Sword & Sandals Wrap-Up Vlog

Three months of exploring Sword & Sandals films has come to a close. It was an interesting journey and I came away seeing a lot of fun films, and a few really great films. From Greek mythology to quests to historical figures to even historically set fictional tales, I enjoyed the adventure focus of male-dominated genre quite a bit. Great stories & heroes were a plenty and although I had favourites in every category I definitely was more taken by Greek mythology focused tales and historically set fictional characters. In the vlog I even go through the films one by one from fave to least fave. Enjoy!

Films explored by focus:

Greek Mythology:
Clash of the Titans (1981)
Clash of the Titans (2010)
Hercules (1983)
Jason in the Argonauts (1963)
Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Lightning Thief

Historically Set Fictional Characters:
Conan the Barbarian
Conan the Destroyer
Gladiator

Historical Figures / Periods:
Alexander
Cleopatra (1963)
Julius Caesar (1953)
Spartacus
Troy

New Interpretations:
Outlander
Pathfinder

Clash of the Titans (2010)

Dir: Louis Leterrier (The Incredible Hulk (2008), The Transporter 2)
Cast: Sam Worthington, Gemma Arterton, Mads Mikkelson, Ralph Fiennes, Liam Neeson, Nicholas Hoult, Alexa Davalos, Pete Postlethwaite
UK/USA, 2010

Seen: April 3, 2010 at AMC Y&D in 2D

Reason to Watch & Review: For the Sword & Sandal Marathon*

To say I was excited when I finally got to sit down in the theatre to see Clash of the Titans (2010) would be an understatement. After doing a whole Sword & Sandal Marathon in anticipation for the film, starting from the nostalgia of the original Clash of the Titans (1981) back in January, I was read for the redux and literally bouncing in the seat in the theatre. I wasn't even that put off that it was delayed a week for the adapt-to-3D, as I knew I would see it in 2D.

A lot of films based in Greek Myth are at the tipping point of believers and non believers these ideas are presented in this version of the film. I think this brings and interesting element to the film and aligning to current day where people may be aware of many different ideologies out there but want to do their own thing and make decisions based on person experience as opposed to a predetermined belief system. Put that in the context of the film, and into a character and you get a total rebel. And everybody loves a rebel.

That rebel would be Perseus, and this is a very different take on his especially compared to the original film. Here he not interested at all in the bigger picture, which breaks the mold for a hero character. It makes this focus for him much more of a personal journey as opposed to a standard hero journey. But, it brings up interesting questions in terms of motivation, drive and loyalty but the focus really is on the adventure and action elements, of which there are many. Sam Worthington does a great job as Perseus here, the rebellious action hero, and I'm sure he'll continue in the action & adventure films, although I do hope we get to see him in other things as well considering he's a great dramatic actor (see Somersault).

One happy surprize of the film was the volume of screen time for Mads Mikkelsen's (After the Wedding / Efter brylluppet, Valhalla Rising) character Draco from Argos. Mads Mikkelsen is such a great actor and this is no exception, he bring a stoic fighter between the old-and-new times to life and breathes a great deal of presence in the film. Another great presence in the film is Ralph Fiennes as Hades, not only a great performance but loved the stylistic treatment of the God of the Underworld. Unfortunately in this version, the ladies really took a back seat. Although I enjoyed the character of Io, played by Gemma Arterton (The Disappearance of Alice Creed & upcoming in Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time), and she's an interesting addition to the story, but she's almost the only woman in the film with a sizable amount of screen time.

One thing that I whole-heartily loved what the all the visual look of the film. I loved the look and feel of it from costumes, to armour to the hair. Actually, the hair took me a bit to get used to but in the end I thought they made brilliant choices. In terms of the Gods, specifically Zeus & Hades looked fantastic and their visual style matched the essence of the characters 100%.

In terms of a sword & sandals film, it's certainly got swords and got sandals. Although it's a different take on a hero type journey, it still certainly has a journey. The focus really feels like it's the action though - and there is a lot of it. There is fighting, creatures, danger and adventure at every turn. I really enjoyed the choices they made here and was surprized that even though there is a lot shown in the trailer, there was still much more to see in the film.

The film was so close to being amazing. So close! I was cheering from the get go, and I hate to say it but it did miss the mark ever so slightly. It did the one thing that drives me the most crazy in films, which is that it didn't stay true to the structure it created. It's sad, and I have no idea why they made that choice because I'm sure it something else would have worked better. But, that doesn't mean it wasn't an enjoyable watch - I did, I had an amazing time watching it in the theatre and I know I'll go again. The action, visual style and the performance make it a very enjoyable film.

One area when it really succeeds is that it's different enough from the original that you can still enjoy both without them being too similar thematically, but still recognizable stories. There are also a few great nods in hommage that fans of the original will enjoy.

Shannon's Overall View:
I enjoyed it
I'll buy it and likely see it again in the theatre
I'd recommend it to fans of action-oriented adventure films

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© Shannon Ridler, 2010

14 minutes of preshow including 3 commercials and 5 previews: Robin Hood (2010), Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, The Losers, A Nightmare on Elm Street (2010) and Salt

* The Sword & Sandal Marathon is a 13 week marathon exploring sword & sandal films in anticipation of this very film! The 2010 release of Clash of the Titans!

Week in Film Vlog for April 5, 2010

Theatrical & Sword & Sandal: Clash of the Titans (2010)
Cinéfranco: A Simple Heart, In Your Arms, The Barons
More French Film: Swimming Pool, Summer Hours (trailer)
2010 Own/Unseen: Darkon
Random: Julie & Julia
And check out my sister Suzie's Foodie's blog




My ironic dinner during Julie & Julia was non-dried steak & crowded mushrooms!

Pathfinder

Dir: Marcus Nispel (Friday the 13th (2009))
Cast: Karl Urban, Moon Bloodgood, Russell Means,
USA, 2007

Seen: March 25, 2010

Reason to Watch & Review: For the Sword & Sandal Marathon*

I'm stretching the definitions again for the last installment of the Sword & Sandal Marathon before this weeks release of the Clash of the Titans (2010) with the selection of the 2007 Pathfinder. It's also doing double duty as I get to strike off one more film from my 2010 Own/Unseen Challenge list. I picked up Pathfinder last year, mostly because Karl Urban is in it whom I've been a fan of since Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers where he plays Eomer. He's also in The Bourne Identity, Ghost Ship, The Chronicles of Riddick, but now I think everyone knows him for his spot-on performance as Bones in the 2009 Star Trek. Since I picke dup the film I've also become a fan of Moon Bloodgood (Terminator Salvation) so things were looking promising, no? Not so much. As much as I like both of the actors, they didn't seem to have much to work with in Pathfinder.

This is the only films in the marathon that is actually set in North America, the time line is pre-Columbus and infers post arrival of Vikings. I didn't find this very clear in the film, so I'll admit to help from IMDb here which also states the film is in English and Icelandic. Putting these two things together gives it a Pocahontas meets Predator feel, but imagine the aliens being vikings. Sounds strange I know, but it's as succinct as I can get. The experience of watching it ranged from being confused over the plot to flip flopping back to not really caring. I wanted to care, I really did, but just wasn't happening.

One thing that kept me from connecting with the film was that it was very violent. I would go as far to say extremely violent. I watch lots of action and horror films, but this was really graphic, like blunt objects & blood graphic. So - it that is your thing, you are in luck. For me, not so much.

In terms of a sword & sandals film, it's a stretch - but not as far as a stretch as I originally thought. There are certainly swords and fighting, but the setting makes it so sandals wouldn't be all that practical. That being said, it leads to the one thing I found absolutely glorious about the film: the cinematography. I didn't expect to say this but Pathfinder was a beautiful film to watch for the cinematography. Great use of a cool toned colour story, absolutely magical environments and beautifully diffused light in the backgrounds giving a foggy feel to the beautiful forests. It's no surprized that location listed for the film is British Columbia. I don't think there are trees like that anywhere else in the world.

Yes, out of all things what I got from Pathfinder was it's beauty. Strange, but true. This is why I love doing marathons - you never know what you will end up taking from the films.

Shannon's Overall View:
I didn't love it
I own it, so I'd probably watch it
I'd recommend it as folks who like a combination of epic feel with lots of violence

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© Shannon Ridler, 2010

* The Sword & Sandal Marathon is a 13 week marathon exploring sword & sandal films in anticipation of the 2010 release of Clash of the Titans (2010)

Troy

Dir: Wolfgang Peterson (Das Boot, A Perfect Storm, Poseidon)
Cast: Brad Pitt, Eric Bana, Orlando Bloom, Dian Kruger, Brian Cox, Rose Bryne, Sean Bean, Brendan Gleeson, Peter O'Toole, Saffron Burrows,
USA/UK/Malta, 2004

Seen: Originally in the theatre and revisited March 21, 2010

Reason to Watch & Review: For the Sword & Sandal Marathon*

Troy is a bit of an odd one for me. It made my Movie Memories from 2004 (not favourite films, but most memorable experiences) and most of the impression it left with me was not being able to follow it. So, it's not a surprize that the biggest difference I found in revisiting the film, was straight up understanding what was going on this time. When I originally saw this back in 2004 I wasn't that familiar with the story and could only spot Brad Pitt and Orlando Bloom, so most of the time I couldn't who anyone else was, what side they were on, and what their role was. Retrospectively, this feels really funny because now I'm familiar with all of the actors and in fact very fond of always keep an eye out for the work of Eric Bana, Sean Bean, Brian Cox (Red), Brendan Gleeson (Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire) and of course Brad Pitt.

It's also a film that the reaction to it was very centred about the time of it's release. It came out the same year as Alexander, and together those were several years after Gladiator, so there was a feeling of hopping on the popular train at the time. Although seeing it with some years distance now, Troy does stands up more on it's own than I felt at the time, but there is no denying the Gladiator influence, and even one word for word phrase that was used at a key moment. Also very referential 'of the time' was Orlando Bloom's character Paris, whom out of nowhere appears to have a strong proficiency with a bow & arrow, and I'm sure many of us watching automatically felt like we tripped back into The Lord of the Rings trilogy there.

That being said, it is a solid film in it's own right and gives us a different flavour than either Alexander or Gladiator in several ways. Although in some ways I feel like it could have been called Achilles, and been one more hero protagonist film based on the character played by Brad Pitt, whom gets a lot of screen time and even when off screen they are usually talking about him specifically or the effect or importance of his role in grand scheme of things. But, technically I would say it's an ensemble piece with Achilles on one side and then the brothers Hector & Paris on the other (played by Eric Bana and Orlando Bloom respectively) and all three of them are players of in a game played by higher powers. In this sense it's more of a ground level look at what's going on, as opposed to the regular hero story or a strive for power but rather the effects of what happens when you shake things up. Another different thing is that the character of Achilles isn't particularly likeable. He is skilled and even merciful at times, but carries a resentfulness that makes him hard to root for. But, the conflict here is that he's played by Brad Pitt which, I think by default, most people like regardless of the role. I do think he did a good job here, from the physicality of the role to the complicated combination of being adept but also like he didn't have much choice in what he could. The emotional moments were, let's just say not as strong as the others.

Other the other side of the ensemble we have Eric Bana as Hector. When I first saw this I remember having a conversation afterwards and they talked about how great Eric Bana was, and I couldn't place him at all. This is why revisiting can be a good thing, because one of the highlights this time was just that - Eric Bana's performance of, and the beauty of the character Hector. Got to love Hector, he was the shining star here for me. The straight up, going to do the right thing, kind of guy. He had a great physical presence, during the fight sequences as well as throughout the entire film. I would even say he's felt like the hero on the second viewing, which is so odd to see when it's not the main character.

One thing that isn't the best in Troy is that women have it pretty rough. From the 'it's all one the fault of a woman' thing with Helen to other threatening situations that often come up in any film that would use the term 'spoils of war'. It's not a huge focus, but it is present.

In terms of a sword & sandals film, it hits a lot of the marks that you want from the genre. Big battles, individual battles, pinpoints specific history, interesting and great locations. As it's more current, a lot of the effects are CGI which isn't my personal favourite, but they do showcase the vastness of the battles and places. Overall, I enjoyed it much more then second time round, and was particularly fond of the character of Hector and Eric Bana's performance.

Shannon's Overall View:
I enjoyed parts of it it
I'll watch it again
I'd recommend it to fans of epics that are action/effects oriented

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© Shannon Ridler, 2010

* The Sword & Sandal Marathon is a 13 week marathon exploring sword & sandal films in anticipation of the 2010 release of Clash of the Titans (2010)

Hercules (1983)

Writer/Dir: Luigi Cozzi (Godzilla (1977), Starcrash (as Lewis Coates), The Adventures of Hercules)
Cast: Lou Ferrigno, Sybil Danning, Mirella D'Angelo, Ingrid Anderson, Brad Harris
USA/Italy, 1983

Seen: Originally, in the 80's. Revisited March 14, 2010

Reason to Watch & Review: For the Sword & Sandal Marathon*

I really went back and forth on whether or not to included Hercules (1983) in the Sword & Sandal Marathon. I remember watching it as a kid, but only having vague memories of the film but somehow I know for certain that I was playing the Mystery Mansion board game at the time. Anyhow, in the end my curiosity got the best of me and I went for it.

Oh, boy. It's an interesting take of the lore. The go with a bit of a Sci Fi angle, which I didn't remember at all, and sometimes it's concrete (Gods hanging out on a planet) and other times it's more vague (i.e. I'm not sure where they were) and that can be epic, but here feels like it's stretching and pretty far fetched. The base storyline is a little familiar, but I almost all the sword & sandals films follow hero a storyline so that's easily overlooked. But, there are clear influences from many other films from Clash of the Titans (1981), Jason and the Argonauts (1963) and even Star Wars.

Although there is fighting in the film, the is also specific feats that Hercules has to perform and that was what I remembered the most but seeing them as an adult they don't quite live up to my memories. That's mostly due to the effects, which haven't aged well. One way to look at is in terms of placement in the Sword & Sandals world, is that it came out smack dab between Conan the Barbarian (1982) and Conan the Destroyer (1984) and it feels like it. The story doesn't quite have enough to hold us in, and then the effects can really pull you out of the film. But, looking at my reviews the only other film I've reviewed from 1983 was the series "V" (1983), so perhaps it's fair to overlook the effects even though a few were effective.

The other thing that really struck me about the film was the overall art design and costuming. At times it was very theatrical, even reminded of the feel of Hammer Horror. But a lot of the time it was crazy! I mean, totally crazy in that 80's way that now we can see so clearly in hindsight as jazzercize meets scifi. Also, the women in the film often had outfits that left them with not very much to work with. That really surprized me. But then again, same goes for Herc so at least it was balanced there.

I'm not sure if I'm adventurous enough to give the sequel a go, I know I've never seen that version before. We'll see.

Shannon's Overall View:
It did not live up to my memory of seeing it originally
I own it
I'd recommend to die hard Sword & Sandal completists

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© Shannon Ridler, 2010

* The Sword & Sandal Marathon is a 13 week marathon exploring sword & sandal films in anticipation of the 2010 release of Clash of the Titans (2010)

Week in Film Vlog - March 15, 2010

Theatrical: Cactus, The Red Baron, Green Zone, Remember Me, A Prophet
Trailers: The Twilight Saga: Eclipse (trailer) & I Love You, Philip Morris (trailer)
101 Films: Cool Hand Luke, Giant
Random: Flickering Lights, For Your Consideration, You Got Served
Sword & Sandal: Hercules (1983)

Cleopatra (1963)

Dir: Joseph L. Mankiewicz (All About Eve, Julius Caesar (1953), Sleuth (1972))
Cast: Elizabeth Taylor, Rex Harrison, Richard Burton
USA/UK/Switzerland, 1963

Seen: March 6, 2010 on VHS

Reason to Watch & Review: For the Sword & Sandal Marathon*

What timing to watch & review Cleopatra (1963) and Julius Caesar (1953), back to back. Not only are they centred on the same time period, have some crossover characters but more so they were both directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz. Serendipitous is the word as it wasn't planned but made for great timing.

To make it even better, I enjoyed Julius Caesar (1953) but I loved Cleopatra (1963). Seeing as the Sword & Sandal Marathon is pretty male-heavy, I wanted to make sure that I got at least one femme focused film in the bunch. As the films of the marathon have had a strong leaning to either quests, leadership or both, Cleopatra is a perfect fit for this genre. She could take on most of, if not all, of the men I've encountered in the films of the marathon so far. It's thrilling to see a female character that knows exactly what she wants. No flightiness, no indecision, no playing helpless, but lots of strategy, planning, and a lot of patience. How she finds time for romance is a feat, but this is as all of her moves, executed brilliantly. Elizabeth Taylor's performance is captivating & engrossing to watch, she gets across the subtle power over everyone else so well. Also, the chemistry between her & Richard Burton is unbelievable.

A lot of content is packed into the film and you do need patience as a viewer - this film is over 4 hours long. But it's worth it, as it's epic in every way from the vast time line it covers to the elaborate sets & costumes through out. Actually, the costumes alone are worth watching it for. I would love all of the outfits Elizabeth Taylor got to wear in the film, they are beautiful and sultry and fit in all the right places.

In terms of a sword & sandals, it meets the sandals aspect more than the swords. But, even though the fighting in the film doesn't have a lot of screen time the heart of the film is really centred on the play for power and control. Add the epic nature in terms of style and length and it becomes a perfect fit to be included in the marathon.

If it wasn't so long, I'm sure it would be a regular repeat watcher. But for now, I'll save it for special occasions and watch it when I'm looking to be inspired by a powerful woman.

Shannon's Overall View:
I loved it
I'll watch it again
I recommend it as to fans of epics, historical and films with strong female characters

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© Shannon Ridler, 2010

* The Sword & Sandal Marathon is a 13 week marathon exploring sword & sandal films in anticipation of the 2010 release of Clash of the Titans (2010)

Julius Caesar (1953)

Dir: Joseph L. Mankiewicz (All About Eve, Cleopatra (1963), Sleuth (1972))
Cast: James Mason, Marlon Brando, Louis Calhern, John Gielgud, Edmond O'Brien, Greer Garson, Deborah Kerr
USA, 1953

Seen: March 1 & 6, 2010

Reason to Watch & Review: For the Sword & Sandal Marathon*

Going with a bit of a different feel to the sword & sandals this time round with the 1953 adaptation of the William Shakesphere's play to Julius Caesar. It certainly fits the theme, although the strict drama styling makes it feel very different from all of the other films from teh Sword & Sandal Marathon so far.

Within minutes of the films opening, I was captivated. The language alone was so engaging that sometimes I had to rewind and re-watch a scene. Let me be clear this isn't because it was confusing, but rather that the lines and delivery were so rich that I was holding on to that moment of the performance and staying there instead of continuing to follow along. It was a big reminder that a lot of films now you really feel like you can watch with partial attention and get all you need from it. Not here. Keep focus on the film and you will be rewarded at every turn. A compelling story based in society power structure, leaders and filled with rich and complicated characters. Every line felt like it was addressing so many different levels of information - to us, the viewer, to the character it was being said to, to the speaker themselves. I was blown away but the richness.

The performances here are key to the films success, and I was completely blown away by James Mason as Brutus. Going in with just an archetypal understanding of Brutus, I felt like I left with so much more - different motivations, desires than I'd never had put together. I was also impressed by Marlon Brando performance as Mark Antony, and it reminded me that I really enjoy a lot of his work from around that time (A Streetcar Named Desire, On the Waterfront, The Wild One).

In terms of a sword & sandals film, it's mostly of the sandals variety. There is some fighting but it's certainly not the focus. It's focus is really on plotting, strategy, power and revenge for which it handles very well. Although I had almost no expectations going in, I left feeling like I had stumbled onto a beautiful treasure. I'm happy I stretched the category a bit because it would have been a shame to miss this one.

Shannon's Overall View:
I enjoyed it
I'll watch it again
I'd recommend it to fans of historical films, biopics and dramas

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© Shannon Ridler, 2010

* The Sword & Sandal Marathon is a 13 week marathon exploring sword & sandal films in anticipation of the 2010 release of Clash of the Titans (2010)

Week in Film Vlog for March 8, 2010

It's completely timing that this weeks vlog is femme centric considering today is International Women's Day!
Academy Awards: Winners & Ceremony Discussion
Theatrical: Alice in Wonderland (2010), Fish Tank, Avatar
Sword & Sandal: Julius Caesar (1953), Cleopatra (1963)
Random: Double Dare

Week in Film Vlog: March 1, 2010

Theatrical: The Crazies, Edge of Darkness, Shutter Island, Dear John, Reel Injun
Upcoming Trailers: A Nightmare on Elm Street (2010) (trailer), MacGruber (trailer)
Random: Coraline
Sword & Sandal: Outlander





This is people waiting for tickets outside Rainbow - before it even opened. I've not seen this kind of sight for many years! It's awesome!

Outlander

Dir: Howard McCain
Cast: James Caviezel, Sophia Myles, Jack Huston, John Hurt, Ron Perlman, Bailey Maughan
USA/Germany, 2009 (DVD)

Seen: May 2009 on DVD and revisited February 22, 2010 for the Sword & Sandal Marathon*

Although watching Outlander for the Sword & Sandal Marathon wasn't a first viewing, it was reaffirmed that the movie gets more and more enjoyable upon revisiting. It's a creative re-interpretation of a the Beowulf story with a scifi twist. Sounds crazy, but it works, perhaps because although it feels futuristic yet historical the heart of the story itself is timeless.

The characters in the film all feel like start with molds we are familiar with, but then bend them and brighten them to make the more interesting that shallow interpretation we can often see on the screen. James Caviezel plays Kainan, the Outlander, and does a great job of bringing us someone who is skilled but lacks some of the social skills or understanding of the setting of the film. We also have Freya, played by Sophia Myles, who is a highlight of the film being a believable strong female character in terms of physically as well as in spirit. I absolutely loved Freya. To round things out we have the power hungry Wulfric played by Jack Huston, who centres the period and setting of the film brilliantly.

The great characters are a strong element of the film but I also enjoyed how it explored the themes of leadership and power, and how the drive for them can come from different perspectives and motivations. I really enjoyed this aspect of the film, how it wasn't over the top preachy but just showed different perspectives without placing that much judgment. I also enjoyed the perspective that is showed on a society reaction to wasn't unified. How refreshing that people would have different opinions here one a scenario. There's a thought! Or several thoughts, technically.

It's a bit of a stretch for the marathon, but it is historically set and their are swords. It has the spirit of a sword & sandals film with a hero journey at it's core and an overall adventure quality to it. And, I'll admit, I wanted to opportunity to watch it again and review it to share how much I enjoy it. I love the character of Freya, I love the humour spattered in here and there and I love the overall looks and feel of the film. The settings had a great blend of rustic and Viking feel to it that permeated the environment on every level. The only thing I didn't love were the effects, which looked great, I'm just a fan of models with these kinds of films but oddly this didn't detract from the overall enjoyment of the film in any way.

I'm still very surprized that this film was never released in Toronto. It did receive a limited releases in the States and even here in Canada according to IMDb, but not here in the T-dot. It's really too bad I would have loved to see it on the big screen. But, now I can rewatch it as much as I like on DVD.


Shannon's Overall View:
I love it
I own it
I recommend it to fans of fantasy & action and new takes on historical stories

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© Shannon Ridler, 2010

* The Sword & Sandal Marathon is a 13 week marathon exploring sword & sandal films in anticipation of the 2010 release of Clash of the Titans (2010)

Percy Jackson & the Olympians: the Lightning Thief

Dir: Chris Columbus (Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, I Love You, Beth Cooper)
Cast: Logan Lerman, Alexandra Daddario, Brandon T. Jackson, Kevin McKidd, Pierce Brosnan, Catherine Keener, Sean Bean, Uma Thurman, Rosario Dawson, Steve Coogan, Jake Abel
USA/Canada, 2010

Seen: February 12, 2010

Reason to see: Urban fantasy in combination with Greek Mythology? I'm so there. Plus it's based on the book series. Also fits in for this weeks selection for the Sword & Sandal Marathon *

I had really hoped to read the book that went with this film before seeing it, but that didn't quite pan out (not like I don't have enough reading planned for this year). Oh well, there being too many books to read is a problem I'm fine with having. But, in the end that is okay because after seeing Percy Jackson & the Olympians: the Lightning Thief I'm still looking forward to reading the book it's based, as well as the whole Olympians series.

I loved the world this film is set in, and I think urban fantasy might be my new favourite subgenre. Combining Greek mythology and an urban setting is a brilliant idea, and it provides a opportunity to explore concepts of strengths, weaknesses, natural abilities, training, knowledge and skill in an interesting way. That is the genius of the film - it's not heavy handed in putting these two ideas together, but does so in a creative and seamless manner so that it unfolds beautifully and intuitively for the viewer.

The film follows the title character, Percy Jackson played by Logan Lerman (3:10 to Yuma (2007), Gamer) who is as new to this concept as we are. Logan Lerman does a great job getting across the comedic elements of the story and is certainly believeable as a resistant participant. I enjoyed how much of the young cast is showcased at the heart of the film, alongside Percy we have his friend Grover (Brandon T. Jackson) and the strong and adept Annabeth (Alexandra Daddario). The focus of the film really is their adventure and their stories, which was great to see. Not to say the adult cast isn't important, they are, but they add as opposed to overwhelm world which is great to keeping it centred on the teens. The adults do have some great moments though, Kevin McKidd is wonderful as Poseidon, and both Rosario Dawson and Uma Thurman are delightful.

In terms of being a sword & sandals film, it's a bit of a stretch. Swords - yes, sandals - no, but with the mythological elements it fits in enough for me. As opposed to the other films in the marathon, this one will likely be the only kids movie. But, if you have an adventurous spirit I think you will enjoy it.

The only thing I wasn't super sold on was some of the effects, but only some of them and only when it had to do with scale, which seems to rarely work seamlessly in film. This film is about the spirit of adventure, innovated storytelling and great characters - and it lands all of those marks. It was a heck of a lot of fun and I look forward to learning more about the world.

I only noticed after the fact that the release date of February 12, 2010 aligns to the opening of the 2010 Winter Olympics! Way to tie it into current events!

Shannon's Overall View:
I loved it
I'll buy it
I'd recommend to fans of adventure films & urban/new takes on mythology

14 minutes of preshow including 1 commercials and 7 previews: Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Marmaduke, Despicable Me, The Karate Kid (2010), The Last Airbender, Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore and The Last Song

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© Shannon Ridler, 2010

* The Sword & Sandal Marathon is a 13 week marathon exploring sword & sandal films in anticipation of the 2010 release of Clash of the Titans (2010)

Alexander

Dir: Oliver Stone (Platoon, JFK, The Doors, W.)
Cast: Colin Farrell, Angelina Jolie, Val Kilmer, Jared Leto, Anthony Hopkins, Rosario Dawson, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Christopher Plummer
Germany/USA/The Netherlands/France/UK/Italy, 2004

Seen: February 9, 2010

Reason to Watch & Review: For the Sword & Sandal Marathon*

I remember when Alexander came out back in 2004, and how we had both it and Troy in 2004 and how it was interesting that they both came just a few years after Gladiator. I did see Troy in the theatre but this is a first viewing for me of Alexander, after hearing that it wasn't so hot. But, I'm going completist with the Sword & Sandal Marathon so I can't not watch it.

Sometimes being a completist doesn't rock. I hate to admit that for the majority of the time, I had no clue what was going on in this film. There were in battle... somewhere... with whom? Who knows. But, worst that that, even after 2 hours 47 minutes I still didn't have a strong idea of Alexander or his defining characteristics. Who was he? What was his motivation? Why would people follow his lead? No idea. The only thing I was certain of was that he cared deeply for Hephaistion, played by Jared Leto who gives us a compelling and restrained performance. I got that. But that was about it.

The storytelling style doesn't help us at all, flipping back and forth between different time periods in his life but without giving the audience a consistent indicator of the time line. In a way I think it was a daring choice to play with the structure and use tension in a way we aren't used to seeing but I found the result to be anticlimactic. With all the different time lines going on, in the end I had to guesstimate when we were by using the length of Alexander's hair as a gauge.

Another red flags that came up in the film was the use of intermittent narration. This always makes me leery. Narration can keep the audience in the loop, and I often love it at the beginning of the film but when used throughout it feels like they are filling us in on what happened between scenes. It's a film - show us, don't tell us! I understood that there is a connection to the story about storytelling, which worked on a meta level but still didn't work for me.

In terms of a sword & sandals film, it feels a lot different that then other ones I've seen so far. It's really a biopic and personal journey and although there is some fighting, it's not the focus here and what is show is rather bloody, brutal and looks like a lot of CGI with the larger scenes. I did enjoy seeing the perspective of it being a time where Greek Mythology was taught, but not believed by all which sets up an interesting division of believe systems. I wish that element of the film was explored a little deeper.

Overall, I enjoyed the great performances here particularly Angelina Jolie as Alexander's devoted and ruthless mother Olympia and Jared Leto as Hephaistion. But beyond that most of the time I was left confused or mystified. Perhaps being more familiar with the history it would be a more enjoyable watch, but I'm a firm believer that with film it should tell you all you need to know.

Shannon's Overall View:
I didn't love it
I own it, but it's doubtful I'll watch it
I'd recommend it as

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© Shannon Ridler, 2010

* The Sword & Sandal Marathon is a 13 week marathon exploring sword & sandal films in anticipation of the 2010 release of Clash of the Titans (2010)

Gladiator

Dir: Ridley Scott (Alien, G.I. Jane, Kingdom of Heaven, Robin Hood (2010))
Cast: Russell Crowe, Joaquim Phoenix, Connie Nielson, Oliver Reed, Richard Harris, Djimon Hounsou, Derek Jacobi, Spencer Treat Clark
UK/USA, 2000

Seen: Many times theatrically & at home, revisited February 2, 2010 on VHS

Reason to Watch & Review: For the Sword & Sandal Marathon*

First off, I'm a little mystified I only have this one VHS but that shows it's vintage from 'back in' 2000. I have lots of fond memories of this film, from seeing the first previous at the (then) Paramount theatre, to seeing it theatrically and discussing it at length with people, to renting it on VHS, which could very well be the copy I now own. It also holds a special place in my heart as it was the year I got back into watching film and a year where I watching the Academy Awards with baited breath, and cheered along the way as it won 5 of the 9 awards it was nominated for (Picture, Actor - Russell Crowe, Costume Design, Visual Effects and Sound), and that was one of the last times I was thrilled about the majority of the outcomes.

There is no contest that this is the best film as part of the marathon so far, from a personal standpoint it made my A Decade of Movie Memories for 2000, to the Oscar and award wins, to still being on IMDb Top 250 (#102 as of today) and the general consensus that everyone loves it. Revisiting it 10 years later shows that it stands up to the test of time and cements that it's a perfect storm of a film - great director, great lead actor, epic story and a beautiful vision fully realized on the screen. Every aspect of the film is exceptional.

In terms of being a Sword & Sandal film, this one is obviously of the Gladiator vein. Russell Crowe stars as Maximus, a character who is a force to be reckoned whether a general or a slave. He is also a solid example of being showing how people are who they are, and regardless of their situation plays the role that they are meant to play. He can't be anyone but himself - someone with excellent prowness, someone is is loyal and gravitates to natural leadership and a person of great physical strength. He isn't the only example of this in the film, we get several fantastic characters and one of those is played by Joaquim Phoenix, who in a phenomenal performance brings us the power hungry Commodus who also truly is who he is and no one else which makdes his character all the more tragic. Filling out the main characters is Lucilla, Commodus' sister played by Connie Nielson whom I'm surprized didn't receive a nomination for her performance, as she has some of the strongest moments in the film. Her relationships are the most complicated and the amount of depth in performance is astounding as she portrays someone who is truly between a rock & a hard place throughout the majority of the film but still someone how maintains perfect distance and calms all the troubled waters.

The dialogue is very powerful, it clearly showcases the characters motivations, desires and quiet evasions and on top of all that it is ridiculously memorable. There are certain quotes that get used over and over again but I didn't expect to remember it so well, I've not seen this film for at least 5 years and I remembered about a third by heart. I didn't expect that as I would think of this film primarily for the its overall story along with the fighting & action sequences. But this time I what I really took away from it was the characters, and I specifically enjoyed how it demonstrated in a subtle cause & effect manner distinctively different leadership styles and their effectiveness. In this it explores loyalty, strength, bravery, balance, defiance, power and empowerment. Amazing.

"There was once a dream that was Rome."

Dreams are powerful, as is this film is powerful. I won't be waiting another 5 years to revisit it again.

Shannon's Overall View:
I love it
I own it
I widely recommend it

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© Shannon Ridler, 2010

* The Sword & Sandal Marathon is a 13 week marathon exploring sword & sandal films in anticipation of the 2010 release of Clash of the Titans (2010)

Week in Film Vlog: February 1, 2010

Theatrical: The Last Station, Creation, The White Ribbon
Sword & Sandal: Conan the Barbarian & Conan the Destroyer
Random: The Bad & The Beautiful, Into Great Silence, Monsters vs Aliens, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, I've Loved You So Long
Upcoming: Oscar Nominations, 2010 Book to Film Challenge

Conan the Destroyer

Dir: Richard Fleischer (Red Sonja, Soylent Green)
Based on the stories by Robert E. Howard
Cast: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Mako, Grace Jones, Olivia d'Abo, Wilt Chamberlain, Tracey Walter, Sarah Douglas
USA, 1984

Revisited: January 27, 2010

Reason to Watch & Review: For the Sword & Sandal Marathon*

The general consensus on the Conan films seems to be that Conan the Barbarian is awesome, and Conan the Destroyer sucks, which means it's not all that fair that I watched the films back to back. But, I knew I liked Conan the Destroyer more than most and there are certain scenes and characters that will always shine through for me.

While watching, I kept wondering to myself "What is it that makes people not like this film?", and then it became abundantly clear. The effects. Oh boy. I'm willing to give films the benefit of the doubt, acknowledge the time period and limitations, but not here. It's a mere 2 years after Conan the Barbarian yet the effects are so much worse, and in part it's the choices they made of when and where to use them because have to say that they were not great choices. This is one challenge that all fantasy/historical films that have a magical element face - how will you show something that doesn't exist in reality, be it a creature, a place or an occurrence. In Conan the Destroyer all the times they used effects I had to contain laughter. It also moved the sorcery element from feeling powerful and mythical to more sideshow and goofy. Add to that some of the fighting feels straight up an 80's WWF wrestling match, and I was dumbfounded.

It's also seemed to reverse good choice that were made in the first film - instead of little dialogue, we get a fair amount of dialogue. Instead of just a few comedic moments (mostly unintentional) we have a whole character dedicated to comic relief which actually wasn't so bad. Instead of working with beautiful locations, we get created sets and effects. Play to the strengths, not the other way around!

That being said I can forgive the film a lot simply for Grace Jones' character Zula, a fierce warrior who fights with unmatched energy and vigour. What I love about that character is she never gives up, never complains, is extremely capable and goes for what she wants - it's awesome. Of course the film tempers by having a Princess Jehnna, played by Olivia d'Abo, who is part of a prophecy and I was worried that that would get a little Temple of Doom-like with her being whiny, but that isn't really the case although her isolation of the world in general leads to lots of awkward comedy about men and women which provided more comic relief that really didn't feel necessary.

Overall, it's true that it's no where near as good as Conan the Barbarian, but there is enough in there for it to be an enjoyable and fun watch.

Shannon's Overall View:
I didn't love it but I love the things that I love about it
I own it
I'd recommend it as a light/fun adventure film

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© Shannon Ridler, 2010

* The Sword & Sandal Marathon is a 13 week marathon exploring sword & sandal films in anticipation of the 2010 release of Clash of the Titans (2010)

Conan the Barbarian

Dir: John Milius (Red Dawn, Flight of the Intruder)
Based on the stories by Robert E. Howard
Cast: Arnold Schwarzenegger, James Earl Jones, Sandahl Bergman, Mako, Ben Davidson, Max von Sydow
USA, 1982

Revisited: January 26, 2010

Reason to Watch & Review: For the Sword & Sandal Marathon*

Revisiting Conan the Barbarian was such a treat as I have lots of fond memories of it from growing up, but I found myself having to really stop and focus on watching the film because I've seen it so many times that it took effort to really 'see' it. It's strange - I haven't had that happens since I revisited Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, who knew these two films would have anything in common?

This is an epic movie on many levels, from the epic journey of the main character to the fantastic world it is set in with magic and sorcery. One of the things I love most about Conan the Barbarian is that it really plays to it's strengths and doesn't let possible weaknesses gets in the way. It's a great adventure story, which is sets up through narration and follows through with action which visual takes us for a right for the majority of the journey. I'd admit that the dialogue isn't fantastic but it keeps it brief and what we are left either works well or at the very least is pretty amusing. The film also plays the epic card very well with fantastic locations, impressive sets and iconic heroes and villains. The score is powerful and really amps up the charging energy at all the right moments.

Out of the sword & sandal films so far, I'm surprized to say that Conan is the least likable character. Not that I disliked him, but when you sit down and think about it he's not a terrific guy (hence: Barbarian) and this film is primarily based on revenge as opposed to overall good vs evil theme. I almost didn't notice this about his character because it's tempered by Arnold Schwarzenegger charisma which brings a lot to the screen.

A huge bonus to the film is getting to see the character of Valeria, played by Sandahl Bergman, who is a thief by definition but plays out as a warrior. She is the first to jump into action, fearless, resourceful and can fight to boot. It's always welcome to have strong female characters and she is a fantastic one. The fighting overall it pretty awesome combining creativity with straight up skill for impressive and inventive results. It's didn't feel that gory overall although there are some pretty intense moments, I was surprized to see the DVD had an R rating but perhaps that is due to to the nudity and not violence.

Overall it's a great adventure and one that I'm sure to revisit again and again.

Shannon's Overall View:
I loved it
I own it
I'd recommend it as a great adventure/sword & sandals film

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© Shannon Ridler, 2010

* The Sword & Sandal Marathon is a 13 week marathon exploring sword & sandal films in anticipation of the 2010 release of Clash of the Titans

Week in Film Vlog: January 25, 2010

Canada's Top Ten 2009: Cairo Time, Passenger Side
Theatrical: High Life, Legion, My Most Anticipated Films of 2010 List, The Warriors
101 in 1001: Eraserhead, Happy Together, Brides of Dracula
Sword & Sandal: Jason in the Argonauts (1963)
Random: Curse of the Werewolf, The Proposal

Jason and the Argonauts (1963)

Dir: Don Chaffey (One Million Years B.C., The Viking Queen)
Cast: Todd Armstrong, Nancy Kovack, Gary Raymond, Niall MacGinnis, Laurence Naismith, Honor Blackman, Nigel Green, Douglas Wilmer
UK/USA, 1963

Seen: January 17, 2010 on VHS

Reason to Watch & Review: For the Sword & Sandal Marathon*

This is the first film of the marathon that is a first time viewing, which was quite a treat. I had a very general idea of what I might be in for so I settled in with my popcorn to be taken away to into the land of myth and who knows what else!

Although made roughly 20 years apart, Jason and the Argonauts (1963) has strong similarities to Clash of the Titans (1981), as we follow the heroic journey of a man whom is faced with a situation to fix through no wrong doing of his own. Jason and the Argonauts follows Jason who is working towards righting the wrong of his usurped kingdom, while being watched by the Gods. The film has a great cast of characters that come along for the adventure, but I really felt the heart of the story was the character of Jason. One of the most interesting characteristics about Jason is that he doesn't complain about the cards he's been dealt, nor expect any special treatment. He will certainly use the tools that are available, but does so with intelligence and grace. He uses innovation to deal with the tasks at hand and has the ability to draws people through keying into their personal motivation along with chance to be a part of something great. Both of these are powerful tool and great reminder that there is more than one solution to any one problem or scenario.

Aside from the characters, an epic journey always needs obstacles to overcome and when dealing with myths you can be sure the obstacles will be formidable. This is, of course, where the special effects come into play and even though I hadn't seen this film before several of the scenes with special effects where familiar, so I guess I've watched a few programs that showcased Ray Harryhausen's work. Although some of the blue screened effects don't fair too well over time, they still conveyed a sense of grand scale and vast challenges. I did however really enjoy the effects that were stop motion a great deal, and I'm sure if I had seen this film as a kid they would have scared me to bits!

The film is a great weekend afternoon type watch, and it's amazing that I found it can evoke a sense of nostalgia even though I hadn't seen it before. I really enjoyed the characters, their choices, the journey and the questions it brings to the surface. It's a great blend of fun adventure with lessons learned. A real treat.

So far the two veins of the Sword & Sandal films I've explored are Greek mythology and gladiator stories. It's interesting to note that both have the common trait of one group of characters watching another complete or compete in tasks where they stakes are stacked against them - but the viewers have little care for the players, only for the battle. This feels like it puts the view in a rather odd position - watching people watch these adventures for their own entertainment, when we ourselves are doing the same.

Shannon's Overall View:
I enjoyed it
Ill watch it again
I'd recommend it as fun, nostalgic adventure film

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© Shannon Ridler, 2010

* The Sword & Sandal Marathon is a 13 week marathon exploring sword & sandal films in anticipation of the 2010 release of Clash of the Titans