Movie, Troy, By Wolfgang Petersen - 1273 Words

Film adaptations often do a less than adequate job of representing the book off of which they are based. Occasionally, a director with the correct vision and drive will produce a movie that leaves the audience screaming for more. One must take a step back and decide whether it is more important for a movie to be entertaining, or follow the plot of the book from which its story is taken. In the 2004 film Troy, by Wolfgang Petersen, the story, although interesting, fails to correctly follow the plot of Homer’s The Iliad in multiple instances. From the overall timeline of the story to the main focus and character development, much creative license was taken in the production. While the movie is certainly fantastic, many differences exist between its main focus and that of The Iliad. The Iliad opens with the Achaeans approaching the Trojan shore. Speaking to Agamemnon from across the water is a priest of Apollo. He is asking the â€Å"lord of men† to return his daughter Chr yseis. When Agamemnon refuses, the priest prays to Apollo and asks him to exchange his tears for arrows. Agamemnon’s disrespect for the priest results in massacre for the Achaean’s at the hands of Apollo. He takes his bow and rains plague down on their troops, killing them in droves, â€Å"Over against the ships he dropped to a knee, let fly a shaft and a terrifying clash rang out from the great silver bow [†¦] launching a piercing shaft at the men themselves† (Book 1. ll,55-58). This clearly shows a great example ofShow MoreRelatedInfluence of Iliad to Troy851 Words   |  4 PagesFirst off, Homers Iliad was the main source of influence for Wolfgang Petersens film, Troy. However, even though it is directly influenced by the poem, Troy does not stay true to the poem for the entire movie. Some major differences between Homers Iliad and Wolfgang Petersens film Troy, is that there was no mention of the Gods being participants in the battle of Troy. This was a major plot point in Homers Iliad, as the Gods who fought on the battlefield had somewhat of an influence on the outcomeRead MoreTroy vs. the Iliad Essay1398 Words   |  6 Pagesoriginal. Last May, Wolfgang Petersen directed a movie based on the Iliad. This movie, Troy, has proven to be a very loose adaptation of Homers original, as are almost all stories that are made into movies, unfortunately. With its timeless storyline, amazing scenery, gorgeous actors/actresses and most of all, its reported two hundred million dollar budget, it is easy to see why Troy was hyped up to be a box office hit. However, the film critics were harsh on this movie, as they had every rightRead More Troy vs. The Iliad Essays1385 Words   |  6 PagesTroy vs. The Iliad Over the thousands of years that the epic story the Iliad has survived, there has no doubt been some form of alteration to Homer’s original. Last May, Wolfgang Petersen directed a movie based on the Iliad. This movie, Troy, has proven to be a very loose adaptation of Homer’s original, as are almost all stories that are made into movies, unfortunately. With its timeless storyline, amazing scenery, gorgeous actors/actresses and most of all, its reported two hundred millionRead MoreTroy Movie Review1224 Words   |  5 PagesTroy directed by Wolfgang Petersen 2004 The movie Troy is about the conflict between the Greek city-states, led by Agamemnon, and Troy, ruled by Priam. These two have this conflict because Paris, Prince of Troy, fell in love with Helen, wife of Menelaus who is Agamemnon’s brother and king of Sparta, and took her back to Troy against the wishes of his brother, Hector, who, with his father, had been trying for years to make peace with Sparta and had finally gotten that peace. Agamemnon had recentlyRead MoreEssay on Was Troy The Movie Accurate According To Homer?1791 Words   |  8 PagesWas Troy the Movie Accurate According to Homer? Did the movie Troy, released in 2004, accurately depict the story of Homers epic poems the Iliad and the Odyssey, and was it a good movie from a critical point of view? I think it was a good movie from an entertainment standpoint, but it fell short in its comparison to Homers epics. As a fan of epic movies, I have watched the movie Troy a couple of times. In comparing the movie to the epic, there are various discrepancies betweenRead MoreComparing Homer s Iliad With Wolfgang Petersen s Film Troy Essay2192 Words   |  9 PagesIn my response I am going to compare Homer’s Iliad with Wolfgang Petersen’s film Troy. The points I am going to compare are the fight between Paris and Menelaus, the role of the gods, the death of Patroclus and the fight between Hector and Achilles. The Iliad is an epic poem consisting of 23 books by Homer, which focuses on 50 days in the ninth year of the Trojan War, whereas the movie Troy directed by Wolfgang Petersen tells the whole 10 year story of the myth. The Trojan War happened in the BronzeRead MoreTroy By Wolfgang Petersen And Homer s Historic Epic Iliad1828 Words   |  8 PagesThe 2004 film Troy by Wolfgang Petersen and Homer’s historic epic Iliad both center on the Trojan War between the Achaeans and the Trojans, but with two distinct differences in coverage. During Homer’s era, these heroes, the great Achilles and Hector, were known to all, but in modern times they are not as prevalent and thus both artists needed to adapt their approach to this tale. Homer’s Iliad delves into the ninth year of strife with Achilles and Agamemnon‘s quarrel in full effect and the GreeksRead MoreHelen Of Troy And Greek Mythology1179 Words   |  5 Pagesâ€Å"Helen of Troy was the daughter of Zeus and Leda in Greek mythology. She has a twin sister named Clytemnestra as well as her twin brothers Castor and Pollux (Dioscuri). Helen was considered to be the most beautiful woman in the known world. As a young girl she was abducted by Theseus, who left her in the care of his mother but Helen was later rescued by her brothers when they invaded Athens. Many suitors tried to win Helen’s hand after her return and eventually Menelaus brother of Agamemnon becomeRead MoreCharacter Changes In The Iliad To Troy1558 Words   |  7 PagesIliad to Troy Narratives need to have well-developed characters. As authors and translators do revisions and translations, they often change things in a piece, most often how the plot runs and how the characters act. Greek mythology has a strong idea of what makes a hero as well as certain ideals of honor and war. This essay will be looking at the character changes of Paris of Troy -- his cowardice, unmanliness, and lack of spirit -- through the novel The Iliad, by Homer, and the movie Troy, directedRead MoreComparing Achilles And King Of Troy2072 Words   |  9 Pagesfocusing on today are that of Achilles of Greece and King Priam of Troy, and their relationship through a film medium, in the adaptation of Troy directed by Wolfgang Petersen. In this essay I will be discussing the significance of Achilles and King Priam’s relationship throughout the film of Troy, and will be doing this through evaluating the contrast of values within their relationship, discussing their significance to the story of Troy and furthermore explaining the director s purpose through their