The Ancient Greeks’ Blackened Reputation

In this The American Conservative article, Taki argues that modern filmmakers have become more interested in ideological casting choices than in respecting the historical and literary context of ancient Greek stories.

• The author opens with personal memories of writers and directors such as Norman Mailer, Elia Kazan, and Larry McMurtry, using them as examples of a more serious artistic generation.
• He contrasts those figures with today’s moviemakers, whom he portrays as less talented and more dependent on provocative casting decisions to draw attention.
• The article focuses heavily on modern adaptations of Greek epics, especially claims about black actresses portraying figures such as Helen of Troy or Penelope.
• Taki objects to race-swapped casting in stories rooted in specific ethnic, cultural, and mythological traditions, arguing that it distorts well-known roles.
• He recalls hearing the Iliad and Odyssey as a child and emphasizes that Helen was traditionally described as fair and beautiful in Greek imagination.
• The author also criticizes the way ancient Greek men, apart from figures like Achilles or Alexander the Great, have often been portrayed negatively in film.
• He recounts asking Elia Kazan why Greeks were depicted poorly, with Kazan allegedly suggesting that Greeks were treated harshly because they were historically “the winners.”
• Taki argues that a figure such as Menelaus, if historical, would not have been depicted as fat, ugly, or weak because Spartan society would not have chosen such a man as king.
• The broader point is that Hollywood’s treatment of classical stories reflects modern political fashion more than artistic fidelity or respect for inherited civilization.

Read the full story: https://www.theamericanconservative.com/the-ancient-greeks-blackened-reputation/