This! Is! Moses! 'Exodus' To Get '300' Treatment
Filed under: Action, Deals, Scripts, 20th Century Fox, DIY/Filmmaking, Newsstand, Religious, War
Before our generation comes to a close, all of ancient history and mythology will have been filmed through a Zack Snyder / Frank Miller lens. Variety reports that the next ancient text to get the green-screened sepia treatment is the tale of Moses. Yes, Ten Commandments Moses. 20th Century Fox and its new big dog, Peter Chernin, have snapped up a pitch to retell "Let my people go!" in 300 fashion, and put Adam Cooper and Bill Collage to work penning a script. You might not remember their names now, but they're also pairing up with Timur Bekmambetov to remake the story of Moby Dick in a 300 "graphic novel style." Variety notes that all the elements you know and love from the story of Moses will be there (the Red Sea, the plague of locusts, the golden calf) but they will also incorporate "brand new elements" drawn from Midrashic sources. I wonder if they'll also find a way to include the scene with Zipporah rescues their son from the Lord by circumcising him? Because they could do some slow motion blood splatter with that.
Being an irreligious sort, I find the idea silly instead of offensive but it's possible that a lot of moviegoers could find this very disrespectful to their faith. Will it spur on copycat projects? Will other studios go "Why didn't we think of the Bible?", abandon Greek texts, and start producing 300 versions of Maccabees? Judges? 1 and 2 Kings? There's a lot of gory tales just waiting to be revamped with green screen.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
10-12-2009 @ 12:36PM
Jeremiah said...
Well, I'm a Christian and I think this could be really good.
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10-12-2009 @ 9:42AM
jduke said...
I've always wanted a 300-style movie of Judges
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10-12-2009 @ 9:55AM
Alana said...
Samson all the way, man. What's cooler in sepia than killing an entire army with the jawbone of a donkey? Nothing, that's what.
10-12-2009 @ 11:18AM
EatingPie said...
Why would moviegoers necessarily find this disrespectful to their faith? Unless they start saying things like Moses was a murderer or something... oh wait, the Bible says that! :D
This is a different stylistic form, but moviegoers embraced Prince of Egypt was an animated tale that took several liberties with the story to create greater drama.
I agree, however, that the biggest danger is that it ends up being silly with Moses doing spinning side kicks in slow-mo.
-Pie
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10-12-2009 @ 11:44AM
Batzarro said...
I am not so sure of this. I mean, I like historic epics and bible stories, but the whole 300 angle is not, in my mind, what exodus should be as a film. There are (that I remember) no huge battles, no massive armies and not a lot to go "hrarrrg!". I'm not saying there isn't violence, just not 300 violence.
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10-12-2009 @ 11:54AM
juwan808 said...
The 300 treatment doesn't necessarily mean violence and blood splatter. That's Zak Snyder. What it means is a mix of computer technology, backgrounds, FX and all the goodies that went into making 300 groundbreaking. The story of Moses is a great story and will continue to be remade for generations. Doesn't matter if you're religious or not. Don't like it? Don't go see it. Simple as that.
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10-12-2009 @ 7:04PM
Batzarro said...
Bu what made 300 groundbreaking was exactly that: Over the top, stylized depictions of violence and CG 6-packs. Which my point was, would be ridiculous for this particular story. That is true for many stories that aren't necessarily important to any religion. "Hey, Let's take The Scarlett Letter/Don Quixote/Rapunzel's story and give it the 300 treatment." No to mention, 300ing things is bordering on being overdone. History channel has like 3 shows that are like that!
Overall, Batzarro still 300 is the appropriate approach. Not because of faith issues, but because of "WTF" issues.
10-12-2009 @ 12:24PM
CB DeMille said...
Looks like good pre-publicity for the forthcoming Cecil B. DeMille biopic
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10-12-2009 @ 12:27PM
Rick said...
you could do the story of david, plenty of fucking and fighting in that one.
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10-12-2009 @ 4:45PM
jim said...
I wanna see Lot get raped by his daughters.
What? It's in the Bible, so it's ok, right?
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10-12-2009 @ 7:06PM
Batzarro said...
That doesn't happen in Exodus. You must be thinking Genesis.
10-12-2009 @ 10:18PM
bob said...
who's to say whether it's right or wrong to have a cougar soulmate.Im here to tell u my experience.
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Reply
10-13-2009 @ 6:47AM
russ said...
300 made a lot of money, but as a film it is a piece of dung. Yes, visually it had a new and interesting look. Like a Frazetta painting come to life.
But it was simply a gorefest with swords.
Hardly a classic.
There is a reason why the classics of the old days of Hollywood look the way they do, and that today's blockbusters pale in comparison to them.
Most tentpole films of today pander to the audience with rock soundtracks, overuse of cgi, special effects for special effects sake and so on. Everyone copycats everyone else.
" The Ten Commandments" and "Ben Hur" were made in the 1950s and still stand up today because they were well thought out and executed by professionals led by Cecil B. DeMille and William Wyler.
2 of Hollywoods best ever with visions.
Not hacks like so many so called directors today.
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10-14-2009 @ 8:44PM
hauntings said...
could be fun
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