Why is Persian culture demonized in Hollywood movies?

Question

http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2008/08/iran-archaeology/del-giudice-text

Anyways...movies like 300....some even argue that the movie on Alexander the Great is also on this list.

It is amazing that they manage to ignore the glory of the great Persian Empire (the world's first superpower), never make movies to show it at its best, but run off to make cheap movies to attack Persians today. Mmmm...I wonder who finances these movies...;-p

What do you think?

Thanks;-))

Answer 1

Invasion of Europe leading to the crusades and eventually international terrorism

Answer 2

I think this complaint shows one of the major cultural differences between Western culture and Middle Eastern culture.

To the Western mind, watching the movie "300," we would never associate the barbarous-seeming Persians of 300 BC with modern Persians.  As you may recall, the Spartans are also portrayed as pretty brutal; these representatives of the West are not like anything a modern Westerner would aspire to.  Look at the way they raised their children!  And all weak children were either killed at birth or died in childhood due to the rigors of Spartan life.  Besides, we know quite well that the movie contains elements of fantasy and is not totally realistic.

We feel quite comfortable criticizing the vices and evils of our ancestors, while appreciating their courage and honor.  Again and again I've seen people from the Middle East being mortified and offended at the suggestion that their ancestors have done something bad, as if it reflected on the people of today.  

Another example is Turkey's refusal to acknowledge the atrocities carried out by the Ottoman Turks against the Armenians.  The Ottomans are no longer in power, and nobody is alive who committed those crimes; yet it is illegal in Turkey to talk about what happened back then.  

By contrast, in Germany, it is illegal to deny the atrocities carried out by n**i Germany.  In the West, it is generally considered important to keep in mind our past evils so as to do better in the future.  It is considered dishonorable to deny the past crimes committed by our nations.  

It appears to me that, on the other hand, a lot of people in the Middle East consider it dishonorable to admit to the fact that one's nation had ever done anything wrong.

And the fact is, that there is not a nation in the world that does not have crimes as well as virtuous courage in its history.  

This is my impression; if you think I have not fully understood something, I would appreciate your feedback.

Thanks, Gloria; well as I said, few Westerners would even connect the Xerxes of the movie with modern Iran; they wouldn't even connect the real Xerxes with modern Iran.  Maybe this is partly due to ignorance of Persian history.  It is also partly due to the Western tendency to dismiss events long past as mere "ancient history," not relevant to the present.  

And really I would enjoy a movie glorifying the Persian Empire, Cyrus the Great, or Persian Carpets; but we may have to wait for a Persian director to make it.  US hostility to the modern government of Iran would not stop us from enjoying it; but Persian history is not in the forefront of our consciousness, we are not much immersed in Persian culture, so there is not much motivation to make such a movie.  But you never know; it may come sooner than you think.  

[BTW the movie "300" was based on a graphic novel, which accounts for a lot of the bizarre artwork.]

Answer 3

i don't think jews finance these movies,because they really like persian culture in the time of Achaemenid empire.u know cyrus the great save them from babel.but i think bush and his administration

are making propaganda for attacking.it make US ppl hate us and it's easier for their government to attack us.

Answer 4

The Jews make movies that make Iran look bad, because they want to kill muslims.    

Answer 5

Probably Israeli financed (just kidding, not everything's a conspiracy!!)

Well, maybe they want to make sure Iran doesn't rise up as superpower?

Answer 6

I'm not convinced you are correct. Re: "300", for example, I doubt that very many viewers (at least Americans) understood that it was about Persians, much less their predecessors, the Iranians.  But I'll give that question some more thought.  I'm glad you enjoyed the Nat'l Geo article-hopefully it enlightened at least a few Americans.  

Answer 7

i know right!!

they always try to show iran at their worst!!

they never talk about the beautiful side of our culture.

they're just jealous.

:)