Marathon

Scene from Marathon

The place: the plains of Marathon, Greece, 490 BC. The film opens at the onset of the bloodiest battle in Athenian history, the Battle of Marathon.

Outnumbered four-to-one, the Athenian hoplites force the Persian invaders back into the sea from which they came. The fighting on the plains is over, but for one soldier . . . the battle has only just begun.

Now Phidippides (Kurt Rodeghiero), with no formal training in long-distance running, must traverse more than twenty-four miles, using only his feet, to the City of Athens. There he must warn the defenseless citizenry of the possible sneak attack from passing remnants of the Persian fleet.

This film explores the origin of the marathon foot race, recreating a feat of heroism that continues to inspire hundreds of thousands to run each year risking health and safety for reasons of..."great consequence"? Marathon is a dryly satiric, creatively ambitious D.I.Y. film that treats viewers to the history and origins of the modern Marathon — but with a loopy, Brecht-meets-Benny-Hill sensibility.

Trailer

Marathon Trivia

1. No tripods were used in the making of this movie.
2. The scene in which Phidippides (Kurt Rodeghiero) tumbles down the big hill took ten takes in a row. The shot used in the final cut? Take #1.
3. The costume designer/builder dropped out of the project two weeks before shooting with not a single piece made. Shooting was pushed back two weeks and the director took the job.
4. The original distance of the marathon race was extended by 385 yards at the 1908 Olympics in England when the King of Britain wanted the race to finish in front of the royal family’s viewing box.
5. This film was originally supposed to be eight minutes long, turned into a 19 minute-film, and eventually was cut to 12 minutes.
6. Shooting of the waterfall and kissing scenes was postponed due to a rainy weather forecast. Ironically the original day turned out to be beautiful-sunny, and then it rained on the pick-up day. Turned out for the best though — offering variety in the environments.
7. The circus was in town for both principal shooting days. Walking to and from set our Greek warriors were mistaken by the crowds as part of "The Greatest Show On Earth"
8. Just 12 men played the entire Greek army.
9. A Greek infantryman was known as a hoplite.