'Alexander' Evokes Parallels to Modern Politics

[Khephra]

snip........

With the big-budget movie debuting just weeks after the presidential election, Americans still fiercely divided about President Bush and his policies, and U.S. forces locked in bloody conflict in Iraq (one of Alexander's stomping grounds), Stone's "Alexander" almost can't help but seem like a political allegory.

Both Alexander and President Bush are the most powerful leaders of their day, raised in the shadow of dynamic fathers who also wielded worldwide influence, and defined by an ambitious and ongoing war in a foreign land that is historically difficult to occupy. Both men spent years pursuing a high-profile enemy leader who fled into the hills of the Middle East.

"The film was never made for the purposes of a correlation or to say anything about today's present state," said Colin Farrell, who stars in the title role. "People say history repeats itself, well it does in different ways, shapes and forms. This was kind of a freaky coincidence that our story takes place exactly where all the madness we're all talking about takes place now."

"Alexander" can be viewed either as a support for or an argument against the current administration -- and the interpretation could vary from Blue State voter to Red State voter.

http://www.newsday.com/entertainment/news/wire/sns-ap-film-alexanders-politics,0,394858.story?coll=sns-ap-entertainment-headlines

[autorank]

1. I knew Alexander, he was a friend of mine, & Bush is no Alexander

Alexanders teacher was Aristotle, *'s was Poppy. Huge difference.

Alexander had a real grudge to settle with 'the East'. Persia had tried twice to invade Greece and literally destroy it. The Greeks kicked their butts in a spectacular way but there was a REAL threat. Alexander did get a bit carried away and wend beyond Persia to India. Nevertheless, he was chasing a real enemy.

* is such a faux warrior. Alexander was the real thing.
* is a homophobe. Alexander was, well read your history.

[aquart]

2. Alexander had his father murdered. Poppy is breathing.

[okasha]

3. Maybe.

My money's on Olympias, but Alexander was probably at least complicit. Or, in the words of another historic murder, "peered through his fingers."

'Course, there are some other discrepancies between Alex and Georgie. Alexander was one of the best educated men of his day--the most educated head of state, for sure--and he knew how to make alliances of the truly willing and how to honor the customs of other cultures.

And Poppy ain't no Philip, neither.

Babs and Olympias--ah, now there's a possibiity.

Okasha