FLICK MADNESS

The Reign and Fall of Nero

2011-12-31T02:00:00.000-08:00

The Story of Nero

300 spartans

2011-06-19T20:04:00.000-07:00

In the history of ground war strategies and the power of incredible skill, strength and courage against an overwhelming force, the legend of the 300 Spartans who held the vast Persian army in check in the pass called Thermopylae is such an amazing story that to this day we repeat it with awe. Even in the last year, a movie about the battle of Thermopylae came out which only rekindled the interest in this battle and in the ground war they found to defend the Greeks.

In the history of ground war strategies and the power of incredible skill, strength and courage against an overwhelming force, the legend of the 300 Spartans who held the vast Persian army in check in the pass called Thermopylae is such an amazing story that to this day we repeat it with awe. Even in the last year, a movie about the battle of Thermopylae came out which only rekindled the interest in this battle and in the ground war they found to defend the Greeks.

The history and background of the Spartan culture is one that we look to as an inspiration of devotion to an ideal and a seriousness about being soldiers taken to the extreme. To live a "Spartan existence" is a phrase we use to illustrate someone that is so devout about their discipline that every aspect of their lives is focused on that goal. The training and lifestyle those 300 warriors went through before that battle has been confirmed by history as being phenomenal and extreme but one that produced perhaps the most dedicated and effective soldiers in history.

History tells us that young men being groomed for the military in Sparta entered their training in childhood leaving behind family to devote every moment of their lives and every fiber of their beings to becoming fierce and effective soldiers. Their physical training was intense and it never ended. We think of marines as tremendous soldiers today because of a basic training that is harsh and intense and that produces the finest soldiers of our day. The Spartan program was like the program the Marines used amplified thousands of times.

Much of what happened at Thermopylae is the stuff of legend. Much of why a Persian army of perhaps over 100,000 soldiers was stopped by 300 Spartans brings into play the role of strategy and tactics in any successful ground war. The pass was narrow so when the Spartans took their position at high ground, they could block the pass with numerous rows of Spartan defenders to repel the Persians. The Spartans were armed with tough and well designed armor and weapons in contrast to the Persians who wore no armor and who fought primarily with inferior short swords. And the Spartans training of self-denial and intense physical fitness meant that they could withstand the onslaught of Persians for days or weeks and slowly wear down the much superior force.

We do have to recognize that in the end, the Spartans were defeated. But their amazing stand at Thermopylae enabled the Greeks to prepare for the invasion of the Persians so that much of the larger Greek army escaped before the Persians finally broke through the Spartan defenses. Literally tens of thousands of Persians died at Thermopylae trying to break the virtually impervious Spartan defenses. That defensive line was in reality a line of 300 virtually perfect warriors trained for this moment, armed with the finest ground warfare gear possible and with a dedication to task that meant surrender would never happen.

Small wonder the defense of Thermopylae by those courageous 300 Spartans has become a hallmark of what the best of military preparedness and courage can produce. Those 300 men became an inspiration to military strategists and soldiers for centuries to come and even to this day. And knowing that their legend continues to be repeated generation to generation, it is likely that what happened in Thermopylae may never be forgotten entirely.

Battle at Thermopylae - 480 B.C.

2011-06-19T19:58:00.000-07:00

Persian Wars Battle at Thermopylae - 480 B.C.

The Spartans who led the defense were all killed, and they may have known in advance that they would be, but their courage provided inspiration to the Greeks, many of whom otherwise might have willingly medized* (become Persian sympathizers), or so the Spartans feared. Although the Spartans lost at Thermopylae, the following year the Greeks did win battles they fought against the Persians.
Persians Attack the Greeks at Thermopylae:
Xerxes' fleet of Persian ships had sailed along the coastline from northern Greece into the Gulf of Malia on the eastern Aegean Sea towards the mountains at Thermopylae. The Greeks faced the Persian army at a narrow pass there that controlled the only road between Thessaly and Central Greece. Spartan King Leonidas was general in charge of the Greek forces that tried to restrain the vast Persian army, to delay them, and keep them from attacking the rear of the Greek navy, which was under Athenian control. Leonidas may have hoped to block them long enough that Xerxes would have to sail away for food and water.
Ephialtes and Anopaia:
Spartan historian Kennell says no one expected the battle to be as short as it was. After the Carnea festival, more Spartan soldiers were to arrive and help defend Thermopylae against the Persians. Unfortunately for Leonidas, after a couple of days, a medizing traitor named Ephialtes led the Persians around the pass running behind the Greek army, thereby squashing the remote chance of Greek victory. The name of Ephialtes' path is Anopaea (or Anopaia). Its exact location is debated.

Leonidas sent away most of the amassed troops.
Greeks Fight the Immortals:
On the third day, Leonidas led his 300 Spartan hoplite elite troops (selected because they had living sons back home), plus their Boeotian allies from Thespiae and Thebes, against Xerxes and his army, including the "10,000 Immortals." The Spartan-led forces fought this unstoppable Persian force to their deaths, blocking the pass long enough to keep Xerxes and his army occupied while the rest of the Greek army escaped.
The Aristeia of Dieneces:
Aristeia relates to both virtue and the reward given the most honored soldier. In the Battle at Thermopylae, Dieneces was the most honored Spartan. According to Spartan scholar Paul Cartledge, Dieneces was so virtuous that when told there were so many Persian archers that the sky would grow dark with the flying missiles, he replied laconically: "So much the better -- we shall fight them in the shade." Spartan boys were trained in night raids, so although this was a show of bravery in the face of countless enemy weapons, there was more to it.
A Bit About Themistocles:
Themistocles was the Athenian in charge of the Athenian naval fleet that was nominally under the command of the Spartan Eurybiades. Themistocles had persuaded the Greeks to use the bounty from a newly discovered vein of silver at its mines at Laurium to build a naval fleet of 200 triremes. When some of the Greek leaders wanted to leave Artemisium before the battle with the Persians, Themistocles bribed and bullied them into staying. His behavior had consequences: Some years later, his fellow Athenians ostracized the heavy-handed Themistocles.
The Corpse of Leonidas:
There is a story that after Leonidas died, the Greeks tried to retrieve the corpse by means of a gesture worthy of the Myrmidons trying to rescue Patroclus in the Iliad XVII. It failed. The Thebans surrendered; the Spartans and Thespians retreated and were shot by Persian archers. The body of Leonidas may have been crucified or beheaded on Xerxes' orders. It was retrieved about 40 years later.
Aftermath:
The Persians, whose naval fleet had already suffered seriously from storm damage, then (or simultaneously) attacked the Greek fleet at Artemisium, with both sides suffering heavy losses. According to the Greek historian Peter Green, the Spartan Demaratus (on Xerxes' staff) recommended splitting the navy and sending part to Sparta, but the Persian navy had been too heavily damaged to do so -- fortunately for the Greeks.

In September of 480, aided by northern Greeks, the Persians marched on Athens and burned it to the ground, but it had been evacuated.
More on the Persian Wars:

Julius Caesar

2010-02-14T01:10:00.000-08:00

The series begins in 82 BC when Julius Caesar is a young man. He is out in the town with his daughter Julia when news comes that Lucius Cornelius Sulla is just outside the city walls and intends to take the city with his army. The guards sent with the news allow post up death lists on the senate door. When he sees that his father-in-law's name is there he rushes to his house to try and help him escape. However, Pompey arrests him and takes him to Sulla. Caesar's mother, Aurelia, asks Sulla to show him mercy; out of respect for her, he promises to let Caesar live if he divorces his wife, Cornelia, but Caesar refuses. Sulla lets him go but orders Pompey to kill him and bring his heart to him. Pompey follows Caesar and tells him to leave Rome, which he does. Pompey buys a swine's heart from the market and tells Sulla that the heart is Caesar's.

Meanwhile, Caesar is captured by pirates who intend to ransom him for money. When the Romans crew sent with the message of the ransom don't return, the pirates plan to kill him. Caesar fights them for an extra day and wins. However he has an epileptic attack and the pirates believe him worthless, deciding to throw him in the sea; but just before they do the Roman boat returns with the money and they let Caesar go. Back in Rome, Sulla dies of a heart-attack and Caesar is allowed to return home. While he was gone Cornelia became very ill and Julia befriended the young daughter of Caesar's rival Marcus Porcius Cato, Portia, her brother Marcus and their cousin Brutus.
When Cornelia dies from her illness, Caesar swears at her funeral that he will make Rome a better place to live in. Around this time the same pirates who held him captive are cutting off the grain supply. The senate send Pompey to deal with the problem after Caesar convinced them that he will not take the city with his army like Sulla did. Several years later Pompey returns to Rome and Caesar has achieved the consulship. On the day of Pompey's triumph Julia, Portia and Marcus decide to go, and Portia insists on dragging Brutus along with them. At the triumph, Caesar has one of his epileptic fits but is aided by Calpurnia Pisonis, daughter of a wealthy man in Rome. At Pompey's welcome home party, while Pompey gets on well with Julia, Caesar notices Calpurnia who he doesn't remember from their encounter before.
Caesar swears to his mother that he will make a name for himself. Julia realizes that her father needs an alliance and offers to marry Pompey in order to obtain his legions. Pompey agrees and he marries Julia. In marrying her, he agrees to allow Caesar to take his legions to Gaul, despite the fact that the senate wished to send Cassius to go. Calpurnia tells Caesar that she knows about his "falling sickness" and he confesses that shames him. Before he goes to Gaul, Caesar marries Calpurnia and the two of them remain in contact through letters.
While sacking a town in Gaul, Caesar comes across a strong-willed warrior who refuses to give in to the Romans attacking his home. He tells Caesar his name is Vercingetorix. Caesar asks the warrior why it is he is willing to die for something that will be destroyed no matter what and the warrior replies because it "is his". Because of his strength of will, Caesar lets him go, giving him a horse. However later on, the same warrior chief gathers a huge army and battles Caesar's army at the Battle of Alesia. Out numbered Caesar's army emerges victorious despite being surrounded.
Back in Rome Julia dies in childbirth, and Pompey begins to turn against Caesar who he fears is becoming too powerful. He allies with Cato to politically attack Caesar back in Rome. Caesar sends Mark Antony to talk to the senate, which makes the situation worse. Pompey plans to attack Caesar before he returns to Rome.
Caesar begins to make his way back to Rome and crosses the river Rubicon. Pompey, Cato and Brutus all decide to leave to regroup their own troops in Greece. Upon his return to Rome Caesar is made Dictator. He then catches up with and defeats Pompey at the Battle of Pharsalus, who then flees to Egypt. After the battle Caesar pardons the captured soldiers of Pompey, including Brutus who he tells if anyone wants peace they shall have it. Pompey arrives in Alexandria and is killed by the regent for the boy king Ptolemy XIII in Egypt. Caesar is given his head as a gift and is disappointed by the killing of Pompey. Then Cleopatra VII seduces Caesar and before he leaves he installs her as rightful Queen of Egypt over her brother Ptolemy. Going on to Utica to find Cato and his son, Caesar wins the Battle of Thapsus. Upon hearing of his allies loss; Cato who didn't fight in the battle, commits suicide by falling on his sword.
With Caesar's Civil War over he returns to Rome with his new allie Cleopatra and their son Caesarion. This disturbs the senators who plot against Caesar thinking he wants to be King. Cassius the principle mover of the plot convinces his brother in-law Brutus, who was spared by Caesar, to join them and end Caesars reign as Dictator. Calpurnia has a dream about Caesar's death. She knows somethings up but can't save him. On the Ides of March the senators mob Caesar stabbing him to death.

History Stuff | MYCENAEANS THE FIRST GREEKS, 1600-1200 BC

2009-12-28T22:28:00.000-08:00

History Stuff MYCENAEANS THE FIRST GREEKS, 1600-1200 BC

One Man's Hero

2009-10-18T23:18:00.000-07:00

The film tells the story of Jon Riley and the Saint Patrick's Battalion, a group of Irish immigrants who desert from the U.S. Army to the Mexican side during the Mexican-American War of 1846 to 1848 after encountering prejudice against them especially for their religion (the majority of Irish being Catholic and a majority of U.S. Army being Protestant) and ethnic origins. The story centers around Riley and a couple men in his U.S. Battalion who are whipped for "desertion" when actually they were not allowed to attend Mass at the Catholic church on the Mexican side of the border. They escape to Mexico to hopefully find a ship back to Ireland only to find out that the U.S. and Mexico are now at war and if they are captured they could be hanged.

The Patriot

2009-04-13T18:06:00.000-07:00

At the beginning of the American Revolution, Benjamin Martin (Gibson) is a South Carolina veteran of the French and Indian War and a widower raising his seven children on his farm. Gabriel (Ledger), the eldest, is anxious to join the American forces fighting the British in the Revolutionary War. Knowing war from personal experience, Ben tries to discourage his son's ambitions, but his son enlists anyway.

Gabriel returns home two years later, stumbling wounded into the family home and carrying military dispatches. The next day, a military skirmish have the Martins caring for the wounded from both sides. British soldiers - the ruthless Green Dragoons cavalry - arrive and kill the Colonial wounded, burn down the Martin house and arrest Gabriel as a spy, intending to hang him. Ben's next eldest son Thomas (Smith) is shot and killed by the leader of the Green Dragoons, Colonel William Tavington (Isaacs).

Making use of his knowledge of fighting in the wilds, Ben and his two younger sons, Nathan (Morgan) and Samuel (Chafin) set forth to ambush the British column in the woods. They manage to kill most of the soldiers in an ambush and free Gabriel. The boys are horrified at their first glimpse of their father's ferocity. Gabriel rejoins the cause against his father's will again, stating it is his duty as a soldier. Ben decides to join as well, leaving the rest of the children in the care of their aunt Charlotte (Joely Richardson), Ben's sister-in-law.

Continental Army Colonel Harry Burwell (Cooper), having fought alongside Ben in the French and Indian War, asks him to organize a militia designed to keep British General Cornwallis (Wilkinson) in the south until the French navy arrives to assist. French officer Jean Villeneuve (Karyo), is present to help train the militia.

Ben's South Carolina militia uses guerrilla warfare, attacking the British supply lines. To combat the militia, Cornwallis has Tavington track Ben's family to their refuge with Charlotte and burns down her plantation. However, the family escapes, and are led to a safe haven by Gabriel. Gabriel also marries his childhood friend Anne (Brenner). Soon after, Tavington orders Anne and her family, along with all the townspeople, to be burned alive whilst locked in the church.

A grief-stricken Gabriel rides out with others to avenge their loss. During the ensuing fight, Tavington kills Gabriel and escapes. Ben is devastated and his zeal for combat extinguished, but soon returns to the Continentals to avenge his sons, and manages to kill Tavington. The tide of battle quckly turns and Cornwallis is forced to retreat and eventually surrenders.

Martin and his family return to their home to find the militia helping to rebuild it. Occam (Jones) tells Ben, "Gabriel said that if we won the war, we could build a whole new world. Just figured we'd get started right here, with your home." Benjamin smiles

At the beginning of the American Revolution, Benjamin Martin (Gibson) is a South Carolina veteran of the French and Indian War and a widower raising his seven children on his farm. Gabriel (Ledger), the eldest, is anxious to join the American forces fighting the British in the Revolutionary War. Knowing war from personal experience, Ben tries to discourage his son's ambitions, but his son enlists anyway.

Gabriel returns home two years later, stumbling wounded into the family home and carrying military dispatches. The next day, a military skirmish have the Martins caring for the wounded from both sides. British soldiers - the ruthless Green Dragoons cavalry - arrive and kill the Colonial wounded, burn down the Martin house and arrest Gabriel as a spy, intending to hang him. Ben's next eldest son Thomas (Smith) is shot and killed by the leader of the Green Dragoons, Colonel William Tavington (Isaacs).

Making use of his knowledge of fighting in the wilds, Ben and his two younger sons, Nathan (Morgan) and Samuel (Chafin) set forth to ambush the British column in the woods. They manage to kill most of the soldiers in an ambush and free Gabriel. The boys are horrified at their first glimpse of their father's ferocity. Gabriel rejoins the cause against his father's will again, stating it is his duty as a soldier. Ben decides to join as well, leaving the rest of the children in the care of their aunt Charlotte (Joely Richardson), Ben's sister-in-law.

Continental Army Colonel Harry Burwell (Cooper), having fought alongside Ben in the French and Indian War, asks him to organize a militia designed to keep British General Cornwallis (Wilkinson) in the south until the French navy arrives to assist. French officer Jean Villeneuve (Karyo), is present to help train the militia.

Ben's South Carolina militia uses guerrilla warfare, attacking the British supply lines. To combat the militia, Cornwallis has Tavington track Ben's family to their refuge with Charlotte and burns down her plantation. However, the family escapes, and are led to a safe haven by Gabriel. Gabriel also marries his childhood friend Anne (Brenner). Soon after, Tavington orders Anne and her family, along with all the townspeople, to be burned alive whilst locked in the church.

A grief-stricken Gabriel rides out with others to avenge their loss. During the ensuing fight, Tavington kills Gabriel and escapes. Ben is devastated and his zeal for combat extinguished, but soon returns to the Continentals to avenge his sons, and manages to kill Tavington. The tide of battle quckly turns and Cornwallis is forced to retreat and eventually surrenders.

Martin and his family return to their home to find the militia helping to rebuild it. Occam (Jones) tells Ben, "Gabriel said that if we won the war, we could build a whole new world. Just figured we'd get started right here, with your home." Benjamin smiles

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LETTERS OF IWO JIMA

2009-04-10T15:51:00.000-07:00

In the present day, Japanese archaeologists explore tunnels on Iwo Jima. They find something in the dirt and the scene changes to Iwo Jima in 1944. Private First Class Saigo, a baker conscripted into the Imperial Japanese Army, and his platoon are grudgingly digging beach trenches on the island. Meanwhile, Lieutenant General Tadamichi Kuribayashi arrives to take command of the garrison and immediately begins an inspection of the island defenses. He saves Saigo and his friend Kashiwara from a beating for having uttered 'unpatriotic speeches' and orders the men to stop digging trenches on the beach and begin tunnelling defenses into Mount Suribachi.

Later, Lieutenant Colonel Baron Takeichi Nishi, a famous Olympic gold medalist show jumper, joins Kuribayashi for dinner. They discuss the grim prospect of no naval support and the fanaticism their fellow officers would show. Kuribayashi evacuates the civilian population of Iwo Jima to mainland Japan. He clashes with some of his senior officers, who do not agree with his strategy of defending inland instead of the beaches; Kuribayashi believes the Americans will take the beaches quickly, and only the mountain defenses will have a better chance for holding out against the enemy.

Poor nutrition and unsanitary conditions take their toll on the garrison; many die of dysentery, including Kashiwara. The Japanese troops begin using the caves as barracks. Kashiwara's replacement, a young soldier named Superior Private Shimizu, arrives for duty on the island. Saigo and his friends suspect that Shimizu is a spy sent from Kempeitai to report on disloyal soldiers. The first American aerial bombings occur shortly after, causing significant casualties. After the raid, Saigo is sickened when he sees the corpse of a friend, still sitting upright. Another casualty was Jupiter, Baron Nishi's horse, which was also killed by a bomb. The raid forces the Japanese to dig deeper into the volcanic island. The battle for Iwo Jima begins.

As the landings occur, the American troops suffer heavy casualties, but the Japanese beach defenses are quickly overcome, and the attack turns to the defensive positions on Mount Suribachi. Saigo assists the defense by carrying ammunition to machine gunners. When a Japanese machine gunner is killed by a shell from an American ship, Saigo is ordered by the company commander to use his rifle, since the machine gun is damaged. He handles it so clumsily that he is sent to retrieve some machine guns instead. While delivering the request from his company commander to the commander of the Suribachi garrison, Saigo overhears General Kuribayashi radioing orders to retreat northward. The Suribachi commander, however, ignores the order from the general and instead orders Saigo to deliver a message ordering the men of his company to commit suicide. The Japanese soldiers of Saigo's unit commit suicide with grenades, and the company commander shoots himself in the head with a pistol, but Saigo runs away and leaves the cave with Shimizu, convincing him that it is more productive to continue the fight rather than die. The two men flee to friendly lines, but they are accused of deserting Suribachi. They are about to be executed for cowardice when General Kuribayashi appears to stop the punishment, confirming that he had indeed ordered the retreat.

The soldiers from the caves attempt a futile attack against American positions, with the Japanese taking heavy losses. A wounded U.S. Marine is subsequently captured by Nishi's men. He reveals his name to be Sam, and Nishi orders his medic to give him aid despite the Japanese's dwindling medical supplies. Despite their efforts, the Marine dies of his wounds. Nishi reads a letter the American received from his mother.

As a bomb hits Nishi's cave, Nishi is badly wounded and blinded. His men bind his wounds, and Nishi orders them to another position on the island. As a last favor, he asks Lieutenant Okubo to leave him a rifle. After leaving that position, the soldiers hear a distant gunshot from Nishi's cave.

Shimizu divulges to Saigo that he had been dishonorably discharged from the Kempeitai. In a flashback, it is revealed that he was discharged because he refused to obey a superior's order to kill a barking dog. He was then reassigned to Iwo Jima. This causes Saigo's attitude towards Shimizu to soften considerably. Shimizu breaks down and fearfully asks Saigo to surrender with him.

Shimizu surrenders to a U.S. Marine patrol and finds himself in the company of another Japanese soldier who had surrendered. One of the American guards, who does not want to be burdened with POWs, later shoots them. The dead soldiers are discovered by the Japanese and Lieutenant Okubo points it out as a lesson for anyone else who wishes to surrender. Saigo, deeply saddened by his death, puts Shimizu's senninbari on his dead body.

Saigo and the remaining survivors find that Kuribayashi's cave is under attack, and a fierce battle rages. They charge through the crossfire, and lose several men, including Lieutenant Okubo. They enter the cave under a storm of American bullets, meeting up with Kuribayashi, who recognizes Saigo. One last attack with all the remaining men is planned. Kuribayashi orders Saigo to stay behind and destroy all the documents, including his own letters to his family. By this, Kuribayashi saves Saigo's life a third time. Kuribayashi and his remaining troops launch their final attack. Most of Kuribayashi's men are killed, and Kuribayashi is critically wounded.

Kuribayashi's loyal aide Fujita drags him away from the battle. The next morning, Kuribayashi orders his aide to behead him; however, the aide is shot dead by an American marksman as he raises his sword. Saigo appears at this moment, having buried some of the documents in the cave instead of burning them all. Summoning his last reserves of strength, the very weak Kuribayashi asks Saigo to bury him so that nobody will find him. Kuribayashi then draws his souvenir M1911 pistol (In two previous flashbacks, it was revealed to be a gift from a party in the United States before the war, where Kuribayashi was given the pistol as a gift at a ceremony where he was the guest of honor) and shoots himself in the chest. Saigo carries away the dead general and buries his body.

Upon his return, Saigo finds that a patrol of American Marines have claimed Kuribayashi's pistol and Fujita's sword as war trophies. Upon seeing the pistol tucked into a Marine's belt, Saigo swings angrily and wildly at the Americans with his shovel. Too weak to fight properly, Saigo is knocked unconscious with a rifle butt and is taken on to a U.S. aid station on the beach. Awakening a while later, he glimpses the setting sun, with ships in the distance, as well as a U.S. truck, and smiles grimly.

The scene shifts back to the Japanese archaeologists who uncover the bag of letters written by Japanese soldiers on the island, never sent, that Saigo buried in 1945. As the letters fall from the bag, the voices of the fallen Japanese soldiers are heard reading from them.

troy

2009-04-02T18:14:00.000-07:00

King Agamemnon (Brian Cox) of Mycenae is in Thessaly, Greece, with his army looking to expand territory and influence. On the battlefield, Agamemnon's soldiers prepare to engage in combat against the army under the Thessalonian king, Triopas (Julian Glover). Rather than suffer great losses, Triopas agrees to Agamemnon's proposal to settle the matter in the traditional way - through a decisive match between the best fighters of the opposing armies. Achilles (Brad Pitt) is summoned by Agamemnon, and after arriving, easily kills the Thessalonian champion Boagrius (Nathan Jones). Accepting defeat, Triopas presents Achilles with a scepter as a token for his king. But Achilles refuses, saying Agamemnon is not his king.
In Sparta, Prince Hector (Eric Bana) and his young brother Paris (Orlando Bloom) negotiate an end to the war between the outlying kingdom of Troy and Sparta. On the last day of a week-long peace festival, Paris manages to smuggle Helen (Diane Kruger), Menelaus' (Brendan Gleeson) wife, back to Troy with him. Infuriated by Helen's disappearance, Menelaus vows revenge. Meanwhile, Agamemnon (Menelaus' brother), who had for years harbored plans for conquering Troy, decides to use his brother's situation as a justification to invade Troy. He is advised by his general, Nestor (John Shrapnel), to call upon Achilles to fight for the Greeks, insuring they can rally enough troops to the cause. Agamemnon relishes the prospect of gaining complete control over the Aegean Sea by conquering Troy.

Odysseus (Sean Bean) is then sent to Phtia to convince Achilles and his Myrmidons to fight, and finds him training with Patroclus (Garrett Hedlund), his nephew and student. Odysseus says they'll be sailing to Troy in three days, and that this war will never be forgotten. Achilles consults his mother, Thetis (Julie Christie), and she tells him that should he stay, he will find peace, and should he go, he will find glory, but he'll never return. Achilles decides to go to war.

The Greeks land at Troy and take control of the beach on the first day of the war. Achilles and the Myrmidons kill many Trojans and also desecrate the seaside temple of Apollo, slaying the unarmed priests that reside there. Within the temple, Achilles and Hector meet but do not fight, with Hector outnumbered but allowed to leave. Briseis (Rose Byrne), a member of the Trojan royal family who has chosen to dedicate her life to service to the gods, is captured and taken as a prize to Achilles. However, he treats her with kindness, which makes her initially cautious. They soon become lovers.

Achilles and his Myrmidons do not take part in the next day's fighting because Agamemnon had taken away Briseis, but they watch the events from a distance. With the Trojan army beneath the walls of Troy and the Greek army surrounding it, Paris challenges Menelaus to a duel to settle things. Menelaus agrees, knowing he is the better warrior. Agamemnon then decides he will attack afterward anyway, regardless of the outcome. Paris, severely outmatched, is easily defeated. Terrified of dying, he crawls back to his brother's feet. Menelaus approaches and moves to finish Paris, but Hector intervenes and kills Menelaus. A shocked and distraught Agamemnon orders his army to charge the Trojans. The Greeks are easily repelled, mainly because their attack brought them within range of the Trojan archers. At the pleas of Odysseus, who fears seeing the Greeks annihilated, Agamemnon withdraws the troops.

The Trojans launch a surprise attack on the Greek camp at dawn. As the Greeks seem to be on the verge of defeat, Achilles appears with the Myrmidons, and joins the battle. He brings courage to the Greeks, and eventually fights man-to-man against Hector. The Myrmidons are initially surprised by Achilles apparently being outmatched by Hector, and in a quick fight, having his throat cut by the Prince Hector. This energizes the Trojans and dismays the Greeks. Hector kneels and pulls Achilles' helmet off, and finds it is actually Patroclus(Garrett Hedlund) who he has killed, not Achilles. Grieved at having slain someone so young, Hector gives him a killing blow out of mercy. Both armies agree to end fighting for the day, and Odysseus informs Hector of the boy's identity. Achilles, who had slept through the battle, is told by the Myrmidons of his nephew death. They had also mistaken Patroclus for Achilles, since he had put on the same armour, and moved in the same way. Later that night, Achilles leads the funeral ceremony, complete with a funeral pyre.

he next day, an enraged Achilles approaches the gates of Troy alone and demands Hector come out and face him. Hector requests a pact that the loser be given proper funeral rites by the winner, which is angrily refused by Achilles. Achilles kills Hector, and then ties the body to the back of his chariot, callously draging it back to the Greek camp. That night, King Priam visits the Greek army's camp to retrieve Hector's body. After an emotional talk given to him by Priam (Peter O'Toole), Achilles breaks down into tears near Hector's body. He lets Priam take Hector's body back, promising him that no Greek will attack Troy for twelve days in order to give time for the proper funeral rites to be performed on the prince, also saying that Hector was the best he'd fought. Achilles lets Priam take Briseis back as well, and gives her the shell necklace Thetis made for him. He later makes amends with Eudorus, and gives him one last order: to take the Myrmidons home.

During the 12 days that Troy mourns Hector's death, the Greeks plan to enter the city using a hollowed-out wooden horse, devised by Odysseus. The Greeks leave the horse at the location of their camp, then withdraw to the beach hiding in their ships behind a nearby island. Paris warns Priam about the dangers of the horse, and says they should burn it. However, Priam neglects his warning and is blinded by the priests' talk of the horse being a "peace offering from the Greeks", in order to appease the god Poseidon for a safe passage home during their retreat. Assuming victory, the Trojans take the horse into the city and celebrate. A band of Greeks come out of the horse at night, killing the guards and opening the gates to the city, allowing the main army outside the city to enter. Troy is sacked, and King Priam is killed by Agamemnon.

Achilles frantically searches for Briseis, who is at the shrine of Apollo being threatened by Agamemnon. She kills him with a concealed knife, and is saved from Agamemnon's guards by Achilles. Paris finds Achilles, and shoots an arrow that goes straight through Achilles' heel. Crippled, he turns to face him but is hit in the chest by several more arrows, despite fervent pleas from Briseis. The wounds are fatal, and Achilles urges Briseis to join Paris as he flees the city through a secret passage.

After a last disorganized and futile attempt by surviving Trojan soldiers to repel the invaders, the battle ends and the Greeks storm the inner palace only to find that Achilles has died just a few moments earlier. Funeral rituals are performed for him the next morning. The movie ends with Odysseus delivering the final words: If they ever tell my story, let them say I walked with giants. Men rise and fall like the winter wheat, but these names will never die. Let them say I lived in the time of Hector, tamer of horses. Let them say I lived in the time of Achilles.

Glory

2009-03-27T18:27:00.000-07:00

Glory is a 1989 drama war film based on the 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry as told from the point of view of its commanding officer, Robert Gould Shaw during the American Civil War. The 54th was one of the first formal units of the U.S. Army to be made up entirely of African-American men.

The movie begins with newly promoted Captain Robert Gould Shaw (Matthew Broderick) at the Battle of Antietam, on September 17, 1862. His troops are nearly destroyed and he is trapped between gunfire and cannon fire. Grazed by shrapnel, he falls near a dead soldier and passes out. He is awakened by a black grave digger named John Rawlins (Morgan Freeman). Despite what happened at Antietam, Shaw is appointed commander of the first all black regiment, the 54th Massachusetts. Hesitant, he agrees, with his childhood friend, Cabot Forbes (Cary Elwes), as the executive officer. Their first volunteer is another one of Shaw's friends, an educated, literate, free black man named Thomas Searles (Andre Braugher).

They soon have hundreds of men joining the regiment, including John Rawlins, a proud escaped slave named Trip (Denzel Washington), and a young, free black man named Jupiter Sharts (Jihmi Kennedy). Once at camp, Thomas, Rawlins, Trip, and Sharts all share one tent along with a mute drummer boy. Shaw soon learns of a Confederate proclamation that any black caught bearing arms against the Confederacy will immediately be returned to a state of slavery. Any black captured wearing a Federal uniform will summarily be hanged. Shaw expected over half the men to run, but when day broke not one left.

Shaw then appoints a tough Irish-American sergeant, Mulcahy (John Finn), to properly train the men for the battles ahead. Shaw also becomes much more strict; when the guns arrive, he makes Sharts, who already has the best shooting skills among the enlisted men, shoot while he fires toward the sky right behind Sharts's head to prove the point that loading, aiming and firing by yourself is much easier than loading, aiming and firing in battle. Though disgusted, Forbes carries out Shaw's request to train the men properly.

Meanwhile, Thomas finds life in camp difficult as he is the weakest and slowest of the men, and is constantly harassed by Trip for being educated like a white man. Trip himself has difficulty adjusting to camp life, always at odds with the other soldiers, especially Rawlins. One night he leaves camp to get some shoes, as his old shoes are worn out and the quartermaster has refused to issue proper supplies to the black regiment. Trip is caught and presumed a deserter by the officers. Shaw has him flogged in front of the entire regiment, proceeding even after seeing that his back is severely scarred from floggings as a slave. Shaw, after learning the truth from Rawlins, finally forces the quartermaster to give the men new socks and shoes.

Soon, the men are assembled to receive long-awaited pay. However, upon learning that they will receive a $10 monthly wage rather than the $13 paid to white soldiers because they are a black regiment, the men, at Trip's provocation, tear up their wage sheets. In a show of solidarity with his soldiers, Shaw follows suit. However, spirits rise as the men receive uniforms. Jupiter is especially happy, long having desired a "blue suit". Before leaving Massachusetts, the regiment, dressed in new uniforms, file in review through the streets of Boston, passing Frederick Douglass and Governor Andrew in the reviewing stand.

During the subsequent trip south by steamer, Shaw appoints Rawlins Sergeant Major, making him the highest ranking enlisted man in the regiment. Shaw soon learns that there is another all black regiment called the "contraband"; more rabble than soldiers; looting and attacking civilians whenever the opportunity arises. After looting the town of Darien, Georgia, Colonel James Montgomery (Cliff De Young), a higher-ranking officer in charge of the contraband regiment, orders Shaw to provide assistance in burning the houses. Shaw initially resists the order but, to save himself from court-martial (which would leave his men to Montgomery's command), reluctantly capitulates. Likewise, the troops, although disgusted with their fellows' craven behavior, carry out their orders dutifully, well aware their commander has no choice in the matter.

Shaw and his men soon become frustrated that they have been assigned to manual labor and not allowed to fight in any battles; the troops grow weary of the tedious work and chafe at the taunting of white soldiers bound for the battlefield. After Shaw approaches the area commander with a threat to expose illegal activities undertaken by his command, his request that the regiment be allowed to fight is finally granted. In the Battle of Sol Legare Island, the troops push back a Confederate attack. Thomas saves Trip from a Confederate soldier and suffers a bullet wound; however, he refuses to leave the regiment.

Shortly thereafter, Shaw volunteers the 54th Massachusetts to be the lead regiment in the frontal assault on Fort Wagner. On the night before the attack, the men sing at the camp fire to raise their spirits for the imminent battle. The next day, the 54th Massachusetts is honored by white soldiers and officers on the march toward Fort Wagner. They then charge the fort under heavy enemy fire, and take shelter in the sand dunes. At nightfall, Shaw leads the men in a charge across the remaining beach. With the Rebels on the top of the fort firing down on them, Shaw turns to see the American flag down. He gets up and attempts to rally the men forward up the hill but is quickly shot and killed. Trip, formerly reluctant to bear the colors of a nation that regards him as a second-class citizen, gets up, lifts the flag, and rallies the men. He is shot, but holds up the flag, even while dying. The remaining men, led by Forbes and Rawlins, charge the Rebels, slowly making their way to the top and through the entrance of the fort, only to meet the waiting Confederate guns. The scene ends in the smoke from a hail of cannon fire.

The film concludes with the Confederates still holding the fort, while slain men of the 54th Massachusetts, including Shaw and Trip, are buried by the Confederates in a mass grave (with their shoes removed). The 54th lost half its men that day but earned glory, sparking the creation of many more black regiments. By the end of the war, there were some 187,000 African-American men in uniform, a fact which President Abraham Lincoln considered instrumental in securing victory in the war. Fort Wagner was never taken during the war, though the CSA forces eventually abandoned it.

Braveheart

2009-03-26T10:28:00.000-07:00

In A.D. 1280 Edward I of England, known as "Longshanks", has occupied much of Scotland, and his oppressive rule there leads to the deaths of William's Wallace father and brother. Years later, after Wallace has been raised abroad by his uncle, the Scots continue to live under the harsh thumb of Longshanks' cruel laws. Wallace returns, intent on living as a farmer and avoiding involvement in the ongoing "troubles." Wallace rekindles a romance with his childhood friend Murron after showing her the carefully preserved thistle she gave him as a child, and the two marry in secret to avoid the primae noctis decree the King has set forth. But after Wallace attacks a group of English soldiers attempting to rape her, the village Sheriff prevents the escape of and publicly cuts Murron's throat unbeknown to Wallace who believed her to have escaped. In retribution, an enraged Wallace, with the assistance of his fellow villagers, slaughters the English garrison. He then cuts the sheriff's throat with the same dagger that killed Murron.
Knowing that the local English lord will retaliate, Wallace and his men enter his castle dressed in English uniforms and burn it down. In response to Wallace's exploits, the commoners of Scotland rise in revolt against England.

As his legend spreads, hundreds of Scots from the surrounding clans volunteer to join Wallace's militia. Wallace leads his army through a series of successful battles against the English, including the Battle of Stirling and sacking the city of York. However, he is betrayed by the Scottish nobility and defeated at the Battle of Falkirk.

He goes into hiding, fighting a guerrilla war against English forces, and personally murders the two Scottish nobles who betrayed him at Falkirk. Meanwhile, Princess Isabelle, whose husband Prince Edward (Longshanks's son and heir) ignores her, meets with Wallace as the English King's emissary. She and Wallace share a tryst, during which she conceives Wallace's child. Still believing there is some good in the nobility of his country, Wallace eventually agrees to meet with the Bruce. He is caught in a trap set by the elder Bruce and the other nobles, beaten unconscious, and handed over to the English Crown. Robert the Bruce is enraged by his father's treachery, and disowns him forever.

In London, Wallace is brought before the English magistrates and tried for high treason. He denies the charges, declaring that he had never accepted Edward as his King. The court responds by sentencing him to be "purified by pain." Later, in a London square, William Wallace is tortured, being hanged, racked, and disemboweled. The magistrate offers him a quick death in exchange for a plea for mercy. Awed by Wallace's courage, the Londoners watching the execution begin to yell for mercy to be given. William signals to the magistrate that he wishes to speak. Using the last strength in his body, he cries, "Freedom!" and turns his head, seeing an image of Murron in the crowd smiling at him as he is beheaded.

Some time later, Robert the Bruce takes control of the remaining Scottish army and faces a ceremonial line of English troops at the fields of Bannockburn. Cheering Wallace's name, Robert the Bruce and the Scots charge the stunned English lines and win their freedom.

Warriors

2009-03-22T21:23:00.000-07:00

World domination never looked so good

They were all prepared to die for what they believed in - whether it was God or gold, power and glory or a magnificent ideal.

Spartacus Was the dimple-chinned freedom fighter of that famous movie? We take a look at Spartacus as he really was - a brilliant leader of a guerrilla band, but also a flawed and indecisive human being.

Attila The Hun Part genius, part psychopath, Attila is unlike the other Huns. He is a calculating, ruthless gambler who relies on his brilliance as a warrior to seek conquest.

Cortes strengths were his imagination and breathtaking audacity. His flaws were deceit and hypocrisy. Little by little he is torn apart as his conscience strives to square his love of God with his love of gold.

Richard the Lionheart Was a heroic warrior, noble and wise? Or was he just a greedy thug who wanted to loot the Holy Land and seek glory by defeating the brilliant warlord Saladin? It's the epic story of Richard and the Third Crusade.

Shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu is the towering figure of Japanese history. He is Oliver Cromwell, Richard The Lionheart and Alfred The Great combined - the man who overthrew the governing dynasty of Japan and established a regime that would last for centuries.

Napoleon Bonaparte How did a penniless French soldier rise to create the most powerful empire since the Romans? Napoleon Bonaparte himself wrote that the answer lay at the siege of Toulon in 1793. It was at Toulon that France's leaders first recognized his tactical genius.

Band of Brothers

2009-03-22T12:53:00.000-07:00

BAND OF BROTHERS gives the history and tells the story of Easy Company, 506th Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division, U.S. Army. Drawn from interviews with survivors of Easy Company, as well as soldiers' journals and letters, BAND OF BROTHERS chronicles the experiences of these young men who knew extraordinary bravery and extraordinary fear.

Episodes

"Currahee"

September 9, 2001
Easy Company is introduced to Captain Sobel, who has the group undergo hard and unfair training. As a result, Sobel comes into conflict with his men, including Richard Winters, his executive officer. After displaying a lack of leadership ability in the field, Sobel is reassigned. The company is shipped to England to prepare for
D-Day.

"Day of Days"

September 9, 2001
Easy Company lands in Normandy, scattered all across and away from their drop zone. 1st Lt. Meehan, commander of Easy, is killed when his plane suffers a direct hit and 1st Lt. Winters must take command. With a small group of men, Winters takes out a set of guns at Brécourt and thereby wins the respect of his fellow soldiers as a leader. 1st Lt. Speirs is introduced, around whom rumours start to circulate after he is believed to have massacred a group of prisoners of war.

"Carentan"

September 16, 2001
Easy Company are sent to liberate the French village of Carentan. The episode focuses on Private Albert Blithe, who struggles with crippling anxiety. After he is finally spurred into action by Winters during an attack, Blithe overcomes his fears but later gets shot in the neck by a German sniper after volunteering to be lead scout in a patrol.

"Replacements"

September 23, 2001
New characters are introduced when replacements join Easy Company, who struggle to be accepted by the veterans who fought at Normandy. The Company is sent to parachute into and fight in the Netherlands as part of Operation Market Garden. They liberate Eindhoven. During combat in Nuenen, the replacements integrate themselves with the Company, but the Company is forced to retreat. The episode follows Sergeant Denver "Bull" Randleman, the replacements' immediate superior, as he evades German soldiers in Nuenen after being cut off and forced to stay there and must wait until the enemy leaves in the morning.

"Crossroads"

September 30, 2001
Winters writes a report on the challenge of an unexpected resistance to a German attack, and is haunted by his conscience after shooting a teenage German soldier; this flashback occurs several times in later episodes. Operation Pegasus is depicted.

"Bastogne"

October 7, 2001
Easy Company experiences the Battle of the Bulge and have to hold ground near Bastogne. The episode focuses on Eugene "Doc" Roe as he helps out his fellow soldiers where he can, while also scrounging for medical supplies, of which the Company is dangerously low.

"The Breaking Point"

October 14, 2001
Easy Company battles near Foy, Belgium, losing numerous men. In the episode, the actions of 1st Lt. Norman Dike, the Company's commander, are examined and questioned. He is eventually relieved by 1st Lt. Ronald Speirs, who becomes the Company's new leader. Serving as narrator is 1st Sgt. Carwood Lipton, who attempts to keep the morale of the men up as they endure their trials in the forest near Foy, earning him a pending field promotion to 2nd. Lt. for his leadership ability.

"The Last Patrol"

October 21, 2001
Easy Company carries out a dangerous mission in Haguenau as David Webster (who narrates this episode) returns from a hospital. Together with new replacement 2nd Lt. Jones, he eventually (re)integrates with the other soldiers, whose experiences at Bastogne have made them weary and closed off from Webster due to the fact he didn't try and leave hospital early unlike other soldiers in the company. At the end of the episode, Captain Winters is promoted to Major, and Lipton is promoted to 2nd Lt.

"Why We Fight"

October 28, 2001
A concentration camp near Landsberg is discovered by the Company. Based on the liberation of Kaufering IV in the area of Hurlach. This site leaves many soldiers shocked and disgusted at what they're witnessing at the hands of the Nazi Germans.

"Points"

November 4, 2001
The company captures Eagle's Nest in Berchtesgaden, and also discover Hitler and Goering's large supply of liquor. The end of the war is announced.

From this day to the ending of the world,
But we in it shall be remembered;
We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;
For he today that sheds his blood with me
Shall be my brother; be he ne'er so vile,
This day shall gentle his condition:
And gentlemen in England now abed
Shall think themselves accursed they were not here,
And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks
That fought with us upon Saint Crispin's day

(speech from Henry V by William Shakespeare)

The Battle for Rome

2009-03-21T19:53:00.000-07:00

Ancient Rome: The Rise and Fall of an Empire is a 2006 BBC One docudrama series, with each episode looking at a different key turning point in the history of the Roman Empire.

Episode Guide:

Tiberius At a time when land ownership is a qualification for military service, most is owned by the state or by patricians. As a tribune, Tiberius Sempronius Gracchus makes powerful enemies by introducing legislation that takes land from the rich and gives it to poor, increasing the pool of people eligible to fight for Rome, but making him unpopular with conservatives. His politics eventually lead a Senate contingent to club him to death. (James D'Arcy as Tiberius Gracchus)

Caesar By winning the Battle of Alesia, the brilliant military tactician and politician Gaius Julius Caesar subdues the last of the Roman Republic's invaders. Then he takes control of the government, and spawns a civil war. The opposition is led by Pompey the Great, fighting on the side of the majority of the Senate. Caesar is victorious and declares himself emperor, diminishing the power of the Senate and establishing a royal line of ascension. (Sean Pertwee as Caesar)

Nero The burning of Rome signals the onset of Emperor Nero Claudius Caesar's descent into madness. As plans to build a much grander capital city threaten the empire with bankruptcy, Nero resorts to increasingly bloodthirsty ways to raise money. After he orders wealthy citizens murdered for their money, the Senate declares him an enemy of the state.( Michael Sheen as Nero )

Vespasian The Emperor Nero, fearful that a rebellion in Judea could presage others throughout the Roman Empire, recalls General Titus Flavius Vespasian from banishment. As Vespasian and his son Titus win victories throughout Judea, Nero commits suicide and Rome once again falls into civil war. In a move to stabilize the country, the military demands that Vespasian, though born a commoner, take the throne. (Peter Firth as Vespasian)

Constantine takes control of the divided empire one emperor at a time. After defeating one of the triumvirate, he marries his sister to another. Together, they take on the third emperor. Then there were two. After publicly declaring that the pagan Rome be united under one religion and one emperor, Constantine defeats his brother-in-law and establishes Christianity as a valid religion. (David Threlfall as Constantine)

The Fall Rome is besieged by her former mercenaries, the Visigoths. They can take the city at will. But, Alaric I, king of the Visigoths, wants more than the city. Tired of wandering homeless across the empire, he's after a province for his people. He's determined to negotiate with Honorius, Rome's emperor, to get it. After being repeatedly double-crossed, Alaric finds that he has no choice. (Mark Lockyer as Alaric)

Star Wars Films History

2009-03-14T20:51:00.000-07:00

Star Wars was one of those magnificent films that was an instant phenomenon when it hit the box office and continues to be a hit today. Why not take a moment to follow the intriguing history of Star Wars.

After a successful run in the early 1970s with the box office hit American Graffiti; in 1975 George Lucas writes a basic story about Anakin Skywalker’s rise, fall, and redemption. The story is so long that it needs to be divided into 2 trilogies.

The first trilogy focuses on Anakin Skywalker’s young life while the second focuses on the life of Anakin’s son Luke Skywalker. Since the second trilogy is the most interesting, Lucas decides to film it first.

He offers the film to Universal Studios who had financed his American Graffiti film, but they chose to pass thinking it was a ridiculous movie. They would live to regret this decision which would cost millions of dollars in lost profits. But they wouldn’t be alone in those regrets as every Hollywood studio passed on the movie. That is except for 20th Century Fox who came up with $10 million for Lucas to make his first Star Wars movie a reality.

In May of 1977 Fox released Episode 4 of Star Wars, A New Hope. The tone was quickly set. The film was instantly seen as the biggest adventure ever on film. The special effects were considered magnificent and outstanding. In fact, nothing remotely close had ever made it to the big screen before.

On opening day, the Star Wars movie ran in only 32 theaters, but it still produced an amazing $254,309 in ticket sales. By the end of its first run it had become the most successful film ever in North American history grossing more than $290 million.

Lucas reportedly received $50 million of those profits. When Lucas cut his deal with Fox he was more interested in control of the film then he was in his percentage. He wanted all rights to the final cut and all rights to future sequels, Star Wars merchandise rights, and 40% of the gross. This deal ultimately made Lucas a billionaire.

By 1978 Lucas had purchased the more than 1800 acre Bulltail Ranch in San Rafael and soon production of the sequel to Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back, was underway. Lucas was financing it out of his own pocket and it had a budget of $18 million; however due to budget overruns the actual filming cost more than $30 million. In May of 1980, The Empire Strike Back, hit the theaters grossing $222 million, making it the highest grossing film of the year.

In May of 1983, Return of the Jedi, hit the theaters grossing $265 million in North America and Lucas decides to retire from Star Wars projects to pursue some of his other interests. He made a vague promise to make the Prequel Trilogy someday if special effects ever become advanced enough.

That day arrived in 1994 when Lucas announces he will begin working on the Prequel Trilogy with a tentative release scheduled for 1998. In 1996 Lucas signs the biggest deal ever seen in the industry with PepsiCo for movie tie ins, and later in the year he announces that the pre-production has started, and in May of 1999 Episode 1 titled, The Phantom Menace, was released, followed by Episode 2 titled, The Attack of the Clones.

Many believe that 100 years from now Star Wars will still have a following. In fact by then it may have grown to epidemic proportions.