September 23, 2004

Prof: 'Alexander' conquers silver screen like so many other classics

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Would Homer pick a modern Hollywood director as his successor to spin tales of ancient Greek heroes?

Yes, says a Purdue University expert in Greek and Roman classical literature.

Today's multimillion-dollar versions of classics such as "Troy," "Gladiator," "Hercules" and now director Oliver Stone's "Alexander," serve a role similar to that of the tales spun by bards thousands of years ago, says John T. Kirby, a professor of classics and comparative literature.

"Even if they are not accurate, and who is to say the original story is, these movies are at least encouraging people to identify with characters and maybe even read the original work," he says.

"Alexander," a film by Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc., opens Nov. 5. The film is about Alexander the Great, 356-323 B.C., who conquered 90 percent of the known world by the time he was 25. His Greek and Macedonian armies also conquered Persia.

"The early previews for this movie are saying 'the greatest legend of all was real,'" says Kirby, who teaches a class called "The Ancient World on Screen." "But Alexander himself was the intersection of legend and reality. He understood this very well himself and tried as much as he could to capitalize on his own publicity during his lifetime. In a way, his public relations style foreshadowed Hollywood's."

Kirby also can talk about ancient Greek and Roman culture in general.

CONTACT: Kirby (765) 494-3845, corax@purdue.edu

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