Oh no, not a black Helen! Christopher Nolan's Odyssey and the right-wing reaction

[GoblinCampFollower]

Yeah, I mean, maybe we ahpuld hate on LotR because the armor was impractical for acrual mideival warfare etc.

I think there is a meaningful difference between fantasy that takes place in the real world versus a totally fictional one. ...but yes, I've also seen people criticize LotR for some stylistic choice that weren't very practical. ...including the earlier point about having lots of useless fires and torches in places that don't make sense!

 

[Casey Pelous]

Are you suggesting Odysseus didn't really meet Athena?!

Of course, he did. She looked just like Holly Hunter.

... Like the very bland, dark uniforms Hollywood seems to always put medieval and ancient warriors in.

I don't think that's a 100% inaccuracy. Unless there's some new research I don't know about*, bright, colorful clothing was a scarce commodity through much of civilization. Consider -- you have to bleach the fabric; even cotton isn't super-white straight from the field. Then you have to concoct dyes, and master the chemistry of not only making the dye, but of making it at least somewhat permanent. The same problems apply to paint -- heck, PPG and the other paint companies STILL spend millions on research every year.

It's not that color didn't exist -- just that it was expensive and difficult to produce. We know now, for instance, that the Parthenon was painted in bright colors, and that was the general rule for the marble temples and such, but those were very special buildings.

* Not impossible. I studied costuming and set design in college, which would put it --- hmm, let's see --- yes, in the Grant administration.[/QUOTE]

 

[GoblinCampFollower]

I don't think that's a 100% inaccuracy. Unless there's some new research I don't know about*, bright, colorful clothing was a scarce commodity through much of civilization. Consider -- you have to bleach the fabric; even cotton isn't super-white straight from the field. Then you have to concoct dyes, and master the chemistry of not only making the dye, but of making it at least somewhat permanent. The same problems apply to paint -- heck, PPG and the other paint companies STILL spend millions on research every year.

It's not that color didn't exist -- just that it was expensive and difficult to produce. We know now, for instance, that the Parthenon was painted in bright colors, and that was the general rule for the marble temples and such, but those were very special buildings.

* Not impossible. I studied costuming and set design in college, which would put it --- hmm, let's see --- yes, in the Grant administration.

You are not totally wrong... some colors were very hard for them to produce. Blue dye in particular was a lost technology for a long time. But yes, we have it on pretty firm ground that Medieval people were actually very gaudy with colors. Surviving medieval art and ancient art shows them richly colored and usually wearing family emblems. I think we have it on firm ground that the bland, earth color uniforms with no variance we see in movies were wildly inaccurate. Honestly, the best argument for NOT dressing medieval and ancient warriors in a more accurate fashion is that it might be too shocking for audiences. ...they'd maybe think it looked clownish!

 

[Free]

Of course, he did. She looked just like Holly Hunter.

 

[Noodles]

. ...including the earlier point about having lots of useless fires and torches in places that don't make sense!

Look.

Anyone making that observation has clearly never played Minecraft. And that movie, ironically, did not have random fires and torches.

 

[Free]

Emily Wilson, translator of The Odyssey, has seen the movie and doesn't think much of it

Emily Wilson · An Uncomplicated Man

Greek Prime Minister Congratulates Christopher Nolan On ‘The Odyssey’

Greek Prime Minister Congratulates Christopher Nolan On ‘The Odyssey’

deadline.com

After being publicly slammed by celebrated classicist Emily Wilson over his blockbuster adaptation of Homer’s epic poem The Odyssey, Christopher Nolan may have taken comfort from a video-call with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis this week.

Consolation prize?