alexander-the-great.co.uk

[Catherine X]

Not a totally serious post, I must admit!

I think 'Alexander' has made me more open about what I like [at least on this message board anyway] i.e. beautiful men with each other.

As some people here know, I have loads of favourite men, my most favourite being the racing driver, Ruben Xaus. My husband calls him 'that Spanish poof', to annoy me, but this tactic backfired on him yesterday. I noticed an American rider, Nicky Hayden, who is also gorgeous... then I started imagining who would be the Alexander and who the Hephaestion out of Ruben and Nicky.... My husband has given up on me, he despairs....

[alessandros]

after watching the film, i was inspired and it changed my perspect of looking at certain thing in life differently........althought, i must amit that i dont really(cos of the complication within the movie, as i didnt know much about this alexander guy) like the movie but it makes my wanna read more on this guy.........i think OS did a great job on it!

[Adriv]

This movie has changed my life in some kind of way while having difficult times in my life, never thought this movie will give me some kind of hope and peacefullnest and joy. The passion, the challenge, the view of life and the love Alexander had for life. I am fascinated more and more about the life of Alexander the Great, I never known any person in history will touch me like he had.

It seems to be that everytime I watch my copy of my DVD, I still tear when I see it. I don´t think any movie had.

I had promise myself I will go visit someday some of the places Alexander conquered. For me Alexander the Great is my hero, no matter other people say about him.

I want to thank Mr. Oliver Stone for making a wonderful movie who has touched the hearts of many people (including me) who admire Alexander the Great.

A toast, to Alexander the Great! Cheers!

[Catherine X]

Thanks for dragging me back to sanity, Alessandros and Adriv I think I got a bit carried away with my post above- hope I don't get sued by those two riders!

[cindoo15]

Catherine - don't ever feel you've gotten too carried away with a post. Take this from one who knows; I seem to get carried away all the time and everyone is still talking to me (I think )! Getting carried away would be talking about monkeys or something like that !!

I've been affected in many ways; I'd also claim the wanting to see beautiful men together bit but I realized that before this film. Hm, how about this one - fantasizing about someone who's been dead for 2300 years! Do you feel better now Catherine?

Another way I've been affected is that yesterday I sat down and wrote an outline of a battle without being forced to do it by some crazed history professor. My husband was quite shocked about that himself.

The biggest affect has really been an increased intrest in ancient history; I was always fascinated by the ancient Greeks and Romans but now I find myself delving much deeper into the topic than I would have ever thought of before. I think this film, the way the people were portrayed, made the ancient world seem more real to me than ever before.

Great topic idea by the way.

[Catherine X]

[cindoo15]

I tell you what Catherine, I can't wait for you to get the DVD either. I'm really anxious to read what you think about it after having only seen it once and then having to wait so so long to see any part of it again.

Maybe you'll even start reading boring old history books with us! Nah, then you'd have to give up your time fantasizing about Ruben and Nicky!!! (Gee, I just read what I wrote and it can be taken as rude, but please I am only joking around with you - I'm sure you know that though).

[Catherine X]

[joanna]

Ancient history has always been an interesting matter for me. One of my favourite subjects at school. But I'm more interested in people and their lives than their history (now I sound like Plutarch).
These exciting personalities in the ancient world, still, seem to be so modern. I've always liked reading biographies of these people and consequently learning about their time.

Pericles,Caesar, Lycurgus, Solon, Themistocles, Alcibiades, Cicero, Antony.......you name them.

But nobody can be compared to Alexander the Great. (at least for me).Everytime that a book about Alexander is in my hands I can't stop reading it. All the books I have read about him ,so far, have fascinated me. Even if some of them contain errors ( I can spot them) or they include not real events (they are mainly fiction inspired on Alexander).
You see, Alexander is like a magnet for me. He ...attracts me! Wherever he is. Recently he has been in a movie: OUR 'Alexander'. How could I stay away from him!

After watching the movie I had a strange feeling; Alexander being dead a long time ago, all of a sudden,came back to life! We were there with him sharing his good and bad moments. It was such a nice surprise to see Alexander as Colin (sorry... Colin as Alexander I wanted to say). Colin gave us a perfect Aleaxander.

God only knows how much I like this film!

So you ask if it has affected me. Of course it has! It generously offered me strong emotions that I had never experienced before. Now I can 'feel' Alexander better and have more sympathy for him. I have this picture of Colin in my mind showing the person Alexander and not only the king . We saw him being generous and gentle, angry and sad, caring and determined. Of course I knew his story but the movie was beautiful. It made me appreciate Alexander the 'man' more. I can see how powerful men can be destroyed when they lose a beloved person. Alexander had all the world in his hands but Hephaestion's death broke his heart.

Think for a moment, isn't that true for him? His fall started at that point.For Alexander there was no return.
And, consciously, gave away all the world....and went to meet Hephaestion.

You see how great that man was. No one can be compared to him. He was ,is , and will be the GREATEST and most INTERESTING historical figure.


MORAL


True feelings cannot be hidden. They can make us 'conquer' the world or....'lose' it in a second.

[cindoo15]

Joanna - that was great. Everything you said was just right on. You have left me speechless!

[joanna]

Oh , thanks Pam. (I'm blushing with pride!)

[Alexandros_19]

Joanna, great post! I felt almost as inspired as after Aristotle's speech in the movie.

[TheChosen]

The main thing that influenced was making my passion to be finding what my passion is. I realised only then can great things happen.. I'm still looking..

[jazzstock12]

I loved this film, and found it one of the most thought provoking films I've ever seen. The movie shows how through the leadership of the great people in his life (his father, his mother, Aristotle) Alexander formed his great vision of unifying the world's cultures, how he was given the opportunity to apply that vision to reality with his army and generals, and how he maintained that vision with the help of his friend Hephaistion. When he realized this vision could no longer be applied to reality, only then did he turn back for home.

Iris Murdoch in The Sovereignty of Good (pg 85, lines 8-14) defines tragedy as “suffering without a thrill and death without a consolation. Or if there is any consolation it is the austere consolation of a beauty which teaches that nothing in life is of any value except the attempt to be virtuous”. I think that Alexander fits this description; when Alexander's attempt to unite the cultures died, he died with it. Alexander's vision fell apart because it was not shared by others. However, as Ptolemy said, “His failures tower above other men’s successes.”

This movie made me realize that I, too, would rather fail in pursuit of a great vision than succeed in achieving whatever comes easiest to me in life. However, by working together success in achieving great visions is possible. I know great potential is available to me and many other people in life. All that’s left undecided is what we will do.

[Alexandros_19]

Jazzstock12,

Welcome to the board. I hope you enjoy discussing on the forum. Good post!