Thursday, April 2, 2015

B is for Bygone Battles

Rise and shine A to Z-ers, it's a glorious day for an A to Z Movie Smackdown. Did you have a good first day of the challenge? Meet a lot of great new bloggers? I know I sure did! You guys have come up with some awesome themes. I can't wait to meet more of you today!

For the letter "B", I thought I'd go with two movies that impressed me both aesthetically, and for their ability to bring to life the Greco-Roman culture I've been fascinated with since childhood. Not to mention some spectacular and blood-thirsty battles. So cast your VOTE for which movie you think best represents today's category of . . .

B is for Bygone Battles:

vs.

[First Alternate Pairing: Braveheart vs. King Arthur]

_______________________________________________________________________________

This post is part of the 2015 Blogging from A to Z Challenge. My theme (in case you didn't already guess it) is Movie Smackdowns. Cast your vote NOW! Stay tuned for the rest of the alphabet, and if you'd like to check out the other A to Z participants, simply click here.


70 comments:

  1. Gladiator for me. Not sure why, I just couldn't get into 300 when I watched it.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Same here. I love a good battle, but 300 just didn't do it for me. I absolutely love Gladiator. The soundtrack is awesome to write to as well!
      --Raven Oak (#1207 on the A-Z Challenge list & SF/F Author)

      Delete
  2. Argh. This is a tough one. I am a huge Zack Synder fan, so you should understand why I am leaning towards 300. On a purely visual level, I'd go with 300, but if we're talking about the whole shebang, then it's definitely Gladiator. So Gladiator it is.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I don't actually like either of these movies, so I won't vote on them, but if it's Braveheart vs King Arthur, I'll go King Arthur every time :)
    Sophie
    Sophie's Thoughts & Fumbles
    FB3X
    Wittegen Press

    ReplyDelete
  4. I have to go with Gladiator because I haven't seen 300 :) and King Arthur would definitely get my vote from the First Alternate :).
    Tasha
    Tasha's Thinkings | Wittegen Press | FB3X (AC)

    ReplyDelete
  5. Wow. These are two great films. I'd have to go with Gladiator though. 300 is an awesome, entertaining film, and the way it is shot and the cinematography are both incredible, but Gladiator is better written, better acted, and overall a slightly better all around film. Both great though.

    2015 A to Z Challenge Co-Host
    Matthew MacNish from The QQQE

    ReplyDelete
  6. I only saw Gladiator, so can't vote :-( Looking forward to seeing what the other smackdowns are - especially for the letter Q.

    ReplyDelete
  7. For just the battle scenes, I'd go with '300', but for overall movie, story, acting, I have to go with 'Gladiator'. I'll have to put 'King Arthur' on my list, which is getting long already.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Gladiator. Long been a favorite of mine.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Oh please don't make me vote for Rusty Crowe!
    Wendy at Wendy of The Rock

    ReplyDelete
  10. Gladiator is the first choice, I want to see muscle-bond men... I will look in the mirror. :)

    Jeremy [Retro]
    AtoZ Challenge Co-Host [2015]

    There's no earthly way of knowing.
    Which direction we are going!

    HOLLYWOOD NUTS!
    Come Visit: You know you want to know if me or Hollywood... is Nuts?

    ReplyDelete
  11. mmmmm, I've actually never seen Gladiator or 300 .. many have said how excellent Gladiator is ... thank you.

    ReplyDelete
  12. No contest. Gladiator all the way.

    ReplyDelete
  13. I did have a first good day of the challenge and enjoyed the new blogs I visited :)

    Gladiator. The saddest scene is when he goes home and finds his family. Always heart breaking all the times I've seen the movie.

    betty

    ReplyDelete
  14. Hearts with Gladiator but there are a number of toughie's in 300. I'll vote for 300 against my will.;)

    ReplyDelete
  15. Gladiator had a better all around story in my opinion. Men and their honor or lack there of.

    ReplyDelete
  16. I'm going to have to go with 300 on this one. This is SPARTA!

    ReplyDelete
  17. 300 for me too...Russell Crowe gets on my last nerve for some reason.

    ReplyDelete
  18. I've seen Gladiator many times (including in the cinema) but not 300. So Gladiator!

    ReplyDelete
  19. Like your "B" theme, but I haven't seen 300 so I can't vote properly . . . although I could just say Gladiator . . . :)

    ReplyDelete
  20. In the smackdown of men in various forms of skirts, I lean decidedly towards kilts. Braveheart for me.

    ReplyDelete
  21. Looks like Gladiator wins--one of my daughter's faves. I liked the story of Braveheart very much but felt a lot of the violence was gratuitous and pulled away from the interesting narrative.

    ReplyDelete
  22. I haven't seen either movie, but it I was going to pick which one I'd see first, it would be 300.

    ReplyDelete
  23. I haven't seen either one either.

    ReplyDelete
  24. Both are great but Gladiator is a classic already. The excellent acting, fighting scenes and art direction is par excellence

    ReplyDelete
  25. Gladiator all the way! But both movies were visually stunning, that is for sure! I am biased toward the Hans Zimmer score from Gladiator as well. Blessings!

    ReplyDelete
  26. :) Like reading the article and all the comments. I haven't seen either of them.

    ReplyDelete
  27. Gladiator gets my vote, but then again, I've never even heard of 300!

    ReplyDelete
  28. Ah, well - I'll go for Gladiator on this one. And not just because the initial battles were all filmed in Alice Holt Forest in Surrey, UK - and a number of my colleagues were extras!

    ReplyDelete
  29. Gladiator for me. The performances of Russell Crowe and Joaquin Phoenix were standouts.

    ReplyDelete
  30. Gladiator - one of my all-time favorite movies! It captured the battles of the soldiers on the field, but also the political battles going on within the Roman Senate...

    ReplyDelete
  31. Thanks, LSH, for commenting on my blog. I like the style of your A-Z theme, but I must admit I am not a film buff, so have my doubts how many films I will know in your A-Z listings. I was confused by your reference to "Braveheart" as I was thinking of the Mel Gibson film about the Scottish patriot William Wallace and I would have voted for that! But I am obviously in a minority! . Good luck with the challenge. .

    ScotSue at http://scotsue-familyhistoryfun.blogspot.co.uk

    ReplyDelete
  32. I would go with Gladiator. What a fun theme you have! Thanks so much for stopping by my blog and commenting. Have a great day.

    ReplyDelete
  33. Fantastic theme - yes it has to be Gladiator...

    ReplyDelete
  34. Hi :) thanks for visiting and commenting on my blog, you must be super busy with AtoZ co-host role! Love yout theme but don't watch movies hardly ever but I have seen some if not all Gladiator - not fair to vote if i've i've not seen the movies :) cheers and best wishes

    ReplyDelete
  35. Gladiator - I loved the music and the action. 300 was too graphic for me.

    ReplyDelete
  36. Great choice - I really loved Gladiator. Aftsr that, I'd forgive Russell Crowe and Joaquin Phoenix of any bad movie subsequently...

    Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  37. I've never seen 300, but Gladiator is one of my all time favorite movies, so it gets my vote. I like your theme, and will hop back to vote again. Visiting from the challenge today.

    ReplyDelete
  38. Do you plan on publishing voting results? I am curious :)
    Definitely Gladiator. I like both, but Gladiator was half the reason I went into Roman archaeology (even if it is riddled with mistakes, when I was in high school it was the most badass thing ever...)

    @TarkabarkaHolgy from
    Multicolored Diary - Epics from A to Z
    MopDog - 26 Ways to Die in Medieval Hungary

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Absolutely. I'm going to post all the winners in the May 4th-8th A to Z Reflections Post.

      Delete
  39. Gladiator is my all time favorite movie. I have seen it so many times that I have lost count. Thank you for stopping by MountainMadeCrochet.com.

    ReplyDelete
  40. for man candy i go for 300 and stunning graphic novel cinematography. for amazing realism i go for gladiator.

    gladiator for the win because just for the fact 300 had me cringing during a particular scene.

    ReplyDelete
  41. gladiator - loved them both but i can watch gladiator over and over, 300 was good once.
    love your battling movie theme! i'll be back!
    happy b day!

    ReplyDelete
  42. Wow! I can't pick because I love all the ones with sword fighting and bloody battles. I probably have twenty movies like this. I'm a big King Arthur fan.

    Sunni
    http://sunni-survivinglife.blogspot.com/

    ReplyDelete
  43. I did like Gladiator. 300 was okay.
    I'm picking Mr. Crowe!

    Heather

    ReplyDelete
  44. Oh man! I don't know which one i'd choose. Possibly 300, because Butler is in it. Haha. I'm stopping by from the challenge, I hope your having a great Thursday!

    ReplyDelete
  45. Tough pick! It depends on what I'm in the mood for. And this is a Gladiator day. :)

    ReplyDelete
  46. What a FuN theme you've got going here! I can't make a fair vote since I haven't seen the movie on the right. :D

    Elizabeth Mueller
    AtoZ 2015
    My Little Pony

    ReplyDelete
  47. Gladiator! Mainly cuz I still haven't seen 300.

    ReplyDelete
  48. How funny! I saw your title and thought you meant bygone battles, as in personally. :D

    ReplyDelete
  49. I still have yet to watch 300, so my vote is for Gladiator by default and I'm fine with that because that movie has some of the best battle scenes to ever grace the big screen. Plus, Russell Crowe did one heck of a job in his performance.

    ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED?!!!

    Also I must mention that I came here today after reading your comment on Sydney Aaliyah's blog about choosing the best artist when getting a tattoo; you're a true Harry Potter fanatic!

    ~Nicole
    #AtoZChallenge Co-Host
    The Madlab Post

    ReplyDelete
  50. Gladiator. I write historical fiction for a living, so I really enjoyed the details and the heartwrenching elements of that story.

    ReplyDelete
  51. Tough match up! If you're going for cinematography, I'd give it to 300. I really like the story line of Gladiator though. Pitting Butler against Crowe...also difficult. If I were to pick one of these two to watch right in this moment, I'd have to go with... Gladiator. Mostly because I just really enjoy Joaquin Phoenix's creepy portrayal of Commodus. Elle @ Erratic Project Junkie

    ReplyDelete
  52. I've actually seen Gladiator, but not 300. From what I've heard, 300 wasn't so historically accurate.

    ReplyDelete
  53. Ugh - didn't like either. I'm not a blood-and-gore kind of person but if I had to pick one, it would be 300.

    ReplyDelete
  54. I have seen and loved both of them. They are on the same level for me, but I go with 300/Gerard Butler. Its film style was so effective and unusual.
    Over from the A to Z.

    ReplyDelete
  55. While I loved both something about the way 300 was done makes it my favorite.

    ReplyDelete
  56. I haven't seen 300, but enjoyed Gladiator. I need to add 300 to my watch list.

    ReplyDelete
  57. 300, for sure! I don't know how accurate 300 is, but I enjoyed the story anyway - and Gerard Butler is always nice to look at ;)

    ReplyDelete
  58. Oh my gosh, who is able to choose? 300 was so beautiful to look at, and Gladiator's story was so great!

    ReplyDelete
  59. To be honest, I've never seen Gladiator - and really have no inclination to do so. 300 was a pretty fun flick, despite its historical inaccuracies (but hey, it's based on a comic book - can you really blame it for not being properly researched?), so I'll side with Sparta on this one. As for Braveheart vs. King Arthur, well, I'm not a huge fan of either, so let's just go with Arthur for the hilarious Monty Python parody it enabled: Monty Python and the Holy Grail.

    ReplyDelete
  60. Gladiator - hands down! I've watched it too many times to count :D I'm loving this theme of yours!

    ReplyDelete
  61. I am torn...Braveheart wins because of William Wallace but I am SPARTAGUS, so I have to support 300! Big fan of Maximus from Gladiator too. Torn. I pick Braveheart or they might not let me back into Scotland!

    ReplyDelete