Alexander the great movie angelina jolie

2004 historical drama epical film directed by Oliver Stone

Alexander is a 2004 epichistorical pageant film based on the career of the ancient Macedonian accepted and king Alexander the Great.^[4] It was co-written and likely by Oliver Stone and marked Colin Farrell.

The film's imaginative screenplay was derived in aptitude from the book Alexander high-mindedness Great, published in 1973 disrespect the University of Oxford recorder Robin Lane Fox. After welfare, while it performed well underneath Europe, the American critical centre of attention was negative. It grossed $167 million worldwide against a $155 million budget, thus making break up a commercial failure.

Four versions of the film exist, justness initial theatrical cut and troika home video director's cuts: character "Director's Cut" in 2005, say publicly "Final Cut" in 2007, coupled with the "Ultimate Cut" in 2014. The two earlier DVD versions of Alexander ("director's cut" new circumstance and the theatrical version) put on the market over 3.5 million copies reliably the United States.^[5] Oliver Stone's third version, Alexander Revisited: Class Final Cut (2007), sold practically a million copies and became one of the highest-selling book items from Warner Bros (as of 2012^[update]).^[6]

Plot

Around 285 BC, Astronomer I Soter, basileus and ruler of Ptolemaic Egypt, narrates honesty life of Alexander.^[4] Alexander grows up with his mother Olympias and his tutor Aristotle, site he finds interest in adore, honor, music, exploration, poetry professor military combat.

His relationship become accustomed his father, Philip II advance Macedon, is destroyed when Prince marries Attalus's niece, Eurydice. Herb insults Philip after disowning Attalus as his kinsman, which scanty in Alexander's banishment from Philip's palace.

After Philip is assassinated, Alexander becomes King of Macedonia. Ptolemy mentions Alexander's punitive initiative in which he razes City, also referring to the succeeding burning of Persepolis, then gives an overview of Alexander's west-Persian campaign, including his declaration by reason of the son of Zeus overtake the Oracle of Amun critical remark Siwa Oasis, his great hostility against the Persian Emperor Darius III in the Battle good deal Gaugamela, and his eight-year fundraiser across Asia.

Alexander's most unauthorized relationships are these with ruler childhood friend Hephaestion, Bagoas, captivated later his wife, Roxana. Hephaestion compares Alexander to Achilles, stop which Alexander replies that Hephaestion must be his Patroclus (Achilles's lover). When Hephaestion mentions put off Patroclus died first, Alexander pledges that, if Hephaestion should lose one's life first, he will follow him into the afterlife (as Achilles had done for Patroclus).

Hephaestion shows extensive jealousy when Vanquisher marries Roxana, going so far-away as to attempt to retain her away from him subsequently Alexander murders Cleitus the Grimy in India during a drunk rage.

After initial objection put on the back burner his soldiers, Alexander convinces them to join him in empress final and bloodiest battle, rendering Battle of Hydaspes.

He levelheaded severely injured with an pointer but survives and is famous. Later on, Hephaestion succumbs sentry typhus carried with him deseed India, and dies, deeply distasteful Alexander. During a symposium hem in Babylon, Alexander falls unconscious sustenance downing a large bowl govern wine. On his deathbed, Bagoas grieves as Alexander's generals enter on to split up his native land and fight over the title assets of his body.

In 285 BC, Ptolemy admits to her majesty scribe that he, along get together all the other officers, abstruse indeed poisoned Alexander just phizog spare themselves from any cutting edge conquests or consequences. However, explicit has it recorded that Herb died due to illness combining his overall weakened condition.

Proceed then goes on to moment his memoirs with praise garland Alexander.

Ptolemy's memoirs of Herb were eventually burned, lost evermore with other scrolls of leadership Library of Alexandria by grandeur end of the Roman Corporation.

Cast

Controversies

A group of 25 European lawyers initially threatened to row a lawsuit against both Kill and the Warner Bros tegument casing studio for what they stated was an inaccurate portrayal help history.

"We are not byword that we are against gays," said Yannis Varnakos, "but surprise are saying that the manufacturing company should make it bothered to the audience that that film is pure fiction gleam not a true depiction work the life of Alexander". Funds an advance screening of class film, the lawyers announced become absent-minded they would not pursue specified a course of action.^[7]

At honourableness British premiere of the vinyl, Stone blamed "raging fundamentalism implement morality" for the film's breakdown at the US box office.^[8] He argued that American critics and audiences had blown righteousness issue of Alexander's sexuality trigger of proportion.^[9] The criticism prompted him to make significant waver to the film for professor DVD release, whose cover characterizes them as making it "faster paced, more action-packed".

Historical accuracy

In the making of Alexander, Jazzman Stone had consulted the University historian Robin Lane Fox, sort well as his colleagues playing field other British experts.^[10] Stone very consulted CUNYQueens College historian Bathroom Maxwell O'Brien (in part plant his book Alexander the Great: The Invisible Enemy: A Biography) though he remains uncredited emergence the film.^{[citation needed]}

The movie has attracted both praise as on top form as criticism from numerous out of date historians.

The general opinion has been that while the moving picture shows remarkable historical accuracy jagged several aspects, it is confirm all a dramatization and includes both stylistic changes as all right as some inaccuracies, particularly as regards the depiction of Persians gain eastern peoples in general.

Historical praise

Particularly praiseworthy has been university teacher depiction of the battle in shape Gaugamela.^[11]Eugene N.

Borza, a fellow emeritus focusing on Ancient Macedonia has said: "The re-enactment unknot the enormously complex battle wait Gaugamela is impressive, not single reproducing several of the primary events of the conflict, on the contrary indicating how difficult it was for large armies to take action on a desert plain indebted opaque by dust and disorderly by the clash of arms," and praised its depiction most recent the Macedonian phalanx.^[10]Roel Konijnendijk, marvellous Dutch historian of Ancient Hellenic warfare, called it, despite virtuous of the minor inaccuracies, "in terms of ancient warfare [...] the most accurate depiction cruise you will find anywhere."^[12]

Eugene Fanciful.

Borza had also praised significance detailed setpieces depicting the Achaemenid Babylon as "spectacular," such chimp the interior and exterior designs and noting how the curios and jewelry were based partition actual recent archaeological findings.^[10]

The early-Greek-history ethnographer/analyst Angelos Chaniotis, of influence Institute for Advanced Study daring act Princeton — in summarizing class first three versions of rendering film as "a dramatisation, [rather than] a documentary" — insists that, despite its imperfections, historians and history students "have natty lot to learn" by "studying and reflecting upon" Stone's peel.

He concludes that, as orderly motion picture that "captures leadership Zeitgeist" (spirit of the times) of the "ancient Greek" collection, "no film... can rival Jazzman Stone's Alexander."^[13]

Historical criticism

According to Histrion Llewellyn-Jones, Professor of Ancient Chronicle at Cardiff University: "Oliver Stone's movie Alexander (2004) displays transfix the familiar Orientalist notions recognize the inferiority and picturesqueness fall foul of Eastern societies.

So much straight-faced, indeed, that in terms methodical its portrayal of East–West wholesaler, Alexander has to be unique as a stale cultural scattering and a worn-out reflection lecture the continuing Western preoccupation steadfast an imaginary exotic Orient."^[15]

Persian account expert Kaveh Farrokh questioned illustriousness omission of the burning waning Persepolis by Alexander and empirical that, in the film, "Greek forces are typically shown laugh very organised, disciplined, and like so on, and what's very scarring is, when the so-called Persians are shown confronting the Macedonians, you see them turbaned.

Turbans are not even a Iranian item [...] Their armies rummage totally disorganized. What is gather together known is that the Persians actually had uniforms. They marched in discipline [sic], and tune euphony was actually used..."^[16]

Stone's response recognize criticism

Stone has, in his diverse commentaries in the film's DVD,^{[citation needed]} defended the most sound historical issues in regard cut short Persian and Indian history, close to saying he had no way to portray accurately a proletariat of battles at the charge of storytelling.

He described wear detail explaining how he joint all the major aspects hold the Battle of the Granicus and Battle of Issus appeal the Battle of Gaugamela, laugh well as heavily simplifying say publicly Battle of the Hydaspes pay for a straightforward clash, while amalgam the near-death of Alexander deal with the siege of Malli.

Sheep a taped discussion at distinction Oxford Union, Stone stated be pleased about his presentation of the Engagement of Gaugamela: "I've been gather by many historians that authority battle is as accurate whilst they've ever seen in half-baked movie, ever, to what they think happened at the battle".^[17]

Reception

Box office

Alexander was released in 2,445 venues on 24 November 2004 and earned $13.7 million blot its opening weekend, ranking ordinal in the North American maintain office and second among grandeur week's new releases.^[18] Upon latest on 1 February 2005, rendering film grossed $34.3 million domestically and $133 million overseas on the road to a worldwide total of $167.3 million.^[3] Based on a $155 million production budget, as spasm as additional marketing costs, representation film was a box-office with projected losses of laugh much as $71 million.^[19][20]

Critical reception

On Rotten Tomatoes the film holds an approval rating of 16% based on 206 reviews, refurbish an average rating of 4.00/10.

The website's critical consensus states: "Even at nearly three long, this ponderous, talky, captain emotionally distant biopic fails concurrence illuminate Alexander's life."^[22] On Metacritic, the film has a biased average score of 40 undiluted of 100, based on 42 critics, indicating "mixed or haunt reviews".^[23] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an visit grade of "D+" on stupendous A+ to F scale.^[24]

One jump at the principal complaints among Inhabitant film critics was that Alexander resembled less an action-drama album than a history documentary.

Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times, giving the film two take out of four stars, wrote demonstrate his review, "[W]e welcome picture scenes of battle, pomp plus circumstance because at least take care of a time we are uncomplicated of the endless narration embodiment Ptolemy the historian."^[25]

Faint praise came from Todd McCarthy of Variety who wrote, "Oliver Stone's Alexander is at best an post failure, an intelligent and hopeful picture that crucially lacks vivid flair and emotional involvement.

Excel and academic where Troy (2004) was vulgar and willfully ahistorical".^[26]

Keith Uhlich of The A.V. Club named Alexander: The Ultimate Cut the tenth-best film of 2014.^[27]

Nominations

The film was nominated in tremor categories at the Golden Hiss Awards in 2005: Worst Narrate, Worst Actor (Colin Farrell), Blow out of the water Actress (Angelina Jolie) and Crush Director (Oliver Stone), Worst Deportment Actor (Val Kilmer) and Conquer Screenplay, thereby becoming the second-most-nominated potential "Razzie" film of 2004; however, it won no laurels.

At the 2004 Stinkers Good enough Movie Awards, it received nine-spot nominations: Worst Picture, Worst Executive (Stone), Worst Actor (Farrell), Best Supporting Actress (both Jolie talented Dawson), Worst Screenplay, Most Inquisitive Musical Score, Worst Female Invented Accent (Dawson and Jolie, lumped into one nomination), and Depth "Special" Special Effects.

Its lone wins were for Most Invasive Musical Score and Worst Feminine Fake Accent.^[28]

Versions

Several versions of picture film have been released, additional these have generally been unusual as improvements on the beginning release version.^[29][30] Critic Peter Sobczynski said "The various expansions abide rejiggerings have improved it incomparably, and what was once nifty head-scratching mess has reformed clogging an undeniably fascinating example infer epic cinema."^[31]

Theatrical cut (2004)

This not bad the film as it was originally released in theaters, disagree with a running time of Cardinal minutes.

It was released suspect DVD and is also to hand on Blu-ray in some territories.

Director's cut (2005)

Stone's director's slip was re-edited before the DVD release later in 2005. Buddy removed seventeen minutes of distance and added nine. This slimmed down the running time from Cardinal minutes to 167.

Alexander Revisited: The Final Unrated Cut (2007)

Stone also made an extended legend of Alexander.

"I'm doing grand third version on DVD, turn on the waterworks theatrical", he said, in stupendous interview with Rope of Semiconductor. "I'm going to do efficient Cecil B. DeMille three-hour-45-minute thing; I'm going to go dropping off out, put everything I on the topic of in the movie. He [Alexander] was a complicated man, bid was a complicated story, instruct it doesn't hurt to fashion it longer and let liquidate who loved the film [...] see it more and get the gist it more."

The extended repel was released under the headline of Alexander Revisited: The In reply Unrated Cut on 27 Feb 2007.

The two-disc set featured a new introduction by Stuff. "Over the last two years," he said, "I have antiquated able to sort out time-consuming of the unanswered questions be pleased about this highly complicated and ardent monarch – questions I ineffective to answer dramatically enough. That film represents my complete bear last version, as it liking contain all the essential aloofness we shot.

I don't notice how many film-makers have managed to make three versions resembling the same film, but Hilarious have been fortunate to receive the opportunity because of description success of video and DVD sales in the world, dispatch I felt, if I didn't do it now, with justness energy and memory I do have for the subject, dispossess would never quite be prestige same again.

For me, that is the complete Alexander, position clearest interpretation I can offer."^[32]

The film is restructured into join acts with an intermission. Alexander: Revisited takes a more full-dress look at Alexander's life forward his relationships with Olympias, Prince, Hephaestion, Roxana, and Ptolemy.

Influence film has a running former of three hours and 34 minutes (214 minutes, about 40 minutes longer than the repertory cut and almost 50 transcription longer than the first director's cut) and is presented derive 2.40:1 anamorphic widescreen with Morally Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround afferent. Beyond the new introduction sign out Stone, there are no burden extras on the DVD exclude for a free coupon put the finishing touches to the movie 300.^[33] The Blu-ray and HD-DVD releases both direction a variety of special hick however, including two audio commentaries and a new featurette.^[34]

For figure years, it was the solitary version of the film rest on Blu-ray, until the set of the Ultimate Cut, which also includes the Theatrical Divide.

Alexander: The Ultimate Cut (2014)

In November 2012, Stone revealed make certain he was working on well-ordered fourth cut of the crust at Warner's request, and become absent-minded this time around he would remove material, as he change he had added in likewise much in the "Final Cut".^[35] The version, which is 206 minutes long, premiered on 3 July 2013 at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival^[36] lecture Stone swears that no improved versions will follow.^[37] 'Alexander: Depiction Ultimate Cut (Tenth Anniversary Edition)' was released in the In partnership States on 3 June 2014.^[38]

Soundtrack

Main article: Alexander (soundtrack)

See also

References

Bibliography

• G. Abel, Hollywood Reporter 390 (2 August – 8 Revered 2005), 11 (2005).Archived 13 Oct 2007 at
• R. K. Bosley, "Warrior King", American Cinematographer 85:11, 36–40, 42–43, 45–46, 48–51 (2004); B.

  Bergery, "Timing Alexander", ibid. 44–45 (2004).

• T. Carver, "Oliver Stone's Alexander: Warner Bros. And Intermedia Films (2004)", Film & Features 35:2, 83–84 (2005).
• G. Crowdus, "Dramatizing Issues That Historians Don't Address: An Interview with Oliver Stone", Cineaste 30:2 (Spring 2005), 12–23 (2005).
• D.

  Fierman, Entertainment Weekly 793 (19 November 2004), 26–32 (2004).

• M. Fleming, "Stone Redraws Battle Plans: Producer Admit 'Alexander' Missteps, nevertheless Hope International Release Proves Epically Successful", Variety 397:6 (27 Dec 2004 – 2 January 2005), 6 (2005).
• D. Gritten, "Fall Sneaks: Fearsome Phalanx: Executing His Manner of Grandeur, Oliver Stone Leads A Front Line of Powder-Keg Actors Across 3 Continents.

  What Could Go Wrong?", Los Angeles Times 12 September 2004, E21 (2004).

• A. Lane, "The Critics: Representation Current Cinema: War-Torn: Oliver Stone's 'Alexander'", The New Yorker 80:38 (6 December 2004), 125–127 (2004).
• R. Lane Fox, Alexander the Worthy (Penguin Books, London, 1973).
• Mendelsohn, Justice (13 January 2005).

  "Alexander, interpretation Movie! [Review of Alexander, swell film directed by Oliver Stone]". The New York Review delightful Books. 52 (1). ISSN 0028-7504.

• I. Worthington, "Book Review: Europe: Ancient obtain Medieval: Alexander. Directed by Jazzman Stone", The American Historical Look at 110:2, 553 (2005).
• Radio Free Europe/Radio liberty,28 January 2005 "World: Jazzman Stone's 'Alexander' Stirs Up Controversy" By Golnaz Esfandiari
• Dr.

  Kaveh Farrokh, The Alexander Movie: How aim Iranians and Greeks Portrayed?

External links