Alexander (2004)
This is a groundbreaking movie.
This is a historical event. For the first time ever,
a major Hollywood epic with a multimillion dollar
budget and a wide release at a Holiday weekend has
a openly bisexual character as its hero. This has
never happened in the history of American films. This
is a film that has broken barriers and opened doors.
Things may never be the same.
Of course, this film opened poorly
in America and was dogged by a plethora of negative
reviews (none of which, really, were aimed at the
portrayal of the sexuality of the main character.
That seemed to be pretty much the only thing that
the critics didn't whine about). But this is a moot
point. That filmmaker Oliver Stone was able to get
this film made with Alexander the Greats sexuality
intact is simply revolutionary. He and his producers
somehow manages to collect a budget of 150 million
dollars to tell this story with a bisexual character
as the lead. This is amazing.
This is one of the gayest films
that I have ever seen. When Alexander and his army
conquers a city, the immediately throw a party where
hottie local boys dance sexually while remaining half
naked for their conqueror's pleasure. Jared Leto,
as Alexander's boyhood chum and lover, sulks around
sexually with eye-liner accentuating his feminine
eyes and mink coats adorning his luscious body. Hotties
like Jonathan Rhys-Meyers adorn numerous scenes in
the film. There are more half-naked, toga-wearing
hottie boys in this film than you can keep up with.
There's one in nearly every frame of the film when
you include Colin Farrell in the lengthy list of cuties.
And the boys here all eyeball one and other knowingly
as well as hug, kiss and touch throughout the film.
It is fabulous!
To be sure, this isn't a perfect
film. Stone makes the mistake of using Anthony Hopkins
(who looks like cold shit) as Ptolemy, our narrator.
His elongated scenes which bookend the film are boring
and look incredibly fake. And he also makes the mistake
of letting Angelina Jolie use some sort of fake Russian
accent (sounding like Natasha from "Rocky and Bullwinkle."
"Alexander. You must kill Moose and Squirrel.") But
who cares? Finally we have a historical epic of major
importance which shows an accurate interpretation
and portrayal of the sexuality which existed in ancient
Greece. Again - Groundbreaking.
Farrell keeps his Irish accent intact
in his portrayal of the Macedonian king, but it doesn't
matter. Stone even has other Macedonians played by
Irishmen to create a balance. None of this is important.
At least he didn't try to have the film use the ancient
languages like Mel Gibson did with "The Passion of
the Christ;" that would be horrendous. We all know
Farrell is Irish and that Alexander didn't talk like
that. We know that Alexander's father Phillip didn't
sound like a drunk Val Kilmer either but I don't hear
anyone bitching about that.
Stone engages in some of his usual
artsy moments in the film but, generally speaking,
these work as often as not. His most compelling cinematics
come during the scenes in India when Alexander meets
Hannibal and his elephants. While Stone's images are
arty and graphic, they also accentuate what an important
and unusual battle this was.
"Alexander" is a gift. Here we finally
have a "gay" hero in a massive Hollywood epic. Farrell
and Leto may not be allowed to have deep passionate
scenes on screen, but their love is unmistakable.
Farrell's speech about growing old with Leto near
the end of the film is one of the most touching and
romantic moments between two men to ever appear in
a film. Imagine if this film were made just a few
years ago, Leto's character would have been Alexander's
"best friend," played by someone strong and masculine
and bloodthirsty, a great warrior, not a fey lover.
The love triangle between the two men and Rosario
Dawson's character would have been shifted to two
of Alexander's wives, rather than his gay lover and
his wife.
And Alexander is a hero. He fights
to end racism and hatred. He is a uniter and depicted
as someone who tried to bring the world together.
He is kind and fair and warm. Yes, as he grows older
and as time passes, his idealism and his sanity begin
to unravel but there is no doubt that this has nothing
to do with his sexuality. This is a film about a warrior
and a world leader who "just happened to be bisexual"
in a time when that was considered to be acceptable,
if not normal, and that element of his life is not
glossed over or whitewashed here, nor is it mocked.
It is here and now - this moment
- the revolution continues with a whimper, not a bang.
But this film is a milestone. No longer must our historical
epics and biographies gloss over or ignore the sexuality
of its protagonists. Alexander was bisexual. It is
a part of his story.
It is a part of history.
Note:
Also with Christopher Plummer.
Stone worked for several years to
get this film made, at one time trying to get a version
with Tom Cruise in the lead off the ground. When this
film was finally greenlit, Baz Luhrman was also about
to film a movie about Alexander the Great with Leonardo
Dicaprio and Nicole Kidman but delayed the film when
Stone got started before he could.
Kilmer and Stone discussed the film
when shooting "The Doors." At that time it was thought
Kilmer could play Alexander and Sean Connery play
Phillip, the role that Kilmer eventually played.
Stone considered Heath Ledger for
the title role. He also wanted Bred Pitt to play the
Jared Leto role but the actor declined.
Filmed in England, Morocco and Thailand.
Viewed in Pflugerville in December
2004 with my roomie Amanda.
