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AphroditeIncarnate · Joined: 22 Jun 2005 Posts: 7 Location: United States

I'm a huge fan of the movie, and I'm just curious about how everyone else thinks the characters were shown. Were they just the way you imagined the real historical figures to look?

I thought Colin Farrell was stellar in his role. He looked the part--leonine golden hair and all--and he WAS Alexander. During the movie, I'd forget it was Farrell and not the real Alexander! And Jared Leto was marvelous as Hephaistion. His eyes are breathtaking... I'd expect any man who had a friend like Hephaistion (Leto) to love him... Don't get angry at me, Leto fans, but I had never even heard of him before seeing Alexander. Crying or Very sad

I know, I know, it's sad...but I'm not an avid movie/actor follower--unless it's a historical epic.

Angelina Jolie was perfect in her role, I just wish the makeup department had made her look just a little bit older. I didn't mind the accent either--it just emphasized the fact that Olympias was a foreigner.

Goldsnail · Joined: 08 Oct 2004 Posts: 77

Visually, neither Colin nor Jared match my picture of Alexander. Colin's dye-job was just too obvious, and Jared is too soft-faced. It's their performance that saved the day - it was simply stunning! Talk about charisma. They both have it in tons!

Val Kilmer and Angelina came pretty close to my idea of that strange couple, though Smile

I was very happy with them.

isela · Joined: 27 Mar 2005 Posts: 385 Location: mexico

well in my point of view everything was cool
I like a lot Olympias and heph. about collin as Alexander I love him the only thing could be his hair Confused

and the kid who did the little Alexander (connor paolo) was very professinal

Adriv · Joined: 17 Jan 2005 Posts: 1144 Location: Maryland, USA

Wasn`t Cleitus older in real life?? I like them all.... specially Hephaestion - strong, handsome man. It was perfect for me.
Cassander didn`t say much in the movie... why?

Alexandros_19 · Joined: 15 Feb 2005 Posts: 1230 Location: Argentina

joanna · Posted: Mon Jul 04, 2005 1:02 pm Post subject:

cindoo15 · Joined: 29 Nov 2004 Posts: 1282 Location: Dallas TX

Adriv · Joined: 17 Jan 2005 Posts: 1144 Location: Maryland, USA

Yeah, that`s right!

Was Cassander cute in real life? Wink

Leonnatus · Joined: 06 Feb 2005 Posts: 124

The whole cast were superb.My main problem with the speaking characters was that Perdikkas had no lines and Darius had barely one
which admittedly was memorable 'envelop him Bessus'. But neither got the treatment that History entitled them to. Cool

apelles · Joined: 12 Mar 2005 Posts: 1152

Yes I agree with that.I,d like to have had more dialogue from Alexander,s companions.My favourite Coenus had to be axed from the movie because poor old Brian Blessed got a hernia at boot camp!He ended up playing the wrestling teacher at Pella,all bent over with a stick,obviously in some discomfort.A shame because nobody does roaring like Brian.You could probably have heard him from the Hydaspes to Pella and back without the microphone. Laughing

rothalion · Joined: 02 Dec 2004 Posts: 73 Location: USA, Florida

While I like Colin and Jared and the others in the end my favorite as far as how I pictured him was Gary Stretch as Cleitus. To my mind he was a perfect Cleitus. Loved the character.[/img]

PhillAlexandros · Posted: Sat Jul 23, 2005 4:50 am Post subject:

Jared Leto - I was incredibly surprised at how well he pulled that role. I have to say that I don't like him with long hair, and according to history, the only reason the Queen mistook Hephaistion for Alexander, is because the two looked alike, and Hephaistion was taller, so she assumed "stature equals power." So I didn't like the long brown hair in Jared. But what counted with him was his performance....the passion was there. I have always believed that for Alexander and Hephaistion it was in the eyes, in that look, in that moment of recognition. And nothing, nothing was better acted than that look in the balcony scene, or the tears on the "wedding night." He put real emotion into Hephaistion's eyes, from Jared I got the point that to Hephaistion, Alexander was everything. Jared blew me away!!!!

Colin Farrell- I loved the look. Yes he was too blond, and if you look into early shootings for the film, his hair is actually better..brown with blond streaks. However....I have to admit..HE LOOKS LIKE ALEXANDER. If you take a statue, the features are not far from Colin's - the chiselled chin, the lion-like hair, rugged masculinity with a touch of innocence. And of course ..the eyes. He is a great actor..but he could have been given more material, better material. I don't think he acted "bloody" enough...he cried too much, but that's not his fault. Alexander shed tears, we all know that, but....BUT he was a ruthless fighter too. I like the Gaugamela scene because it showed the conqueror. I think with Colin, they focused too much of the lover, too much on the "kindness" of Alexander. Still, with that he had, Colin did a tremendous job.

Val Kilmer....just perfect. Although I wish we could see a glimpse of just how great Philip of Macedonia was, instead of just a drunken womanizer. And for that reason, Val's best acting, is his bond with his little son in the caves, with all the mythological heroes. I also loved the "father" in him, the moment when he smiled and said "I missed you."

Angelina...WOW....I suspected she would do great...and she pulled through. I loved the instant look she gave Euridiche as soon as Philip died, that's the Olympias I know!!!!!

Cleitus was perfect!!!!!

The ones I didn't favor...

The guy who played Philotas..was too young!!!!! Philotas was aproximately 30 years old when Alexander set off, and apparently the most good looking man in the army..very ...very ...very VAIN too.

I do miss Coenus.

Craterus....uhmm...I'm iffy about him.

Although I like Jonathan Rhys, Cassander in my mind was not power hungry enough. His true light came only at the end of Alexander's life...in the meantime, he was struttring around like Alexander's friend, when that was not the case at all.

rothalion · Joined: 02 Dec 2004 Posts: 73 Location: USA, Florida

Jared Leto did a remarkable job as hephaistion! I realize that hist. he probably did not have the long hair but it worked for me in the movie. He was strong yet not afraid or abashed at showing just how devoted and to some degree insecure he was. He feared for and worried over losing Alexander. Losing him to Alexander's dreams, to Roxane and as a result of his own immenent death. The scenes during the wedding to Roxane when Heph. is wandering through the crowd are beautifuly portrayed by Leto and rank along with the balconey and ring scenes as my favorite. For a role with so little dialogue he managed to say so much with only his eyes and body language. For me he was the best actor of the lot. Or better yet gave us his character with the least amount of blatent acting, he was for this movie Hephaistion.

apelles · Joined: 12 Mar 2005 Posts: 1152

ml3al · Joined: 28 Apr 2005 Posts: 4

Colin Farrell and Jared Leto were really great. I had forgotten that Colin actually can act because the only place you really see him these days is in the cover of the national enquirer.

But I hated the fact that Hephaestion was mostly like an extra on the back-ground. I imagined him as a much more stronger personality, someone who more drove than supported Alexander to do things.

I was also suprised that in the movie Bagoas didnt have any lines at all because wasnt he a very out-spoken in real life and that was one of the reasons why Alexander was drown to him?
but in the movie he is just Alexanders boy-toy.