10:28 a.m. ET March 14, 2007 TEHRAN, Iran - The hit American movie “300” has angered Iranians who say the Greeks-vs-Persians action flick insults their ancient culture and provokes animosity against Iran. “Hollywood declares war on Iranians,” blared a headline in Tuesday’s edition of the independent Ayende-No newspaper. The movie, which raked in $70 million in its opening weekend, is based on a comic-book fantasy version of the battle of Thermopylae in 480 B.C., in which a force of 300 Spartans held off a massive Persian army at a mountain pass in Greece for three days. Even some American reviewers noted the political overtones of the West-against-Iran story line — and the way Persians are depicted as decadent, sexually flamboyant and evil in contrast to the noble Greeks. In Iran, the movie hasn’t opened and probably never will, given the government’s restrictions on Western films, though one paper said bootleg DVDs were already available. Still, it touched a sensitive nerve. Javad Shamghadri, cultural adviser to Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, said the United States tries to “humiliate” Iran in order to reverse historical reality and “compensate for its wrongdoings in order to provoke American soldiers and warmongers” against Iran. The movie comes at a time of increased tensions between the United States and Iran over the Persian nation’s nuclear program and the Iraq war. But aside from politics, the film was seen as an attack on Persian history, a source of pride for Iranians across the political spectrum, including critics of the current Islamic regime. State-run television has run several commentaries the past two days calling the film insulting and has brought on Iranian film directors to point out its historical inaccuracies. “The film depicts Iranians as demons, without culture, feeling or humanity, who think of nothing except attacking other nations and killing people,” Ayende-No said in its article Tuesday. “It is a new effort to slander the Iranian people and civilization before world public opinion at a time of increasing American threats against Iran,” it said. Iran’s biggest circulation newspaper, Hamshahri, said “300” is “serving the policy of the U.S. leadership” and predicted it will “prompt a wave of protest in the world. ... Iranians living in the U.S. and Europe will not be indifferent about this obvious insult.” http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17599641/?GT1=9145
300 was such an awesome movie... iran is just angry persia never had a character as badass as leonidas
who cares!!! What they dont understand is that 300 the movie was based on a comic book written by Frank Miller. Its a comic book so it had to be exaggerated. I read several reviews of the movie and many people are complaining that the movie was not accurate compared to history. Of course its not accurate. Its meant to be loosely based on history and part fantasy. Did Giant wolves, elephants and Rhino's exist during that time??? I dont think so. If they made a movie about the Chinese into demon like creatures invading Sparta, I wouldnt care as long as it was made it well. The movie 300 was one sided and there was no need to tell both sides of the story. Maybe the Spartans did describe the Persians as demonic creatures who slaughtered everything in their way. Then again, it was so long ago that no one really knew what happened. It was only a movie based on a comic book which was loosely based on history. Get over it. Stop being so sensitive. I read one review that some one compared Leonidas to George Bush and that this was American proproganda. Thats kinda stretching it there.
Hmm.. perhaps the Iranian government is being a bit oversensitive about a movie/comic book.. I dunno if the director intended political overtones.. but I doubt it.
the only movie iv been offended by was Date Movie, and that was just cuz it was so insanely stupid, halfway though i felt like slitting my wrists cuz i couldnt take the idiocy anymore
The film didn't really cut it for me, even the trailer doesn't interest me that I WANT to see this film. Stylistic differences maybe? Even Gerard Butler can't lure me to see this film (and let me tell you, that is HUGE, I suffered through the impossibly bad film adaptation of Phantom of the Opera for him!) But I do understand the outrage the Iranians feel -- afterall films are a reflection of the social context. And the political charge is overwhelming, especially when the overtone of war is so prevailing. The release of this film can only be "timely" at best. Though I am not a conspiracy theory person, I do think it's a propaganda-ish attempt to glorify the West. Then again, when has the West NOT try to glorify themselves in popular medium and others? So I guess Iran just have to swallow it, like the rest of the world.
gosh a movie is just a movie. why don't they just make another version of the movie and call it 300 (how it really happened) either way the persians did suffer a great defeat in moral as well as in the number of casualties. The spartans would have held out at the pass if they weren't betrayed. As the old adage goes history is written by the victor, if there is any one to blame blame it on those persian who lost....
Comic book fans? Chinese? It all depends on how sensitive and how severe the case of inferior complex the group has -- Chinese could totally be complainting about being typecasted or something. PS> There WAS a wee bit of controversy on the content of Spiderman 2 because it's a "Fusion experiment gone awry".
I guess, but apparently some Singaporians (Singaporese?) is offended by Chow's line "welcome to Singapore" (or something of that sort) since it implies that Singapore is an Asian hub for pirates. You never know what people concern themselves with, I guess.
come on chill out.... its just a movie after all.... wats the big deal? Its not end of the world. Just enjoy the movie, if you dont like it just watch and forget or simply just throw away your vcd or dvd. haha no need to make a big fuss about it unless have other motive... well i enjoyed the movie although its abit violence. Thumbs up!! d-.-b
