Helen of Troy
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DVD Cover Information
Actor: John Rhys-Davies, Maryam d'Abo, Matthew Marsden, Rufus Sewell, Sienna GuilloryBrand: Helen of Troy
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown), Dolby Digital 5.1; Spanish (Subtitled); French (Subtitled); English (Original Language), Dolby Digital 5.1
Format: Anamorphic, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DTS Surround Sound, DVD, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen
Picture Format: 1.78:1
Running Time: 175 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2003-08-12
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Universal Studios
Movie Reviews of Helen of Troy
Movie Review: A Classic Telling -- But Taking Literary License
Summary: 5 Stars
The screenplay is artfully woven and shaped from a variety of classical sources. The part with Theseus, for the benefit of the Denton reviewer, was created by marrying the tale of Helen's kidnapping, which is described by Apollodorus, with the death of Theseus recounted in Plutarch. I think it was included as a kind of counterpoint to her flight with Paris, making it clear that the emotional state of that flight was in no way comparable to a true kidnapping. Obviously, Theseus does not come off as much of a hero, but the story arc is advanced.
Liberties are taken with the absence of characters. Some are understandable. Having both Castor and Pollux would have seemed a redundancy from the point of view of the story being told. It is very much Helen's story. So, Paris, Achilles, and all the other players have their traditional tales edited or sometimes even omitted for the sake of the continuity of Helen's story. Achilles, most notably, is downplayed, but since the actor in the part is really a football player, that may have been a smart choice. Agamemnon emerges as the real villain of the piece, though we are denied the mingling of his death with the fate of Cassandra.
Bottomline: What can be said about this production? In the telling of a monumental story, necessary choices had to be made. The resulting story that is told is compelling with just the right mix of epic and intimacy in its details. Definitely worth watching!
By the way, I would remind the "read-the-book-instead" crowd that Homer's poetic Iliad ends long before the fall of Troy. So, while they would appreciate more of the backstory involving the Greek gods and goddesses in the conflict, the dynamics of the Achilles-Hector rivalry, and the rift between Agamemnon and Achilles, the story--strictly "by the book"--would not have a very satisfying ending.
And I would also advise any critics, who still cling to the notion that the theatrically released "Troy" was technically superior to this movie, that such a notion is sadly the only myth attached to that movie. Want proof without spoilers? Consider this: In the movie "Troy" there are two sunrises seen from the Greek camp on the shoreline, but for both sunrises the sun is seen rising over the Aegean Sea--to the WEST of Troy! That movie also seems to reduce years of war to a mere few weeks. Do such flaws or deficiencies mean that "Troy" or, for that matter, the Iliad should not be enjoyed? Of course not!!! The Homeric poem and also the film adaptations, drawing on ALL the tales of Troy and fair Helen, are ART, not painstakingly factual recreations of history.
The "ultimate" film story of the Trojan War would have to be a substantial miniseries mounted with all the artistry of a "Masterpiece Theater" production. Until such an undertaking becomes a reality, we should try to appreciate the artistry with which the lesser or incomplete cinematic efforts try to approach such a complex topic. This particular version gets five stars from me in recognition of how it attempts to draw so many threads of the story into such a compact telling. As for "Troy," while it does not remain faithful to the story of Achilles in the Iliad, it certainly conveys a powerful picture of that hero's character. Each work of film art has its own merits.
Even the earlier cinematic film entitled "Helen of Troy," which depicted the Greeks very much like gangsters, had some powerful moments between Helen and Paris. So, criticism should not be rendered too hastily. The re-imagining of this familiar tale should be welcomed because it offers the possibility of revealing new perspectives and insights, rather than just a faithful retread of those old and familiar thoughts with nothing new or different to add.
Summary of Helen of Troy
THE LEGENDARY TALE OF LOVE AND WAR COMES TO LIFE IN THISMUST-SEE EPIC ADVENTURE THAT DELIVERS THRILLING HEROICS, HEARTPOUNDING CONFLICTS AND BREATHTAKING ACTION.Similar DVD Movies
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