(Untitled)

[michela72]

I've lose faith and almost interest in whatever movie Oliver Stone would show us this time. I don't think he can say something significant about Alexander anymore. I'd like to see more war episodes, Granicus, for example, more moments with the soldiers, more interactions between Alexander and his generals and Companions ... Crateros, Parmenion ...

Comments

[gilda_elise]

Unfortunately, I'm inclined to agree. I'd love to think the latest version would balance out Alexander's story with less emphasis on his parents and more on his relationship with Hephaistion, but I'll be surprised if it does. And I'm definitely not looking forward to seeing the Alexander/Bagoas scene I've heard was filmed. Talk about overplaying a historical footnote.

[parisad]

I agree with you about the relationship between Alexander and Hephaestion in the movie: I blame Renault's influence for this and I expect nothing more from the new Director's cut about this issue. I hope in some historical detail and set. I'd like to see something about Statira and Drypetis, at least, but I doubt it.
Anyway, the relationship Alexander/Hephaestion lacks in many studies and fiction about Alexander, mostly because there's still a big prejudice about Hephaestion.
But let's see what we missed in this movie two years ago. I'm curious anyway ;)

[angstman]

I agree with you that I didn't have much faith on Oliver Stone final cut because when I saw their promote picture at the website, i felt like it is more of Roxane and less of Hephaistion. It is sad but true that I think Oliver Stone will not have enough courage to put through his believe in the first place that Alexander story should not only focus on his warrior and king ability but it should also talk about the king's heart which is obviously belong to Hephaistion..grin.. I don;t mind that he will have less Alexander and Hephaisiton in the final cut but at least I want to know more of one scene which is quite disconnect in the theartretical. The scene when Hephaistion was punched by Cleitus and later on he went into Alexander's room with injured lips. So I hope to know more of what was in Oliver Stone mind in that scene.

[kmattox]

In the commentary on I believe the theatrical version, Stone said he would love to have given more time to the scene where Cleitus punched Hephaistion, but he didn't have enough actual time to film any more then what was included in the movie. The only thing I know about the new cut as far as that scene goes is that it's put together differently then it was before, so it won't be the punching scene, then the next day at the wedding, then back to Alexander's room with the injured lips. Which is good since it looked like Hephaistion hadn't changed clothes in a couple of days.

[kmattox]

If I remember right, on one of the commentaries, Stone said the battles that you see in the movie are the only ones he filmed because he combined several of them to fit into the movie. So they may be put together different, but it'll be the same battles as before. I think this version is supposed to focus more on Alexander and how he deals with the important people in his life away from the battle field.

[coraldawn]

I too am not expecting the Final Cut to appeal to me. I do agree completely with michela72's last sentence. Alexander is too big for one movie; perhaps Oliver Stone, who is Mr. Conspiracy Theory himself, should have focused on Philip's murder. Or Alexander's death.

Stone is much more fascinated by Alexander's parents than by Alexander. Stone also does not seem to truly like Alexander and did not quite show to show why the man has had such appeal over more than two millenia. And I do find it a bit irritating that "eastern" influences were all bad - that is, after entering Babylon, Alexander went downhill for good.

So, I expect much more Philip and Olympias, more Roxane, a bit more Bagoas, and we'll be lucky if Hephaistion's cut scenes from the DC are put back.

[parisad]

Actually, I fear we will have more Olympias, more Roxane and maybe a bit more of Bagoas. I'd like to have more of him, actually, but of HISTORICAL Bagoas: for example, I'd like to see the episode told by Curtius about him, NOT what Bagoas supposedly did in Alexander's tent. Whatever.
A new LONGER version is always interesting.