The funny part is, it's not even a fair attribution, since the fall of Troy doesn't happen in the Iliad.

Well, exactly. But without "Based on the Iliad" in front of it, there's nothing wrong with writing a movie about the fall of Troy that leaves out a bunch of stuff that's in the Iliad and makes up a bunch of other stuff that's not, and basically exists as an excuse to show off Brad Pitt's arms. The VAST majority of the movie's problems exist because they called it an adaptation. (Granted, it would still have been an extremely silly film with cringeworthy gender politics, but there would have been many fewer specific things to point at and say "Hey, that was wrong!")

It didn't say it was based on the Iliad. It said it was "inspired by the Iliad" which seems like plenty of wiggle room. That's not saying it's an adaptation.

My favorite credit is "Based on an idea by." Especially when the person credited is either the writer or director.

I think it should have said "Inspired by Brad Pitt's thighs", because that is probably truer than its being inspired by the Iliad.

I'm of the opinion that if your source material is public domain, and you've strayed far enough from it that "inspired by" is the best you can do, you're better off not mentioning it at all.

I dunno. If I was making a movie inspired by Brad's thighs, there'd have been a very different use of leather.

But it's the infinite exploration that keeps storytelling eternal.

I'm of the opinion that if your source material is public domain, and you've strayed far enough from it that "inspired by" is the best you can do, you're better off not mentioning it at all.

Fair. But if it can't free them from "lousy adaptation!" accusations, it's not any use at all.

But if it can't free them from "lousy adaptation!" accusations, it's not any use at all.

Do you think it does? Maybe it should, but in practice, I don't think "inspired by" films get any more leeway than "based on" films when pedants attack.

Duuude. The Emperor's New Groove. That movie was super-funny.

I think if they were true pedants, inspired movies would get more leeway than based movies.

Of course, that is with the definition of pedantry=ita.

In my estimation, they could have veered much further away from the texts and still been able to use "inspired by" as a valid description. Now, people who want to see the Iliad onscreen will always be pissed. But if you're not saying you're putting the Iliad onscreen, they might as well be mad at the makers of Austin Powers, who also didn't say they'd make a movie based on the Iliad.

Such are my fine lines.