300 Propaganda?

**the nut** · 03-13-2007, 05:38 PM

Iranians outraged over hit movie ‘300’ Blockbuster depicting Persian siege called an ‘obvious insult’

The Associated Press
Updated: 6:27 p.m. ET March 13, 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.”

**maniclion** · 03-13-2007, 05:42 PM

Ah... the revolving wheel of history, running us over again and again....

**goob** · 03-13-2007, 05:43 PM

Actually, you can sort of draw a parallell.

The caucasian forces in white vs the massed dark malformed twisted forces of evil. Middle east conflict? hmm. Does'nt present them in a good light.

No, it's BS, just another example of Iran stirring the pot, any ammunition.........

**BigDyl** · 03-13-2007, 05:45 PM

I can see their point. But then again, who cares? lawl

**goob** · 03-13-2007, 05:50 PM

Originally Posted by the nut

“The film depicts Iranians as demons, without culture, feeling or humanity, who think of nothing except attacking other nations and killing people,”

You know, the truely ironic in nature, could almost use this quote to describe the war-mongering done by the US recently....

**KelJu** · 03-13-2007, 06:30 PM

Originally Posted by goob

You know, the truely ironic in nature, could almost use this quote to describe the war-mongering done by the US recently....

That does describe us to a "T".

**goandykid** · 03-15-2007, 03:17 AM

Lame, Iran. Take it up with King Leonidas, not us.

**Witmaster** · 03-15-2007, 06:01 AM

I saw 300 last night at the IMAX. Overall I'd have to say that intellectually, the movie isn't very deep. The dialog is pretty simplistic. There were some good one liners in there though. Example: When the Spartan Warrior was told his men didn't stand a chance and that "there will be so many Persian arrows they will blacken the sun" the warrior defiantly replied, "Fine, we shall fight in the shade".

Overall I liked the movie. The fighting scenes were amazing although I think they kinda went overboard on the "matrix-slow-motion" effects. Overall, I'd rate it 4 out of 5 stars.

Now... having said that.... I'll saw I not once thought of the Iranians during the whole movie. The preponderance of Persian invaders were protrayed as hideous man-beast creatures. Deformed and tormented demonic men with absolutely no conscious. Come to think of it.... It COULD have been the Iranians.

Speaking of middle-eastern culture... I'm off to Jordan. I'll see you all in a couple weeks.

**BigDyl** · 03-15-2007, 09:13 AM

Yeah I thought 300 took itself too seriously.

**bigss75** · 03-15-2007, 09:58 AM

The Colbert Report was talking about 300 and had the Spartans as the Republicans and the Persians as the Democrats it was hilarious.

**Dale Mabry** · 03-15-2007, 11:10 AM

Originally Posted by bigss75

The Colbert Report was talking about 300 and had the Spartans as the Republicans and the Persians as the Democrats it was hilarious.

I would think the Dems to be more of the Greek persuasion, if you know what I mean.

**BigDyl** · 03-15-2007, 01:02 PM

The spartan king and queen:

**Witchblade** · 03-15-2007, 01:50 PM

The middle east should take one big fucking chill pill. Period.

**Dale Mabry** · 03-15-2007, 05:18 PM

Originally Posted by Witchblade

The middle east should take one big fucking chill pill. Period.

Or cyanide pill.

**Focus** · 03-16-2007, 12:28 PM

Originally Posted by Dale Mabry

Or cyanide pill.

lol

Honestly, Iran is going over the top with that accusation. The middle east is very proud of their history, and they should be, but to claim that this movie is insulting is just rediculous. Unless their goal truely is that they want conquer Greece still?!

Does Germany complain like this everytime a WWII movie comes out?

**Dale Mabry** · 03-16-2007, 03:02 PM

Originally Posted by Focus

Does Germany complain like this everytime a WWII movie comes out?

I wouldn't know, I don't speak German.

**MCx2** · 03-16-2007, 03:04 PM

Originally Posted by Focus

Unless their goal truely is that they want conquer Greece still?!

If that's the case, Iran should be happy for having plenty of footage on "what not to do."

**musclepump** · 03-16-2007, 03:12 PM

Holy fucking shit. The movie is about GREEKS AND PERSIANS. Not Americans. Take it for what is it... A FILM. ENTERTAINMENT.

**the nut** · 03-16-2007, 05:44 PM

Originally Posted by musclepump

Holy fucking shit. The movie is about GREEKS AND PERSIANS. Not Americans. Take it for what is it... A FILM. ENTERTAINMENT.

Not to mention, it's based on factual events.

Thread: 300 Propaganda?

Thread Tools

Display

300 Propaganda?

Similar Threads

US to fight real reporting with pure propaganda

MyPyramid.Com...USDA propaganda?

Propaganda vs Real Life in America

More proof that Fox News is a government sponsored propaganda machine...

U.S. Propaganda

Posting Permissions