Films of an epic nature, and in particular the so-called peplum, have always had great success at the cinema. Titles like Ben Hur And Cleopatra, among the most famous of this genre, are today remembered as milestones of the entire seventh art. One of the latest and most fascinating examples of this trend is the 2004 film Troydirected by Wolfgang Petersen. It will be a feature film freely inspired by the epic poem Iliadcanonically associated with the Greek poet Homer and dating back to the 6th century BC. With this, the brutal battle for the conquest of the city of Troy comes to life on the big screen.
The film is naturally remembered for the grandeur of its reconstructions. Great sets and costumes with attention to the last detail make the film a real pleasure to watch. Beyond that, with Troy Universal feelings and emotions come to life on the screen, which have always existed and are still able to speak to today’s audiences. You can also find the screenplay of the film David Benioffwho already here demonstrated his passion for the epic, the same one he would propose again years later with the series Game of thronescreated by him.
Despite huge differences from its source of inspiration, it is a fascinating and entertaining film. In this article about Troytherefore, let’s delve into some of the main curiosities relating to differences with the epic poem. By continuing to read here you will also be able to find further details relating to the plot et al cast of actors. Finally, the main ones will also be listed streaming platforms containing the film in their catalogue.
The plot of Troy
The story takes place around 1200 BC, when all the city-states of Greece are under the control of the greedy Achaean king Agamemnon. Only one of these flees from him, and that is the powerful city of Troy. Known for its defensive walls, this has always remained inviolate. Eager to extend his dominion to the entire territory, Agamemnon exploits the betrayal suffered by Menelaus to declare war on the city. The king’s brother, in fact, was deprived of his beautiful wife Elenafled to Troy with the prince Paris. To right this wrong, a huge fleet of Achaeans embarks on its march towards the powerful enemy city.
Strong behind his walls, the king Priam he says he is calm about the imminent battle, being able to boast his powerful son and soldier on his side Hector. What the Trojans don’t know, however, is that the fearsome has also gone to war with the Achaeans Achilles. Demigod in search of eternal glory, he is almost immortal, if not for a single weakness. He will be the secret weapon that the Greeks will send to conquer Troy. During the long war, both factions will inevitably have to deal with the fears, passions and desires of each of them, elements that risk irreparably compromising their respective fates.
The cast of the film
The film Troy is made up of some of the most famous performers in all of Hollywood, actors called here to give life to timeless heroes. The actor plays the divine Achilles Brad Pitt. To take on the role of the famous character, he trained for months in order to obtain a body similar to that of the muscular Greek statues. Despite his great physical preparation, the actor ended up injuring his heel, which is also Achilles’ weak point. Instead, he finds himself in the role of the valiant Hector Eric Bana. He and Pitt decided not to use stunt doubles for their battle scenes. Instead, they made an agreement that provided compensation for each inadvertent blow. In the end, Pitt had to pay Bana $750.
Orlando Bloom it is the young Prince Paris, a character he does not particularly love. For the actor, in fact, he was just a coward and an idiot. Brian Cox plays King Agamemnon, while Brendan Gleeson it is his brother Menelaus. The actor Sean Bean takes on the role of the cunning Ulysses, while the famous Peter O’Toole he is Priam, king of Troy. In the role of Patroclus, Achilles’ cousin, he is there Garrett Hedlund. He got the part just a month after arriving in Los Angeles to pursue an acting career. She was chosen for the role of Briseis, Achilles’ slave Rose Byrne. For the role of Elena, which the director initially did not want to include as he was convinced that her beauty could not be represented, the actress was chosen Diane Kruger.
The differences between the film Troy and the epic poem
The major criticisms received by the film are related to its enormous differences with Homer’s poem. Considering the stature of theIliad, however, it seems quite understandable why we tried to give the story a form more in line with cinematic canons, thus undertaking a series of changes. Anyway, the first and biggest difference is the total absence of the divine or supernatural element and its intervention in events. This allowed the film to take on a more human and earthly nature, focusing on the characters actively involved in the battle.
Further changes are mostly related to the protagonists themselves. The characters of Agamemnon And Menelaus, for example, are represented only in a negative way and their own death differs from that handed down by myth, with the first one surviving the war but finding his death once he returned home. Noticeable differences can be found in the conduct of the battle between Achilles and Hector. In the poem the two meet almost by chance, while in the film they openly declare a one-on-one battle. Further differences are found regarding the end of some characters. Paris, for example, does not die in the film and manages to escape with Elena. In the poem, however, she decides to return to Sparta with Menelaus.
Again, different than the others‘Iliad I am the fate of King Priamof the warrior Ajax and the famous Patroclus. One of the most obvious differences, however, is the length of the war. In the film, this lasts about a month. The poem, however, although it begins the story on average res, highlights how the Achaean siege of the city of Troy lasted for ten years. The story is therefore strongly synthesized for the film, eliminating numerous passages considered too static for a cinematographic work. Despite these changes, the film adequately conveys the context and violence of this war.
The trailer of Troy and where to see the film in streaming and on TV
You can benefit from Troy thanks to its presence on some of the most popular streaming platforms on the internet today. This is in fact available in the catalogues Rakuten TV, Google Play, Apple TV, Now And Prime Video. To see it, once you have chosen the reference platform, simply rent the single film or sign up for a general subscription. You will then have the opportunity to watch it in total comfort and at the best video quality. The film is also present in the television schedule of Monday 6 May at 9.00 pm On the canal 20 Mediaset.
Source: IMDb
