The Odyssey (Review)

[Keith_W]

You are probably referring to a different Dark Age, the one after the fall of the Roman Empire, i.e. more than a millennium later. The one we are talking about here is the one after the fall of the Mycenan/Minoan civilization. It begins here, but also all over the Middle East, with traces of violent destruction, followed by a dramatic population decline. After a few centuries population began to grow again, with a quite different social and political structure, and leading to what is called the archaic period.

And that is a most fascinating thing to study: the fall of the bronze age, the rise of the Sea People, and the simultaneous sacking of many of the glittering empires of the time: the Mycenean/Minoan as you mention, but also the Hittites, Assyrians, Babylonians, and Egyptians. There are theories that it coincided with the fall of the Shang Dynasty and the disappearance of Sanxingdui in China. This points towards global climate change as a cause of simultaneous crop failures and social upheaval.

"History" from that time mixes the supernatural with (maybe) real events as they struggled to understand what was happening to them. Other ancient stories worth reading, besides Homer, are Epic of Gilgamesh and Beowulf as well as the Chinese classics Shujing and Yijing (known to Western scholars as I-Ching).

 

[Willem]

This points towards global climate change as a cause of simultaneous crop failures and social upheaval.

This is not unlikely, but as yet unproven. The good news is that climate history is becoming increasingly robust, and provides good examples of climate change as an agent of pandemics and dramatic social collapse. The fourteenth century AD data are robust (E.g. the Black Death), the second century AD data that I am working with are highly suggestive, with the so called Antonine Plague (probably smallpox), followed by the third century crisis and ultimately the fall of the Roman Empire. There are also more and more indications that we are dealing with global crises. These are chilling examples of what climate change can bring about, whether from natural or human causes. Historical research is getting more and more exciting.

 

[Timcognito]

Historical research is getting more and more exciting.

 

[Sokel]

Now that I watched the movie.

That's not an adult Odyssey, it's more like a sci-fi action movie.
On top of it, no magic, and I'm talking about the kind of magic a little kid's fairytale can very well have.
The nuclear quality of the epos (the narrative) is nowhere near where it should be.

The east Mediterranean light is completely off , and so the contradictory land wildness cannot be expressed by any means.
Felt like Northern at the dark scenes, no way to put you in the feeling.

Acting...
Nope.

No matter the cost of the movie, it felt like cheap, easily digestive art.
So much better for Box office gross, right?

(and yes, very loud without a reason at moments, as if they wanted to wake people up )

 

[amper42]

I know, lets create a boring long script that really goes no where and put it in iMax format. Next, we spend a lot of the budget promoting the movie and getting well known actors. They don't actually need to act, we can simply have a bass rumble get louder and louder as the movie progresses until it drives everyone out after 3 hours. Meanwhile, we limit what we spend on the Giant and Witch scenes because I need some extra money to go fishing afterwards.

 

[pderousse]

Guys, it is a summer blockbuster. Level-set appropriately before going. This is not an art-house film. Outis ("No one") should go, but if you do, be sure to take that secret to the grave...

 

[thegeton]

View attachment 545028

Oooo look at him with his hoity-toity Wilson translation!

 

[JeffS7444]

As information was transmitted orally in Homer's time, I'd think the tales would be somewhat different each time they were sung, with a skilled performer making changes as needed to keep the audience entertained.

 

[Digital_Thor]

I haven't seen the movie, probably not going to any time soon, hardly seen the trailer... but I just feel deep down.. that it might possibly fit in with all other modern movies, where a lot other modern aspects are prioritized higher than the actual story and origin. This, sadly does not bode well in my experience.

 

[Somafunk]

I haven't seen the movie, probably not going to any time soon, hardly seen the trailer... but I just feel deep down.. that it might possibly fit in with all other modern movies, where a lot other modern aspects are prioritized higher than the actual story and origin. This, sadly does not bode well in my experience.

I fully expect it to be a modern Nolan rompathon version (which I’ll thoroughly enjoy) of an 2400 year old orally transcribed story from over 3000 years ago so not “accurate” at all but if it drives an interest in exploration of classical literature then perhaps it will place a stop on this incessant demand to cut back on so called (by idiots in power/government) “non-productive” university courses/degrees that study the classics.

How many members of the tango’s government or our own in the UK have studied the classics?, Plenty who will have studied law, and the one thing we certainly do not need is more lawyers

 

[Digital_Thor]

No doubt, if movies aim broad but make people who normally wouldn't seek relevant knowledge, suddenly search and read deeper into the subject, then that's good.
I can always just watch something else... Or an earlier adaptation.
Definitely, some seek visual pleasure, soon look underneath the surface, and some want a mix of both.
Further, not all movies end up being classics, no matter the price, background or whomever made it.

 

[Willem]

I fully expect it to be a modern Nolan rompathon version (which I’ll thoroughly enjoy) of an 2400 year old orally transcribed story from over 3000 years ago so not “accurate” at all but if it drives an interest in exploration of classical literature then perhaps it will place a stop on this incessant demand to cut back on so called (by idiots in power/government) “non-productive” university courses/degrees that study the classics.

How many members of the tango’s government or our own in the UK have studied the classics?, Plenty who will have studied law, and the one thing we certainly do not need is more lawyers

Classics is a thriving subject in Dutch secundary (state) schools, attracting the best pupils. They go on to study all sort sof things, including e.g. science or economics. In our very good economics department, students who had taken classics in school do best. The same largely applied to my history students.

 

[Audioagnostic]

I saw it in eye Amsterdam. 70 mm real movie projection.
Very loud. I measured almost 100 db with my phone. I plugged my ears.
Movie was meh.

 

[yofi]

Somebody get these BEGGARS out of here.

 

[Mr. Widget]

I saw it in eye Amsterdam. 70 mm real movie projection.
Very loud. I measured almost 100 db with my phone. I plugged my ears.
Movie was meh.

Did you measure in dBA, dBC, or dBZ?
At my local IMAX it measured over 112dBC... and yes, to misquote Pul Klipsch, "it was too damned loud!"

 

[amper42]

Foam ear plugs are my friend at Movie theatre these days.
In pocket, if not needed. In ears, if its uncomfortably loud.

 

[Audioagnostic]

Did you measure in dBA, dBC, or dBZ?
At my local IMAX it measured over 112dBC... and yes, to misquote Pul Klipsch, "it was too damned loud!"

I think the app I used, decibel x, measured dBZ.

Insane sound levels in any case.

With Tenet there were actually warnings at the entrance that is was loud. They told me that Nolan mandates this volume. The man must be deaf.