Alexander (2004)

Alexander, the King of Macedonia and one of the greatest army leaders in the history of warfare, conquers much of the known world.

Director:

Oliver Stone

Writers:

Oliver Stone, Christopher Kyle

Stars:

Colin Farrell, Anthony Hopkins, Rosario Dawson

6 wins & 19 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Anthony Hopkins	...	Old Ptolemy
David Bedella	...	Scribe
Jessie Kamm	...	Child Alexander
Angelina Jolie	...	Olympias
Val Kilmer	...	Philip
Fiona O'Shaughnessy	...	Nurse
Connor Paolo	...	Young Alexander
Patrick Carroll	...	Young Hephaistion
Brian Blessed	...	Wrestling Trainer
Peter Williamson	...	Young Nearchus
Morgan Christopher Ferris	...	Young Cassander
Rob Earley	...	Young Ptolemy (as Robert Earley)
Aleczander Gordon	...	Young Perdiccas
Christopher Plummer	...	Aristotle
Gary Stretch	...	Cleitus

Storyline

Conquering ninety percent of the known world by the age of twenty-five, Alexander the Great (Colin Farrell) led his armies through twenty-two thousand miles of sieges and conquests in just eight years. Coming out of tiny Macedonia (today part of Greece), Alexander led his armies against the mighty Persian Empire, drove west to Egypt, and finally made his way east to India. This movie concentrated on those eight years of battles, as well as his relationship with his boyhood friend and battle mate, Hephaistion (Jared Leto). Alexander died young, of illness, at the age of thirty-two. Alexander's conquests paved the way for the spread of Greek culture (facilitating the spread of Christianity centuries later), and removed many of the obstacles that might have prevented the expansion of the Roman Empire. In other words, the world we know today might never have been if not for Alexander's bloody, yet unifying, conquest.

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Plot Keywords:

greek | ancient greece | gay | macedonia | 323 b.c. | 

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Taglines:

Fortune favors the bold

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Genres:

Action | Biography | Drama | History | War

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for violence and some sexuality/nudity

Did You Know?

Trivia

DIRECTOR CAMEO (Oliver Stone): A bearded Macedonian General in close-up at the dedication of the statue of Zeus marking the beginning of the the army's retreat from India back to Babylon.

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Goofs

When Alexander tries to ride the wild black horse, the ropes are crossed. In the next shot, they are in place.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Old Ptolemy: Our world is gone now. Smashed by the wars. Now I am the keeper of his body, embalmed here in the Egyptian ways. I followed him as Pharaoh, and have now ruled 40 years. I am the victor. But what does it all mean when there is not one left to remember - the great cavalry charge at Gaugamela, or the mountains of the Hindu Kush when we crossed a 100,000-man army into India? He was a god, Cadmos. Or as close as anything I've ever seen.

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Alternate Versions

The Director's Cut is 9 minutes shorter than the 175-minute theatrical version. It is a reworked version although seamless to many. 18 minutes were cut and 9 added. Many of the added or extended sequences involve Val Kilmer and Angelina Jolie's characters. The battle of Gaugamela now starts earlier. Taking a cue from classic movie epics, the opening reel now set up the basic themes with greater economy: Alexander's Oedipal relationship with his parents, Olympias' ambitions for her son, the boy's need to surpass his father, and the entirely natural way in which myth/religion is shown as integral to the ancients' behavior. Oliver Stone reworked the third act, too, juxtaposing events in India and Greece. Jolie's Olympias emerges now more as a genuinely pathetic figure in the whole tragedy. Ptolemy's final scene was edited. Stone also slightly reworked Alexander's death scene because of audience feedback, adding 17 seconds to the scene.

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Connections

Featured in Perfect Is the Enemy of Good (2005)

User Reviews

Historical and breathtaking epic movie but overlong and a little bit boring

Historic , big-budgeted , mammoth rendition and enormous epic movie with stunningly staged battle scenes, but overlong , as it lasts too much , around three hours , and a little boring pacing ; this one being professionally directed by Oliver Stone (2003) . Being previously adapted by Robert Rossen with Richard Burton as Alexander , Danielle Darrieux , Harry Andrews , Peter Cushing , and Fredric March as Philip II as King of Macedonya . The movie centers Alexander the Great (Colin Farrell) , the famous Greek conqueror of the fourth century and disciple of Aristoteles , he was born in Pella and died Babylone (356-323 B.C) . It starts the year 326 B.C. in a divided , troubled , bloody Greece . Alexander was son of Philip II (Val Kilmer) , King of Macedonya , who vanquished Greeks in Queronea , unified the cities and Greece in the league of Corinto , but he died cruelly murdered . Olimpya (Angelina Jolie who is less than a year older than Farrell) , Alexander's mother , will stop at nothing to rule over for her son and proclaim him King . Alexander , disciple of Aristoteles (Christopher Plummer) , will fight the Persians commanded by Dario III who will be vanquished in Granico , Issos and Gaugamela . Starting in 334 B.C., Alexander crossed into Asia on his eleven-year conquest of the known world . From his conquests of Egypt , creating Alexandria as capital , to battles with the Persians and the capture of Babylon and Persepolis that he fired , operations near Samarcanda and in Afghanistan, and pushing all the way to India where he reigned unchallenged . Emperor Alexander will marry a Babylonian princess (Rosario Dawson) and later on , he will arrive in Samarcanda and Khiver pass (Afganistan) . In India he was infected by fevers and he died suddenly at 33 years old (323 before Christ) . The empire will split amongst various generals : Ptolemy (Anthony Hopkins) , Antioco , Seleuco , among others.

Big budget epic about the legendary Greek conqueror . Here we find Alexander is the result of a dysfunctional royal family who wishes create an idealized world modeled in Greek style , this he does by conquering all around the world before dying at 33 years old . The overall casting is important , the remarkable main cast include prestigious players as well as a notorious plethora of secondary actors . The great main and secondary casting help in overcoming the sluggish developing . Film runtime results to be overlong and a bit tiring, because of it goes on for three hours and some , and it tires too much . At the picture there are historic events , overwhelming battles , spectacular scenarios and gorgeous landscapes . First-rate production design : temples , palaces, monuments.., the battles are very well staged by a cast of thousands and other scenarios by means of computer-generator special effects . The motion picture obtained enough success at box office , it was a real blockbuster but achieved more hit-smash in Europe than the United States where had gotten awful critics . Riveting and colorful cinematography by Rodrigo Prieto , similar to extraordinary and fascinating Vangelis' musical score . Oliver Stone direction is good , though a bit confusing and embarrassing . Rating : 6 , acceptable and passable .

Details

Official Sites:

MySpace [United States] Official site [Russia]

Country:

USA UK Germany Netherlands France Italy Morocco Thailand

Language:

English

Release Date:

24 November 2004 (USA)

Also Known As:

Alexander Revisited: The Final Cut

Filming Locations:

UK

Box Office

Budget:

$155,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$13,687,087, 28 November 2004

Gross USA:

$34,297,191

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$167,298,192

Company Credits

Production Co:

Warner Bros., Intermedia Films, Pacifica Film

Technical Specs

Runtime:

175 min 167 min (Director's Cut) 214 min (Final Cut) 207 min (Ultimate Cut)

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.39 : 1