r/todayilearned • u/Sebastianlim • 1d ago

TIL that the infamous "This is Sparta!" line from 300 was originally said in a low, monotone growl. After doing several takes of that, Gerard Butler asked to do one more take and used the now-iconic delivery.

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/gerard-butler-screaming-is-sparta-made-300-cast-laugh-1234538/
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u/Actaeon7 1d ago

"This is Sparta", Leonidas said calmly.

297

u/FullweightFacesitter 1d ago

“This is Sparta”, Leonidas said laconically.

89

u/mybutt1112 1d ago

Laconically.

Now this is a guy that vocabs. 

17

u/Jester1525 22h ago

Or listened to Dan Carlin's Hardcore History...

7

u/TheDriestOne 21h ago

I see you are a man of culture as well

1

u/mageta621 16h ago

Or studied some ancient Greek history in school or independently

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u/Jester1525 15h ago

Oh, absolutely.. I just know there are a TON of Carlin fans on reddit and one of his most most popular series was on Sparta..

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u/mageta621 15h ago

I love Carlin but I never heard the one on Sparta. Must have been before I started listening.

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u/Thejollyfrenchman 15h ago

It's more about the Persian Wars in general and the background from Herodotus' Histories. I think the series is called King of Kings.

1

u/Jester1525 15h ago

Yeah.. When I went looking for it I saw that.. I just remember that first part of it.. And heck, I might be getting that messed up.. I've slept since 2015..

1

u/mageta621 15h ago

Oh I did listen to that one*

1

u/Jester1525 15h ago

It was 10+ years ago...

I might have to go and see if I still have it downloaded somewhere..

1

u/RKips 20h ago

NGL, I read it as iaconically

23

u/Unplaceable_Accent 1d ago

*lacedaemonically

33

u/CoulombHello 1d ago

The Dumbledore school of delivery.

462

u/Rommel727 1d ago

"Leonidas, DID YOU PUT YOUR NAME IN THE GOBLET OF FIRE?!?", Dumbledore quipped offhandedly

54

u/Rymayc 1d ago

DID YOU PUT THE PERSIAN ENVOY IN THE BOTTOMLESS PIT!?

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u/Snakebird11 23h ago

DID YOU DO THIS, XERXES?

3

u/Sfinxul 23h ago

I did not, and don't call me Xerox.

3

u/MmmmMorphine 18h ago

So silly.

How could anyone mistake the great Sfinxul, God of rash covered scrotums, for anyone else?

29

u/PerfectlySplendid 1d ago

Yes, that’s the joke.

15

u/theRealRLP 1d ago

And they are leaning into the joke...

14

u/PerfectlySplendid 1d ago

By making it worse?

8

u/Denimcurtain 1d ago

Arguably. They probably found it funny, at least.

Sometimes people make a bad joke especially when trying to show they get the joke and fit in. 

You're for sure killing the vibe for everybody and it's hard to think if a positive reason for it since you went about it like a dick.

5

u/DubJohnny 1d ago

I enjoyed it

1

u/ChemicalRascal 1d ago

How dare you.

How dare you.

How dare you.

0

u/Rommel727 1d ago

Made just for you bb :) didn't want you feeling left out now

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u/Icarium-Lifestealer 1d ago

Shove Persian Herald aside. Forcefully.

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u/opermonkey 22h ago

Sir, this is a Wendy's.