300

Hollywood, the name associated with bright lights, red carpets, big budget blockbusters, famous movie stars and captivating tales. However, what is sometimes forgotten is the raw power that Hollywood movies have to persuade audiences and reinforce American ideologies. It is not just entertainment we receive when we sit down our popcorn and choc tops; we are also being subtly brainwashed by American propaganda.

Good evening ladies and gentlemen and welcome to the 22nd annual Brisbane International film festival. My name is Catherine Willows and we are here in celebration of the release of Scott Derrickson's film Deliver Us From Evil. Before we sit to enjoy tonight's entertainment let's take a moment to consider the extent to which Hollywood sanitises history through the 2007 screenplay, of graphic novel of the same name, 300, directed by Zack Snyder.

In recent years this film has gathered much controversy with its portrayal of the titanic clash between the 300 Spartan warriors against the great God King Xerxes and his enormous Persian army. Representing the great historic battle of Thermopylae, this blockbuster represents the ferocious onslaught endured by the Spartan soldiers and their King, Leonidas whilst providing a few grotesque creatures to showcase the lengths of which Xerxes would go to obtain domination upon the Greek lands.

By casting big time celebrity "heart throb" Gerard Butler as the great King Leonidas, it would be expected that this big budget blockbuster is a box office success. The fact is, no expense was spared for the production of such an awe educing film with the expenditure of $65 million to assist in the heavy Spartan training for the cast and too, the extraordinary special CGI effects that gave the audience a feel of not only what the battle was but too, attaining the "graphic novel" like visuals. For realism,

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