The Neverending Story

This might be completely off-topic but I thought it was interesting.

The first thing that came to mind when I heard that Ridley Scott is bringing Robin Hood to the big screen with Russell Crowe in the title role was "Again? Really?"

This led to a little research on Robin and just how many times the story has been portrayed. It's quite remarkable how many times film makers have pulled out this old chestnut. The first

Robin Hood film was a silent flick that came out in 1908. Since that time we've barely missed a decade when multiple films and television shows didn't hit the big screen or the small one. I lost count.

We really love this story.

We've loved some version of it since the 12th or 13th century when Robin Hood was the subject of many popular ballads. William Shakespeare made reference to Robin and his Merry Men. Robin was a commoner in the beginning mythology but by the 15th century he was portrayed as the dispossessed nobleman hero we recognize today. How many of us grew up in the 50's and 60's watching Richard Greene as Robin on television? (and still can't get the theme song out of our minds once somebody starts it)

I wonder if a correlation can be made between the release of Robin Hood related entertainment and those times when the public is most dissatisfied with government and feeling absolutely taxed to death. If so this latest release from Scott is right on the money (so to speak).