300 as Fascist Art
A second viewing of Warner's superb rendering of Frank Miller's glorious comic book history of the Battle of Thermopylae, 300, only makes even clearer what caused a Berlin Film Festival audience to boo it last month.
It's as obvious as the shirts not on their backs. A work with an obviously fascist aesthetic, it falls under the broad umbrella Susan Sontag used to encompass "fascist art," in that it reaches for a superficial human ideal (uncomplicated, orders-following, buffed, beautiful, nearly-nude fighting men) and celebrates death (theirs).
"Fascist art glorifies surrender, it exalts mindlessness, it glamourizes death," Sontag wrote, in describing the appeal of Leni Riefenstal's Nuremberg rally propaganda film, Triumph of the Will.
Sounds like most graphic novels. And Star Wars and Lord of the Rings. And heavy metal, for that matter. Fascist aesthetics have long had an appeal for teenaged boys.
And 300? It does pretty much the same. "Mindless" entertainment, "surrender" accepting one's mortal fate (and the immortality the movie characters seem to know will come) and glamourized deaths that have endured, as history rewritten as legend, for 2,500 years.
It's ok that it has a fascist aesthetic, I think. So long as you know it's there. Lord of the Rings had its own 9-11 message shoehorned in. The artists, I would bet, are not backing up any administration or policy (Bush isn't a Xerxes or Leonidas. He's more a Theron. See the movie, you'll get it.), but acknowledging the "clash of civilizations" zeitgeist.
And those fascists, they knew how to do spectacle. Still do. Visit the Valley of the Fallen in Spain, or rent Triumph of the Will, Day of Faith, Olympiad, the Riefenstahl boxed set.
USA Today used a line I expect to turn up many places when the reviews come out, the "Greek Alamo." Actually, they've now used it twice. Sorry, kids, that still doesn't give you ownership of the obvious.
I don't see LotR having a specific 911 message, having read the books I think the whole story's thesis is so generic that it can apply to many, many events in our history, not just 911. That is one of it's endearing qualities, and why ultimately the book will last a long, long time.
Posted by: Damien McKenna | March 07, 2007 at 12:59 PM
And Roger responds...
Yes, but the screenwriter and Sean Astin spoke, as The Two Towers was coming out, about the post-9/11 add-on speach that Samwise gives about things worth "fighting for in this world" (I paraphrase). They confirmed the intent of this to me and many other reporters as that one rolled into theaters. Probably less obvious than they intended, but it's there, along with general interpretations of the films that changed themselves for the installments post Sept. 11.
Posted by: Roger | March 07, 2007 at 10:23 PM
I really have to wonder if someone who says that this description:
"Fascist art glorifies surrender, it exalts mindlessness, it glamourizes death"
sounds like most graphic novels has ever actually read one. Yes, Frank Miller represents a certain lowest common denominator, reactionary and perhaps even fascist aesthetic that often finds its way into comics. But there are just as many, written by those who aren't on the absolute fringes of the right wing as Miller undoubtably is, that are filled with a true humanity, and that don't glorify their violence.
Posted by: Craig Tollin | March 20, 2007 at 12:26 AM
Fascist art... I think what Miller wanted to do was create a story that Spartans would tell of their epic battle. Thus the exotic animals, the ancient mystics with grenades, and the immortals.
As for Graphic Novels being fascist I have to agree with the viewer above. You probably haven't read or understod many graphic novels. Sandman, Watchmen, and even Preacher hardly preach fascism.
Posted by: PW | March 20, 2007 at 09:06 AM