Colin Farrell Angelina Jolie "Alexander"
Val Kilmer Rosario Dawson Jared Leto Anthony Hopkins
Produced by Moritz Borman Thomas Schühly Jon Kilik Iain Smith Music by Vangelis
Written by Oliver Stone Christopher Kyle Laeta Kalogridis Directed by Oliver Stone
 |
US $2.99 (0 Bid) Auction Ends: Wednesday Jan-07-2009 6:26:39 PST |
Poster For Alexander
The film is based on the biography of Alexander the Great, the King of Macedon, the first Macedonian Emperor who conquered Asia Minor, Persia and eventually reached modern day Pakistan. It provides a glimpse into some of the key moments of Alexander's youth, and his invasion of the mighty Persian Empire, until his death. It also outlined his early life, including his difficult relationship with his father, Philip II of Macedonia, the conquering of the Greek city-states under the League of Corinth, and the conquest of the Persian Empire in 331 BC. It also details his new plans to reform his empire, and the attempts made to reach the end of the world.
The storyline begins in 356 BC with Ptolemy I Soter, who narrates the story throughout the film. In lavish sets and images Stone shows his vision of Alexander's daily life in the court of his father, Philip, and portraying the strained relationship between his parents.
Alexander grows up with his mother Olympias and his tutor Aristotle, where he finds interest in love, honour, music, exploration, poetry and military combat. Late on, his relationship with his father is destroyed when Philip marries Attalus' niece, Eurydice.
Thereafter Philip is assassinated and Alexander becomes king of Macedonia, including Greece. After a brief mentioning of his punitive razing of Thebes and burning of Persepolis, Ptolemy gives an overview of Alexander's west Persian campaign, including his declaration to be the son of Zeus by the Oracle of Amun at Siwa Oasis, his great battle against the Persian Emperor Darius III in the Battle of Gaugamela, and his eight-year campaign at Hydaspes against Porus in modern day Pakistan), both of which are shown in the film.
also illustrates Alexander's private relationship with his childhood friend, Hephaistion, and later his wife Roxanna until his death.
Before succumbing to an unknown illness or poison (it is never revealed which and both are suggested) Alexander distanced himself from his wife Roxannan despite her being pregnant, believing she has killed his childhood friend and lover Hephaistion. The film accurately places Hephaistion in a far closer position than his first wife Roxanna. It is suggested in the film that Alexander died in part due to the loss of Hephaistion, which occurred less than three months earlier. Early in the film Hephaistion compares Alexander to Achilles, to which Alexander replies that if he is Achilles then Hephaistion is his Patrocles. Hephaistion mentions that Patrocles died first and then Alexander pledges that if he should die, he would follow him into the afterlife. A promise Ptolemy himself says Alexander apperentely kept when he died shortly after Hephaistion.
In the film after conquering Babylon Alexander admits that Hephaistion is the only person he loves. During the film Hephaistion shows extensive jealousy when seeing Alexander with Roxanna and deep sadness when Alexander marries her, going so far as to attempt keeping her away from Alexander after the former murdered an old friend in India.
Reviews of Alexander
