300

I must say that I am very excited about the movie 300. It is a movie based upon the novel 300 by Frank Miller, which in turn is based upon the historical event at the Battle of Thermopylae in which an army of Greeks, mainly Spartans held off the massive Persian army to such an extent that Xerxes was unable to conquer the Greek states. At first glance this movie seems to have elements of both history and fantasy. There was the Battle of Thermopylae, Emperor Xerxes, and King Leonidas. Also some of the characters in the movie look like they belong in a fantasy movie; the previews have shown certain forces in the Persian army to look monstrous. I applaud this use of historical facts with fantastical elaboration. The reason is because this event is best described by what Nietzsche called the monumental method, since the antiquarian and critical doesn’t do full justice in describing this historical event. The monumental method shows that the greatness that surrounds that event was possible, and thus can be possible again. It affirms the greatness of the human spirit. The antiquarian method lacks the ability to generate new life and will new things, since it doesn’t stress the relevance of this event in history relative to the condition of humanity in the present. The critical method with its focus on over-analyzing details will tend to miss the forest for the trees. The message that this movie sends with its focus on the small number of Spartans battling the immense Persian army is that it is not numbers that ultimately matter, but strength of will, force of intellect, and a spirit of artistic reverence. The human condition today is very sad, we are treading the path of the last man, and we need a role model like King Leonidas to show us what we as humans are capable of accomplishing. I only hope that this theme for a movie is developed again and again. I would love to see a movie about the Emperor Julian in which he is portrayed as a sage and warrior who has scenes in which mystery and magic surround him and other pagan sages, and which the opposing Christians are seen portrayed very mechanistically eroding the mystery and magic in the world. It could end with his death being the death of something greater, the death of the mystical worldview which gave birth to centuries of darkness.