I see that the movie "The 300 Spartans" (1962) is being released May 11, 2004 on DVD. I saw it a long time ago, so will be getting this one for sure (hey, who doesn't like to see some Greeks whupping it up at the Battle of Thermopylae).
Quote of the day:
In response to King Xerxes' demand that the Spartans throw down their swords or face death, the Spartan King Leonidas replied: "Come and take them. . ."
I find the 1960s was an era of the true epic: The 300 Spartans, Spartacus, The Fall of the Roman Empire, Cleopatra, Mutiny on the Bounty. . .
Why can't they make movies like that today. . .
Here is a review of the DvD version of "The 300 Spartans" movie:
The war between the Spartans and the Persians was epic, with immense battles and huge losses on both sides. The war, like any other conflict, had several key moments, events that turned the tide toward one side over the other. One such moment was the Battle of Thermopylae, which would impact not just this war, but the entire world. The battle was over a crucial mountain pass, one which the Persians needed to traverse. If Persian forces could make it through the pass, victory could be within reach. Persia's King Xerxes (David Farrar) is determined to crush the Spartans, so a win at this critical battle would be a serious boost. At the lead of the Spartans is Leonidas (Richard Egan), who is just as determined to hold the pass. He is unable to recruit the volume of soldiers he needs, but a stand must still be made. Leonidas refuses to back down and allow the Persians to take the pass, despite his small number of warriors. His band numbers about three hundred, while the Persian side boasts twenty times the manpower. Even in the face of such adversity, Leonidas and his men remain steadfast. The warnings from the Persians, which promise swift and lethal action, go unheeded by the Spartans. When the battle begins, can Leonidas and his men somehow manage to fend off the Persians?
Based on actual historic events, The 300 Spartans could perhaps best be summed up as an inspirational epic. If you take The Alamo and move the whole event to ancient Greece, then you've got The 300 Spartans, at least in a nutshell. A small, but determined force that stands up against a much larger force, that's the basic premise here. But unlike Disney's recent take on The Alamo, this movie manages to pull it all off and then some. If you've seen Gladiator, then you'll notice that numerous elements were lifted from The 300 Spartans, though in my opinion, this is the superior production. I can't argue about production values, as this movie has limited special effects and visuals, but the story and direction are terrific. Rudy Mate (The Violent Men, The Deep Six) supplies tight direction, even when his cast stumbles through the material. So if you had to pinpoint a weak area here, it would have to be the cast. The performances are mostly solid, but some folks seem wooden and that lessens the experience to an extent. A bigger budget could have deepened this epic also, but even so, The 300 Spartans is a worthwhile picture. Fox's disc isn't that great, but the movie itself is well recommended. And for fans, who have struggled to even track down copies in the past, this new release will be most welcome.
http://www.dvdauthority.com/reviews.asp?reviewID=3828
).
