300

[Photo Credit]

"Go tell the Spartans, passerby,
That here, by Spartan law, we lie" - Frank Miller, 300

In August of 480 BC, 200,000 Persian soldiers, under King Xerxes I, descended upon a force of 300 Spartans and 700 Boeotians, led by Leonidas, in a mountain pass called Thermopylae. The Spartans held their ground in Thermopylae for two days until a betrayal within their own ranks caused their complete envelopment. They stood, faced the Persian forces, and fought to the death. The story is the stuff of legend, inspiring Steven Pressfield's remarkable novel, Gates of Fire and Frank Miller's masterpiece, 300.

You may recognize Miller's name. He created the serial that would inspire Robert Rodriguez's film, Sin City, a film that Frank Miller would recieve directorial credit for due to Rodriguez's use of the actual comics as storyboards. The Director's Guild of America refused to recognize more than one director for one work and Rodriguez eventually resigned from the Guild. Throwing more fuel on the fire, he gave buddy Quentin Tarantino a title of "Special Guest Director" as well. In the movie, Frank Miller got in front of the camera, as well. He played the small role of a priest who gets killed by Mickey Rourke's character, Marv.

I came to know Miller first through 300. Immediately intrigued and amazed at a new form of art I had yet to explore, I consumed all things Miller. Luckily I had a great friend that owned just about everything Miller had ever created. 300 is a classic case of a great story meeting a great storyteller. People who aren't familiar with graphic novels must recognize that these are works of high art, and Miller is a master of his trade. It is impossible to resist the pull of his work, the magic in his minimalistic approach, and the underlying themes that run throughout.

Nestling into my seat, preparing for The Departed, the First Lady and I were treated to a full-screen preview of the new movie 300, based on Frank Miller's graphic novel, and shot in a fashion similar to Sin City. Soldiers topple off a cliff and immediately turn and say, "300!" as quietly as humanly possible. I knew it was being shot, but the trailer completely caught me by surprise. The first few notes hit, a young boy circled a wolf, and Nine Inch Nails' "Just Like You Imagined" - Reznor's standout instrumental track from The Fragile - exploded as Xerxes and Leonidas came to life in yet another medium. I can't imagine a better trailer for this type of movie. The music is perfect, the product looks amazing, and my expectations are huge. As my favorite page of the novel states, amidst a sea of Spartan helmets and Hoplite spears, "come and get it!"

Teaser:

Trailer:


MP3: Nine Inch Nails - "Just Like You Imagined"
MP3: Nine Inch Nails - "The Mark Has Been Made"

300
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