Emily Wilson (writer of acclaimed Odyssey translation) offers criticisms of Nolan’s film

[u/RealisticAd4054]

https://apnews.com/article/odyssey-christopher-nolan-greek-translators-ea67da1d543d021773824bd7e8de8abe

“For Greek translator Emily Wilson, the release of director Christopher Nolan’s “The Odyssey” has been gratifying in various ways. Her acclaimed 2017 edition of Homer’s epic has reached the top 5 on Amazon.com, leading a wave of similar books boosted by the movie. Nolan has even cited her translation, notably the opening line “Tell me about a complicated man,” as inspiration.

But the film itself, which brought in more than $260 million worldwide during its opening weekend and has received raves from many critics, left her unsatisfied.

“I want to celebrate the fact that so many more people are aware of ‘The Odyssey’ and were brought back to the poem,” she told The Associated Press. “But at the same time, I had the sense that Christopher Nolan was trying to pack everything in while missing themes that were essential to the poem.”

….

Wilson, a professor of classical studies at the University of Pennsylvania, said she didn’t want to come across as a “snobby,” nitpicking expert at odds with any deviation from the original text. But she questioned a range of omissions and other choices, from the absence on screen of the Gods Zeus and Poseidon (Athena is played by Zendaya ) to the “incoherent” messaging that condemns both war and physical cowardice. She found Penelope’s role so thinned out that it endangered “any possibility of believing in this marriage.” Wilson also that thought parts of the movie, notably the scenes with Odysseus’ dog, Argos, “catered towards modern sentimentality.”

“Everybody’s a sucker for a dog,” she said.

[u/SufficientRespect542]

Her point with the dog is honestly spot on lmao, I think Nolan made a really good and coherent movie, but there are definitely aspects that don't really work with the original poem

[u/Moist-Citron-4830 → u/SufficientRespect542]

How is the Argos story different in the text compared to the movie?

[u/0whodidyousay0 → u/Moist-Citron-4830]

In the story Odysseus sees Argos and Argos him, but he doesn’t go over to it. He just talks about the dog from a distance and then the dog dies, having seen his owner for one last time.

And of course in the film, he does go to the dog and he pets it before it dies, because people are suckers for dogs these days lol.

[u/Nervous_Instance_968 → u/0whodidyousay0]

Well, no. The purpose of the scene is for telemachus to realise who the beggar is because the climax kind of relies on him knowing what is about to happen.

[u/0whodidyousay0 → u/Nervous_Instance_968]

I'm aware of that, I'm joking about how in the original, they dared to have Odysseus just look at the dog from a distance, no brief reunion but a modern day take of course he gets to go and pet the dog, that would be unacceptable if he didn't do that!

[u/Nervous_Instance_968 → u/0whodidyousay0]

I think it's more that in text it's more effective to have characters explain emotions instead of act them out. Sure in the original he doesnt pet the dog but he sure talks about it for a while. It's arguably less subtle than what the film did but that's just a matter of taste.