300 (Limited Collector's Edition)

Product Description

Limited Collector's Edition: 3-Disc Release

Disc 1: * Feature Film. Commentary by Director Zack Snyder, Writer Kurt Johnstad and Director of Photography Larry Fong

Disc 2: * The 300 - Fact or Fiction? - Historians, authors and filmmakers reveal how much of the film was based on fact. (RT: 24:31) * Who Were The Spartans: The Warriors of 300 - Touches on the customs and ways of life of the Spartan culture that weren't explicitly shown in 300 but were used by the actors and filmmakers to help build their characters. (RT: 4:24) * Frank Miller Tapes - Follow the career of one of the most innovative graphic novelists of our time. We'll show how the outspoken Miller continued to push his limits to realize his epic graphic novel, 300, in the world of theatrical film (RT: 13:00) * Making of 300 (RT: 5:40) * Making 300 in Images - Rapid fire stills from the first day of production to the last. (RT 3:39) * Deleted Scenes with Introduction by Zack Snyder (RT: 3:21) * Webisodes - Production Design, Wardrobe, Stunt Work, Lena Headey, Adapting The Graphic Novel, Gerard Butler, Rodrigo Santoro, Training The Actors, Culture of The Sparta City/State, A Glimpse from the Set: Making 300 the Movie, Scene Studies from 300, Fantastic Characters of 300 (RT: 20:00)

Disc 3 (NEW): * To The Hot Gates: A Legend Retold - A comprehensive and dynamic description of the ancient legend, from Frank Millers graphic novel to the creation of Zack Snyder's epic movie. (RT: 30:00)

Plus Premium Collectibles * 52-Page Art & Photo Book with Personal Message from Director Zack Snyder * Lucite Display with Motion Image from the Film * 6 Photo Cards of the Theatrical Poster Campaign * Disc 3 Includes Bonus Digital Copy of 300

In-Depth

Like Sin City before it, 300 brings Frank Miller and Lynn Varley's graphic novel vividly to life. Gerard Butler (Beowulf and Grendel, The Phantom of the Opera) radiates pure power and charisma as Leonidas, the Grecian king who leads 300 of his fellow Spartans (including David Wenham of The Lord of the Rings, Michael Fassbender, and Andrew Pleavin) into a battle against the overwhelming force of Persian invaders. Their only hope is to neutralize the numerical advantage by confronting the Persians, led by King Xerxes (Rodrigo Santoro), at the narrow strait of Thermopylae.

More engaging than Troy, the tepid and somewhat similar epic of ancient Greece, 300 is also comparable to Sin City in that the actors were shot on green screen, then added to digitally created backgrounds. The effort pays off in a strikingly stylized look and huge, sweeping battle scenes. However, it's not as to-the-letter faithful to Miller's source material as Sin City was. The plot is the same, and many of the book's images are represented just about perfectly. But some extra material has been added, including new villains (who would be considered "bosses" if this were a video game, and it often feels like one) and a political subplot involving new characters and a significantly expanded role for the Queen of Sparta (Lena Headey). While this subplot by director Zack Snyder (Dawn of the Dead) and his fellow co-writers does break up the violence, most fans would probably dismiss it as filler if it didn't involve the sexy Headey. Other viewers, of course, will be turned off by the waves of spurting blood, flying body parts, and surging testosterone. (The six-pack abs are also relentless, and the movie has more and less nudity--more female, less male--than the graphic novel.) Still, as a representation of Miller's work and as an ancient-themed action flick with a modern edge, 300 delivers. --David Horiuchi

Actors