to flourish by the Americans themselves, instead of being punished after WW2. ANyway I’m done with my rant.
[quote]dollarbill44 wrote:
No, the real funny thing is that most people that see this movie wouldn’t know where Persia is.
DB[/quote]
Even funnier is that by bringing it up, now people do.
[quote]Grimnuruk wrote:
A cultural advisor to President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad described the film as “American psychological warfare against Iran.”
“American cultural officials thought they could get mental satisfaction by plundering Iran’s historic past and insulting this civilization,” Javad Shamaghdari told semi-official Fars news agency.[/quote]
They just don’t understand the Western world, that much is clear. They apply Iranian social concepts to the society in the US and believe they can understand it.
On the flip side, many people in the US, and I shall daresay… um… at all levels 
appear to have a similarly shallow understanding of Iran and other countries like that.
No wonder global politics is like a mental asylum where patients kick and pull each other’s hair.
wasn’t it written in the 90s? If it was, which i think it was, how can they claim its “pychological warfare” related to current events?
I’m not surprised someones spouting bullshit about it, seems to be very popular these days to read into every piece of media and relate it to politics. I’m a little surprised its a country.
I don’t think Frank Miller had nuclear programs in mind when this was made. I think if anyone is using pychological warfare here, its iran.
Not really a surprise to me, as it was bound to happen soon.
But it seems like a contradiction to me that a Muslim cares so much about jahiliyya. Isn’t it accepted that before Muhammad was a time of ignorance and barbarity anyway?
Also, I found the concept of a “cultural official” to be pretty funny as well. I believe the appropriate term for this is projection.
They probably would be outraged by a true depiction of events too, not really in their best interests for people to find out that the emperors they had in classical antiquity were far more intelligent, tolerant and forward thinking than their current leaders.
Hopefully the actual people of Iran, who are remarkably good people for all the turmoil and sinister interests in the region, will disregard this and buy some bootleg DVD’s of this awesome flick.
[quote]otoko wrote:
…Don’t you mean government not people? Sounds like you are a victim of propaganda. I do not know if there are many Iranians in your community but tere are alot in Tokyo. I have spoken to some and they say Iran isn’t how it is portrayed in American media. Some aren’t even Muslim but since Islam is the state religion(they can’t choose not to be) they are “Muslims” when in Iran. …[/quote]
Sounds about as repressive as it is portrayed in the American media.
We understand Iranians are people just like us but their government sucks. They are forced to pretend to be Muslim!
Also the fact that the Iranians refer to cultural official is telling.
Iran is pretty messed up. The sooner they get rid of their government the better for them and the world.
[quote]otoko wrote:
Don’t you mean government not people? Sounds like you are a victim of propaganda. I do not know if there are many Iranians in your community but tere are alot in Tokyo. I have spoken to some and they say Iran isn’t how it is portrayed in American media. Some aren’t even Muslim but since Islam is the state religion(they can’t choose not to be) they are “Muslims” when in Iran. They don’t buy what their government tells them either about Americans. Many of them like Americans. All in all they seemed like any other people. It seems more like it is the work of a small faction.
Just like the people of Japan shouldn’t be identified with the policies of the right-wing government in place now e.g. denial of sex slves during WW2. Or American judged by the Bush administration.
By the way the right wingers in place in the Japanese government today have deep roots in American policy after WW2. Shinzo Abe’s(the prime minister) grandfather was a war criminal yet was not put on trial by the Americans. Many were let go since they were deemed useful. That Japan would play a useful role in the Cold War.(and one day re-arm) Some recruited as spies(which backfired).
Today Abe basically is promoting his grandfather’s agenda. I find it amusing that Mike Honda is trying(did he do it?) to denounce Japan’s use of sex slaves today. Since the people denying it today in Japan are part of the small right-wing nationalist factiona that was allowed to flourish by the Americans themselves, instead of being punished after WW2. ANyway I’m done with my rant.[/quote]
No, I don’t mean only the government. When I see a city square jam-packed with countless people screaming “Death to America, Death to Israel”, I don’t see that as a government issue. When I see mullahs preaching that it’s a God given right to kill infidels, that’s not a government issue. When I see kids dressed up as little suicide bombers, that’s not a government issue.
Yes, the Iranian government is evil. There is no freedom in Iran. However, if Iran is truly concerned about it’s image, they need to take a close look at their own actions. That goes for every single citizen. Radical Islam is brutally violent and intolerant. If the so-called “good Muslims” don’t wake up and take a stand, their entire religion and culture will be over-run with hard-core radicals bent on killing anything that is not the same as them.
[quote]PGJ wrote:
otoko wrote:
No, I don’t mean only the government. When I see a city square jam-packed with countless people screaming “Death to America, Death to Israel”, I don’t see that as a government issue. When I see mullahs preaching that it’s a God given right to kill infidels, that’s not a government issue. When I see kids dressed up as little suicide bombers, that’s not a government issue.
Yes, the Iranian government is evil. There is no freedom in Iran. However, if Iran is truly concerned about it’s image, they need to take a close look at their own actions. That goes for every single citizen. Radical Islam is brutally violent and intolerant. If the so-called “good Muslims” don’t wake up and take a stand, their entire religion and culture will be over-run with hard-core radicals bent on killing anything that is not the same as them.
[/quote]
I used to get filled with vitriole like this too, until one day a guy told me that the govt rounds people up for these demonstrations and doesn’t give them a choice. That changed my perception a little bit.
Think about how you would react if someone controlled your situation and told you that your husband/wife would lose their job if you didn’t go into the square and chant for the tv cameras. It isn’t such an easy decision to “stick it to the man” in such cases.
Now that I’m older and “wiser”, I think that most people in this world are pretty much the same and would behave more or less in the same way under the same circumstances. It’s the people in power who manipulate and guide people’s thoughts (I don’t like the term brainwash because in most cases I don’t think it’s that extreme).
The thing about humans is that our thoughts can be manipulated quite easily - all of us. Wouldn’t you agree that people who get all of their news from Fox have a different opinion of U.S. policies than someone who exclusively watches CBS? When all readily available (and legal) media sources are state-controlled, the manipulating is even easier.
So, if people deserve a break, or at least a second thought, please allow them one.
DB
[quote]dollarbill44 wrote:
PGJ wrote:
otoko wrote:
No, I don’t mean only the government. When I see a city square jam-packed with countless people screaming “Death to America, Death to Israel”, I don’t see that as a government issue. When I see mullahs preaching that it’s a God given right to kill infidels, that’s not a government issue. When I see kids dressed up as little suicide bombers, that’s not a government issue.
Yes, the Iranian government is evil. There is no freedom in Iran. However, if Iran is truly concerned about it’s image, they need to take a close look at their own actions. That goes for every single citizen. Radical Islam is brutally violent and intolerant. If the so-called “good Muslims” don’t wake up and take a stand, their entire religion and culture will be over-run with hard-core radicals bent on killing anything that is not the same as them.
I used to get filled with vitriole like this too, until one day a guy told me that the govt rounds people up for these demonstrations and doesn’t give them a choice. That changed my perception a little bit.
Think about how you would react if someone controlled your situation and told you that your husband/wife would lose their job if you didn’t go into the square and chant for the tv cameras. It isn’t such an easy decision to “stick it to the man” in such cases.
Now that I’m older and “wiser”, I think that most people in this world are pretty much the same and would behave more or less in the same way under the same circumstances. It’s the people in power who manipulate and guide people’s thoughts (I don’t like the term brainwash because in most cases I don’t think it’s that extreme).
The thing about humans is that our thoughts can be manipulated quite easily - all of us. Wouldn’t you agree that people who get all of their news from Fox have a different opinion of U.S. policies than someone who exclusively watches CBS? When all readily available (and legal) media sources are state-controlled, the manipulating is even easier.
So, if people deserve a break, or at least a second thought, please allow them one.
DB[/quote]
I understand what you are saying, but history is full of revolutions where evil government is overthrown by good people. Now is that time in Iran and many other Muslim nations. Unfortunately, we are not in a position give evil a break. I’m all out of sympathy for “good Muslims”.
The fact of the matter is that nations like Iran and Syria, and Jordan, and Iraq have taken their “Intolerance Show” on the road and are threatening the rest of the world. That state-imposed fear you talk about is part of the reason the Iraq “hearts and mind” approach hasn’t worked as well as planned. It’s not healthy to support Western efforts.
I understand that people are pretty much the same everywhere.
"All of Tehran was outraged. Everywhere I went yesterday, the talk vibrated with indignation over the film 300 ? a movie no one in Iran has seen but everyone seems to know about since it became a major box office surprise in the U.S.
As I stood in line for a full hour to buy ajeel, a mixture of dried fruits and nuts traditional to the start of Persian new year festivities, I felt the entire queue, composed of housewives with pet dogs, teenagers, and clerks from a nearby ministry, shake with fury.
I hadn’t even heard of the film until that morning when a screed about it came on the radio, so I was able to nod darkly with the rest of the shoppers, savoring a moment of public accord so rare in Tehran.
Everywhere else I went, from the dentist to the flower shop, Iranians buzzed with resentment at the film’s depictions of Persians, adamant that the movie was secretly funded by the U.S. government to prepare Americans for going to war against Iran. "
http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1598886,00.html
I read that this morning and laughed my ass off. Government propaganda at its finest. Or a bunch of whiners. Maybe anytime a movie comes out that in some way has ties to a current world squabble governments should bitch about it.
I mean come on, its a movie, based on a comic, based on events from over 2000 years ago. At least we are not the only country that buys heavily into the bullshit our respective governments spew.