Rating: 
Summary: An epic of Homeric proportions!
Review: As there are few things more distasteful than a badly-done rendition of an epic story, this effort at re-creating the Homeric world is very refreshing and engrossing. The production value of this ambitious venture is top-notch; I can't think of why anyone who has ever read Homer would be disappointed with this DVD.The novice might be inclined to believe that the film is taken straight from the ILIAD. In fact, precious few scenes are actually in Homer's poem. The majority of the action depicted happens either before or after the ILIAD. The episode of Helen being abducted by Theseus is based on an obscure myth. The major differences between the myth & the story in the DVD are (1): Helen is just a child in the myth (as opposed to a young woman in the film). (2): In the myth, Theseus is not killed by Helen's brothers when they come to fetch her back. Given the fact that Homer's poem is saturated with the interaction of gods & goddesses, it comes as a surprise that the roles of the gods are muted in this story. Aside from the cameo of the 3 goddesses in the abbreviated JUDGMENT OF PARIS at the beginning of the tale, the entire Greek pantheon is basically left out of the remainder of the story. The acting is quite good. The men, for the most part, fit their roles as Greeks & Trojans. Sienna Guillory plays a credible Helen & I thought she portrayed a believable young, innocent girl who gets in way over her head. Obviously, no matter who they pick to play "the most beautiful woman who ever lived," there will ALWAYS be some people who are unhappy w/the selection. That Guillory is in possession of acting skills is helpful; hiring a supermodel who can't act would have been a complete disaster. Making Paris into some sort of quasi-hero was exceptionally bold and radical. It is something that would have been apt to strike the ancient Greeks as strange. It was a clever bit how they re-arranged the infamous duel between Menelaous and Paris. That said, what the makers of this film did was very Greek in its manner. In Greek tragedies different characters are portrayed in a variety of ways, depending on the point that tradgedian was attempting to convey. This was true even in different plays by the SAME author. This DVD is HIGHLY recommended to anyone who has read Homer, wants to read Homer or is even slightly interested in the mythology of the ancient Greeks. It blends some history and mythology (such as the reason that Troy was attacked) and does a balanced job of telling Homer's story. This one is truly a classic, based on a classic.
Rating: 
Summary: I'd like to give it no stars...
Review: Horrible. Absolutely horrible. Homer would be rolling in his grave. The characters bare no resemblance whatsoever to the characters Homer created. This movie was a waste of time when it aired on television, why anyone would waste money on it is beyond me. Do yourself a favor, and read the book.
Rating:
Summary: Helen of Troy = beautiful work!
Review: I have to say that since USA started broadcasting the promos for Helen of Troy, I was waiting for it to be released on TV. Sienna Gilroy and Matthew Marsden were absolutly wonderful in the depiction of Helen and Paris. I swore was watching Romeo and Juliet all over again. I watched it for days on end. Now that it is on DVD all the BETTER! Get this movie and prepared to be entranced...
Rating:
Summary: More sex than substance
Review: I guess it is enivitable that Hollywood would tell the story of Helen in the basest way possible. The "face that launced a thousand ships" becomes instead merely another royal prostitute. Perhaps that is why this Helen is not of surpassing beauty. Such a woman would probably not bare it all as willingly as this actress. As a fan of all things classical I was looking forward to this movie with great anticipation. However, instead of the greatness of Homer there was only the distorted sleaze of modern film. Don't get me wrong, Homer's Helen is highly sexual. Somehow though, he manages to portray her with more appeal. Her sexuallity almost seems worthy of admiration in Homer. In this low-grade movie she seems little more than a silly slave girl. My complaints don't stop at the portrayal of Helen however, instead of a grand duel between the mighty Hector and the invincible Achilles, the latter just throws a javelin in the former and pins him to a post. Instead of dragging the corpse of Hector around the walls, this half-Achilles contents himself with dragging it around the campfire of his camp (Boring!!!). As a previously reviewer points out- everybody believes Kassandra's prophecies (destroying her mythological persona). And where, Oh where, are the warring Gods!! Why is it that Hollywood always takes a story that has lasted for centuries because of its appealing plot- and modifies it- thinking that this will make it "more appealing". Instead of "adaptations," they nearly always come up with "distortions". Bottom line... don't waste your time, it will only diminish the greatness of this epic tale... I'm going back to my books...
again...
Rating: 
Summary: Helen of Troy-The DvD
Review: Cast is Wonderful. Sienna Guillory is great as Helen. Matthew Marsden is well cast as Paris. Rufus Sewell as Agamemnon. Stellan Skarsguard reminds me of Leiam Neisen. John Rhys Davies as King Priam(not a dwarf) if you've seen Lord of The Rings you know who I'm talking about, fine actor. The only one who was miscast was Achellies, but you would have to read The Illiad to know that. It would also give you a better handle on the difference between movie and story. Several editions are available here. If you are offended by any sort of nudity, this may not be movie for you, but this is greek myth, and the only full length shot is Helen from back. If you love greek myth this is for you. The only reason it didn't get 5 stars it's short on extras.
Rating:
Summary: Awful retelling of a classic story
Review: This was an awful retelling of Homer's epic classic. The writers went to extra lengths to make the Spartan's a group of horrible men. It is true that they were warriors and found glory in battle, but Homer also portrayed them generally as noble men. From the classics we know Achilles was by all means a warrior who enjoyed battle, but he was also a handsome man who was esteemed for his kindness; he mistreated Hector's body after killing him in a fair fight but treated king Priam with respect and kindness when the king came to him to claim the body of his son. In 'Helen of Troy,' Achilles was portrayed by a bloodthirsty, awful looking bald man who did not know the meaning of the words respect or kindness. From the classics, we learn Menelaus had his faults, primarily that he was a proud man, but he was also a strong and good king whom Helen chose as husband, maybe because he was the best candidate. In 'Helen of Troy,' Menelaus was portrayed as a gutless, spineless wimp, who got to marry Helen because the men had a stupid ring contest to decide who would get her hand in marriage. Agamemnon was probably the only one who was not always well like in the classics, but he wasn't as horrible as portrayed in 'Helen of Troy.' Agamemnon had no need to rape Helen when he kept collecting women as trophies from the Trojans, Cassandra the last of the women he took. I was also upset by the portrayal in 'Helen of Troy' when Clytaemestra comes to Troy and kills Agamemnon. If anything, he was the only one that was supposed to have made it home without any problems to find his wife had taken a lover and then Clytaemestra killed him and Cassandra. It was also upsetting to see how they imprison Cassandra in 'Helen of Troy' since she never stopped prophesying only to never be believed ' can't happen if she's imprisoned where no one can hear her prophecies. In the classics, Helen was a cold woman who observed the war taking place outside the walls without any real care in the world, or in the outcome; the only time Helen was ever moved was when Hector died. She was also fond of Odysseus and helped him at one point when he got inside the Trojan wall. In 'Helen of Troy,' Helen was portrayed as this poor girl who was a victim of love and circumstances. I wonder why they failed to include the fact that she had a daughter with Menelaus whom she also abandoned when she ran off with Paris. I also was greatly displeased by the comparison they made in 'Helen of Troy' between Menelaus and Rome's cruel and despotic ruler Caligula. Caligula was known to parade his wife around naked in front on his male guests and it was in very bad taste to use that horrible fact pertaining to another horrible person to portray a good king as Menelaus. In the classics, Paris was an arrogant pretty boy who cared for no one but himself, not even the Trojans liked him; in fact, when Menelaus was kicking Paris' butt and Aphrodite whisked him away, the Trojans actually said to Menelaus they would hand over Paris if they could find him. In 'Helen of Troy' Paris was portrayed as this kind man who fell in love and was trying to save a poor girl who was treated cruelly by her husband, for from what the classics tell us. If you want to know about Helen of Troy or the Trojan War, this is not a movie you want to see. The classics were actually written when these events took place and/or the events were still fresh to write accounts that were slightly more accurate. The screenwriters for this movie must have had a serious bias against the Spartans that they rewrote what were great pieces of works to suite their own biases. Yes, the Spartans were warriors and could be cruel in battle, but that is true of the Trojans and all the warring civilizations of the time. It is a shame more people today don't read classical works such as the Iliad or the Odyssey, and then screenwriters might be more inclined to do the original story justice. If you have not seen 'Helen of Troy,' don't waste your time, the movie 'Troy' is currently in production with excellent actors and scheduled to be released next May. I just hope 'Troy' does a better job of retelling Homer's story as it is actually written.
Rating:
Summary: HELEN OF TROY a solid enough version of classic myth
Review: Ever since the Greek poet Homer first recorded the story, "The Iliad" has stood as one of the great pieces of Romantic Adventure. While the USA TV mini-series, HELEN OF TROY, takes some unusual and interesting liberties with the classic story, it provides an entertaining version of the Greek myth. Mainly told from Helen's point of view (with husband Menelaus providing the introduction and epilogue), HELEN OF TROY grabs your attention with some unique twists. For starters, the relationship between brothers Menelaus (James Callis) and high-king Agammemnon (Rufus Sewell) is made into a very complex one, with the basically decent Menelaus being bullied and over-shadowed by his nasty and conniving brother. Both of the major warriors of "the Iliad," Achilles (the bald Joe Montana, who is NOT the the 49ers quarterback of the same name) and Hector (Daniel Lapaine) are given almost minor roles in the epic, with Achilles being no more than a burly brute and Hector as a less-than-superhuman warrior at best. Many other major characters of the story are dropped completely. For example, did anyone else wonder where Pollux's twin brother Castor disappeared to?. Also, events are compressed to fit a reduced time-frame. As for the acting, the range falls between very good to merely servicable. As the title role, Sienna Guillory is pretty enough, though not nearly ravishing enough to warrant launching "a thousand ships." Also, Guillory's Helen comes across as a bit of a pill with her character's tendency to whine. Matthew Marsden fares better as a likable and sympathetic Paris, Helen's lover. James Callis is solid in the somewhat thankless role of the cuckholded Menelaus. Emelia Fox is perfect as the prophetess, Cassandra, who is doomed to foretell the truth...but is never believed. John Rhys-Davies is powerful as King Priam of Troy, while Rufus Sewell turns in the top performance as the black-hearted Agamemmnon. Overall, despite its weak points, HELEN OF TROY generates our interest over its 3 hour length and is definitely one of the better adaptations of Greek myth out there on film today. As a result, it's definitely one to recommend.
Rating: 
Summary: Missed opportunity for true epic retelling - spoilers ahead.
Review: As a drama about the love, lust, greed, ambition, revenge and the ferocity of war, "Helen of Troy" works well enough. As an adaptation of the Trojan War, it fails miserably. The reason: the script for "Helen of Troy" deviates far too much from ancient sources. The mini-series starts off well enough - Queen Hecuba of Troy gives birth to Alexandros. His sister, Cassandra, who foresees the destruction of Troy if the newborn prince lives, begs her father to kill him. King Priam trusts his daughter's ability to foretell the future and exposes the baby on a precipice. A kindly shepherd chances upon the baby and adopts him. Years later, Alexandros, named Paris by his adopted father, dreams of three goddesses who commands him to judge which one of them is loveliest. Aphrodite, the Goddess of Love, bribes him with an image of young Helen. So far so good. But bad signs start to appear. We see Helen's brother, Pollux, but not his twin brother, Castor. Hello? Doesn't anybody know that Castor and Pollux are the twins that make up the Gemini constellation? Pollux should also be more appropriately called Polydeuces - other annoying examples of Roman names being used abound, but I digress. Prince Agamemnon of Mycenae visits Sparta and is granted the hand of King Tyndareus' eldest daughter, Clytemnestra. He discovers too late that the younger daughter is much more alluring. Shortly thereafter, the young Helen is kidnapped by Theseus, King of Athens. This is accurate but what follows is again not. Pollux rescues Helen but is killed in the process. An angry Tyndareus, now deprived of his heir, renounces Helen to whoever will have her. Odysseus proposes that the Greek kings draw lots - the lot falls to Menelaus. What Menelaus does next is not adequately explained. He is clearly besotted with Helen, yet the script writers will have him parade her naked amongst the Greek kings, a deplorable affront that pushes Helen into the arms of the newly arrived Trojan envoy, Paris, who has been reconciled with his parents. Priam grants Helen sanctuary despite the objections of both Cassandra and Hector - apparently, in this version, Priam has only three children instead of fifty. Agamemnon assembles the Greek army at Aulis, but unfavourable winds prevent the Greek ships from sailing. Agamemnon is told that he must sacrifice his daughter, Iphigenia, to obtain favourable winds - this he does. Off the army goes to sack Troy. Skip ten years forward, and we should expect to see a version of the Iliad. Unfortunately, we do not. What we have next is a complete travesty of the Iliad. The central character, Achilles, is here twisted into something completely unrecognisable. Achilles is here portrayed by a BALD actor - oh, come on - the real Achilles was no Vin Diesel wannabe. In literature and in art, Achilles had always been portrayed as having long, flowing locks, a man who is almost beautiful but for his warrior's bearing. Also, Achilles may be capable of incredibly bloodthirstiness, but he was also capable of supreme kindness. But of course, the script writers would have none of that here. In single combat, Achilles kills Hector by throwing his spear while Hector least expects it, a most cowardly act. He then ties Hector's body to his chariot and drags it around the battlefield - we are not told why Hector would merit such desecration, except that the Greek army almost without exception are portrayed as scum. We are further denied the sublime scene in the Iliad where Priam sneaks into the Greek camp and begs Achilles for Hector's body, softening the heart of the man who killed so many of his sons. Instead, it is Helen who sneaks into Agamemnon's camp to redeem Hector's body but realises that Agamemnon is insane and will be satisfied with nothing less than her total humiliation and the utter annihilation of the Trojans. She escapes back to Troy, aided by Paris, who dies in the hands of Agamemnon. What happens next is the usual stuff - the Greeks pretend to sail for home, leaving behind a huge wooden horse, which the Trojans drag into their city. Greeks hidden within then open the city gates, and the Greek army sack and burn Troy. Then another "innovation" happens - Helen is raped by Agamemnon before the powerless gaze of Menelaus. In the mini-series' best scene, Clytemnestra arrives, sets her sister free, throws a net over an unsuspecting Agamemnon, and then hacks him to death to avenge Iphigenia. The closing scene has Helen kneeling by the spot where Paris died, gently touching his blood stains, and then telling Menelaus that she could never love him but will follow wherever he leads. The complete story of the Trojan War just cannot be adequately covered in three hours. My dream version would be a season-long mini-series with 22 hour-long episodes which sticks to the ancient sources as closely as possible. The ancient sources include: Cypria (the gods plot the beginnings of the war), Iphigenia at Aulis (the sacrifice of Iphigenia), Iliad (the wrath of Achilles), Aethiopis (the death of Memnon), Iliupersis (the destruction of Troy), Little Iliad and The Fall of Troy (the deaths of Penthesileia, Memnon, Achilles, Ajax and Paris), Nostoi (the return of the Greeks), and Agamemnon (the death of Agamemnon). This version falls far short of that ideal.
Rating:
Summary: interesting but disapointing
Review: a fairly humdrum affair
interesting in that the usual hero roles were not as cut and dried as we are used to
but in the end i did not believe that the lovers would risk everything as the attraction between them seemed non existant mainly due to the fact that Helen was more wooden than the Trojan horse.
still the battle scenes were very well handled and the fall of troy was quite moving
Rating:
Summary: I feel like I lost 3 hours of my life
Review: Avoid.Avoid.Avoid
this has to be one of the most boring things i have ever had the mis fortune to waste my time one.
so clean and sterile i could disenfect my lavatory with it
please Zeus let it end.Matthew Marsden should stick to singing.
oops that failed too.
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