Their Myths, Our Movies

1. Their Myths, Our Movies By: Juliane King Myth 201

2. Their Mythology • Greek mythology is the body of traditional tales concerning the gods, heroes, and rituals of the ancient Greeks. • They allowed the start of many myths • Myths of Gods/Goddesses: Zeus, Poseidon, Hades, Aphrodite, Athena, and Hera. • Myths of Heroes: Achilles, Heracles, and Odysseus.

3. Gods/Goddesses • Each myth from the Greeks has its own story that has been passed down. • Others, like the Romans, have used Greek myths to inspire their myths • Heroes • Their have been many epic poems written, such as the Iliad and the Odyssey, that focus on main heroes. • These heroes the Greeks used were of actual humans, but had significant strength and minds.

4. Mythology Passed down: • Because Greek mythology is so unique and so interesting, it has never been forgotten. • In today’s world, there are many things that have originated from the Greeks. • It’s used in many forms of art from movies to paintings. • Many artists, writers, poets, play writers, and movie writers get their inspiration directly from the Greeks.

5. Our movies • One main use of Greek mythology in our world is in our many famous movies. • Examples: • Clash of the Titans • The famous Disney movie, Hercules • Jason and the Argonauts • The Odyssey • Troy

6. Clash of the Titans • Clash of the Titans came out in 1981. • This film is an adaption of the myth of Perseus and his quest to battle both Medusa and the Kraken monster to save the Princess Andromeda. • With this movie, all seers received a realistic presentation of ancient Greece.

7. Clash of the Titans contd. • In 2010, a new and improved version of Clash of the Titans will be coming out in theaters. • This interpretation is a more technological updated movie, but probably a bit more interesting than the first. • “The ultimate struggle for power pits men against kings and kings against gods. “

8. Hercules • Yes, there are two non-animated Hercules movies named Hercules and Hercules Unchained, but the most known Hercules movie is the Disney animated movie. • The Disney animated Hercules came out in 1998 and has been a child favorite since. • As a young kid, this is a great movie to learn about Greek mythology without even knowing it!

9. Hercules contd. • Of course, the main character is Hercules. • He’s a born hero, yet he doesn’t know it. He just thinks that he’s an over-muscular klutz who can’t fit in. Once he finds out who he actually is, he is faced with a series of battles from Hades. He’s made a true hero when he makes a self-sacrifice for Megara, his love. • Characters also include Megara, Zeus, Hades, Pain and Panic, Pegasus, and Philoctetes. • Megara is the woman he loves • Pegasus is his magical winged horse • Philoctetes is his reluctant hero-trainer

10. Jason and the Argonauts • This movie came out more than 45 years ago! (1963) • Jason is the main character in this movie. • He’s on a quest for the Golden Fleece. • Jason and his band of Argonauts are trying to retrieve this fleece in order to place him rightfully on the throne of Iolcus in Thessaly. • The Golden Fleece is the fleece of the gold-haired winged ram.

11. The Odyssey • This movie is based on King Odysseus and his two decade-long return from the Trojan War to his homeland of Ithaca in Greece. • This movies also takes some scenes from Homer’s other epic poem, the Iliad, and others from Virgil's epic poem, the Aeneid.

12. The Odyssey contd. • Just like with The Clash of the Titans, The Odyssey is being remade and will be coming out in the near future. • The star as Odysseus?? Troy’s own star, Brad Pitt! • I guess since most heroes were portrayed as good-looking men, they had to get the best looking actor out here to play these famous heroic roles. Brad Pitt is the definite best pick! 

13. Troy • Troy, being one of the most recent of our society’s newer Greek mythological movies, came out in 2004. • This film concerns the Trojan War • It’s loosely based on Homer’s Iliad and Virgil’s Aeneid.

14. Troy contd. • Many wars are waged on power, glory, or honor, but others are waged on love. • Troy is a movie based on a war that was engaged due to the passion of history’s most legendary lovers: Paris, Prince of Troy, and Helen, Queen of Sparta. • Because of Paris and Helen, they ignited a war that devastated a civilization.

15. Troy contd. • One man alone stands as the key to victory or defeat over Troy, Achilles (to know, you must watch). • Achilles is believed to be the greatest warrior alive. • He is arrogant, rebellious, and seemingly invincible. • In the end, it is love that ultimately decides his fate. • Two worlds will go to war for honor and power, thousands will fall in pursuit of glory, and for love, a nation will burn to the ground.

16. Their myths, our movies • The Greeks have inspired our movies in all sorts of ways. • As you can see by the five previous movies stated, Greek mythology is very important and most interesting to watch. • There are many people that will name some of these movies as their favorites. Even more will name these movies as great movies! • To this day, movies are still being created based on Greek mythology! • Will it ever stop?? Not as long as our movie writers stay with the past to make future films great!

17. Works Cited: Carr, Karen. "Greek Myths." Historyforkids.org. 15 Jan 2009. Web. 29 Nov 2009. <http://www.historyforkids.org/learn/greeks/religion/greekmyths.htm>. "Clash of the Titans." Imdb.com. 2009. Web. 29 Nov 2009. <http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0082186/>. "Gods and Goddesses of Ancient Greece." Greek-gods.info. 2009. Web. 29 Nov 2009. <http://www.greek-gods.info/greek-heroes/achilles/>. "Hercules." Disney.go.com. 2009. Disney, Web. 29 Nov 2009. <http://disney.go.com/vault/archives/characters/hercules/hercules.html>. "Jason and the Argonauts." Us.imbd.com. 2009. Web. 29 Nov 2009. <http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0057197/>. Lindemans, M.F. "Encyclopedia Mythica." Panthenon.org. 25 Oct 2009. Web. 29 Nov 2009. <http://www.pantheon.org/areas/mythology/europe/greek/articles.html>. "The Odyssey." Imbd.com. 2009. Web. 29 Nov 2009. <http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0118414/>. "Troy." Movies.yahoo.com. 2009. Yahoo, Web. 29 Nov 2009. <http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/1808444810/details>.