Janet, Marcus, hail All

[kenny]

Folks I write to ask if it ever happens correspondence happens between Porthonians is there a directory of members E mails.janet hailI like your spirit and responses somewhat sarcastic but hey I like a woman with spirit, It wpould be nice maybe to write direct and learn a little of some porthonians if not then fair enough.A recap I saw the movie again today and yes,still good, The scene with Philip calling Alexander a bastard etc and the Clietus afair reminds me of days I were a big drinker and the way these tiffs arguments turn nasty,, I had the bruizes to prove it so did my fellow argueeees, it usaully happened after a real good booze up fortunately there were no sword or spears at hand or I may not be here.I thought it fitting the way Bucephalus died so heroically as its unsure what happened to him, god know how the arrow passed throught about 24 inches of horse flesh?regardskenny

[ruthaki]

Hello Kenny, the scene in India was, I believe, a compilation of various battles. For instance, that nearly fatal wound Alexander got was in Mallia when he jumped over the wall of the city into hostile territory. And I am not exactly sure where Bucephalus died, also not sure he died of wounds or of old age. No matter, the elephant scene was awesome, don't you think?

[iskande_32]

Jan
Indeed the set pieces were indeed awesome and to be honest some of the emotional scenes were well done, I really felt sorry for Alexander where Philip ridiculed him in public and Farrel showed real emotion, I though Farrel carried the emotion very well.But as has been said some stuff looked rushed to get the famous sayings, quotes and episodes in, with all the story intrigue within the family and what it was about, then Alexanders famous quotes, famous deed and battles really Stone was trying to get it all in which is where I feel critics were lost with it all,, I hope you agree it woul take time and hours of story telling to really nail the Alexander story.Then again if they had consontrated soley on his battles then it would have been a gory blood fest,, Stone did the best he could and no one could have done better with 3 hours.Its maybe the poeple within this forum rthrough years of reading and understanding the realness of the Alexander That was and is Great.regardsKenny

[jan]

Hi Kenny, I really wish I could apologize for all of seeing so many "coincidences" in this movie, but as I was thinking about Talk Radio, JFK, Natural Born Killers, and now Alexander too, I am beginning to believe that OStone is obsessed with me...as my passport picture is what concerns me most. One scene which has been repeated here in the states shows the likeness between Colin Farrell in his portrayal and I think, oh boy, what will those Europeans think if they have seen that movie. What is Stone up to anyway? Hopefully, no airport security guard will make the connection, I am praying.
To me, the movie is just a movie...I watched Seabiscuit again last night and liked its carefully drawn to a climax way of storytelling. So movies are purely entertainment, and so I had hoped that Alexander would be a great one. But no single theme of Alexander's determination to succeed even emerged, and it bothered me a lot to see so much of his character neglected. As I am reading Steven Pressfield's treatment of Charonea right now, I noticed how he and I both liken the Macedonians to racehorses. It is very interesting to me to see that determination in Alexander, who speaks crisply, sharply, and decisvely, to excell and surpass everyone in history. None of that was even noted as too much time was spent on psychoanalyzing him. HIs retort to Philip about his being a bastard child was angry to my way of thinking rather than self-pitying, as to my mind, Alexander is a very sure of himself person at that time in his life, having succeeded in destroying the Sacred BAnd at Thebes, and having established himself already as a competent regent for his father in his absence. So I do not ever interpret that scene as anything but "You have me to contend with, sir", when he hurls the goblet across the room. I do not pity Alexander or feel sorry for him at all. I know that he is angry and is asserting himself as he should have done. (I have done that very thing myself and once I learned of Alexander's having done it, as the scene in which I threw a same glass of liquid at someone still remains in my memory, I though what an irony! No wonder people had compared me to Alexander. I now know why. I suspect now that many times I have been set up just to test my reactions, making me think of some interesting people who would do that to me for dramatic effect (Roger)!
Well, thanks, Kenny, for liking women with spirit! Spunk, some people call it.
Had I not had the good fo

[jan]

Some of my post got cut off. That is o.k. as I talk too much. But I can be reached at Janchar11@excite.com if you care to write to me personally. Jan

[ruthaki]

I was reading an interview article with Stone and he said he ought to have cut about 1/2 hr of the movie which included reference to the bi-sexual nature of Alex. out of the movie for the U.S. audiences. The film was hardly viewed in the fundamentalist south because of it. Really??? And yet most US made films are so full of gratuitous violence and other forms of Sex some of it downright pornographic!!! There was nothing porno or unsavoury about Stone's interpretation of Alexander's relationships (male and female).I'm going again today to see Alexander, this time with a fresh eye for details etc. I still feel the Battle of Chaironea should have been included to show Alexander's ability at such an early age in his first big encounter along with his father. But..each of us has our own ideas of how the film should have been made and alas! it is bound to exclude so many wonderful episodes of our hero's life!

[jan]

Hi Ruthaki,
I hope you have a good time. I will buy the dvd when it comes out so that I can reverse, replay, etc., but until then, it has been mostly taken out of theatres here. The local paper panned it badly, finding nothing in it resembling a soul. I thought that a succinct statement for the reviewer to make.
The problem here is that everyone in this town recognizes me in it, and that has had its repercussions for me. But I understand.After all, I have checked out and bought so many books on Alexander, I am quite known for that by now. It is only thanks to Angel that I learned of Alexander in the first place, and now the library is filling up with books. So it will be all for the good in the end.Lexus 300 probably means Alexander too! I just bet.The first 3 digits of my social security number are 300 and nobody can deny that. I notice that the last four are now part of Dune:GodEmperor so I am suspicious now that Frank Herbert knew of me all along anyway. So it goes...I am glad that you like Alexander the movie. The sex is not why the fans are objecting, I don't think. That is only one small part of it all.

[ruthaki]

Hello Janet, well I just submitted my third critique of the Alexander film on another heading here. Yes, third time around I loved it as much (in spite of the flaws and weakenesses.) And I'm happy to say my friend (first time) felt the same as well as other commentaries from people who were at the film. To each his/her own and for me I am satisfied.

[iskander_32]

Ruth
Hi I took my wife to see the movie yesterday, she is a very emotional person towards the phsychie of people,, Many times through the film she was filled with emotion some times tears,, I myself could feel myself filling up a couple of times.Shes an animal lover and was devastated when Bucephalus died,, But in the same scene the emotion of seeing Heapheastion comforting the dying horse when Alexander was been carried away touched also.Besides been a masterpiece with the war scenes, Stone caught some reall emotions,, The devastation and pain felt by Alexander when his soul mate died was indeed convincing,,, It put aside the homosexual thing and really shows the depth of feeling love and trust between two people who grew together.How anyone at all can call this film rubbish is beyond me,, it may not be to there taste but its in no way rubbish and eventually Stone should feel good about this movie,,, He gets compliments and oscars when he benmds the trueth but in this case he tried to stay truethful and they crucified him for it,,, If as it seems a majority of Porthonians like what he did as it appears we do then indeed he should be proud.Besides the movies Iv avoided like the plague entirely based on highly critical aclaim is countless,,, Critics know nothing of our king nor would they have the first idea how to make his story better on film
Hail Oliver Stone for staying with the trueth for once,, Albeit switched round a little it was basically accurate.Kenny

[jan]

Hi Ruthaki and Kenny,
A new book came into the library which sports Colin Farrell on the cover, and is written by Robin Lane Fox. I checked it out to read, as I have not read anything yet by Robin Lane Fox at all. I have read his preface which I admit that I like very much, as he explains the problem with knowing anything about Alexander. He is upfront in his presentation of facts about all the sources of information that one may use to try to understand Alexander, so I am ready to read his tale also.He does admit that none of the twenty or so contemporaries of Alexander who wrote about him have any but fragments left to study for posterity, and that the best that modern man can do is to study those that the Romans, the Egyptians, and the loyal opposition may have preserved. So he is at least honest in his sources of information from which he extracts evidence.Movies come and go. There will be another movie with another point of view and presentation in a future date, no doubt, and will attract and detract as well. I have learned that one either likes or dislikes Oliver Stone, and that may have contributed to the success or failure of this particular project of his. He has admitted to rushing his project, blaming everyone everywhere for his reception, everyone but himself. He does not take responsibility for his own film, until I read a mea culpa where he finally has admitted that it is all his fault. He is quoted as saying that he would like to do it again, and maybe that is an option for him. Who is to know?I had two friends here in the valley who helped me when I needed them most. One told me I had something on my tooth, so that I could clean it off, and another told me that I had a piece of toilet paper hanging from my waist so that I could remove it. They saved me from considerable embarrassment, and to me, that is what friends are for. Neither were close personal friends, but just people who cared enough about me to tell me something that I needed to know. So I always welcome constructive criticism when it is good for me.With respect, Jan

[ruthaki]

Kenny, next time you watch it, look for the subliminal bits which I somehow missed the other times as they happen fast. And yes, I cried even the third time round. ruthaki

[marcus]

Hi Jan,The book is a new edition of Lane Fox's 1973 book - re-released with a movie photo for obvious reasons! I'm not aware that Lane Fox has revised the book in any way.All the bestMarcus